Baristart Coffee first started out as a simple coffee stand in Sapporo where one can hear all about the milk produced in Hokkaido and its relation to the coffee scene in Japan. Today, it has evolved into a lifestyle café serving up a full menu. And they are now here on our sunny island, along one of the most well-known streets in town, Tras St.

Every cup of coffee here is made using Biei Jersey milk. This good quality dairy product comes from brown Jersey cows, which only make up barely 1% of the cow population in Hokkaido. It is rich and creamy, with a tinge of sweetness. You can taste the difference that the milk makes after one sip. My cup of cappuccino was velvety smooth!

The owner, Yuuki Takechi, is here in Singapore till April to make your coffee. He is a two-time champion of ‘UCC Coffee Masters Latte Art Section in Hokkaido Region’, so your coffee is guaranteed to be delicious and beautiful.

It doesn’t just stop at coffee! Their specially imported Hokkaido milk is also used in the creation of their decadent desserts and mouthwatering dishes!

The Hokkaido Carbonara ($17.80) and Obihiro Butadon ($18.80) are the most popular dishes at Baristart. We heard that they use their signature BIEI Jersey Milk for the carbonara, so I was really excited to try it. Sadly, both were sold out as I visited after lunch hours. Hence, we ordered Tonkatsu Sando ($16.80) and Spaghetti Seafood Shiso Pesto ($17.80) instead.

The Tonkatsu Sando ($16.80) features crispy pork cutlet and coleslaw, sandwiched between 2 slices of fluffy bread. I enjoyed it because the thick cutlet was moist and juicy. The sando comes with a side of fries, making this treat a complete meal. To be honest, I was already full after having the sandwich. There were mixed reviews of the Spaghetti Seafood Shiso Pesto. It was interesting to add finely chopped shiso leaves into the pasta, giving it a refreshing taste. However, the pesto sauce was lighter than expected.

A must-try at Baristart Coffee is the Cream Puff ($4.50/one, $12/three). This is seriously good. Each puff is loaded with luscious Hokkaido BIEI Jersey Milk custard cream. It’s rich and creamy, and goes exceptionally well with the buttery puff. The bear shaped Shaved Ice – Shiro Kuma ($9.80) is drizzled with Hokkaido BIEI Jersey Milk and comes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It comes with your choice of flavoured homemade syrup — coffee, strawberry, mango or green tea. Apart from being instagram-worthy, the dessert left much to be desired as the shaved ice was too coarse and I couldn’t really taste the jersey milk in this dessert.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Hong Kong’s wonton noodle chain, Chee Kei (池記), has opened its first Singapore outlet at Changi Airport Terminal 2.

Known for their plump and juicy wantons, Chee Kei started out on Russell Street at Causeway bay in 1994. They have since expanded, and now have five other branches in Hong Kong.

Each bowl of Shrimp Wanton Noodles ($8.95) comes with thin noodles and fat wantons. The noodles are less QQ than expected but the wantons are indeed big, filled with a generous amount of fresh crunchy prawns.

Dumpling in Chilli Oil (5 for $10.95) is the dish that I fell in love with only recently. Now, when I visit a Chinese restaurant, this is something I must order. The signature wantons are great, but I would have preferred the chilli to have more punch. It was pretty watered down on my visit.

Besides the shrimp wanton noodles, there were other specialties such as Dry Scallops and Shrimp Balls in Soup Rice ($10.95), Braised Beef Tendon and Brisket with Vegetable Rice ($14.95), and Shredded Pork & Century Egg Congee ($9.95).

It was breakfast time for us, and my friend was craving for something soupy yet substantial. Soup rice, it is! This is a comforting dish with minced meat and  dried scallops. Delicious!

The Braised Beef Tendon and Brisket was not too bad. The beef tendon was simmered long enough to achieve a really soft texture. I wished that the beef brisket could be more tender though.

The food is pretty decent. I won’t mind coming here to have a quick meal before my flight. Don’t forget to get a cup of HK milk tea to go along!

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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We finally got the chance to eat Duo Ji Chee Cheong Fun (多記馳名豬腸粉)!

Breakfast at 8.30am in Chinatown is no joke. But we have been wanting to eat this stall for the longest time, so a few of us decided to wake up early just to eat this chee cheong fun.

This old school chee cheong fun stall has no English signboard. They have very short opening times — 7am till the stock finishes, sometimes as early as 9.30am.

They only sell two items – chee cheong fun and steamed yam cake. Each plate of chee cheong fun is as cheap as $5 per plate.

With not enough sleep, I also forgot about my camera, so pardon my photos. It was actually scary queueing for the chee cheong fun initially because the aunties looked very fierce. But I guess it got better after I ordered quite a few plates from them.

Duo Ji Chee Cheong Fun didn’t make their own chee cheong fun, they got it from a supplier fresh every morning. Upon order, they will cut them diagonally and drizzle their fragrant oil, sesame seeds, black sweet sauce and chilli sauce.

To be honest, the rice rolls don’t really taste like the usual factory made ones. I love the texture of the chee cheong fun here. Served warm, it is soft and springy to the bite. Plus, they don’t keep it overnight. They only take a small quantity and sells out everyday.

What makes them special is the brownish sweet sauce, it is not too thick and is sweet and intense. Perhaps the fragrant oil helps. The sesame seeds came lightly toasted, so it was a good contrast with the chee cheong fun. They also sell yam cake but it wasn’t memorable.

Duo Ji Chee Cheong Fun has been around since 1970s and they have a faithful crowd every morning. If you manage to wake up early, head down to Chinatown to try their rice rolls now!

For more food videos, check out our official YouTube channel! You may also wish to check out our article on Lee Tong Kee, the pioneer of Ipoh Hor Fun in Singapore!

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Make a guess what these are? One look and you might think that they are artsy pendants, but these are ang ku kuehs that you can find in a hawker centre!

Not your typical ones, right? Meet the mother-and-daughter duo behind these beautiful kuehs – Sandy Tan (52 years old) and Elizabeth Chan (29 years old).

Kueh Ho Jiak started from my mother. She just had this thought that, how nice would it be if we can pass down this heritage. It’s like a piece of art.

Located in Tanjong Pagar Food Centre, Kueh Ho Jiak is easy to spot. The stall, which rocks a colourful signboard, sells more than 10 types of local snacks, such as pumpkin yam cakes, glutinous rice and soon kueh.

The most creative item here, however, is the modified ang ku kueh.

At Kueh Ho Jiak, the traditional red tortoise shell snack is given a makeover. It comes in shades of purple, orange and green, and in shapes of animals, flowers and more. While most shops rely on food colouring, Kueh Ho Jiak uses four types of sweet potato for the coloured kueh skin — Japanese (purple and green), Jewel (orange), Garnet (orange) and Hannah (white).

In the past, hawkers learnt recipes from their parents or mentors. But Elizabeth and her mother did not come from a line of hawkers, they had to start from scratch. They went online to learn the technicalities of the craft and tweaked them on the fly. Many of the important lessons were learnt on-ground running the business.

Now, her mother focuses on making the kueh while her daughter promotes it online. Work starts as early as 3am as they have to start steaming the kuehs and prepare the fillings. After the stall closes, Elizabeth’s mother has to go back to the kitchen to make the kuehs till 11pm at night.

I didn’t know what flavour each kueh was until I took a bite. That’s the surprise! I was lucky to get the durian one first. This flower-shaped kueh is one of the best sellers! The rich durian filling is wrapped in a soft and thin sweet potato skin. What’s not to love?

Using wooden moulds to create each piece of kueh, Elizabeth told me that their peanut ang ku kueh uses peanut butter instead of the usual crushed peanut fillings. I like that it was not too dry and the crunch of the peanut bits was delightful. The red bean version was not too sweet, and the paste with zesty orange peel was just brilliant.

Hawker is very hands on, you really need to work for long hours. It’s not easy but there are a lot of stories and heritage behind each dish which you cannot find in a restaurant. These are things that we should pass down.

There is just so much love and passion poured into these handmade kuehs. I really take my hats off the folks behind stalls like Kueh Ho Jiak. They keep the tradition alive and tweaked their craft to keep things relevant with the times. If you want to get some of these goodies, go early as stocks start to run low by 1pm.

Hurry, LIKE or WATCH this video to pledge your support for Singapore’s UNESCO bid for hawker culture! Also, check out our article on 545 Whampoa Prawn Noodles!

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It took me a long while to decide if I should write this post. Because Ah Gu Kaka Wa (国昌川味馆) is one of our favourite mala restaurants in Singapore. My colleagues and I frequent Ah Gu Kaka Wa for dinner and supper.

Tucked away in a corner of Djitsun Mall in Ang Mo Kio central, this is a gem waiting to be discovered. I know the name of the restaurant seems weird but my guess is, they named it after a frog song. That’s why you are greeted by a frog figurine at the entrance. Or perhaps their signature is frog legs.

We always come here in a group so that we are able to share a few dishes. While waiting, we usually start with a few small dishes such as the saliva chicken and cucumber salad to whet our appetite.

I make my own cucumber salad for parties at times and I didn’t quite like their cucumber salad at first because it wasn’t as crunchy as I thought it would be. But after several visits, I was told that it was actually Sichuan-style smashed cucumbers that’s spiked with garlic and chilli. It serves as a palate cleanser in between heavier dishes.

Another classic dish is the Sichuan mouth-watering chicken. It is essentially boiled chicken paired with chilli oil, and topped with sesame seeds. Spicy, and appetising!

Sometimes, we will order the fragrant Sichuan spicy chicken dice. But we prefer Ah Gu Kaka Wa’s meat skewers. They are heavily spiced and only grilled upon order. I like the lamb one in particular as the cumin marination gets rid of the gaminess and gives it a slight nuttiness. If you are a fan of innards, the restaurant offers innard skewers too!

Having tried many dishes on their menu, I definitely have some fabourites. The frog legs and grilled fish are good for sharing if you have a big group. There was once I ordered the frog legs just for my husband and me. Oh man, we took a long time to finish our dinner because it was just too much for us. You can decide the kind of sauce to go along with the meat, but I would recommend the spicy mala sauce. The frog legs were super tender and juicy, and complemented perfectly by the gravy.

On days when I am too lazy to eat frog legs, grilled fish in mala sauce works for me. The grilled fish sits in a spicy stock, and is blanketed with dried chillies and bright-red chilli oil. There is enough Sichuan pepper which numbs my tongue and mouth. I always enjoy the numbing sensation!

If you prefer a less spicy alternative, go for the pickled mustard green soup with either frog legs or fish. Even though it’s a tad oily, it has a lovely combination of sour and mildly spicy flavours. Portions are quite generous, so do come with more people!

A must-have at our table every time is the mala xiang guo. The mala xiang guo here is fragrant and spicy, without being overwhelmingly numbing. You can choose how spicy you want your mala sauce to be and I usually go for medium level. I liked that the gravy has a nice fragrance, and the characteristic spiciness and numbing sensation of peppercorns.

The ingredients were decent – you can’t really go wrong with some meats and vegetables. The ingredients that I would usually order are pork belly, intestines, pig skin, lotus, kang kong and rice cakes. I know some of us like to have the mala xiang guo from the S11 coffeeshop nearby, but I like Ah Gu Kaka Was’ better.

There are hits and misses at Ah Gu Kaka Wa, but we always enjoy our mala meals in the air-conditioned eatery, with mandarin pop playing in the background. We can eat and sing along! The prices are affordable enough for multiple return visits to ferret out the gems in the extensive menu. The restaurant has also recently deployed two robotic servers.

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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I don’t travel to Bukit Timah that often but when I do, it’s usually for lunch at 名家 (Ming Jia) 명가 II Korean BBQ or brunch at Atlas Coffeehouse. Tucked away in Bukit Timah Plaza, Myung Ga II Korean BBQ is a family-style Korean restaurant that’s very busy during peak hours. Most of the diners are usually Korean.

I think the main reason why the restaurant is so popular is because the food is delicious and reasonably priced. The restaurant doesn’t just serve babe dishes, but hearty and authentic Korean fare too. I really enjoy the cooked food, so I haven’t tried the BBQ yet.

We were first served 4 sides – kimchi, seaweed, tamago and ikan billis. The sides are freeflow and I loved the tamago and kimchi.

Addictive and delicious, the Jeyuk Bokkeum (Korean Spicy Pork Stir fry) is served with a bowl of rice. The meat is marinated in a sauce similar to bulgogi but with an added kick of spiciness that comes from a mixture of gochujang and gochugaru.

A real foodie will know that Kimchi Stew and Korean BBQ is the best combo ever! Loved by many, the classic kimchi jjigae is a must eat when in Korea. I don’t go home without having it! I selected the seafood stew instead because it has lots of ingredients such as prawns, clams, mussels and tofu. This is a comforting stew that will put me in a good mood everytime.

To go with our mains, we ordered a seafood leek pancake. The crispy fried pancake came with lots of leek and seafood and was tasty even without the soy sauce. However, I have tried better pancakes at Seorae!

Expect very simple yet authentic Korean dishes at Myung Ga II Korean BBQ. I suggest that you go with a few friends so that you can try a variety of dishes. And be prepared to wait for a table, and also your orders, during peak hours but the food is well worth the wait.

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These days, it’s not surprising to see modern or fusion cuisine in hawker centres. At Beauty World Food Centre, there’s an interesting East meets West dish that not many have tasted before — Ayam Buah Keluak burger!

Affordable, yet shiok, is what HamBaoBao aims for. The catchy stall “HamBaoBao”, when translated from Mandarin, literally means hamburger. This reminds me of my childhood days when I get excited everytime my granddad promised to get me a hambaobao. Any kid will be happy to hear this word.

Making a burger is not that difficult, but coming up with a truly unique Singaporean burger is definitely not easy. No one expected Ryan and his wife, Clare, to open a food stall. No one expected them to open a burger shop. Most of all, no one expected them to combine traditional Asian flavours with burger buns, creating first-of-its-kind burgers such as the Crispy Pork Belly Burger and Ayam Buah Keluak Burger. 



If there’s one thing that you must try, it’ll be the Buah Keluak Burger. We all know that buah keluak is an important ingredient in Peranakan cuisine. And Ryan’s grandmother’s Ayam Buah Keluak is one of his favourite dishes. It reminds him of Christmas and Chinese New Year, when his family would gather and this would be one of the dishes they ate together.

Even though Ryan has no culinary training, he has always liked experimenting with food and exploring new recipes. He added a modern touch to his grandmother’s recipe by creating a burger from this traditional Peranakan dish. To him, the burger is a dish where you can get all the flavours of a dish in just one bite. Combining minced chicken and buah keluak into a patty is very clever. The mix is sandwiched between two soft hamburger buns, with chap chai and rempah as garnish.

Having buah keluak, chap chye and rempah in a burger is very Singaporean. Sure, it’s not for everybody, but it’s not bad in my opinion.

The most popular dish on the menu has got to be the Crispy Pork Belly Burger. Four thick cuts of sio bak that’s been glazed with hoi sin sauce and topped with English mustard sit between two grilled buns. Slices of crunchy cucumber are packed into the burger as well.

The thick pork belly was heated up on the griddle upon order. Mustard was added to give a spicy kick, while the cool slices of cucumber kept things refreshing.

The fries? Addictive. They are made from real potato and the husband-and-wife duo skins the potatoes themselves

Today, HamBaoBao is loved by many. Ryan is a great example of our next generation of hawkerpreneurs who keep and honour traditions, and carry on legacies. It’s exciting to see how our hawker culture will change in the future!

Pledge your support for our hawker culture today – https://www.oursgheritage.sg

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I stay in the North East so travelling all the way to Jurong is not something I look forward to. But when Deon from 58 Minced Meat Noodles agreed to an interview, I gladly made my trip to Jurong without any complaints.

58 Minced Meat Noodles Taman at Jurong Food Centre is very popular. It was started in 1973 by Deon’s father and Deon has been helping out since his teenage years. Deon took over the business about 15 years ago and continues serving hundreds of bowls of noodles daily.

I was curious about the “58” in the stall name. Deon explained that in the past, Taman Jurong Food Centre was known as liu shi tan (六十摊), which means  “sixty stalls” in Mandarin. As you might probably have guessed, there were exactly 60 stalls in the hawker centre. And his father’s minced meat noodles stall was stall number 58. After the food centre was rebuilt, Deon’s father decided to name it 58 Minced Meat Noodles.

Nothing much has changed even after Deon took over. He took 2 years to master the art of cooking noodles and even when his father’s friends were complaining about the dip in standard, he never gave up. “My father’s friends would come up to me and tell me straight in the face that my noodles cannot make it. I take their criticism seriously and keep practising to get it right.”

READ: 27 Bak Chor Mee Singaporeans Love

Deon says that the cooking time for every batch of noodles differs. With just a quick touch, he is able to determine how long he needs to cook the noodles. His helper will take the orders, and prepare the ingredients, while he cooks every bowl swiftly. I sat in front of his stall for an hour and all I say is, this man is very serious about his craft.

Each bowl of Bak Chor Mee (from $3) includes minced meat, pork slices, pork lard, mushroom and pig liver. The lightly cooked pork slices and liver pieces were tender. The noodles, which were not too soft and had a nice bite, were dressed in an addictive sauce that comprised pork lard and chilli sauce. The noodles were then topped off with sliced mushrooms. Deon still sticks to using porcelain bowl to serve all their noodles.

Bak chor mee is definitely a staple for all Singapore foodies. If you are here in the western part of Singapore, drop by Taman Jurong Food Centre for a good bowl of bak chor mee.

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Actress Julie Tan has recently opened a cafe, Botany, with her childhood friend Serene and cousin Cassandra. Located in Robertson Quay, the trio has always wanted to do something together, and their dream finally materialized.

To be honest, when I first arrived at Botany, I thought it was supposed to be a green meal, with lots of lean and healthy dishes. It wasn’t exactly so as Botany has a selection of both wholesome and sinful menu, curated by Cassandra. Our appetizers include Taiwanese Chicken Bites ($13), Otah Chips ($13), Signature Mentaiko Fries ($15) and Homemade Hummus with Baked Nachos ($12). For the health-conscious ones, you can go for the Botanist Salad ($15) or Curried Cauliflower Soup ($10).

The mains fare better than the appetizers. For something light, go for the Pan Seared Barraundi ($26) with pesto sauce and mash potato. Signature Grilled Chicken with Balinese Salsa ($18) features tender and juicy boneless chicken leg that is marinated with spices and airfried till perfection. It has a slightly sweet taste and goes well with homemade balinese salsa.

Our ultimate favourite is the Mapo Tofu Rice Bowl ($18) where the Japanese rice is served with silken tofu cooked in Szechuan spices and minced chicken, topped with sous vide egg. I was told that this dish is vegetarian because they use impossible meat. The taste is a little mellower because they need to cater to tourists. But it is still tasty and the fragrance from the fermented bean paste is still there. To be honest, I think this should be their signature dish. I would go for this anytime!

For the steak lovers, Botany also serves Australian Grass Fed Ribeye ($28 for 250g) featuring succulent cut of ribeye doused in coarse sea salt, black pepper with butter mesh. The Uni Truffle Capellini ($28) sees cold al-dente pasta tossed with a generous amount of truffle oil and topped with Japanese sea urchin and salmon roe. The truffle taste was a little overwhelming for us, which covered up the briny ocean taste of the uni. The price is a steal though, and I am sure they will fine tune it to achieve a better harmony for the dish.

Other pasta options include Mentaiko Spaghetti ($19), Laksa Spaghetti ($22), Truffle Penne ($19) and Prawn Aglio Olio ($22).

Serene is the franchiser of the popular Taiwanese dessert cafe, Dazzling Cafe, in Singapore. If you missed the toasts at Dazzling Cafe, not to worry as you can get the toasts at Botany. Choose your favourite flavour from Dazzling Cafe’s Signature Honey Toasts ($18) – Dazzling Classic, Caramel Macademia Nuts, Banana Chocolate, Strawberry Lover and Hazelnut Chocolate. They also serve gluten-free chocolate cake ($9) which will go well with Lychee Lavender Iced Tea ($8) or BOTANY Milk Tea ($8).

While the dishes at Botany are decent, I thought it lacks an identity. Sure, they serve a combination of Western and Asian dishes that are accessible to everyone, but if they are able to refine it a little more, we don’t mind coming here again for another meal!

Disclaimer: This was an invited tasting.

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I was having coffee at Kopi More one afternoon when the owner, Lawrence, told us about this old school zi char place in Choa Chu Kang that he frequents. He said,”This is where I makan during my army days. It feels like a meal in Malaysia.”

The following night, we arranged for a meal together at this zi char place – Hong Kiat Seafood Restaurant. Indeed, it doesn’t feel like any other zi char meal. Occupying the corner unit along a row of shophouses, Hong Jiat Seafood Restaurant transported me back to the 90s (okay lah, maybe even earlier) where we would enjoy a meal under the stars.

The menu is not particularly special . You have your usual suspects such as steamed fish and hot plate tofu. The steamed items seem to be popular, with many choices for you to pick from. The ingredients are cooked in a superior soy sauce and sprinkled with fried garlic and sesame oil.

The Gan Xiang Fish Head is crafted with aromatics such as chilli padi, curry leaves, and curry powder. The sauce was mildly spicy, savoury and robust. The Curry Fish Head is a great choice too.

The deep fried garlic pork was crispy on the outside and moist inside. Don’t forget to get a plate of greens. The sambal kang kong we had that night was well executed — crunchy and stir-fried with a generous amount of sambal sauce.

I thought the crab bee hoon would be the highlight for the night but unfortunately, it wasn’t. The milky broth didn’t carry those smoky notes and the thick vermicelli didn’t soak up any rich flavours. Perhaps it wasn’t a good day for the kitchen.

Nevertheless, it was a pretty good dinner. The company and the location made the experience memorable. The menu is pretty extensive, so I will be back to try other dishes!

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Do you know that you can easily get good food under $10 just minutes away from Orchard? We’re talking about meals that can satisfy your tummy and your palate! Yes, Food Junction has opened at Level 3 in Great World City! There is even more awesome food now, as there are 7 mini restaurants and 7 food stalls housed in Food Junction. Are you ready?

FITRA CHICKEN RICE (HALAL)

Can’t decide what to order? Go for the 3 Treasure Rice ($7.50) where you can get a taste of steamed chicken, roast chicken and soya sauce chicken all in one plate. You’ll fall head over heels in love with the moist and tender steamed chicken. The roasted chicken had the essential crispy skin and very juicy meat. Yum!

While the rice appeared to be less oily, it was very fragrant. The rice grains were clearly separated and possessed a great bite. The rice was made even tastier by the tangy chili and earthy ginger dip. They also serve Curry Chicken Noodles ($5.20)! And the best news? Our Muslim friends can enjoy this plate of chicken rice as the stall is halal certified!

ORIGINAL DELIGHTS MINI WOK

I was really impressed with the Dried Beef Hor Fun ($6.50) from Original Delights Mini Wok. You can look into the open kitchen and see the chef tossing the hor fun over a big fire until it gets nicely charred. The flat noodles are then stir fried with tender beef slices, vegetables and dark sauce. Look forward to an amazing plate of smooth, yummy hor fun.

Another popular dish is the Salted Egg Chicken with Rice ($7.50). Juicy chicken cubes are fried to golden perfection and coated with a velvet and creamy golden salted egg sauce.  They were very generous with the salted egg yolk sauce as every piece of chicken was coated evenly with the glistening sauce. Equally lip-smacking is the Cereal Fried Rice ($6.50), sprinkled with some cereal bits. So addictive and delicious!

XING HUA LOU PUTIAN CUISINE

Serving authentic soul-warming Putian cuisine, Xing Hua Lou Putian Cuisine is the newest entrant to the Great World City outlet. The stall promises delectable authentic Heng Hwa dishes which include the signature Putian Lor Mee ($6.50) that sits in a special broth that’s brewed for hours.

My favourite is the Fried Heng Hwa Bee Hoon ($6.50). The bee hoon is braised in pork broth and fried with prawn and clams. It is incredibly tasty! I’ll also recommend the Putian Lychee Pork ($9.50) which is best paired with some rice. You will certainly be spoilt for choice here.

PEPPER LUNCH EXPRESS

The most exciting part about eating at Pepper Lunch Express is that you get to play chef! Here, every dish is served on a Japanese Teppan. You can stir and mix the ingredients as they sizzle on the hot plate right in front of your eyes.

Pepper Lunch prides itself on the quality of ingredients used in all their dishes. One of their popular dishes include the Steak Bites ($9.90 for 130g or $11.90 for 150g). Think thick, juicy, bite-sized cubes of Australian Steak paired with their signature margarine. If you need some carbs, order the Beef Pepper Rice ($6.90) or Cheese Curry Rice with Hamburg ($8.90).

JJ JAPANESE CUISINE

Japanese food lovers will enjoy JJ Japanese Cuisine’s wide range of Japanese dishes that are priced at affordable prices. The Golden Salted Egg Chicken Toji Set ($6.80) brings together crisp chicken cutlet and delightful salted egg sauce. It was a lovely surprise for our taste buds!

Crispy crunchy tempura on rice just can’t go wrong. Remember not to spend too much time taking photos, and dig into the tempura while it is hot to enjoy its freshness and crispiness. The Tempura Teishoku ($7.90) features freshly fried prawns and vegetables on Japanese rice, and a bowl of miso soup. The batter is crisp, and fluffy, and the sauce had a good balance of sweetness and saltiness.

NEW HONG KONG ROAST

New Hong Kong Roast boasts delectable meat platters. You can get a platter of char siew, roast pork and roast duck at $12(2 Combo Set) or $18(3 Combo Set). They roast the meat in the kitchen daily. The roast duck was juicy, sweet, and rich in flavour. The skin gave way with a soft crackle as I bit into it, and my teeth sank into the tender and moist meat right after. Thumbs up!

I am amazed at how the head chef cooks the noodles. He does it so skilfully and swiftly (watch our video), and the noodles are literally dancing in water. I gave the noodles, which sit in their homemad sauce, a good toss before I took a bite. The noodles were springy and QQ — just the way I like it. You can pair it with any meat you like. In our case, we had the Char Siew Wanton Noodle ($5.80 small, $7.80 medium).

HAO JIA BAN MIAN

A good bowl of handmade noodles is comfort food for most of us Singaporeans. You can escape the heat and enjoy a bowl of ban mian in air-conditioned comfort at Food Junction. Hao Jia serves Ban Mian, U-Mian or Mee Hoon Kuay ($5) cooked with various ingredients. The soup here is extremely clear, and the noodles are done just right. Our noodles were completed with a generous serving of lettuce, and we felt healthier just by eating this bowl of goodness.

The Signature Spicy La Mian ($6 / $7) comes with a mildly spicy chilli paste, egg, vegetables, crab stick, fried wantons, ikan bilis and minced meat. I liked the addictive savoury-sweet sauce that coated the noodles. You will feel a slight tingling sensation in your mouth, but it isn’t too much. You’ll find yourself unable to resist the noodles, and growing fonder of the fragrance of the mushrooms by the mouthful. Before you know it, the bowl of noodles is gone!

DRINK STALL & JUICE BARN

Quench your thirst with some of the signature fruit juices such as Watermelon Yakult ($3.80), Avocado Gula Melaka ($5) and Green Apple with Sour Plum ($3.80)

If you are here for breakfast, go for the Bee Hoon Set ($5.60) which comes with your choice of 3 fried items, and a cup of Hot Kopi or Tea.

This post was brought to you in partnership with Food Junction.

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The famous and well-loved Shilin Night Market (Shilin Singapore) concept will be making its debut in Singapore, at The Grounds@Kranji at Singapore Turf Club, in April.

Happening over two weekends(April 19 to 21, April 26 to 28), the big market promises a wide selection of food, fashion, lifestyle and design goods stalls, interactive arcade games, KTV booths, live music performances, as well as massive lantern installations.

There will be four different zones — 吃, 逛, 玩, 樂 (“Eat, Shop, Play, Fun”). You are in for a treat! Plus, ahem, I will also be setting up a stall there, so come and support support lah!

Admission is free for all.

WHAT TO EAT

At the Eat & Drink (吃) area, you can munch on mouth-watering and creative Taiwanese and local delicacies. Fans of Gong Cha will be happy to know that you can create your own bubble tea concoctions! They will also be launching an exciting line of beverage in collaboration with an iconic pop culture artist.

That’s not all, you can also satisfy your bubble tea craving at OneZo Tapioca, Bober Tea and Blackball. There’s also the highly raved bottled milk tea from Chun Cui He (純萃。喝) too.

Who doesn’t love fried chicken? The enormous piece of Taiwanese fried chicken is something I would queue for whenever I visit Taiwan. Each piece of chicken is crispy on the outside and wonderfully juicy on the inside. Do not miss the must-eats at any Taiwan night markets: chicken chops by E Mo Ji Pai (恶魔鸡排) and Hot Star (豪大大鸡排), beef cubes from Huo Yan Shai Zi Niu, and Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice by Monki Café and Beef Up. They will leave you wanting more.

Of course, there will be some traditional Taiwanese snacks from ChiaTe Bakery, one of Taiwan’s best-known pineapple cake gift brands. Looking for something cute and Instagram-worthy? Perhaps something BEAR shaped or HEART shaped? Taiwan Waffles is a new pop-up and they offer a variety of flavoured waffles. Think Chocolate, Cheese, Red Bean, Double Chocolate, Peanut & Hotdog waffles. I will be doing a series of ice cream popiah to cool you down in the hot weather!

WHAT TO PLAY?

Besides eating, you can also go shopping! Rows and rows of booths showcasing artisanal products crafted by creative makers and partners from Taiwan and Singapore await.

Relive your childhood and unwind at 60 arcade gaming booths, which include human claw machines and carnival games. Karaoke fanatics will be happy to know that there will be eight KTV booths, self-service karaoke booth chain, and open-mic sessions on both weekends for them to sing to their hearts’ content.

Get ready to be serenaded by local band and singers Kewei & Ein Ein, The Freshman and Too Much Drama who will be belting out Mandopop hits under traditional lanterns and fairy lights. After a whole day of exploring and feasting, rest your legs and chill with your pals at the free movie screenings which happen after 6pm each day.

Last but not least, stand a chance to win a pair of Premium Economy tickets to Taiwan with EVA Airways by taking part in a simple art mural contest at Shilin Singapore.

So, see you there?

HOW TO GET THERE?

By Train
Kranji MRT (NS7), Exit A 
(Walk along the sheltered walkway to Carpark B)

By Bus
SBS 160, 170, SMRT Bus 178, 925, 960 and 961 stops along Woodlands Road opposite Kranji MRT station, and in front of the Kranji MRT station

By Taxi
The taxi drop-off point is located within close proximity of the entrance to the Upper Grandstand.

By Shuttle Bus
Klook is providing shuttle bus services from Bugis – Tan Quee Lan Street and tickets will be available for purchase from 15 March onwards. For more information, please visit the Klook website here.

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Sichuan cuisine’s inimitable spiciness has won the hearts of many, far and wide. Taking on a meal at a Sichuan restaurant is like embarking on an adventure — you never know if you’re going to survive the heat. Just talking about “ma la” makes me nervous.

But but but, here’s something for all ma la fans! Available from now till 31 May 2019, the brand new “A Tale of Twin Baby Lobsters” à la carte buffet at Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant promises UNLIMITED baby lobsters alongside 40 other Sichuan and Cantonese dishes.

The buffet is only available at Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant at TOP of UOB Plaza and PARKROYAL on Beach Road, and menus at both outlets differ to offer diners a greater variety of dishes. Take a deep breath. Are you ready?

GREAT DEAL! Guests who dine at one outlet will enjoy 30% savings when they dine at the second outlet.

BABY LOBSTERS IN NINE DIFFERENT FLAVOURS

The highlight of the buffet is the UNLIMITED servings of baby lobsters. They are available in nine different Sichuan styles across the two outlets. Stars include the Stir-fried Baby Lobster with Fragrant Sichuan Spicy Sauce and Sautéed Baby Lobster with Dried Chilli.

Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant’s Executive Chef Zeng Feng is from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan. He has been at the helm of the kitchen since the restaurant was started in 1996. He is renowned for whipping up authentic Sichuan and Cantonese dishes.

There are different levels of spiciness on offer. You can choose the mild spicy version which gives a gentle warmth with no mouth-numbing sensation. But I prefer the medium spicy version, because the flavours are well articulated and the freshness of the ingredients is evident.

If you love the “Chong Qing” Diced Chicken with Dried Chilli (重庆辣⼦鸡), you will love the Sautéed Baby Lobster with Dried Chilli. The combination of spices give this dish an amazing complexity. You can tell that they put a lot of thought into the dish by not going overboard in any one area, though some may find the spiciness level a bit on the high side. Just be careful not to bite into the dried chillies. The Sichuan peppercorn numbs your lips and sends a spicy kick after.

The juicy lobster also appears together with a pot of vegetables in the Stir-fried Baby Lobster with Fragrant Sichuan Spicy Sauce. We had the chance to visit the kitchen and watch Chef Zeng Feng fry the dishes in a wok with a philtre of chillies and spice. Then, it appeared on the table before us in a huge dragon design bowl, looking dangerous, yet tempting. This is like a premium version of mala hot pot (麻辣香锅) with fresh and crunchy vegetables, and it embodies the distinct and beautiful flavours of Sichuan — spicy, aromatic, sweet, peppery, and savoury.

To be honest, I didn’t bother with the non-spicy dishes (what’s the point?). But my colleague was already perspiring, so we also ordered a few non-spicy dishes such as the Baked Baby Lobster with Superior Soya Sauce. The baby lobsters and superior soy sauce had a marvellous sweetness which is easy on the palate. Other dishes that we will recommend include the Baked Baby Lobster with XO Sauce, and Stir-fried Baby Lobster with Ginger and Onion.

UNIQUE ONE-TIME ORDER DISHES

Every diner is offered a unique one-time order dish during the à la carte buffet. At TOP of UOB Plaza, the classic lobster roll takes on an enticing ma la spin. A foot-long deep-fried crispy “Man Tou” is sandwiched with flavourful stir-fried Baby Lobster in Preserved Wild Chilli. The slightly spicy and numbing homemade sauce will definitely tantalise your tastebuds.

Over at PARKROYAL on Beach Road, Chef Zeng Feng serves up Crispy Noodles with Baby Lobster, pairing the succulent crustacean with Sheng Mian that’s been deep-fried to a crispy perfection. The noodles are accompanied by a flavourful broth that has been boiled with lobster shells for hours. It’s nice, and a clean little break from the lingering ma la heat.

DON’T MISS OTHER EXCITING MA LA DISHES

Apart from the one-time orders and baby lobsters, there are 40 other classic Sichuan and Cantonese dishes in the seafood feast. For starters, go for something light and easy such as Marinated Black Fungus with Preserved Chilli, and Sliced Pork with Minced Garlic and Chilli Sauce.

The daredevils will enjoy Boiled Sliced Beef in Sichuan Pepper Sauce, “Chong Qing” Diced Chicken with Dried Chilli and Braised Bean Curd in Spicy Minced Meat Sauce. Like Sichuan Boiled Fish, the tender beef is cooked in a rich sauce that contains numerous herbs, peppers, and hot oil to create the most scrumptious flavour. You just must be brave enough to fish out a piece of buttery soft beef to realize that it is not nearly as lethal as it sounds.

Dishes such as Double-boiled Fresh Fish Maw in Imperial Consommé, Steamed Sea Bass with Superior Soya Sauce and Deep-fried Prawns with Passion Fruit and Mayonnaise Sauce are great for those who prefer something less spicy. I love the Deep-fried Prawns with Passion Fruit and Mayonnaise Sauce. The passion fruit sauce is sweet and tart, making the dish incredibly refreshing.

If you need some carbs to pair with your dishes, you can order Yong Chow Fried Rice, Stewed Ee-fu Noodles with Yellow Chives, Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles and Sichuan Minced Meat Noodles.

After all the ma la dishes, a bowl of Homemade Fine Bean Curd with Wolfberries is just about what we needed. You should also try the Chilled Mango Pudding, Chilled Mango Sago Cream and Double-boiled Hasma with Red Dates.

PRICES

These are some of the highlights of what can be considered the best Sichuan buffet in town. With a minimum of two adults to dine, “A Tale of Twin Baby Lobsters” is available from now till 31 May 2019.

Dinner from Monday to Thursday: $78 per adult
Lunch on Saturday and Sunday: $88 per adult
Dinner from Friday to Sunday: $88 per adult

Children from the age of six to eleven will be able to enjoy the buffet at half the adult’s price. AMEX Cardmembers enjoy a 15% savings on their total food bill (minimum four to dine).

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Now you don’t have to travel across the causeway for awesome roast meat in Johor Bahru because You Kee XO Restaurant (有记XO烧腊之家) has opened in Singapore!

You Kee XO Restaurant is famous for its herbal soup and roast meats. The giant urns at the shopfront is a special feature that you’ll see in all their restaurants. This family-run establishment is the FIRST in Johor Bahru to boil soup in urns over a constant charcoal fire for a good 15 hours. It’s been 15 years, and You Kee shows no signs of stopping this unique practice of using urns to simmer their famous herbal soups.

A bowl of nourishing soup is good for the body. Every day, there are two different types of herbal soup ($12) on the menu. Whenever there is an order, the staff will lift the pots of hot soup from deep inside the giant urn. We had the night-blooming cereus spareribs soup or ba wang hua soup with spare ribs. Night-blooming cereus is known for its “cooling” and detoxification properties, and it’s great especially in hot weather.

Another signature at You Kee XO is their roast meats. The XO Signature Roasted Duck ($8/$13.80/$15.80) features slightly crispy skin with tender meat; while the Roasted Pork Belly ($6.80) is juicy and crispy. We enjoyed the Crystal BBQ Pork Belly Char Siu ($9.80) the most. The caramelized meat had a perfect balance of juicy and slightly charred layers.

Besides tonic soup and roasted meats, You Kee XO also offers a selection of cooked dishes such as Ginger Onion with Slice Fish ($6.80) and Handmade Signature Bean Curd ($8.80). Also known as the Volcanic Tofu, the smooth and silky Handmade Signature Bean Curd arrived at our table sizzling in a claypot. The beancurd is drenched in a savoury sauce, and some greens and pork floss are added to it. As it is on the salty side, it is best paired with a bowl of rice.

I was asking the owner if XO sauce is used in the dishes since XO is in his signboard. He laughed and explained that in Malaysia, many stalls use terms like “king” or “imperial” in their names. So he thought of adding XO as a sign of superiority. How interesting!

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Five Loaves Hakka Yong Tau Foo has moved from a cafe in Bukit Timah to Bras Basah, and it welcomes long queues every afternoon.

The owner, Jan, is Hakka. Her mother had a yong tau foo stall when she was young and she recalled having to help out at the stall early in the morning before she went to school. “It was difficult then, but it brings back so much memories,” Jan shared.

Yong Tau Foo is a dish that’s deeply loved by Jan’s family. Hence, Jan decided to open Five Loaves Hakka Yong Tau Foo to honour and remember her love for her family and the family’s love for the dish. Now, Jan’s husband helps out at the stall and goes to the wet market every morning to get fresh ingredients.

It’s not just about beancurd at Five Loaves. There is a variety of stuffed beancurd products such as bittergourd, chilli and beancurd puff. The stall makes their own paste with minced meat and salted fish. It’s truly a labour of love.

Yong tau foo is one of the healthier lunch options and can be enjoyed in many ways. The Yong Tau Foo Set ($4) comes with 5 items and an option of rice or noodle. You can have your ytf ‘dry’ and drizzled with sweet sauce and chilli, or in clear soup. The soup is flavoured with yellow beans, and is light and slightly sweet. The soup did not leave me thirsty.

Here’s my favourite combination — the Chee Cheong Fun set ($4). I’ll imagine for somebody who often have chee cheong fun, this is a perfect combination. The smooth and slightly chewy rolls of thin rice noodles are coated in a generous amount of chilli, sweet sauce and sesame seeds. It amazing with your bowl of Yong Tau Foo soup.

If you wish to go for the Laksa set ($4), you can choose 4 items and a choice of rice or noodles. The gravy was thick but not too creamy, which made me feel a tad less guilty indulging in it.

For the dry version, the yong tau foo items were deep fried, and were delightfully crispy. The beancurd was springy and fresh and I enjoyed every bit of it. The fishballs were firm and bouncy, and the homemade meatball was flavourful, albeit a little dry. This plate of ‘chunky’ ingredients of different textures was quite satisfying.

Besides yong tau foo, Five Loaves is also serving abacus seeds. We all know that the preparation is tedious, hence very few eateries offer it these days.

The service here is good and very pleasant! You can even chat with the head chef who knows alot of languages!

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Glyph Supply Co. is a quiet coffee gem in the newly renovated 111 Somerset. Pop by for a mid day perk-me-up and escape the hustle and bustle of Orchard Road.

In addition to delicious coffees, this minimalistic coffee shop offers cakes and pastries that are supplied by Carpenter & Cook.

Kick back and relax with a cup of flat white or latte, go through the morning paper, or sit at the espresso bar and have a chat with the baristas while they make your filter coffee.

We needed a quick brunch fix so we ordered a few bakes to share – Earl Grey Lavender cake, Almond Croissant ($5) and Lemon Drizzle Loaf ($5).

The cake has a subtle earl grey tea aroma, which is complemented by the generous lavender buttercream. I like the Lemon Drizzle loaf, a signature of Carpenter & Cook. It’s moist and citrus-y, with just enough sugar glazing to add a good amount of sweetness to the loaf.

Maybe it’s just me but I find it surprisingly difficult to find a good cafe in Orchard. Now, finally there’s one that serves great specialty coffee with yummy light bites. The cafe roasts their own beans which are sourced from Ethiopia. The coffee is smooth and creamy. The baristas are knowledgable and explain everything to you as you go. If you are looking for a place that takes coffee seriously or wish to spend a moment people watching in peace, Glyph is the place for you.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Singaporeans, the wait is finally over! Jewel Changi Airport is opening its doors on 17 April 2019. With more than 280 shops and food and beverage (F&B) outlets, this newest iconic lifestyle destination is filled with gardens, attractions, retail, dining, a hotel and facilities to support airport operations. You can look forward to a slew of new-to-Singapore brands together with familiar homegrown favourites. ARE YOU READY?

NEW TO SINGAPORE

New York’s famous Shake Shack (#02-256) has finally made its entrance into Singapore! The Singapore menu will feature Shake Shack’s signature items including the ShackBurger, Shack-cago DogTM, classic crinkle-cut fries, craft beer, wine and frozen custard ice-cream. They have also created Singapore exclusive items including a Pandan Shake and Jewela Melaka Concrete. Swiss artisanal chocolatier Laderach (#01-241) and Norwegian casual seafood restaurant Pink Fish (#B1-261/262) are here in Singapore for the first time as well.

Fans of Pokemon can also look forward to the one and only permanent retail store outside of Japan. The Pokémon Center (#04-201/202) is stocked with lots of merchandises, exclusive toys, stationery, trading cards and video games created just for Jewel.

LOCAL FLAVOURS

Sample the signature dishes that have sealed Singapore’s reputation as a gourmand’s paradise. Tiger Street Lab (#05-205) is the first global experiential concept store by Tiger Beer. They have collaborated with Timbre and Keng Eng Kee Seafood to serve a few signature dishes to pair with a refreshing Tiger beer. There will also be a special seasonal brew on offer – Tiger Orchid Black Lager – a dark lager that’s been infused with Singapore’s national flower.

Savour authentic Nyonya cuisine at Violet Oon Singapore (#01-205/206). Each dish is inspired by Singapore’s history as the crossroads of the world, through the varied ingredients and flavours employed. Pow Sing (#B2-201/202) serves traditional Hainanese chicken rice with Peranakan dishes such as bakwan kepiting and ayam buah keluak. Paying homage to local flavours, Herit8ge (#05-206) brings to the table its modern take on local flavours such as Char Siew Pork Ribs and Bak Chor Mee Salad.

Popular swiss roll shop Rich & Good Cake Shop (#01-232) has opened at Jewel as well. They will be selling soft and fluffy swiss rolls in 10 different flavours such as kaya, durian and green tea. You can also get Lim Chee Guan’s (#B2-222) bak kwa and Bengawan Solo’s (#01-228/229) pandan chiffon cake for your overseas relatives before you fly out of Singapore.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOURS

Enjoy authentic Japanese cuisine at the immaculately designed JW360°(#01-223/224/225). The 486 square-meter space boasts a four-season concept menu provided by Suju Restaurant. Patrons can pamper their sophisticated palate with an extensive selection of fine Japanese sake and wines. The contemporary cafe is a place where patrons can sit back and relax while appreciating all that’s on offer, the Japan Way. A Nomono retail corner offers the best of the best products and souvenirs from all over Japan.

Kam’s Roast (#02-210) from Hong Kong will offer its signature roasts such as roast duck, suckling pig, “toro” char siew and cured sausages. The restaurant also provides travel gift packs so that travellers can take these goodies home. Sama Sama by Tok Tok (#03-225/226) brings authentic Indonesian comfort food to Jewel. Expect dishes such as the Ayam Bakar Taliwang, Sate Kambing Betawi and Gado Gado!

The largest Yunnan F&B chain, Yun Nan’s 云海肴 (#02-217), has opened its first outlet outside of China. The restaurant specializes in gao yuan liao li, or highland cuisine. Signatures include Steamed Pot Chicken Soup, Yunnan Rice Noodles in Prawn Broth with Black Truffle, Wild Porcini Mushroom, Braised Yunnan Beef Stew and Brown Sugar Soy Pudding. Malaysian bakery chain Lavender (#B2-253/254) is also here in Jewel and they have brought their most popular bakes along.

24 HOURS

A&W Restaurant (#B2-209) is back! Besides serving classics such as Made Fresh A&W Root Beer, Chicken/Beef Coney Dog, and Curly Fries (S$3.60), the 24-hour restaurant will also serve bestsellers from A&W Restaurants in the region and beyond, such as the Golden Aroma Chicken and Cream Cheese Chicken/Beef Burgers. Paris Baguette (#01-200) has a great variety of mouth-watering pastries and breads, to intricately decorated cakes and gateau, healthy salads and sandwiches, as well as delightful desserts and beverages. Don’t forget to drop by Old Chang Kee (#B2-247) for their signature curry puff and lip-smacking quick bites.

Brace yourself for an otah revolution as Lee Wee & Brothers unveils a new F&B Concept O’TAH (#B2-241) at Jewel Changi Airport. The chefs have put a new spin on the classic otah by serving dishes such as Pink Salmon Otah, Scallop Otah, Cream Cheese & Corn Otah, and Green Petai & Anchovy Otah. Other highlights include O’TAH Fries, Pesto Salmon Nasi Lemak and Ben’s Burger.

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Rangoon road seems to be a bak kut teh street. Recently, we discovered a new bak kut teh eatery just opposite Tie Fun Wan – Jia Bin Klang Bak Kut Teh (嘉宾巴生肉骨茶).

The main difference between Jia Bin and other bak kut teh eateries along the street is that they serve traditional Malaysian-style herbal bak kut teh. Jia Bin Klang Bak Kut Teh originated from Seremban, Malaysia. The family has brought the Klang-style bak kut teh to Singapore.

If my memory doesn’t fail me, the first time I tried dry bak kut teh was at Leong Kee when they were still at Beach Road. Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh came later and both blew my mind with their dry bak kut teh that’s sprinkled with dried cuttlefish.

As for Jia Bin Bak Kut Teh, the Dry Bak Kut Teh ($8.80) and Spicy Pork Belly ($8.80) are stir-fried in their special dark soy sauce and has an intense aroma. The gravy was slightly sweet and savoury, with a hint of spiciness from the dried chilli. The ribs were pretty tender and paired well with rice. However, I wished they had cuttlefish too to give the dish a little more flavour.

I like the signature Jia Bin Bak Kut Teh ($8.80 small / $17.50 Large). The pot of herbal broth was cooked with more than 10 different ingredients, but the herbal taste is not too pungent nor overpowering. The soup comes with pork belly, tau pok, pig stomach and pig intestine.

If dry bak kut teh is not your thing, go for the Hua Diao Wine Chicken ($8.80) which sees juicy chicken chunks cooked with aromatic hua diao wine.

There are a few side dishes to go with the bak kut teh, including the Pig’s Hock ($10), Choy Sim With Oyster Sauce ($5), You Tiao ($2.50) and Salted Vegetable ($3.50). I simply could not resist the Pig’s Hock which was cooked really well. Just look at that shiny gelatinous skin! The meat was also really tender and I bade farewell to my diet. The You Tao and Salted Vegetables are great accompaniments to the bak kut teh.

Note: This is an invited tasting.

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JW360° is a spanking new Japanese concept store ensconced in Jewel Changi Airport. Short for Japan Way Three Sixty, JW360° aims to establish a ‘gateway’ to Japan’s lifestyle and culture through the food and retail products in its restaurant, café and retail section.

Entering JW360° feels like stepping into a Japan town. The interior is not superfluous; instead the unpretentious vibe sets the stage for a cosy and intimate session.

The restaurant is operated by Suju Masayuki, a Japanese restaurant running seven stores in Japan and one in Orchard, Singapore. Following the Japanese methods of cooking, its menu boasts a four-season concept provided by Suju Restaurant. Patrons can definitely satisfy their sophisticated palates here.

The Gindara Misozuke Yaki is one of our favourite dishes at JW360°. The cod fish was soused in a homemade miso sauce, and grilled to perfection. The meat remains moist and tender, with a subtle smoky aroma. I took a bite and let the fatty fish melt slowly in the mouth. Wow, I could taste the sweetness and freshness of the cod! The slightly sweet miso glaze really accentuated the natural flavours of the fish.

The aesthetically-pleasing Torimomo Kurozu Itame featured a medley of eggplants, chilli, corn and chicken sautéed in a light but tangy black vinegar. The deep-fried chicken lent a delightful crunch and stole the show.

Hamburg Steak is another specialty of Suju. Seasoned with soy sauce and two kinds of miso paste, the hamburg steak was firm, springy and succulent. Sink your teeth into the steak and you’ll find that the juicy patty, which is drenched with cheese and demi-glace sauce, is extremely delicious.

The Chicken Sauté Cream is a hearty white stew loaded with three different types of mushroom. It’s surprisingly light, and packed with the umami of shellfish.

If you love fried food, the Mixed Katsu, which is a platter of pork, chicken, minced beef, and shrimp croquette will be right up your alley. I liked the pork the most because the meat was really juicy, and the thin batter was so crisp!

The Beef Steak has a smooth velvety texture, and its rich flavours lingered after every mouthful. Each main course comes with rice and miso soup.

Other noteworthy dishes available at Suju include Tempura, various types of Tonkatsu (Japanese style cutlets such as pork, chicken breast / chicken thigh cutlet, shrimp etc), Teishoku, Bento, and Donburi.

Do you know, Suju earns its stripes as an authentic Japanese restaurant because of this staple? This dish incorporates premium Koshihikari rice, which is specially sourced from Iizuka in Nagano. The Koshihikari rice is widely regarded as the caviar of Japanese short-grain rice. Interestingly, the chefs cook the rice in a copper pot, which gives it an incredible texture. Every glistening round pearl grain is moderately sticky and has an excellent bite. Make sure you drizzle the brown sauce from the beef steak onto the rice. One spoonful and you’ll be hooked for sure. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself asking for a second bowl of rice. JW360° is the closest that you can get to Japan, in Singapore.

You absolutely can’t leave JW360° without trying their desserts. You can pick your favourite gelato or a limited edition sakura cake from the JW360° café. Using Japanese ingredients such as matcha and wasanbon in their bakes, JW360° promises decadent sweet treats that will round off your meal on the sweetest note. JW360° is a great spot to enjoy a lovely tea while awaiting your next flight.

Nomono, which is the JW360° retail corner, procures tasty snacks and the best souvenirs from all over Japan. You can get your hands on a range of assorted Japanese sweets, snacks, popsicles, and sake with creative and unique packaging.

You can’t leave JW360° without their zesty Apple Chips. Raw apples are air-fried to retain its natural apple flavours. The crisp chips are exceptionally addictive. Other popular snacks include the soft and fluffy “Hagi no Tsuki Custard Cream Cake” and hand-baked “Mount Fuji Shape Rice Cracker Box” which comes in flavours of the four seasons — spring, summer, autumn and winter.

I am surprised to find Ema in JW360°! In a Japanese shrine, there is always a special area where visitors hang wooden tablets. The tablets are called “Ema (drawn horse)”, on which visitors dedicate their wishes.

At JW360°, you can write your wishes on the Ema and the staff will bring it back to the Shinto Shrines in Japan and dedicate them to God. Such a meaningful way to end my meal here! Needless to say, I’ll be back again!

This post is brought to you by JW360°.

The post JW360° Opens Its Doors at Jewel Changi Airport – Discover Japan’s Way of Life Through Food and Retail appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

It seems like residents in Kovan love minced meat fishball noodles. At Kovan Market and Food Centre, there are three very popular minced meat fishball noodles — Chun Fu Fishball Minced Meat Noodle Laksa (春福鱼圆肉脞面.叻沙, #01-04), Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle (发记肉脞鱼圆面, #01-05) and Yam Mee Teochew Fishball Noodle (炎成潮州鱼丸面, #01-35). Everyday during lunch and dinner, expect to see queues at not one, but all three stalls.

I would have thought that the three stall owners are enemies, since they sell the same dishes. Moreover, Chun Fu Fishball Minced Meat Noodle Laksa and Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle are just side by side. But I was wrong. One day, while I was having lunch here, I spotted the hawkers talking and laughing with each other while cooking the noodles. That was such a rare sight. And to make things even more interesting, the three stalls had purposely plan their off-days to be different from one other, so that residents will get to enjoy fishball noodles no matter what day it is. I love to hear about such camaraderie (or some say kampung spirit) among hawkers.

Just two weeks ago, I dropped by the market to buy breakfast and decided to queue for Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle. To my surprise, it was cooked by 29-year-old Aloysius. He caught my attention because he was really swift in his cooking and my bowl of noodles was really not bad!

I won’t say I frequented the stall but I went there for dinner quite a few times on the weekends but I never met the young hawker. It’s always his uncle who works the evening shift. It’s nice to finally meet Aloysius.

Aloysius is the third generation hawker at Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle. He has been helping out at his father’s stall since he was still in school. His grandmother and father first started selling wanton noodles in Geylang. After the market was demolished, they moved to Kovan Market and decided to sell minced meat fishball noodles instead.

The menu is simple. There’s minced meat noodles, laksa and curry noodles. Singapore’s hot weather deters me from having anything too spicy, so I usually order the minced meat noodles. You can even purchase the handmade fish cake at $1.50.

I think Fa Ji’s chilli and lard make the noodles exceptional. The noodles were not overcooked and retained a pretty good bite. They were tossed in an addictive sauce that’s heavily perfumed with lard and loaded with fiery chilli that carried a hint of sweetness. Fa Ji is quite heavy handed with the seasoning.

The pork slices were tender and the lightly-cooked liver was awesome. The vinegar was not overpowering, and worked beautifully with the chilli sauce. The portion is really generous so big eaters will definitely be pleased.

I hardly order laksa or curry chicken noodles, but when I returned on a wet and chilly day, the spicy noodles called out to me. Tender steamed chicken in a rich curry broth swimming with taupok. What’s not to love? You can add a spoonful of sambal if you want it to be more spicy. The same broth is used for the laksa. What a comforting bowl of noodles!

I have tried all three stalls, and to be really honest (not a PR answer), three of them are really above average. Even though they sell the same dishes, but in terms of seasonings and ingredients, all of them have different recipes and use different suppliers. So it really boils down to personal preference.

For me, I prefer Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle because I like stronger flavours, and Fa Ji’s chilli sauce really won me over.

READ: 27 Bak Chor Mee Singaporeans Love

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

The post Fa Ji Minced Meat Fishball Noodle – Bak Chor Mee with Super Shiok Lard & Chilli appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.