To Try

Carrying a similar logo and menu to the known Putien, a relatively new stall popped up in my neighbourhood coffeeshop (Block 503) - Classic Putien. And with everything new, there was a queue but service was reasonably fast.

Offering a 2 person set ($28), you can pick a choice of noodle from the selection of mains/carbs like their Mee Sua, Bee Hoon and Lor Mee. And the standard sides are Crispy Fried Batang Fish, Herbs Prawn and Beancurd Skin with Kailan.

The Bee Hoon being the most 'Putien-ish' dish had a surprisingly generous amount of clams and vegetables; not too dry or overly moist. The Batang Fish slices were also fresh and crisp while my only complaint was that the herb broth for the prawns had too much Chinese wine added giving it a sharp lingering aftertaste.

Overall a pretty balanced meal, the Bee Hoon and Herbals Prawn were not too bad and the portion decent. However, taste wise .... Expectations have to be managed for the price point imo. Having compare it to the restaurant standard, the ingredients and flavours were certainly different but for a hawker food it performed rather well.

We headed down to Corner Burger for the burgers but got sidetracked when we saw their new rice bowls! One of the sides we ordered was this crispy, juicy plate of chicken wings that made me a happy, happy man. 😛

Seems to be Thai inspired dish, the wings were really crisp and super tender. Would have been fine on its own but I really liked that tangy, spicy sauce that accompanied it – almost like the taste of ahchar! The rice bowls were alright, but didn't wow us so I think I'll try their burgers next time I visit!

The noodles are pretty well done, but the real star here is the char siew - it's the kinda stuff you'll dream about oh yeaaaaa

Certainly a delicious and sweet spin to the usual pratas, Springleaf’s Red Bean Prata ($3) is the best kind - arriving pipping hot and paper-thin.

A good portion for two or more to share, the deliciously crisp prata skin also held a generous amount of filling so that each bite ensures a oozing goodness of their rich red bean mash. And though a reminicent of the traditional Chinese-style red bean pancakes, this dessert prata had a different doughy fragrance that is not excessively oily or greasy but best to eat while hot.

CCF here is easily identified with its queue, but fret not, you should get your soft chewy and piping hot CCF in under 20 minutes. Choose from char siew (personal fav), turnip, prawns or veggies&egg! Watch how the uncle does it! Its pretty satisfying to watch how he folds the skin layer by layer 😅

I'm craving for this again as I type. The composition of ingredients was brilliant, as was the individual elements, each a stand-out on its own. Starting from the pumpkin dumplings themselves; they were pan-fried, lending a nice charred flavour to each soft-chewy pillow. Adding savouriness and sharpness to the mix was the Pecorino crisp, which provided texture as well, together with crunchy kale. And that brown butter & sage sauce, man it's wicked. The absolute bombz.

Yes, it took me this long to try what's supposed to be the best banh mi in SG. This had all the right things going for it: The crisp-fluffy hollowed-out baguette, appetising pickled vegs, mashed meat balls; I also added patê (+$1) and an egg omelette (+$1.80) to complete the experience.

Granted, this is the best among those I've tried in SG, but somehow it's still missing that lip-smacking flavour only found in Vietnam's push carts/food stalls. Here's a tip to somehow replicate that: From their self-service condiments, mix a teaspoon or two (depending on how moist & savoury you'd like it to be) of Viet fish sauce and soy sauce, and drizzle it over the fillings. It's amazing how a little seasoning jazzed up the entire sammie.

petitely handmade freshly everyday and ever carefully pan frying the fragile casing to a light crisp exterior upon order. PLUS free flow drizzling of chili and sweet sauce. and they only ask you for $0.70 - $0.90 / pcs for their humble offerings of png (glutinous rice) / soon (turnip) / ku chai (chives) kueh. get out of here! no. freaking. way!! p.s: hawker gonna close for 2 months for renovation beginning 1st oct.

When I'm in the Duxton area, Foong Kee is the usual choice for roast meats. Decided to try this instead, since I've heard good things. It was a most enjoyable plate of noodles and roast meat, one I'd gladly go for should the queue at Foong Kee be too long. The char siew was nicely sweet and smoky, and the duck very tasty. Noodles were pleasant. Also really enjoyed the sauce ladled over the meat. Portion was just right, this was $4.50.

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Best dish of the night. The pork was totally cooked but the pinky meat was came from fish sauce marination. The fish sauce might smell bad but after the high heat, magic happened. Together with the Thai chilli sauce, it seem that my palate took a trip to Bangkok.

Just across the road from Beauty World MRT Station is this homey Korean restaurant owned and run by Koreans — an indication that the food here is as authentic as it gets. If that isn't enough to convince you, here's another fact — the restaurant is usually packed with twice as many Korean patrons than Singaporeans so expect to wait around 20 minutes for a table during peak hours. When your body is in need of a soothing pot of spicy stew, be sure to order the Sundubu Jjigae ($10 for seafood) — a bubbling cauldron for one consisting of smooth tofu, vegetables and finished with a raw egg cracked in the middle, served with a side of rice. Their side dishes ('banchan' in Korean) like sausages, kimchi and omelette, are stellar. These are refillable till you're happily stuffed!
Avg price: $10 per person
Photo by Burppler Hilary See

When I crave for tonkatsu I definitely think of saboten. Nice food and impeccable service.