Taiwan Eats!

Eat3Bowls is one of those names in the local F&B scene that really needs no introduction to most these days — also one of those F&B names which we had been following since their very early days when they had just first started out operations. For those whom are unaware, Eat3Bowls had actually started out with humble beginnings being an establishment that operated out of a stall located in Seah Im Food Centre; that was eventually before it had opened their very first independently-run store of its own at Crawford Lane. Since then, they had also opened another location in Pasir Panjang; the outlet being decked with a railway theme as opposed to the classroom theme at Crawford Lane — this is followed by their very first outlet situated at the mall in Compass One. Eat3Bowls have since closed down their long-standing Crawford Lane outlet in recent times; that being said, they seemed to have moved the operations of Crawford Lane into their new premises at 80 Bendemeer Road (i.e. the building formerly known as Hyflux Innovation Centre) near Boon Keng MRT Station. This outlet is decked to replicate the scenes of a Taiwan Night Market; fake graffiti on walls, Da Pai Dang 大排档-style mobile carts and an area replicating the entrance to a cinema can be found within the space — this is also their largest outlet as yet with high ceilings and well-spaced seats that is a departure from their slightly cramped seatings in their other outlets. Eat3Bowls have never detracted from serving up Braised Pork Rice, Shredded Chicken Rice and Oyster & Intestine Mee Sua — all these, along with the side dishes, fried dishes and a line-up of soup can be found in the food menu here. For beverages, one can expect a few tea-based and fresh milk-based beverages, as well as canned drinks and coffee; there are also alcoholic options available as well.

We really wanted to give their other items a go but we were visiting the Eat3Bowls outlet at Bendemeer Road with a dining partner whom has yet to check out any of the Eat3Bowls locations before. Since this was the case and considering how difficult it was for us to give some of their items a miss considering how far back our last visit to Eat3Bowls was, the Eat3Bowls Set was the item we went for. Patrons can also opt for the Eat3Bowls ala-carte; the ala-carte variant would see the Braised Pork Rice, Shredded Chicken Rice and Oyster & Intestine Mee Sua served in smaller bowls / tasting-size portions to allow the patron to give all three items a try in one seating — the set adds a drink of the patron’s choice to the “tasting platter”. Our choice of drinks would be the Cheese Foam Tea. We have written about the Eat3Bowls Set during our previous visits to Eat3Bowls’ other locations; that being said, we are really glad that these folks are able to withstand the test of time and have kept their quality of food consistent throughout all these years. We have always found it difficult to decide on which of the three bowls is the best one to order whenever we are here; all of them being quite integral to the establishment and what they are all about.

Starting off with the Shredded Chicken Rice, the Shredded Chicken Rice is simple and comforting — a dish that often comes with a lack of flavour in most other locations, we liked how the scallion oil provided so much flavour to the shredded chicken rice; there was also a consistent texture between the white rice and the shredded chicken, where the shredded chicken maintain its moisture and juiciness and went absolutely well with the white rice — the coriander cutting through all those savoury notes. When it came to the Oyster & Intestine Mee Sua — this was actually the very first item which we had tried from Eat3Bowls during their days at Seah Im Food Centre when they had first started business; the Oyster & Intestine Mee Sua is a little less viscous, sticky and dense as what we recalled it to be. That being said, it still remains especially flavourful; savoury with a tinge of “spiciness” from the grated ginger that gives it some zing — the Mee Sua being all soft while the intestines are cleaned well and free from any undesirable stench. Even the oyster used is fresh; free from any sharp brininess that would otherwise interfered with the flavours of the Mee Sua.

Of course, the last bowl is probably our favourite Braised Pork Rice of all time — their Braised Pork Rice had never disappointed with sweet ratio of braised pork to rice beneath. For one, there is enough braised liquid to flavour up the entire bowl — it really does not take long for us to just wipe the entire bowl clean as a result. The braised pork belly at Eat3Bowls are known to be a little chunkier than that of most Taiwanese eateries around the island; this resorts in a bowl where one can feel the meat, though the one here comes with a melt-in-the-mouth texture with a good mix of fatty parts against lean parts that doesn’t require much chewing to down. The braised pork also came having absorbed all of that savouriness from the braising liquid that it is stewed in; a consistent flavour runs throughout the whole bowl without the pork having carried a porky stench or being particularly meaty — something that makes their rendition of the Braised Pork Rice so appealing to us.

Where the Cheese Foam Tea is involved, we actually felt that they had made quite a good attempt in replicating what has been done by bubble tea establishments all across the island — we usually dislike the Cheese Foam from most bubble tea establishments where it feels overly aerated or flatly salty. Here, the Cheese Foam does have that touch of dairy but was also of the right density; there was also a choice to opt for “no sugar” for the tea itself — we did managed to taste that strong hint of tea. One thing that we note about the Eat3Bowls Set is how filling it actually is — despite it being three items served in tasting-sized potions, all three bowls are filled to the brim; almost as good as ordering a main. Eat3Bowls is one of those brands which has stuck to its roots and garnered a following for being consistent — while prices have increased since their days at Seah Im Food Centre, they have been known to serve up a slice of Taiwan without having one making the travel to Taiwan just to find that satisfaction to fix that craving. It is interesting to see how Eat3Bowls have grown over the years, being an establishment that is also well-recognised in the local F&B scene for doing what they do; we do like to congratulate them on the opening of the new outlet at 80 Bendemeer Road, and wishing them success in what is to come!

Hou Lah is one of those names that have been appearing quite a fair bit on social media way before its official opening over the weekend; located within the ground floor of a shophouse unit at North Bridge Road, Hou Lah had taken over the former premises of [working title] there. Hou Lah is not entirely a name that is new tit he local F&B scene to say the least; these folks had been a pop-up concept for a short while, with operations usually being within Pasar Malams (i.e. night markets) all across the island. The opening of their North Bridge Road location can be said as their very first move into a permanent space; the shophouse being tastefully designed for its facade with angled windows that gives it a slightly more outstanding look aside from the bright lights and orange paint that adorns the facade. Entering the space though, one finds a very cosy and setting that is decked simply with white walls and wooden furnishings — simple, though not too bare and minimal; certainly a welcoming environment to sit in for a decent amount of time even. One can also find the mobile kiosk which the folks of Hou Lah had previously used to run their pop-up business out of tucked towards the end of the shop space as well. Hou Lah has been an establishment which is well noted for their thick toast offerings during their days as a pop-up stall; with them now being a permanent establishment, they have also introduced a new menu line-up that includes more items such as noodles, crepes and finger food. For desserts, Hou Lah does offer a range of Snow Ice (i.e. Taiwanese-style shaved ice), while beverages available at Hou Lah includes tea (with or without milk), as well as other commercially-made beverages.

We actually tried a number of dishes during our visit to Hou Lah but eventually found that the highlight at Hou Lah was indeed their Crumble Spread Thick Toast that made them so known as it is before they had decided to open up this permanent space here. For context, Hou Lah does actually serve up quite a decent variety of Crumble Spread Thick Toast, which includes items such as the Classic Puff Pastry Thick Toast, the Cheese Thick Toast and a Taiwan Peanut Butter Thick Toast — just to name a few. The Earl Grey Creme Thick Toast that we chose to go for the we one that really had gotten our attention just for the sheer fact of it coming with Earl Grey — we do enjoy most items that comes with a tea fusion anyway. One thing interesting about Hou Lah’s Crumble Spread Thick Toast offerings is how it doesn’t come simply with a layer of spread atop the thick toast itself: rather the spread appears to have been either toasted or baked for a slightly crumbly texture while it worked reveal the spread as one digs their cutlery into it.

Case in point, the Earl Grey Creme Thick Toast comes with a layer of Earl Grey crumble spread atop the toast; we note that the texture on the surface is a little crusty, though we wouldn’t really call it crunchy or crisp by any means. We did note that the crusted layer did carry a hint of flavours similar to almond frangipane that is usually an element found in almond croissants; the light nuttiness coming before that distinct note or earl grey tea comes through from the smooth spread. The thick toast is light and fluffy; quite easy to have. Other items that we had tried which we felt was pretty decent was the Fish Floss Taiwan Crepe — the floss being nothing short of umami flavour with a crepe that is crisp and chewy with a sunny side-up that comes with a fully-cooked yolk within. The Seafood Guo Shao Yi Mian was interesting, being an item which came with clams and a prawn as well as a fully-cooked sunny side-up, the Yi Mian was actually fried and served in a soup — an item that would prove comforting for some, though a wasn’t quite our cup of tea since we aren’t folks whom quite appreciate soup noodles anyway. Quality and standards of food aside, Hou Lah is most certainly an establishment that is still trying to sort out its operations especially considering how they are still on Day One of its operations when we made our visit — there is certainly some waiting time involved with the food, along with quite a crowd whom have visited due to its official opening and the opening promotion that they were doing; we do think they some time would be required for them to sort out the teething issues on its operations. Still, somewhere that those whom are into toasts should visit to see what their Crumble Spread Thick Toast is all about!

Tok Tok Beef Soup is one of the stalls that we find ourselves visiting relatively often as compared to some of the other stalls when we are having lunch at the Food Garden food court at Asia Square — the stall perhaps being notable for being run by the same folks that are behind other standalone restaurants such as that of South Union Park, Eleven Strands, and Restaurant Mia which we all love. Tok Tok Beef Soup does stand out from the other establishments run by them however; the only one that is being based out of a food stall within a food court, one thing we especially liked about Tok Tok Beef Soup would be their broth for their soup noodles — okie that has a particular tomato-based note that is almost like an infusion of Borsch soup into the traditional beef soup. That being said, it does seem that Tok Tok Beef Soup had recently brought back its steamed bun offerings — something which was introduced in their menu during their initial period of opening, though had since disappeared from its menu after a while. Offering a good range of different types of meats for their range of steamed buns, some of the variants of the steamed buns include Mala Sliced Beef, Teriyaki Chicken and Chicken Cutlet.

Having skimmed through the various steamed bun offerings which they have to offer, it is needless to say that we found ourselves going for the Braised Pork Belly Steamed Bun. The Braised Pork Belly Steamed Bun can be said as somewhat of a fusion of what some will call a Gua Bao (i.e. Taiwanese Steamed Pork Bun) with a bit of a Vietnamese infusion. The entire appearance of the Braised Pork Belly Steamed Bun is no different from the Gua Bao; the steamed bun coming in the format of a lotus leaf bun that is stuffed with pickled vegetables, coriander and slices of pork belly in between. Taking a bite into the Braised Pork Belly Steamed Bun, we liked how the buns were not too wet or soggy having with soaked with moisture — something that might be of a concern with dishes featuring lotus leaf buns elsewhere. The braised pork belly is really wonderfully braised; absorbed much of that savoury-sweet goodness from the braising liquid that made it so flavoursome, while the texture is incredibly melt-in-the-mouth having seemingly been prepared through the sous-vide process — this was definitely the highlight considering how much of the flavours of the Braised Pork Belly Steamed Bun just came from here. The braised pork also did not carry any undesirable porky stench as well. The addition of coriander helps to cut through a bit of those meatiness and savouriness of the braised pork with its distinct notes, while the pickled vegetables provided a crunchy tang that refreshes the tastebuds. The steamed buns at Tok Tok Beef Soup are going for $4.50 per bun irregardless of the meat option, though one can opt for a set of two buns (different meat options inclusive) at $8.50 or a set of three (different meat options inclusive) at $12. Overall, a pretty decent light bite to have for those whom do not intend to have something too heavy for lunch.

It does seem like the folks behind Feng Food are pretty much on a roll these days; they had recently only opened a new concept named Ah Zhong Mian Xian at South Bridge Road just a short distance away from Maxwell MRT Station in the past couple of weeks. Whilst Feng Food had always been an establishment that had operated out of a single shop unit at the basement of Northpoint City, they had since opened a second outlet — this time at Woods Square in Woodlands. Feng Food has taken over the part of a unit that was formerly occupied by the now-defunct Jin Li Steamboat Buffet (the remaining part of the shop unit is undergoing renovation works to become an outlet of SUKIYA), and is located in the basement of the commercial-cum-retail development within close proximity to other F&B establishments such as the outlets of The White Tiffin, Rollie Ollie and Ayam Penyet Ria there. Unlike its Northpoint City space, Feng Food now operates with an enclosed space of its own that also comes full with its own outdoor dining space — the decor at its Woods Square outlet can be described as slightly more posh than that of Ah Zhong Mian Xian at South Bridge Road and that of Feng Food’s original location at Northpoint City. Best known for being an establishment that serves up Taiwanese cuisine, Feng Food’s menu at Woods Square is not too different than that of what is being offered at Ah Zhong Mian Xian which we had visited not too long ago; the menu being split into sections dedicated to appetisers, fried dishes, snacks, vegetables, soup, noodles and rice — there are items that would appeal to individual diners or those whom are dining in a group alike. Beverages available at Feng Food’s Wood Square location includes the usual suspects — think Taiwanese-style beverages such as the Brown Sugar Caramel Pearl Milk Tea, Taiwanese Black Sugar Winter Melon, Asam Tea and many others, alongside soft drinks and bottled water as well.

Our previous visit to Feng Food had always seen us going for the Fried Rice with Specially Marinated Pork Chop — so much that we decided to end up going for the Signature Mee Sua when we visited Ah Zhong Mian Xian during the initial days when they had just opened their doors at South Bridge Road. For a change, we decided to go for Tainan Danzai Noodles. Based on what was being mentioned on the menu, the Tainan Danzai Noodles comes with a choice of either being a soup noodle dish or a dry noodle dish, while patrons are also able to pick between noodle options of Xi Mian (i.e. thin noodles akin to that of what we are used to seeing in some Chinese La Mian) or Guan Miao Mian (i.e. broad noodles — or Dao Xiao Mian as some may be more familiar with). For our order, we decided to opt for the dry version of the Tainan Danzai Noodles, whilst going for the Guan Miao Mian. Feng Food does not describe about the various elements that comes with the Tainan Danzai Noodles, though it is observed that the Tainan Danzai Noodles does come with braised pork, shrimp, pickled cucumbers and a whole braised egg. Giving the Guan Miao Mian a toss before digging in, the Guan Miao Mian comes laced with the braising liquid from the braised pork; the Guan Miao Mian being smooth and slurpy with a slight chew for a bit of bite — quite addictive to have even on its own that way. The braised pork that came along with it comes tender without much of a need to chew; a good balance of fatty and lean meat whilst being just nicely savoury. The shrimp provides a good bite; came with a natural note of sweetness that is inherent of the crustacean, while the pickled cucumbers provided a tangy crunch that cuts through all of the savoury and carb-intensive elements in the dish. The whole braised egg comes with no surprises; features a fully-cooked egg yolk, while the egg does come with sufficient flavour on its own. Overall, quite a satisfying and comforting noodle dish to have.

We had probably mentioned this during our post on Ah Zhong Mian Xian, but we thought it would be worth saying it again since this is a post all about Feng Food — Feng Food has been one of the places that we had been visiting on and off whenever we are at Northpoint City, and each visit to Feng Food had been satisfying in its own right. Having tried their other dishes such as the Fried Rice with Specially Marinated Pork Chop and the Moon Shape Prawn Cake during various visits to their Northpoint City outlet, Feng Food has been one of those hidden gems that the folks at the North just cannot get enough of. The opening of the Woods Square outlet is therefore a blessing to those residing or working around the Woodlands neighbourhood — this is especially considering how some of Feng Food’s returning customers do come from Woodlands anyway. During our visit to their Woods Square outlet, we also gave a few of their other dishes a go — this includes the Hakka Stir-Fried, Taiwan Meatball Soup with Seaweed and Egg, as well as the Fried Rice with Specially Marinated Pork Chop. The Fried Rice with Specially Marinated Pork Chop has been rather consistent to what we have had during our previous visits to Feng Food at Northpoint City — the egg fried rice carrying a distinct eggy aroma, while the pork chop is beautifully tenderised and done with a crisp exterior; all that while being easy to chew through and flavourful without carrying any undesirable porky stench. The Hakka Stir-Fried came with its own little surprise; a stir-fried dish that came with small strips of pork belly, white water snowflake stems, beancurd and baby octopus — the baby octopus carrying a crispness and smokiness especially around the legs. Prices of the food at Feng Food at Woods Square is a little steep; the prices of the individually-sized rice and noodle dishes good for a single diner ranges between $7 to $15.20, with most dishes priced above $10. That being said, Feng Food’s opening at Woods Square is something that most Woodlands residents are looking forward to; a spot that we would look forward to return to for some hearty Taiwanese fare when the craving hits!

It does seem that things are starting to get a little more interesting these days at Cathay Cineleisure Orchard especially with the closure of *SCAPE; the mall had recently seen the opening of a few new eateries in recent months — such include the move of the McDonald’s outlet at *SCAPE into the ground level of the mall, as well as the opening of other establishments like the new Hainan Lao Ba 海南老爸茶 and an outlet of Ah Chew Desserts as well. Taking over the former premises of the now-defunct Koufu food court is a multi-concept dining establishment named Taiwan Night Markets 台湾小夜市. A concept opened by the Fei Siong Group which operates brands like Boleh Boleh!, Encik Tan, Malaysia Boleh!, Malaysia Chiak!, Eat., Nam Kee Pau etc., Taiwan Night Markets is one of Fei Siong Group’s concept where the focus strays away from local and Malaysian cuisine — instead, the establishment purely focuses on Taiwanese cuisine which one might be able to find at their night markets. The food hall is decked in a style similar to a Da Pai Dong with metallic tables and chairs /occupying one side of the food hall for dine-in patrons to consume the food at — with pink lanterns being hung from the ceiling to further add on to the vibe; the stalls serving more substantial mains are located nearer to the dine-in seating, while the stalls serving up lighter snacks are all located towards the inner side of the food hall. One can expect quite a wide variety of food available at Taiwan Night Markets, though it is noted that some stalls have yet to open when we made our visit a month into their grand opening; some of the items served up from the various stalls at Taiwan Night Markets includes hotplate noodles, seafood congee, sesame oil chicken, crepes, peanut rolls, shaved ice, oyster omelette, scallion pancakes, deep-fried sweet potato balls, sausage with sticky rice and many more. Beverages available include Papaya Milk, as well as bubble tea and coffee — just to name a few.

Truth to be told, the food items were a little bit hit-and-miss depending on what one decides to go for at Taiwan Night Markets — this is also not a fact that is particularly surprising considering how Taiwan Night Markets is run by the Fei Siong Group; it would not be unfair for one to form an expectation of the food served at Taiwan Night Markets to be of a similar standard to that is being served at their other multi-brand concepts such as Malaysia Chiak!, Malaysia Boleh!, Kawan Kawan and Boleh Boleh!. After having a walk around the entire food hall, we pretty much stuck to trying out the Chicken Chop from the Night Markets Steak House stall that is located around the dine-in area of the food hall. The Night Markets Steak House stall serves up hotplate noodles — its signature offering seems to be the Huge Steak, though we eventually ended up going for the Chicken Chop since we weren’t too keen to try the Huge Steak at its steep price tag at $32. All main course items come served with a bowl of creamy corn soup on the side; the hotplate noodles also come with broccoli and a sunny side-up, with patrons being able to make a choice between mushroom sauce or black pepper sauce as well — we opted for the former for our order. There really isn’t anything that attempts to change the wheel over here, but we really liked the fact that the hotplate wasn’t used as simply dining ware here — the sauce does come sizzling on the hotplate which suggests that the hotplate is warmed before plating the food on top. The chicken was reasonably tender and juicy; came with a crisp skin — sufficiently savoury. The mushroom sauce which we had opted for came with some bits of button mushrooms; the sauce itself was thick but just lightly savoury for a bit of flavour, while the pasta did come with a good bite — itself being a little chewy where the slightly more charred parts are at due to the heat from the hotplate. The broccoli was a thoughtful addition to add a crunch whilst making the dish feel more wholesome, while the sunny side-up does come with a molten egg yolk without any stench overused oil. At $15, the Chicken Chop was a relatively decent eat at Taiwan Night Markets.

Wanting to give multiple items from the various stalls at Taiwan Night Markets a go, we have also tried the Oyster Omelet stall for their Omelette and the Shrimp Omelette, the Taiwanese Sausage with Sticky Rice stall for their Original Taiwanese Sausage with Sticky Rice, as well as the 青蛙下蛋 (Jelly Tapioca Pearl) stall for their Sesame Hot Mochi with Ice. We are not quite sure if this was a case of us ordering all the wrong items, but we were not quite impressed by the other items that we have had — the Shrimp Omelette was probably the better one of the entire lot, considering how the omelette had crisp edges and the starchy interior with bits of shrimp that provided some hint of sweetness; the Omelette being doused in a sweet, tomato-based sauce for a little bit of flavour. We were actually looking forward to the Original Taiwanese Sausage with Sticky Rice the most; it does seem that we did somewhat a mistake for not going with the variant that comes with pickles or marinated cucumber — this was considering how pickles were a default addition in the variant of the same dish that we had tried at the now-defunct Ho Jia Ga at The Poiz Centre. Nonetheless, the Original Taiwanese Sausage with Sticky Rice came with sticky rice that had been a little bit too charred on the underside, making it a little bit too difficult to chew and we left the sticky rice mostly untouched. As for the Sesame Hot Mochi with Ice, there wasn’t much going on considering this was just simply shaved ice with flat coins of mochi that have seemingly absorbed some form of brown sugar that comes covered in ground black sesame that is splashed with a bit of condensed milk atop; we felt that the black sesame can get a little choking after a while, and the hot nature of the mochi meant that the shaved ice melted a little too fast with the black sesame being unable to integrate with the melted ice. With all said about the food, Taiwan Night Markets does have some seriously strong vibes — all with live music performance at least during the evening we visited; probably a spot to check out if one isn’t too fussy about the food, and is around the Somerset neighbourhood for a meal.

One place that had seemed to have quickly made headlines on social media of the late is Tai One Wei (台One味). Having taken over the former premises of the now-defunct retail shop named Motorwerks at 751 North Bridge Road, Tai One Wei has been making waves of social media for serving up Taiwanese home-style cuisine. The entire establishment is decked in a style that reminds patrons of a homely Taiwanese vibe — filled with wooden benches on white walls matched with wooden dining tables and chairs, lantern ceiling lamps and brick-esque wallpapers; the interior also being fairly narrow considering the layout of the shophouse it is housed in. The menu here features quite a variety of dishes — there is a section dedicated to air-flown Taiwanese produce that are seasonal items priced at market rates; then there is a section dedicated to mains which comprises of items such as the Signature Braised Pork Rice and Fried Rice / Noodles with Pork / Beef. The rest of the items on the menu is separated into sections dedicated to dishes at either $5, $10, $15 or $18 per serving — something which does remind us of the same concept which then now-defunct Five Ten / The Salted Plum was previously doing. The list of beverages are also pretty extensive — whilst cold non-alcoholic drinks are pretty much limited to packet drinks, they do also offer hot beverages such as a Four Season Oolong and a Ruby Black Tea; alcoholic beverages include different types of canned beer, as well as hard liquor and red wine.

Ordered quite a number of dishes, which included the Signature Braised Pork Rice, the Signature Fried Chicken and the Stir-fried Clams with Basil and found them to be pretty good, but the Deep-fried Pork Intestine was an item that we found to be truly impressive even despite us being fans of innards. Being one of the $10 plates which they have to offer here, we had initially expected the Deep-fried Pork Intestine was to be served in a format that would be similar to the Signature Fried Chicken — turns out these were actually in a way simpler than we thought. For one, we really enjoyed how the Deep-fried Pork Intestine here has that crisp exterior, while the insides maintain some sort of chewiness — all that whilst not being particularly greasy. The intestines here are also very well-cleaned; there isn’t any undesirable odour that came with it, whilst the intestines also come stuffed with greens to help curb with that taste which one would usually associate innards with. One can also dip the intestine into the saucer or salt & pepper that further enhances the flavour as well.

Taiwanese eateries have started becoming a little more commonplace these days considering how establishments like Breakfast Hola!, Monki Cafe and True Breakfast has been sprouting up of the late. That being said, much of the focus seems to have been placed on Taiwanese-style breakfast fare — places that serve up Taiwanese communal plates are few and far in-between. Tai One Wei does seem to address this gap in the Singapore market by offering some pretty authentic Taiwanese-style communal plates — mostly dishes that are not exactly easy to find here; all that in a setting where it is also cosy and exudes strong Taiwanese vibes. It is little wonder how this spot is already so popular even before features of it on social media started to come online — a real gem of its own. With such a strong following alongside the features on social media, reservations via their online platform are definitely recommended to avoid disappointment; we are definitely looking forward to returning to Tai One Wei to try out their other less commonly found dishes soon!

There seems to be an increasing popularity of Taiwanese-style breakfasts of the late, especially ever since the move of True Breakfast into Cuppage Plaza which has seen crowds getting into a queue just to have a taste of their Taiwanese-style breakfast store dishes. Newly-opened along South Bridge Road just right across Jin Yu Man Tang Dessert’s second outpost is Breakfast Hola!; the shophouse is located just a short walk away from Chinatown MRT Station, and is also a stone’s throw away from the upcoming Maxwell MRT Station along Thomson-East Coast Line Phase 3 that is scheduled to open later in the year. Being rather simply designed, the interior of the shophouse is bright and welcoming; splashes of yellow on the walls amidst the white base paint, and simple furniture exudes a cheerful and fun vibe. Breakfast Hola! serves up a menu that is split into categories such as toasts, thick slices (i.e. thick toasts), club sandwich, handmade egg crepe roll, and noodles and rice. Beverage options at Breakfast Hola! includes soy milk, coffee, tea and Milo.

We have went for several items, which includes the Homemade Taiwanese Egg Crepe Roll with Spicy Cai Poh, as well as the Authentic Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice (Small) — all of them are equally well-executed and delicious but the Garlic Butter Thick Slices really deserves a shoutout for how they have seemed to really went looking into the fine details of this one. Being a thick toast, we really liked how this one was just on-point on how the toasting was executed — the brown crust of the bread is especially light and crispy; yet the white bread itself is pillowy soft and incredibly fluffy. Where most other places would usually slather just a little bit of garlic butter over the bread, it seems like Breakfast Hola! did a pretty good job where the ratio of garlic butter to bread is done just right — the savoury notes of the garlic butter did not seem to just sit atop the surface of the white bread, but also somewhat absorbed for a good garlicky note that we found to be pretty punchy. Simple as it is, but what we really liked about this variant from Breakfast Hola! is how it is done right.

There is really no doubt behind much of what has been said about Breakfast Hola! so far — no doubt that there may be teething issues at times since they are still in the midst of ironing out the way to do things, but the food here is certainly comforting to the soul; executed with a lot of heart to serve patrons with the very best that they can offer. Hospitality is also pretty Taiwanese here — sincere and heartfelt despite being fuss-free since we visited at a time which they seemed to be relatively busy. Overall, a great place to head to for some seriously delicious Taiwanese fare — not in a position to comment how authentic they are, but definitely somewhere I would make a return visit for!

Went for lunch at the Foodfare food court at Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3 just the other day and noticed a stall labelled “Taiwanese Cuisine” that piqued my interest — upon closer inspection, turns out the operator of the stall is The Voice . Taiwanese Cuisine (好聲音 ．台灣風味館); a stall which we had visited when they were located in a coffeeshop along Eng Kong Terrace. While the Eng Kong Terrace outlet has since become defunct, they had since expanded their operations with four outlets at the time of writing — their other locations apart from the one at Foodfare at Marina Bay Financial Centre being within Foodfare at FairPrice Hub (Joo Koon), Kopitiam at Jurong Point 1 (Boon Lay), and Kopitime at PLQ (Paya Lebar). For those who are unfamiliar with what they serve up, the menu at The Voice . Taiwanese Cuisine comprises of various forms of “bento” (think Braised Pork Rice Bento, Chicken Cutlet Rice Bento etc.), Taiwanese Mee Sua and a whole range of sides including the likes of Sweet Potato Fries, Fried Mixed Vegetables, Braised Pork Intestines etc.

Went for the very same item which we went for when we dropped by their now-defunct Eng Kong Terrace location the previous time, and found that the Popcorn Chicken + Braised Pork Bento seem to have been vastly improved from back then. One very noticeable change was the use of a shallower paper bowl instead of the one that they were previously using — somewhat improving the aesthetics of the entire dish since there was less void space around the whole bowl. The cuts of the braised pork does feel different from back then; seemingly featuring more fattier cuts, the braised pork is nothing short of being soft and tender — does come savoury enough from being stewed in the braising liquid whilst there was also enough braised sauce going around to flavour up the rice this time round too. The Popcorn Chicken was good as it previously was — these golden brown morsels of chicken is crispy on the outside and juicy inside; not particularly greasy, and sprinkled with the usual salt and pepper for good flavour. The same pickled cucumbers and preserved vegetables also sit atop the short-grain rice; both of which providing a good break between the meat and the carbs, while the braised egg features a completely cooked yolk — great for those who prefer it done this way.

Having given them yet another go at their outlet at Foodfare at Marina Bay Financial Centre, was glad that they seemed to have did some minor tweaks to the Popcorn Chicken + Braised Pork Bento which refined the offering further — overall an improvement over what it previously was. Priced at $8.80, this may not be quite the most affordable eat around the area if one is looking for a meal in the price range of around or below $6 for a weekday lunch in office, though it is noted that they do have other rice bentos and mee sua that is priced competitively at $5.80. Always find it a little difficult to make a choice on what to have here at this particular Foodfare, but I guess The Voice . Taiwanese Cuisine is one that I would easily settle for the next time I return here.

Had heard about Big Brother — a former Pasar Malam stall which had settled in Tastebud Foodcourt at Blk 218 Sumang Walk within Punggol for quite a while now; the stall had found new digs in the aforementioned coffeeshop for at least a year now, and was a spot that I was meant to visit following the nation’s re-opening after the Circuit Breaker last year. Apart from serving up Taiwanese-style fried chicken, the stall also serves up other Taiwanese-style snacks such as Enoki Mushroom, Crispy Plum Sweet Potato, and also offers mains such as Taiwanese Oyster Mee Sua and Taiwanese Pork Belly Rice.

We made our visit for the Taiwanese Pork Belly Rice; while no doubt we found their rendition to be better than what some other stalls can offer (their version came with ample sauce, a mix of lean and fatty meat, and was well-sized for an individual for $4.80), but it was the Big Brother Yummy Chicken that left even a stronger impression for us. Essentially a Taiwanese-style fried chicken cutlet, I liked how their rendition was simple yet satisfying — served piping hot, the chicken cutlet features an immensely crisp and fried golden-brown batter, juicy and tender flesh, all dusted with paprika and pepper for that slight kick of spiciness. Whilst being nothing out of this world, their rendition perhaps comparable to some of the more stellar ones served up by other chains operating kiosks in malls.

Given how Pasar Malams hadn’t been a thing ever since the ongoing pandemic, it’s pretty heartening to see how some of the stalls had managed to settle down as a takeaway kiosk or a coffeeshop stall during this period of time — it’s certainly a difficult period for these operators especially, considering the lack of a permanent presence at a single location previously and many of such stalls mainly relied on word-of-mouth for its marketing. That being said, Big Brother is a hidden gem amidst the inner neighbourhoods of Punggol — it serves up pretty decent Taiwanese fare that is worth exploring especially if one stays somewhat close to the area. Don’t forget to also grab a portion of the Big Brother Yummy Chicken while at it — makes for a great snack to share around the table!

The revamp of PoMo had been massively delayed for quite a while now — glad that GR.ID had finally seen its first few F&B tenants moved into the building and having commenced business recently, which adds on to the number of dining options in this area.

Having started operations last year with their first outlet situated at East Coast Road (we had also visited that spot when they had first opened their doors), it seems that Isshin Machi does have plans to expand their operations — apart from the recent opening of their outlet at GR.ID, they have also recently did a sneak peek at an upcoming location in the west. The menu available at GR.ID is largely similar to the one offered at East Coast Road too.

The Hakka-style Braised Pork Rice is a dish that isn’t unfamiliar to us — also one of the items which we had ordered during our first visit to the East Coast Road outlet. Essentially being the classic braised pork rice bowl, the portion served here is slightly deceiving considering how the bowl does seem to be of a smaller size, but it’s a pretty well-sized portion for an individual. Coming with pickles, cucumber and braised pork, the braised pork is diced finely, but also to a point where one would still be able to feel small chunks of meat and fibre — the braised pork here being a mix of fatty parts and lean parts through generally beer towards the leaner end here. The braised sauce was pretty flavourful, and the braised pork was marinated evenly throughout — sufficiently savoury, and gives the entire bowl ample flavour. There was also sufficient meat to go around with the pearly rice grains beneath; soft and fluffy, and easy to finish. While the pickles here features julienned vegetables rather than sliced ones which some establishments may serve, they still have the dish a light tang especially between morsels of braised pork to refresh the taste buds.

Pretty glad to see Isshin Machi expand its operations; the outlet at GR.ID seemingly being their most ambitious outlet with a lot of emphasis being placed in the decor and look of the store. The food quality at the GR.ID outlet seems to be pretty consistent to that of what we had experienced previously at the East Coast Road outlet — something which we were found to be pretty good. No doubt I would still prefer heading to Eat 3 Bowls for some really stellar Taiwanese-style Braised Pork Rice, but with other items like the Din Tai Fung-style Egg Fried Rice on the menu that also deserves a mention, GR.ID’s Isshin Machi is a spot I would gladly return to for lunch or dinner when the cravings hit!

It seems that establishments specialising in Taiwanese cuisine is sprouting up around various corners in Singapore pretty recently — Big Mouth Eat 大口吃 is one of those recent openings that is hidden within the basement of Havelock II; a rather non-descript spot considering how the mall isn’t particularly filled up with tenants even at the ground level.

Just going by the minced braised pork belly, the Braised Pork Belly Rice is something worthy of a mention — the cuts used for the meat here comes with a good proportion of lean and fatty parts; all that coming together for a good texture that doesn’t require too much bite, yet melt-in-the-mouth. Really enjoyed how the meat has absorbed all that goodness from the braising liquid that is exceptionally savoury and rich — very flavourful without being overly salty. The only qualm here is how the rice feels like it could do with more of that sauce — no doubt it may seem to be served this way to circumvent the issue where the rice may get overly salty, but we felt that the rice felt a tad dry and could do with more flavour from the braising liquid; probably just a small douse would help. Really liked the preserved vegetables that they add to the bowl here which provided a contrast of texture by adding a crunch in between morsels of minced braised pork belly and rice, whilst also providing a light hint of spiciness that tickles the tastebuds. The braised egg was also decent; feature a solid yolk within, though some may yearn for the molten egg yolks typical to that of ramen egg that some places do serve up.

Whilst operating as a kiosk with a rather simple set-up featuring IKEA plastic chairs and metallic outdoor tables as their dine-in furnishings within the basement of a quiet mall, Eat Big Mouth is a hidden gem for those who love their Taiwanese cuisine — pretty authentic iterations of favourites ranging from the Braised Pork Belly Rice to more uncommonly found dishes such as the Taiwan Egg Pancake Crepe (would recommend the Ham variant which we also had), the Homemade Vegetarian “Blood” Cake and the Taiwanese Style Meatball. While there are still areas of improvement to be made for the Braised Pork Belly Rice, the setup does feel earnest and non-pretentious; something which we loved for how they seemingly focus on the food itself — itself being off for a good start. Looking forward to return for the Shredded Chicken Rice and other items some day too!

Visited the new Abundance at Lengkok Bahru over the weekend — the fun, Asian fusion neighbourhood bar is situated just a couple of units away from Maison Sucree at a HDB block just a short walking distance from Redhill MRT Station.

A bit bummed by how the buns weren’t out when we went for lunch service (was told that they were only available for dinner during our visit), but found ourselves going for the Niu Yolk Fried Rice which was recommended to us by the staff. Featuring elements such as Beef Short Rib, Onsen Egg and Beef Fat over the Din Tai Fung-style egg fried rice that they attempt to serve over here.

Digging into the bowl of rice; the portion of which works great for two to share, and especially so for those who are looking to share at least a side, we noticed how the rice here seems a tad too moist for our liking — perhaps an attempt to achieve that fluffy texture of egg fried rice that was slightly overdone in this case. But otherwise, the rice was actually rather flavourful; wafts of an eggy fragrance that perfumes throughout the entire bowl. We were actually more impressed with the beef short ribs — the portioning of which may be a little small if one is attempting to share the item with two others just like how we did here, but we loved how the beef was absolutely tender and cooked in its own fat; not particularly gamey, but so melt-in-the-mouth good and savoury especially considering how marbled the meat was. The Onsen Egg is the crowd pleaser here — runny egg with a molten egg yolk that bursts of a creamy, golden goodness that provides for a silkier touch when one mixes it into the fried rice; talk about all the egg that is going on in here. Folks who prefer not to have beef can also opt for the “Classic” variant, and then go for the various add-ons here — think Crispy Chicken Cutlet, Pork Chop, Prawns, Crab Meat, Fried Beancurd Skin (aka 斋鹅)(!) and Tobiko.

Abundance doesn’t attempt to hide about its identity and character — it is exactly that fun Asian fusion gastrobar and the void deck it sets itself to be; the food here seemingly being of a Chinese/Taiwanese influence. Don’t come by looking for exceptional artisan fare; instead, just something more light-hearted with a playful touch. Whilst the location may seem a tad odd, we do reckon this is a spot that young families around the newer areas of Queenstown and Redhill may love having around — somewhere casual and hip with drinks with the convenience of being in their neighbourhood.