Heart Break Melts

A recent viral video online had kind of introduced us to Heart Break Melts. This Cozy Ice Cream and Dessert Cafe is located in Ang Mo Kio, not only that, they are vegan-friendly, Allium-Free and 100% Plant Based.

Before entering the Cafe, we saw a bear being tied up with duct tape sitting on a chair right in front of the cafe's grass patch. 

What's with the punishment, I wondered.

Kidnapped

The facade looks pretty with Neon Lights and square glass panels looking through into the place. Let's have a heartbreaking and melting session in there! 

Heartbreak Melts

They have interesting unloved stories that come with heartbreaking scenarios. For their Menu, its rather interesting and playful with their title. Do enjoy the rest of the Memes in the cafe. 

Menu

The place looks sad with empty tables with big plush occupying the table, as though waiting forever for people to turn up. It sounds so right when the wording at the back of the cafe indicated "It's amazing how STUPID you can be" with the hidden word below saying "when you are in love".

Waiting forever

It supposes to be interesting how the decorations are in the cafe but this one looks sad to me too. The plush has to face the wall and ponder about one's misdeeds to stand in the corner (as explained by the Chinese characters). 

The wall is made up of the Owner's picture and some humour.

What's the word?

Love Really Hurts

After noticing the above, I realised the rest of the plushes which were hanging up at the entrance followed suits too, facing the wall. If you notice, you can spot a similar bear hanging from the ceiling too.

Can you spot what's hanging from the ceiling?

We had the "I Am Basic" which comes with a Waffle and 2 Scoops of Ice Cream. We added another scoop to share among ourselves. We had Tauhuay Gula Melaka 椰糖豆花,  Hojicha Cacao Nibs and Corny Cornflake 玉米片. The Ice-Cream texture was on the chewy side and sweet side. 

The waffle is not of any conventional taste. In fact, it is made up of ingredients like Enriched bleached flour, Sugar, Leavening, Maltodextrin, salt, dextrose, Soybean Oil, Soy Protein, Soy Milk and Soy Lecithin. There was almost no sweetness in it and this totally compliment the sweet Scoops we had. 

I am Basic - Waffle with 3 Scoops - $18

No doubt that plant-based ice cream is of benefit to the body, suitable for vegetarians and people with lactose intolerance, I still find that the taste and texture of the ice cream were not to our liking.

With ice cream aside, it's really heartbreaking indeed visiting the cafe. 

 

Rating: 3 / 5

Heart Break Melts
Location: 421 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #01-1163 Singapore 560421
Website

Xiang Run Dessert

The saying that goes there is always room for dessert even after a meal is true. Maybe we should blame it on the weather for it was raining heavily and naturally, we felt more hungry than the usual days. Or perhaps, we need something hot to warm our body after being caught in the rain.

Stall of Xiang Run Dessert

Such traditional dessert is always a bowl of comfort food for Asian like us. The Bubur Terigu was warm and we opted for coconut milk to be served together with this. It was tasty and the level of sweetness was perfect for us.

Bubur Terigu - $1.50

Texture was soft yet maintaining the chew for the grains. Hints from fragrance of the pandan used in the dessert together with the coconut milk was heart warming.

Spoonful of Bubur Terigu

Traditional flavoured dessert like the Pulut Hitam is still the best that warms us on a rainy day like this. Similarly, the sweetness level was mild and definitely a go for us. 

Pulut Hitam - $1.50

We opted for coconut milk to savour the small bowl of Pulut Hitam.

Pulut Hitam

Xiang Run Dessert focus on just a few traditional kinds of dessert at neighborhood market pricing. I do not see a reason for not coming back for such homely cooked bowls of Traditional Desserts.

Rating: 3  / 5

Xiang Run Dessert

Location: 724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6, #01-34, Singapore 560724

Centre Satay Bee Hoon

While browsing the social media for Satay Bee Hoon, Centre Satay Bee Hoon is listed as one of the recommended in the list. There are actually 2 stalls in the Food Centre that are selling Satay Bee Hoon. Although both have their own pool of fans, Centre Satay Bee Hoon stall is plastered with a handful of media articles and staff are dressed in uniform Tee.

Centre Satay Bee Hoon Stall

The plate is generously filled with the peanut sauce, covering up the vermicelli. We got the middle size portion at $5 and ingredients includes kang kong, cuttlefish, prawns, cockles, sliced pork, and tau pok.

Satay Bee Hoon - $5

The type of prawns was translucent and I preferred the usual pink with red tails prawns that I usually had.

Ingredients Revealed

The thick and savoury satay sauce was adequate to cover every strand of Bee Hoon. In fact, it blends in well and was not very spicy. 

Toss the Bee Hoon

Although Satay Bee Hoon may seem to be a simple and straightforward dish, the preparation of peanut sauce from scratch is laborious as one has to dry roast the peanuts first then cook with sauce over a long time.

Stay Bee Hoon

Overall, Centre Satay Bee Hoon serving and taste is decent. Coming from the Western Part of Singapore, my vote still goes to the one in Bukit Timah.

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Centre Satay Bee Hoon
Location: 724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6, #01-12, Singapore 560724

Ying Yi Kway Chap Braised Duck Rice Noodles

A general Kway Chap Stall seems to be a crowd-pleaser. With a history of more than 20 years and popular in its vicinity. The stall was manned by a pretty bespectacled lady who had taken over her dad's role.

Ying Yi Kway Chap Braised Duck Rice Noodles

The Kway Chap Set for 2 consists of fishcakes, pork belly, Tu Pok & intestines. The innards were well handled with no additional funny taste. The chilli that accompanied the food was good enough.

Kway Chap For 2

The braised did not have an overpowering taste and was not salty. Everything was of a well-balanced taste and that includes the soup in the bowl of kway. The meal was simple and comforting for a breakfast.

Ingredients Plate

When it comes to local braised stalls like this, I can't help but have a taste of their duck meat. It is tender coated with some sweet thick sauce.

Braised Duck Noodle - $3.50

Overall, I find that food tastes decent but I'm the one who prefers soup to be more of herb taste and sauce to be more on the savoury side. I love that the food handling especially the intestines is well managed. 

Rating: 3 / 5

Ying Yi Kway Chap Braised Duck Rice Noodles
Location: Cheng San Market & Cooked Food Centre, 527 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10,#01-145 Singapore 560527

Desert Dessert

Was looking for some dessert shop nearby after dinner and just within walking distance, we brought ourselves to Desert Dessert (DD). Though the business name rhymes but it comprises 2 words with a different meaning. 

Desert Dessert

The shop is rather compact, cosy and the furnishing is rather simple with wooden tables and colourful chairs.

The shop offers ice cream, drinks and cakes. Even though there are only10 flavours of ice cream to choose from the tubs, I find that the colours are vibrant and attractive.

Flavours of Ice Cream

You can choose from the classic range (Single $3.60/ Double $6.60) like Earl Grey, Teh Tarik, Cookies & Cream, Triple Chocolate, Yogurt with nuts or Berry Berry Nice. Premium ones like Pistachio, Sea Salt, dark chocolate & Mango Passion can be ordered at an additional $1 on top of the classic pricing.

We had the waffle with double scoops of ice cream, both premium flavours, pistachio and Sea salt flavour. 

Waffle and Ice Cream

The buttermilk waffle was fluffy, pillow-soft when chewed and has a significant crisp at the edges. It was not too sweet and totally goes well with the sweet scoops of ice cream. It is then sprinkled with icing sugar and some maple syrup. Not too bad if you enjoy waffle like I do.

Premium Flavours

The pistachio flavour was good but I find that the sea salt was nothing that I expected. It was greyish blue in colour and tasted a tad bubblegum to me.

The operating hours are till late at night and I guess those who are residing in Ang Mo Kio will like to chill here.

Yummy

Rating: 3 / 5

Desert Dessert
Location: 163 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4, Singapore 560163

Hong Kong Street Zhen Ji 香港街珍記

Weekends are meant for good meals and with the sibling's recommendation, we have agreed to head down to Ang Mo Kio Hong Kong Street Zhen Ji for a Cze Char dinner despite the heavy downpour.

Hong Kong Street Zhen Ji

The dish was a noteworthy item just as recommended on their menu. Cuttlefish given was generous and was soft and chewable while the Sambal was not too spicy together with the cut pieces of Fried Kang Kong.

Fried Kang Kong Sambal with Cuttlefish 鱿鱼蕹菜 - $12

Large chunks of fish meat with slices of ginger and vegetables together with thick bee hoon are the usual sights that we expect from Cze Char's stall Fish Meat Noodle Soup. I was rather disappointed with the soup as it was rather bland without much taste but on a good note, usage of MSG is minimal.

Sum Kee Fish Meat Noodle Soup 珍记鱼肉粗米粉 - $7

The pork ribs are indeed very flavourful with sweetness and sour taste. It was intense and the amount of meat given was generous. It's recommended just as what they state on their menu.

Sum Kee Pork Ribs 珍记排骨王 - $10

"Wok Hei" taste from the "San Lao" Hor Fun was present. This individual serving of Hor Fun had a significant use of fish slices as well as bean sprouts.

Sum Kee "San Lao" Hor Fun 招牌三捞河粉 - $6

It was a tasty and recommended dish on its menu but, to be honest, it's good but not to die for as there are better ones out there.

Fish Slices and Bean Sprouts

The exterior texture of the roll was indeed very thin and crispy, unlike what I had in most Cze Char Stall. As for its fillings, its rather ordinary, pairing up with the sweet sauce provided.

Crispy Prawn Roll 珍记虾枣 - $10

Though the cereal prawn was packed with fragrance and hints of milk powder, we still find that the taste of prawns was kind of lacking and bland. 

Cereal Prawn 香脆麦片虾 - $22

The taste from the "star" of the dish was not up to our expectation but instead the cereal that is complimenting the prawns taste better as a whole. Well, I would have skipped this dish.

Close up on Cereal Prawn

With some hits and misses, if I'm going for popular dishes like San Lao Hor Fun, Fish Meat Noodle Soup and Crispy Prawn Roll, I will most likely go to the usual Holland Village XO Fish Head Bee Hun. However, their menu was rather standard and not with a variety like Hong Kong Street. In addition, with so many dishes ordered, we felt that the price was reasonable & pocket friendly for a popular Cze Char place like this. It is definitely a good place for a family meal during the weekends and do note that reservations can be made in advance for big groups only.

Rating : 3 / 5

Hong Kong Street Zhen Ji 香港街珍記

Location: 158 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4, 01-590, Singapore 560158

Yummy Yap Eating House

A good breakfast suggestion by the pal and we headed all the way from the West and into Ang Mo Kio area, reaching out to Yummy Yap Eating House. 

Yummy Yap Eating House

Yummy Yap Eating House is humbly located below the old HDB estate. Interior was modernly furnished and seating spaces are rather limited.

Interior

The rich and savoury prawn broth makes the Pao Fan so tasty. It is served with prawns, fish cakes and slices of pork. Together with the grains of pearl white rice, there is no regret ordering this.

Prawn Soup Pao Fan 虾汤泡饭 - $6

The Prawn Noodle Set A comes with a default bowl of prawn noodle with choice of dry or soup version and a bowl of braised chicken feet. I had a combination of yellow noodles with Kway Teow and had chosen to add chilli to my breakfast. They use the thinner form of Kway Teow (Kway Teow Kia) and I'm kind of impress by my first mouthful of noodles. Instead of having just chilli, condiments like ketchup was included. It tasted well enough and reminded me of some childhood noodles.

Set A - Prawn Noodle & Chicken Feet (A 套餐 虾面+凤爪+香菇) - $8

 Ingredients amount was acceptable with slices of pork, fish cakes, Kang kong and best of all, there are 3 full plump & juicy prawns ~ at least we did not get half of them compared to some other places. 

Ingredients in a closer look

Braised chicken feet were great. The braised taste was prominent and with tasty mushrooms too.

Braised Chicken Feet with mushroom

Drinks were ordered separately after we had done our meal. However, we both agreed that the drink had too much syrup for us and skip them. We could barely even finish up a third of the cup and concluded that we should have bought 1 cup and share between us instead.

Lime Juice - $2

Overall, the standard of food is definitely there and given the chance, I don't mind making a return for other stuff on the menu. Besides their signature prawn noodle, it is known that they are serving delicious pork belly rice too.

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Yummy Yap
Location: 159 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4, #01-532, Singapore 560159

Gim Tim

Gim Tim is a reputable name and has always been flocked by families who want to enjoy a decent and authentic cuisine in the heartland of Ang Mo Kio. Opening its door since 1975 and serving quality food to her customer, Gim Tim has been seen popular with many. Gim Tim is located in rather humble air-conditioned restaurant below the HDB Blocks, for those who is not very familar with Ang Mo Kio area, the landmark to spot may be the Market & Food Centre in Ang Mo Kio Ave 4. Growing from this into establishing a group of resaturants with 3 outlets serving finest Hokkien, Sze Chuan and Cantonese cuisine.

Gim Tim

Cooridoors

Wet Tissue

For weekends, its hardly that you will get a table without a reservation as it is usually fully booked with tables of happy family. Fortunately, we walked in early and got ourselves a table and was served by friendly staff. One good point to note was that you can see that Gim Tim employs senior citizens around as servers I felt very comfortable with.

Gim Tim

I must say that I was not very hungry but I had an impressive start with their deeply fried golden brown Xia Zao (Prawn Dumplings). Dipping into its sweet and savoury sauce was truly heavenly. The taste of it was indescribable and definitely unique on its own. I haven't tasted such different Xia Zao anywhere else!

Deep Fried Xia Zao - $12 / $18 / $24

Vegetables were not stated on their menu somehow and we had ordered the stirred fried Kai Lan with garlic. Nothing extra special about the dish, its quite standard.

Kai Lan with Garlic - $10

Replacing the bowls of rice, we had the fried traditional tapioca roll. If you enjoy the Hakka Abacus Beads / Seeds, I bet you would pretty much enjoy this dish! Ingredients were almost or identical to the Hakka dish with dried shrimp, spring onions, bean sprouts and tapioca. The catch in the dish is none other than the thin and springy slices of Tapioca Roll complemented by the sweet tasty sauce as well as the fragrant of fried dried shrimp. Yummy!

Fried Traditional Tapioca Roll - $12 / $18

The true blue classic Hokkien dish that I'm waiting for! Since everywhere is emphasizing on healthier food, I guess this is why Kong Bah has become lean nowadays! Slices of "Bui Bui" (Fatty translated from dialect) meat has gone lean!You can still see the distinctive layers on each and every piece of the Kong Bah though it was deeply coated in its toothsome braised sauce. Sandwich this good stuff in the fluffy smooth pau with a portion of lettuce and enjoy the absolute juicy-ness that comes to your mind as you sink your teeth into the meat! It was ever-so-satisfying!

Steamed Preserved Meat Served with Bao (Kong Bah Bao) - $12 / $18 / $24

Kong Bah

Here comes the Teochew's Favourite, Or Nee aka Yam Paste! Marvelous, suiting the taste buds! With mashed Taro mixed with Gingko nuts and corn kernels, its naturally sweet with minimal use of sugar and coconut milk. I thought it was good as they had given good consideration to older folks who enjoy the desserts!

Sweetened Taro Paste with Gingko Nut (Or Nee) - $4 / $15 / $30

Taro

Nothing fanciful spotted from the Mango Puree with Pamelo, perhaps the way they served in a cup got our eyes wider? It was something running of the mill and not much comments about it.

Mango Puree with Pamelo & Ice Cream - $4 / $15 / $30

Gim Tim, I have always wanted to visit them many years back after hearing pleasant things about them via words of mouth and I was very pleased to visit them!  The spirit of their stuff and atmosphere of dining is something I'm looking forward to and you can see happy faces enjoying meals with their families of generations. It's a good place for family gathering and also if you enjoy such cuisine.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Gim Tim
Location: Blk 157 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4 #01-546 Singapore 560157