The Pallipalayam Chicken from Dindigul Thalappakatti

That chicken on the right doesn't look like much, but I ordered it because it was pitched as a Tamil Nadu style masala of coconut and spices. And that earthy masala indeed made it nice and savory. The chicken itself was a bit dry though, so I'll probably go back to the tawa meen fish that I got last time.

The better discovery was the kushka rice on the left, which was basically plain biryani without a big chunk of protein. And yet this wasn't a vegetarian briyani either, so presumably there was still some kind of animal fat in there that kept it so delicious. It was pleasanatly peppery and was fun to eat with the spicy thin gravy. Yum.

Victor Famous Fried Chicken Wing Rice off Jalan Besar

I didn't even realize it until I looked it up just now that this place is run by the guy who started that old Carona chain...which incidentally also inspired the Two Wings folks. Anyway, the line at this still dwarfed all of the others at the Yi He Eating House kopitiam today (638 Veerasamy Road #01-101, 6336-6083). I assume it was due to not just the tasty wings, but also the impressively low prices. The big surprise for me though was the rice: it was deliciously savory yet also cooked extra firm. Sure, the wings were fine, but I'd come back here for the rice alone.

Mother’s Recipe Patra from India

I bought this from Mustafa last night, precisely because I had no idea what it was. It turned out to be a lot of leafy greens rolled up with chickpeas, fitting perfectly into a cylindrical can. I sliced them up and pan fried them with oil, and rather enjoyed eating them on a breezy afternoon with some white wine. It was kinda like dolma grape leaves, but salty, spicy, and sweet (think: Korean fried chicken, but not syrupy) with some crispy edges after being pan-fried. I'd be curious to see how this tastes fresh rather than from a can.

The Wagyu and Aburi Chashu Ramen from Hototogisu

The Hototogisu folks have rolled out a couple of new bowls this month, like that wagyu ramen above. And I was very happy with it, as it arrived with a lovely aroma of fried shallots and even grated ginger on top of those deliciously tender meat slices (pro tip: eat the meat straight with some of the garnish rather than mixing it into the bowl). The broth was still the crisp and savory thing that I love from Hototogisu. Note that it's only available at a few of their outlets though, namely Paragon, Jewel, 100AM, and CHIJMES.



Their other outlets, on the other hand, feature that aburi chashu bowl above. I was a bit worried that it would be overpowered by that sakura ebi sauce that they kept highlighting, perhaps becoming too sweet in the process. But it wasn't. If anything, it was very salty, in a deliciously fun way, making those thin and tender cuts of pork go down easily along with the savory broth and skinny noodles. Really, Hototogisu beats the pants off of Tsuta, which can be hit or miss with some of the things they've been trying lately.

Trying All of the Cuts of Lamb at Kuaile Xiaoyang

So I've been coming back to Happy Lamb enough to have gone through several other items on the menu, including all of the different cuts of lamb. And after all of that I can say that the best cut is...not that shoulder meat above, as it was cut very thick (and yes, the staff delivered it to you propped up on a bookstand like that). Basically, all of the other cuts, including the chef's selection, the premium marble cut, the rib meat, and their namesake rolls, were all delicious, even if many of them were so thin that they nearly fell apart in the broth. Speaking of the broth, I was very happy with the very savory zibu nourishing version, as well as of course the spicy and pickled veggie ones too. The dumplings were fine, but were a bit too filling, so I'll probably pass on those unless I'm really hungry. I wonder how their beef fares.

Marrakech’s Bacha Coffee in Singapore

I'm not sure if this chain of cafes is really much of a thing in Morocco. It looks like their outlets are mostly in Singapore, and my limited time in Marrakesh at least suggested that folks there were heavily centered around tea instead. Actually, Bacha looks like a coffee-focused counterpart of TWG, using the same formula of looking exotically historic, but really is just dressed up to appeal to upscale consumer interests.

It shouldn't matter though. After all, it was precisely that gorgeously ornate decor - along with porcelainware and classically-dressed staff - that made the place interesting. We were pretty happy with the food too, be it the pastries, drinks, or proteins. The only thing to complain about was the disappointingly dense baguette that was provided on the side, but I'd still be happy to come back here to try more.

Wildfire Burgers at NAFA in Singapore

A burger with some suds sounded good after work today, so I stopped at this place, which apparently is run by a former Privé chef (80 Bencoolen Street #01-15, 9198-2673). Now, I'm about to date myself by saying this, but when this first came out, the first thing that came to my mind was that little old lady from Wendy's asking, "Where's the beef?" Fortunately, it was better than it looked, especially with a good quality bun and cheese...and yes, you could kinda taste the beef. Now, I'd much rather go to places like Five Guys or Phat Burger Bro., particularly for their fries. But this place is cheap, and has a reasonable selection of craft beers in the fridge too.

The Tengjiao Fish Set from Taikoo Lane Hotpot

I told you that I'd come back for this. Yes, I liked the fish better than the lamb, as they provided some generously thick slices. And the tengjiao broth packed quite a punch, even if it was more about the oil than the broth. Also, it looks like it's the sesame paste that is sweet, so it was good that she didn't put too much in my bowl this time.

SPRMRKT at Dempsey Hill in Singapore

If that's difficult to make out in the photo, those are Brussels sprouts in a sriracha mayo. And it's from SPRMRKT, a chain that has been around for a while and still hasn't bought a vowel yet. This afternoon I stopped at their Dempsey Hill outlet for a few light snacks (8 Dempsey Road #01-15A, 8129-8166). No, it was nothing to go out of one's way for, but this was a very pleasant and brightly lit venue that suited Sunday afternoons perfectly. The service was fast and cheery too.

Today’s Yufan: A Flathead Grey Mullet (Wuyu)

Heng Heng had not just huanghua yellow croakers this morning, but also these bigger wuyu grey mullets. I grabbed one of the latter to see what the difference was. It was much meatier but also much leaner, which made it more dry. There was some fat lining the thick skin, but it wasn't the savory delight from last week, especially since this one tasted muddier. Had I tried this last week, I'd have probably given up on yufan. But I'm still going back for the croakers.

Revisiting New Ubin Seafood After Six Years

New Ubin Seafood has changed a bit since we last ate there. They've not only moved and expanded to new locations, but they also got - and lost - Michelin Bib Gourmand status. Some of the dishes have changed, most notably the kai lan: only a small portion of the leaves are deep fried now, sadly making the crispy stuff more like a topping rather than the dish itself. Their ribeye and carabinero prawns seem similar, but they weren't anything to get me too excited either. The best thing tonight was the boss bee hoon, which was smokier, better seasoned, and more textured than the "heart attack" fried rice that came with the steak. I'd be curious to see how their chye poh kway teow fares.

Tangled: Fresh Pasta to Go at Chinatown Point

Here's another place doing affordably priced homemade pasta (133 New Bridge Road #B1-52B). There is no dining area, so it's takeout orders only (and the sauce is in the bottom half of the containers so those are unsauced in the photo above). But there is a wide selection of pasta types, sauces, and proteins to choose from. The two that I picked up today were good enough to eat quickly, even if they were slightly mushy and could've used a smidgen less garlic. I liked it better than La Mensa but not as much as LINO and Tipo.