We only got know about the existence of An Nyeong whilst scrolling around social media one day — interestingly, it was not a post from their own social media account that caught our attention to know about them; instead, it was through another tenant located within Cluny Court that we got to know about its existence. An Nyeong should not be too difficult to locate around the compounds of Cluny Court — occupying a shop unit that faces Bukit Timah Road, An Nyeong is only accessible from the exterior of Cluny Court taking over the former premises of Ollella X Swish Rolls before the two (2) had split into two locations at Telok Ayer and at Orchard respectively. Those whom are familiar with the space when it was still housing Ollella X Swish Rolls may know how tight the shop unit that An Nyeong now occupies is — with that in mind, An Nyeong is pretty much an establishment that is positioned towards takeaway operations. Whilst patrons of An Nyeong are able to walk into the store as opposed to previously, the interior of the shop unit only contains the hot food kitchen, as well as the ordering counter — there are some stools around where patrons performing takeaways can sit around to wait for their order, though there may be difficulty going around the space if one chooses to sit at the stools provided. A small dine-in area consisting of patio furniture that is made out of two (2) tables for four (4) pax each can be found at the footway outside the shop to cater to those whom intend to consume their food on-the-spot. An Nyeong primarily serves up Korean street food; then menu is being segregated into sectioned dedicated to Cup Bab (described as a simple version of Bibimbap and rice bowl in the menu), Gimbap and Tteokbokki. Beverages available at An Nyeong includes a variety of teas as well as canned beverages that are displayed in the display chiller near the entrance.

Whilst Gimbap has become an item that is starting to be increasingly easier to find across the island, one can still probably agree on the fact that it is still somewhat of a niche item that is still a rarity when compared to the usual Korean fare that can be found across most Korean establishments around the island. This also meant that the Gimbap was an item that we were looking forward to give a go during our visit to An Nyeong on a weekday dinner service; An Nyeong does serve up quite a good number of variants of Gimbap which includes the more usual Tuna, Chicken / Beef Bulgogi and Crabmeat Mayo versions, though the one they caught our attention whilst skimming through the menu was the Chicken Cheese Sausage Gimbap. The menu describes all of their Gimbap to come with elements such as carrot egg and rice; the lettuce is also included for all of their other Gimbaps except for the Chicken Cheese Sausage Gimbap that we had went for. Not mentioned in their list of ingredients that come with the Gimbap would be the Danmuji (i.e. Korean yellow pickles) that can be observed in our order as well. The Gimbap does come pretty tightly-wrapped; picking the slices of Gimbap using the chopstick, the Gimbap managed to hold its structural integrity without any of elements falling apart. The rice comes compact and sticky enough; all whilst coming at a warm temperature like it should whilst also carrying a light hint of sweetness almost akin to sushi rice. The chicken cheese sausage pieces added a slight bouncines that was soft to chew through; itself carrying a savoury note of flavours typical of cured meat but at the same time with an added saltish-ness from the cheese within the sausage as well.

Elements like the carrots added provided a refreshing crunch to the Gimbap, while the egg adds a bit of fluff and a contrasting eggy note that adds on to the whole Gimbap. Meanwhile, we had also given their Tteokbokki a go; the Tteokbokki comes with two flavour options — the Soya and the Red Chili, which we opted for the latter. Coming with slices of fishcakes and rice cake pieces, the rice cakes were absolutely chewy here while the fishcakes carried a soft bite — the red chili carrying that sweet and earthy, yet spicy kick that one would expect out of Gochujang; we would reckon this should be of a spiciness level that would be alright with moderate levels of spiciness. Having tried only the Chicken Cheese Sausage Gimbap and the Tteokbokki (Red Chili), we did find the Korean fare at An Nyeong to be pretty satisfying — probably something close to what one would expect from a proper Korean restaurant even; we especially loved the Tteokbokki (Red Chili), which is definitely a crowd-pleaser that one should get when at An Nyeong. Prices of the Cup Bab at An Nyeong starts from $9.50 to $12.50, while the Gimbaps are priced from $10.50 to $12.50; the Tteokbokki is priced at $7.50 for the Soya variant and $8.50 for the Red Chili version. With such quality Korean fare coming out of its small kitchen, An Nyeong would likely be a spot to head to for some takeaway Korean street food away from the Beauty World neighbourhood that sees a bigger concentration of Korean restaurants in the Bukit Timah corridor.

Heard all about the opening of Banele’s very first brick-and-mortar space around the Newton / Stevens neighbourhood recently. Banele had actually first operated as an online-based business — the brand does have its own following over the years. With the rejuvenation of Chancery Court in recent times, Banele has moved into a shop unit located at the second floor of Blk H of Chancery Court above the newly-renovated Cold Storage supermarket there. The shop unit of which that Banele has occupied is rather small — one that is seemingly more meant for takeaway operations but there is a bench seating area that comes with two tables that can allow for those wishing to dine-in within its premises to enjoy their offerings on-site. The space is decked out in a minimalistic decor theme with the use of geometrical elements for a soft visual impact — amidst the earthy wooden tones used in its furniture and fittings would be the use of bright yellow and dark blue coloured fittings that one would find familiar to the brand’s colour themes for a colourful contrast bringing a vibrant look. Banele offers a rather streamlined menu that focuses heavily on their signature banana bread - brownie - canelé hybrid creation (therefore the namesake Banele); on the menu would be the Banele Classic, the Banele Bundt and their Financiers. Beverage available at Banele would include espresso-based specialty coffee, bottled cold brew coffee, Kombucha and other caffeine-free options such as their Ladybug Girl’s Chocolate and the Babyccino.

Offering three (3) different flavour variants of their Banele Classic, the Banele Classic — Amande was the one that stood out to us the most whilst skimming through the menu during our visit made to Banele on a weekday morning; other flavours that are being offered for its Banele Classic line-up includes their Signature Valrhona Guanaja 70%, and the Peanut Butter and Jelly. We were asked if we would like to have our Banele toasted, which we agreed to. Noted for being slightly different from the usual Banana Bread (especially noting how the founder created the Banele being one whom is not fond of Banana bread), the Banele does come lightly crusty on the exterior after it is being toasted. We did think that calling it a Canele might be a bit of a stretch; this is especially so since it’s is also known that the Banele does not comprise of the usual ingredients that would have went into the making of a typical Canele. The texture of the Banele as one chews into it is soft, sticky, chewy and aptly dense; perhaps more akin to that of a sticky date pudding (or kueh-like) if one might put it across in that manner. There is however a lingering hint of sweetness from the bananas going around much like a banana bread would, and certainly more dense and chewy in texture when compared to a banana cake per se. Opting for the Amonde variant, the Banele sees a filled heart with a chocolate-almond ganache towards the bottom of the Banele; itself being a decent option if one would typically avoid chocolate for its usually sweet flavour profile.

We also managed to try the Financier during our trip to Banele — we actually found the Financier to be something that we liked over the Banele itself even. Also opting for the Financier to come toasted, we liked how the Financier was beautifully browned with crisp crust on the exterior — all that whilst perfuming of a buttery. Pte of flavours that lingers in the tastebud. The Financier did not feel overly dense, nor did it turn out to be greasy from the overload of butter — totally on point and something that would have went well with a hot cuppa for a light breakfast snack. The Cold Brew (White) comes unsweetened — we typically enjoy our milk-infused cold brew coffee to come with a nutty and earthy flavour profile even when unsweetened so the tanginess of the body of the one served here wasn’t particularly to our fancy. We have heard quite a bit about Banele prior to our visit made and we must say that Banele does offer an interesting look on how banana bread can be tweaked for a texture that we do feel works better for us as well — we did, however, feel that the description of it being a banana bread - brownie - canelé hybrid overcomplicates things a little, and not exactly befitting of the item. Nonetheless, Banele is still a location worthy to make a visit to try out what they have to offer — their Banele being something that should be tried at least once, and the Financiers being something to die for (at least for us)!

Came to know about this establishment named Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup whilst scrolling around social media on the phone some time back — located at a distance away from Boon Keng MRT Station along the North-East Line, its address at Blk 122 McNair Road may sound familiar to some; this is because Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup is actually located in the same space at the foot of the void deck of a block within the neighbourhood named McNair Spring where Wild Coco used to be situated at before their move to Hamilton Road. It does seem that some work has been done to the space by the folks of Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup to bring the space back to the looks of a normal coffeeshop; gone would be the quirky tropical-themed decor and neon lightings that adorned the space during its days as Wild Coco, while there is some change with the dine-in furniture that seems pretty tasteful despite being plasticky pieces. Whilst being of a setup similar to that of a typical coffeeshop, Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup is in fact an independently-run eatery; the menu offered at Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup can be described as fairly extensive, with the menu segregated into sections dedicated to its Kway Teow Soup and Fish Soup offerings, individually-sized zichar with rice dishes and all-day breakfast menu. Beverages available at Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup includes Nanyang-style Kopi & Teh, as well as Milo, homemade barley, lime and sour plum juice, and canned drinks.

Having tried the Signature Pork Noodles - Soup (without Organs) some time back at Legacy Pork Noodles, we initially thought that the version of the Signature Dry Noodle at Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup would have been something quite similar to the aforementioned item. Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup does allow patrons to opt for their desired choices of carbs to come with their Signature Dry Noodle — our order was made for the Mee Kia, but it is noted that Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup also offers Kway Teow, Thin Bee Hoon, Thick Bee Hoon, Yellow Noodle, Mee Pok, Mee Sua, Mee Tai Mak and Plain Rice for the choices of carbs to accompany their soups. Things start to get a little obvious that the Signature Dry Noodle served at Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup is more of a local rendition of the dish rather than the Malaysian version of it when we had collected the food from the counter once it has been prepared. Giving the noodles a light toss, it seem that the Mee Kia at Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup comes with a mix of vinegar and sambal chili that brings it closer to our local minced meat noodles in terms of the overall flavour profile; the addition of vinegar bringing a bright tang amidst the savoury notes of the chili that also brought it a moderate kick of spiciness should do just about okay for those whom are tolerable to reasonable levels of spiciness. The noodles also came with a few chunks of crispy pork lard; that being said, these were lightly crisp with bit of bite — not totally crisp as what some other establishments would serve up. The soup in the meanwhile did carry a savoury note; not quite as intense as the one that we have had at Legacy Pork Noodles — one that also can be described to be closer to the soup that typically accompanies the soup rendition of the local minced meat noodles.

Elements that came in the bowl of soup included stalks of greens, fish slices, pork slices, minced pork and fried beancurd — the meat and fish slices were void of any undesirable fishy or porky stench, though the most interesting element seems to be the fried beancurd that seemed to be purposely executed to carry a bit of a bite and the ends for some contrast of texture. That being said, we aren’t quite sure if the direction taken for the execution of the fried beancurd will gel well with the patrons here. During our visit to Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup, we had also given their Traditional Kaya Butter Toast a go; the toast comes sliced thin and features quite a sizeable slab of butter — the result is this crisp and buttery Kaya toast that comes with a slight note of Pandan sweetness from the Nonya-style Kaya that is spread on the toast. There is some form of likeness between the Iced Kopi here with the one that we usually would associate with those served at Nanyang-themed establishments such as that of Great Nanyang, Nan Yang Dao, Best Ah Ma Cafe etc.; the Iced Kopi here coming all frothy and rich-looking. This would be one they would suit those whom like their Nanyang-style Kopi to come with a good caffeinated kick without it being too sweet.

Overall, Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup does seem to be that sort of establishment that is primarily targeting to serve the residents around the neighbourhood that it is located — its offerings, while not the most memorable, are of a decent quality. They also do offer quite a wide variety of dishes on the menu that would allow one to try something new / or cater to a new craving during every visit. Prices of the main dishes at Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup ranges between $5 to $12.80, with most of the dishes priced from $6.80 to $8.80 — fairly reasonable when compared against the prices of food in the Central Business District. Whilst not a spot that we would make a special trip all the way out for, Wong Kee Kway Teow Soup & Fish Soup is likely one of those spots that residents would not mind having especially on days where it is difficult to walk out of the McNair neighbourhood to get food from the nearby Bendemeer area around Boon Keng MRT Station.

Was a little surprised to have found The Dispensary making its return to the local F&B scene yet again — while these folks are probably most remembered during its stint located in a former dispensary that is situated within a shophouse unit at Tiong Bahru, there was a period of time that The Dispensary was operating as The Dispensary Bistro within the compounds of the d’Leedon condominium. The folks at The Dispensary had since ceased operations at that location as well, and is now found to have opened as The Dispensary Heritage that is located within the compounds of Sims Urban Oasis. Unlike their former location at d’Leedon, its Sims Urban Oasis location is known to be opened to public — the space that it occupies at Sims Urban Oasis is one that was once tenanted by the now-defunct ALTO Cafe. For those whom are unaware of where the publicly-accessible entrance of The Dispensary Heritage is located, it is just after a flight of stairs after one drops off at the bus stop beside the condominium complex along Aljunied Road. The entire lower level of the space is dedicated to dine-in seating — there are some fittings such as the ceiling lamps that seems to have been around since the space was Alto Cafe; that being said, the space does feature a checkerboard-style flooring, whilst featuring cushioned seating matched against tables with white table tops. Meanwhile, one can find posters on the wall depicting past locations of The Dispensary over the years, and the upper level is solely dedicated to their kitchen as well as the counter to place the order. The menu at The Dispensary had somewhat changed a lot leading up to its current iteration at Sims Urban Oasis — gone would be the notable selection of cakes that they used to serve up during the days when they were at Tiong Bahru; the menu now features a variety of hot food spread across categories such as All Day Breakfast, Soups, Sides & Sharing, Salads, Mains and Rice Mains (only available till 4pm). Beverages available at The Dispensary Heritage includes coffee and a variety of teas.

Skimming through the menu at The Dispensary Heritage, the item that seem to have stood out to us the most was the Otah Aglio Olio that is being listed in the Mains section of the menu — likely so considering this was one of the very few items that sees the incorporation of a local element to form a dish with a fusion dish. The menu does not describe on the components that come with the Otah Aglio Olio, though it could be observed from our order that the Otah Aglio Olio does come with linguine that is tossed with chunks of Otah, as well as what seems to be Lao Gan Ma-esque chili considering the Chili oil that sits at the bottom of the entire dish. One can also notice the inclusion of onions, as well as chili padi in the dish as well. Whilst we really wanted to like this dish quite badly, we found it rather hard to do so — one of the biggest letdowns of the dish here was the consistency of the pasta itself. The dried pasta was not executed well; itself carrying a chewy texture whilst some parts stood out particularly having seemingly been charred and dried up — something which we found to be particularly appalling especially when The Dispensary isn’t a name that is new to the local F&B scene, as it also considered to be a fairly popular spot at some point of time in its history as well. The chunks of Otah does feel like they came from the commercially-made slabs of Muar-style Otah that one can obtain from supermarkets around; not something which we are particularly bothered with and was something which we liked — the Otah being soft and chunky; all that whilst also adding a spicy kick with a light hint of rempah spices for some contrast.

That being said, the addition of Lao Gan Ma-esque chili seems to have made the entire dish feel rather flat; Lao Gan Ma-esque chili usually helps to further enhance the notes of a dish when there is an inherently savoury element such as meat in the dish, though this felt like there was a lack of depth to the fragrance of the chili oil that could further bring its flavours out. Even the Cafe Latte that we have had fell short of expectations as well; the coffee whilst coming with milk just felt too diluted — the milk failing to provide a richness that thickened the coffee even, not to mention the oddly sourish body that it carried with the addition of milk that just isn’t particularly appealing. The Dispensary had been a spot that has quite a vibrant past being an icon of the local cafehopping scene; a location that was not only about their cakes, but also one that celebrates the heritage of the shophouse that it was once located at. In its current state, it does seem that the entire spirit that The Dispensary has once been so celebrated upon have become a story of the past — the vibes of its former location is definitely one that cannot be recreated; something that has also haunted other brand names that are well-focused in the heritage of their initial location until they are forced to relocate. That being said, The Dispensary Heritage has a lot to look into especially in respect of their food offerings which some work is definitely needed.

Was scrolling around social media one day and managed to have caught wind about the opening of a new location of Miss Saigon — for those whom have yet to hear about the establishment, Miss Saigon is a dining establishment at Orchard Plaza that is best known for their Banh Mi. In fact, Miss Saigon is a brand name by the same folks whom are behind Banh Mi Saigon that is also noted for their stellar Banh Mi located at Blk 505 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8. Whilst Miss Saigon is pretty much a very small space with minimal dine-in seating at Orchard Plaza, their new location at the fourth level of Fortune Centre is considerably bigger. Miss Saigon at its location in Fortune Centre does closely resemble the look of their Orchard Plaza store; one can still find the familiar signboards as well as the neon signages that adorn their space at Orchard Plaza. That being said, the mobile food cart where some of the condiments of their sandwiches can be found is located right at the entrance of the store; the kitchen in which hot food is prepared can be found at the back behind where the mobile food cart is. To the right of the space is where one can find the dine-in seating of the establishment — the entire space is decked with dining furniture that is more for function than for form; that being said, there is a Vietnamese touch with the use of straw hats and other decorative elements that can be found throughout the dine-in area. One can also find the retail rack dedicated to the sale of Vietnamese groceries at their Fortune Centre location — consistent with that of Orchard Plaza and at Ang Mo Kio as well. The menu that Miss Saigon serves up at Fortune Centre is close to what is being offered at their Orchard Plaza location — this include their Bread menu comprising of their Banh Mi creations, Spring Rolls, Sides and Noodles; they also offer a whole lineup of other cooked food that are also listed in their menu at Orchard Plaza such as sizzling hotplates, pho and rice dishes, just to name a few. Beverage options include Vietnamese-style coffee and tea, amongst others.

While Miss Saigon / Banh Mi Saigon has been an establishment that is better known for their Banh Mi offerings that is often touted as one of the best that one can get on the island, we had always been intrigued by their offering of Banh Mi Ap Chao ever since we had chanced upon it at the Miss Saigon location at Orchard Plaza. It is therefore not too surprising that we had decided to go for the Banh Mi Ap Chao instead during our visit to Miss Saigon at Fortune Centre on a weekday lunch service — switching things up a little from our usual order to give something different a try. It does seem that the Banh Mi Ap Chao had been mis-translated as “Pan-Fried Bread” in the English translation on the menu here — a better (and more apt way) to describe the dish is to call it Bread with Combo Pan. In fact, the Banh Mi Ap Chao does not bear too much of a difference from the Bo Ne that we usually enjoy having — while Miss Saigon does not describe on the elements that come with the dish on the menu, it can be observed from our order that the dish comes with meat pate, sardine, meatballs, onions, and a sunny side-up; all coming in a sauce with a red-hue with a Vietnamese baguette served on the side. Not sure if the dish was supposed to be served on a sizzling skillet much like how the Bo Ne would have been; we did notice that the skillet that came with the Banh Mi Ap Chao here seems to be used as a dining ware rather than coming warm to keep the temperature of the elements warm as one goes through all of the elements within.

That being said, we did enjoy how the sauce carried a sweet-yet-savoury note; think of it as a tomato-based sauce that seems to have been spiked with a little bit of butter and some Worcestershire sauce — a little bit similar to the typical Hainanese-style western sauce that we usually associate wjth old-school renditions of the Hainanese Pork Chop, though way more lighter in flavour to provide a bit of a balance of flavours as a dip to the bread. The baguette here is toasted to a crisp exterior, whilst maintaining a light, soft and fluffy texture within — great to soak up all of the sauce that it comes with. Breaking up the egg yolk and mixing it up with the pate and the sauce to dip the bread in, one can expecting a creamier texture that ends up being more like a spread to the bread that is eggy and savoury without being too gamey; all that with the soft crunch of the caramelised onions that have been included in the item. The meatballs carried a soft texture to chew upon; not too meaty, having seemingly absorbed the flavours of the sauce that came with the dish, while the sardine provided a firmer bite and a briny note that the fish is known to inherently carry. It is best for one to have the dish as soon as it arrives the table; the baguette does lose its crispness from being toasted really quickly due to use of fans here to compensate for the weak air-con its premises.

Of course, we found it difficult to skip on having the Vietnamese Iced Milk Coffee and therefore found ourselves going for one — we went with the usual level of sweetness that they have to offer and this was indeed quite a strong-handed cuppa considering how it comes especially dark with deep notes of caffeine that provided for a bittersweet note even with the condensed milk added to balance things a little. Miss Saigon is an establishment that is better known for their Banh Mi offering and it is needless to say that their line-up of Banh Mi is where the show is at — we have always been impressed by their generous portion of fillings that sees the Banh Mi just simply stuffed with all the good stuff; there is also always a balance of flavours between the different elements as well despite that fact. In comparison, the Banh Mi Ap Chao whilst being a decently-executed item in its own right, does feel lesser of a highlight when compared to their line-up of Banh Mi — more of a respectable alternative option for diners whom do not wish to go for their Banh Mi sandwiches or just wanted to try something different. Prices of the Banh Mi sandwiches at Miss Saigon’s location at Fortune Centre starts from $8.90, while their noodle dishes starts from $7.90 — the other individually-sized cooked dishes sees them being served at around $12 per dish. A reliable option for Vietnamese fare whilst being in the Bencoolen neighbourhood.

Yet another one of those places that we had managed to find out whilst scrolling around the phone one fine day — there had been quite a number of food stalls specialising in Banh Mi that had opened their doors within the past one to two years. It seems that the wave of such establishments have hit Punggol recently — Banh Mi Co Kieu is one such stall that had recently opened its doors around the area of Punggol East. Situated at the Foodcity Coffeshop that is located at Blk 653A Punggol Drive, the estate can be described as one that is rather far flung from that of Punggol Town Centre — the neighbourhood being fairly close to the red pedestrian bridge that links up Punggol with Lorong Halus. Banh Mi Co Kieu only occupies a space half of a typically-sized stall unit; themselves sharing a space with the beverage stall and situated beside the outlet of Tanjong Rhu Wanton Noodles there. At first sight, Banh Mi Co Kieu does loosely remind of us yet another food stall serving up Vietnamese Banh Mi which we had visited some time back; similar to Dung Banh Mi, Banh Mi Co Kieu seems to offer dishes that one would typically associate with rojak stalls — think Kueh Pie Tee, Rojak and Popiah apart from the various Banh Mi offerings that they have. Apart from these, Banh Mi Co Kieu apparently also serves up Banana Fritters, while Pork Skewers can also be ordered as a side as well.

Most would probably know us being folks whom would absolutely give the Mix Ham baguette a try; that being said, our attention was drawn to the Banh Mi La Lot after noticing how they actually carried the said item — quite a rarity still amongst establishments serving up Banh Mi across the island despite its appearance in more establishments of the late. The item is a little mis-translated on the menu at Banh Mi Co Kieu, with its English name on the menu born reflected as Baguette BBQ Beef. In actual fact, the Banh Mi features ground beef that is wrapped in betel leaves — there is a similar iteration of the item being served up at Banh Mi Saigon at Blk 505 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 as well. Banh Mi Co Kieu does not describe on the elements that comes with their dishes on their menu; that being said, it can be observed that our order of the Baguette BBQ Beef comes with pickled vegetables, cucumber, coriander, pate and mayonnaise — there is also the addition of chili padi considering how we have specified for our order to come spicy. Taking a bite into the Banh Mi, we were absolutely in love with the consistency of the baguette itself; the baguette comes shatteringly crisp but also with a good bite carrying some tension when one attempts to chew the baguette apart. The baguette itself comes with ample portion of the condiments; quite well-stuffed. The first thing that came to our tastebuds as we took a deeper bite into the Banh Mi was the herb-y notes of the betel leaf — this added a nice fragrance that perfumes throughout the tastebuds that really adds quite a fair bit of contrast that we have not really experienced with other variants of Banh Mi elsewhere.

The minced beef here surprisingly did not carry any gamey notes; itself also being rather easy to chew through — there is a slight sweetness with the light meatiness that pulls through that complimented the betel leafs so well that made the betel leaf-wrapped minced beef so good to have even on its own. Of course, the other elements that we typically find in a Banh Mi adds on to the whole experience; the pickled radish and carrots adding a tangy crunch to refresh the tastebud, all alongside the neutral notes of the cucumber that does the same as well. The savouriness and creaminess of the pate spread on the baguette helps to gel the meats together with the bread, while there seems to be a light drizzle of fish sauce that further antes up the savoury flavours of the entire baguette. Whilst we usually would detest the usage of mayonnaise in the Banh Mi, it seems that the folks at Banh Mi Co Kieu managed to achieve a good balance at it; itself being sufficient to gel the slices of cucumber with the meats and bread, but otherwise does not interfere with the flavours of the entire baguette in general. The addition of coriander helps to cut through the heaviness of the meats and carbs with its distinctive note. During our visit to Banh Mi Co Kieu, we had also given the Pork Skewer a go; this seems likely to be no different from most of the pork sausages that most Banh Mi specialty establishments would serve up with their Banh Mi if they do offer such a variant. These pork skewers look like they come in five (5) round segments; they do offer a firm, meaty bite — the flavoured being largely meaty but there is a slight hint of sweetness that makes it almost similar to that of the Taiwanese-style sausage. Truthfully, not an item which we would seem as something not to be missed, though the reason why we were going for one was due to us craving for one after not having it for quite a while.

There are quite a number of establishments that are pretty similar to Banh Mi Co Kieu that had sprouted up across the island of the late — having tried a number of such establishments, we did feel like there are some establishments that felt like they were riding on a wave; their Banh Mi just failing to stand out despite the strong standards that have been set by certain brand names in recent times. Banh Mi Co Kieu had most certainly exceeded our establishments here; the Baguette BBQ Beef that we had tried being one of the more impressive Banh Mi that we had tried for a while – there seems to be effort in trying to perfecting the toasting of the baguette, whilst also packing the right proportion of ingredients into the Banh Mi. The result of the entire package is one that comes with quality that is distinguishable to the tastebuds where flavours and texture are of concern for its price. The prices of the Banh Mi at Banh Mi Co Kieu ranges from $5.50 to $7 — the lowest-priced item being the Omelette Egg Baguette while the priciest would be the Baguette BBQ Beef. While Banh Mi Co Kieu is probably not to be compared with Banh Mi Saigon / Miss Saigon that is often touted as the best Banh Mi establishment in town, we were still pretty satisfied by its offerings despite having making the way down to this far end of Punggol for it — not sure if any one else would feel the same, but probably one to add to the list for Banh Mi lovers to check out!

Overscoop might have ceased its operations of its Junction Mine outlet where the brand had first made its appearance in the local F&B scene fairly recently, but it does seem that there no shortage of establishments serving up gelato and waffles in Yishun nonetheless. Occupying the space of which that Overscoop used to have operated out of Junction Nine is good mood Dessert Cafe; yet another gelato parlour that had opened to the convenience of Yishun residents. For those whom are not familiar with the location of good mood Dessert Cafe at the mall, one can find the establishment around the exterior aisles of the mall — good mood Dessert Cafe is located around the same stretch of shop units where one can find an outlet of KFC; the shop units also directly facing Yishun Avenue 9. Whilst Overscoop had given the space quite a fair bit of colour for a more vibrant look, good mood Dessert Cafe had adopted a mall subdued vibe for the space; the interior of the space adopts a more monotonous colour scheme with the large use of black, grey and white — all of which matched against dining furniture that comes with wooden accents for a bit of contrast. It is noted that the entire seating layout of the space feels especially tight and claustrophobic even when compared against the period of time when the space was operating as Overscoop. Being a gelato parlour at heart, good mood Dessert Cafe showcases the flavours of gelato that they carry for the day in their display chiller located at the counter; patrons are free to opt for their gelatos to come in cups or in cones — there are also choices to opt for the gelato to come with croffles or waffles as well. Light bites such as Tater Tots are also offered at good mood Dessert Cafe, while good mood Dessert Cafe also offers a line-up of espresso-based specialty coffee and bubble tea should one require a beverage to pair along with their desserts.

Given what good mood Dessert Cafe has to offer, it is needless to say that we found ourselves going for the Waffle. We opted for two (2) scoops of gelato to pair with our waffle here — one being the Cinnamon Cookie Dough gelato, while the other would be the Chocolate Brownie gelato. All waffle orders are being made fresh upon order, hence some time would be required in the preparation of the dessert. The waffle is plated with a default drizzle of chocolate sauce, though we note that the chocolate sauce is being drizzled atop the plate before the waffle is being placed atop — likely an effort by the folks here to not have the flavours of the chocolate drizzle interfere with their gelato; also the way we preferred things to be. Slicing down into the Waffle, we felt that the waffle here does seemed to be beautifully browned and crisp in texture; that being said, the crispness of the waffle did seem to come at the expense of the waffle being a little dry to say the least. With that in mind, the addition of chocolate sauce did make it slightly easier to have; the chocolate adding yet another dimension of sweetness to the waffles which does carry a slight whiff of fragrance from its batter. Between the two scoops of gelato we had opted for, the Cinnamon Cookie Dough would do well with more adventurous taste buds; the flavours of cinnamon spice is clearly evident and softly lingers around the tastebuds — all that while one can find clumps of cookie dough within the scoop of gelato that gives a contrasting bite for something to chew on. The texture of the gelato at good mood Dessert Cafe are smooth and creamy; not particularly dense or icy parts, whilst the level of sweetness also seem to be rather well-managed.

The Chocolate Brownie gelato would be one that is likely to attract the attention of children; a chocolate-based ice-cream that sees bits of chewy brownie churned into the scoop of ice-cream that gives it a good contrast of texture — a very chocolate-flavour which we found it pleasantly surprising that it wasn’t quite as “heaty” as we expected it to be. We had also given the Iced Latte a try here – it is noted that the Latte is only available iced here; rather strange since most places would have hot latte anyway if latte is ever included in the menu. The Iced Latte here can be described as better than what we had initially expected it to be; not a particularly strong cuppa but did come with a good depth of nutty flavours in its body — stills delivers quite a caffeinated kick overall. All in all, good mood Dessert Cafe seems to fare fairly well as an establishment focused around their gelato offerings — we did find their gelato offerings hitting the spot in terms of the flavours that they intend to carry. With that being said, we do feel that there is some room for improvement when it comes to certain items like their Waffles where both plating (the drizzling of chocolate sauce) and textures of their offerings are of concern. We also wish that they could relook into the placement of the dining furniture across the entire establishment as well; the claustrophobic environment from its entry to the back of the entire establishment impacting the comfort level of the space. Nonetheless, we do think that good mood Dessert Cafe is a good replacement to what Overscoop used to be for those residing in the area nonetheless.

One place that we had recently walked past that had piqued our interest a little was The Makan Place @ AMK — an indie establishment that can be found within the neighbourhood of Teck Ghee Court, The Makan Place @ AMK can be found at the foot of the HDB block at 338 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1. Notable establishments around its vicinity apart from Teck Ghee Court Market & Food Centre would be the outlet of D’Rubinah Restaurant that is located right across the open-air carpark service road of the estate. Despite its name, The Makan Place @ AMK does somewhat carry the vibe of a mom-and-pop style eatery that is located in the heartlands; the placement of its Nasi Padang stall in the middle of the establishment facing out of the stall unit right underneath the shutters being a rather interesting feature of the store. The space is naturally-cooled; no air-conditioning even in the indoor dining space, while it is also decked in a way where function is over form — think simple tables that are matched with plastic stools and chairs for the most part. The walls are also being adorned with the menu of food items offered at The Makan Place @ AMK, providing diners with a clearer illustration of what they have to offer. The Makan Place @ AMK mentions itself as an establishment that serves up “multi-racial halal food”; itself being a halal-certified dining establishment — one can find its Nasi Padang offerings display prominently at the front of the stall, while the Western fare that they serve up can be found on a menu segmented into sections dedicated to Breakfast Burger, Main Dishes, Hotplate, Fried Rice and Spaghetti. There are also more locally-oriented dishes that are featured in their Claypot section of the menu, while there is also an extensive listing of Side Dishes offered as well. Their Dim Sum offerings can be found on a separate menu away from their Western cuisine offerings. Beverages available at The Makan Place include canned / bottled drinks, as well as a variety of hot / cold drinks that one can most likely find in a coffeeshop setting.

Noting that one of The Makan Place @ AMK’s core offerings would be their western cuisine, we found ourselves going for the Chicken Chop that is off the “Hotplate” section of the menu. It is noted that there are two (2) variants of the Chicken Chop being served at The Makan Place @ AMK — one being the one that is served on a usual plate under the “Main Dishes” section of the menu, while the other one is the one that we had went for. Whilst The Makan Place @ AMK does not describe on the elements that are being included in their dishes on the menu, it can be observed from our order that the Chicken Chop listed in the “Hotplate” section of the menu comes with the chicken chop with a choice of black pepper sauce or brown sauce, as well as mashed potato and a variety of mixed greens — this included broccoli florets, nibs of corn and some slices of carrots. Whilst the chicken chop did not appear to come sizzling on the hot plate as it arrived the table, we did note that the hot plate was still warm with the food still cooking as it arrived the table — a good surprise as some establishment tend to use hot plates as fancy dining ware just for the aesthetic factor. In fact, the most enjoyable element here was indeed the chicken chop; looking like nothing too worthy to note, the chicken chop does seem to be adequately brined and does come with tender and juicy flesh — all that whilst also being crisp on the exterior at the same time. The chicken chop does carry a savouriness on its own; the black pepper sauce the accompanied it adding a garlicky, vinegary and peppery kick which provided some form of a flavour contrast as compared to the conventional black pepper sauce that tends to accompany western dishes in general. The mashed potato also did stand out for being one that felt particularly chunky, though also a little bit on the drier side – likely a version that is made in-house which is an effort that is worth commending.

That being said, we did find the brown sauce that came along with it being a tad bland, and the same could be described about the mixed vegetables that accompanied the dish too. We also managed to try out some of their Dim Sum offerings during our visit made to The Makan Place @ AMK on a weekend lunch; this included the Truffles Chicken Siew Mai, the Mango Shrimp Roll and the Hot & Spicy Thai Basil Chicken Bun. The Truffles Chicken Siew Mai was the most predictable of the lot; we had come across this variant of the Siew Mai multiple times including our visit to Fantastic Dim Sum and Wangi Garden; the use of chicken meat in this version of the Siew Mai also meant that there isn’t a strong meaty note for the Siew Mai here. That being said, that is a lingering hint of light truffle aroma amidst the flavours of the yellow dumpling wrapper that one would usually associate Siew Mai with; all that with the Truffles Chicken Siew Mai carrying a firm bite without being hard to chew as one would have expected from the standard pork-only version of the Siew Mai. The Mango Shrimp Roll whilst coming with a crisp exterior felt a little greasy overall; we did like how there is a roasty fragrance from the sesame seeds speckled on the dim sum alongside the natural sweetness of the shrimp wrapped within — that being said, the rendition served up here did feel a little greasy and not particularly balanced in flavour. The sweetness of the mango did feel a little lacking; partially due to greasiness of the dish that made the sweetness of the mango rather difficult to get through apart from the portion of the mangoes being insufficient to provide a good balance from the start. The Spicy Thai Basil Chicken Bun was the most disappointing of the lot; the buns of first look seemed over-steamed and were a little bit more moist than desired; there was a lack of flavours from the basil, nor did it feel anywhere close to tasting like a filling inspired from stir-fried Thai basil mined meat in any manner.

We also had the Milk Coffee (Iced), itself being more sweet with quite a light content of coffee that was pretty similar to what one would expect at a mamak-style establishment that a coffeeshop / food court / hawker centre that tends to be more robust with a good kick of caffeine. While the food at The Makan Place @ AMK is mostly pedestrian and some dishes seem to suggest that they are obtained from suppliers rather than being made in-house, The Makan Place @ AMK has garnered rather high ratings on its Google Maps page — we had figured out this could be due to their level of service. The Makan Place @ AMK is undoubtedly a spot that is run by earnest folks looking to provide a neighbourhood-ly dining spot that is inclusive to all in their community — the halal certification in which they have obtained as well as the wide variety of dishes that they serve up from different cultures of the racial groups in Singapore is testament to their values. We also noticed the establishment having their fair share of regulars, and the staff seem to do their best to ensure all patrons are taken care of — from making small talk with their regulars, to being really apologetic when they realised on their own that they had forgotten to serve us our dim sum and immediately rectifying it by bringing it to us almost instantly; it does seem that The Makan Place @ AMK is more than just a dining destination for those whom have been loyally patronising them thus far. While we do feel that it is a little difficult for us to make a return visit based on the food items that we had tried, it does feel like The Makan Place @ AMK is a spot that we will be happy to visit if it is situated in our ‘hood – a welcoming spot with hospitality that can be felt straight from the heart; somewhere worth supporting based on that fact alone.

One of those establishments that we have been wanting to visit for a while was Mita Sushi; that being said, we had been sitting on the plan for a while since Mita Sushi is located far in the East — a location which we do not really seem to be hitting up all that regularly these days. Was scrolling around social media and got to know about the opening of Mita Sushi’s second outlet at Bukit Timah Plaza — situated at Basement 1 of the mall, Mita Sushi can be found around the vicinity where the outlet of Ya Kun Kaya Toast there; other notable establishments located at the same level as Mita Sushi’s outlet at Bukit Timah Plaza includes the outlet of Chirashizushi Shou, MyungGa I (명가 I) and Myung Ga (명가) II, Nonya Delicatessen and Tok Panjang. The space of which that Mita Sushi occupies at Bukit Timah Plaza is smaller than that of their original location at Roxy Square 1; the entire space sees a dine-in area that comprises of five (5) tables good for groups of four (4) each — the interior decked in a way that is rather basic with the use of faux white bricks whilst also featuring wooden furniture and fittings for its dine-in furniture. Mita Sushi does split its operations into lunch service and dinner service; they also do have a siesta in between the hours of which they are open for lunch service and dinner service. The dinner service sees Mita Sushi offering an ala-carte menu, with the menu being segregated into categories consisting of Sashimi Platter, Sashimi, Bluefin Tuna, Kaki (Oyster), Appetiser, Kaisen Don, Maki Sushi, Bakumori Don, Nigri, Otsumami, Fried Items, Ala-Carte, Rice & Noodles, and Others; their lunch menu sees an extension of Teishoku (Set Lunch) that one can go for as well on top of the same ala-carte menu that is available for dinner. Beverages available at Mita Sushi includes homemade Ume Shu, Chuhai, beer, wines, whisky, highball, Shochu, cold Sake, Japanese tea, soft drinks, Yuzu and soda and floats.

Having made our visit to Mita Sushi’s Bukit Timah Plaza outlet during lunch service on a weekend, we had quick look at their lunch offerings and found ourselves settling for their Otsumami Set. Exclusively available during lunch as part of their offerings under the Teishoku
(Set Lunch) menu, the Otsumami Set does seem quite like a value-for-money offering considering how it comprises of two (2) of the dishes from thejr Otsumami category of their ala-carte menu; namely the Nikujaga and the Buta Kakuni, whilst also coming with Japanese steam rice, Miso soup, green salad (small) and a daily small dish that turns out to be a potato salad during the day of our visit. Considering the sheer amount of dishes served up with the set, our order came to table with the Japanese steam rice, Miso soup, green salad (small) and potato salad coming first, before the Nikujaga and the Buta Kakuni arrives the table. It was a tough pick to say which one of the two that we preferred more, but we did feel that the Buta Kakuni was the one that left a slightly more lasting impression with us. Coming with what is being described in the ala-carte menu as homemade simmered and braised pork belly, the pork belly does come tender and juicy with its slightly more gelatinous texture — there is a savoury note considering how the pork belly has absorbed all of the flavours of the braising liquid, though it also comes with a slight smokiness that we found to be rather intriguing that sets it apart from most other Buta Kakuni dishes that we had tried elsewhere thus far. We also noted that the pork belly was also free from any undesirable porky stench; the Buta Kakuni also comes accompanied with an Ajitama (i.e. soy-marinated ramen eggs) that came with a creamy, molten egg yolk with soft whites that carried a deep, earthy and savoury note from the soy marination.

The Nikujaga on the other hand came is described to come with homemade beef that is simmered in a sweet dashi broth; itself tasting like a comforting homemade dish, the Nikujaga’s sweet dashi broth does seem to incorporate the natural sweetness of root vegetables such as the potatoes and carrots that can be found in the dish into the dashi broth — the dashi broth being a great accompaniment to the bowl of white rice that comes on the side for flavour. The root vegetables are cooked to a soft texture that does not require much bite — all whilst the beef comes soft and tender as well. The beef comes with a slight gamey note; nothing too bothersome and also likely intended to be so for the dish to carry a good flavour. Other elements that came with the set were good to have; the Potato Salad coming huge chunks of cucumbers and carrots, while the Green Salad came with julienned carrots, purple cabbage and other leafy greens drizzled with a Goma dressing. Meanwhile, the bowl of Miso Soup also came with kelp and beancurd skin as well.

We also managed to go for the Chirashi Bakumori during the same visit to Mita Sushi — they describe the Bakumori to be a “rice bowl stacked high with fresh sashimi in a hill-like shape”. The portion of fresh sashimi is significantly more than the usual Kaisen Don; the Chirashi Bakumori coming with assorted fresh sashimi that seems to involve the use of swordfish, Maguro and salmon — one can also find Ikura, as well as diced cucumber and diced Tamagoyaki that provided both a visual pop and a textural contrast to the dish. The sashimi here comes considerably fresh; the addition of diced cucumber and diced Tamagoyaki adding a refreshing crunch and a soft bite with a hint of eggy sweetness; the Ikura providing a umami, popping sensation to the Chirashi Bakumori. The only qualm here would be how the rice comes a little bit on the warmer side and slightly on the blander side; have always preferred the sushi rice for our Chirashi Dons to come at a slightly chilled temperature in order to maintain the freshness of the sashimi coming atop the rice. Mita Sushi is a particularly attractive spot to hit up during lunch hours — the availability of their Bakumori Sets and Teishoku (Set Lunch) does make a bit of a difference with the prices being a little more approachable to those whom are more price-sensitive. The price range of the Teishoku (Set Lunch) options range from $15.60 to $30.40 — the lowest priced item being the Buta Yakiniku Don Teishoku, while the priciest item is the Toyomi Don Teishoku; most other dishes are priced around the $20+ range. Overall, whilst we would not be able tomake comparisons of Mita Sushi between the outlet at Bukit Timah Plaza and the outlet at Roxy Square 1 on how consistent the quality of the food is, we do feel that it is an interesting addition to Bukit Timah Plaza; also probably one establishment that serves up cooked Japanese fare of a respectable quality that will see us returning for more!

Visited the favourite place yet again recently and found another two (2) items on the menu that we hadn’t really come across whilst scrolling through the online POS system to submit our orders. Have been trying out their various rendition of their donuts since their release over the years — did not recall that they had carried a Matcha & Cream version of their bomboloni-style donuts so found ourselves giving this a go; all whilst having an Espresso Tonic (also a recent addition to the menu here) to pair it with.

The donuts from Brawn & Brains Coffee are ones that we love for its softness, yet carrying a bit of tension to chew apart — themselves being just aptly dense and comes rolled in sugar that provides a sugary and crusty exterior for a bit of sweetness and contrast of textures. Piped inside the donut would be the matcha-infused cream filling; we liked how the matcha-infused cream largely focuses on the bitter undertones of the tea — very much the starting note that hits one’s tastebuds as they sink their teeth into the Matcha & Cream Donut. The cream itself comes pretty thick; rich of the inherent flavours of matcha without being overly sweetened, creamy or milky — would work fairly well with matcha lovers for the most part. The Espresso Tonic in the meanwhile was something that we were really looking forward to have — having been ones whom would make an order for Espresso Tonic elsewhere at establishments that offers it; definitely happy to finally see it included in the menu here and the version here definitely hits the spot for us with the tonic water adding a contrast to the coffee with a complexity in the depth of flavours. More options to add to the list of items that we would be considering to order whenever we make our visits here!

GRUB has most certainly come a long way in its journey in the local F&B scene here — having started in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park at where Burp Kitchen + Bar is currently located, the departure of GRUB in its original spot at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park is one that Bishan and Ang Mo Kio residents might have felt a bit of a loss when GRUB did not manage to renew the tenancy of the space back then in 2022. While GRUB did had an outlet at Balestier within the HomeTeamNS-JOM Clubhouse that has since become defunct, the brand did eventually reached further heights with its subsequent location at Novotel @ Stevens — the opening of its Junction 8 outlet could be seen as somewhat of a joyous return for the brand into another part of the neighbourhood that they were once a part of. Speed things up to 2024 and GRUB has finally made its return back to the area where everything has first started — the opening of GRUB Pasta Kitchen also marks their return to Bishan-Ang Mo Kio though this time in a slightly different location than before. Taking over the former premises of the now-defunct Toriyard, GRUB Pasta Kitchen is located closer to the Ang Mo Kio end of the park across from the McDonalds outlet in the park that is situated at the Bishan side. GRUB Pasta Kitchen offers both indoor and outdoor dining areas; the indoor area being flanked with glass at all angles, and features a casual dining space with the use of primary colours matched against wooden-accented furniture and fittings, as well as a wooden floor — there is also a stronger emphasis on the use of green that makes it blend into its surroundings as well. The outdoor dining area sees the use of patio furniture that gives a relaxing vibe; itself overlooking into the park.

With the concept branded slightly different from the usual GRUB outlets, GRUB Pasta Kitchen does serve a different menu — the core focus here being the section dedicated to Fresh Pasta that are made in-house daily. Other sections of the menu includes the category for Mains, For Kids, For Sharing and Desserts; it is also noted that GRUB Pasta Kitchen also serves up a weekend breakfast menu that is available on weekends from 8:30am to 11am for early birds as well. Beverages available at GRUB Pasta Kitchen includes fresh juices, teas, lemonades, fresh fruit cocktails, espresso-based specialty coffee, drinking chocolate, draft beer and wines by the glass — just to name a few. Skimming through the menu on the list of items which are available at GRUB Pasta Kitchen, it is needless to say that the Fresh Pasta menu would be the category of the menu that we are looking at. Our attention was immediately drawn to the Basil Pork Gigli; an item that was listed under the “Our Creations” sub-category of the Fresh Pasta section of the menu. For those whom are unaware of what the Gigli is referring to, this is actually referring to the type of pasta that accompanies the dish; a “fluted” pasta with “ruffled ends”— the menu of GRUB Pasta Kitchen does illustrate the looks of each pasta type at the bottom of the menu which helpful for patrons to understand the dish they are getting. The menu further describes the Basil Pork Gigli to come with elements such as Holy Basil, Ground Pork, Long Beans and Chili Padi; a chili symbol can also be found beside the namesake of the dish of the menu to indicate it as a “spicy” dish.

Digging into the plate of pasta here, it is interesting to see how this dish is seemingly loosely based on the variant of the Pad Kee Mao (i.e. Thai Drunken Noodles) that comes with stir-fried basil minced pork — the pasta here interestingly coming a little slurpy and smooth that bears more likeness to that of the broad and flat rice sheets of Kway Chap than the al-dente pasta that comes with a bite. One thing that we really enjoyed is how the aroma of basil is consistently perfuming throughout the entire plate, complimenting the meatiness of the minced pork that has been stir-fried together with the basil and the chili padi that provided just a bit of a spicy kick that should do well with those whom are not particularly tolerant to moderate levels of spiciness — all of which laces together with the Gigli. The long beans do feel a little oddball in here; we are suspecting that the long beans were cooked separately from the minced meat, basil and chili padi considering there was a lack of those notes with the long beans. While we reckon that the way they are chopped provides diners with more crunch factor, we would have preferred it chopped into smaller chunks that provided a bit more crunch with every spoonful of pasta. During our visit, we had also given the Tarragon Grilled Chicken a go; the Tarragon Grilled Chicken is being described as a dish that featured elements such as onion gravy, charcoal grilled mash potato, charred broccoli and tarragon oil. Whilst being a dish that is seemingly predictable, the one standout with the Tarragon Grilled Chicken is how the grilled chicken comes with an onion gravy that is spiked with tarragon oil — something that adds a herb-y note on top of the natural sweetness of the caramalised onion that went into the making of the onion gravy here.

We did feel that the elements like the grilled chicken itself were a little more ordinary, while the charcoal grilled mash potato wasn’t too different from usual mashed potatoes — no doubt the texture seemingly being closer to a puree and the mash potato carrying a buttery note, while the charred broccoli came with charred florets that provided a crisp texture and a slight smoky note amidst the usual crunch it provides. The Kaya Burnt Cheesecake which is being described to come with a Light Creamy Centre, Kaya and Burnt Top on the menu is still satisfying as per our previous experience at their Junction 8 location — still a very well-executed version of the burnt cheesecake with a smooth and creamy centre that hints of a pandan fragrance; all with a slightly browned top and side that carries a slight contrast of bitterness. Overall, GRUB Pasta Kitchen does seem to be of an establishment that delivers its offerings in a quality that is rather consistent to what GRUB has been putting out all these years – something that does likely do well with the masses with a stronger emphasis on their pasta offerings than before; there are some dishes that could perhaps see some tweaks that would bring a more impactful experience, though the food is likely to hold itself well for those whom are less picky / opinionated about food. A decent start and an important milestone for the GRUB brand that marks its return to Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park; the place where its roots had begun — and probably still the same nature-loving, family-oriented establishment that they have always been with a new experience to offer!

For those whom have been looking around social media and actively scrolling through food-related content on the F&B establishments all across the island, it is likely so that one would have come across Warabimochi Kamakura at one point of time. A brand that hails from Japan with more than 50 outlets operating within the country, Warabimochi Kamakura had opened their first outpost in Singapore a couple of months ago at the new One Holland Village shopping mall; itself garnering a sizeable crowd that resulted in long queues for their Warabimochi and Warabimochi drinks that often sees the outlet sold out of their products before closing time. Warabimochi Kamakura had since opened their second location in Singapore; this time round situated at the ground floor of Taste Orchard (i.e. the building formerly known as OG Orchard Point), and itself taking a kiosk space that is located beside the outlet of Chirashi King Kong there and also in front of YUGO Marshmallow Biscuits 小玉雪Q酥. Whilst being a kiosk that operates as a takeaway shop much like its One Holland Village location, patrons can still possibly do a dine-in for Warabimochi Kamakura’s Taste Orchard location due to sheer amount of communal dine-in seating space situated within Taste Orchard — all that without the mad queues that one might experience at the outlet at One Holland Village. The menu at Warabimochi Kamakura’s location at Taste Orchard is pretty much the same as that of their One Holland Village location; the menu is being split into categories consisting of Warabimochi, Warabimochi Drinks and Drinks; the former two being mostly the reason why crowds have been forming up at the One Holland Village location ever since its opening.

Having read quite a fair bit about Warabimochi Kamakura via the various posts mentioning the establishment on social media, one thing of which that w could not miss out on was the Warabimochi; this is especially so considering how we are pretty much fans of Warabimochi, and have been craving for one for quite sometime prior to our visit to Warabimochi Kamakura at their Taste Orchard location. Warabimochi Kamakura primarily serves their Warabimochi in three sizes — 2-piece cup, 5-piece box or a 10-piece box. Other options include the ability to add a scoop of ice-cream for the 2-piece cup, as well as the option to have the 10-piece box served in a Paulownia Wooden Box. We went with 5-piece box for our order. All orders for the Warabimochi comes with a small container of Kuromitsu Syrup on the side; any requests for more Kuromitsu Syrup would be considered chargeable. Coming in a paper box, the Warabimochi comes in slabs arranged neatly in the box; the Warabimochi also coming with a good portion of Kinako powder that coats the Warabimochi. Whilst the Warabimochi is suitably dense and rather sticky making it a little difficult to break them into smaller bite-sized pieces. That being said, each piece is soft and sticky — we were quite surprised by its consistency considering how it was not particularly squishy nor chewy when compared to other more commercially-made Warabimochi that we have had in the past; itself, for a lack of a better term, being more slime-like. It is also well noted that the Warabimochi also does not stick to the teeth as well. The addition of Kinako powder and Kuronitsu is a very classic combination to the Warabimochi; one that adds a nutty note and an earthy and sweet flavour profile to the Warabimochi.

There has also been quite a lot of mentions on the Warabimochi Drinks which Warabimochi Kamakura serves up — while most of the posts mentioned about the Strawberry Milk variant, the Strawberry variants of the Warabimochi Drink were sold out during our visit. We found ourselves going for the Tenku No Houjicha which is essentially unsweetened Houjicha with whipped cream featuring a brown sugar mochi base. Patrons are instructed to give the Warabimochi Drink a good stir before taking a sip to break up the mochi; the addition of the mochi adds sweetness to the roasty and earthy Houjicha; all that with some soft, chewy and slurpy mochi bits to chew on. Considering the quality of the Warabimochi that is being served at Warabimochi Kamakura, it is little surprise how the establishment has garnered such a crowd that are looking forward to give their offerings a try — their Warabimochi would come off as one of the best, if not the best Warabimochi that we have come across around the island thus far. That being said, we would probably prefer to give them a go at their Taste Orchard location — there is lesser of a crowd that translate to significantly shorter waiting times with lesser chances of items selling out in the middle of the day; we also probably would not choose to queue in-line for extensive periods of time over it (or any food item in particular). One can only wonder if the brand will make a further expansion across the island given its popularity here; though definitely a place to add to the bucket list of places to try especially for Warabimochi lovers out there!