Back To The Good Ol' Classics

The COLLIN'S Mixed Combo ($33) consists of 1/2 roasted chicken, 1/2 roasted BBQ ribs, tempura squid, pork bratwurst, onion rings, skinny cajun fries, corn cob, coleslaw, mesclun salad, chicken gravy. It's not too hefty a portion, and could very well be polished off by two carnivorous people.

With the exception of the limp fries and unsurprisingly measly salad, every item was generally enjoyable. Give this a go if you're dining in a group; that one poor fella who has to order for the entire party (since everyone else is so engrossed in conversation and all) would find him/herself in less of a dilemma.

If you could choose only one item from the “Small Bites” portion of the menu, this would be it. These golden brown L'il Peckers ($13), or fried chicken "lollipops", make for excellent sharing bites. They come with tartar sauce and a wicked homemade chilli, which drew nods of agreement from all my dining companions. Like popcorn chicken, but better.

I rarely crave for burgers, but when I do, I tend to go for the simplest and most classic item on the menu. The Baconator ($20), with a grilled beef patty, sweet caramelised onions, lettuce, tomato, monterey jack, beef bacon and tasty garlic aioli on buttered Brioche buns, did not fail me.

Other than the bacon being a little tougher than expected (thinner slices or strips would've been ideal), this was a very decent burger and I enjoyed it a lot. It is pretty standard, component-wise, but after all, there is beauty in simplicity.

Had salad on the side to lighten things up (who am I kidding), but you're better off getting the fries. For maximum enjoyment, my advice would be to just dive right in, and get your hands dirty. Don't bother with a fork and knife.

If well-executed salmon is what you seek, look no further, and go for the Norwegian Salmon ($24/part of a $60 set menu with Burpple Beyond) - sous vide salmon with spiced pumpkin puree (a tad watery), baby spinach and pumpkin seeds. Not exactly the most exciting thing on the menu, but honestly, it's hard to go south with such understated flavours.

I was given a choice of doneness, and opted for Medium, only to be greeted with tender, moist and flaky flesh. Of course, I had to save the best for last - the crispy salmon skin, which I took my time to slowly savour.

If I were you, I would come here solely for their Truffle Wagyu Dons ($12.90/S). Topped with sweet sauce, crispy bits of garlic and an ever-so-important onsen egg, it has one of the more remarkable beef-to-rice ratios I've encountered. The lingering aroma of black truffle oil that hits once the bowl is served is also a plus point.

Don't try to order a large bowl unless you have the appetite (and stomach) for it, as portion sizes are enough to leave one feeling satisfied, and still with room to pop by one of the many eateries in the area for a late night dessert stop.

One bit of advice: skip the underwhelming Spicy Salmon Don ($12.90).

The Family Meal ($39.90) consists of a whole chicken, 2 large chips, 4 regular drinks, 2 choices of sides and 3pcs wings (we got drumlets).

Got lemon & herb as our sauce of choice, and it was a little too salty for my liking. Anyhow, I understood why only providing plastic cutlery was sufficient, as the chicken (even the notoriously hard-to-grill-without-becoming-tough-and-dry breast meat) was very tender and succulent.

Our sides of grilled corn and spicy rice were pretty average. Would've preferred corn kernels instead of corn on the cob - kinda hard to share, don't you think?

This meal box is substantial enough to feed 4, but feel free to add on more side orders, as we did, with a side of Bondi Bites w/ BBQ sauce ($4.90).

Good food and conversation in a cosy ambience amidst lush greenery feat. the shrimp laksa tagliatelle ($19), which was light (not jelat at all) with a tingly spice that slowly builds up. My favourite component was the dried tau kwa (fried beancurd) chunks that added a certain texture + dimension to the dish. The duck confit pappardelle ($19) fared even better in all its creamy and fragrant goodness (shoutout to the red coconut curry) with a hint of sweetness, although I would've liked sweeter roasted pumpkin, and for the duck to be less salty.

First time at Ah Bong's (yes very late I know) to try their pastas!!!! Ordered the crabby aglio alio ($16) which had a lovely distinctive sweetness from the fresh tomatoes, and the Angus meat ragu ($16), with tender beef cheek and duroc pork which was smoky, savoury and not too salty.
Get their sea salt marscarpone gelato ($4/scoop) if it's available because it's seriously addictive - sweet, salty and creamy with the right amount of milkiness. Will be back to try their homemade pasta!!

Enjoyed the classic Wolf Burger ($9.90) - a juicy, nicely seasoned (could cut down on the salt by just a teeny weeny bit) beef patty cooked medium with the usual suspects: melted cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and smokey caramelised onions. One of the most affordable good quality burgers in the market, and even though I'm in no way a burger fanatic I would definitely come back here!!!

Both the apple pie and the famed banana pie ($2.50/piece) are both delightfully buttery, boasting a crumbly yet soft cake-like crust. Would've preferred for the apples to a be little more on the sour side but that's just me; the banana pie was extremely well received, with its fragrant aroma and creamy filling being plus points for those who tried!!

Come here if you're looking for an extensive range of affordable, unique dim sum, porridge and even crab dishes - special mention goes out to the chee cheong fun roll ($3.80), steamed carrot cake ($3.50) and decent HK-style BBQ pork buns ($3.50). This place is also open 24 hours for all you supper-goers. 😛

Black Angus ribeye steak cubes (we asked for medium doneness) with lightly crispy potato wedges, caramelised onions and fried rice (unpictured). The beef was very nicely seared and boasted tender meat with a good amount of bite....go order this!!!