The Wagyu Beef Tartare Lunch Special from Boeuf

I told you that I'd be going back to Boeuf for this. Yes, I liked it, especially since they didn't make it sweet. They also have a burger and croque monsieur available on their list of lunch specials, but I'll stick to this or the hanger steak.

Trying Out Fresh Hawthorn Berries from China

I never knew what a hawthorn berry was. I mean, I know what Chinese haw flake candies taste like, as well as the hawthorn drinks that I come across at places like herbal tea shops. But I'd never seen the original fresh fruit before. So when Cold Storage had these on display the other day, I grabbed a box.

They are not very easy to eat, mainly because of a cluster of small seeds in there. They are around the size of grape seeds, but firmer like an apple seed. And I never knew this until now, but apparently both apple and hawthorn seeds have a bit of cyanide in them, although you'd have to chew on a lot of them to reach toxic levels.

The flesh was not as juicy as I had hoped, but mushy and powdery instead. Yes, that made it reminiscent of haw flake candy, but without the added sugar, so it was much less sweet. I didn't get very far with this box before throwing the rest out.

Ah Gu Kaka Wa (Guochang Chuanweiguan) at Djitsun Mall

From the exterior, this place seems rather odd (5 Ang Mo Kio Central 2 #01-01, 6757-3358). Lit with neon and furnished with Minion and Pokemon chairs, the Latin letters on the signboard say Ah Gu Kaka Wa, and yet the Chinese characters say guochang chuanweiguan.

But the chuanr on the menu looked promising, and my hunch was right: the chicken skewers in particular are the closest that I've been able to find to the now defunct Alati. It was a smaller portion, but the meat was moist and tender like Alati, and it was seasoned just right too. The pork isn't bad either, but I'll pass on the mutton and beef next time, especially since the former was dry and didn't even taste like mutton.

BTW, their ganbian sijidou is one of the better renditions around town, especially since the chili peppers were delightfully thin-skinned and crisp. They have quite a few other things on the menu, including kaoyu, suancaiyu, and jigongbao. I'm not sure how those fare, but the beer was impressively cheap.

Yummy Yum Authentic Thai Salad at Golden Mile Tower

It's worth taking a second first to clarify the name of this place (6001 Beach Road #B1-69). They serve Thai "salads," but we're not talking about plates of leafy greens. It's basically your choice of protein (including raw blue crab and prawns like I got above), done up in either a larb or yum style (get it?), the former of which was fun with its rice powder, while the latter was refreshing with its chopped chili peppers and tomatoes.

They all come out in tiny S$2 (US$1.50) portions, which makes these salty spicy sour morsels perfect for sampling along with some beer. They also have boat noodles, sticky rice, and some impressively tender grilled skewers available. Yummy indeed, especially at the extra spicy Thai level. If you're having trouble finding them, look for the brown Thai Street Food Market signage in the basement.

Boeuf on Telok Ayer Street in Singapore

As the name suggests, this is a beef place (159 Telok Ayer Street, 8950-5975). And the prices aren't as outrageous as I would've thought; indeed, that wagyu hanger steak above carries a lunch price of just S$22 (US$16). Of course, it was very lean, but it was also tender and decently charred, going along nicely with those potato-ey fries. Yep, I was happy, and am thinking of coming back here to check out their tartare next.

Freehouse on Gemmil Lane in Singapore

This place (10 Gemmil Lane, 8800-3103), first and foremost, is a craft beer bar. But they also have a list of small plates to go with your drinks, and the food was impressively good. That stracciatella di bufala above, for instance, not only came with toasted Starter Lab bread, but also sat in an orange prawn oil that made it savory and aromatic. I also had an heirloom tomato that they sliced and topped with things like burrata, basil oil, and dukkah, as well as fried capers. The food was playful, and the staff was friendly. I'll be going back.

Zuru Zuru Mazesoba at Kanpai 789, Singapore

Kanpai 789 is a bar that has sat at the corner of Robertson Walk for a while now (11 Unity Street #01-11, 8738-7996). They used to serve Thai food at one point in time, but it wasn't particularly memorable. Yet this week they started advertising this mazesoba under a Zuru Zuru brand, and it was better than I thought it would be. I didn't even need to add any of the vinegar and chili oil that they provided because it was seasoned just right. Yes, it was comparable to Kokoro, Kajiken, and Kanda Soba.

Rice Sando Tokyo at Plaza Singapura

The name of this stall is strangely stylized with a hashtag: "#ricesando tokyo" (68 Orchard Road #B2-45). And these rice sandwiches didn't really look very appealing on the menu either. But it was created by the Kohaku team, as well as folks like the guy who brought Tamoya and Kokoro down here, so I figured that maybe it was better than it looked.

Not really. I mean, I'll admit that I kinda liked the mayo and onion at the end, in the same way that Sushiro's shrimp with avocado sushi is a guilty pleasure of mine. But the beef had zero appeal for me, and the seaweed and rice quickly became a difficult mess to eat, not unlike MOS Burger's rice burger. I don't think I'll come back.

A Mikan Shootout Between Haya, Arida, and Suga

Don Don Donki has had a variety of mikan available recently, so I picked up one of each bag to try them out. The Arida variety was my favorite, not only for being plump and juicy, but also because it was tangier than the other two, which were just plain sweet. I still prefer tangerines over mandarins though; Meidi-Ya has some awesome ones from South Africa that are pretty affordable too.

Myung Ga (Ming Jia) II Korean BBQ at Bukit Timah Plaza

There are a lot of Korean restaurants at Bukit Timah Plaza, eh? Here was one (1 Jalan Anak Bukit #B1-55, 6469-5123), where we got that plate of gunmandu above. The banchan spread was limited but I liked the kimchi and egg in particular. And the mul-naengmyeon was pretty good too, especially with all of the ground sesame seeds that they topped it with. I wonder why they didn't provide any mustard though.

The Chicken Fricassée from Café Aux Bacchanales

I take back some of my praise for Aux Bacchanales. I'll still eat the chicken fricassée above as well as the seabass meunière from last time. But everything else that I've had here since then has made me raise an eyebrow, as it just reminded me of mess hall food. Well, the lunch sets are nicely priced at least, and they even have a wine pairing option. Pro tip: be sure to get a three course lunch with the wine pairing since it also includes a dessert wine at the end for the same set price.

Dosukoi x Donpachi Japanese Izakaya Dining & Sake Bar

I was wandering through Cuppage Plaza after work and stumbled across this little izakaya tucked away in the corner of the basement (5 Koek Road #B1-23, 6733-6847). Yeah, I was happy with the food, even if it didn't blow me away either. But there is definitely more to explore here, including not just the impressive list of specials that they had available today, but also all of the other places in the building. It's been so long since I've explored the gems inside.

Sichuan Alley on Telok Ayer Street, Singapore

Chuan Hung Noodle has reinvented itself as Sichuan Alley (51A Telok Ayer Street #01-01). But it's still run by the Birds of a Feather people, which (I only realize now) includes the chef that was behind Pang's Hakka Noodles. Anyway, I came here for that dish above, which is paofan, but in a suancaiyu broth. They made it a bit more upscale too: instead of thin slices of fish, one gets a big grilled piece of barramundi, garnished with things like red radish slices, cherry tomatoes, and kale. I was happy with everything that came out, including a refreshingly cold eggplant and green chili salad that I got to go with it.

Xi Man Unagi Restaurant at the Former Park Mall

What's up with all of these Japanese places building small unagi extensions recently? This one (9 Penang Road #01-02, 8828-2280) is attached to Ganko Sushi. And it wasn't cheap. That tiny little half unaju was basically the most affordable thing on the menu, and it went for S$35 (US$26). And that's after downgrading to a cheaper Taiwanese eel too. Well, the food was pretty good, with the eel being pleasantly firm and tasty without being greasy, all on top of pearly little beads of rice. But I left hungry, and would rather just go to Man Man or even Ichinoji.

Trying Out the Soup Spoon’s HandBurger

This HandBurger brand has been around for a number of years. But I never tried it, and I never knew that it was run by the Soup Spoon folks either. It was on the menu at our local Soup Spoon outlet tonight though, so I stopped in to give it a try. Unfortunately, the beef was rather tasteless and dry, which just brought everything else down with it. No, I won't go back for it.

The Bukkake Sarada Soba from Reiwa Soba

I haven't been back to Reiwa in more than a year, and it looks like the menu has changed to feature less of a Thai influence. Sure, the mango salad is still on the menu, but now the top of the list features this hiyashi-like dish, which was rather refreshing on a warm day like today. The firm texture of the noodles still came through even if the taste was overpowered by the sauce. BTW, there was still a 15 minute wait today despite the presence of several unoccupied tables.

Fruit Pai (Pinguopai) at Funan in Singapore

At first glance, this looked like any other fruit stand (107 North Bridge Road #B2-K17). But upon closer inspection, there was something different going on. Not only were they assembling them into bowls, but one gets dips like galangal powder and even a xiangsu lajiaofen chili powder.

It turns out that this is a Chaoshan dish called gancao shuiguo. The fruit is dressed in a licorice and plum mixture, giving it a tangy and slightly salty taste, similar to Mexican fruit cocktails. But instead of lime-centric Tajin, the powder that came with this one is an earthy Chinese mixture.

I'm not sure how true to form this rendition is (some videos that I saw from China showed the use of cilantro and sesame seeds, and some only featured a plum powder). But yes, I liked it, and I'm definitely going back. I wish that I had known about this earlier, especially before our last trip to Shantou.

Viet 9 Baguette at Toa Payoh Mall in Singapore

This place literally stopped me in my tracks as I walked down the passageways of Toa Payoh Mall (183 Toa Payoh Central #01-280, 8882-0408). Oooh, it was a new bánh mì shop! I quickly grabbed one to see if it were any good.

I was a bit worried at first, seeing how she scooped in minced chili peppers rather than sliced ones, and then proceeded to toast it all. But the chili peppers were potent, the bread was crisp and airy, and the butter and pâté brought it all home. Big thumbs up; I'm going back.

Tenjin by Les Amis at Shaw Centre in Singapore

The Les Amis folks opened this place a couple of years ago (1 Scotts Road #03-08, 6235-3312), but I never gave it much thought given that it was focused on tendon. Then recently I noticed a couple of non-tendon sets at the top of the menu, so I finally came over to give it a try.

It was fine. As you would expect of Les Amis, the ingredients were of decent quality. The batter was a bit thick, but presumably that's because they needed something rigid to stand up to the sauce in a tendon. They also didn't provide any salt, but I'd rather go to Makino anyway.

The Skewers and Beer Set from Little Sheep Hot Pot

I did it; I finally went back to Little Sheep to get that beer and chuanr combo set. It was basically the exact same stuff as last time, except with beer and fries instead of hot pot. And just as with last time, I didn't like the beef but the lamb was pretty good, especially since it wasn't sweet, and the cuts of meat were pretty fatty. I should ask them next time if I can make them both lamb instead.

Brine on North Bridge Road in Singapore

Here's a cute little spot with an open kitchen that started up five years ago (775 North Bridge Road). The menu is short, but they do weekday lunch sets that are priced lower than the standalone price of the main. And yeah, I generally liked the food, including not just that capellini above, but also a risotto that came topped with a big rectangular construct of battered enoki mushrooms. Now, the purist in me would prefer that they didn't go so overboard with the multiple seasonings and garnishes on these plates. But I was still happy enough to gobble it all up quickly. This place kinda reminds of places like The Masses.

The Fish Briyani at Briyani 47 in Singapore

This small chain of briyani stalls has gotten some attention lately, in part for being Bangladeshi, in part for being served with only a spoon. I'm not exactly sure what parts of this made it Bengali, but the best part of what I had today were those long and skinny yet firmly cooked grains of rice, which were indeed delicious enough to shovel into my mouth with a spoon. I wasn't a huge fan of those thick and borderline dry cuts of fish though. Presumably they won't do a protein-less version, so maybe I'll try the tofu option next time.

The Leek Grilled Cheese Toastie from Woodlands Sourdough

Mmm...that was delicious. It was gooey, rich, salty, and even a bit spicy, going perfectly with that crusty bread, easily making it one of the best things that I've eaten all week. And yes, I'm still a fan of the bread at Woodlands Sourdough (183 Upper Thomson Road #01-03) which is just as good as, if not better than Starter Lab and Yeast Side. I'm glad to see that they are back; here's to hoping that otiveiL gets resurrected soon too.

The King’s Garden Ale from Song Fa Bak Kut Teh

I'm a bit late to this, but the folks at Song Fa have been doing their own beer for a couple of years now. It's in collaboration with the 1925 Brewing Company, and it was pleasantly floral. I'm now starting to wonder what other restaurants around here are doing local craft beer collabs.

BTW, if something looks strange with that bak kut teh above, that's because it's fish instead of pork. It was nice and light, and yet it still came with normal bak kut teh broth, which was pretty peppery here. I don't remember Song Fa's broth being so punchy before, but I liked this and will come back for it.

Suju Masayuki’s Premium Lunch Tempura Course

Despite having taken food home from Suju a few times, I've never actually eaten on-site. So when we went there for lunch today, I figured that we should get something that isn't available through takeaway. And we went large, doing their Premium Lunch set, which goes for multiple times the amount of the rest of the menu. It all featured quality seafood, including that gigantic king prawn there. And I particularly liked their homemade tofu as well as a savory oyster appetizer. But it was also fun being seated in front of that open kitchen. Next time I need to remember *not* to upgrade to the sushi set at the end given how they seem to take a lot of pride in their rice and miso.

The Breakfast Pancake Burger Set from Han's Cafe

I was shocked yet curious when I saw this available at Han's this morning. It was exactly like it looked: pancakes with an egg, breakfast sausage patty, bacon, and maple syrup. Calling it a burger was a bit odd, but hey, it succeeded in getting my attention, even if it's not something that I'm going to get again.

Bakmi Town at Lucky Plaza, Singapore

I still had more stomach space to fill after that dinner. So I hopped on up to this bakmi shop on the third floor of Lucky Plaza where I was very encouraged by the fact that they didn't seem to speak much English (304 Orchard Road #03-39, 6802-6185). I grabbed the first thing at the top of the menu, and it was much better than I thought it would be. The little pieces of chicken were tender, and weren't sweet. The soup was earthy and peppery, and wasn't sweet. And the chili sauce was refreshingly spicy, and wasn't sweet. Next time I'll probably shift toward the bakso side of the menu though.

Rabbit Brand Seafood Delicacies at Lucky Plaza, Singapore

I am not sure how long these guys have been around, but it was precisely its old school tile-and-neon-signage look that made me curious (304 Orchard Road #02-114, 6737-9722). Even the menu looked like it hadn't been adjusted for inflation, with that Buddha Jumps Over the Wall set going for just S$10.15 (US$7.50), and that plate of veggies in the upper left corner for just S$1.70 (US$1.30). Granted, the food was nothing to do backflips over, but the soup was savory enough that I cleared everything, especially with that dark brown chili-spice mixture in the center. These guys seem to be run by a processed seafood importer called Yeow Seng.

Tampopo's Unazen at Ngee Ann City, Singapore

Had I known that this was run by the Tampopo folks, I wouldn't have rushed down here. See, there is a new unagi shop in the basement of Takashimaya Shopping Centre, complete with a nondescript exterior that made it look like it might be a transplant from Japan (391 Orchard Road #B2-33, 6235-2315). Only after I sat down and ordered did I realize that this place was basically just Tampopo next door. I felt duped.

In Tampopo's defense though, their food is actually half-decent. And I ate everything in my lunch set today, including that tender and fatty kurobuta kakuni. They even offered hone-senbei fried eel bones here. But I was still hitting myself on the head for not realizing that this was just Tampopo in sheep's clothing, wishing that I had gone to another lunch spot that I was considering earlier.

Haidilao Wisma Atria’s S$19.80 Value Set Meal

The new Haidilao outlet at Wisma Atria (435 Orchard Road #03-15) is running an impressively priced set right now: S$19.80 (US$14.70) buys a selection of 11 small hotpot items, and that's inclusive of the soup base that they usually charge for with their other lunch sets. Granted, they only provide a quarter of a pot, and one has to go before 5 PM on weekdays, but they're OK with solo diners taking up an entire booth like I did today.

The catch though is that they charge S$4 (US$3) extra for the condiment bar. So while I liked my choice of their mushroom broth today (it reminded me of Mushroom Park when they were still around), next time this cheap bastard will just get their mala broth to act as my dipping sauce. They fill the adjacent compartments with plain water, which means that I can just cook my meats and veggies in there to create my own clear broth.

Deli (Jie) Fish Head Steamboat at Whampoa Makan Place

There are multiple stalls at Whampoa Makan place selling these fish steamboat pots, and they all seemed pretty popular. So I stopped by one tonight to see what all of the fuss was about. This one, carrying a tagline of "Happiness in the Fish Eye," spanned two stalls and did cze cha dishes as well as single serving bowls of fish soup (90 Whampoa Drive #01-70). But I wanted the namesake pot, so I got the cheapest batang mackerel one for S$22 (US$16).

It turned out to be a giant portion of fish soup kept hot on a burning stove. But it was savory, light, and refreshing, with that fish being fresh and firm. Plus, that fragrant long grain rice went great with that crisp broth. I finished most of it, even if it would've been better had they provided Teochew brown beans to dip into rather than that sweet Thai sauce. Their Facebook page suggests that they bring in quite a bit of speciality seafood from time to time, including hairy crabs. Next time I should see if they have anything worth sampling.

OG Lemak at Newton Food Centre, Singapore

This stall has drawn some long lines lately, as it's run by a private dining chef who steams her rice twice (500 Clemenceau Avenue North #01-16). And it's precisely the rice that was the best part of this dish: it featured a very delicate and borderline crumbly texture. It wasn't as coconut-y as most nasi lemak, but that's what I liked about it, as it was more subtle and perfumed with other spices as well.

The fried chicken, on the other hand, was coated in a surprisingly thick batter. And the two sambal types were both on the sweet side. Those weren't necessarily bad things; it was more crunchy and candy-like, and I still ate it all. But the standout for me was the rice. I wonder if there is a way to ask for a larger portion of rice next time.