Halal Western

I finally found the time to try out Taufik Batisah’s new f&b venture: @chixhotchicken! Helmed as the go-to place for unique Nashville fried chicken, do satisfy your fried chicken craving right here in Bugis! A must-try is their Soul Sliders ($12.90) that comes with 2 buns and the most crispy, juicy, and tender boneless fried chicken ever😫 They topped the sliders with some pickles (that surprisingly went really well with the sliders!), slaw, and pink mayo. Awesome combination! We also tried their Nashville fried chicken wings ($10.90 for 3 wings) and since I’m a wuss, I chose the Mild Hotness spicy level. It was not spicy at all so it’s great for people who can’t really stand spicy food. The chicken was really fresh and the wings were decently seasoned though I would recommend getting their Quarter size for a more worth-it meal. Perhaps a more spicy level would give that additional kick! Pair your meal with their extra thick and creamy Vanilla milkshake ($5.90). Perfect combination 😋

All-day breakfast is always a good idea 😋 best known for their Lemon Blueberry Scones & Gula Melaka Scones (MUST ORDER!), they also offer lunch menu too. Check out their lunch sets that come with free soup or dessert of the day & $2 off in-house drinks! Although I wished they had informed me earlier the $2 off is not applicable for drinks in the fridge compartment(the cashier initially said it was!); I had happily sipped on my orange snapple only to be informed that drink is not part of the promo 😫 We had the Crab Aioli Hot-Pressed Sandwich ($13.90) and it came a tad burnt. The seafood after-taste is strong so do try this dish if you’re a real fan of crab. Their Salmon Cream Spaghetti ($18.90) was decent though a bit pricey but hey, they’re at a central location so it’s understandable that the prices will be a bit steep. The Lamb Rice Bowl ($15.90) came with fresh avocado so it made the dish pretty healthy and fulfilling. The lamb patties were sadly a little dry. The star of the show has to be the Wholesome Breakfast (not applicable for lunch set) $18.90 that was essentially a satisfying english breakfast with a generous portion of smoked salmon. Overall, it was a decently average lunch and it certainly pays to come here for their desserts (Scones!!!) 😋 but do come early as their baked goods run out very fast cus they’re THAT delicious!

Don’t you just love western food at affordable prices? We had their Tender Steak ($10!!!) and Cajun Chicken ($6.90). Each set comes complete with seasoned cajun fries (not the crispy kind), coleslaw, and a fried buttery bun (similar to those at Arnold’s). The steak was seasoned nicely although they don’t offer options to your preferred level of doneness. The cajun chicken, however, tasted very burnt and bitter—not sure if it’s from the chicken itself or the hotplate that wasn’t cleaned thoroughly cus it still had remnants of bitter char from previous use. This definitely made every bite end with a bitter aftertaste. Great prices though in a comfortable aircon setting! Location is pretty accessible by buses too but I would recommend having your own vehicle😋

For Mains, we tried their Squid Ink Rice with Soft Shell Crab ($17). The squid ink tasted like a mix of lemak cili padi and nasi rawon —spicy though! A bigger portion of the soft shell crab would be great to balance the generous portion of the rice.

Of course, Truffle Fries ($6) is always an amazing safe choice and although it’s served as a side, the portion was actually big!

Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to have a taste of fine dining food at affordable prices? At @brothersinfinefood, that is a reality! Known for their tasty brunch selections, you should definitely check out their Lunch&Dinner menu too! Their concept is simple: bring fine dining standard food accessible to the community (that’s why they’re situated at Tampines West community club!)😇 a must-try for me is their Duck Ragout Pasta ($7)—so creamy and flavourful their 24-hour pulled smoke duck truly made the dish a winner.

We also ordered the Salmon Ravioli ($14) which was decent. Overall, our experience was average (decent, at best) and the food at Commons is really just.... common. Not great, but not bad either. I’m so glad the price is affordable and their service professional 😊

The Chicken Cordon Bleu ($15) has an affordable price tag but again, the portion was small. I liked the mashed potatoes and coleslaw—definitely helped ‘neutralise’ the overly salty chicken.

I’ve always wanted to try Commons at Tampines Hub so I felt pretty excited when I got the chance to eat here. We had the Mushroom and Chicken Pizza ($10) that had a nice crispy crust but had too little toppings... the pizza also took awhile to be served and we had already finished our other main courses before the pizza finally arrived.

The Turkey Ham Pasta ($13.90) was decent; maybe have a go at their signature pastas instead!
Overall, I Am.. definitely increased the price on their menu and while the food was fulfilling, it wasn’t consistently fantastic. Bring back Sloppy Joe Hotdog! 😋

One of their signature dishes is the Charcoal-Grilled ‘The Boss’ Burger ($18.90) and it was incredibly fulfilling. The patty was juicy and satisfying too 😋 but if you’re not a fan of crispy/dry turkey bacon, maybe you can try other burgers on their menu. You can also choose to add-on a few ingredients —we added a beef patty ($3) and battered onion rings ($2). Their onion rings are essentially an onion slice dipped in one batter because there were like 4-5 ‘rings’ within that batter so it can get very overwhelming.

We had Truffle Fries ($10.90) as appetizers and it tasted delicious for the first few bites but the truffle taste disappeared by the time we reached the middle so I think they could be more generous with the truffle oil (seems like they only sprinkled a minimal amount of truffle oil at the top).