China's Jincheng Lantingxu Has Opened in Singapore

Yay, a Lanzhou beef noodle chain from China has opened at TripleOne Somerset (111 Somerset Road #01-18). It's a proper shop, offering a wide range of noodle widths, stretched to order before being covered in a crisp (almost pho-like) broth and garnished with fragrant aromatics and chili oil, not to mention decently tender beef. The noodle texture wasn't as chewy as Shejianjian, but they offered a wider range of items like roujiamo and liangpi. I won't bother with their chuanr again though, as it is done in that slightly wet style that I don't care that much for. They definitely aren't shy about the seasoning here, by the way.

Swag & Sizzle in Tanjong Pagar

On the former grounds of Mr & Mrs Nasi Lemak is a stall run by L'Entrecote alumni (243 Cantonment Road). On one hand, I wasn't getting my hopes up given how scarred I am by affordably-priced steak frites places like Brasiero. But if these guys really had experience at L'Entrecote, then I was hoping that they could do it a little better.

The good thing was that the meat was much better than I was expecting: it was decently tender, even if one can't expect much at just $21.90 (US$16.20). But I couldn't stand the fries, which were crispy rather than tasting of potatoes. Well, it was very affordable at least. Maybe next time I'll just get their steak and eggs breakfast so as to avoid the fries.

Maruhachi’s Nagoya Miso Katsu Set

No, that brown stuff is not tonkatsu sauce. It's a red miso sauce that Maruhachi is doing as a tribute to the Nagoya region (it looked much redder in the stall's signage by the way). The sauce turned out to be almost sugary sweet, which means that I won't bother getting it again. But at least the thick texture of the sauce gave it some appeal, even if the pork itself was a bit greasy and certainly couldn't compare to Tonshou. It was nonetheless quite a steal at only S$12.30 (US$9.20).

The Mul Naengmyeon from Seoul Noodle Shop

Here was the mul naengmyeon from Seoul Noodle Shop. It looked great, but I didn't like it at all, mainly because the watered-down broth. They didn't even provide vinegar and mustard until I asked for it. Well, I'll still go back to try other menu items, but it definitely won't be this one again.

Rasa Istimewa at Woodlands Waterfront Park

I've been wanting to check this place out for a while (6A Admiralty Road West, 6366-9339). It's an outlet of a small chain of halal restaurants, but with this one in particular being on a jetty in the Straits of Johor. So one gets a view of JB, the Johor-Singapore Causeway, and Woodlands Waterfront Park in one go. (And no, this wasn't intentionally meant to be a weekend of eating on jetties; I just happened to go head up here on a whim this morning.)

Anyway, the menu consists of standard local cze cha fare, including seafood, noodles, and even localized Western plates. Their satay caught my eye though, as they offered one cut that I don't often see: babat, or those cuts of beef tripe on the left. They were pleasantly tender, chewy, and fatty. The mutton and chicken to the right of them were comparatively tougher but still quite edible given that they were nicely caramelized. And the sauce wasn't too sweet either. I'd like to come back again when I'm not in such a rush.

Returning to Um Yong Baek in Singapore

I love Um Yong Baek, but their aromatics are so potent that it's not the best choice during the work week when I need to be around people afterwards. So it was nice to come here this weekend to load up on things like their pickled leeks and not have to worry about chomping on raw garlic while I was at it.

Actually, this might be my first time back in two years, and they have since opened a second location around the corner at Far East Square (80 Telok Ayer Street). I'm not sure if the second location is what spurred a second set of thin and thick lunch configurations, but that's the thick - yet not Milyang - version above.

It was better than the thin Busan one, especially since there were some fun slivers of fatty meat that they put into this. We also had a side of myeongran-jeot pollack roe that was deliciously savory and perfumed with some lovely sesame oil.

The Long Weekend Pizza in Singapore

This place is quite interesting in that it's someone's house (61 Saint Patrick's Road, 8913-0331). They have a wood-fired oven in their driveway and sell drive-through pizza to the public via WhatsApp on weekends. Admittedly, I didn't care that much for the pizza itself, as it was rather underseasoned and the dough was forgettable, if chewy (granted, the bar was set very high given that I just ate at Fico earlier). Either way, the concept of driving up to someone's house to pick up a pizza that they made on their driveway is very cool.

The Red Onion Focaccina from Fico’s Kiosk

Fico is awesome, but securing a reservation and paying for that table service have been big deterrents. Still, I was nearby this afternoon, so I went up to the takeaway kiosk, paid twenty bucks, and had this delicious gem in ten minutes. I didn't even need to order that pricey picnic basket package, as they had food a la carte.

Yes, it was deliciously rich and gooey with stinky blue cheese and the occasional kick of fragrant cracked black pepper on top of an airy yet moist dough. Perhaps the more treasured thing was being to walk out to the end of the nearby jetty and eat it under a gentle sea breeze, free of charge.

Yiwanmian (“First Noodles”) Bone Broth Noodles

A new chain of Lanzhou chingzhen beef noodle stalls has appeared at some food courts recently. The beef was more tender than I was expecting, and I liked how there was a huge tub of chili oil in front at one's disposal, complete with a big ladle inside that made it easy to put a pretty generous scoop into my bowl. But the broth was rather watered down and the noodles were oddly spaghetti-like, making this pale in comparison to Shejianjian. I still ate it all though.

Hathaway at Capital Tower in Singapore

That might be a bit hard to make out in the photo, but those cylindrical yellow things were battered veggies adorning a barramundi fish curry. And it was much better than I thought it would be, being fresh and piping hot while being nicely balanced on the spices. It went well with the firm herbed rice behind it as well as the pickles, which thankfully weren't sweet.

I was originally worried that this place's "British Asian flavors" sounded like an identity crisis trying to be too many things in one go, but what I ordered today was good enough that I wouldn't mind going back. I think they were originally up on Dempsey Hill but they are now down in Tanjong Pagar (68 Robinson Road #01-01, 9665-0681).

Tai Seng Fish Soup in Singapore

I might not have even noticed this unremarkble-looking fish soup stall were not for the giant Michelin Bib Gourmand logo displayed prominently in front. The original stall was out in Jurong, but it has since spread to a number of places around the island. Yes, it was pretty good, not only with the very fresh and firm fish, but also with the savory and earthy broth. It all just went great with the fried egg floss and chili sauce. This is one of the better fish soup places, and I'm going back.

Korea’s Tonshou in Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

The parent company behind Seoul Noodle Shop recently opened an outlet of a very popular tonkatsu shop from Busan. What makes it different? Well, after deep frying the meat at two different temperatures and letting it rest, they then proceed to grill it on a charcoal grill. That imparted a mildly smoky aroma, which was nice, but the more notable thing was the texture: underneath that airy and crisp exterior was an incredibly moist and tender piece of meat inside, be it the rosu or hire. It was impressive, and arguably better than a number of high-end places, including ones in Japan. They have more premium Japanese pork upgrades available, but the cheap Australian pork was already good enough. Next time I just need to avoid the noon rush hour.

My First Taste of Dubai Chocolate

I noticed this at 7-Eleven tonight and bought it mainly because the pistachio sounded nice, and it was from the UAE. It took half a second before it clicked in my head that this was that Dubai chocolate that went viral last year. Yep, it was pretty good, with not just the ground pistachios in there, but also the light wafer-like pastry. What's also interesting is that the cashier asked me to confirm that I really wanted to spend S$12.50 (US$9.30) on a chocolate bar; now that I have tried it, I will do so again without hesitation.

BKK Bistro and Bar in Singapore

This local chain has been spreading and we finally tried one of its outlets tonight. They serve a very wide range of Thai food including mookata and other dishes like those glass noodles above. But they probably get the most attention for their S$0.80 (US$0.60) bowls of boat noodles. The quality of the food wasn't anything to get excited about, as exhibited by the uninspiring somtam that we were served today. But I was still happy to slurp down their noodles, and would rather eat here than places like Thai Express.

Twist & Buckle Churro Specialists from HK

A Michelin-listed churreria from Hong Kong has opened an outlet at Velocity @ Novena Square in Singapore (238 Thomson Road #01-26A). And it was pretty good, not only in the fun variety of glazes, but more importantly, the crispy yet chewy and comforting texture of the dough itself. They were making everything to order though, and by hand. So one has to be patient here. But it is pretty good.

Revisiting Sergeant Hainanese Chicken Rice

This chain of food court stalls is from the Chatterbox dude, and I had forgotten what it was like, so I stopped by for a quick bite tonight. The most memorable thing was how incredibly moist the chicken was...and that was breast meat above too, making it all the more impressive. I also liked how the chili sauce was extra spicy and ginger-heavy. Oddly though, the ginger sauce next to it tasted more sour than of ginger. Worse, the bean sprouts were garlicky, which I was not a fan of, and the rice was mushy too. The soup at least had a pleasant herbal tinge to it. But I'm still impressed by how moist that breast meat was.

France’s M&T (Monts & Terroirs) in Singapore

A collective of French dairy producers have opened a cheese shop and bistro at Guoco Tower in Tanjong Pagar (5 Wallich Street #01-12, 8948-9242). The menu is short, but I was quite happy with my croque monsieur sandwich, especially since it was buttery, cheesy, and rich with Comté béchamel on a fun pastry-like bread. Those green leaves next to them were dressed just the way I like it too. I'm definitely coming back to get one of those nice-looking cheese platters and cider, and most likely more of their other items.

Hototogisu x Hakata Mentai Yamaya in Singapore

Yamaya, a big mentaiko chain, recently opened an outlet in Singapore, but I haven't made my way out there yet. Fortunately, Hototogisu is doing a collaboration with them on donburi, which I went to go try today since I had favorable impressions of the shop in Japan. That set the wrong expectation though, as I envisioned those huge sacs of mentaiko on each table back there, whereas this was a comically small teaspoon-sized dab (yes, it's smaller than what's depicted on the menu's photo too). Granted, this was pretty low-priced, and I still ate it quickly, so I shouldn't complain. But I feel rather duped by how small that portion of mentaiko was.

The Mapo Tofu at CHEFLAM’s

I told you that I'd be back here to try more. This time, I got one of the cheapest things on the menu, which was the mapo tofu. It was less edgy than Chen Kentaro's version, but also more rounded with ginger, salted beans, and scallions, which was a nice change. I liked how the tofu itself was relatively firm here too. Plus this stuff can go a long way when eaten with several bowls of rice; I was able to take half of it home to make for another meal later.

Fujian Shaxian Snacks at Chai Chee Village, Singapore

We stopped at the Chang Cheng Mee Wah kopitiam in Bedok for dinner tonight and this stall looked the most interesting given its emphasis on food from Sanming in China (209 New Upper Changi Road). I wasn't really sure where that was, to be honest, but it is in Fujian province, inland from Putian. I guess that explains why the food reminded me of Hing Hwa cuisine with its light yet savory dishes.

That soup above was composed of both some small dumplings as well as some minced meat/flour pieces not unlike the meat found in a thick geng soup. The noodles had an earthy shallot taste. Best of all, they had two types of chili sauce, including not just a sour one, but also a cumin-centric one. I suspect that the latter wasn't really local to Fujian though.

Steak Sudaku on Killiney Road, Singapore

The shop next door to Menggu Weidao has been drawing huge lines lately for bringing in wagyu from Omi prefecture in Japan and serving it at relatively low prices (107 Killiney Road). It's done in a downscale setting, served on those black cow hot platters, along with sides reminicent of Saizeriya. It gets served quickly as a result too.

That's the more expensive marbled A5 cut above, which was juicy with tasty fat attached. But it's not worth the wait in line; Yappari is arguably the better choice in this range, even if I was quite happy with the beef soup that they had here. If I do come back, I'll get the lean A5 cut instead, and also tell them not to squirt that sweet sauce on it.

The Plain Hamburger at Shake Shack

To be clear, this isn't the regular Shack Burger that most people see at the top of the Shake Shack menu. This was buried at the end of the burger section and was just called a "Hamburger." Basically, it was just beef and bread. So if one wants to save S$1.70 (US$1.25) by sacrificing cheese, lettuce, tomato, and sauce, then this is the output.

I liked it much more than I thought I would. With all of that stuff out of the way, the wonderfully juicy and fatty taste of the beef patty went right to the front. And the beef after all is the best thing about Shake Shack in my opinion. This configuration was defiantly purist, and I'm all for it. Next time I come here I'm gonna get a double to load up on the beefiness.

Seoul Noodle Shop in Singapore

I never would have known from the very utilitarian name, but this is a small local chain of kalguksu shops from a pair of Korean celebrity chefs that started down in the basement of Tanglin Mall. The only reason I stepped in was because I just watched that episode of Culinary Class Wars where they had that head-to-head battle using perilla oil, and this deulkkae kalguksu was on the menu.

Now, this wasn't the makguksu that the dude was trying to mimic with ice cream, but I liked these chewy noodles with a broth so thick that it was more like a pasta sauce. It was less herbal than I was expecting and instead more gritty. I'd like to try some of their other stuff, including the naengmyeon and gukbap. The kimchi here was cool too in that it was kinda dry and laced with citrus, if I tasted it correctly.

Japan’s Yakiniku Gyubei in Singapore

So I went to that yakiniku place next to Sumire-An today. And I liked it better, in large part simply because there was no buffet spread to make it feel so downscale. That said, I admittedly went for one of their cheaper lunch sets above, with most of those meat cuts above being nothing to get excited about. But the wagyu ribs were good enough that next time I'll pay more a few bucks more to get a full plate of that. They incidentally have some rather expensive cuts of meat here for dinner if you have deep pockets.

PastaGo’s Aglio Olio Now Uses Fresh Chili

Last time I ordered Pastago's aglio olio, I was impressed that they used dried chili flakes instead of fresh chili. So I ordered it again today with some high expectations, even opting for the extra chili option. What came out though? A big wad of freshly cut chili peppers. Crap. Well, at least they still keep everything nice and salty here, and even if it was also rather greasy, sweet and excessive.

Shiok Hokkien Mee in Singapore

I didn't realize it until now, but this is a small chain of Hokkien mee stalls. And it was awesome, as it was both smoky and savory, while the chili sauce was spicy and salty. They tossed the noodles in some kind of an egg and minced meat mixture that gave it a nice varied texture. Interestingly, they offer a cheaper kosong option, but next time I'm going for a medium or large because it was that good. Yes, it was better than Prawnography.

Shabu Shabu Sumire-An in Tanjong Pagar

So the Itadakimasu folks at 100AM have changed the old Gyu Jin shabu shabu into one named Sumire-An (100 Tras Street #03-11), which presumably is unrelated to the Sumire yakitori chain. Actually, it seems like it's an extension of the yakiniku shop next door, which was previously Heijoen but is now a chain from Japan called Gyubei.

I might not have even noticed though had no one told me, as they were still sporting the old Gyu Jin signage everywhere. That signature black sesame broth wasn't as exciting as it sounded, and the spread of unlimited veggies and treats (like somen, curry, and ice cream) made it feel rather downscale. But it was affordable, and was better than that Suki-ya place.

Da Shi Jia Big Prawn Mee (In Person This Time)

I had ordered from these guys during the pandemic, but kinda forgot about them after that, including the fact that they had since obtained a Michelin Bib Gourmand listing. Anyway, I tried the dine-in experience today, and it was nice to taste their sambal, which was a bit sweet but also smoky.

It was also only today that I realized that they had that "small small shrimp" side plate above, which was a play off their store's name. It wasn't kawaebi, but instead battered and tossed with shallots. I would've preferred a little less garlic, not to mention a thinner batter, but it was still salty enough to make it easy to finish.

Next time I'm back here, I'm skipping the paofan which was still mushy like when I last had it delivered (it was really more like a porridge instead). Still, the broth is deep and earthy, and the butterflied prawns are convenient, so next time I'll try the noodles in the hope that they don't overcook it.

Twirl Pasta at Holland Village Market & Food Centre

I have a soft spot in my heart for ultra-affordable pasta places that treat ingredients respectably, and this stall fit the bill (1 Lorong Mambong #01-40). They didn't overcook the noodles, and that S$8 (US$5.90) alfredo above did the job for a quick and cheap lunch today. But there was also nothing so exciting that I'm gonna come running back either. I still have yet to find a suitable replacement for Ah Bong's.

Spain’s Martirelo Longis by Virginia

I noticed these unfamiliar things when walking down the aisles of Meidi-ya and felt it was interesting enough to try. See, it's from a Spanish potato chip company, and yet these were long rectangular packages. It turned out that they were basically like Pringles but cut into duct-tape-like strips. They had a processed (or at least, mashed) taste, so I definitely prefer more traditionally cut chips instead. But this was interesting to try.

Chef Lam’s Sichuan Cuisine in Tanjong Pagar

I've been eager to try this Sichuan restaurant from China, which opened an outlet in Singapore a month or two ago (5 Wallich Street #01-13). They apparently won some award for their Kung Pao chicken, so I grabbed that along with those millet rice cakes above.

I was a bit bummed to find that the chicken was rather sweet. Granted, the dish is supposed to be sweet, but in my head I was hoping that it would be less sweet and more spicy. It didn't help that the cuts of chicken was rather dry.

The millet rice cakes above were more interesting, even if they were nothing mindblowing. At least this Guoco Tower location is super convenient for me, so I know that I'll be back to try their other things, which I suspect will be more to my liking.

The Hotpot Broth Option at Zheng Nan Qi Bai

I finally got around to trying the Chongqing hotpot broth at Zheng Nan Qi Bai, and I think I like this one the best. Interestingly, they are doing a free kaedama option here too, which was certainly welcome given that even the weila "slightly spicy" option was potent enough to stretch over many portions of carbs. Next time I want to try that Leshan bobo skewered chicken thing. And get that lychee soda again.

Revisiting Tsui Wah Singapore’s Beef Chow Fun

Tsui Wah Singapore seems to have redone its beef chow fun. The portion looks smaller, but I enjoyed this much more than last time, as it wasn't sweet, while the chili oil was reasonably simple enough. They even provided spicy yellow mustard, even if it was rather sour. I paired this with a hot lemon Coke and even some wanton soup noodles that I was decently happy with.

Mutton Soup from Joo Chiat Beef King

I don't know if it is on the menu at all Joo Chiat Beef King outlets, but the Chinatown stall (335 Smith Street #02-024) had this bowl of mutton soup on an extended menu. They provided a number of impressively tender and fatty pieces of meat in there, along with a couple of bone joints that I originally thought was just for the purposes of the gelatinous matter surrounding it. It took me a few seconds before I noticed it staring me in the face: oh, there is bone marrow there!! It wasn't a lot, but it was rich and made me happy, along with the refreshingly fragrant broth.