Pizz Please ~

One of those establishments that had previously impressed us quite a fair bit that we had visited in the past year was Palapa — an Indonesian casual dining establishment that is located within City Gate along Beach Road. Was scrolling through social media one day and chanced upon a post from them mentioning the opening of a second outlet recently — it seems that these folks had expanded their operations with a new concept named Palapa Express; the concept having found home within the Maxim Stars coffeeshop that is located at Blk 326 Woodlands Street 32. Other notable stalls operating within the same coffeeshop will include an outlet of Char Siu Lang as well as an outlet of Aw’s Signature Minced Meat Noodle. Palapa Express takes over one of the stall units that is situated in the middle of the coffeeshop that faces out towards the open-air carpark within the same HDB estate. For those whom aren’t familiar with Palapa, Palapa is an establishment that specialises in serving up Nasi Jeruk (also known as Lime Rice); whilst Palapa operates as an independently-run dining establishment within City Gate, Palapa Express is just a stall within a coffeeshop setting. Considering so, the menu at Palapa Express features a slightly smaller variety of items as compared to the one at Palapa — items like the Spicy Beef Balado, Grilled Chicken and Grilled Lamb being missing from the menu at Palapa Express.

A trip to Palapa wouldn’t be complete if one doesn’t opt for their Coriander Fried Chicken with Signature Lime Rice — this was also the dish that really impressed us when we made our visit to Palapa at City Gate as well; considering so, it is little wonder that we found ourselves going for it again during our visit to Palapa Express. Palapa Express does not describe the elements that comes with their various dishes; that being said, it could be observed from our order that the Coriander Fried Chicken with Signature Lime Rice does come with other elements such as the Fried Tempeh and Veggie Fritters — both elements also being offered as side dishes under the Ala Carte section of the menu. The presentation of the dish is pretty similar to what one would get at their City Gate outlet; patrons also do get the choice to opt between their Signature Lime Rice as well as White Rice here which we went for the former. Coming in a hue of light green, the Signature Lime Rice is what we remembered it to be; soft and fluffy, yet coming with a hint of lime leaf fragrance that perfumes the tastebud; the flavours of the rice being especially alluring that makes it already very good on its own. The Coriander Fried Chicken is also yet another highlight at Palapa as well; while the Coriander Fried Chicken is placed in a display warmer at the counter, these also do seem to be well prepared ahead of time considering how we had dropped by Palapa Express during a weekday dinner service — thought that it would fair better especially when they are served freshly fried. We did however note that it was also not particularly greasy. That being said, apart from the slightly dry texture of the chicken, the chicken is still warm with a crisp exterior — the texture for the batter further enhanced by the use of coriander seeds (thus the namesake Coriander Fried Chicken) that gives it an additional crunch amidst the crispness. The accompanying Sambal Balado is one that is lightly savoury and is suitably spicy even though it hints of the notes of fresh chili — despite its rather fiery-looking aesthetic, this should be pretty manageable for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness in general; goes especially well with the Coriander Fried Chicken. Meanwhile, the Vegetable Fritters here is one that comes with a fair bit of dough in the batter; presumably so to gel the shreds of vegetables altogether — just like the Coriander Fried Chicken, these were fried for quite a while and placed in the display warmer and had lost its crispness by the time we made our visit on a weekday evening for dinner, though it is still warm and not too greasy, with some bite of vegetables providing a soft, fibrous crunch within for some variance of texture. The Fried Tempeh at Palapa is fairly interesting in the way that it does look like it is being deep-fried like a samosa — perhaps the batter used for the Fried Tempeh contributes to how it still manages to retain that crunch as opposed to the other fried elements that came with the Coriander Fried Chicken with Signature Lime Rice; all that with a nuttiness and a good bite whilst at it.

We also managed to try the Curry Chicken Indomie during the same visit; no doubt something that is simpler and also a dish that is considerably easier to find at other dining establishments specialising in Indonesian fare, this was also a fairly comforting option for those whom aren’t too adventurous to give their Coriander Fried Chicken with Signature Lime Rice a go. It is interesting to note that the Curry Chicken itself doesn’t come with a very thick gravy, but this makes the curry pretty complimenting with the Indomie since it does give the Indomie a slight hint of curry fragrance — all that while the curry isn’t quite spicy and should do just about right even for those whom are not tolerable to even lower levels of spiciness. The chicken leg does come sufficiently moist and tender; also absorbed some of the flavours of the curry gravy, while the Indomie comes all springy and tossed in a dark sauce for a familiar sweet-savoury note. Otherwise, the Curry Chicken Indomie does come with pretty similar components as the Coriander Fried Chicken with Signature Lime Rice; the same Sambal Balado, as well as the Fried Tempeh and Vegetable Fritters. Palapa was one of those establishments that really surprised us when we had first given their Coriander Fried Chicken with Signature Lime Rice a try at their City Gate outlet — Palapa Express does seem to be able to replicate much of the same experience; the flavours of the Signature Lime Rice being on point, while the textures of the Coriander Fried Chicken is also spot-on. That being said, it does seem to be better to drop by Palapa Express earlier rather than later so as to enjoy the fried items at their best — perhaps they can also look into serving up their fried items freshly-fried so as to keep the consistency of their fried dishes as they intend them to be even if one drops by the stall later during the day. Prices of their items featuring Signature Lime Rice / White Rice are priced from $5.90 to $10.90, while the items on the Indomie section of the menu are priced from $6.40 to $12.40 — for reference, the Coriander Fried Chicken with Signature Lime Rice that we have had is priced at $7.90 while the Curry Chicken Indomie is being listed at $9.40; the latter being slightly on the pricier side. That being said, we would find ourselves back for the Coriander Fried Chicken with Signature Lime Rice when the craving hits considering the proximity of Palapa Express to us — definitely an interesting addition to the North that we do hope would hang around in time to come!

Seems like Ottie Pancakes have been pretty aggressive with their expansion strategy despite being a fairly new F&B establishment in the local food scene here. Whilst they had opened their second outlet at Harbourfront Centre not too long ago, the brand seems to have opened a new outlet at both Alexandra Retail Centre and also at Suntec City in recent times. Their Suntec City location does seem to be their very first that is located out of the south-western areas of Singapore; their other outlets so far being that of the ones around one-north and Harbourfront areas. Located within the basement level of Suntec City, their Suntec City space is just a small takeaway kiosk that is situated pretty close by to the outlet of Bali Thai there. Ottie Pancakes should be fairly easy to spot, considering the use of a bright orange shop facade that would easily capture the attention of those whom are passing by the area. Expect a smaller line-up of the Ottie Pancake series being available at their Suntec City location due to space constraints — the Ottie Pancake would be what one would expect for Min Jiang Kueh, while the Mini Ottie would be similar to the Mini Munchi that Munchi Pancakes offer; Ottie Pancakes being an establishment that seemingly replicates the likes of Munchi Pancakes.

Having tried their Charcoal and Original pancakes with Kaya and Black Sesame fillings the last time round when we had made our visit to their Harbourfront Centre location, we had decided to give the Matcha Red Bean Pancake a try during our visit made to their Suntec City location. Just like how things are at their Harbourfront Centre outlet, patrons do get asked if they would like their Ottie Pancake orders to be served as-is or warmed up; we had them warmed up though there was some time taken between receiving them to us finding a spot to take a munch — it would only be right to say that we have had the Matcha Red Bean Pancake in a condition that was almost pretty much as-is from the display case.

The Matcha Red Bean Pancake is an item from the Ottie Pancake line-up that resembles a similar offering by the folks of Munchi Pancakes in which the Matcha is essentially the Matcha-infused pancake batter that is being used to make the pancake. The pancake does come with a slightly greenish hue inside, though still featuring a brown surface nonetheless — the addition of matcha does seem to be more for aesthetic appeal rather than that for flavour; that being said, the combination of Matcha and Red Bean does sound like a pretty safe combination on paper that would catch the eyes of some. Just as with their other pancakes, the pancake does come dense and thick — more so than that of the typical Min Jiang Kueh offering that one can find at hawker centre / coffeeshop / food court stalls, but pretty similar to that offered at Munchi Pancakes; chewy with a somewhat firm bite. Considering how these were left sitting around the display case for a while, the crisp edges were a little limp and tough; lost the initial crispness that it should carry. Meanwhile, the red bean filling does come suitably sweet with an earthy note; a smooth-paste that didn’t feel particularly heavy on the tastebuds and should do pretty well for those whom usually gravitate towards Min Jiang Kueh with red bean fillings.

During the same visit, we had also given their Original Hazelnut a go; the consistency of the pancake itself is largely similar to that of the Matcha Red Bean Pancake that we also went for — also very similar to what we had experienced with the other offerings that we had previously tried at their Harbourfront Centre location. The Hazelnut filling is one that would work well for those looking for a more chocolate-esque spread to go along with their order of the Ottie Pancake at Ottie Pancakes; one interesting element about the Original Hazelnut would be the soft, crunchy bits that exist within the hazelnut spread that helps to add a contrast of textures to the entire pancake. This does turn out to be a little sweeter than that of the Matcha Red Bean Pancake and even the Ottie Pancake offerings featuring black sesame fillings, though definitely works as a sweet after-meal treat for some for those whom do not mind a slightly heavier dessert. With their Ottie Pancake offerings being priced within the range of $2 to $2.80 while the Mini Otties are priced from $5.50 to $6.50 for six (6) pieces, Ottie Pancakes does make themself a pretty interesting contender to that of Munchi Pancakes; this is especially considering how Munchi Pancakes had pretty much dominated this segment in the local F&B scene for a fairly long time — the likeness between the two (2) establishments being particularly uncanny and probably isn’t just a mere coincidence. That being said, it does seem to provide us folks with more options to dine from for those craving for a good Min Jiang Kueh — guess it is always the consumers that benefit when such occurrences takes place?

Learnt about the move of Meat & Rice from their very own social media accounts one day when we were scrolling around our phone — Meat & Rice was an establishment that had gotten quite a fair bit of social media attention some time back; previously located at ABC Brickworks Food Centre, these folks had recently made their move out of the hawker centre and into a coffeeshop. This also comes after the separation of the two former business partners previously at Meat & Rice where one of them has subsequently opened Braissers Rice Bowl at Tanjong Pagar Plaza Food Centre. Meat & Rice can now be found within the coffeeshop that is located at the foot of Blk 291 Yishun Street 22; the stall occupies a unit that is located right beside the seafood zichar stall within the coffeeshop. Meat & Rice should be fairly easy to locate considering the different style of signboard that the stall features from the other tenants there — one that is certainly more modern-looking to say the very least. Sticking to what they do best, Meat & Rice offers only braised meat rice dishes at their Yishun outlet that is in-line with whatever that they had been previously doing; the menu only features four items being braised meat dishes that consists of different meat options such as that of pig leg, pork jowl, braised duck and braised chicken.

Meat & Rice does describe their rice bowls to come with elements such as meat, egg, salted vegetables, rice, mushroom and fried wanton skin — in the case of the Braised Pork Jowl Rice Bowl that we had went for, the meat featured in the bowl would be the braised pork jowl. All elements are plated carefully on the plate such that the dish is presented in a manner that is pretty recognisable from the days when they were located at ABC Brickworks Food Centre. Patrons can also help themselves to the chili at the self-service area on the side where one can also find the dining utensils. Digging into the Braised Pork Jowl Rice Bowl, we went for the braised pork jowl — the braised pork jowl comes surprisingly tender with quite a good ratio of fatty parts and lean meat that ensures a little bit of gelatinous, melt-in-the-mouth texture alongside that of lean meat that gives a fibrous bite which is sufficiently moist. At the same time, the meat also does not carry any undesirable stench of porky-ness; the meat does seem to have absorbed the flavours of the braising liquid whilst more of that braising liquid has also been drizzled atop the meat as well. It is noted that the braising liquid at Meat & Rice comes with a slightly heavier and more savoury note than that of Braissers Rice Bowl’s — packs a flavour punch and would work well for those who enjoy bolder flavours in general. What we really liked was how this paired well with the chili sauce that also seemed to have been made in-house; this comes quite close to that of the typical chili sauce that accompanies Hainanese-style chicken rice but one that comes spicy without the tang — there does also seem to be in a hint of lemongrass somewhere that gives a slight flavour twist as well.

The braised shiitake mushrooms help to add an element with a bouncy texture and an earthy note, while the sous-vide egg comes with soft, jiggly egg whites and a molten lava yolk that is all creamy and provides the entire bowl a silky smooth texture that coats all of the other elements when broken apart — especially comforting when paired with the short-grain rice that Meat & Rice had opted to go for with their braised meat rice bowls here. The addition of salted vegetables helps to refresh the tastebuds in a different way as compared to the chili sauce; it does come with a slightly savoury back note amidst the sourish tang that comes first — quite an old-school flavour that cleanses the tastebuds from all the other savoury elements in the bowl; all that whilst delivering a soft crunch for a slight variance of texture. Meanwhile, the wanton skin provides an element of crunch; we did feel that it was a little too dense and prefer it to be lighter with a crisp, though it does seem that its consistency is intended as such so that it doesn’t turn soft and limp easily throughout the day. Meat & Rice had been pretty much widely-raved about during its early days when they had first opened their doors at ABC Brickworks Food Centre with plenty of people singing praises on its offerings on social media for the quality of their offerings. Whilst we have not given these folks a try when they had first opened their doors at ABC Brickworks Food Centre, we would say that the consistency of the braised meat rice bowls at Meat & Rice is comparable to what Braissers Rice Bowls offers — the difference between the two are relatively minor and it really would depend on one’s palate to choose one over the other. All that being said, Meat & Rice does give the folks residing around it in Yishun a fairly interesting dining option to go for; definitely something we will think of if in the area again.

Was scrolling through social media on the phone and managed to find an establishment that is named Kiasu 怕输 Pancakes and Bubble Tea that is located at the foot of Blk 64 Circuit Road. These folks are situated not too far away from MacPherson MRT Station, though the HDB estate that it is situated within is what some would call quaint and peaceful being quite a self-sufficient neighbourhood on its own. Turns out, Kiasu Pancakes and Bubble Tea does seem to be quite a neighbourhood-ly establishment; a strictly takeaway-only store, Kiasu Pancakes and Bubble Tea does remind us a little bit of those mom-and-pop bubble tea shops that are a common sight in such estates decades ago — one that is being decked out in a much more functional set-up with a a number of shelves located throughout the establishment meant to retail packaged snacks and confectionery like how some neighbourhood bakeries do. Apart from the packaged confectionery items, one notable offering at Kiasu Pancakes and Bubble Tea would be their range of Min Jiang Kueh which are freshly made in-store that compliments their bubble tea offerings.

We made our visit to Kiasu Pancakes and Bubble Tea for their Min Jiang Kueh offerings and note that they do actually carry quite a variety of flavours for their pancake offerings — the different flavours of fillings that are offered at Kiasu Pancakes and Bubble Tea for their range of Min Jiang Kueh will include Crunchy Peanut, Red Bean, Cheese, Chocolate, Black Sesame and Biscoff. Being lovers of all things Black Sesame, we found ourselves going for the Black Sesame Pancake. On first look, the Black Sesame Pancake doesn’t look especially impressive given how the shade of the pancakes do look a little odd on the surface; perhaps an uneven greasing of the pan or something to the likes of it that caused the looks. That being said, we were glad to say that the odd colours of the pancake did not impact the taste of the pancake. Patrons do get the option to have their pancakes warmed up though we opted for ours to be served as-is; the pancake itself actually carried a good bite that was moist and sufficiently dense — came with a bouncy chew that was easy to pull apart as well without the feel of it being limp and stiff. The black sesame filling was also especially on point; whilst it does initially look not too generous on first sight, we did notice how runny it was — one that was still moist without being too gritty whilst carrying a roasty and nutty note that one would associate with black sesame which was actually pretty delicious. Wouldn’t really recommend an out-of-the-way visit just to give their pancakes a go, though would say that they do make for a great snack if one happens to end up in the area.

Have been hearing a fair bit about Chicken Nice 鸡好吃 for a while ever since they had first opened their doors at Geylang within the Fellascube coffeeshop but turns out that these guys had recently opened another location at Clementi of the late. The new location of Chicken Nice is situated within the BK Eating House coffeeshop that is at the foot of Blk 328 Clementi Avenue 2; these folks are actually by the very same people behind Skinny Chef and their stall unit at BK Eating House is one that is also shared with Skinny Chef as well. The unit which Chicken Nice occupies within the coffeeshop is located somewhere in the middle of the entire coffeeshop — these folks shouldn’t be too difficult to locate considering how there is a pillar at the coffeeshop where one can find signages of the stall being hung right in front of the stall itself; do also keep a lookout for a stall that features a red colour signage as well. Chicken Nice is known to serve up a modern iteration of Hainanese-style chicken rice by incorporating western cooking methods and their concept remains the same with the opening of their latest outlet at Clementi — the menu revolves around its chicken rice and chicken offerings, whilst they also serve up All in Chicken Rice Sets which allows patrons to have a taste of everything that they have to offer in one seating.

There are actually two different variants of All in Chicken Rice Set which patrons can choose from at Chicken Nice — one would be the Chicken Rice + Egg + Marinated Bean Sprouts, while the other would be the Chicken Rice + Egg + Marinated Bean Sprouts + Gizzards / Liver. We went for the former; patrons can also opt between having their white chicken or the roasted chicken — we found ourselves opting for the white chicken. One thing that is worth noting about Chicken Nice’s rendition of the Hainanese-style chicken rice is how their chicken is prepared through the sous vide method. Considering so, we did find that the overall consistency of the chicken here is pretty tender and moist — one can still feel the fibres of the meat here unlike how some other forms of meat often tends to end up being a little gelatinous and lacks bite after being prepared via sous-vide; that being said, the chicken flesh also did not feel streaky as it would be as compared to some other establishments serving up traditional Hainanese-style chicken rice. The herb-infused rice does correctly hint of the notes that one would expect out of the typical Hainanese-style chicken rice; whilst still sufficiently moist and still coming with a slightly more beige appearance as compared to white rice, the difference would be how the rice at Chicken Nice doesn’t feel as greasy. Some might be able to point out that in doing so, some of the flavours of the rice did get a little lost in translation, though the lighter finishing notes in the flavours does make the rice pretty easy to have. Rather than serving typical braised eggs, Chicken Nice serves up Onsen Eggs instead; these are more similar to Ramen Eggs in reality though they do not come marinated — the eggs do come with a creamy, molten lava centre in the middle with soft, formed whites. We personally would have preferred it more if they actually marinated these with soy sauce, though it does seem to be a move by them to do away with the marination to keep things less salty and heavy throughout the entire dish.

Another interesting move here would be the way that they serve their cucumbers; these does make it a little more appealing for one to finish as compared to the slices that often gets left behind on usual plates of Hainanese-style chicken rice as well — these folks had also added Cherry Tomatoes seemingly to give their rendition of the chicken rice a bit of a visual pop. We usually are a big fan of beansprouts in any given setting and the reason why we actually opted for the All in Chicken Rice Set (Chicken Rice + Egg + Marinated Bean Sprouts) was for the beansprouts. Unlike other establishments that serves their beansprouts as a hot dish that is doused in soya sauce, the version of the beansprouts served at Chicken Nice feels more like a cold appetiser that one would probably get at Mainlans Chinese-style eateries; served chilled, these deliver a crunch and a savoury note that helps open up the palate. The accompanying bowl of soup that came with the All in Chicken Rice Set (Chicken Rice + Egg + Marinated Bean Sprouts) is also noted to come with chicken feet — at least the case being so for our order which was made sometime in the late evening on a weekend. At $8, the All in Chicken Rice Set (Chicken Rice + Egg + Marinated Bean Sprouts) does seem to be fairly reasonably priced — one thing notable about the variant of the chicken rice at Chicken Nice would be how they do attempt to create most of the elements from scratch; the result being a rather modern take of the dish without losing the essence of the iconic flavours of the local classic in any way. An establishment that is worth considering to dine at if one were to be in the area.

One of the establishments that we had been looking forward for its opening would be that of 88 Cafe — we had been passing by their hoardings at the basement of Marina One for quite a while and the establishment had faced a number of delays in its opening; pretty glad to see it finally opening its doors to the public. For those whom are not aware, 88 Cafe is an establishment by the same folks behind 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist — yes; the very same folks whom have first started out within a coffeeshop at Tyrwhitt Road before expanding its operations (and eventually moving) to a location along Lavender Street. There is also another outlet that this folks run at China Street as well. 88 Cafe is a bit of a slight shift of concept from the typical 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist stores out there; these folks can be found in the same area as where Feng 丰 is within Marina One, and instead of being a standalone Hong Kong-style roast meat stall on its own, 88 Cafe operates more like a food court featuring a handful of different stalls that has yet to go into operation when we dropped by 88 Cafe during their very first day of operations. This is probably their largest outlet till date; the stalls operating within 88 Cafe includes that of 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist itself, 88 Cafe, 88 Specialty Pork Noodle (coming soon) and a Marina One Nasi Padang (coming soon) based on the signages hung atop each of the stall units. The entire unit sees the use of mosaic-esque wallpapers around the counters, while the furniture and fittings feature wooden accents — the flooring being one that sees tiles coming in a shade of terra-cotta; all these do add up to a rather warm look that still looks pretty coherent to the eye. There are quite a number of dine-in seatings available that suits various group sizes at 88 Cafe; all of which featuring the same cushioned dining chairs that is a plus over stools that such establishments tend to opt for. Much of what 88 Cafe has to offer as an entire establishment during its initial days of operation is largely similar to what is being offered at both the 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist locations at Lavender Street and at China Street, though it is noticeable that there are is a more extensive selection of sandwiches and beverages that is being offered at 88 Cafe in Marina One.

A trip to 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist isn’t complete if one doesn’t give their Hong Kong-style roast meats a try and what better way to give more of their offerings a try by going for their Premium Char Siew Wanton Noodle which already comes with their Premium Char Siew and soup wantons by default; those whom have previously visited 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist would also have raved about their Roast Pork as well — and this is how we found ourselves going for the Premium Char Siew Wanton Noodle with an additional portion of their Roast Pork as well as Lava Egg. Despite the somewhat long queue on the very first day of operations, the queue does seem to move rather fast; even the noodles are cooked for quite a short period of time and collection was almost quite instant after the order is being made. As with how their dishes typically look, the cuts of meat that came with our order do come pretty thick. Giving the noodles a quick toss before digging in, the noodles here do come packed with a savoury note with a spicy kick for those whom have opted for chili to be added to the noodles — the kick of spiciness being one that tickles the tastebuds for those whom are tolerable to slightly lower than moderate levels of spiciness; we have always found their sauce mix for the noodles to be a little more heavy-handed especially given the way they serve their meats however. The noodles were still pretty springy despite the amount of sauce being served with the bowl of noodles; moving on to the meats, we did find that we had a preference towards the Premium Char Siew as compared to the Roast Pork. The Premium Char Siew here is immensely tender and gelatinous — melt-in-the-mouth whilst one can still feel some of the fibres of the meat at the same time; all that with a slight hint of sweetness from the barbecue surface on the exterior that carries a bit of bite. This would definitely work more in the favour for those whom prefer fattier cuts of Char Siew generally. In retrospect, the Roast Pork does feel like it comes slightly leaner than what we recalled it to be, though the meat is still considered rather soft though towards being almost slightly mushed that we aren’t too much a fan of. With that being said, the Roast Pork still comes with that biscuit-like crackling skin that the Roast Pork from 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist is particularly notable of. The Lava Egg does come with soft, formed egg whites whilst coming with molten egg yolk within; other elements that can be found within the same bowl includes Baby Nai Bai which provides a fibrous crunch that is a break away from all the meats and noodles, while one can also find small morsels of crispy pork lard at the bottom of the entire bowl. The wantons that comes in the accompanying bowl of soup were pretty worthy of the mention as well; not only were they generously packed with meat, but we had also noted the use of water chestnuts within that helps give it a little bit of a crunch amidst the firm bite of the meat; all wrapped in the smooth and silken dumpling wrapper.

During our visit to 88 Cafe, we had also given the Kaya Butter Toast a go as well — this would be from the 88 Cafe stall which also does serve up other interesting sandwiches such as that of the Premium Smoke Bacon and Scrambled Egg Sandwich, as well as all the beverages that are being served at 88 Cafe as an establishment. The Kaya Butter Toast at 88 Cafe comes in the form of two slices of toasted white bread coming with Kaya spread and slabs of butter in between that is being sliced into half to form two equal-sized pieces; we did admittedly find the presentation of the dish to be actually quite neat compared to some variants of the Kaya Butter Toast that we have come across from other establishments. It is noted that 88 Cafe uses Nonya-style Kaya for its Kaya Butter Toast offering; the Kaya coming with a green hue that hints of the use of Pandan. That being said, we did find that the ratio of Kaya and butter here leant slightly towards that of the latter which is also salted, while the white bread does come with a crisp, brown and crusted surface whilst being soft and light in general. Not the best Kaya Butter Toast that we have come across for sure, but still pretty comforting nonetheless. Meanwhile, the Kopi (Hot) here is one that seems to be quite a strong cuppa being all roasty, though also one where we found that the level of sweetness is being pretty much held back; our preference would be for it to come a little sweeter but still quite a decent local
brew overall nonetheless with the ratio of coffee to milk being pretty well-managed overall. Given the lack of variety of dining establishments serving up local Chinese fare within the Asia Square / Marina One area, the opening of 88 Cafe has been something that the office workers in the area have been pretty excited about — this is not forgetting how the brand has already established itself as a name synonymous with quality Hong Kong-style roast meats over the years since their early days at Tyrwhitt Road. That being said, we do feel that 88 Cafe would likely be a once-in-a-while treat for us given the heaviness of the meats and noodles in general — we are however looking forward to the opening of the other concepts soon such as that of 88 Specialty Pork Noodle which may bring a different dining experience away from the traditional offerings associated with 88 Hong Kong Roast Meat Specialist all these while. Prices are a little steep with rice dishes featuring one meat starting at a price point of $6 onwards; most folks might find themselves paying around $8 to $9 for a meal here — not that unexpected given the building which they are located in, and still worth considering as a lunch option for the office workers here considering the relative prices of food from other dining establishments within the area.

Got to learn about the opening of Sweet Dots 甜心点点 when we were going around 100AM and made a mental note to drop by for a revisit — these folks do seem to be a relatively new addition to the mall, occupying a space that is right in front one of the sets of escalators that leads up towards the third floor of the mall. The entire establishment does seem to be decked in a way that attempts to evoke some zen and oriental vibes — the establishment can be observed to be decked in a wooden furniture and fittings from the counter to the floorings and even for the dining furniture as well; the use of lighting with a yellow hue also provides a rather warm look and feel for the entire space that isn’t too harsh for those stepping in from the aisles outside. Most of its seating is arranged in a manner that would best suit patrons visiting them in groups of four (4) to six (6) pax. As the namesake of the store suggests, Sweet Dots is an establishment that primarily focus on dessert offerings; in fact, Sweet Dots is one of the establishments that had jumped onto the bandwagon of dining establishments that focuses on Chinese-style Tang Shui — the menu for its dessert offerings is being segregated into sections dedicated to Signature, Hot Dessert, Soy Beancurd and Grass Jelly, and Cold Dessert. Despite its focus on dessert, Sweet Dots does offer a variety of hot food options as well; this include some rice dishes, as well as Chee Cheong Fun, Carrot Cake and Hakka Taro Abacus (SuanPanZi) dishes as well.

Hakka Abacus Seeds is actually an item which is fairly difficult to find around casual dining establishments these days and it is interesting to see Sweet Dots offering it as the QQ Hakka Taro Abacus (SuanPanZi) with Minced Pork on their hot food menu. Sweet Dots does not describe the elements that comes with their various dishes but one can observe that the QQ Hakka Taro Abacus (SuanPanZi) with Minced Pork does feature elements such as mushrooms, fried shallots, spring onions, and chili along with the abacus seeds that are made from yam. We did feel that the QQ Hakka Taro Abacus (SuanPanZi) with Minced Pork was a little generic but does work well enough for those whom are having a craving for the said dish. The abacus seeds that is made from yam does come with a bouncy texture; a little chewy but these do not stick to the teeth whilst also did not feel particularly greasy, while the addition of mushrooms does help to add an earthy note and carried a contrasting hint of savouriness as well. Fried shallots did feel a little limp, but does add a little bit of a different dimension of flavour to the entire dish, while the spring onions and chili padi adds a colour contrast to give the dish a visual appeal from the otherwise monotonous brown that the dish came in. The sliced chili does add a slight hint of fragrance and a lingering spicy note that creeps up slowly at the back of the tongue, but the real spicy note does come from the sambal on the side that comes savoury with a real kick of spiciness that should do just about right for those whom have a moderate level of tolerance to spiciness.

We had also managed to try the Curry Chee Cheong Fun during our visit to Sweet Dots — this pretty much comes as-is with the components included being observed to be Vegetarian Goose (i.e. Zhai Er) along with rice vermicelli rolls in a curry gravy; the same garnishes of spring onion and chili were also used for the Curry Chee Cheong Fun as it would be in the QQ Hakka Taro Abacus (SuanPanZi) with Minced Pork. The rice vermicelli rolls were reasonably smooth and silken with a springy texture, while the curry gravy did come with a slightly tangier note that felt brighter but less heavy in flavour despite being denser in consistency than the usual curry chicken gravy that comes with coconut milk typically served up at local-style establishments. The addition of Vegetarian Goose actually gives the Curry Chee Cheong Fun a contrast of textures by delivering a crispness to the entire dish; overall a decent eat but we would think that there are more impressive versions of similar dishes being served elsewhere.

Knowing that these folks also do serve up Chinese-style Tang Shui, it is needless to say that we found the need to give their desserts from the “Signature” section of the menu a go as well — there has been an ongoing trend of Pistachio Paste being served up at similar establishments around the island and Sweet Dots does have their own version of such an item as well. The Signature Pistachio Paste is an item on Sweet Dots’ menu where only limited portions are available daily — the dessert arrived the table in a bowl featuring a paste with a green hue that also features bits of crushed nuts both atop the paste and also finer bits of crushed nuts within the paste itself. Considering how we aren’t exposed to many versions of the Pistachio Paste when we had given the Signature Pistachio Paste from Sweet Dots a try, we did notice that the Signature Pistachio Paste doesn’t quite come with a texture as smooth as what we had experienced at other establishments serving the same, though the we did find the paste to be reasonably thick without feeling overly dense — the paste does come with a gritty texture that comes from all the crushed nuts within where one can also argue that it provides some texture to the paste if it suits to their preferences. We did find that there is a slight nuttiness from the pistachio that can be detected from the paste, though we would prefer a more evident note with a bit more sweetness that can help to give the paste slightly more depth in terms of flavour.

We also gave another one of their other dessert items a try — an item that is listed under the Cold Dessert section of the menu, the Fresh Mango Glutinous Rice Milk does quite defy one’s expectations considering the category of the menu it is sitting under. Turns out, the Glutinous Rice is actually served warm, and the Milk added does seem to be more of Coconut Milk; in fact, the only cold element in the dish here would be the cubes of fresh mango. The cubes of fresh mango does initially provide an interesting temperature contrast to the black glutinous rice at the start, though they did gradually absorb the heat from the black glutinous rice over time; the cubes of fresh mango being naturally sweet and does match the slightly nutty notes of the glutinous rice that has been cooked to a thickened consistency which eliminates the graininess of the black glutinous rice grains itself — all that while the coconut milk also doesn’t quite add a heaviness to it as well.

There has been a recent uprising of establishments serving up Chinese-style Tang Shui across the island and it does seem that Sweet Dots is one of such establishments that is catching the wave. Interestingly, we do like how Sweet Dots attempts to serve up more than just dessert offerings by also serving up a variety of hot food items — this does seem to be pretty smart as this would probably help to draw some of the office workers in the area to see Sweet Dots as a viable lunch option as well. We do feel that the items served up at Sweet Dots are sufficient to scratch the cravings for such fare reasonably; no doubt some items might feel a tad generic but it shouldn’t be too much of an issue for those whom are too picky about food in general. Prices of their dessert and hot food items generally fall under $8 — pretty wallet-friendly to say the least. Something that is worth trying once for those whom are curious on what they have to offer.

Scrolled through social media on the phone and got to learn about the new opening of Cafe Gyoen along Club Street; there’s some action happening along Club Street in the F&B scene of the late — the same street would also be seeing the opening of the very first Singapore outpost of Gelato Messina some time later as wells Cafe Gyoen is actually located at the other end of Club Street that is away from Gelato Messina; in fact, Cafe Gyoen is actually close to the Ann Siang Hill side of the road, making it somewhat closer to the general area around Maxwell MRT Station along the Thomson-East Coast Line as opposed to Telok Ayer MRT Station along the Downtown Line. For those whom find the name Cafe Gyoen familiar; yes, these are the same folks that are located at Serangoon Gardens which is noted for the Shinkansen-esque fittings that are located around the walkway towards the restroom. Cafe Gyoen is actually in the midst of shifting out of its premises at Serangoon Gardens with the opening of their Club Street location — the Club Street location also does seem to embody the growth of the brand ever since its establishment at Serangoon Gardens. While the interior of the cafe at their Serangoon Gardens felt a little less curated, one can definitely feel the slightly more upmarket decor at their Club Street location — this also seems to bring their brand closer to the other F&B establishments that lines up along Club Street around it as well. They have ditched the slightly basic look for one that is more chic and refined; one can see the obvious use of wooden furniture and fittings matched against quaint-looking ceiling lamps — all matched with white walls and concrete floors with the lighting coming with a slightly yellowish hue that isn’t too harsh to the eyes and sets the ambience of the dining hall. The dining hall does feature a mix of proper dining tables, high tables and counter seating — the area seems to have been split into two sections where the zone being situated at the front of the space right after the entrance do seem to cater to smaller groups of diners and seemed more intimate, while the zone where the counter and espresso bar is more brightly-lit with tables that seemingly accommodate for bigger groups of diners. Individual diners are also likely to get allocated to the counter seats around the espresso bar and counter area as well. Building up on what Cafe Gyoen has already been in offering at their Serangoon Garden location, the food menu at Cafe Gyoen’s outlet at Club Street is split into sections dedicated to Japanese Teishoku Balanced Meal, Donburi, Sharing Plates, Noodles, Sandos and Sweet Pairings. Beverages that are seemingly highlights at Cafe Gyoen would be the range of Matcha that they have to offer, though Cafe Gyoen also does serve up a range of espresso-based specialty coffee as well as non-coffee beverages as well.

Truth to be told, we aren’t quite fans of Cafe Gyoen’s food offerings when we had previously made our visit to their Serangoon Gardens location when they had first opened their doors there. Whilst we had given one of their Japanese Teishoku Balanced Meal a go previously, we decided to opt for something else and found ourselves going for the Foccacia Katsu Sando which is an item that is being listed in their Sandos section of the menu. Cafe Gyoen describes their Focaccia Katsu Sando to come with elements such as deep-fried pork loin, cabbage and toasted Focaccia bread based on what is mentioned on its menu. Other elements that it comes with includes a saucer of Tonkatsu sauce on the side, while the Sando itself also comes with a drizzle of salad dressing and mayonnaise. In an era where most establishments seem to be making their own Focaccia, Cafe Gyoen’s Focaccia Katsu Sando does seem to be feeling a little generic; whilst it is being mentioned to come toasted, we did feel that the Focaccia felt akin to that of a typical bread offering where the bread wasn’t quite as light and spongey nor did it come with a crisp texture on the browned surface as well. The Focaccia also seemed to have absorbed a fair bit of the salad dressing and mayonnaise, with the Focaccia turning a little soggy after being left around the table for a while. Whilst the cabbage does come with a slight savoury zing from the dressing with a bit of a creaminess from the mayonnaise that binds it together with the other elements that makes the Sando. The deep-fried pork loin does come with a light and crisp batter that comes in a beautiful shade of golden-brown without feeling particularly greasy, though we did wish that the slab of pork could be less dry and tough overall.

During the same visit to Cafe Gyoen, we had also managed to try their Houjicha Burnt Cheesecake that is being listed in the Sweet Endings section of the menu. This is one of the two burnt cheesecakes offerings that Cafe Gyoen has to offer; the other one apart from the Houjicha Burnt Cheesecake would be the Matcha Burnt Cheesecake. The Houjicha Burnt Cheesecake does seem to come in a two (2) tier format where the upper layer does come infused with the Houjicha-infused cheesecake layer, while the bottom layer features the plain cheesecake itself. Whilst creamy and velvety smooth in its texture, we did feel that the texture and flavours of the cheesecake layer for the Houjicha Burnt Cheesecake that we have had does seem to align closer to that of a New York-style cheesecake instead, though the Houjicha layer does come with a hint of roasty tea notes with a bitter undertone that one would typically associate with Houjicha. Interestingly, the Houjicha Burnt Cheesecake also does seem to be served with an extra dollop of cream on the side — this does help to neutralise the tastebuds whenever things gets a little heavy due to the nature of item being a cheesecake; light, smooth and fluffy that also complimented the cheesecake pretty well.

We found ourselves going for the usual cuppa during our visit to Cafe Gyoen at their Club Street location. The Fakt White is surprisingly well-pulled with a smooth creama; the cuppa carrying a medium body with an earthy and roasty flavour profile which we found to be pretty easy to drink. We hadn’t been too impressed with Cafe Gyoen when we had first made our visit to their Serangoon Gardens location when they had first opened their doors back then — we do recall them having teething issues with their service and the food did feel a little lacklustre back then. Whilst we still do think that there is some room for improvement when it comes to their food offerings, we did feel that the rendition of Cafe Gyoen is slightly more refined than back then; the brand does seem to have progressed a little ever since they had made their debut in the local F&B scene, and this is still something that we would think is worthy to give them due credit for. Prices of their individually-portioned main dishes in the Japanese Teishoku Balanced Meal, Donburi, Noodles and Sandos section of the menu are between the range of $16.90 to $29.90; the lowest-priced dishes being the Zangi Don from the Donburi section of the menu and the Tofu Cold Soba and Creamy Mentai Udon from the Noodles section of the menu, while the priciest would be the Wagyu Tataki Beef in the Japanese Teishoku Balanced Meal section of the menu — a little high-priced though still quite in line with what they had been charging at their Serangoon Gardens location. For fans of the brand, their Club Street location would be an interesting one to check out how they have grown in their F&B journey in the local food scene.

Kine is one of those establishments that we had learnt about its existence via social media through a post from one its patrons — these folks have opened their doors fairly recently at ABC Brickworks Food Centre taking up one of the stall units that is located in the middle aisle of the food centre. Situated in the same row of stalls as the original outlet of Jason Penang Cuisine, Kine should be an establishment that is fairly easy to locate within the food centre due to its rather unique stall facade — the choice of a metallic-esque look for its signboard and counters is a super-modern aesthetic that is pretty unique even when compared to other food stalls situated in the many hawker centres scattered across the entire island. Operated just by a single proprietor, Kine is a hawker stall that primarily serves up burgers as its key focus — the menu that Kine serves up is prominently shown on the screen that is located towards the left of the stall; the food menu comprises of a small variety of burgers as well as two side dishes that can be shared around the table.

Quickly skimming through the menu, it turns out that Kine serves up only Smash Burgers that comes with a beef patties as well as a Signature British Curry Crunchy Shrimp Burger — the latter would also be the only option to go for if one visits Kine and doesn’t consume beef. Kine does offer some form of flexibility in the way of which patrons can enjoy their burgers — patrons do get a choice to order the burgers ala-carte, or get the flexibility of going for the set where one can either pair the burger with basic fries, or with the crunchy fries with dip + salad. For our order of the Signature British Curry Crunchy Shrimp Burger, we went for the set that sees it coming with the Crunchy Fries with Dip + Salad. Kine does not describe the elements that come with their various items that are being listed on the menu; it can be observed however that the Signature British Curry Crunchy Shrimp Burger does come with deep-fried shrimp, a curry sauce and beansprouts. It is also worth noting that Kine seems to have used a type of burger bun that is slightly different from that of the typical brioche / burger bun for its burger offerings — this seem to come looking almost like wholemeal bread. The bun itself does not seem to have been toasted; itself being soft and fluffy but still firm enough without being particularly heavy. One very interesting feature about the Signature British Curry Crunchy Shrimp Burger is how they have included stir-fried beansprouts into the burger — quite an unorthodox addition for a burger of any sort. Whilst odd, this does seem to be quite a suitable addition to the burger; the beansprouts provided a savoury crunch that cuts through the curry sauce that carried notes of mustard, curry and pepper — all that while the curry sauce provides some form of a creamy consistency to bind the deep-fried shrimp, beansprouts and bread altogether. The deep-fried shrimp does come fried to a beautiful golden-brown colour on the outside — free from grease and does not reek of any undesirable notes of overused oil; the shrimp itself carrying a good bite and a natural sweetness of crustaceans.

Going for the set with Crunchy Fries, these do deliver the crunch as promised — the fries being of a relatively similar consistency to that of fries served up at Long John Silvers. Again, the fries are not greasy, while the accompanying dip would be the same curry sauce that comes along with the Signature British Curry Crunchy Shrimp Burger which in itself does make for a good dip to go along with the fries. Meanwhile, these salad comes in the form of lettuce salad that comes with a salsa-like dressing was pretty interesting to say the least. Overall, it does seem like Kine has a pretty promising newcomer in the local F&B scene — no doubt that the Signature British Curry Crunchy Shrimp Burger does pose as an item that may seem a little bit more adventurous for some — this is especially considering the use of beansprouts in the burger which no doubt does seem like a little bit of a bold move on their part. That being said, the various smash burgers of which they are offering may prove as a more conventional option that would better relate with its patrons — something which we might consider trying when we make our visit to Kine again another time!

Pastry Haven by Helen is one of those establishments which we had been passing by for quite a while whenever we are around the area. Situated at the second level of Alexandra Central, Pastry Haven by Helen is situated slightly away from where most of the other eateries that are located at the same level as them within the mall; in fact, Pastry Haven by Heaven is located closer to an Indian restaurant named Yummy Punjabi does is located within one corner of the mall. Operating in the mall for several months by the time of the writing of this post, Pastry Haven by Helen takes up a rather decently-sized shop unit in the building; one can see that the establishment is being set-up in a way that looks pretty cosy and well-decked to create a warm and inviting vibe. Seating space is pretty limited within Pastry Haven by Helen; there are only two proper dining tables that seats four (4) pax each, while the remaining dine-in seating would be the three high chairs they are coupled together with the high table located by the window. The range of pastries offered by Pastry Haven by Helen is rather limited; this would mainly surround around their selection of brownies as well as a small variety of financiers and Madelines. Beverages available at Pastry Haven by Heaven will include that of espresso-based specialty coffee, drinking chocolate and hot tea.

Drawn by the selection of Financiers that they have to offer, we found ourselves opting for both the Wakoucha with Chestnut Financier and the Matcha with Azuki Financier; the latter being one of the signature items that they have to offer. We were advised that both Financiers are best to be enjoyed being warmed up and we did find both Financiers to come with a firm cake layer that lingers of the respective teas that the batter was being infused with. We had a slight preference for the Matcha with Azuki Financier over the Wakoucha with Chestnut Financier; this is especially given the ganache component that sits in the middle of the Financiers. For those whom are unaware, Wakoucha is a type of Japanese black tea and we did find its deep earthy roasty and smoky notes being pretty alluring to say the least — we note that the hint of Wakoucha within the ganache component of the Financier to come off pretty intensely as compared to that of the Matcha ganache in the Matcha with Azuki Financier which carried a slight milkiness and sweetness of white chocolate. Despite so, it is not to say that the notes of Matcha in the Matcha with Azuki Financier wasn’t intense; it still carries that intense bitter undertones that one would typically associate matcha with. Both the addition of the chestnut paste in the Wakoucha with Chestnut Financier and the Azuki red bean paste in the Matcha with Azuki Financier beneath the ganache helps add an earthy note that adds another dimension of flavours to the tea-infused Financiers.

During the same visit, we had also managed to give the TWG Earl Grey with Strawberry Ganache Madeline a go as well. As the namesake suggests, the Madeline is being infused with the English Earl Grey tea that is sourced from TWG Tea Company. The Madeline does come cakey with quite a firm bite; the Earl Grey aroma being especially evident and perfumes throughout the tastebuds. The addition of the strawberry ganache on the top actually does go somewhere in between towards in the middle of the entire Madeline; provides the Madeline with a bit of moistness with its creamy texture and a tanginess and zippy note that compliments the aroma of Earl Grey tea very well. Pastry Haven by Helen might be a spot that serves up a very limited variety of bakes, but it does seem that its offerings are a product of love and passion — there does seem to be a lot of emphasis placed in the way of how their items look and taste; this is despite being how the bakes that they offer do seem simple as compared to the likes of other patisseries that offer fancier entremet cakes that seems to be still the trend after all these while. That being said, it does seem that Pastry Haven by Helen does fit the neighbourhood pretty well; one of the spots within Bukit Merah where those looking for a light sweet treat can go for, whilst having a short chit chat alongside tea without having to head out of the area. We do hope that these folks are able to expand their selection of bakes further as well that might hopefully be able to attract more potential patrons in time to come!

Caught wind that After Hours have been working on a new outlet some time back whilst scrolling through the phone some time back; for those whom find the name particularly familiar, After Hours isn’t exactly a new player in the local F&B scene here around the island. These folks had been in operations for a while now; their debut in the local F&B scene being in 2023 where they had first opened at ORTO West Coast which is within walking distance from Haw Par Villa MRT Station along the Circle Line. Fast forward to 2025 and these folks have expanded their operations with a brand new location that is situated at Bishan — they are located within a two-storey shophouse unit that is situated at Blk 150A Bishan Street 11. Occupying a shop unit that is located at the corner of the HDB block, After Hours should be relatively easy to spot — the shop unit being pretty brightly lit and consists of both indoor and outdoor dining areas; the latter likely being a move to enable the space to be pet-friendly as well. The decor of the entire space at After Hours’ location at Bishan follows closely to that of their ORTO West Coast location; the use of metallic elements with the white walls and concrete floors does provide a raw and minimalistic look, while the use of orange accents for its seating provides a vibrant look that creates visual contrast for the entire set-up. Whilst the tables at the ground level are smaller and accommodate to patrons dining in the establishment in groups of two (2) to four (4), there are larger tables that can be found at the upper storey alongside with a mix of dining tables configured to accommodate those visiting in pairs or groups of four (4) pax as well. Being pretty much a gelato parlour at heart, the offerings at After Hours at its Bishan location remains the same as what is being offered at their ORTO West Coast location; patrons do get the option to enjoy their gelato in cups or with cones, or they can also pair them up with Classic / Mochi / Churros Mochi Waffles, or their Golden Butter Toast. After Hours also does serve up quite a variety of beverages as well, with the beverages menu sectioned to categories such as Specialty Soda, Tea by the Pot, Iced Shaken Tea, Cold Brew and drinking chocolate — just to name a few.

One of the items that After Hours had been most notable for ever since the days of their ORTO West Coast location would be their Churros Mochi Waffles — this also eventually turned out to be what we had decided to go for and we have also decided to pair it up with two scoops of gelato. The two scoops of gelato which we had opted for would be the Grape Yakult with Oreo Bits Gelato, as well as the Earl Grey Lemon Tea Gelato. Replicating the usual Churros that we are now pretty much very well-exposed to, the Churros Mochi Waffles at After Hours does come with a dusting of sugar and cinnamon all over the waffles — it also does come with a drizzle of chocolate sauce on the side which is also pretty much essential to the typical Churros dish where it would appeal as a dip on the side instead. Digging into the waffles, we did find that the waffles were sufficiently dense; it is worth noting that the waffles at After Hours weren’t done too thick as compared to the Belgian waffles that some ice-cream / gelato parlours would serve up, while the insides do come with a thin layer of mochi that provides for some bite and a chewy texture within. The dusting of the cinnamon sugar does give it a hint of spiced sweetness, while smothering the waffles with the chocolate sauce does provide for some pretty familiar notes that reminds one of the actual Churros. Between the Grape Yakult with Oreo Bits Gelato and the Earl Grey Lemon Tea Gelato which we had opted for, our choice would be for the latter — the Earl Grey Lemon Tea Gelato is a flavour that is being described on the description that is a non-dairy flavour; we especially liked how there is a strong hint of brewed iced lemon tea that runs throughout the entire scoop being the more dominant flavour, before it starts to mellow down to reveal notes of Earl Grey tea towards its finish. Considering how this flavour does not feature any dairy, we did find it pretty impressive that the texture of the gelato doesn’t come as “icy” as some sorbets would do — still coming pretty close to that of typical ice-creams / gelatos out there.

The Grape Yakult with Oreo Bits Gelato does feel like a little bit of a twist to the standard Cookies and Cream flavour that is being offered at most other ice-cream / gelato parlours out there. The use of Grape-flavoured Yakult meant that the ice-cream carries a tangy note similar to that of yogurt, while the Oreo bits still carries a soft crunch and a cocoa-esque note for a flavoural contrast. During our visit, we had also opted to go for the Lychee Rose which is an item that is listed under the “Specialty Soda” section of the menu. A sparking beverage, this was one that carried a floral note of rose with a slight hint of sweetness that one would typically associate with lychee; suitably sweet and not too fizzy, and goes well as a beverage to go along with the order of waffles and gelato. We hadn’t given After Hours a visit for a while despite finding their gelato offerings to be pretty decent during our very first and only visit to their ORTO West Coast outlet. That being said, it does seem that the folks behind After Hours had definitely maintained their standards of upped their game even further during our visit to their new Bishan location. Considering how their new location does seem to be a little more centralised despite still being slightly off the beaten path, perhaps this would be the outlet where most would head to if they are looking to resolve their cravings for After Hours’ gelato, waffles and golden toasts once the word about their opening here has spread out even further.

Have been hearing quite a fair bit about Tonshou which seems to have been garnering queues ever since its opening at Tras Street earlier this year — for those whom are unaware, Tonshou is a brand that hails from Busan, South Korean; the Singapore outpost is actually their very first location overseas, and they been brought into Singapore by the Gold Moon Restaurant Group. The group is also responsible for the introduction of Seoul Noodle Shop, Janchi and Jeonpo Meat Shop. Tonshou’s location along Tras Street does make its location pretty accessible from Tanjong Pagar MRT Station; the ground level shophouse unit of which it occupies being one that is located along the same stretch as other notable dining establishments such as that of the outlet of Baristart Coffee and Nesuto there, as well as KOKO Cafe & Patisserie. Despite its Korean roots, Tonshou is actually decked out much like what one would expect out of a Japanese Tonkatsu-specialty restaurant; there are only counter seats here that surrounds the open-concept kitchen, while there are hangars thoughtfully being hung on the walls where patrons can their hang coats and jackets — there are also bag holders where one can stow away their belongings located right behind where they are seated as well. The entire establishment also sees the extensive use of wooden furniture and fittings that one exudes a Japanese touch whilst still being modern and chic; brightly lit with lighting that comes with a yellowish hue. The food menu at Tonshou centres around their Tonkatsu offerings — there are categories on the menu that is dedicated to Tonkatsu that comes with different grades of pork, while each category also features different cuts of pork as well; one can also opt for sandos if they do not wish to go for a set that comes with rice as well.

For those are looking to try Tonshou without breaking the bank by opting for the more premium meat options, the Hire Katsu Set (i.e. Pork Tenderloin Set) would be the set to go for. This essentially comes with medallions of pork tenderloin that has been sliced into eight pieces; all served with shredded lettuce on the side that is what one would typically expect out of a typical Japanese-style Tonkatsu offering. The set also sees the Hire Katsu coming with a bowl of rice, Miso Soup, and a serving of kimchi on the side; the plate coming with the pork tenderloin also comes accompanied with a knob of wasabi as well as mustard seeds on the side. Each table also sees condiments such as Yuzu Salad Dressing, Maldon Salt, Lemon Kosho and Tonshou’s Special Sauce (i.e. Tonkatsu Sauce) where patrons can use at their own desire to pair with the Tonkatsu dishes that they have ordered. One thing that Tonshou prides itself for would be what they dubbed the “four-stage cooking process” using “low heat, high heat, resting and authentic charcoal grilling” — something in which that all can observe happening in the open-concept kitchen where all the dine-in seating surrounds. It does seem that the Pork Tenderloin at Tonshou does come with a pinkish centre; both the texture of the meat and the batter itself does deliver — whilst the meat comes all tender and easy to chew through without carrying any desirable porky stench. The meat does come with a melt-in-the-mouth consistency that is quite unlike the other Tonkatsu that we have had — possibly due to the way that it is being sliced. Meanwhile, the breading for the batter was light and not greasy; carrying a light crispness that made the deep-fried pork tenderloin very easy to have since it does not easily become jelak given the chunkiness of the meat that is being served with the dish. Sprinkling salt to the dish does help to enhance the flavours of the meat further; almost akin to adding salt to beef.

It is worth noting that Tonshou does serve up a serving of what seems to be a chilled Cream of Corn to their patrons as soon as they are seated down and have placed their orders via the online POS system. This does seem to be quite the starter that opens up the palates — whilst we are not fans of corn and corn-based soup in general, this actually suited our tastebuds where one could really feel how there was quite a depth of flavours from what seems to be emulsified cream that comes with the natural sweetness of corn. There are also traces of the fibres of corn within the soup as well that adds on to the textural aspect of the item.

For those whom prefer leaner cuts of meat or wanting to give Tonshou a try without having to opt for the more fancier offerings, the Kanjiyuku Katsu Set will be the one to go for — the menu describes this to be a thin-cut pork loin cutlet that is being cooked to a well-done consistency. Coming with the very same elements as what would accompany the Hire Katsu Set that is being described above, the highlight here would be lesser on the cut of the meat itself but more towards the consistency of their batter. The Kanjiyuku Katsu Set comes as the most basic Katsu offering at Tonshou — an item that is likely to capture the hearts of those that are seeking for the least fanciest option in terms of the cut of the meat. Despite the use of lean meat here, the meat itself was tender and considerably juicy — definitely not too dry nor streaky but the highlight would really be that level of crispness that the deep-fried batter came with; all that without being particularly greasy. Adding the Tonshou’s Signature Special Sauce to the Tonkatsu adds a good hint of savouriness and tanginess to the dish — the Tonshou’s Signature Special Sauce is essentially their rendition of the Tonkatsu Sauce though coming with a tomato-esque tang amidst the savouriness and vinegary notes; gives the Katsu flavour whilst not over-powering it.

During our visit to Tonshou, we did note that the establishment does garner quite a crowd during weekend dinner service; whilst we did not have to queue when we dropped by the establishment at 5pm, it is noticed that the queue does build up quite quickly midway during our visit — there are also a notable number of Koreans that have dropped by so we do reckon that Tonshou is a also pretty popular within their community here. We would feel that the highlights at Tonshou would be the Katsu dishes that feature more premium cuts of meat that comes with a good proportion of fattier parts — we must also mention that the rice, Miso Soup and the Kimchi are all pretty well-executed despite being just mere accompaniments to the Katsu; the short-grain rice being all pearly and sticky with a slight fragrance to it while the Kimchi comes with a bright, zingy note with a hint of spiciness that tickles the tastebuds of those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness — not too sour whilst at it as well. Prices of the various Katsu items being listed under the Premium, Premium Rosu Katsu and Hokkaido Kurobuta sections of the menu ranges from $21 to $34; the lowest-priced being the Katsu Sando Set while the priciest would be the Katsu Combo Set — pretty reasonable when compared to other establishments serving up Japanese-style Tonkatsu around the island. A spot that is worth making the visit to check out what they are all about for those willing to make a beeline for good Tonkatsu without crossing borders for it (or go earlier like us if time spent queueing up is an important factor!).