Pizz Please ~

Was scrolling through social media and got to learn that Mama’s Kent Secret Recipe had recently made their move out of Kent Ridge; we had previously given these folks a visit when they were still located within the food court named Eureka Taste within National University Hospital MD6 — Centre for Translational Medicine some time back. It seems that the location had closed down fairly recently, and the folks behind Mama’s Kent Secret Recipe had made the move to Yi Ho Eating House 億和餐室 coffeeshop at Blk 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza where they had once operated out of before their move to Kent Ridge. The Yi Ho Eating House 億和餐室 Coffeeshop at Blk 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza will be the very same one which houses stalls like Noodle Doodle and the popular Fei Ma Hakka Yong Tau Foo that made its return to this particular coffeeshop after a short stint at Blk 161 Bukit Merah Central. Mama’s Kent Secret Recipe occupies a stall half the size of a usual stall unit within the coffeeshop; the stall itself as well as where it is currently located is fairly reminiscent of its earlier days at the same coffeeshop under a different operator, and was previously occupied by the now-defunct 古早 生肉面 Heritage Pork Noodles. A stall that is perhaps best noted for their Penang fare since their early days in its founding in 2015, Mama’s Kent Secret Recipe serves up a mix of ride and noodle dishes which are well-portioned for individual diners. Patrons can also opt for the various Add-On Sides listed if they wish to go for more ingredients with their order.

We have previously tried the Malaysia Style Chicken Curry Noodles during our visit to their now-defunct Kent Ridge location and we did find ourselves impressed with it — so much that we had decided to just settle for the same this time round when we made a visit to their Tanjong Pagar stall. As with how things were previously, the Malaysia Style Chicken Curry Noodles is also available in rice format as the Malaysia Style Chicken Curry Rice, and that there is no price difference between the rice and noodle variant for the dish. Mama’s Kent Secret Recipe does not describe the elements that are featured in their various dishes listed on the menu; that being said, it can be observed from our order of the Malaysia Style Chicken Curry Noodles that the dish does come with a dry curry that also comes served with chunks of bone-in chicken chunks and chunks of potato, beancurd puff, as well as slices of fresh onions — there is also only one type of noodle to be served by default with the Malaysia Style Chicken Curry Noodles which is the Thick Bee Hoon. The use of Thick Bee Hoon does come across as rather peculiar; the typical Malaysia-style curry noodles would tend to feature handmade noodles that are tossed in dark soy sauce to be drenched with a dry curry gravy instead. The choice of noodles that the stall has opted to serve the Malaysia Style Chicken Curry Noodles in could likely be attributed to how Mama’s Kent Secret Recipe had all along been an establishment particularly known for their Penang-style Laksa which primarily also uses the same type of noodles — perhaps more towards not having to stock up a variety of different types of noodles, whilst the lack of dark soy sauce is more aligned to the general flavour preferences of the masses here.

The Thick Bee Hoon somewhat adds a chewy, Japanese Udon-like texture to the dish; the noodles being especially smooth and slurpy whilst the curry gravy coats every strand of noodle as well. Given how the Malaysia Style Chicken Curry Noodles is served as a dry curry dish, the gravy appears to be a little creamy; having thickened from the process of reduction over time, yet is still immensely fragrant and carried not only a strong hint of fragrance of the curry spices but also came with quite a good kick of spiciness that tickles the tastebuds even for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness. The addition of slices of raw onion seems to be yet another element that is inspired by that of the Penang-style Laksa; not only did it provide a crunch for a textural contrast against all else within the same bowl, but also added a slight zing that provided some sort of burst of flavours to the dish. We do feel that the chunks of potatoes and bone-in chicken can be cooked for a little longer — would prefer a softer texture for the noodles and a more tender consistency for the chicken as well. Despite so, the Malaysia Style Chicken Curry Noodles at Mama Kent’s Secret Recipe remains similar to what we had experienced during our visit to their Kent Ridge location some time ago — still pretty delicious overall. Prices of their rice and noodle dishes at their Tanjong Pagar stall now ranges between $7.50 to $11; the lowest-priced dishes being the Penang Laksa (Small) while the prices dish available is the Traditional Vinegar Pork Trotters with Rice — a little higher than what one would expect out of a coffeeshop stall set-up but still relatively reasonable for lunch within the Central Business District. We do think that Mama Kent’s Secret Recipe would likely see queues forming during lunch hours in time to come; would definitely be interested to be back again to give their Penang Laksa a go!

Was pretty excited when we had passed by ICON at Tanjong Pagar some time back and spotted Im Jai by Pun Im undergoing renovation works — we have heard quite a fair bit about Pun Im Private Dining; a private dining concept by Vincent Pang which was being run in his apartment. Pun Im Private Dining has had a pop-up stint at Raffles Hotel sometime back; that being said, Im Jai by Pun Im is his very first foray into a permanent brick-and-mortar F&B concept. Im Jai by Pun Im should be relatively easy to spot around the shopping gallery of ICON; they are situated near other F&B establishments such as the outlet of Park Bäckerei and the outlet of Nick Vina Artisan Bakery there — one is unlikely to miss the big screen playing marketing videos of their food at the store facade. Moving into the space, one would transit from the small reception area to the main dining hall; the interior of the space features slate grey walls and also grey floor tiles that sees specks of other various colours to provide a visual contrast — the use of earthy colour tones to add a bit of vibrancy to the interior being a tasteful addition to make the space feel less stone cold as well. The dining hall does feature a dine-in space that comprises of seats that are good for groups of four (4) pax, though there is a particular area overlooking Nick Vina Artisan Bakery that is good for individual diners as well; all of the seating within Im Jai by Pun Im being cushioned to provide patrons with comfort whilst dining. The food menu at Im Jai by Pun Im is segregated into sections dedicated to Set Menu, Specials of the Day and Side Dishes; the list of beverages would include a variety of juices, Thai Coconut Milk Tea, Green Grass Jelly with Coconut Milk and Sago Peals etc. — all served in plastic bottles to allow ease for takeaways.

For individual diners looking to best experience Im Jai by Pun Im in a single seating, Im Jai by Pun Im offers the Im Jai Bento that can be found in the Set Menu section of the menu — this would be a fixed set that comprises of Green Curry Chicken, Pomelo Salad with Prawns, Green Peppercorn Chilli Relish with Side Vegetables, Braised Pork Belly in Black Peppercorn Sauce and Coconut Kaffir Lime Rice. Patrons do get the choice to upgrade the Green Curry Chicken to Green Curry Beef, though this will require a top-up of $8. Starting with the Pomelo Salad with Prawns, we liked how this carried an umami note with a slight tang and zing which whets the tastebuds — there is a note somewhat similar to that of the bonito flakes that one would be able to find in Japanese cuisine, whilst the chunks of pomelo flesh provided a zestiness that keeps things refreshing as well. Texture-wise, the Pomelo Salad with Prawns was also quite a party in the mouth delivering a juicy bite and a crunch that got us ready for the other elements that come with the Im Jai Bento. The Coconut Kaffir Lime Rice does come with a slightly green hue; whilst the initial impression given the description of the dish does sound very much like Nasi Lemak, the fragrance of kaffir lime leaves really hit hard with this one — very alluring and appetising to have on its own with it somewhat reminiscent of what we have previously had at Palapa. Green Curry Chicken is an item which most Thai establishments are serving up; one thing that we had noted about the version of Green Curry Chicken served up at Im Jai by Pun Im will be how it isn’t particularly overwhelming — here, the green curry does come with the sweetness and aroma of basil. That being said, it is sufficiently milky without being overly milky or creamy that would make it overly jelak. The chicken pieces are also pretty tender and easy to chew through as well. Meanwhile, the Green Peppercorn Chilli Relish with Side Vegetables was particularly intriguing; there does seem to be the use of some form of fermented sauce whilst the relish also comes with minced meat — it does come somewhat reminiscent to that of the all-familiar Thai basil minced pork dish, but a little more flavourful with more depth and quite a spicy kick that tickles the tastebuds even for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness. The Braised Pork Belly in Black Peppercorn Sauce does come with more lean meat that provides for a good bite; not particularly gelatinous — while the black peppercorn sauce doesn’t really induce any notes of spiciness to the dish, the braised pork belly does come with a hint of sweetness amidst the savouriness from the caramelisation during the braising process.

During our visit to Im Jai by Pun Im, we had also managed to try the Red Ruby with Smoked Coconut Sorbet. The folks at Im Jai by Pun Im had went with their own twist by serving up the Red Ruby with not just coconut sorbet, but also one that has been smoked. The smokiness that had likely came from the use of smoking liquid helped provide yet another dimension of flavours that strangely went well with the other elements within the dessert; something that helped to manage the level of sweetness of the dessert pretty well since there are varying contrasts of sweetness from the jelly, jackfruit and the crunchy water chestnut bits in tapioca gel as well. There are also slurpy jelly noodles that can be found in the Red Ruby with Smoked Coconut Sorbet that helps add another dimension of texture to the dessert as well. We also managed to try the Bael Juice; based on the label on the bottle, the beverage comprises of two (2) elements; dried bael and brown sugar. This was a refreshing and cooling beverage whilst not being too sweet; the brown sugar providing an adequate level of sweetness with a slight earthiness to round things off nicely. Im Jai by Pun Im is an establishment that is founded on the success of a humble private dining concept; something similar to that of La Bottega Enoteca / Casa Vostra that stemmed out of Casa Nostra that also operated as a home-based private diner in its early days. Im Jai by Pun Im has kept to its roots of what Pun Im Private Dining has been all about; keeping their fare casual and affordably-priced and being served in sets that would work well with the office workers within the Central Business District — even for individual diners. Prices of the items in the “Set Menu” section of the menu are in the range of $16.80 to $18.80; some might find the prices being a little bit on the higher side, but one can definitely feel the quality behind all the food that Im Jai by Pun Im — it does command for the premium in both the execution and the produce used in the preparation of the dishes. Given the vast media coverage done by the press even before its official openings, Im Jai by Pun Im is a spot that we will be seeing more on social media in the days to come!

Got to learn about Bread Butter Bakehouse’s move from Kensington Square to Flora Vista fairly recently — for those whom haven’t heard of the Flora Vista development, this is a mixed-use development that is located near the area around Ang Mo Kio Industrial Estate; the same building also houses other F&B establishments such as that of NAYANA Kpop Cafe & Restaurant and an outlet of Lazy Lizard. Bread Butter Bakehouse shouldn’t be too difficult to locate; the shop is visible from both Yio Chu Kang Road as well as Ang Mo Kio Street 66 — the premises at their Flora Vista location is smaller than that of their Kensington Square shop unit. That being said, the Flora Vista location still bears the same homely look as their Kensington Square; the interior seeing the use of white walls and floors and wooden accents for its furniture and fittings — all coming to replicate some sort of a Japanese-style, zen vibe just like it has been at Kensington Square but albeit cosier. Whilst the tables within the establishment caters to both patrons that come in pairs as well as in groups of fours (4), there are also dining tables set-up outside that caters to groups of fours (4) pax. There is actually an All Day Brunch menu that Bread Butter Bakehouse is serving up, though the main offerings at Bread Butter Bakehouse would be the lineup of buns, cakes and muffins which are being displayed prominently at the counter; they also do retail entire loaves of bread as well. Beverages available at Bread Butter Bakehouse includes espresso-based specialty coffee, tea, drinking chocolate, house-made concoctions of soda and other soft drinks.

We recalled being pretty impressed with their Red Bean Bun when we had dropped by Bread Butter Bakehouse for the very first time when we made our visit to their Kensington Square location; perhaps this was also the same exact reason how we found ourselves going straight for the Red Bean Bun during our visit to their Flora Vista location this time round despite the other breads that they have to offer. The folks did offer to warm up our order of the Red Bean Bun; something which we also gladly went for as well. The Red Bean Bun turned out to be as good as remembered it to be; one thing we really liked about the Red Bean Bun at Bread Butter Bakehouse was how the bread is done a little bit in the style of a Shio Pan where the insides of the bun is layered — alternating between the red bean paste and the bread until it reaches the core. The layering of the bread does seem to also help provide the bread a bit of a firmer texture when one chews into it; allows the bun to still remain its shape while between the layers would be a generous amount of red bean paste within — the bun also comes with a glossy sheen on its exterior as well. The red bean paste does seem to be made in-house; we liked how it is sufficiently dense without being overly greasy; focused more on the earthiness of the red beans and not too sweet at the same time.

We also managed to try their Chocolate Mousse Cake during our visit to their Flora Vista location — we aren’t big fans of chocolate though this was the very first cake that had caught our attention whilst we were skimming through the display fridge at the counter. Whilst the description card does not provide a list of elements that is featured within the Chocolate Mousse Cake, we did like that there were varying textures within the cake that helped to break the monotony of a typical mousse cake; there was a layer when we found to be a little crunchy, while chocolate pearls also helped to also give a contrast of textures from the chocolate mousse beneath it. There is also a very thin layer of chocolate sponge cake that sits at the bottom of the cake as well. Considering how the Chocolate Mousse Cake was especially rich and decadent with deep notes of chocolate through and through, we liked how the chocolate didn’t cause our throat to itch — quite unlike some of the chocolate desserts that we have had in the past from some establishments; one that would definitely captivate the hearts of chocolate lovers to say the least. We also went for the Coffee — White (Hot) as well; there seems to be attempts on creating latte art and the microfoam does seem to be pretty well-executed to say the least. The cuppa does come with a medium body; a little nutty with a fruity finish — whilst not the best cup of coffee out there, this was still a particularly good attempt by an establishment with a focus on their bakes rather than specialty coffee.

Whilst the operations of Bread Butter Bakehouse seems to have been downsized with its moved from Kensington Square to Flora Vista; that being said, it does seem like these folks hadn’t forgotten about how they had set the business up to be when they had first started. They still feel like the friendly neighbourhood bakery with an added dine-in operations, serving up buns that one would find some familiarity in but with premium ingredients — the quality and consistency in their offerings does showcase this pretty well. There is also a rather neighbourhood-ly vibe going on here as well, with the folks manning the store engaging in small talk with their patrons they creates a friendly atmosphere that is rarely seen at most establishments these days. No doubt its All Day Brunch menu may come across as basic for some; that being said, perhaps this is the way that they had intended things to be — not to be basic, but offering a sense of familiarity by offering simple and comforting brunch fare through the use of their bakes to serve up something that all can relate to. Flora Vista might be a little difficult to get to, but we would probably be returning again if we were to crave for their stellar Red Bean Bun; a location that we likely would find ourselves at if we want to hide ourselves from the typical hustle and bustle in the buzzy heartlands on a weekend whilst watching the day go by.

Was scrolling around the phone to only find out a rather interesting sounding establishment named Batter Day Pancake that seemed to have opened its doors relatively recently in the Geylang Bahru neighbourhood. Turns out, Batter Day Pancake had recently opened its doors within the 68 Choices Eating House coffee shop that is located at the foot of Blk 68 Geylang Bahru; other stalls that one can find within the same coffeeshop will include that of Ah Ong Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee, as well as 小成手工包点 Xiao Chen Handmade Pau. Batter Day Pancake should not be too difficult to locate within the coffeeshop; the stall it occupies is situated somewhere in the middle of the whole coffeeshop, while its modern signboard featuring a mix of white and red elements with a caricature of a boy eating a pancake is a stark comparison to the other stalls within the same coffeeshop. As one might have expected, Batter Day Pancake is a stall that specialises in its pancake offerings — the stall is a what one would typically recognise as a stall serving up Min Jiang Kueh; offering patrons with only four different variants of flavours, the flavours that Batter Day Pancake serves up would include the Peanut, Red Bean, Coconut and Peanut + Peanut Butter which are pretty much very traditional flavours that one can find at the other stalls serving up such pancakes.

Whilst the go-to for most folks at Min Jiang Kueh stalls would typically be the Peanut or the Peanut + Peanut Butter flavours, we went with the Red Bean since that is the flavour that we tend to go for instead. The way that the pancakes are done and displayed at the counter does remind us of another similar establishment named Bu Bu Gao Sheng Pancake that has expanded to quite a number of locations around the island — the pancakes are prepared ahead of time, and are packed into plastic bags to be directly picked up when one makes an order for it. We were served with a piece of the Red Bean Pancake that seems to be a corner piece; rather obviously so considering the crusty edge that came along on the ends. One thing with noting is how the pancakes at Batter Day Pancake does not come across as being too thick as compared to the likes of Munchi Pancake’s rendition — these do seem to be better made as a tea-time snack option without feeling too substantial. The batter of the pancake also retains a chewy consistency with a distinct fragrance, though the ends does seemed to have lost some of its crispness given how these were already prepared ahead of time and wasn’t quite as warm as they would be if they were freshly made. There is not much to shout about when it comes to the red bean paste, though if anything, this was still definitely suitably sweet to say the least. The Cheese Pancake on the other hand was nothing much to shout about, though there is always that savouriness of processed cheese that somehow simply works with the Min Jiang Kueh for us that pretty much hits our soft spot. Prices of the Min Jiang Kueh per slice at Batter Day Pancake ranges from $1.20 to $1.40; the highest-priced ones being the Coconut and Peanut + Peanut Butter pancakes. A decent Min Jiang Kueh to go for for those reside around the vicinity of Geylang Bahru.

Didn’t even know about the existence of Chu Xin Wonton 初心私房馄饨 until we have found ourselves passing through the East Coast Road area; these folks are conveniently located along the main stretch of shophouses along East Coast Road that is right across the road from i12 Katong. The shophouse where Chu Xin Wonton is located should not be too difficult to locate — the facade features a brick wall and an arched door, all that whilst also featuring the use of wooden elements as well that provides a very warm, cosy and inviting look for those passing by. As one walks through its doors, one would find a pretty homely interior with warm lighting whilst also fitted with wooden furniture and fittings with vast use of greenery to provide a look that is pretty close to nature; the furniture also exuding some sort of an oriental vibe at the same time. The dining hall features a mix of tables they are good for groups of four (4) pax as well as pairs; somewhere further into the establishment would also be a long table that would cater to individual diners as well. As one would expect from its namesake, Chu Xin Wonton is an establishment that focuses heavily on their Potsticker, Wonton and Dumpling offerings; they also do serve up snacks, Chuan Chuan, and Tang Shui as well.

Since the signature offerings at Chu Xin Wonton would be their wonton and dumpling dishes, we decided to go for one of the items that is being listed in the Wontons Series section of the menu. The “Family Photo” (translated this way in their printed menu) is the best item to give all of the twelve (12) flavours of their dumplings a go in one seating; however, we weee informed that the item was unavailable for the day. The staff recommended for us to try their fish roe, fresh shrimp and pork wontons instead. It is worth noting that all of the items that are listed in the “Wonton Series” section of the menu comes in a serving size of twelve wontons per order, and it also comes default in a single type of soup that features shreds of eggs, anchovies and some greens. The wontons do come with a pinkish hue within the dumping wrapper; chewing into the wontons through the slippery smooth dumpling wrapper, the wontons were well-packed with filling — whilst one can feel the bite of the mix of shrimp paste and minced pork that is used in the making of the filling, one thing which we did find a little lacking is how the sweetness of the shrimp paste wasn’t particularly prominent. That being said, the inclusion of fish roe does provide a popping sensation that adds a variance of contrast of textures to the wontons.

Meanwhile, it is interesting to see the Whole Shrimp and Fresh Meat Potsticker come with an entire prawn less its head. The tail of the shrimp is left exposed on one end of the dumpling, while the potstickers is also noted to come without the starchy webbing that one would typically find for such dishes. The shrimp does come relatively fresh with the meat coming off the shell at the tail fairly easily; all that whilst also coming with a natural sweetness. The fresh meat filling provided a firm bite; not carrying any undesirable hint of porkiness as well. The dumpling wrapper does come a little chewier, having been pan-fried with a browned crust on the undersides as well. If anything, one thing that Chu Xin Wonton did not do particularly well would be with the desserts — the Mango Pomelo Sago was actually rather disappointing. For one, the mango mousse was especially runny and bland; the watery base just didn’t carry the sago nor the pomelo well, with the pomelo now being a little too sourish especially considering the lack of sweetness from the mango mouse that would have helped to balance things out properly. Very uninspiring, and an item that we would skip out on unless they are making the necessary adjustments after the feedback that they had gathered from us.

Chu Xin Wonton is one of those dining establishments that seems to be inspired by Yuen Kee Dumplings 袁记云饺 to a certain degree; there has definitely been an uprising of Chinese dining establishments emphasising on freshly-made dumplings ever since the entrance of the brand in Singapore; Chu Xin Wonton also stands out as one of the very few Chinese dining establishments that are located within a shophouse unit along East Coast Road as well. While the dumpling and wonton offerings are pretty decent, its dessert offerings do feel like they need plenty of work so that it can be improved upon; this is based on the experience that we have had with the Mango Pomelo Sago. Prices of its wonton and dumpling dishes range from $6.90 to $12.90; the lowest-priced of the lot would be the Fresh Meat and Chives Potsticker in the 5-pieces serving size, while the priciest would be the Bayu Chives Fresh Meat Dumpling (or rather, Mackerel Chives Fresh Meat Dumpling) which comes in a portion-size of 10 pieces per serving. It remains to be seen if such an establishment would do well in the East Coast neighbourhood; an area that is known for its deep-rooted Peranakan culture and an expat enclave; though those craving for freshly-made dumplings and wontons might be glad that such an establishment now exists within the neighbourhood nonetheless.

Goodfields has been one of those cafes which we had visited once previously, though we hadn’t really mentioned much about its existence on social media back then as we didn’t get to try any of their food items during our previous visit. For those whom have not heard of the existence of Goodfields; these folks are actually located within the compounds of The Minton — a condominium development situated relatively near Lorong Ah Soo in Kovan / Hougang. Apart from Goodfields, one can also find another cafe named Sweet Abyss somewhere around the same area as well. The shop is actually located in a publicly-accessible section within the condominium compounds that is separate from the security checkpoint; Goodfields is actually located near the end point of the same area. The cafe itself is simply decked, but tasteful in the way that is almost pretty minimalistic with the use of white walls, cement floors and grey cushioned seats; the use of wooden platform seats creates a visual contrast, breaking away from the otherwise monotone look with the white, grey and black elements. Tables at Goodfields are most catered to groups of four (4) pax, though there are also some that would also be good for patrons visiting the cafe in pairs; outdoor seats are also available for those whom intend to bring their furry friends to the establishment as well. The menu at Goodfields is separate into sections dedicated to Food, For Lil’ Ones (i.e. Kids menu), Sides, Sweets and Bakery, while beverage options are segregated into categories such as Coffee, Tea, and Juices — the espresso-based specialty coffee offerings being brewed using beans roasted by local roasters Common Man Coffee Roasters, while the tea leaves used to brew the tea are sourced from A.Muse Projects.

Visiting Goodfields for dinner during the weekend that we made our revisit, we found ourselves wanting to go for something a little more substantial and comforting and the Pork Sausage Pasta was the item that caught our attention very early on when we were skimming through the menu. The Pork Sausage Pasta is described to come with Orecchiette, pork sausage and pink sauce on the menu — other elements that can be observed in our order that wasn’t included in the description would be the addition of broccoli. A dish that is supposed to be pretty simple but also hearty, we were glad that the Pork Sausage Pasta was an item that hit the spot for us that aligned well with the cravings that we were having on the day of our visit. The Orecchiette; a pasta that is shaped to resemble a small ear, was done just about right — the pasta coming with a good bite being all al-dente, while the pink sauce does get trapped in the recessed surface of the Orecchiette. The pink sauce itself can perhaps be best described as a creamy tomato sauce; we liked how it is tangy like a tomato-based sauce but with a bit of depth coming from the creaminess — all coming together well that it doesn’t get too jelak at the same time as well. The small chunks of hand-formed pork sausages does seem to come marinated with herbs; gives the pasta dish a meaty bite without any undesirable porky stench. It seems that the folks at Goodfields do shred some cheese above and pepper for that slight hint of saltishness and peppery kick to tickle the tastebuds; meanwhile, the addition of broccoli also provides a more wholesome balance to the pasta dish — the broccoli adding a crunch, though we could imagine it being more fitting with the entire dish if the florets can be lightly “Aburi-ed” using the blow-torched for even more impact in flavour.

We had also given the Einspanner a go; this was actually an item that we had previously made the visit to Goodfields previously and also went for back then. For those whom are not aware of what an Einspanner is, the Einspanner is usually an espresso-based specialty coffee beverage that typically comes topped with cool whipped cream — whilst some versions of the Einspanner only features hot coffee, Goodfields does offer their Einspanner in both hot and cold formats. The Einspanner did previously impress us and we would say that it still managed to do so during our return visit to Goodfields — using beans roasted by Common Man Coffee Roasters as mentioned above, the coffee does come with a medium body with a fruity flavour profile; what makes their Einspanner so good is how they have executed their cool whipped cream. The cool whipped cream is sufficiently dense and carried a velvety smooth and creamy texture; it also comes slightly sweetened which definitely is a plus point for those who like their coffee a little sweet as well. Overall, one of the top variations of the Einspanner that we have come across around the island so far. It is a little bit of a pity that we had came to Goodfields without much of a stomach capacity to give their dessert offerings a try; whilst the items in the “Bakery” section of the menu do look supplied, we do notice that their brownie seems to have been homemade based on the description mentioned in the menu — the basque burnt cheesecake also does look good as well. Perhaps this would be a reason for us to make yet another revisit to Goodfields again; the prices of its food items are priced between $8 to $22 — the priciest being the Beef Ragu Pasta, while the lowest-priced item is the Toad-in-the-Hole. We did notice that the cafe is also pretty popular with families from outside the condominium; a spot that manages to serve the community around it well — definitely one to visit for those looking for some comforting cafe fare whilst around the area.

It has since been a while that Fore Coffee had been established their existence in the Singapore F&B scene with the opening of their very first outlet at Bugis Junction. With The Cathay having recently gone through its revamp and opening their doors to the public, it seems that Fore Coffee has also found new digs in the revamped The Cathay. Taking up a shop space that is located outside of the mall, Fore Coffee is the only tenant that is located within the un-air conditioned space at The Cathay. The space is decked in a manner that follows closely to what Fore Coffee’s outlet at Bugis Junction was being set out to be; the use of white as its main colours gives the establishment a clean look, but there is also a constant use of greenery and wooden furniture and fittings to also give a look that makes the brand feel close to nature. There is a decent number of dine-in seating within the Fore Coffee outlet at The Cathay — the tables here mostly catering for both pairs as well as groups of four (4) pax. Fore Coffee is a brand originating from Indonesia; similar to the likes of other coffee chains such as Kenangan Coffee and Tomoro Coffee which also exists in the local F&B scene here; key offerings at Fire Coffee would be their espresso-based specialty coffee line-up, which comprises of items segmented into sections such as Signature, Americano Series, Coffee, and Single Origin Espresso of the Week — other beverages that Fore Coffee offers would include the lineup of Refreshers, Iced Frappe, Teas and Non-Coffee drinks. Just like the Bugis Junction outlet, Fore Coffee also does serve up a line-up of bakes and pastries that are stocked in the display shelf at the counters, with the line-up comprising of a mix of both savoury and sweet bakes to go along with their beverages.

Looking through the various bakes that Fore Coffee offers in its display chiller, we thought that the Cempedak Crumble Tart was an item that stood out to us considering how Cempedak (I.e. small jackfruit) isn’t a particularly common ingredient to be found in the making of desserts here — the one time we vaguely had seen the use of cempedak in a dessert would be the Cempedak Crumble Cake from The Dessert Party in Tampines. We were glad that the Cempedak Crumble Tart is being served warm here, though the tart didn’t felt exactly that fresh. For one, the layer of crumbles lacked the crusty bite that we were looking for in a typical crumble tart offering; it felt like the crumbles had absorbed the greasiness of butter and was a wee bit mushy for our liking as well. The tart base was also a tad soft and limp, though one can find some shreds of Cempedak that gives the item a little bit of its sweetness. Meanwhile, we also had the Iced Gula Aren Latte — one of the signature beverages that is listed on Fore Coffee’s menu; this was also something that we have had previously when we visited Fore Coffee during the days when they had first opened their doors in Bugis Junction back then. For those whom are unfamiliar with Gula Aren, this would be a type of palm sugar that is much similar to the Gula Melaka / Gula Jawa / Gula Apong that some would also be more familiar with; the Latte itself was a cuppa with a light body and a nutty and earthy flavour profile — a cuppa that is relatively similar to what one would expect from such quick service specialty coffee establishments that has been popularised by Luckin Coffee over the years. The addition of Gula Aren adds a very light hint of an earthy sweetness that subtly lingers at the back of the tongue in the finish. Whilst other similar establishments such as that of Kenangan Coffee and Tomoro Coffee have been a little bit more aggressive with their expansion plans in Singapore, Fore Coffee is one establishment that seems to have expanded at a much slower pace; the opening of their outlet at The Cathay seemingly being a calculated move after seeing how things have been with their Bugis Junction outlet. Would we be seeing more Fore Coffee outlets in Singapore someday though? Only time will tell!

For those whom have been frequenting Bukit Timah Food Centre before its closure and being replaced by Bukit Timah Interim Food Centre, thatsmypizza.sg should not be a name that is too unfamiliar to most — with the move to Bukit Timah Interim Food Centre, the folks behind thatsmypizza.sg had also started thatsmybrew; both stalls are separated with the thatsmypizza.sg occupying a stall space within the smaller wing of the interim food centre while thatsmybrew is situated in the area where most of the other hawker stalls are located. Whilst thatsmybrew was initially set-up to compliment the offerings of thatsmypizza.sg by offering craft beers, thatsmybrew had also recently expanded its offerings to also serve up both savoury and sweet crepes, whilst also serving up sourdough loaves and espresso-based coffee as well.

Skimming through the menu, we found ourselves particularly drawn towards their Salted Caramel Baked Apple Crepe; there are three (3) other variants of crepes which thatsmybrew has to offer — these would be namely the Honey Butter, Nutella Butter, and the Salted Caramel Crepe. The Crepes are made freshly upon order at thatsmybrew; some waiting time is therefore required for each order to be made – the crepes are also made via the hot pan and are served up in a way similar to French crepes as well. Whilst we did note that there was the use of butter in the making of the crepe, we did feel that the crepe was a little bit on the drier side; this was especially evident where the edges were a little more crispy. The salted caramel here does come a bit runny; also seemed to be tuned towards being a little more on the saltier side rather than sweet, though thankfully the soft yet slightly crunchy slices of baked apples did provide sufficient sweetness to balance things out here — these could be found both folded within the crepe, as well as being topped above the crepe. Whilst it would be a little unrealistic to expect something similar to a crepe specialty store given how thatsmybrew is just a stall situated within the hawker centre, the prices of the crepes are a tad high for an item offered at a hawker centre — the prices starting from $8 for the Honey Butter Crepe, while the Salted Caramel Baked Apple Crepe / Salted Caramel Pineapple Crepe are priced at a whopping $12. It would be interesting to see if this would work out for the folks at thatsmybrew in time to come …

Oh Lemak! Is one of those establishments that we got to learn about whilst scrolling through social media some time ago. These folks do seem to be a new entrant to Bukit Timah Interim Food Centre that is located at Jalan Seh Chuan; Oh Lemak! actually takes up a stall space around the middle of the main block of the food centre and should be not too difficult to locate if one is looking out for a stall with a bright orange signage — a sight that isn’t particularly common especially at that food centre. Oh Lemak does look like any other stall specialising in Singaporean-style Nasi Lemak — the various elements that one can opt to go for with their order of the Nasi Lemak are all prominently displayed in the the display case are counter. For those whom are looking for a fuss-free experience in ordering their Nasi Lemak, the menu of Oh Lemak! does lists down a number of Sets which comes with a fixed combination of elements that one can opt for; the menu also does clearly list down the prices of each element if one were to order them ala-carte to provide patrons with some form of transparency on the prices of each item.

We went straight with the Chicken Wing Set since the chicken wings at Oh Lemak! are being tagged as a signature must-try item at Oh Lemak!. Oh Lemak! also does mention on its menu that all items sold in a set to include elements such as luncheon meat, coconut rice, egg, anchovies, peanut, sambal and cucumber. Digging into the rice first, the coconut rice is reasonably fragrant — whilst we have had coconut-infused rice with a stronger hint of coconut milk fragrance, the coconut rice at Oh Lemak! Is considered to be quite fragrant and fluffy for a rendition that is being served up at hawker centre stalls; one which we found to be rather commendable. The chicken wing that came with our order was one that belong to a batch that was fried earlier; they were still in the midst of frying up another fresh batch, though it would take some time for those to be served. We thought that the chicken wings are actually quite good if one gets a fresh batch that just came out from the fryer — the batter still remains somewhat crisp for our order which was fried earlier; whilst also being slightly greasy after having absorbed some of the oil whilst sitting in the display shelf, the chicken wing is still juicy and immensely flavourful being brined before frying. This was certainly worthy of its signature status, and we would definitely be craving for more if these were served piping hot. The slice of luncheon meat was nothing too out of the ordinary; definitely provided the saltishness that one would expect out of processed, cured meat though this wasn’t as salty as some others that we have tasted from other stalls. The anchovies in the meanwhile does come crisp and lightly salty; a plus point right there, while the sunny side-up comes with soft whites and a runny egg yolk that would work well as the “egg porn” Instagram shot way back in the days — all that whilst also does not come with any undesirable stench of overused oil. The sambal does leave quite an impression for us as well; their sambal is pretty similar to that typically served with the Malaysian-style Nasi Lemak — a savoury version that comes with caramelised onions, while also coming with a hint of lemongrass. This does seem to work well for those tolerable to slightly less than moderate levels of spiciness; adds on to the flavours of the rice as well.

As a new player to the local F&B scene, Oh Lemak! does seem to serve up quite a decent version of the Singaporean rendition of the Nasi Lemak that does exceed the expectation of what one would get at a typical coffeeshop / food court / hawker centre stall — one could definitely tell that they had looked hard into the details such as the work behind all the rice, as well as to serve their sunny side-up with flowy and runny egg yolks which are things we appreciate here. That being said, perhaps some time is needed for them to get used to their operations to ensure that their fried chicken wings do come freshly-fried and piping hot — after all, knowing how many fried chicken wings to prepare at one go does require some form of an understanding of the demand for the dish on a regular day; something that they can only gauge better as the business continues to operate. At $5.40, we do find that the Chicken Wing Set is also priced rather reasonably; not all establishments would offer a slice of luncheon meat as part of the basic set anyway. With its quality and price point, Oh Lemak! is a stall that we will find it being pretty worth the consideration to dine from the next time that we are at Bukit Timah Interim Food Centre!

Found out about Cupo Coffee whilst scrolling around the phone whilst they have yet to open their doors — these folks are located at Blk 1 Jalan Bukit Merah, and is the newest F&B establishment added to area after the opening of the new Xin Yue Lai Bak Kut Teh 新悅来肉骨茶
outlet at the neighbouring Blk 11 Jalan Bukit Merah; both of which being situated close to ABC Brickworks Food Centre. Cupo Coffee shouldn’t be too difficult to locate within the neighbourhood; the shop unit is situated at a spot around the back of the bus stop that is right in front of the HDB block. Occupying just half of a typically-sized HDB shophouse unit at the ground floor of the HDB block, Cupo Coffee is an establishment that is of a takeaway-only nature; they are pretty much a hole-in-the-wall establishment with no dine-in facilities within its premises, though one can make use of the communal facilities in the HDB block should they intend to enjoy their cuppa seated down. Cupo Coffee is rather similar to other specialty coffee stores of a takeaway only nature that one can find around the heartlands such as that of QYLS Coffee and Meadowbrew; the main focus here would be on its espresso-based specialty coffee and its special concoctions of espresso-based specialty coffee under the “Something More” section of the menu. Other beverages available would include the line-up of “Not Coffee” items like the Matcha Latte, drinking Chocolate, Orange Jasmine Tea and the Peppermint Jasmine Tea.

Having skimmed through the menu quite a fair bit before making our decision on the item that we wanted to give a try, the Jasmine Americano was an item from the “Something More” section of the menu that we found ourselves settling for since this sounded like a pretty unique concoction. The Americano here does come with a light body and a fruity note; the addition of the Jasmine syrup does give the cuppa a slightly sweet yet floral note that would hit the tastebuds for those who love the infusion of floral elements in their food / drinks — this is especially so considering how this feels like an overall lighter-flavoured cuppa that still provides a caffeinated kick, but with a contrast of flavours that isn’t quite as stark as compared to other more usual concoctions of fusion-style Americano like the Orange Americano. Prices of the coffee offerings at Cupo Coffee does seem to be pretty wallet-friendly for espresso-based specialty coffee; the Americano is priced at $4, while the priciest beverage on its menu would be the Peppermint Coconut Latte at $6.50. Whilst the ABC Brickworks neighbourhood does have existing cafes such as the likes of Carara and Geometry that have been in the neighbourhood for quite a while, Cupo Coffee does provide residents an office workers nearby a quick grab-and-go option for specialty coffee at their convenience.

Got to hear quite a fair bit about the new Tsukiji Kaisendon that had recently opened within Holland Road Shopping Centre; the shopping mall has seen a bit of a shift in their F&B tenants in the past year — another recent opening there would be that of Frankie & Fern’s. Tsukiji Kaisendon is located at the second level of the shopping mall; these folks take up a pretty prominent space within the mall, with the store being located just right in front of the escalator landing at the second level of the mall. One thing worth noting about Tsukiji Kaisendon is how the frontage of the shop actually carries a stark typo error that says “Tukiji Kaisendon” instead. It seems that Tsukiji Kaisendon are opened by the very same folks behind Chirashizushi Shou which operates several outlets across the island — this would include Thomson Plaza, The Hillford, and Bukit Timah Plaza; for those whom have been following the local F&B scene for years, one might perhaps also recall Chirashizushi Shou being an establishment that is by the same folks behind the now-defunct Sumo-Ya at Far East Square. Occupying a store unit that is wider than being deep, the establishment features wooden furniture and fittings that is rather befitting of a look of a rustic Japanese eatery; the dining tables within the establishment being good for diners whom are visiting the establishment either in pairs or in groups of four (4) — the seating being a mix of dining chairs and booth seats. The food menu at Tsukiji Kaisendon is split across sections that are dedicated to Kaisen Don, Chirashi Don, Sushi & Makimono, Sashimi, A la Carte, and Ramen & Donburi. Beverages available includes a variety of alcoholic drinks, while non-alcoholic drinks include tea, soda and soft drinks.

We came to Tsukiji Kaisendon for the Kaisen Don but left the establishment being especially impressed with their Black Garlic Tori Ramen. The menu at Tsukiji Kaisendon describes their Black Garlic Tori Ramen to be a chicken broth ramen that comes with grilled chicken leg, black fungus and spring onions. Digging into the ramen, we went with the chicken broth first — we found the chicken broth to be pretty collagen-rich with a smooth and silky mouthfeel whilst also leaving us with a bit of a sticky lip situation which we very much enjoyed; we did find that the broth wasn’t too saltish, while the addition of black garlic also helps to provide a garlicky fragrance that runs at the back of the tongue giving the chicken broth a good contrast of flavours on its own. The noodles that came with the Black Garlic Tori Ramen were also of the thinner and springier sort that provided a good bite as well. Interestingly, the black fungus is also served in a way that bears almost the same look as the noodles with the exception of its colour. With the black fungus intertwined with the noodles, it helps to add an element of soft crunch amidst the slurpy noodles that comes with a bite. Meanwhile, the grilled chicken leg does come with a good savoury note while the chicken itself comes with juicy and tender meat with a slight hint of smokiness; definitely something that we wouldn’t even mind having as-is on its own. The Black Garlic Tori Ramen also does come with a whole ramen egg as well; the ramen egg does seem to come almost to the point of fully cooked whilst swimming around the hot broth, while the savoury notes of soy from the marination process also doesn’t seem to be particularly evident either.

During the same visit to Tsukiji Kaisendon, we had also given their Maguro Zanmai a go — this item can be found on their Kaisen Don section of the menu, and is described to consist of elements such as Maguro, Chutoro and mashed Toro whilst being served with sushi rice. We do feel that the sushi rice does come at a decent temperature being lukewarm so as to not warm up the raw fish that sits above it. All of the raw tuna featured within the bowl were pretty fresh as well; all coming with its different textures, the Chutoro providing a slightly fattier mouthfeel as compared to the Maguro — meanwhile, one can feel the fibres of the fish within the mashed Toro that somehow provided an element of bite, while the accompanying knob of wasabi that came with the dish does provide quite a numbing kick that goes straight up through the nose which provided quite the oomph for us. We also managed to have the Salmon Mentaiko Maki from the Sushi & Makimono section of the menu a go; while the menu does not describe on the elements that comes with the Salmon Mentaiko Maki, it can be observed from our order that the item does come with Tamago rolled within the Maki — there is also a bit of drizzling from the Mentaiko mayonnaise on the salmon which has been blowtorched considering how this is an “Aburi” dish. The Maki seems to be packed just tightly enough without any of the elements falling out; the sushi rice also coming suitably sweet while the Mentaiko mayonnaise comes all umami with the briny notes of Mentaiko with a slight smokiness from being blowtorched. Chirashizushi Shou is an establishment that one would expect some form of quality and consistency in their dishes considering how the have become a brand with a fairly established name over the years; we are glad that the folks behind the brand has managed to keep things the same with Tsukiji Kaisendon. We are especially impressed with how their Black Garlic Tori Ramen was done; had never really expected a Kaisen Don / Chirashi Don establishment to actually serve up quite a delicious bowl of ramen. Prices of the Kaisen Don / Chirashi Don are priced from $16.90 to $36.90, while the Rice / Noodle dishes are priced at $9.90 to $15.90. With how they are still relatively unknown, these folks do seem to be a hidden gem for Japanese fare in the Holland Village area at this current juncture — still pretty much a name that is worth keeping a look out for considering the strong foundations set by the folks at Chirashizushi Shou!

Got to learn about the opening of Together& Coffee Space whilst scrolling around social media one day — these folks are actually situated within a shophouse located along Duxton Road. The shophouse of which Together& Coffee Space is located within is in the same stretch as one would find other establishments such as Dill — a fairly new Scandinavian restaurant that had set up shop in the area as well. The space was formerly an office space — with the opening of Together&, it seems like the office space is being scaled back with a long conference table that is located at the back of the shop unit; the space had however returned quite a fair bit of the look that was adopted by the office for its interior; the use of exposed brick walls painted in white matches the wooden flooring, while the dining seats features black cushioned seating to provide patrons with an added level of comfort whilst dining within the establishment. Dine-in tables at Together& Coffee Space caters to both groups of patrons visiting the establishment in pairs as well as in fours (4). Offering patrons with a rotating lineup of bakes as its only options for food, we were also being told that the bakes are also freshly-made on the day itself. Beverages available at Together& Coffee Spcae works generally surround around its espresso-based specialty coffee offerings; non-coffee offerings will include drinking chocolate, matcha and some soft drink options — just to name a few.

Looking for something substantial to go for, we went for the Cinnamon Bun — all of the bakes that Together& Coffee Space has to offer for the day are being displayed prominently in the display case that faces out of the cafe towards Duxton Road. We were being asked if we would like to have the Cinnamon Bun warmed up, and we decided to have it so. The Cinnamon Bun does feel a little bit dense here, but it definitely came with a good amount of cinnamon powder and sugar being dusted all around. Despite the denseness of the bread, the bread wasn’t too thick if one decides to have it by unravelling the layers down to the core; the fragrance of the cinnamon does come in pretty strong, whilst we found that the Cinnamon Bun itself was also aptly sweet to complement the notes of the spice itself — the sweetness gradually increasing as one reaches the core. Unlike the Cinnamon Bun, we were being told that the Canele at Together& Coffee Space is meant to be enjoyed cool; we did find that the Canele did turn out a bit squishy with the crust having started to lose a bit of the crustiness that it is meant to carry, though it still came with a little bit of a crunch nonetheless around the edges. The insides were soft; carries a soft hint of vanilla aroma with a slight booziness from rum(?) that adds that contrasting finish just to balance things out a little.

Meanwhile, the White is smooth and creamy; a pretty well-pulled cuppa; one that came with a nutty and earthy flavour profile — medium-bodied, and coming with a fruity finish. Works well as a mid-day perk-me-up. Overall, Together& Coffee Space does present itself well as a cosy nook for some simple bakes and coffee within the Duxton neighbourhood — the rotating nature of the selection of bakes that it has to offer providing a reason for patrons to return to check out the various bakes that they have to offer. Whilst Together& Coffee Space does serve up well-pulled specialty coffee in a quiet space that is hidden away from most of the crowd in the Tanjong Pagar neighbourhood, one can only wonder if there is still capacity within this area of town which has seen the addition of many of such joints over the past year; nonetheless, we do hope that there is still a place within the area for Together& Coffee Space to operate in the long run despite the saturation of cafes there — definitely more choices for cafe-hoppers to consider to grab their cuppa!