Fishmonger Kitchen Shimonoishiki in Singapore

This is allegedly a shop from Japan, although I'm not entirely sure how similar the local rendition here is (18 Robinson Road #03-02). Either way, it was better than I was expecting, mainly due to the quality of the ingredients in that handa somen and tempura lunch set above. The nihonshu menu looked like it would be worth coming back to try, although I'm not in any huge rush, especially since the service here is still a bit rough around the edges.

Gangshi Changfen at Circuit Road Hawker Centre

I've never been to Circuit Road Hawker Centre before, but it's an old school place in an eccentric linear-shaped orientation. There were quite a few places to choose from, including this stall (79A Circuit Road #01-74), which makes changfen from scratch on a big flat surface. Those dumplings on the right weren't bad either. To be sure, none of it was worth going out of one's way for, but there are a number of other selections in this strip of stalls that can add more value to a visit. For instance, I rather liked the earthy and spicy sup kambing from Rubia at stall 96 too.

The Black Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen from Menya Aoi

I was a bit bummed when we arrived at Menya Aoi today to find that they have removed their customization options. Fortunately, that "normal" bowl above still featured firm noodles and a decently salty broth without me needing to explicitly request it. The black sauce was decently smoky and spicy, and the egg was pleasantly savory. The food here is a little better than its plasticky outward appearance suggests.

The Impossible Steak Haché Grillé from Les Bouchons

Les Bouchons runs a pretty generous weekday set lunch that I treated myself to today. I didn't go for the steak frites though; instead, I was curious to see how that Impossible patty would fare, especially since they even offered a medium rare option. Despite how sterile the outside crust looked, it was better than I thought it would be, especially in terms of texture. But it still isn't as good as real beef, for which need to remember to pay the extra five bucks to upgrade to the ribeye since the sirloin here really doesn't cut it. And don't order veggies given that a salad already comes on the side as part of the set.

Eggslut’s Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich

I finally tried the basic bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich from Eggslut today. It looked and sounded nice, but it was more sodium than substance, as there was just no body in this sandwich to make it satisfying. I left the place hungry, and the experience was made worse by the fact that the wait was so darned long. I'm not too big on Eggslut anymore.

Yunnan’s Grilled Seabass (In Person This Time)

It's nice that Yunhaiyao finally has an outlet in the city (2 Orchard Turn #B3-17, 6513-0828), and fortunately there was no line tonight, so I finally got to try their grilled fish in person this time. That earthy dry rub was nice, and interestingly, it was garnished with some laksa leaf (not sure if that's how they serve it in China or if it was a local adaptation). But sadly, they used a frozen seabass that was rather lousy; maybe that's why they offered a fish upgrade if you wanted it. Next time I'll skip this and go for those mushrooms and maybe some noodles and skewers.

The Budaejjigae from Hansang at Square 2

I think this is our first time at Hansang for dinner rather than lunch. We not only had that budaejjigae above, but also both kurobuta and wagyu on the grill. The service was engaging and the food was fine, but my preference is still for Go! K-BBQ, both for food and price reasons.

Thatsmypizza at Bukit Timah Market in Singpoare

This hawker center-based pizza stall is pretty good (51 Upper Bukit Timah Road #02-198). It features a pleasantly chewy crust that was so chewy that it almost felt a little mantou-like, and mine was topped with a local curry chicken that was seasoned and greased up nicely. The S$18 (US$13.40) price for that little pie was much higher than what one would expect in a hawker center, but I'd still rather get this than one of the pizzas at The Yeast Side across the street.

Set #1 from Xiaonanmen in Taiwan

I just realized that this is the same thing that I ate at Taoyuan Airport last time, although I don't think it had the Xiaonammen brand on it then. Either way, you can't get more Taiwanese than this set, featuring luroufan and thick geng soup, a braised egg, as well as soybean milk and edamame with coarse black pepper. It wasn't anything special, but it got food into my belly this morning before getting on the plane.

Mum Home (Amancuo) in Taipei, Taiwan

The English name may sound a bit weird, but they basically serve humble home-cooked Taiwanese food here (5 Lane 6 Section 2 Jianguo North Road, 02-2925-3999). And it's impressively good, not just because of how delicately balanced it is, but also because of the high quality of ingredients used, including the super fresh seafood, produce, and even bloodcakes and intestines. I'm surprised that this place hasn't gotten more attention yet. Thumbs up.

Chili House Restaurant (Wu Chaoshou) Has Expanded in Taipei

I haven't been back to Sichuan Wu Chaoshou in a long time, but it looks like they have expanded to multiple branches, and with a Michelin Bib Gourmand to boot. We got an array of items, all of which fared well. Too bad that they totally forgot our order of sijidou though, as the menu said that it was the "chef's special," and interestingly came with some pancakes, presumably to make little burritos out of. Will have to try it next time.

Le Chamber (Canjiuguan) in Taipei, Taiwan

Even though they put emphasis on their cocktails here, this is not to be confused with the upscale cocktail bar Le Chamber in Seoul's Cheongdam-dong. This instead was more of a restaurant (152 Section 2 Dunhua South Road, 0227061687). It was hard to place an identity on the food, but there were some interesting things like crab served in little pani puri shells, or that spicy crab risotto above featuring local doufuru fermented tofu. The taste didn't really work for me though, with that risotto being oddly sour, for example. Then again, this place is probably easier to get into than Longtail across the street.

Hong Kong's Dim Sim Sum in Taipei, Taiwan

That may look a little weird above, but that's literally how the menu instructs you to eat it: shove a chopstick into the nostril so that you can squeeze out the yellow filling inside to make it look like snot coming out of the little piggy-shaped bun. It is basically the signature item from this chain of dim sum restaurants from Hong Kong, and there was an outlet here at Taipei Station for us to load up at before getting onto the train. The food was fine, and it came out quickly, but Tim Ho Wan was definitely better.

Lo Chi Hsiao Chao in Taipei, Taiwan

Luoji Xiaochao is a little rechao at Linjiang Street Night Market that happens to be a Michelin Bib Gourmand (27 Alley 50 Lane 39 Tonghua Street). They have a variety of proteins that they stir fry to order on little plates, like those clams as well as sliced lamb with veggies above. And they can make it pretty darned spicy too. It was fresh, cheap, fast, and delicious...and even comes with a free self-service bowl of soup. What's not to like?

Woke Ramen at Singapore Changi Terminal 1

The name of this place (80 Airport Boulevard #03-19) isn't trying to make a political statement, but instead is referring to the wok hei flavor in the broth. I was thus rather interested in trying it, even if it looked rather commercialized from the outside. The good thing was that there was some mild smokiness in the broth indeed, and they didn't overcook the noodles either. But the broth wasn't salty enough, and those shrimp balls were disappointingly tasteless. They have a prawn-based broth available too, but I won't make any huge effort to come back to try it.

The Prawn Noodles from Prawnography

Prawnography has more on its menu than Hokkien mee. It also offers prawn noodles. I knew that it wouldn't be as good as the Whitley Road folks that preceded them in this location, but these came out so sweet that they were syrupy. Ugh, I should've stuck to their Hokkien mee.

The Half Bossam Lunch Set from Ju Shin Jung

Here's the bossam lunch set from Ju Shin Jung. Even though it was only a half portion, it was rather filling; I had trouble finishing it all and I had been on an empty stomach since last night. These guys have some pretty decent lunch deals, especially since they are very generous with their banchan too.

Prawnography at Novena Gardens in Singapore

This place didn't look very convincing when they first opened, so I never went in (273 Thomson Road #01-03A, 8686-9777). Now I regret not having gone earlier, as that plate of Hokkien mee above was pretty good. It was wonderfully smoky, and they were also very generous with the prawns and crackling. Plus, the sambal was on point by being citrusy and stanky without being overly spicy nor sour. Granted, that plate was also a whopping S$8 (US$6), and it certainly wasn't as good as Yi Sheng. But the latter is not an option anymore, and this came with air conditioned seating if you wanted it. I'll be back.

Suancai Beef Rice Noodles from Qianzhuang in Singapore

I rotated over to the suancai bowl at Qianzhuang today. The beef was more tender than I was expecting, and I ate the entire bowl pretty easily, especially with that firewood chili powder again. The suancai was just a mere topping though (rather than forming the base of the broth), so my preference is still for the lamb bowl.

zum Kropf in Zurich, Switzerland

I had barely enough time during my layover in Zurich to quickly hop on the train into town and sample the local specialty: Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, or veal in a creamy white wine sauce. For some reason, I thought that the veal would be presented as a big Schnitzel-like cut, but instead it was sliced and served in a metallic vessel warmed by a tea light. It was tender and savory, and the Rösti was leagues beyond that stuff from Marché, being much more crispier, heartier, and saltier. This wood-paneled restaurant (In Gassen 16,+41-44-221-1805) had a gorgeously decorated ceiling too.

Bacalhau à Posta from O Mercado at Lisbon Airport

I've had couple of instances of bacalhau in these past few days, both in a small petisco form on bread, as well as in the fried pastéis/salgados form. Neither of those got me too excited, to be honest. But I wanted a simple bacalhau filet for lunch today, and fortunately the brightly lit food court at the airport had it available.

Sure, it was served in a cafeteria tray format, and some online reviews called it pretty lousy. But I don't have much of a reference point and still liked it, as it was exactly what I figured rehydrated fish to taste like: slightly tough, slightly salty, and slightly aged, but in a good way, kinda like dry cured meats or dry aged beef.

Actually, the bigger highlight on that plate for me was the arroz de tomate. It may look like that silly orange-colored "Spanish Rice" that one gets in the US, but this is totally different, being moist and refreshingly savory. I also had a bit yesterday and kinda wish I had some more.

Manteigaria in Lisbon, Portugal

Pastel de nata are an iconic food in Portugal, and I've had at least two of them in as many days. Still, one of the most famous shops, Manteigaria, was just a few doors down from O Trevo, so I figured that I might as well get one more before heading to the airport later (Rua do Loreto 2, 21-347-1492). The most important thing to keep in mind when comparing them to Macanese egg tarts is the crust: these were almost like phyllo pastry with a bit of tension in the exterior, all while being filled with a rich crème brulée-like custard, which one in turn can dust with cinnamon. Yeah, they're pretty good.

My Bifana Shootout: As Bifanas do Afonso vs O Trevo

Admittedly, pork sandwiches were not high on my priority list given that I had already tried beef pregos at places like Ramiro. Still, a shop called As Bifanas do Afonso (Rua da Madalena 146) was on my walking path this morning, and was apparently one of the best, so I stopped in for a quick breakfast. OMG, it was sooooo good! It wasn't just the delicate marinade of the meat, but also that light and chewy bread soaking up the juices. There were bottles of piri-piri oil for the occasional assist when needed, but it was good enough without it. It was so good that I nearly ordered a second one, although I held back in order to preserve some stomach space.



And that stomach space was saved for another bifana shop called O Trevo (Praça Luís de Camões 48, 21-346-8092), which is probably more famous due to its central location and Bourdain visit. But yeah, this one wasn't as good, in part because of the denser bread, but also since the meat wasn't as delicately marinated. Still, they had piri-piri oil (yes, I'm calling it oil now instead of sauce, as it really is a chili oil rather than that thick sauce that Nando's makes) that I used to propel the sandwich into my belly. These bifanas kinda remind me of those tripe sandwiches from Florence.

Bonjardim in Lisbon, Portugal

There were two things that I had to get while I was here in Portugal: ginja sour cherry liqueur and piri-piri chicken. Fortunately, there were three well-known places serving those within a few minutes walk of each other. Between the two rival ginja bars, I liked A Ginjinha better than Ginjinha Sem Rival as the former was less commercialized. But I haven't had enough of this stuff to be able to taste the difference.

After that, I hopped over to Bonjardim (Travessa de Santo Antão 11, 21-342-4389), which surprised me in many ways. The chicken is just listed as spit-roasted chicken, and you have to ask for the piri-piri sauce, which came in that little bottle on the right. It was potent and certainly light years beyond Nando's, but the meat was also disappointingly powdery. The skin also had so much salt encrusted on it that I had to discard most of it, which is a shame since that's where the fat was.

It didn't come with sides, so I ordered that creamed spinach, which interestingly they told me to put oil and vinegar on as if it were a salad. I think the only thing that I honestly liked was the chicken broth, which was as grey as dishwater but was savory and refreshing with its rice and shredded meat in it. At least the prices were dirt cheap and the service was friendly.

Cervejaria Ramiro in Lisbon, Portugal

If you could imagine the halfway point between Botafumiero on one end and Swan Oyster Depot on the other, this place would be right in the middle (Avenida Almirante Reis 1-H, 21-885-1024). I mean, they all serve minimally adulturated shellfish, but the venues vary from table linens to a wooden dive bar, while this one is brightly-lit with paper placemats and seafood on display in cases as you enter, not unlike some Cantonese restaurants stateside.

The food was a delight either way, with extra fresh shellfish like those firm and naturally sweet prawns on the right. The other amusing thing is that "dessert" is usually a steak sandwich called prego. The tenderloin was sliced moderately thin and salted up with garlic inside their light yet chewy bread, making it indeed a fun way to end the meal. Next time I should get the crab as it looks like they served the carapaces inverted for tomalley access.

Tasca do Manel in Lisbon, Portugal

A local guide took me around to a number of places in Bairro Alto tonight, and this little family-run place was my favorite (Rua da Barroca 24, 21-346-3813). The family part was the key: they make their own wine as well as piri-piri sauce, which was impressively potent, lighting up not just their gritty fish soup but also that duck rice above with its firmly cooked and savory grains perfumed with a quick squeeze of orange. The cozy wood paneled interior and cast of characters in the family made it all the more endearing. Awesome.

The Pulpo from ALAS By Hermanos Torres

Here's the octopus from ALAS at Barcelona Airport. It went down the hatch in a jiffy, even if it wasn't as mindblowing as I had hoped (my expectations were high given their Michelin heritage). I saw a ton of burgers moving out of the kitchen today though; maybe next time I should try one of those.

Restaurant Xiscarexantar in Barcelona, Spain

I'm quite happy to have stepped into this neighborhood bar, as I was the only person in there speaking English (59 Carrer de Pere IV, 934-85-5862). It was a lively local scene, and I grabbed a few things like those clams above, as well as a wet-cured Galician ham called lacón, both of which were deliciously savory. But the highlight had to have been the morro frito, or fried pig snouts. They were chopped up and were kinda like tougher versions of pork rinds, going great with all of the booze. In retrospect, I should've taken my remaining snouts back with me in a bag since they'd make for a nice snack on the go.

Chuchy Hot Dogs in Barcelona, Spain

I didn't even realize it until I looked it up just now, but it turns out that this food truck is run by El Bulli alums. Maybe that explains why that namesake special dog above featured such funky toppings like a crispy corn powder and cole slaw. It was certainly unique, even if the underlying sausage was rather mild. Actually, the real reason why I ate here was because those thickly-cut potato chips looked like they had potential. Plus, their cheeky "Eat My Sausage" tagline gave them an appealing attitude. It got food into my belly either way.