Welcome to Clementi.

Was scrolling around social media and got to know about the existence of So Good Nasi Lemak in the Meetup coffeeshop at the foot of Blk 352 Clementi Avenue 2 — these folks do seem like quite a recent addition to the coffeeshop. To those whom are familiar with the address, So Good Nasi Lemak is located within the same neighbourhood as 353 Clementi Avenue 2 Food Centre; the coffeeshop is also the same one that houses Hoy Yong Seafood Restaurant. Located in one of the stalls in the middle of the coffeeshop, So Good Nasi Lemak is a stall that is hard to miss considering the bold design of its signage; whilst the establishment does seem to serve its Nasi Lemak offering in sets, patrons do get the flexibility of adding on other items that are available which are displayed in the display case at an additional cost should they fancy doing so.

So Good Nasi Lemak does not describe the elements that are included with their Nasi Lemak; with that being said, it can be observed from our order of the Nasi Lemak with Chicken Wing — this comprises of the usual suspects such as the sambal chili, peanut and anchovies, sunny side-up, as well as cucumber slices that would accompany that of the coconut milk-infused rice and the chicken wing; there is also the inclusion of fried crumbs on the side that is similar to that of the hushpuppies that comes with the offerings of fried fish / fried chicken with fries at Long John Silvers, while we opt for the addition of a Begedil for our order. Digging into the coconut milk-infused rice first, the rice does come with a soft and fluffy consistency — there is definitely evident notes of coconut milk amidst the rice that one can detect at the back of the tongue as well. Pairing it up with the sambal chili, the sambal does carry a sweet note though also comes with a fiery punch; the portion of sambal chili served with the Nasi Lemak also does come across as pretty generous at the same time as well compared to what one would expect to find from other establishments — the best way to enjoy the coconut milk-infused rice is to have it with the sambal, anchovies and the fried crumbs all in one spoonful. The fried chicken wing that accompanies the Nasi Lemak with Chicken Wing does marinated with turmeric for an extra flavour; considering how these were pre-fried ahead of time when we visited So Good Nasi Lemak for dinner service, the chicken wing did feel like it lost quite a bit of moisture — not quite as juicy nor tender as what we had expected it to be, while the batter is also a little bit on the thicker side. Sunny side-up does come with a runny yolk and a soft egg white without any undesirable notes of overused oil, while the anchovies remain crisp without being overly salty as well.

Was scrolling around social media and got to learn about the opening of the new Rasapura Aneka that had opened within the Foodhub coffeeshop at the foot of Blk 325 Clementi Avenue 5 very recently. This neighbourhood is within walking distance away from Clementi MRT Station. Whilst being a new name to the local F&B scene here, Rasapura Aneka is by the same folks behind Little Myanmar Halal Foods which has been operating also as a coffeeshop stall for quite a while just a few blocks away at Blk 328 Clementi Avenue 5. Unlike Little Myanmar Halal Foods which serves up a full menu of Myanmar cuisine for its menu, Rasapura Aneka serves up a much more curated menu as compared to Little Myanmar Halal Foods; whilst still carrying some Myanmar dishes in its menu, there is also an attempt to better relate with local tastebuds with the offering of more familiar dishes like Nasi Lemak Berempah and Laksa on its menu as well.

One dish that we hadn’t quite seen being served around establishments serving up Myanmar fare in Singapore would be the Panthay Fried Noodle. The Panthay Fried Noodle does come with wok-fried yellow noodles, onions, lime, herbs, ginger, shredded cabbage, dried chili and sunny-side up; it can also be observed that the dish does come with chicken on the side as well. Based on the information that we can find on the dish, it can be noted that it is a bit of a fusion dish enjoyed by the Muslim-Chinese community in Myanmar that sees both Chinese and Burmese elements in the same plate. The use of onions, lime, herbs and dried chilli can be described as something similar to that of the Nangyi Thoke; a Burmese spicy noodle salad dish, though the main difference here would be the use of wok-fried yellow noodles over boiled thick rice noodles and the lack of chickpea flour in the Panthay Fried Noodle. Considering how the Panthay Fried Noodle does come with yellow noodles that has been wok-fried with a dark sauce, there is quite a bit of similarity with the fried noodles that is being served up at local-style economic bee hoon stalls; mixing up the noodles with the onions, shredded cabbage, herbs and dried chilli with a bit of lime zest gives a slight zing, crunch and the fragrance of Lao Gan Ma-esque chili that gives a contrast of flavours to the wok-fried yellow noodles. The chicken that accompanies the dish was decent, consisting of a drumstick with some other smaller and slightly bony parts with somewhat tender flesh that falls off from the bones easily — all that while the sunny side-up does come with a runny egg yolk, soft whites and free from grease and any undesirable odour from overused oil.

Had got to know about the opening of a new cafe named Grounds on a Hill Coffee that is situated at Blk 106 Clementi Street 12; a neighbourhood that is also otherwise referred to as Sunset Way which is the namesake of the other street that the estate faces. Grounds on a Hill Coffee is situated in the same space in which En Ramen used to have occupied before its move back to being a coffeeshop stall at Toh Guan Road. For those whom are familiar with the neighbourhood, Grounds on a Hill Coffee is located right next to the outlet of Five Star Dim Sum there. Being an establishment that seems to be more focused on their specialty coffee offerings, Grounds on a Hill Coffee has their beverage menu split up into categories such as Espresso, Filter and Others, while they also do offer a small range of food offerings such as Sourdough, Tarts and Financiers that one can go for with their coffee if they are feeling peckish.

Both the Fruits & Nuts, Browned Butter Financier and the Pear Tart were equally great, but we would reckon that the Pear Tart would be the “crowd-pleaser” considering how it is a more predictable and safer option that most would likely go for over the financier. The Pear Tart is sized smaller than most dessert tarts that are being served at other patisseries / bakeries; whilst Grounds on a Hill Coffee does not describe the elements that goes into the making of the Pear Tart, though we did notice the usual elements such as the tart base, almond frangipane and almond flakes included over the top. Here, the slices of caramalised pears sit atop the tart, providing the tart with a soft crunch and the loosely-packed almond frangipane that adds on with a nutty fragrance. We also liked how the tart shell was crisp in a cookie-like manner; holding up everything above it pretty well whilst slicing down neatly whilst not feeling particularly heavy nor dense as well.

Stepping into this place feels like traveling back in time. There’s something about its nostalgic charm — it instantly brought me back to the Eighties, when my mom used to bring my brother & I to the Hainanese coffee houses around town and Bukit Timah. Those familiar feelings paired with the Christmas season, made the moment extra special. 🎄♥️

The festive set lunch comes with classic starters: salad 🥗, soup 🥣 and garlic bread, followed by a pretty Christmas fruit cake drizzled with sweet condensed milk and chocolate sauce.

A special mention to the mussels with white wine and cream — rich, creamy with garlic bits and absolutely wonderful for mopping up with the garlic bread. So good! 😊

#stfoodtrending #straitstimesfood #wheretoeatsg #marinerscornersg

Stepping into this place feels like traveling back in time. There’s something about its nostalgic charm — it instantly brought me back to the Eighties, when my mom used to bring my brother & I to the Hainanese coffee houses around town and Bukit Timah. Those familiar feelings paired with the Christmas season, made the moment extra special. 🎄♥️

The festive set lunch comes with classic starters: salad 🥗, soup 🥣 and garlic bread, followed by a pretty Christmas fruit cake drizzled with sweet condensed milk and chocolate sauce.

A special mention to the mussels with white wine and cream — rich, creamy with garlic bits and absolutely wonderful for mopping up with the garlic bread. So good! 😊

#stfoodtrending #straitstimesfood #wheretoeatsg #marinerscornersg

Stepping into this place feels like traveling back in time. There’s something about its nostalgic charm — it instantly brought me back to the Eighties, when my mom used to bring my brother & I to the Hainanese coffee houses around town and Bukit Timah. Those familiar feelings paired with the Christmas season, made the moment extra special. 🎄♥️

The festive set lunch comes with classic starters: salad 🥗, soup 🥣 and garlic bread, followed by a pretty Christmas fruit cake drizzled with sweet condensed milk and chocolate sauce.

A special mention to the mussels with white wine and cream — rich, creamy with garlic bits and absolutely wonderful for mopping up with the garlic bread. So good! 😊

#stfoodtrending #straitstimesfood #wheretoeatsg #marinerscornersg

Stepping into this place feels like traveling back in time. There’s something about its nostalgic charm — it instantly brought me back to the Eighties, when my mom used to bring my brother & I to the Hainanese coffee houses around town and Bukit Timah. Those familiar feelings paired with the Christmas season, made the moment extra special. 🎄♥️

The festive set lunch comes with classic starters: salad 🥗, soup 🥣 and garlic bread, followed by a pretty Christmas fruit cake drizzled with sweet condensed milk and chocolate sauce.

A special mention to the mussels with white wine and cream — rich, creamy with garlic bits and absolutely wonderful for mopping up with the garlic bread. So good! 😊

#stfoodtrending #straitstimesfood #wheretoeatsg #marinerscornersg

Yippee! 🥳 Christmas came early at home this year with this delightful log cake from Balmoral Bakery. Soft vanilla sponge coated in thick, old-school buttercream. And just look at those adorable classic ornaments — tiny Santa, reindeer 🦌, cute pine tree 🌲 and a meringue mushroom 🍄 perched right on the log 🪵. Nothing like a little vintage charm to kick off the festive season. ⭐️

#stfoodtrending #straitstimesfood #wheretoeatsg #balmoralbakery

Craving some Teochew porridge tonight? 🥣 We visited Heng Long Teochew Porridge outlet at Clementi for some simple comforts that we have missed for a while like braise meat, steamed meat to accompany with a bowl of Teochew muay [a.k.a. porridge] and in my case, an extra bowl of rice 🍚 to fill me up a little more.

Nothing fancy, just plain satisfying, hearty and delicious. We’re already looking forward to our next visit! 😋

#stfoodtrending #straitstimesfood #wheretoeatsg #whattoeatsg #henglongteochewporridge

Round II at this Chinese dumplings & wantons eatery this weekend! We dived straight into their popular viral mixed sauce with chilli oil, ultra-satisfying signature shrimp and crab roe pork wantons + some crispy fried dumplings to switch things up. Everything is freshly wrapped on-site, ingredients are fresh and so affordable — honestly, what’s not to love? ❤️

#stfoodtrending #straitstimesfood #yuenkeedumpling #yuenkeedumplingsg

Round II at this Chinese dumplings & wantons eatery this weekend! We dived straight into their popular viral mixed sauce with chilli oil, ultra-satisfying signature shrimp and crab roe pork wantons + some crispy fried dumplings to switch things up. Everything is freshly wrapped on-site, ingredients are fresh and so affordable — honestly, what’s not to love? ❤️

#stfoodtrending #straitstimesfood #yuenkeedumpling #yuenkeedumplingsg

Marrybrown doesn’t need much of an introduction for those whom frequently cross the border — they are a Malaysian fast food chain that is founded in Johor Bahru, Malaysia since 1981. There has been attempts made by Marrybrown to enter the Singaporean market throughout the years; the most recent attempts being in the mid 2010s with the fast food brand opening outlets at Wisma Geylang Serai and iFLY at Sentosa; those outlets have since shuttered their doors. In their latest return back to the Singaporean F&B scene, Marrybrown had already launched their second outlet at Tradehub 21 (their first was in Yio Chu Kang Community Centre). Its location within Tradehub 21 takes over the former premises of the now-defunct TOBY’s Kopi Toast Bakery; a location that is quite prominent when one enters the compound through the vehicular entrance — this also makes the neighbours with the outlet of Killiney Kopitiam there. As one enters the premises, the interior design language is undeniably in a style that one would expect out of a fast food establishment; think bright red elements matched with wooden and metallic furniture and fittings for a bit of a vibrant look that is still pretty functional. The dining tables at Marrybrown’s outlet is configured in a format that suits those visiting the establishment in pairs and groups of four (4) pax, though there is a communal table and a few high tables that can accommodate for larger groups as well. The food menu at Marrybrown’s outlets in Singapore is split into sections dedicated to Ultimate Chicken Meals, Burger Meals, Local Delights, MB Nasi Bowls, MB Crispy Chicken, Sides and Sharing Meals.

Thought that it would be more meaningful for us to give one of the items from the Local Delights section of the menu a go since this section of the menu would be something a little bit more unique than that of other fast food establishments that serves up fried chicken as their specialty. Listed in the Local Delights section of the menu includes items like the Nasi Lemak, Nasi Kandar, Chicken Rice, Chicken Porridge and Spicy Porridge — we found ourselves going for the Nasi Kandar which was an item that undoubtedly Malaysian and rather unique for something offered by a fast food establishment. Marrybrown does not describe the elements that would come with their various dishes but the Nasi Kandar is observed to have come with one piece of fried chicken, slices of cucumber, chickpea crackers, hard-boiled egg and rice that has been drenched by a curry gravy. Patrons do have a choice of either going for the Original or the Hotouch rendition of the fried chicken; the latter being what other establishments typically call the “spicy variant” that we also opted for.

Going straight for the fried chicken, we did notice that the fried chicken here does seem to be a little bit on the drier side; not quite as juicy as what we had expected it to be, though also definitely not particularly greasy at the same time. The flesh does seem easy to chew through, while the exterior does come with an adequately crisp batter that also did not feel overly thick also did not reek of overused oil. It does come with quite a good kick of spiciness that builds up over time — definitely tickles the tastebuds even for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness. The curry gravy that is drenched atop the rice came surprisingly rich and fragrant — this does come with an evident note of coconut milk amidst the curry spices, while it also carries quite a good hint of spiciness that can be matched against that of the Hotouch rendition of the fried chicken. Other elements like the cucumbers, chickpea crackers and the hard-boiled egg were good to have; the chickpea crackers being not overly thick and does come crisp without feeling particularly greasy as well — we would recommend adding the Sambal Sauce on the side as a dip for all of them. The Sambal Sauce at Marrybrown can be ordered as a standalone tub at $0.90, and is essentially the sambal chili that typically comes alongside a typical plate of Nasi Lemak (and also the Nasi Lemak that they have to offer here); does come sweet with an earthy undertone and carried a good kick of spiciness at a level similar to that of the curry gravy and the Hotouch rendition of the fried chicken.