Jiak Mee Traditional Handmade Mee Hoon Kueh

This stall was at the Bishan Cafeteria on the opposite end of Shi Xiang Ge, and it was pretty good (514 Bishan Street 13 #02-494). The mee hoon kueh was chewy and doughy, while the dark soy sauce and shallots gave it a deep earthiness without being too sweet. Best of all, they had a potent orange chili sauce reminiscent of Eng's, but with more acid and salt. I was happy eating this, especially when topped up with an extra portion of those leafy greens.

Saizeriya's Acqua Pazza Seasonal Special

Saizeriya has a few seasonal items going on right now, including this acqua pazza poached fish that sounded promising. I should have known better than to get my hopes up given that it was only S8.90 (US$6.60) though, as the frail state of that fish left a lot to be desired. That broth was hardly the savory thing that I had imagined either, and presumably would be totally different if made fresh. Gotta give credit to Saizeriya for not being afraid to try things though. And hey, my wallet left happy at least.

Hearth Irori & Oden Izakaya in Tanjong Pagar

Here's a slightly upscale izakaya that centers around a charcoal irori grilling technique (41 Craig Road). I grabbed a gindara lunch set today and liked it, although the highlight for me wasn't the fish itself, but instead everything else that it came with. That meant that tray of cold dishes above, which featured everything from watercress (yay!) and creamy tofu but also a tender piece of fatty pork. It was also cool that the gindara's daikon garnish was coarsely chopped rather than grated. I'd like to go back for dinner, but it doesn't look cheap.

The Suancaiyu from Zheng Nan Qi Bai

Zheng Nan Qi Bai has opened up an outlet at the top of 313@Somerset, so I had a chance to try a different broth tonight. The suancaiyu above was definitely better than the one at Cailinji, but obviously wasn't as good as Tai Er either. I like this place better than Tamjai Samgor at least.

Shake Shack Singapore x Keng Eng Kee Seafood

Shake Shack been doing a series of local collaborations lately, and this one is with Michelin-listed KEK Seafood. They took cze char dishes like coffee pork ribs and white pepper crab and made burgers out of them. I had the latter, and it was pretty good, as the taste of the Sarawak white pepper shone through without overwhelming it. The big pile of julienned green scallions was fun too. But it's been so long since I've last been here that I forgot that I don't like their boring fries. I should have opted for the special with white pepper sauce drizzled on top instead.

Zhengzheng Rishang (“AMS Steam Seafood Bee Hoon”)

It took me a while to figure out what "AMS" meant before I realized that it was an abbreviation for the Amoy Street Food Centre that it is located at (7 Maxwell Road #02-120). Anyway, I was delighted to find another hawker stall doing steamed seafood. And what was kinda cool about this guy was the fact that he served it on these curly rice noodles that I'd never seen before. The seafood was fresh and naturally sweet, and I ate it pretty quickly, even if it was still a far cry from Hee Hee Hee. The portions were pretty tiny too, so next time I might add some other proteins like fish and clams. If I read it correctly, this guy was a former corporate chef from Malaysia.

Jiaxiang Chuanhucai in Chinatown, Singapore

This was a random pit stop on the way home tonight (189 New Bridge Road #01-02). I wasn't sure if late night shops along the main drag in Chinatown were going to be any good, but what pulled me in here was the fact that they did shuizhuyu that was seasoned with jiaoyan peppercorn salt. It turned out not to be very salty nor spicy, but there was a cool-looking amber hue on the fish slices. It hit the spot, and it was nice that the fish wasn't muddy either.

Ingleside in Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

This place turned out a lot better than I thought it would (49 Tras Street). They emphasize dry aging, fermentation, and wood fire techniques, and it all came together nicely in the food. That kinmedai above, for instance, was dry aged for four days and was pleasantly savory, even without the fermented chicken sauce on the side. I was similarly happy with a pork cheek that they did with maitake and shio koji, not to mention a side dish of impressively meaty mushrooms. The service was a bit unpolished, but they were nonetheless friendly and attentive.

Baan Thai Noodle at International Plaza

This is maybe my third time here, and yet I have to confess that the food is a bit watered down and doesn't really get me too excited (10 Anson Road #01-73). The main reason why I keep going back though is because of the cool experience: it occupies a tiny little sliver of a unit in a hallway with bench seating that perhaps can only seat six people. Plus, the food is cheap, comes out quickly, and the staff is friendly. And with the array of condiments available on the counter, I can still spike my food with lots of chili peppers and vinegar as needed.

Annalakshmi’s Cauliflower, Yogurt, and Chili Uttappam

That was delicious. I mean, I've always liked uttappam, but this one from Annalakshmi had very small cuts of cauliflower in it. They scorched up nicely on the grill, while dried chili peppers provided an edgy accent to it all. I inhaled this thing in the blink of an eye.

The Aji Fry Teishoku from Katsu-An

I haven't been back to Katsu-An since the first time that I went. But it was one of the few things open this morning, and they incidentally happened to be offering aji furai as a limited special right now. It was crispy and edible enough, but also forgettable aside from the fact that it was only S$11.90 (US$9). So it goes back to the premise of Katsu-An: one goes for the cheap prices and convenience rather than the food itself.

Paik’s Noodle Serves Mapo Tofu

I never knew that Paik Jong-won did mapo tofu. But I guess that would make sense at his jjajangmyeon shop. It was rather heavily loaded with onion and garlic bits though, and wasn't particularly spicy either. I don't need to get this again as a result, but at least it was edible enough for me to finish, especially since I wasn't in the mood for noodles tonight.