ModSin

Think of this as the Chinese version of sticky date pudding. I'm not fond of red dates, but this was quite intriguing.

Two piles of crispy, fluffy fries. One with truffle-infused garlic mayonnaise, chives, sesame seeds and a nest of chicken floss; the other with homemade barbecued pork, sour cream and jalapeño salsa.

My vote goes to the truffle floss fries!

As if banana balls weren't already indulgent enough on their own, these are made even more decadent with heaps of Milo, toasted hazelnuts and liberal drizzles of condensed milk. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the mix and we've got a veritable cure for sweet tooth cravings.

Like hae mee, but better. I just can't get enough of that spicy dried prawn paste!

One of my top picks on the new @hydeandco dinner menu showcases the chef's prowess at fusing local flavours into western dishes. The nasi lemak risotto is exactly what one might envision it to be – fragrant rice cooked al dente, albeit with a smattering of undercooked grains, in coconut water and thickened with coconut cream, then sprinkled with lemon zest and lemongrass oil for subtle complexity.

Homemade sambal is dolloped atop the rice, topped with a poached egg whose spurting liquid yolk we relished with glee, and roosting above that, a nest of crispy leek. Finally, crunchy ikan bilis are scattered all over to complete the chef's modern interpretation of this Singaporean fave.

A lot drier and a lot less tomato-ey than any other chilli crab pasta around, this arrabiatta packs a huge dose of spice in every mouthful. Shredded crabmeat lace the strands of al dente linguine, showered with herbed panko for added texture.

Our local dessert given a modern spin – coconut ice cream layered with red beans, sweet corn, chendol strips, whipped cream and gula Melaka. Pretty, but I still prefer my hawker centre one lah.

You know what day it is... It's FRY-DAY!!! 🍟🍟 Missing these crispy shoestring fries that come with a mad sedap salted egg aioli. A sharp hit of chilli padi and curry leaves pierces through the creamy dip, making it exciting enough to keep you want more.

Plus every mouthful screams with a potent dose of spice, which is what I really appreciate.

At Art Art And Away, you'll find for sale food and art, not necessarily mutually exclusive – the desserts that they specialise in are familiar, old-school sweets given a contemporary twist and plated a la fine dining masterpieces.

The New Wave Mango Pudding turned out a little rough around the edges – literally, but it packed some solid mango flavour. Some molecular flair is shown off in the form of tiny coconut milk pearls, whose taste is unfortunately lost once your tastebuds are consumed with the sweetness of the titular tropical fruit. Beads of pomegranate add bursts of zestiness, while passionfruit gel, mango ice cream and crispy feuilletine flakes provide variations of texture.

It's a nice idea, this modern take, but it doesn't give me any more satisfaction than a simple, traditional mango pudding with a splash of coconut milk does at half the price.

The inaugural Singapore Restaurant Month has kicked off, and if you're pondering over which of the 50 participating restaurant brands to show some love to, consider Portico, which is helmed by one of my favourite local chefs, @nixonisticalism.

Together with his team, he has come up with a 5-course set menu priced at just S$50++ (get the SG50 reference?), including this inspired laksa risotto dish that highlights Pulau Ubin's very own seabass in the form of a homemade fishcake. The main body of the dish, the risotto, comprises quinoa, barley and orzo – a mix of grains that provides varying degrees of bite. Giving balance are a laksa leaf pesto, homemade laksa and a delightful coconut foam, while impeccably grilled prawns and crispy tau pok complete the dish.

Kudos to the very talented Chef Nixon Low for never failing to blow my mind with his creative and contemporary interpretations of all-time favourites, always pushing the envelope without taking well-loved flavours too far out of context.

Essentially a creme brûlée infused with durian, this boasts a smooth, perfectly-set custard fragrant with the thorny King of Fruits and capped with a thin, crispy layer of scorched sugar. It's not too eggy, not too sweet, and not overwhelming, which is a fine feat when dealing with such a pungent ingredient.

Hands down one of the most successful incorporations of durian in an angmoh dessert.