Pizz Please ~

Came to know about the existence of a Y Dessert outlet that is located at 888 Plaza in Woodlands whilst scrolling around the phone one day — it does seem that Woodlands had started to become a little more interesting when it comes to the F&B options around in recent times considering how this comes shortly after our visit to Scoop in the Woods. It does seem that Y Dessert is not a newcomer to the local F&B scene however; Y Dessert does state on its social media pages that it does have another outlet that is located at Buangkok Square. For its space at 888 Plaza, Y Dessert occupies a space that is half of the typical size of a regular shop unit there; itself being an independently-run eatery here. The interior of Y Dessert can be described as simple and functional; not particularly fanciful with the use of very basic wooden stools and tables with marble-esque table tops for its dine-in furniture — the relatively compact space that they had taken up also meant that there are only four tables in the dine-in area that is good for groups up to four (4) pax within its premises. Considering that Y Dessert is an establishment that serves up local-style and Chinese-style hot and cold desserts, the menu at Y Dessert mainly features its cold desserts, though has a section dedicated to its hot desserts named Hot Classics; patrons also do get to add on various toppings to their dessert with the toppings detailed in the Toppings section of the menu.

Whilst not an item which we would call a uniquely Y Dessert creation (the first time we had encountered such a combination was at Yatkayan Dessert), the Chendol Yam caught our attention whilst we were scrolling through the self-service POS machine at the counter — this was an item that only existed in the menu of the self-service POS machine, and is seemingly missing from the hard copy menu that one can find at the counter. The Chendol Yam was an item that really intrigued us considering how it is a combination of two of our favourite desserts — the classic Chendol and the yam paste (i.e. Orh Nee). Y Desserts does not describe on the elements that comes with their desserts on the self-service POS machine, but it could be observed from our order that the Chendol Yam comprises of red bean, chendol jelly, grass jelly, coconut milk, Gula Melaka, Attap Seed (Palm Seeds) and shaved ice — all accompanied with a dollop of yam paste over the top. There is a slight deviation from how the item is depicted in the menu, considering how the menu illustrates the use of kidney beans instead of red beans in the actual product. Digging into the Chendol Yam, the Chendol does seem to come with a decent portion of coconut milk that helped prevent the ice from clumping up — the portion of coconut milk isn’t as generous as some of the more stellar Chendol that we have come across from other establishments. It does seem that the Chendol Jelly carried a light hint of lingering pandan fragrance whilst maintaining a soft texture; the Gula Melaka also being one of decent quality that helps to add an earthy sweetness to further enhance on what is in the bowl. The Attap Chee helped add a soft bite and a chewy texture, though we would have preferred for the syrup that it is being soaked in to be drained off more adequately since the sweetness of the syrup does add yet another element of flavour to the dessert that might be a little unnecessary.

Thought the yam paste added was pretty satisfying; liked how it provided a dense, paste-y texture to the dessert — itself not being particularly sweet and carried a largely earthy note providing some balance against the Chendol. We had also given the Mango Pomelo Shaved Ice a go; the hard copy menu describes this item to come with elements such as shaved ice, creamy mango sauce, freshly-cut mangoes and pomelo. Here, the bowl of shaved ice felt a little more clumpy than that of what we experienced in the Chendol Yam — the shaved ice having froze up in the bowl after being shaved especially closer towards the bottom of the bowl. That being said, the mango sauce does seem to see an infusion of some form of cream or milk here for that “creaminess” as mentioned in the description; itself carrying a milky note amidst the sweet notes of the mango sauce — quite balanced without being overly sweet. The chunks of mangoes added were soft to chew on; absolutely sweet on their own and pretty much our favourite part of the dessert, while the addition of pomelo flesh adds a contrasting sourish tang with a burst of flavours considering the inherent texture of the fruit itself. We have yet to try Y Dessert’s hot dessert offerings, though we do note that these largely comprises of Chinese Tong Sui such as the Cheng Tng, Bobo Cha Cha, and Peach Gum with Snow Fungus — not so much on the traditional sesame / almond / walnut pastes. That being said, such indie establishments with a focus on serving up local shaved ice desserts and Chinese Tong Shui items are a rarity up North — with prices of their desserts ranging from $3.50 to $9 (the lowest-priced being the Grass Jelly with choice of Toppings, Barley Beanstick Gingko Nuts and Black Glutinous Rice; the highest-priced being the Durian Mousse MSK), Y Desserts is a great addition to the Woodlands neighbourhood that residents around the area would be appreciative of considering the quality of the desserts that they serve and the lack of such options in the vicinity as well.

The Masses at this point of time probably does not need any introduction for those whom are familiar with the F&B scene in Singapore — a concept that is brought to the local F&B scene by Chef Dylan whose name was more associated with Saveur which he had co-founded previously before The Masses, these folks are probably best known for bringing Franco-Asian cuisine closer to the masses since its inception in 2014. The Masses, which started out at 85 Beach Road (now home to Choon Hoy 春花 Parlor) had most certainly grown into a very recognisable brand over the years; menu refreshes aside, the 10th-year anniversary also sees the brand moving into their new premises at Capitol Singapore — they are now located within the same area as one would find the outlet of Hopscotch Bar, Ka-EN Grill & Sushi Bar, and La Scala Ristorante in the building — itself being neighbours with Broadway American Diner there. The Masses takes over the former premises of the now-defunct Berthold Delikatessen — much of the space of which The Masses is located now is rather recognisable from its previous tenant, with most of the fittings retained and repurposed; that being said, the look still suits the brand identity of The Masses really well as the bistro that they had always been. With the move to Capitol Singapore, The Masses had yet undergone another menu change; the ala-carte menu itself being segmented into categories such as Our Starters, Our Mains, Our Sides and Sweet Endings — there is also a thoughtful touch where the entire listing of kids-friendly dishes in the menu can be found in the last page in its menu, though patrons can also opt for a Communal Menu or the Chef Menu that resembles more of a prix-fixe set menu. Beverages available at The Masses includes alcoholic options such as wines, champagne, moscato, whisky, beer, highball and Gin & Tonic, while non-alcoholic beverages such as espresso-based specialty coffee, teas, water, soft drinks, juices and Kombucha are also available.

We were given an introduction and some recommendations of the various items that they have to offer on the menu — that being said, we weren’t quite into going for the Communal Menu or the Chef Menu on the day of our visit. Considering that we were also visiting the establishment by ourselves and that some of the dishes that we had wanted to try on the ala-carte menu were marked as “sharing style”, we found ourselves settling for the Steak au Poivre on Hot Plate. On first impression, the dish does sound fairly French on paper considering the namesake of the item even — the menu also describes the Steak au Poivre on Hot Plate to come with elements such as wagyu, charred smoked leek, lemon caper beurre noisette, fried leek, onion rings and beef jus. Coming to the table with its own set of theatrics, the wait staff will then pour the steak sauce onto the hotplate at the table — this sets off a sizzling action and a waft of fragrance from the beef sauce that hits the senses; the sauce bubbling and reducing from the heat from the hot plate until it settles down moments later. Truth to be told, the dish does have a Franco-Asian twist to it; it does seem that there is some intention from The Masses to make the dish replicate that of the steaks served at old-school Hainanese-style steakhouses — all that with yet again another twist of their own. Patrons can opt to go for their preferred level of doneness for their beef for the dish, which the wait staff recommended to go within the spectrum of medium rare to medium; our order was specified for medium rare. The Wagyu beef already comes sliced when served at the table, revealing its pinkish centre; no effort was required to slice down the beef further with a knife and fork — the beef was absolutely tender and juicy without any veiny / fatty parts that was difficult to chew through. Aside from being melt-in-the-mouth, the beef also came slightly crusty on the exterior from the grilling process; absolutely done on-point.

Our absolute favourite was the steak sauce; this was immensely rich and flavourful considering how thick and dense the sauce was; we do suspect that apart from beef jus, there was a little bit of red wine added to give it that dense and rich consistency that provided those deep, savoury and slightly tangy notes that we just cannot get enough of — would totally use it to flavour up anything else that we fancy. Apart from the Wagyu beef itself, the charred smoked leek, lemon caper beurre noisette and fried leek that came together in a separate plate was definitely worth mentioning as well; the charred smoked leek was incredibly smoky yet soft — the consistency of the leek being close to that of eggplants. The addition of lemon caper beurre noisette (i.e. lemon caper hazelnut butter) adds a zingy, tangy and buttery note that gives the dish an added dimension of saltishness; the hazelnut further adding a nutty note with a crunch that went so well with the rest of the elements. The fried leek provided a crispness — it does seem that what they are trying to do here is to replicate a dish that is sometimes found in Chinese restaurants; namely the Yin Yang Kailan / Kailan Done in 2 Ways where it usually comprises of crispy kailan leaf shreds and crunchy kailan stalks. The Onion Rings are pretty much crowd-pleasers; these are large rings that comes with a thin golden-brown deep-fried batter on the exterior and soft but crisp rings within; not too greasy, and quite an apt addition as a side considering the approach adopted by Hainanese-style western establishments here. Other dishes that we tried during our visit to The Masses include the Smoked Pu Er Caviar & Beignet which is a dish that can be found in the Snacks category of the Our Starters section of the menu — these are explained to be bite-sized French donuts filled with yuzu creme and topped with caviar that comes with Pu Er-infused smoke.

We had also given the Fennel & Pink Guava “Aiyu Jelly” a go as our choice of dessert. Described on the menu as an item that comes with elements such as fennel jelly, orange marmalade, fresh fruits and pink guava “shaved ice”, the overall flavour profile of the dessert can be described as zippy and zingy — the dessert featuring several sourish elements that would keep those whom prefer their non-sweet desserts satisfied. Also noted is the contrast of various textures in the dessert here also added a fun factor with elements adding a refreshing burst and a popping sensation amidst the granita and the soft and jiggly jelly. The Masses can be said as an establishment that has pretty much stood up to the test of time — having started in 2014, they have been keeping up with the times; even through especially hard moments for the F&B scene during the COVID-19 pandemic. The dedication and effort from the team in creating inventive Franco-Asian fare that works for all is particularly evident through the items it puts out — we also liked how The Masses consistently places their patrons first by pricing their food appropriately to ensure that they are accessible to the masses, staying true to their namesake and the roots of when they had begun. Needless to say, The Masses had truly impressed us yet again just like we have had during our previous visits — the Steak au Poivre on Hot Plate being a dish absolutely to die for. Service was also exceptional by the staff — going around to ensure all their patrons are well-served and actively getting into conversations with the patrons to gather feedback on the food. With such an exceptional experience in its food and hospitality, we will most certainly return to The Masses for more in time to come!

Hadn’t been to Old Hen Coffee Bar for quite a while — wasn’t really in our mind to drop by but got reminded about their existence whilst passing some streets to head to where we originally intended to head to and decided to divert ourselves back to this familiar spot again. Seems like these folks had switched up their seating layout a while ago; gone was the wooden communal table and the wooden high table that once provided the window seating that faces outside of the cafe — a cushioned bench seating can be found backfacing the window, with the tables now better accommodating to patrons that swing by in pairs instead. Notwithstanding those changes, there is still a sense of familiarity within the space that stayed recognisable over all these years; not sure if we are getting old, but revisiting those places that we have frequented in the past just brings back some calmness of simpler times that we have had in the days that we visited these places.

Old Hen Coffee Bar has always been a spot that is best know for their bottled cold brews ever since they have started operations — their cold brew bottles having changed a number of times over the years, but their branding on their bottles had still remained to be fairly recognisable and even iconic over the years. Turns out, they had just introduced their new Honey Oat Latte bottled brew during our most recent visit there; a dairy-free beverage, the Honey Oat Latte features honey sourced from The Rare Honey Company — we had also previously visited Goldies at Stirling Road, which is a cafe run by The Rare Honey Company that also retails their raw honey in-store as well. For those familiar with Old Hen Coffee Bar, their Cold Brew White has been noted to be a sweetened beverage — the flavours also being rather consistent over the years; whilst most places serve their bottled Oat Cold Brews without any added sweetness, the Honey Oat Latte sees that familiar level of sweetness coming from the addition of honey. We recalled the floral aroma of the honey in the offerings at Goldies to be rather evident and the same could be said about the Honey Oat Latte — these same notes run at the back of the tongue as the finishing notes to the coffee. Considering the level of sweetness of the Honey Oat Latte though, the grainy notes of oat milk are not quite as obvious here as compared to the unsweetened Honey Oat Latte that we had tried elsewhere — the cuppa still carrying more of a nutty note amidst the sweetness which we felt to be rather balanced. Definitely one to go for those whom are ardent fans of Old Hen Coffee Bar’s bottled cold brew coffees, and would probably suit those whom have a thing with their Cold Brew White!

Have been looking forward to the launch of Choon Hoy Parlour ever since we have came across information about it on social media. For those whom are unaware, Choon Hoy Parlour takes over the former premises of The Masses at 85 Beach Road; The Masses itself having moved to its brand new premises within Capitol Singapore. Still a concept by Chef Dylan whom also brought us The Masses, Choon Hoy Parlour is a new concept that is named after the maiden name of his mother — also a concept that is dedicated to “preserve, conserve and expand upon the legacy”of his mother’s cooking heritage considering that she is a hawker as well. Along with Chef Dylan, the team of Choon Hoy Parlour also includes Chef Renee Tang and Chef Benji; some would recall Chef Renee Tang behind the branding of Jelebu Dry Laksa which she has created. The interior of Choon Hoy Parlour has retained much of the looks of The Masses though the dining furniture does see a more retro vibe — the use of cushioned, metallic foldable chairs being particularly old-school, while the signage also reflects the new branding as well. Interestingly, Choon Hoy Parlour also plays in Chinese / Chinese dialects songs – something that adds on to the vibe further. Choon Hoy Palrour describes itself to serve up “Singapore Soul Food, and offers an ala-carte menu during both lunch and dinner hours that is designed more for communal dining experience — this menu comprises of sections dedicated to Cold / Hot Appetisers, Soups / Vegetables, Meat / Seafood, Rice / Noodles and Dessert. That being said, it also offers a 三菜一汤 Set Lunch menu during lunch service — for $18.90++ patrons get a Soup of the Day, a Rice / Noodle dish of their choice, a Hot / Cold Appetiser of their choice, a Meat / Seafood dish of their choice, a Vegetable dish and a complimentary serving of hot tea.

Visiting Choon Hoy Parlour during weekday lunch hours, we found that going for the 三菜一汤 Set Lunch is the best way to try out what they have to offer as a single diner — this is considering how the 三菜一汤 Set Lunch comprises of various dishes across several sections of their regular menu, and are all served in portion sizes suitable for the single diner to enjoy without overloading one-self. Given how we are able to chose from a selection of dishes that one can opt as part of the set lunch, the choices we have made for the Rice / Noodle dish, Hot / Cold Appetiser and Meat / Seafood dish were the Jelebu Dry Laksa V2.0 (supplement $3++), Yam
& Pumpkin Fritter and the Roasted Pork Belly respectively. Unlike most business set lunches where the dishes comes served in courses one-by-one, all the dishes arrives the table together on a single tray at Choon Hoy Parlour in a way that is more associated to local-style dining. Digging into our choice of the Hot Appetisers, the Yam & Pumpkin Fritter felt like their very own interpretation of the fried snacks that one can find at hawker centres — the sphere-shaped fritter comes wrapped with Kataifi; the texture being light and crisp, reminiscent of a Kunafe. A peanut is hidden within the yam paste and sweet potato paste encased within; the former providing an earthy and more neutral note while the latter adds a naturally sweet finish. The Soup of the Day was more of a classic ABC soup that came with daikon, carrots and an entire pork rib amongst others; the soup naturally sweet from the disintegration of the root vegetables after being stewed into the soup for an extended period of time and was especially homely. Equally homely was the Wok-Fried Hispi Cabbage; the only vegetable dish that is listed in the 三菜一汤 Set Lunch menu that includes elements such as dried shrimp and dried chilli. Much like the usual braised vegetables that accompanies Hainanese-style curry rice, these vegetables are kept crunchy despite coming in some form of a gravy — also came with a light smoky note from the wok-frying for a bit of flavoural contrast.

When it came to the Jelebu Dry Laksa V2.0, it does feel like the team at Choon Hoy Parlour had taken Chef Renee’s Jelebu Dry Laksa to yet another level — having tried the rendition of dry laksa when Jelebu Dry Laksa was still at VivoCity, there is likely some tweaks made to the Renee Secret Rempah used in the preparation of the dish to up the umami-ness and provide a punchier flavour for the dish. Other elements included in the Jelebu Dry Laksa V2.0 as described in the menu includes Taugay (i.e. beansprouts), two kind of noodles, fresh cockles, fish cake, taupok (i.e. beancurd puffs). Our choice of Meat / Seafood was the Roasted Pork Belly; seemingly a crowd pleaser especially considering how safe of an item it is, the Roasted Pork Belly comes sliced in really thick chunks here — there is a good proportion of fatty cuts and leaner parts here that provides ample chew and meatiness amidst the crispy skin that adds a crackling texture. It also comes without being overly salty, and came with a dense and sticky plum lemon sauce that is sweet with a dull zing to go along. Choon Hoy Parlour is a spot that is unmistakably Chef Dylan in its roots when one takes look at its offerings — The Masses has always been known as a place serving up Franco-Asian fare and there has always been traces of a Singaporean influence in a number of its dishes over time as the menu evolved. In the case of Choon Hoy Parlour, one can see the modern twists used by the team behind the brand without involving the use of European elements — instead, the familiar dishes are simply spruced up using familiar techniques and also retaining an undoubtedly local / Chinese flair at heart. At $18.90 for their 三菜一汤 Set Lunch does present as a great option for office folks in the area considering how it gives just enough exposure of their menu to patrons on what they are all about — all whilst being well-sized to feed their patrons well. Looking forward to giving their other items from their ala-carte menu a go in time to come!

Was actually headed to Luk Lu Eating House along Beach Road to check out a Hainanese curry rice stall but found it to be closed when we were there. That being said, we got reminded about the existence of Wan Thai when we were there. There was a point of time where Thai-style Wanton Noodles had been quite the rage across the island — the said dish is still well-represented by Soi 19 Thai Wanton Mee which has since expanded its operations across multiple outlets around the island. While there are other lesser-known establishments serving up the same dish across the island such as that of Huay Kwang Thai Wanton Mee and Wonton Mama around, it is perhaps Wan Thai that is the most elusive of the lot. This isn’t the first Thai Wanton Mee specialty stall that is located within Luk Lu Eating House — in fact, the same coffeeshop did used to house the now-defunct Fatty Thai as well; the coffeeshop (better known for its claypot rice and Vietnamese pho) being located at the junction between Beach Road and Aliwal Street looking much like a Malaysian-style Da Pai Dang establishment given how the dining area of the coffeeshop is situated outside of its dedicated space indoors. Wan Thai occupies a corner of the coffeeshop; the menu only comprising of five (5) items — the Ba Mee Kiao Moo Dang (i.e. Wanton Mee), Khao Ka Moo (i.e. Pig Trotter Rice), Chicken Cutlet Noodle, Pig Trotter Noodle and Geow Grob (i.e. Fried Wanton).

All orders at Wan Thai are actually prepared ala-minute and despite being pretty much a one-woman show, the food does get served up rather quickly here. It has been quite a while since we have had Thai-style Wanton Noodles, and given how this is also an item that Wan Thai is notable for, we had decided to give it a go. There are two sizes of the Ba Mee Kiao Moo Dang (Wanton Mee) at Wan Thai; the $4.50 portion size and the $5.50 portion size, which we went for the former. Wan Thai does not describe on the elements that comes with their Ba Mee Kiao Moo Dang (Wanton Mee), though it can be observed from our order that the item comes with the usual suspects — a dry egg noodle dish tossed in a white sauce that comes with chunks of Char Siew, Fried Wantons and some blanched greens, and accompanied with a bowl of soup that also comes with two (2) soup wantons. Interestingly, Wan Thai doesn’t actually provide the chili flakes that one would typically find at an establishment specialising in Thai-style Wanton Noodles at the self-service area; instead, patrons would have to specify whether they would like their order of the Ba Mee Kiao Moo Dang (Wanton Mee) to come spicy or non-spicy upon making their order at the counter. Giving the noodles a bit of a toss before digging in, we liked how there was sufficient white sauce going around to provide the noodles with a good flavour — the pork lard in the white sauce inherently giving a good hint of savouriness to the noodles while the noodles were pretty springy.

It seems that the lady behind the counter did manage to have a grasp on the level of spiciness of the bowl of noodles pretty well — there was just a sprinkle of the chili flakes added since we have went for the spicy variant here. The Thai chili flakes usually comes all fiery with quite an intense spicy punch if one adds a little too much to their noodles; the amount added to the noodles here was just enough to tingle the tastebuds without the spiciness overwhelming the entire dish. The Char Siew here does come chunky with a good, meaty bite — not too sweet nor dry. Both the fried and soup wantons were decent — the wantons coming with quite a decent amount of fillings within; the fried ones being slightly more memorable since these were crisp and did not seem to be in any way greasy. The blanched greens provided a refreshing crunch to give the entire bowl a balance. One thing that is notable to have been missing in the Ba Mee Kiao Moo Dang (Wanton Mee) here would be the addition of crispy pork lard which could have given the entire bowl more contrast of textures overall. Having tried quite a number of Thai-style Wanton Mee across the island, Wan Thai’s version does come across as a little more basic as compared to that of Soi 19 Thai Wanton Mee’s rendition that comes with a lot more goodies by default such as the likes of the fish sausage; that being said, their Ba Mee Kiao Moo Dang (Wanton Mee) is still one that is done well enough to satisfy any cravings for Thai-style wanton noodles especially for those whom are working around the Nicoll Highway area.

Buangkok Hawker Centre had most certainly opened much to the fanfare of the residents around the area considering how there is finally a hawker centre which would provide them with a wider variety of food options to go for — the area has been well noted for having quite a limited number of eating spots prior to the opening of Buangkok Hawker Centre / Sengkang Grand Mall. The opening of Buangkok Hawker Centre also saw a rather interesting mix of stalls operating within the hawker centre; while there are quite a number of tenants operated by the Fei Siong Group located within the hawker centre, there are also a bunch of tenants that had made their first appearances here as well. Whilst not new to the local F&B scene, White Lor Mee can be considered as one of the more interesting stalls that are located in the food centre. White Lor Mee is by the same folks behind Ming Chung Restaurant — Ming Chung Restaurant being an establishment at Maude Road in Jalan Besar that most notably serves up Heng Hwa / Putien cuisine since its founding in 1933. While Ming Chung Restaurant is a fully independent eatery that can be described as a zichar restaurant with an extensive menu of communal dishes, White Lor Mee can be said as a scaled-down version that focuses on the iconic noodle dishes usually found in places serving up Heng Hwa / Putien cuisine. Items that can be found in White Lor Mee’s menu include the Lor Mee and the Fried Bee Hoon, while the selection of side dishes at White Lor Mee includes Stir-Fried Flower Clams, Prawn Roll and Kai Lan with Bean Curd Skin.

We have been wanting to check out Ming Chung Restaurant for quite a while and it was needless to say that we have had White Lor Mee on our minds for quite a while since its location at Buangkok Hawker Centre is definitely more convenient than that of Jalan Besar for us. Given that this is our very first time giving White Lor Mee / Ming Chung Restaurant a try, it is needless to say that we decided to go for the Fried Bee Hoon — an item that we are more familiar with and one which we also tend to order whenever we are at an establishment serving up Heng Hwa / Putien cuisine. White Lor Mee does not describe on the elements that comes with their Fried Bee Hoon, though it can be observed from our order that it comes with pork slices, clams, sotong, pork lard, prawns and greens. Digging into the Fried Bee Hoon, we really liked how the bee hoon here is all springy — also quite evident would be how the bee hoon has absorbed much of the flavours of the stock in which it was simmered in considering how flavourful and savoury it is on its own. There is also great execution in the way that the stock was reduced here; the fried bee hoon coming all dry without any excess stock puddling at the bottom. The slices of pork helped to add a slight note of meatiness, while the greens provided a refreshing crunch that provides a good balance with the fresh seafood that are included with the Fried Bee Hoon; this included the sotong that didn’t require too much effort to chew apart, as well as the briny clams that came clean without any undesirably gritty / sandy bits. The pork lard added isn’t quite a standard element that one would typically find in Heng Hwa / Putien-style Fried Bee Hoon; these carried a light crisp though they carried lesser of a crunch than what we expected — still adds sufficient flavour to the dish.

One significant exclusion of elements in White Lor Mee’s version of the Heng Hwa / Putien-style Fried Bee Hoon would be the shreds of dried seaweed and peanuts that are usually added during the plating of the dish — this also makes this rendition lack the usual umami notes that would have went well with the Bee Hoon itself which one tend to associate the dish with. We also noted the dish is best to be had when it is still warm; the flavours tend to get a little washed away after leaving the dish around for a while. It was a bit of a pity that White Lor Mee does not serve up the Heng Hwa / Putien-style Stir Fried Yam that one can find at some establishments serving up Heng Hwa / Putien-style cuisine; that being said, we did notice that they do serve up Prawn Rolls in serving sizes of 3 pieces or 8 pieces — the former being a great add-on for individual diners whom are looking to order a side dish without ending up with too much food to finjsh on the table. The Prawn Roll (3 pieces) comes with the three (3) pieces of Prawn Rolls, as well as a sweet, malt-like dip and Nonya Achar on the side. We quite liked the Prawn Rolls here; fried to golden-brown perfection, these were crisp and pretty much free from grease — the Prawn Rolls giving a light savouriness with its meatiness and with a slight crunch from water chestnuts that is included within.

Dipping them in the thick and sticky malt-y dip on the side provided a sweet note that went especially well with the Prawn Rolls, while the Nonya Achar on the side provides a refreshing and tangy soft crunch to reset the tastebuds. Whilst we wouldn’t be able to comment if White Lor Mee’s offerings does come close to that of what is being served by Ming Chung Restaurant considering how we had never been to Ming Chung Restaurant, we did think that White Lor Mee does serve up a pretty well-executed version of the Fried Bee Hoon that would satisfy cravings for the Heng Hwa / Putien-style Fried Bee Hoon. The prices of the mains are more approachable than the side dishes here — the Fried Bee Hoon and Lor Mee being priced at $6.50 for an individually-sized portion, while the Prawn Rolls are priced at $5 for the smaller portion size of three (3) pieces. Nonetheless, still something which we would likely find ourselves having again if around Buangkok Hawker Centre some other time!

Woodlands had always been the neighbourhood that would never find itself being mentioned when it comes to the local cafe scene — with Sueno entirely moving its operations into Sunshine Place in Choa Chu Kang and vacating their premises at their original location at 888 Plaza, the area hadn’t seen an indie establishment that serves up waffles and gelato / ice-cream even. Enter Scoop In The Woods; a new ice-cream parlour that had recently opened their doors at Blk 304 Woodlands Street 31 — this is the same block within what is now known as Fuchun Neighbourhood Centre (i.e. the neighbourhood centre across the road from Marsiling MRT Station) that also houses a S11 coffeeshop. Scoop In The Woods takes up a modestly-sized shop unit at the foot of the HDB block; itself being decked rather simply though there is some attempt placed in creating a lively vibe that might attract teens and children alike. The interior sees the use of dining furniture with white and wooden elements; all that against walls that are painted pastel pink and neon lighting that give the space a “fun”vibe if one subscribes to that line of thought. The flavours of ice-cream are prominently displayed in the display chiller at the counter tucked right towards the back of the store — patrons do get an option to enjoy their scoops of ice-cream as-is in a cup or with a cone; there are also options for one to opt for a waffle / croffle / brownie / lava cake if one so wishes to as well. Scoop In The Woods also does serve up an extensive line-up of beverages — this includes espresso-based specialty coffee brewed from a home-use espresso machine, drinking chocolate, a series of Iced Flavoured Americano, a category comprising of Refreshing Cold Drinks that also includes a variety of flavoured sodas, hot tea and canned drinks.

There was really more than one factor that got us terribly interested in Scoop In The Woods when we first learnt about its existence within the ‘hood — while its location is a factor by itself, we were attracted to their claim of serving up handcrafted ice-cream and the fact that they do offer a Pu Er Waffle on the menu; the last factor broth quite a rarity despite other establishments having also served tea-infused waffles before since the trend these days are veering towards that of mochi-infused / Nian Gao-infused waffles. Scoop In The Woods does offer a choice for patrons to go for either the single or double waffle here; the single being a singular square waffle while the double sees two squares being stacked atop one another — it is noted that the scoop of ice-cream served with the single waffle as a set comes as a “Kid Single Scoop” that is described by the staff as smaller-sized than the standard single scoop of ice-cream. Our choice of ice-cream to go along with our order of the Double Pu Er Waffle would be the Honey Lavender Oolong Ice-Cream. Digging into the Double Pu Er Waffle, it is noted that the waffle also comes accompanied with a drizzle of maple syrup around the side; the waffles here does come pretty fragrant with a crisp exterior and pretty plush interior — not too dense, and a little more cake-like if one may put it across in that manner. There is an evident note of sweetness within the batter though we do think it is fairly reasonable so; the waffle also carrying the aroma of the tea in the finishing notes subtly as well. When it came to the scoop of Honey Lavender Oolong ice-cream, the notes of honey and lavender were really evident — the smooth and creamy ice-cream starting off with the sweetness of honey before the floral aroma from the lavender kicks in; the flavour ends off with the bitter undertones of oolong tea that subtly lingers at the back of the tongue.

During our visit to Scoop In The Woods, we had also given their Yuzu Lemon Americano a try — this item can be found in the section dedicated to the Iced Flavoured Americano in their menu. Think of the Yuzu Lemon Americano as a twist to the usual Orange Americano which is yet another item that can be found on the Iced Flavoured Americano section of the menu here — the difference here being the orange juice replaced with the Yuzu marmalade typically found in Korean beverages. Considering how the Americano has a lighter body and flavour profile than a Long Black, the infusion of Yuzu marmalade into the Americano provides a better balance of coffee and citrusy flavour profiles in the beverage; all that with candied yuzu peels to chew on as well. We really do like how Scoop In The Woods does pay homage to the neighbourhood that it is situated in the namesake; the “In The Woods” part seemingly hinting at its location at Woodlands. Whilst Woodlands had seen a handful of ice-cream / gelato parlours come and go in the past couple of years, Scoop In The Woods does differ for being an establishment that does handcrafted ice-cream and does offer inventive variants of waffles aside from the usual mochi / Nian Gao / charcoal-infused ones. With its Single Scoop + Double Classic Waffle / Bake priced at $9.80 ($10.80 for the Double Pu Er Waffle), prices at Scoop In The Woods can be described as pretty reasonable as well. Considering the lack of indie cafes up here in this end of the North, Scoop In The Woods is a spot that would residents around the ‘hood will appreciate to have in the area especially for their slight twists on tea-based ice-creams and Pu Er-infused waffles!

Coexist Coffee Co. should not be an unfamiliar name to most at this point of time — the brand did seem to have gone through a huge a fair bit ever since our previous visit to their Lifelong Learning Institute location at Paya Lebar. Since then, Coexist Coffee Co. had moved out of their Keong Saik Road location; they had also did renovations for their Hillview location where the distinctive half red and half white decor theme of the space had been switched up for a fully grey interior decor scheme. Scrolling through social media one day, we had come across a recent post by Coexist Coffee Co. announcing the release of their line-up of Mille Crepes at both outlets; the two (2) flavours being released by Coexist Coffee Co. being the Tiramisu Mille Crepe and the Pistachio Mille Crepe.

Thought that the Pistachio Mille Crepe was fairly interesting when we had first seen Coexist Coffee Co.’s announcement about the release of their Mille Crepes. Priced at $9, the Pistachio Mille Crepe from Coexist Coffee Co. is actually sized slightly larger than what we expected it to be. As we dug into the Pistachio Mille Crepe, we found the Pistachio Mille Crepe to have been better executed than most other versions served at non-commercialised establishments — one noticeable thing that we quite liked about the Pistachio Mille Crepe here was how it was tightly-packed; sufficiently so in a way that the cake still maintained its structural integrity without toppling or with the layers shifting out of position until towards the final few forkfuls left of the cake to finish. The layers of crepes in the Pistachio Mille Crepe are paper-thin; especially delicate whilst spread with pistachio-infused pastry cream that gels everything together. There is a light whiff of nuttiness amidst the lightly creamy notes of the pastry cream here, but the finely-chopped pistachio that is dusted over the surface and also the embedded within further enhances the nutty flavours of the Mille Crepe. We paired our order with the Sweet Pear Cold Brew, which is said to comprise of elements such as Sencha, Bai Mu Dan, Pear, Mango, Pineapple and Rosebuds; a cold brew tea that comes with a surprisingly strong floral aroma that helps cleanses and refresh the palate.

We had first came across the existence of Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon whilst scrolling through social media one day — turns out that we had also learnt about the closure of 5 by Sans-Façon at Seletar Aerospace Park; a little bit of a pity considering how it was an establishment that we liked and had visited at least more than once during their run in the local F&B scene. Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon can be said as the spiritual successor to 5 by Sans-Façon, and also an extension of Tartines (located at Seng Poh Lane) which is also by the same folks as well. Whilst 5 by Sans-Façon was located at 5 The Oval at Seletar Aerospace Park, Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon is located in the neighbouring house at 6 The Oval at Seletar Aerospace Park. Despite being within the same vicinity, it does seem that the current space of Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon is smaller than that of the previous place that 5 by Sans-Façon was at. That being said, there is still both indoor and outdoor seating space available for dine-in patrons at Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon. Those whom have also visited 5 by Sans-Façon would also find the interior vibes of Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon closely mirroring the rustic, cottage-like vibes that 5 by Sans-Façon used to carry — much of the European-style furniture from 5 by Sans-Façon also being reused at Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon. Whilst 5 by Sans-Façon carried a wider menu seeing the offerings of brunch plates and entrees with an extensive selection of appetisers, Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon’s menu is a little more focused and streamlined — apart from a list of Tartines that are based off the offerings available at Tartines at Seng Poh Lane, one can also find sections of the menu dedicated to Eggs, Salads, and Sixzas (pizza with their homemade dough), as well as a line-up of pastries and tarts that are stocked in their display case. Beverages available at Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon includes espresso-based specialty coffee, soft drinks, juices, house-made iced teas, smoothies, beers and house wines.

Considering how there is a heavy emphasis on the menu at Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon on their Sixzas, we decided to go for one of the Sixzas which they have to offer on their menu — one can only guess how they had came up with the name “Sixza” for their pizza offerings, which is likely a wordplay on “six” and “pizza”; the former being derived from its address (i.e. 6 The Oval at Seletar Aerospace Park), and the combination of both words perhaps as a way to suggest that the pizzas are done in their very own unique style here at Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon. Skimming through the menu for their Sixza offerings, we found ourselves settling for the Kimchee & Pork Sixza. Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon does not describe on the elements that comes with their Sixzas; that being said, it can be observed from our order of the Kimchee & Pork Sixza that the item comes with kimchi, different cuts of pork such as pork slices and minced pork, melted cheese and arugula — the Sixza offerings on the menu being claimed to have been “freshly baked from the oven with homemade dough). Arriving hot to the table, the dough comes shaped in a way around the sides that seems to act as a “wall” to encase all of the condiments that come in the middle — the dough also comes nicely browned with areas that comes a little more charrred from the baking process that made it come with a really appealing aesthetic. Slicing down the dough when it is still warm, the pizza dough is especially crusty; we liked how the edges despite looking rather thick, came with a hollow centre that made it less jelak and intimidating than it looks — this also created a rather interesting bite that made us go for the crust more even despite us not having much of an intention to finish all of it considering how carb-intensive it tends to be.

Nonetheless, the mix pork here which includes rather thickly sliced pork slices as well as minced pork does provide for a meatiness and a variance of texture; the kimchi providing a sourish tang as well as a bit of a refreshing crunch to the pizza — all that went well with savouriness of the melted cheese that is all stretchy and gooey at the base of the pizza, as well as the inherent slightly bitter notes of the arugula that throws in a bit of balance for all the heavier tasting elements here. That being said, the Kimchee & Pork Sixza is best to be had when it first arrives the table, considering how the dough does get a little tough and requires more chew once it cools down. During our visit, we had also given the Marinated Chicken with Black Garlic Mayonnaise Tartine a try; we did note from our previous visit to Tartines at Seng Poh Lane that the Tartines that they do serve up are on the larger side — the Marinated Chicken with Black Garlic Mayonnaise Tartine came even larger than expected; itself probably being sized as a main item that is good even for two with lighter appetites to share. The Marinated Chicken with Black Garlic Mayonnaise Tartine felt like something that would do well as a starter; the chicken slices are pretty chunky, and they do come drizzled with the Black Garlic Mayonnaise that provides a slight hint of sweetness to gel all of the elements together — these includes a mix of cucumber, garden greens, baby tomatoes etc., which are served atop a slice of toast that is fluffy with a bit of bite for its interior and came with crusty sides.

The overall feel of the Marinated Chicken with Black Garlic Mayonnaise Tartine felt like chicken salad on toast; an item that is fairly clean-tasting and opens the palate despite its rather hefty portions — great to start the meal with. We also managed to give the Apple Tatin a go; something which we have seen during their days as 5 by Sans-Façon and this was one of the best bakes that we have come across at their establishments by far. It comes with a layer of caramalised apples that features large chunks of soft and sweet apples which came with a hint of cinnamon and a soft bite, whilst coming with a firm graham cracker base that provides a bit of a crunch — a really enjoyable item that those whom are into apple pies / apple crumbles should definitely go for. For our choice of beverages, the Iced Oreo Expresso (yes, spelt this way on the menu) was like an iced latte-meets-Oreo Crush; one could definitely find a little bit of the sweetness of the cocoa cookies and its cream filling in the beverage, adding to the light-bodied cuppa that carried a nuttty and earthy flavour profile. Having been to 5 by Sans-Façon and Tartines previously, we had always found their offerings to have been thoughtful and well-executed for its price point; there is an emphasis being placed from making most of their items from scratch, whilst beautifully presented and in generous portion sizes to ensure their patrons are well-fed — all in a cosy setting that feels like a friend’s home. The same can be said about Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon; the prices of their Tartines starts from $10 to $19, while the price range for their Sixzas range between $23 to $25. For those looking for a casual location with a slightly different vibe for a date or a family day-out and don’t mind making an out-of-the-way trip to Seletar just for it, Ma Petite Èpicerie by Sans-Façon might just be that spot to add to the list of places to check out!

Those whom are familiar with the local F&B scene in the past couple of years might probably have come across the mention of Ah Pui Tiong Bahru Satay 阿肥中峇魯沙爹 — the story behind Ah Pui Tiong Bahru Satay is one that is especially worth mentioning considering how Ah Pui is said to have started off peddling his satays from a pushcart from the 1980s. There was one point of time in 2021 where 195 Pearl Hill Café provided Ah Pui with a space where he can retail his satays from — this was followed by the opening of Ah Pui Tiong Bahru Satay at Smith Street in a ground level shophouse unit where the now-defunct Chinatown Food Street was also located; this said location had closed in 2022 much to the dismay of those whom have followed / following Ah Pui’s Satay over the years. We were scrolling through social media one day and managed to have caught wind about Ah Pui’s return to the local F&B scene; now known as Ah Pui 阿肥 Satay, the operations of its new location has also been scaled down — now becoming a stall situated at the hawker centre as compared to the full-fledged eatery that it had once been at Smith Street. The stall is now situated at Blk 75 Lorong 5 Toa Payoh Food Centre, and can be found amongst the row of stalls facing Lorong 5 Toa Payoh — their presence should be rather noticeable considering how the stall sports a black signboard bearing a red logo in the middle. The number of offerings available at Ah Pui Satay in its current iteration has also been scaled down — the Pork Satay is still their current focus, though there is also the BBQ Prawn and Satay Rice that one can also go for. Ah Pui’s version of the pork satay has quite a distinctive style to it especially when compared against similar offering that are sold at hawker centres / coffeeshops around — this is likely due to his satays being prepared by hand. The Pork Satay at the current iteration of Ah Pui Satay still looks the part — his satay comes with noticeably chunkier slices of pork which definitely fits the slightly higher price tag that his pork satay commands for at $1 / piece (minimum order 10 pieces); one can also find a chunk of fatty meat that is sized wider than the lean meat that exists towards the end of the satay as well.

First taste of the satay and one would be able to find the evident but light note of turmeric that is used to marinate the meats; while some establishments do tend to focus a lot more on the flavours of the turmeric that sometimes overpowers the taste of the meat, it does seem that Ah Pui’s version in this current iteration tries to strike a balance between the flavours of turmeric and the meatiness of the pork itself — there is no nasty porky stench going on with the Pork Satay here, though there is some complexity of flavours going in there alongside the light smokiness that comes from the grilling process where the fatty parts especially carried more char. The texture of the Pork Satay from Ah Pui Satay was something we really like since our visit to Ah Pui Tiong Bahru Satay previously — the leaner cut of meat is still juicy and tender; easy to chew through while the fatty layer in between is all melt-in-the-mouth and provided a burst of flavours to further enhance the flavours of the satay. The accompanying peanut sauce is also something which Ah Pui Satay executes well too — one can easily tell how their version of the peanut sauce comes extra chunky considering how it looks; the sauce carrying qn apt level of sweetness and a bit of a crunch, all that with a dollop of pineapple puree for an added zing. Have always thought that Ah Pui’s version of the satay would usually appeal to those whom prefer their satay to be a little different from the commercially-made ones that seems to be the norm at most locations. We are folks whom however have a liking for this version which felt more like an overall more well-rounded offering; a view that its ardent fans will agree on as well. Needless to say, we are just glad that Ah Pui Satay is back at it again in the local F&B scene, giving all yet another opportunity to savour the satay that they have to offer!

It does seem that Everton Park is slowly coming back to be the spot to be at in the local cafe-hopping scene — it does seem that there is an influx of new up-and-coming establishments that have been making their move into the neighbourhood; this includes the not-so-recent openings of Cafe Wabi Sabi, Bag Me Up Bagel House and O Happi Place apart from long timers there like Nylon Coffee Roasters. Alongside The Flour Department that had made their move from Hong Lim Complex to Everton Park is Quah Song & Co.; these folks aren’t new to the local F&B scene however — Quah Song & Co. has their roots stemming from Co. North Buona Vista Drive that was previously situated at the ground floor of Metropolis at Buona Vista. Their new space is situated at Everton Park; the Everton Park space being the same exact unit in which that used to house 46 Mittsu; they are also neighbours with Bag Me Up Bagel House. It does seem that the folks behind Quah Song & Co. had not done a lot with the space; the space still largely retains its wooden furniture and fittings that had existed when 46 Mittsu occupied the premises — dine-in seatings are fairly limited considering it comprises of a bench back-facing the windows that face out to the main road, while there is a dining table meant for two (2) pax situated at the left of the entire space. Being a space that centres around their various bakes that are made in-house and their espresso-based specialty coffee, items available at Quah Song & Co. are prominently stocked in the display case at the counter.

It was a pity that they had already ran out of the Plain Croissants by the time we made our visit to Quah Song & Co. on the very first day of their operations on a public holiday — the remaining items which were available included a small selection of focaccia, Pain Au Chocolat, loaf cakes and brownies. We found ourselves opting for the Pesto Focaccia, which was said to be the more flavourful focaccia offering between the two that was available on the day of our visit. The Pesto Focaccia was served as-is; it is also worth mentioning that all the bakes served up at Quah Song & Co. are baked fresh on-site daily. Going straight for the Pesto Focaccia, we liked how the bread here is soft and fluffy — came with a texture that is sufficiently dense for the slight sponginess that easily breaks apart as one chews into it. One can taste the slight whiff of olive oil within the focaccia that perfumes the bread lightly; all that enhancing the notes of the pesto that gives the bread much of its flavour. The sliced cherry tomatoes further adds on juicy and refreshing tang to the focaccia, providing a contrast of textures to the bread. During our visit, we had also paired the Pesto Focaccia with a Tonic Espresso — as expected, this was very much an iced-only drink that features tonic water and a shot of espresso steeped into it; we liked how there was a good balance between the two. Overall, the concoction carrying a punchy kick and should appeal to those who enjoy a strong cuppa. Everton Park has seen quite a number of establishments focusing on bakes and specialty coffee opening up in recent months; the scene there has indeed become a a little saturated to say the least. Quah Song & Co. does seem somewhat like an earnest operation, and is one that residents around would likely be able to warm up to in time to come.

The Flour Department is one of those names that we have heard of for quite a while — these folks have been around for a while. Previously located at Hong Lim Complex (its former premises now occupied by Bullock Cart Coffee), The Flour Department had made a name for themselves for the bakes that they have to offer — these folks have pretty much garnered a loyal following for their bakes, which also sees them doing pre-orders usually announced at the start of the week so that patrons can make self-collection for dine-in or takeaways during their operating hours from Wednesday to Sunday. After having moved out of their Hong Lim Complex premises, these folks have found new digs at Everton Park — these folks had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct gelatolabo x Glass Roasters location there. The entire space still looks largely familiar, though an extensive paint job has been done by the folks of The Flour Department to give the space a look unique to their own with the splashes of pink used throughout the interior and facade. The Flour Department runs on a seasonal menu; this means that its line-up of bakes is constantly refreshed and is announced on a weekly basis. It is also worth noting that we had about visit to The Flour Department during the soft launch phase of their Everton Park operations; aside from the sweet and savoury bagel sandwiches as well as the various bakes that they are offering, they do have the intention of serving up beverages as well when they move into their official opening.

One thing that we have noticed about social media postings about The Flour Department of the late after their opening of the Everton Park location is their line-up of bagel sandwiches — there is a lineup of both sweet and savoury bagel sandwiches here; an example of the former being the Black Sesame Tangyuan Strawberry Peanut Butter Bagel, while an example of the latter is the Cheesy Scramble Eggs Chicken Katsu Bagel. Considering how they had only opened for the day during the visit we had made on a public holiday, there was a limited variety of bagel sandwiches available — there also did not carry the full range of baked that are listed on their website for the week as well. We found ourselves eventually going for the Matcha Cookies Bagel Sando with Pistachio Praline Basque Cheesecake, considering this was one of the items that were immediately available. The menu on their website describes the Matcha Cookies Bagel Sando with Pistachio Praline Basque Cheesecake to come with elements such as a matcha cookie crust bagel, house-made French pistachio praline, and burnt basque cheesecake. While it is rather difficult to manage expectations of how the item would turn out given the elements that the item feature, the item does seem to have proven (at least in our opinion) to be a little bit too ambitious and perhaps, unnecessarily complex. Each element in its own is well-executed; we did like how the Matcha Cookies Bagel Sando does coke with a crusty cookie layer that isn’t too thick and is almost akin to the buttery, crusty layer that one can find on a Hong Kong-style Bolo Bun — that being said, the notes of matcha seemed to have been largely overwhelmed by the flavours of all the other elements that come in between in the Bagel Sando.

The texture of the bagel itself made the item perpetually messy / difficult to have; the bagel being dense and chewy (we are also more of a fan of bagels that are chewy but also has a firm bite from a crusted exterior, which this one lacks), which oozes out all the soft elements in between — also requires some effort to chew apart. Meanwhile, the house-made French pistachio praline felt like a thick, creamy and rich peanut butter that is mixed with pistachio to achieve an added note of pistachio nuttiness atop the peanut butter’s own flavours, and while the burnt basque cheesecake is quite a good one being all smooth, creamy and rich on its own, it felt rather unnecessary to say the least. All in all, the Matcha Cookies Bagel Sando with Pistachio Praline Basque Cheesecake was a creation that felt like a constant assault of heavy-flavoured elements to the tastebuds with too much complexity that just didn’t necessarily integrate with each other — something that was a little difficult for our tastebuds to appreciate these days (probably growing a little too old for this too). Considering the popularity that they enjoy, we think that our experience with the Matcha Cookies Bagel Sando with Pistachio Praline Basque Cheesecake was probably in large part due to our preferences; maybe a revisit on a separate occasion trying their other items might prove a difference in time to come!