Pizz Please ~

Tok Tok Beef Soup is one of the stalls that we find ourselves visiting relatively often as compared to some of the other stalls when we are having lunch at the Food Garden food court at Asia Square — the stall perhaps being notable for being run by the same folks that are behind other standalone restaurants such as that of South Union Park, Eleven Strands, and Restaurant Mia which we all love. Tok Tok Beef Soup does stand out from the other establishments run by them however; the only one that is being based out of a food stall within a food court, one thing we especially liked about Tok Tok Beef Soup would be their broth for their soup noodles — okie that has a particular tomato-based note that is almost like an infusion of Borsch soup into the traditional beef soup. That being said, it does seem that Tok Tok Beef Soup had recently brought back its steamed bun offerings — something which was introduced in their menu during their initial period of opening, though had since disappeared from its menu after a while. Offering a good range of different types of meats for their range of steamed buns, some of the variants of the steamed buns include Mala Sliced Beef, Teriyaki Chicken and Chicken Cutlet.

Having skimmed through the various steamed bun offerings which they have to offer, it is needless to say that we found ourselves going for the Braised Pork Belly Steamed Bun. The Braised Pork Belly Steamed Bun can be said as somewhat of a fusion of what some will call a Gua Bao (i.e. Taiwanese Steamed Pork Bun) with a bit of a Vietnamese infusion. The entire appearance of the Braised Pork Belly Steamed Bun is no different from the Gua Bao; the steamed bun coming in the format of a lotus leaf bun that is stuffed with pickled vegetables, coriander and slices of pork belly in between. Taking a bite into the Braised Pork Belly Steamed Bun, we liked how the buns were not too wet or soggy having with soaked with moisture — something that might be of a concern with dishes featuring lotus leaf buns elsewhere. The braised pork belly is really wonderfully braised; absorbed much of that savoury-sweet goodness from the braising liquid that made it so flavoursome, while the texture is incredibly melt-in-the-mouth having seemingly been prepared through the sous-vide process — this was definitely the highlight considering how much of the flavours of the Braised Pork Belly Steamed Bun just came from here. The braised pork also did not carry any undesirable porky stench as well. The addition of coriander helps to cut through a bit of those meatiness and savouriness of the braised pork with its distinct notes, while the pickled vegetables provided a crunchy tang that refreshes the tastebuds. The steamed buns at Tok Tok Beef Soup are going for $4.50 per bun irregardless of the meat option, though one can opt for a set of two buns (different meat options inclusive) at $8.50 or a set of three (different meat options inclusive) at $12. Overall, a pretty decent light bite to have for those whom do not intend to have something too heavy for lunch.

It has been quite a while since we made our last visit to Amoy Street Food Centre on a weekday afternoon for lunch — decided to make a visit to the food centre on random and it does seem that there have been quite a number of new tenants which had moved into the food centre since our last time there. One of the few new tenants which had moved into Amoy Street Food Centre on the ground floor is Naakin — the stall is actually situated at the side of the food centre that is closer towards Tanjong Pagar MRT Station, being neighbours with another recently-opened stall named Spicelios that seems to serve up fusion Middle Eastern cuisine. As one might be able to guess from its name, Naakin is a stall that specialises in Thai cuisine; the stall is quite easy to spot, considering how the signboard bears a black background with orange-coloured wordings for the stall’s namesake — the stall’s name also occupies just a small space on the left of the signboard. One notable thing about Naakin is that they are a Muslim-owned stall; this also means that the menu here comprises of items that does not come with pork or lard. Unlike most stalls serving up Thai cuisine around, the Naakin’s menu does seem to be positioned towards the busy office folks of the Central Business District where they are situated at — the menu comprises items which are more suited for individual diners rather than for communal sharing. There are only three items that are being listed in the menu at Naakin — the Pad Krapow, Tom Yum or the Pad Thai; all of which coming with various options of meat to choose from.

It was a pretty tough call to pick between the Pad Thai and the Pad Krapow considering how we usually opt between the two; we were feeling a little bit more like a “rice bucket” on the day of our visit so we found ourselves going for the Pad Krapow instead. Naakin offers their Pad Krapow in two different meat options — one being the Chicken, and the other being the Beef; patrons can also choose too “upsize the meal” by adding Chicken or Beef to whichever option that they may choose at an extra cost, while one can also opt for more rice to be served up with the dish at an additional 60 cents as well.

Orders are prepared a la minute; we were actually pretty impressed with the speed that they had served up our order in. While Naakin does not describe the elements that come with the Pad Krapow, the chicken variant of the Pad Krapow which we have opted for also comes with sunny side-up as well. It is noted that the Pad Krapow Chicken comes with chicken — not minced chicken; so do expect chunks of chicken meat that is being stir-fried with fish sauce, basil and chili to come along with the rice. It seems that the folks at Naakin serves up their Pad Krapow in a form that is not too wet — the type which definitely hit the spot for us where there is sufficient sauce to go around the rice for flavour, without having the whole dish being soaked in moistness. The umami notes of fish sauce were more prominent in the variant of the Pad Krapow (Chicken) served at Naakin, though one can definitely detect that light aroma of basil lingering around especially when one chews on the basil leaves; the level of spiciness being rather mild for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness, though would likely tickle the tastebuds for those whom can take only light amounts of heat. While the lack of long beans also meant that there is a lack of crunch factor in this variant, the chunks of chicken provided more bite and meatiness as opposed to the minced meat version that we are more accustomed to; definitely made up for the textural aspect of the dish. Overall quite a decent eat at $6.50 — one that we wouldn’t mind going for if at Amoy Street Food Centre; price point of the other dishes are somewhat reasonable considering the ‘hood it is at, with all dishes are priced below $8.

It does seem like the folks behind Feng Food are pretty much on a roll these days; they had recently only opened a new concept named Ah Zhong Mian Xian at South Bridge Road just a short distance away from Maxwell MRT Station in the past couple of weeks. Whilst Feng Food had always been an establishment that had operated out of a single shop unit at the basement of Northpoint City, they had since opened a second outlet — this time at Woods Square in Woodlands. Feng Food has taken over the part of a unit that was formerly occupied by the now-defunct Jin Li Steamboat Buffet (the remaining part of the shop unit is undergoing renovation works to become an outlet of SUKIYA), and is located in the basement of the commercial-cum-retail development within close proximity to other F&B establishments such as the outlets of The White Tiffin, Rollie Ollie and Ayam Penyet Ria there. Unlike its Northpoint City space, Feng Food now operates with an enclosed space of its own that also comes full with its own outdoor dining space — the decor at its Woods Square outlet can be described as slightly more posh than that of Ah Zhong Mian Xian at South Bridge Road and that of Feng Food’s original location at Northpoint City. Best known for being an establishment that serves up Taiwanese cuisine, Feng Food’s menu at Woods Square is not too different than that of what is being offered at Ah Zhong Mian Xian which we had visited not too long ago; the menu being split into sections dedicated to appetisers, fried dishes, snacks, vegetables, soup, noodles and rice — there are items that would appeal to individual diners or those whom are dining in a group alike. Beverages available at Feng Food’s Wood Square location includes the usual suspects — think Taiwanese-style beverages such as the Brown Sugar Caramel Pearl Milk Tea, Taiwanese Black Sugar Winter Melon, Asam Tea and many others, alongside soft drinks and bottled water as well.

Our previous visit to Feng Food had always seen us going for the Fried Rice with Specially Marinated Pork Chop — so much that we decided to end up going for the Signature Mee Sua when we visited Ah Zhong Mian Xian during the initial days when they had just opened their doors at South Bridge Road. For a change, we decided to go for Tainan Danzai Noodles. Based on what was being mentioned on the menu, the Tainan Danzai Noodles comes with a choice of either being a soup noodle dish or a dry noodle dish, while patrons are also able to pick between noodle options of Xi Mian (i.e. thin noodles akin to that of what we are used to seeing in some Chinese La Mian) or Guan Miao Mian (i.e. broad noodles — or Dao Xiao Mian as some may be more familiar with). For our order, we decided to opt for the dry version of the Tainan Danzai Noodles, whilst going for the Guan Miao Mian. Feng Food does not describe about the various elements that comes with the Tainan Danzai Noodles, though it is observed that the Tainan Danzai Noodles does come with braised pork, shrimp, pickled cucumbers and a whole braised egg. Giving the Guan Miao Mian a toss before digging in, the Guan Miao Mian comes laced with the braising liquid from the braised pork; the Guan Miao Mian being smooth and slurpy with a slight chew for a bit of bite — quite addictive to have even on its own that way. The braised pork that came along with it comes tender without much of a need to chew; a good balance of fatty and lean meat whilst being just nicely savoury. The shrimp provides a good bite; came with a natural note of sweetness that is inherent of the crustacean, while the pickled cucumbers provided a tangy crunch that cuts through all of the savoury and carb-intensive elements in the dish. The whole braised egg comes with no surprises; features a fully-cooked egg yolk, while the egg does come with sufficient flavour on its own. Overall, quite a satisfying and comforting noodle dish to have.

We had probably mentioned this during our post on Ah Zhong Mian Xian, but we thought it would be worth saying it again since this is a post all about Feng Food — Feng Food has been one of the places that we had been visiting on and off whenever we are at Northpoint City, and each visit to Feng Food had been satisfying in its own right. Having tried their other dishes such as the Fried Rice with Specially Marinated Pork Chop and the Moon Shape Prawn Cake during various visits to their Northpoint City outlet, Feng Food has been one of those hidden gems that the folks at the North just cannot get enough of. The opening of the Woods Square outlet is therefore a blessing to those residing or working around the Woodlands neighbourhood — this is especially considering how some of Feng Food’s returning customers do come from Woodlands anyway. During our visit to their Woods Square outlet, we also gave a few of their other dishes a go — this includes the Hakka Stir-Fried, Taiwan Meatball Soup with Seaweed and Egg, as well as the Fried Rice with Specially Marinated Pork Chop. The Fried Rice with Specially Marinated Pork Chop has been rather consistent to what we have had during our previous visits to Feng Food at Northpoint City — the egg fried rice carrying a distinct eggy aroma, while the pork chop is beautifully tenderised and done with a crisp exterior; all that while being easy to chew through and flavourful without carrying any undesirable porky stench. The Hakka Stir-Fried came with its own little surprise; a stir-fried dish that came with small strips of pork belly, white water snowflake stems, beancurd and baby octopus — the baby octopus carrying a crispness and smokiness especially around the legs. Prices of the food at Feng Food at Woods Square is a little steep; the prices of the individually-sized rice and noodle dishes good for a single diner ranges between $7 to $15.20, with most dishes priced above $10. That being said, Feng Food’s opening at Woods Square is something that most Woodlands residents are looking forward to; a spot that we would look forward to return to for some hearty Taiwanese fare when the craving hits!

Came to know about the newly-opened Quick Muthu whilst going around Hong Lim Complex Food Centre to grab our cuppa at Generation Coffee the other day. Located at the second level of Hong Lim Complex Food Centre, Quick Muthu is a stall that is located The Noodle Memories 古月面 — it is quite difficult to miss seeing Quick Muthu whilst going through the area that it is in, especially since the stall does come decked with a rather prominent dark green signage with a display case where one can have a peek of the various meat options that they have to carry. Quite an interesting concept on its own, Quick Muthu jumps on the bandwagon of places serving up curry rice that had been sprouting up across the island — that being said, the curry rice that Quick Muthu serves up is unlike that of the usual Hainanese-style curry rice that we are starting to get used to seeing around various neighbourhoods in Singapore; what makes Quick Muthu unique is its offering of Indian Curry Rice Sets instead which is also something that they loudly proclaim on the signboard. Visiting Quick Muthu in their early stages of its opening, Quick Muthu serves up only three variants of their Indian Curry Rice Sets during the visit that we had made on a weekday afternoon — the offerings being a Fried Chicken Rice Set, Meatball Rice Set and the Mixed Set (which comprises of both the fried chicken and the meatballs together).

Considering the rather lean menu of curry rice sets that Quick Muthu serves up, it did not take us much time to decide to go for the Fried Chicken Rice Set. Quick Muthu does not describe on its menu on the elements that come with their Indian Curry Rice Sets — that being said, one can observe items such as the chunks of Fried Chicken, curry gravy with potatoes and scraps of meat, lady finger, slices of cucumber and a pappadum that came with our order of the Fried Chicken Rice Set. It is interesting to note that Quick Muthu does offer its patrons two different options when it comes to the egg that comes on the side — we were being recommended to go for the hard-boiled egg option, though we definitely cannot resist ourselves from going with the salted egg variant instead after we have heard about it.

Digging into the rice bowl, it is interesting to see how Quick Muthu has went with using Basmati Rice as their choice of rice to serve their Indian Curry Rice with — perhaps to bring it closer to the flavours and textures that it is inspired by. The rice was light and fluffy, carefully drenched with two different types of curry gravy — one that was more of just being simply a gravy, while the other one coming with the meat and potatoes. We could not detect a distinction between the two; perhaps both having been incorporated into one another when we had started to dig in — that being said, there were strong notes of Indian spices in the curry here for sure which we found it close to the links of the fish curry that we are accustomed to when enjoying Roti Prata, which we found to be really comforting and familiar. The addition of salted egg gave it that slight saltishness that the dish needs especially for those who crave for stronger flavours, though we are also able to see why they have also offered the hard-boiled egg option at the same time. The folks at Quick Muthu seemed to have chosen chicken breast as the chicken part for the fried chicken to be served with the dish — don’t get us wrong; we did like how there was a slight sweetness and a slight note of turmeric amidst while feels rather identical to Ayam Goreng Berempah here, though the thoughtfulness of serving up boneless chicken parts also meant that despite the meat itself being rather juicy and moist, it did feel a little tougher than we would have liked. The pappadum on the meanwhile was satisfying; crisp without being limp from being aired out for too long — we have a hunch that the pappadum seems to be made in-house / specifically for them considering how it does look slightly different from that of commercially-made ones often sold as tidbits around supermarkets. At $4.90, the Fried Chicken Rice Set is undeniably value-for-money; the portion is particularly substantial considering the amount of rice and size of the fried chicken chunks it comes with — a pretty interesting and wallet-friendly option worth checking out if one happens to be in the area!

Mention Nasi Lemak in the Central Business District and a few names would immediately come to mind — that being said, one of the names that is most likely to be repeated by office workers around the area would likely be Uptown Nasi Lemak. Uptown Nasi Lemak is one of those names that had came into the F&B scene when the craze for Nasi Lemak executed in the same style as Village Park Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia had become a trendy offering around the island — the queues for their Nasi Lemak still going on strong during weekday lunch hours even though a couple of years had since passed from its initial days of opening at the coffeeshop at 121 Telok Ayer Street. With its continued popularity, it seems like the folks at Uptown Nasi Lemak have decided to finally expand their operations — their second outlet being an independently-run establishment located at the ground level of City Gate just a short distance away from Nicoll Highway MRT Station amk bbt the Circle Line. Taking over the former premises of the now-defunct Doris’s Devilishly Delicious Curry, this also meant that the City Gate outlet of Uptown Nasi Lemak is one that comes with a fully air conditioned dining environment. The entire interior does seem to be decked in a way that is more for function rather than for form, though the walls does feature some “art” pieces as one may call it. Nonetheless, Uptown Nasi Lemak does not seem to stray away from its core offerings at its newest location; the emphasis here is undoubtedly on the Nasi Lemak which they are all known for — the Nasi Lemak at their City Gate outlet coming in various options of meat / seafood such as that of the usual Ayam Goreng Berempah, as well as Sambal Sotong, Curry Kapitan Chicken, Beef Rendang and even Sambal Petai Prawn, just to name a few. Beverages offered currently revolve around canned drinks, though we did notice boilers and other equipment that might hint of them serving up local-style Kopi and Teh in the near future.

We still recalled having dropped by Uptown Nasi Lemak’s outlet at Telok Ayer when they had first opened their doors at the coffeeshop at 121 Telok Ayer Street — we had previously also given their Nasi Lemak with Ayam Goreng Ayam Berempah a go, though the chicken part that we went for was the Thigh back then. Wanting to give the full Uptown Nasi Lemak experience a go this time round during our visit to their City Gate outlet, we went for tithe Nasi Goreng Ayam Berempah (Whole Leg) option instead. All else on the plate was pretty similar to what we have had before — apart from the entire fried chicken leg that we had opted for this time round, the dish came with the coconut-infused rice, Nyonya Achar, Ikan Bilis and peanuts, sambal chili, half of a hard-boiled egg and slices of cucumber on the side. We did recall ourselves having preferred the Nasi Lemak that is served up at other establishments a little more then what we have had at Uptown Nasi Lemak previously, and this seemed to have remain true especially considering how we have had more variants of Nasi Lemak from other establishments over the years. Don’t get us wrong — this is one enjoyable Nasi Lemak in its own right; the rice being sufficiently moist and distinguishable to the grain with a light coconut-y fragrance. The chicken leg itself was also decent; it comes with a light hint of lemongrass and turmeric notes that can be said as alluring, though the chicken wasn’t quite as tender and moist as we would have liked it to be. The real star here seems to be the sambal chili — this carried an evident hint of sweetness, yet packed quite a fiery punch that would tickle the taste buds of those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness even. Ikan Bilis were also satisfying here — delivered a crunch without feeling limp from being left in the open for too long. Had always felt that Uptown Nasi Lemak’s rendition of the Village Park Restaurant Nasi Lemak has been a good attempt independently, though this might be one that suits those with a lighter palate in general.

Kaki Fuyong is pretty much a terminology that we haven’t quite heard about ever after the passing of our days in Ngee Ann Polytechnic — if one was ever a student during the time which we were so at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, it is pretty much impossible to have not heard about this term. That being said, Kaki Fuyong is quite a rare find out of campuses all around; Singapore — the idea of Kaki Fuyong being pretty much a school student go-to is pretty cemented by this fact. It is definitely surprising to hear about the opening of the new Osa Kaki Fuyong; a new stall that had opened in rather close proximity of Ngee Ann Polytechnic which Kaki Fuyong is so closely affiliated to — Osa Kaki Fuyong takes over the former stall that has been vacated by Beauty World Wanton Noodle, which is located at the food centre at the top of Beauty World Centre. The establishment centres itself over Kaki Fuyong; while those familiar with what Kaki Fuyong is would probably know that there is only one variant of the dish, it is interesting to know how Osa Kaki Fuyong serves up Kaki Fuyong with various meat options and styles. For instance, Osa Kaki Fuyong serves up Kaki Fuyong with meat options such as Beef, Salmon, Fried Fish and Ebi Fry; apart from the classic variant which sees brown sauce drizzled over the omelette and meat, Osa Kaki Fuyong also serves up its own rendition of the dish such as a Classic Curry Fuyong and a Kimcheese Fuyong as well — all featuring the same meat options as the classic variant itself.

The idea of having Kaki Fuyong after graduating from tertiary education without having to return to the campus got us really excited to say the least, but it is needless to say that it was difficult not to find ourselves being enticed by their unique interpretations of Kaki Fuyong that they have to offer. We eventually found ourselves going for the Chicken Karaage Kimcheese Fuyong w Rice — it felt as though we were missing the point if we were to opt for a meat option other than Chicken Kaarage considering that is usually the only meat option that would be served in a Kaki Fuyong elsewhere, though it was interesting to see how Osa Kaki Fuyong serves up a spruced up version of this dish that we grew up with by adding kimchi and cheese to it. For those whom are unfamiliar with the Kaki Fuyong, the Kaki Fuyong is essentially a dish featuring an omelette served atop a hotplate, with chunks of fried chicken being laid over the egg. These would be drizzled with a dense and slightly sweet brown sauce over them, while it also comes accompanied with a bowl of white rice on the side to go along.

Going by how Osa Kaki Fuyong has executed their Kaki Fuyong, the Chicken Karaage Kimcheese Fuyong w Rice was served in the manner that we know Kaki Fuyong to be — in fact, we did feel that the quality of the Chicken Karaage used in the rendition of the dish here was way better than that or what we are used to. If anything, the Chicken Karaage did not feel like the cheap sort where panko crumbs were used for the breading; the batter here is definitely crisp, though does somewhat soaks up a bit of the sauce so it is best to be enjoyed while hot. The chicken chunks seem to be coated with a bit of Gochujang (i.e. Korean chili paste) for a sweet note with a very light spicy kick; this complimented the lightly spicy tang that came from the kimchi that also added a refreshing crunch. The omelette bears a somewhat runny consistency at the start, though it gets more throughly cooked over time with crisp edges forming up; the addition of cheese does add a slight savouriness and a bit of a stringy texture in the middle of the omelette, though much of the flavours do seem to come from the Gochujang and the brown sauce that typically comes with Kaki Fuyong. Needless to say, a dish that brought us a trip down the memory lane yet with a unique twist of their own — one that we most certainly enjoyed. Prices of the various Kaki Fuyong dishes across all categories are between $6.50 to $7.50 — a rather affordable dining option that is worth considering if one is at Beauty World; also a spot that one should make a visit to for those whom are looking to relive those student years through memories created by the food that they once had.

We were initially pretty saddened after hearing about the closure of Culture Spoon at River Valley Road; the multi-concept cafe was one that we had visited quite a fair bit over its run, itself being home to several concepts such as that of Wok with Man, Hungry Thieves, Cha Lau by Wok with Man, L Sucre and The Tea Affair during the time of its closure — after all, we had been visiting Culture Spoon for Wok with Man’s Crabmeat Fried Rice, which was a signature offering. The folks behind Wok with Man had since opened a new concept named Thai Noodle House by Culture Spoon following the closure of Culture Spoon. Unlike Culture Spoon, Thai Noodle House by Culture Spoon is a smaller operation in comparison to Culture Spoon itself — operating as just a stall within the Koufu food court at Tampines Mart, Thai Noodle House by Culture Spoon no longer carries the wide variety of what Wok with Man used to offer at Culture Spoon. Instead, Thai Noodle House seems to be focused on serving up food items that can be prepare a la minute; the emphasis being their noodle-based items. The menu features Thai noodle dishes such as Boat Noodles, Tom Yum Mama Noodles with Seafood, and their Signature Thai Wonton Mee with Pork Neck; that being said, patrons who prefer rice dishes may also go for Deep Fried Tom Yum Chicken with Rice, Thai Pork Soup with Rice or the all-familiar Thai Basil Pork with Rice. There are also a few side dishes that one can go for here; a few dishes offered in the “Sides” section include Thai Fish Cake, Fried Wonton and the Deep Fried Tom Yum Chicken.

It wasn’t easy to decide if we would want to go for the Signature Thai Wonton Mee with Pork Neck or the Thai Basil Pork Noodle, though we did find ourselves going for the latter after noticing that the illustration on the menu board does suggest the item to come with soup wontons that are also featured in their Signature Thai Wonton Mee to be served on the side. The Thai Basil Pork Noodle comes with a default choice of noodles, and comes with Thai-style stir-fried basil pork accompanying the noodles; one can also find chunks of crispy pork lard in the noodles and a sunny side up as well. Giving the noodles a bit of a toss before consuming the dish, the noodles does get laced in a bit of that sauce below and all that minced meat, long beans and the basil it comes with. Taking a bite into all of the elements in one spoonful, it is needless to say that the Thai Basil Pork Noodle was one dish that we enjoyed. The noodle itself does seem to be like a form of Mee Pok that is not quite as broad as what we are used to in our local-style minced meat noodles; the noodles are definitely springy — soaks up the savouriness and garlicky notes of the sauce that it comes with whilst also coming with an evident hint of basil that perfumes throughout the entire bowl. The minced pork itself was especially flavoursome; liked how it wasn’t too salty and carried the aroma of the basil really well; the long beans and crispy pork lard adding a crunch factor to the dish at the same time. Meanwhile, the sunny side-up was a crowd pleaser with its molten egg yolk that oozes eagerly with a poke from the chopstick; the soup wantons were well-packed with prawns and meat giving a good bite within the silky smooth wonton wrapper. The soup that came with the soup wonton is likely to be the same one they is served with their Boat Noodles; absolutely comforting with its herbal notes. It is a pity that we can no longer enjoy Wok with Man’s stellar Crabmeat Fried Rice since it is not offered at Thai Noodle House by Culture Spoon; that being said, their delicious Thai food still lives on here at pretty decent prices (all noodle dishes are priced below $9) — something well showcased by the Thai Basil Pork Noodle that we had tried!

One of the places that seems to be getting quite a fair bit of attention over social media would be the new Bing Tang Tang Shui 冰糖糖水办公室 — an establishment that is hidden in the enclave of landed residences in the Thomson Hills Drive, Bing Tang Tang Shui is probably not the easiest location to find especially considering that there is a lack of F&B and retail shops around its vicinity, and the spot is also a distance away from the nearest MRT station (i.e. Lentor MRT Station along the Thomson-East Coast Line) and bus stops around. Situated in the same building as Salem Chapel, Bing Tang Tang Shui is located beside shop units that operate as offices within those premises. For those whom are wondering about the “办公室” in the Chinese name of the place (which in itself translates to office from Chinese to English), the description actually refers to the concept of the establishment which is being decked just like that of a 1980s office — comes full with period-correct furniture and fittings, as well as dine-in zones segmented into the reception area, office, training room and meeting room that caters for different group sizes and personal preferences. Being an establishment that focuses on Chinese-style desserts, Bing Tang Tang Shui prides itself over its various Tang Shui offerings — there is a constant emphasis on their offerings made entirely from scratch with no preservatives and colourings; the various Tang Shui offerings also comes with a “classic” version using a traditional recipe, while there is also a modern version which sees the use of interesting infusions that gives the all-familiar item their own twist. Apart from the various Tang Shui offerings, Bing Tang Tang Shui also offers a variety of hot food in the “Snacks” section; beverages available at Bing Tang Tang Shui includes coffee, flower tea, soft drinks and bottled ginseng drinks that are categorised as “health drinks” on the menu.

We were really impressed with all of items we had ordered at Bing Tang Tang Shui — this is quite a feat considering how we had tried a decent number of items between just two pax; the items which we have had are also across both the Tang Shui and the hot food items that are listed in the “Snacks” section of the menu. If there is one dish that we would think is the most representative of Bing Tang Tang Shui, it probably would be the Tang Yuan (Osmanthus Infusion). The Tang Yuan (Osmanthus Infusion) is the modern interpretation of the Tang Yuan category in the menu here — the traditional rendition of the same dish is named Tang Yuan (Classic); it is also noted that the Tang Yuan items are also marked as their “Hero Product” in the menu — probably their way of indicating that it is the signature offering here. The Tang Yuan (Osmanthus Infusion) is described in the menu to come with black sesame-filled rice balls, crushed ice, purple Goji Berry syrup, fermented rice milk sauce that comprises of Hakka Yellow Wine and lemon zest, as well as an Osmanthus caramel. Since the Tang Yuan is served hot atop a bed of crushed ice, we were recommended by the service staff to consume the item as soon as we can; this is to prevent the rice balls from hardening when the rice balls cool down from ambient temperature and the temperature from the crushed ice beneath it. Digging into the dessert immediately and going for the rice balls first, the rice balls are at its best — these were soft and chewy; definitely did not stick to the teeth while the black sesame filling came roasty with an evident aroma. We did notice that the filling is a little on the grainy side and a little dry compared to some commercially-made variants, though this wasn’t too bothersome considering the ice beneath. Otherwise, the various elements provided a rather balanced level of sweetness with a bit of texture to bite; all that with a floral aroma that is light and complimented all the elements perfectly — this is not forgetting that purple hue that the item comes with that checks the box in the aesthetic factor of the dessert as well.

While Bing Tang Tang Shui is located at a spot that is rather inconvenient to get to, it is one location that we were still left extremely impressed with what they have to offer. Even despite the signature item being the Tang Yuan offerings here, everything else that we have tried all hir the spot. For instance, the Radish Cake was probably one that we enjoyed even more than that of what some other upscale Chinese eateries serves up — the radish cake was not too dense and springy, yet holds up rather well against the pinches of the chopsticks when picks a morsel after splitting it apart. The addition of fried scallions and sausage provided a slight sweetness amidst the light savouriness — all adding a good crispness and bite to the radish cake. The Braised Pork Rice on the other hand is really comforting; sufficiently savoury with enough braised liquid to go around, the chunks of pork are well-sized though lean closer to the leaner side — apart from the savouriness, there is a slight note of pepper that did not result in any spiciness. They also have included slices of pickled Choy Sum that adds a crunch and a slight sweet-ish tang to compliment all of that. Meanwhile, the Orh Nee (Pearl Chrysanthemum Infusion) was a highlight for us as well — the smooth, creamy and luscious yam paste carried an earthy note that matches against the inherent sweetness of the sweet potato paste; one can find Pearl Chrysanthemum infused in the item, which are essentially balls of chrysanthemum petals that helps to add a floral note together with the chrysanthemum-infused syrup that also comes with a light and soft crunch. Bing Tang Tang Shui is one of the few places where one can really taste all the passion and hard work to deliver their patrons the very best in their food; the food items are nothing short of being comforting with a lot of thought placed in the process — their dedication in serving items made from fresh ingredients from scratch without additives showcases all of that, while we also appreciated the detailed walkthrough and the explanation about the items and their concept given by their approachable service staff. Overall, a spot with a lot of heart and soul that is placed into its entire conceptualisation from its vibes to the food; a spot that is not to be missed!

Micasa Kitchen & Bar was a spot that we recalled having visited when they had first opened at Jalan Jurong Kechil several years ago — these folks were pretty much a promising Spanish eatery that is priced at a slightly more wallet-friendly price point to cater to the residents in the surrounding neighbourhood. The entire dining landscape of Beauty World has changed quite substantially over the past couple of years since; the shophouse at 100 Jalan Jurong Kechil has seen quite a number of tenancy changes; the latest tenant to have moved into the afore-mentioned shophouse after the move of the outlet of Outram Park Ya Hua Rou Gu Cha (which has since relocated to the 7th Mile Coffee Shop at Toh Yi Drive) would be Mikey’s Taverna — a concept that is opened by the same folks behind Micasa Kitchen & Bar. Despite being a concept by the folks of Micasa Kitchen & Bar, Mikey’s Taverna is an entirely different concept to Micasa Kitchen & Bar itself; whilst Micasa Kitchen & Bar focusing on Spanish cuisine, Mikey’s Taverna is a concept inspired by Southern Italian culture — the interior of the shophouse it occupies exudes such vibes with its yellow-painted and brick walls which gives it an especially cosy and warm vibe. They have also maximised the seating area with outdoor al-fresco seating as well. For the menu at Mikey’s Taverna, it is being split into sections dedicated to Foccacia, Personal Pizza, Appetisers, Grilled, Pasta and desserts; beverages available at Mikey’s Taverna would include a good variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, with the selection of non-alcoholic drinks being coffee, tea, soft drinks and juices.

One item that seemed to have attracted our attention whilst skimming through the menu before we made our visit to Mikey’s Taverna was the Oxtail Ragu (Rigatoni) — an item which we found to be a little bit of an uncommon find at rather typical Italian establishments. The menu mentions that the default pasta type to come with the Oxtail Ragu would be the Rigatoni, though there are also different types of pasta that is being listed on the header of the menu which includes spaghetti, Fettucine, ravioli, rigatoni and gnocchi. The dish pretty much came as it is; basically just rigatoni, oxtail meat and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese that were on to the aesthetics of the dish. Despite its rather simple composition, we really enjoyed the texture and flavours of the dish; giving the Oxtail Ragu (Rigatoni) a toss, the Ragu readily gets mixed into the Rigatoni — this gives the pasta a lightly savoury bite that provides much of the flavours of the dish by itself. The Rigatoni is done al-dente; carried much bite and with a slight chew even. Meanwhile, the portion oxtail meat can be described as generous — itself being a good balance of lean and slightly more tender parts which gives the dish a variance of textures and a meaty, savoury note. The addition of the sprinkle of parmesan cheese adds yet another dimension of savouriness to the dish; further elevating the entire experience. Overall, a pasta that would probably appeal more towards the meat lovers considering the nature of the dish.

Apart from the Oxtail Ragu (Rigatoni), we had also given some dishes from other categories of the menu a try as well; this would include the Organic Blue Mussels, as well as the Lemon Tart. Both dishes were pretty enjoyable; the Organic Blue Mussels came with elements such as wine and tomatoes, as well as garlic bread. Given how much we are a fan of mussels, this dish was pretty satiating — from how fresh the mussels were, to how balanced that wine-infused broth was, it was a joy for us to have. Having tried different variants of mussel dishes that are served at other establishments all around, we did notice that the broth here felt a little bit more mellowed down in terms of the alcoholic content — this meant that the broth carried a more garlicky note, though is also one that is less briny somewhat. The Lemon Tart itself was a great ending to our meal at Mikey’s Taverna though — we liked how the tart was pretty much fuss-free; no meringue layer, and came without any unnecessary embellishments for the aesthetic factor. The lemon curd itself came with a good zing and a balanced note of sweetness; all that sitting above a soft and thin layer of crust that did not require much effort to break, and crumbled really neatly without disintegrating into a mess. We also tasted a rather noticeable egginess that came with the Lemon Tart as well. Mikey’s Taverna may be a new establishment, but it does carry the same character and personality that Micasa Kitchen & Bar has been known for over the years — one that is pretty laid-back and chill, whilst serving up homely fare that is comforting and speaks to the soul. This is not forgetting that the price point of the dishes are wallet-friendly to say the least — the prices of the pasta ranges from $18 to $36, while the prices of the personal pizzas are between $16 to $18. With a clear emphasis on using fresh ingredients, preparing their dishes from scratch — it is easy to feel the passion and effort that they have placed to deliver the best to their patrons just like how things are like at MiCasa Kitchen & Bar. Reservations are recommended, considering we were only left with the counter seats and outdoor seats whilst walking in on a weekend dinner service.

It seems that the folks at Dan Lao 蛋佬 might have kickstarted a new food trend around the island at least — while scrambled egg rice bowls are not a dish that one would generally be able to find across coffeeshop and hawker centres around, it does seem that they have inspired the likes of such stalls to set up shop around the island. Whilst Kovan has already seen the opening of an outlet of Dan Lao at the recently-opened Tam Chiak Kopitiam at Blk 212 Hougang Street 21, it does seem that there is a new contender around the block as well. Located at the Kovan Market & Food Centre, there is a new stall named 高文滑蛋饭 — the stall does not have an English name; the name translates to Kovan Scrambled Egg Rice from Chinese to English. The stall can be easily found in the row or shops that back faces Heartland Mall as one enters the market from Heartland Mall; the small number of stalls within the row of stalls that is situated at makes it rather easy to locate especially with the bright blue signage which they had installed. The stall’s namesake is pretty self-explanatory, and the menu at 高文滑蛋饭 revolves around the scrambled egg rice bowls that they serve up. Patrons can chose between the various types of meats, proteins and seafood which they have to offer here along with the scrambled egg rice bowls — these include chicken / pork / fish cutlet, oysters, Char Siew, and even a Mala Pork variant as well.

We have always been the type of kid whom would just go for luncheon meat if that is an option in our childhood; it is needless to say that the variant of the scrambled egg rice bowl that stood out the most to us when skimming through the menu was the Luncheon Meat one. The entire aesthetic of the dish bore an uncanny resemblance to the one that Dan Lao is known to serve up — here, the scrambled eggs are prepared a la-minute; the scrambled eggs blanketing the bed of white rice that sits beneath the scrambled eggs on the bowl. The scrambled eggs comes with chopped spring onions, whilst the cubes of fried luncheon meat tops off the scrambled egg; the dish is then finished with a light drizzle of soy sauce above the egg and the luncheon meat before serving. The consistency of the scrambled eggs is totally on-point here; it is on the right point of being runny, creamy — not too wet but requires no effort to have considering how easily it slides down the throat. The drizzle of the light soy sauce on the scrambled egg meant that there is a lingering savouriness that goes on at the back of the tongue, thought we did wish that it be drizzled on the rice slightly just for the rice to carry a bit more flavour (not that it didn’t absorb the flavours from the egg however). The cubes of luncheon meat comes pretty chunky; provided a good saltishness that goes hand-in-hand with all the components here; very complimenting indeed without carrying any undesirable greasiness of a hint of overused oil. At $5 for the Luncheon Meat variant, this is quite an affordable eat at a pretty good quality that is worth making the trip for — very comforting, and a dish that many should be relate to as well.

An opening that we had been looking forward to recently would be Suo Fen 嗦粉; a spot that we had been passing by regularly having seen it from its initial stage of renovations at the basement of Marina One. Taking up a shop space right beside the outlet of Kopifellas in the iconic building, Suo Fen is a food stall that is operating as a takeaway kiosk. The physical shop space of Suo Fen is actually pretty eye-catching; decked with a rather contemporary decor theme, the use of splashes of orange with a white background makes for a contrast of colours that passers-by would inadvertently notice. Considering the small shop space that it occupies Suo Fen does not cater for any dine-in facilities within its space; that being said, those whom intend to dine-in to have their food items from Suo Fen or any other F&B establishment in Marina One can find multiple areas where communal seating has been placed within the same level to consume their food on the spot. An establishment that serves up Chinese rice noodle dishes hailing from Guilin, China, Suo Fen’s offerings in its soft launch menu during the day that we had made our visit includes that of various forms of soup rice noodles; they also did carry one dry noodle dish which would be the Guilin Dry Rice Noodles for patrons to choose from also. Suo Fen also serves up a variety of side dishes which includes items from Soy Egg and Tofu all the way to items like Pig Trotter, Chicken Mid Wings and Whole Duck Wings. For beverages, Suo Fen does carry quite a line-up of trendy-looking drinks served in clear plastic cans that are prepared and sealed upon order — some of the drinks listed on the soft launch menu includes the Green Grape Jasmine Jelly, Red Date Tremella, Yuzu Tea and Red Bean Matcha Snow Mountain.

Skimming through the menu, it didn’t take us too much time to decide to go for the Guilin Dry Rice Noodles — it is our preference generally to go with dry noodles, and it was pretty straightforward for us considering how there is only one dry noodle dish being listed in the menu here; the Guilin Dry Rice Noodles is also a signature item here at Suo Fen as well. All noodle items at Suo Fen comes served in a branded paper bowl; the paper bowl having been sealed with a metal lid with a metal ring much akin to that of canned soft drinks — patrons would need to pull open the metal lid with the metal ring to reveal the contents within the bowl. Cutlery is also provided in a pre-packed utensil kit much akin to that of what some salad bars would serve up; packed within would be chopsticks, a plastic spoon and serviette. It is not being mentioned on what elements come with the Guilin Dry Rice Noodles; that being said, we were informed by the counter staff that it comes with pork slices. Apart from slices of pork, we did find half a braised egg, black fungus, cilantro, pickles and fried chickpeas that were laid above the rice noodles that are tossed in a spicy sauce. Giving everything a good mix, the rice noodles were surprisingly slurpy with a slight chew — the chewiness was something which we did not quite expect since we initially thought that it would come with less bite and with a softer texture; the flavours of the spicy sauce gave this fragrant, savoury, slightly tangy and light spiciness to the noodles — rather typical of mainland Chinese cuisine though without the grease. The pork slices included did not require much effort to chew; gave a meaty note and savouriness to the dish — the inclusion of cilantro cutting through all of the meats and carbs perfectly along with the tangy pickles that carried a crunch. The other elements are included more for the texture; the black fungus providing a soft and bouncy bite, while the fried chickpeas gave a crisp crunch though we would think that it might come across as a little too hard for some. Overall, a rather decent eat at $7.80; glad to always have more worthy dining options around the work place to pick from!

While K88 Kopitiam had only been through a revamp rather recently, it does seem that there is already some switch-ups in the tenancy of the stalls that are located within the coffeeshop itself. For those whom are unaware, K88 Kopitiam is the coffeeshop that is located just a short distance away from Maxwell MRT Station at 5 Banda Street; the coffeeshop being located right beside Chinatown Complex Market and Food Centre, as well as just across the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum. New to the coffeeshop would be Tang Ren Jie 唐人街面馆 — the stall occupies the unit where the now-defunct and short-lived Good Luck Dumplings 好旺饺 used to be located at. The signboard of Tang Ren Jie seems to suggest that the brand name was established in 1999; turns out, Tang Ren Jie does seem to have outlets situated at Fernvale and Punggol. There really isn’t much that makes Tang Ren Jie stand out from the other stalls in the coffeeshop; Tang Ren Jie is a stall that serves up local Teochew-style noodles — think the likes of Fishball Minced Meat Noodles, Teochew Dumpling Noodle and Mini Wok Noodle — just a few of the items which they have to offer at their K88 Kopitiam location.

Thought not an item that is totally unheard of, what really drew us to give Tang Ren Jie a go at K88 Kopitiam was the race that they serve up Fried Dumpling Noodles — an item that not all stall serving up Teochew-style minced meat noodles would carry. As with most stalls that serve up Teochew-style minced meat noodles, patrons can get to choose the type of noodle that comes with their bowl of noodles — we opted for Mee Pok to go with our order of the Fried Dumpling Noodles, while at the same time also opting for both chili and vinegar to be added to our bowl of noodles. Receiving the Fried Dumpling Noodles at the counter, we do note that the Fried Dumpling Noodle at Tang Ren Jie comes with five (5) pieces of fried dumplings, leafy greens, pork lard, and some spring onions as garnish. Giving the noodles a bit of a toss around the chili-vinegar mix, we really liked how the noodles are done just quite about right here — the noodles are springy, while the sauce just clings on to the squiggly parts of the Mee Pok; the chili-vinegar sauce being pretty spot-on and balanced without being too heavy on either component, creating a savoury tang with that tickle of spiciness which would work for those whom are tolerable to lighter levels of heat. The pieces of fried pork lard was also done well; crisp without feeling too greasy; creates a good textural contrast against the noodles, while the leafy greens did carry a slight bitterness that we weren’t too found of — perhaps less obvious if one allows them to be soaked with the chili-vinegar mix. The fried dumplings were prepared in-advanced; plated onto the bowl upon order — we do feel that these could have likely been supplied since they tasted really familiar, though crisp and not too greasy in their own right. They also came with an adequate amount of meat, whilst being just savoury enough — quite a joy to have. Overall, a bowl of Fried Dumpling Noodle that felt really familiar — there was an uncanny resemblance between this and the one that we have had since childhood that is located in a food court just opposite us. The price tag of $5.30 is fairly reasonable; needless to say, one that we will be back for considering how this is basically comfort food for us!