Pilcrow [Media Invite]

Pilcrow is a laid-back, cosy progressive dessert bar that is located along the stretch of bustling nightlives shophouses facing the Singapore River.

Pilcrow

The taste of DUSK is unique on its own. The rum taste was significant but not overpowering. Pineapple with some honeyed sweetness, completed with the citrus pineapple-infused rum, manuka, citrus and ginger beer. Love that big ice cube in the middle of the glass, acting as a platform for the decorations. The alcohol content was not very strong, so it's perfect for a light drinker like me.

Dusk - $16

Desserts are less boring when you paired them with some cocktails. 

Desserts, drinks and Cocktail

The caramelised top layer of the Burnt Cheesecake was fragrant. The matcha taste was not overpowering and not bitter. The smooth and creamy dessert was plated with yuzu sorbet as well as some creams.

Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake - $16

The dessert is best paired with their cocktail, Brightside.

For the Yuzu Lover who loves a bit of zesty and sour flavours, the Exotique that features Japanese Yuzu curd within a coconut mousse is awesome.

Exotique - $16

Their plated desserts are definitely eye-pleasing and come with zesty lime sorbet. This is best paired with the cocktail, Pit of the Plum.

Into the Curd

Their sourdough Pizzas are all handcrafted. With tomato as base, ingredients on the 10" size pizza is generous with adequate cheese and corn kernals. Edge of the crust was crispy and chicken was BBQ flavoured. 

Sour Dough Pizza (BBQ Chicken) - $18 (10 Inch)

The size is recommended for 1-2 pax sharing, however, if you are ordering other food or dessert, 3-4 pax would be better with this pizza cut into 8 slices. The taste was good,  however, the thickness of the dough base is rather slim and fragile as it gets disintegrates easily.

Grab your slice now

To add on, their service was commendable. The server was patient in explaining the cocktails and recommending food items to us. 

Thank you Scale Micro Influencer for the invitation.

Pilcrow
Location: 60 Boat Quay, #01-01 Singapore 049848
Website

Authentic Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow‎

I used to patronized Original Hock Lam's beef noodles when they were somewhere in Far East Square. I was quite upset when I heard that the sudden closure of Original Hock Lam Beef due to a shortage of manpower.

Luckily, the food heritage still continues and we still get to enjoy them from Authentic Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow Pte Ltd in North Canal Road.

StoreFront

This is one of the recommended order from the menu with both sliced beef and beef balls that have been indicated as "人气王“. For the Noodles, there are 3 selections, Kway Teow (Flat Rice Noodle), Thick Bee Hoon and Yellow Noodle. As for the selection of base, one can choose soup or the dry version that consists of thick gravy.

Hock Lam beef has been serving good beef noodles as their beef is cooked to the perfect tenderness texture. I love the combination of crushed peanuts, pickled vegetables on top of the sliced beef and meatballs.

Sliced Beef & Beef Balls - $7.80

The chilli is a good combination to the beef meatballs as well as the slices while the soup is flavourful and tasty. If you order the dry version, you will get a small bowl of soup served too.

Sliced Beef & Beef Balls - $8.80

I don't really fancy beef noodles but I can say that they served one of the best Beef Noodles in Singapore. If chances allow, I will like to visit them again for other stuff on the menu. 

Rating:  3.25 / 5

Authentic Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow‎
Location: 6 North Canal Rd, Singapore 048819

Ronin [Closed]

If you have not take a look closely, you will have miss out Ronin which is located at 17 Hong Kong Street. The facade is pretty usual like a office building and has no attention catching signage that make the place known.

Ronin

As I went into the cafe, I was kind of shock with its crowd. Just imagine a place without signage, this cafe is surely doing good! The place was furnished in the industrial theme, dimmed but cosy with Menu attached to the wall. If you are looking for a great variety of food, then this place isn't quite for you as their menu is short and sweet, straight forward.

Menu on the wall

Be prepared to share tables with someone as I was told that the place was bustling with Cafehoppers during the weekends especially. Long Black is served in Hot and Cold with a dollar difference. Long Black has nothing to rave about as it quite ordinary. Perhaps we should have ordered their signature drink "Wicked".

Long Black (Hot) - $5

While the non coffee me prefers Matcha-Toned, it reminded me of my capsule drink from Dolce Gusto. The fun part about this is that those Green Matcha were sticked onto the wall of the glass and in order to experience the drink fully, I have to make a good stir in the cup.

Matcha-Toned - $6

Choice of Toast can be chosen, either Sourdough or seeded with Butter & Jam Lady Jam. We had something kind of mix and match on the menu with Eggs on our toast, scambled added with Pork Sausage and Portobello mushroom. Pretty ordinary.

Eggs on Toast with Sausage and Mushrooms - $18.50

Dirty Ronin does look dirty spreading on the Sandwiches and I guess perhaps this is how they name it after. These are quite challenging for fork and knife and I decided to use it bare hands. Sandwiches ingredients includes Chorizo (pork sausage), Emmental Cheese, soft egg, Miso Mayo and lettuce. The sandwiches wasn't quite for me as it was quite hard.

Dirty Ronin - $15

Overall, I felt that the place is more for coffee lover and nothing much about the food as menu was not extensive for us.

Rating: 3 / 5

Ronin
Location: 17 Hongkong Street #01-01 Singapore 059660
Operating Hours: 8am - 6pm Daily
Website

Hombre Cantina

Homebre Cantina is set on the riverside stretch of boat quay to satisfy your cravings for Mexican Flavours. 

The term "Hombre" is an affectionate slang for "dude" in Spanish. Positioned itself as Cantina since the first day of opening in Sept 2013, this Gastrobar served casual delicious Mexican food at a great value.

Facade of Hombre Cantina

Ordering is make easy in few Steps: Step 1 - Choosing your mains at $15+ each and Step 2, Choose your fillings & Salsa. This concept gives customer a choice to build their own Mexican bites in a casual and comfortable environment for the mains while sides, soups and desserts can be ordered separately.

Menu

Some have the idea that a Mexican Bar is about Tequilas, this can't go wrong for you as Hombre Cantina is known for one of the widest Tequilas selection in Singapore. Do join in the fun.

Drinks Menu

Environment is unpretentious with Sobreros hanging on the walls indicating Hombre Cantina's Owners' name.

Environment

Interior was relaxing in its rustic decor with walks decked up in reclaimed timber palates, creating a beach vibe. Given that the flooring and bar counter has no further decors, just mainly cement screed, I find that its Simple, yet interesting.

Following the Mexican style where diners are free to help themselves, for food ordering, one can head straight into the shop to place their order.

Counter and interior

Free WIFI Connection is provided in the cantina, and to receive free mini magarita or chip and salsa, do like Hombre Cantina on the Facebook.

Check it out

Diners are free to sit anywhere even under bright  yellow tentage by the side of the river.

Yellow Tentage

Head down for their daily specials from Monday to Friday, 7 - 9pm.

Promotions

Menu on the table to guide diners

Any upcoming Events will be written on the blackboard.

Events board

The colors combination from the basket of nachos chips together with the different level of spice from the salsa sauce was attention snatching. Starting with the mild spice is the one on the extreme left, followed by the medium spiciness from the fire roasted tomato and the hottest among all, Salsa verde.

Nachos served with salsa

Chips were all fried fresh from the kitchen and was very crispy throughout. The crispiness from the chips are perfect on the go with the sauces.

Nachos

There were a number of Salsas for pairing but the style I like most is the Pineapple Chile. Tomato, onions and pineapples are chopped into fine pieces and mixed together with cilantro, tangy and appetizing.

Pineapple Chile

Its yummy nachos time! These tortilla chips were topped with black beans, cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Nachos

The cheesy Quessadillas were fragrant and with grilled with Hombre 's burnt cheese blend under the folded Tortilla. We had them served with roasted chicken thigh and it was not too bad.

Quesadillas - Roasted chicken Thigh

While we had another version of Quesadillas with Braised Beef Brisket pairing up with the Hot Salsa verde.

Quesadillas with Braised Beef Brisket Fillings and Salsa Verde 

The texture of the tortilla was a tad cripsy and soft with the beef brisket and the melting cheese.

A close up on the beef brisket

The cross section of the Burrito looked neat and yummy. Tortilla was used to wrapped mexican-style rice, black beans, romaine lettuce, pico de gallo & sour cream. Braised Beef Brisket was chosen as the filling.

Burrito with braised beef brisket

Fret not for the healthy goers. Hombre Cantina had them at heart by having fillings choice with roasted veggies.

Though these Burritos may look enticing, they may also lead us to quite a mess if they are not handled properly. Serving size was thick and quite unglam for the ladies to eat as fillings are often seen dropping out onto the table.

Probably, the trick in reducing the mess is to dig a spoon into the Burritos.

Vegetarian Burrito

Tacos comes in a basket of 3, with soft corn tortillas topped with cabbage & pico de gallo. Again, with their brilliant idea of letting dinners choose their own fillings and salsa makes eating fun.

We had the fried pacific dory in Tacos filling, one featuring the Hot Salsa verde while the other fire roasted tomato. Do note that Salsa verde can be burning on the tongue.

Tacos with Fried Pacific Dory and Salsa Verde

If you want to skip the spicy version, I suggest adding the medium Salsas on your mains as a safer choice or even the Mild Pineapple chile.

Tacos with Fried Pacific Dory and Fire Roasted Tomato

Last but not least from the main, we had the Mexican-Style rice bowl filled with black beans, romaine lettuce, pico de gallo and sour cream.

Rice Bowl with Fried Pacific Dory

Taking off the alcoholic edge with the Mexican Style Corn as well as the Chicken Chicharrones.

Having grown up in Asia, grilled corn cob was nothing extra-ordinary as they are rather common as a side in western food. Perhaps a twist in the ingredients of serving using their Hombre's spice blend and grated cheese spelt out the differences between the Mexican Style and Asian Style of preparation. Some parts of the corn kernels were charred adding on to the dish taste, however it lacked the juiciness and the bursting effect from the corn as I bite them between my teeth.

Mexican Corn - $8

Chicken Chicharrones are recommended sides and they are actually fried chicken skins with Hombre's spice blend. It is close to tasteless if it was without the spice blend, however if you where to sprinkle some lime juice over them, it kind let some refreshing taste into the bites.

Chicken Chicharrones - $10

To enjoy your Mexican bites to the fullest, they are best to dine in their Hot Sauce. Do add some onto your food!

Hot Sauce

And going into the beverages that one should not miss in the Mexican Cantina.

Beer - Pacifico & Dos XX Amber - $12 & $11

An absolute surprise to us. Tamarindo is their classic made up of chilli and Tamarind.  One may be pondering what's the green thingy floating in the middle, its actually a spicy green chilli with its seeds afloat. The fantastic combination of these two main ingredients was definitely a great harmony to the tongue as there was no fiery kick but rather addictive with the urge to sip more of it.

Tamarindo - $15

Tequila

Fruta can be made to taste with Passion fruit or watermelon. This fruity taste from the drink consists of freshly squashed passion fruit and 50ml of Tequila with salt clinging on the rim of the glass cup.

Fruta - $15

Overall, the place is perfect for a chillout, eat and enjoy the snacks along the beautiful scene of the quay. This trip gave me a deeper understanding of Mexican Dining Environment and somehow I derive that though there are different dishes in the menu, the permutations of ingredients in each dish were somehow repetitive to me and its more of less like eating the same thing, uniquely Mexican.

Thanks OpenRice for invitation.

Rating: 3 / 5

Hombre Cantina
Location: 53 Boat Quay Singapore 049842
Website