Light Bites 😁🍡🥟🍩🍿

This is what happens when a cook runs out of ideas and goes “GUYS WHY NOT JUST LUMP ALL THE FOOD TRENDS INTO ONE EPIC DISH?!?” Strangely enough, we actually enjoyed this outrageous mix which - by some strange twist of fate - had all the loud and rich flavors meshing really well together. To be fair, the salted egg sauce was almost intangible, relegated to the background by the honey mustard, kimchi and bulgogi, all of which form an unbeatable trio! It helped too that the chips were of the junk-y variety - thin, salty and appealing immediately to the natural human thirst for instant gratification😂 I’d probably sneak this into the movies the next time I come!

Got these babies omw home because who can say no to a 2-for-$4 deal?!? Since their last attempt to join the “local flavors” frenzy (recall their Nasi lemak puff), they’ve put considerably more thought into conceiving their latest Chili Crab ‘O’!! Each handmade puff is stuffed with shredded crab & strips of egg which are bound together by an incredibly traditional-tasting chili crab sauce!!! Well I wouldn’t have minded more crab but this is more than enough to rekindle my love for OCK😭 Definitely gonna get me some durian & jackfruit puffs at their curry day party this weekend!!!

Can’t believe I’ve never set foot in this old skool kool cafe despite how my house is within walking distance?! And I have admittedly been missing out! Unlike other indie cafes that are usually found clustered in a cramped fashion, Wheeler’s Yard occupies an entire warehouse’s worth of space and is - simply put - unbelievably cavernous. Decked out in bicycles (yep, think whole bicycles hanging from walls, standing on tables) and biking related gear, the whole grungy aesthetic exudes chill vibes that one naturally settles into, creating the perfect spot for a laidback brunch.

We got ourselves the Pork Katsu Toast and a quintessential brunch item, Eggs Benedict!! As always, hallelujah to the existence of #burpplebeyond with which we got da 1-for-1!!!😚 The former is a unique take on traditional toast; more of an open sandwich, the fluffy white bread base surprisingly managed to hold its own beneath two cripsy patties of pork that were breaded with panko and drizzled generously with tonkatsu sauce...and then topped with a runny egg & bonito flakes. Each bite was so so umami!!!😍 and if it ain’t enough, you can mop up the extra tonkatsu sauce that the servers have kindly spread along the plate!!!
The eggs benny was nothing to shout about, but I did like how the hollandaise was unusually lemony and citrusy. But definitely, get the tonkatsu toast if you’re here!!

If you were here yesterday and witnessed a lady crying out in anguish upon accidentally letting a fry slip off the pile and onto the floor...that was me.😭 Apart from how they shovel the fries into gargantuan mountains, I love how each and every fry is coated with their seasoning - some noticeably more than others, but none are left untouched!! Taste-wise, it’s like having sour cream & onion Pringles but on proper hot chips and wayyyy more umami than what you’d ever expect. I did feel extraordinarily bloated the next day from all the salt and MSG but we all deserve a junky treat once in a while amirite?!😂

Just for today, Mr Bean is celebrating their 23rd anniversary!!! As part of their birthday promo, you can get 2 Black soya items for only $2.30🤗 Taste-wise, the batter tastes almost exactly the same as the original, though just a tad drier. I usually just go for the old-school cheese pancake, but the hazelnut Royale was a pleasant surprise! The molten Nutella-like custard was unexpectedly flowy and indulgent, hiding crunchy little nutty bits!! It’s more of a dessert than a snack IMHO😋

Didn’t have high expectations seeing how the nacho cheese and mayo looked like they were squeezed outta a bottle...yet we were pleasantly surprised! Think American-style nachos, with all the beefy goodness minus the Mexican bean-y heaviness. Chili con carne came with an abundance of refreshing tomato salsa which helped lessen the overall greasiness till it was intangible. The toppings also sat surprisingly well on the light and crisp tortilla chips, where not even the top few were soggy!

The sheer saltiness of the chips did make my lips itch after a bit...but that may just be due to wolfing down chip after chip! 😂

“YASSSS!!!” We screamed as the waiter set the oversized platter upon our table with a flourish. Armed with a drink in hand, we were all ready to devour anything in sight!! This decadent platter is piled high with golden-brown deep-fried piping hot goodies (i.e.: white bait, calamari, chicken wings, and TRUFFLE FRIES!!!) all complete with a sexy outer sheen of oil. We especially loved the springy flesh of both the squid and chicken; bursting with juices on each bite, we double-dipped each piece in their insanely addictive sticky sweet sauce and greedily stuffed them into our mouths non-stop!! Truly, and I say this from the bottom of my heart, the people here are more than capable of delivering quality bar bites!

Don’t be surprised to hear delighted gasps or excited squeals when you walk pass this little eatery! This shop offers beef cubes that are not just cooked on a hot stove, but also seared on the outside by a powerful blowtorch! Furthermore, upon receiving your takeout box of beef, one can add as much seasoning (garlic, seaweed, black pepper) as desired. IMHO, the garlic powder really elevated the gamey taste of beef!

Portion sizes are REALLY small for the price though. I got the small ($6.90), and the total volume barely amounted to the size of my fist.😞 But I’m sure you’re wondering about the taste. Though oozing with natural juices and oil, the fatty beef cubes ultimately lacked the characteristic charred, smoky flavour that one would expect from being blowtorched. It’s not bad per se (in fact, they taste quite decent), yet the overall taste certainly falls short of what they have in Taiwan!

This is actually the all new $1 TARO CORN PIE (aka the taro pie we know and love but revamped!)!! The piping hot custard within the crusty shell is as thick, sweet and indulgent as ever. Just that this time, it contains juicy corn kernels that heighten the squish factor of each bite. Yummy!!

Pardon the photo which doesn’t showcase any of the actual Ikan bilis. Upon shaking it out on my hand, it smelt sooo good that I wolfed it all down immediately! The whole pack is really clumpy due to every morsel and crumb being coated in a thick glaze of sweet chili...which went amazingly well with the saltiness of the crisp crescentic ikan bilis and crispy whole peanuts! Brb gonna finish the entire pack now...

This varied assortment of buns made for an incredibly satisfying tea! 😍 Contrary to its name, the onion cream cheese bun was the savoriest of the lot. Though we were initially a little put off by the yellowish colour of the cream cheese custard, our fears were unfounded. Surprisingly light, the cream was richly punctuated by bits of caramelized onion which was simultaneously sweet and savoury! The peanut crumble atop the bun also added a nice crunch which went well with the fluffy bun.

For the bacon roll, I still prefer the original roll, which provides a much more even balance of its constituents. The sugary sweet chili glaze ended up overpowering the egg and bacon within, and may be a bit too heavy for the Asian palate! Finally, the maple scone. Carrying just a slight undertone of maple syrup, this scone with its crumbly and moist centre reminded me of popeye’s biscuit! Certainly served as a good end to this starchy meal! 😋

Despite the huge printout of its newspaper feature which loudly touts their famous traditional tutu kueh, these pink rose ones fell short of expectations. First of all, the tutu kueh-maker running the cart confessed that the pink was merely colouring. Secondly, the flour was annoyingly dense and overly sweet, sticking to the crevices of my teeth with each chew. The only redeeming feature was the peanut filling 😢