Keef The Beef Bungalow

Keef the Beef is one of Singapore’s homegrown restaurants known for quality steak dinners. In addition to its well-executed meats, the restaurant offers private dining rooms that cater to various occasions and events. Located along Rochester Road, it sits comfortably away from the bustle of shopping malls, providing a more relaxed and intimate dining experience.

Keef The Beef Bungalow

The alfresco dining area is equally inviting, set against a charming and quiet backdrop that feels perfect for a romantic date. With its serene surroundings and laid-back atmosphere, it offers an ideal setting to enjoy a leisurely meal away from the city’s rush.

Alresco

We had made a reservation and were ushered to the upper level. As we walked up the stairs, we couldn’t help but notice the many pickleball rackets displayed along the stairway, available for sale, a quirky and unexpected detail that added a touch of personality to the space.

Rackets

This seating area feels like a quiet, tucked-away passage within the building. With only a few tables lined along the corridor and positioned facing the shutters rather than the main dining room, it offers a sense of privacy and calm. The dim, warm lighting and cushioned bench seating create an intimate atmosphere, perfect for an unhurried meal away from the livelier main dining area, almost like having your own secluded corner within the restaurant.

The Area where We Dined

After placing our orders, we were served a basket of warm bread, perfect for dipping into the olive oil provided, a simple yet comforting way to begin the meal.

Complimentary Bread

For sides, we chose The Keef’s signature salad. Unlike the usual medley of vegetables, this unique mix featured beetroot, almond flakes, edamame, and French beans, all brought together with a light, flavorful dressing.

Keef's Salad - $23

or appetizers, we tried the Ehire Yaki, grilled stingray fin served with a side of mayo. It was a unique experience, with a taste and texture reminiscent of tender cuttlefish, offering a delicate, slightly chewy bite that paired perfectly with the creamy mustard sauce.

Ehire Yaki - $14

Since The Keef specializes in beef, you know their meat won’t disappoint. We went with the chef-recommended USDA Ribeye, opting for the boneless cut cooked to a perfect medium as suggested. Available in 350g or 600g portions, the steak was flavorful on its own, though a light dab of the accompanying salt enhanced its natural richness. It arrived garnished with a sprig of rosemary and a few cherry tomato slices, adding a simple yet elegant touch to the presentation.

USDA Ribeye - $97 (350g)

The ribeye is cooked to a beautiful medium doneness, with a warm pink center that looks juicy and tender, framed by a well-seared, caramelised crust. The fat is gently rendered, giving the meat a glossy sheen and promising rich, beefy flavor in every bite, an ideal balance between tenderness and depth.

Medium Doneness

The Lobster Tagliatelle is another standout chef’s recommendation on the menu. Generous chunks of lobster are paired with mussels, clams, and scallops, tossed through silky ribbons of tagliatelle and bathed in a rich, fragrant sauce. 

Lobster Tagliatelle - $59

Each bite is brimming with ocean sweetness, making it a luxurious and deeply satisfying seafood indulgence.

Lobster Meat

We also indulged in the Fish & Chips at The Beef Bungalow. The barramundi was fried to a perfect golden crisp, flaky and tender inside, served with a fresh salad and a generous portion of hot, crunchy fries, pure comfort on a plate.

Fish & Chips - $36

We ended the meal on a sweet note with a tiramisu to share. Served elegantly in a glass and finished with a delicate dusting of gold leaf along the rim, it was light yet indulgent, with well-balanced coffee notes and creamy layers that made for a satisfying and pleasant finale.

Classic Tiramisu - $16

We simply enjoyed the creamy mascarpone paired with espresso-soaked ladyfingers, delicately adorned with golden leaves, making each spoonful a smooth and elegant finish to the meal.

Tiramisu

If you love beef and want to impress your date or celebrate a special occasion, Keef The Beef Bungalow is definitely worth a visit.

Keef The Beef Bungalow
Location: 2A Rochester Park, Singapore 139252
Website

Verandah@Rael's - The Star Vista

 I was spoiled for choice when my friends asked me to pick a dinner spot at The Star Vista. After some deliberation, I decided on Verandah@Rael's, as it offered the cuisine I was craving most at the moment.

Verandah 

I have been craving satay for quite some time now. These satay sticks are beautifully marinated, with tender and succulent chicken grilled to perfection. They're served with a rich and flavorful traditional peanut sauce with sides of chopped onions and cucumber for a refreshing balance.

Chicken Satay (7 Sticks) - $9.80

The broth may appear spicy with its orange hue, but the vibrant color actually comes from the prawns. This flavorful soup is enriched with a delightful pork and prawn broth blend, complemented by juicy meatballs that make it irresistibly appetizing!

Pong Tauhu Soup (per serving) - $6.90

A must-order staple, this dish features tang hoon (glass noodles) cooked in a rich, flavorful broth. It’s tossed with crispy beancurd strips, shiitake mushrooms, and cabbage, creating a hearty and satisfying combination.

Nonya Chap Chai - $13.90

A deliciously sweet and savoury stew of pork belly and turnips slow-cooked to perfection in a thick fermented soybean sauce with a subtle peppery kick. The rich, flavorful gravy pairs perfectly with steamed rice, making it a comforting and satisfying dish.

Babi Pongteh - $19.90

Overall, the Peranakan meals were quite decent. They also offer lunch and dinner set meals, making it a convenient option for a fuss-free dining experience.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Verandah@Rael's - The Star Vista
Location:  The Star Vista, 1 Vista Exchange Green, #01-33/K2 Singapore 138617
Website

Takagi Ramen One-North

Ushering the Lunar New Year in the Year of Dragon 2024, many eateries have juiced up their creativity by offering interesting and tantalising dishes on their menu. Let's look at what Singapore's ever-first 24-hour ramen Dining Concept, Takagi Ramen, is offering. 

Takagi Ramen - Ramen for the average Singaporean

They are featuring an innovation of Ramen to another level with the Pumpkin & Tomato Series.

Pumpkin & Tomato Ramen Series

Takagi Ramen's version of Pumpkin flavour-infused Tonkotsu Ramen was pretty savoury to me. The broth is of a good texture and thick consistency to my liking. Topped with thick pieces of bacon slices adorned by the tender pieces of pumpkin and a great giant piece of Nori Seaweed which creates a delectable unique ramen flavour as well as experience. 

Bekon Pumpkin Ramen 

This Konnyaku Tomato Ramen is Takagi's very first vegetarian ramen dish. The tomato-based broth reminded me of our Chinese New Year Meal's Steamboat where it is thick and tangy. Takagi had it condensed and thickened over long hours. The ramen was served with tangy tomatoes, QQ konnyaku jelly topped with a giant piece of Nori Seaweed.

Konnyaku Tomato Ramen

Pairing the Ramen with the festive drinks, they served Joyful Lychee and Lucky Pineapple Ice Blended.

For their Joyful Lychee was Oat Milk Ice Blended with fresh, sweet lychee. The oat milk was smoothly blended seamlessly offering us a refreshing cup of Lychee drink symbolising sweet happiness.

While Pineapple often symbolises Wealth. Takagi Ramen wants us to "huat" into this new year with their new pineapple and oat milk ice blended drink.

Joyful Lychee & Lucky Pineapple Ice Blended

With Takagi Ramen being popular for its 24Hrs Ramen Operating concept, patrons can enjoy a hot bowl of Ramen even when hunger pangs in the night. With 11 outlets in Singapore, more than half is operating around the clock. 

Takagi Ramen is also doing a give away of 20,000 bowls of free ramen as part of its Chinese New Year (CNY) fundraising efforts throughout February 2024. For every donation of $5 or more, patrons can relish a mouth-watering bowl of Menma Shoyu Ramen worth $6.90. This initiative is available for dine-in only from 2pm - 6pm daily at Takagi Ramen's Dhoby Ghaut and Marine Parade Central outlets. 

Takagi Ramen One-North
Location: 1 Fusionopolis Way, #B1-12 Connexis, Singapore 138632

Monki 台灣小吃部

After going to so many Taiwanese cafes, we are back at Monki again. Here's our repeated orders for their beverages and luckily, there was no price hike in the food we had ordered.

Osmanthus Plum Juice 桂花乌梅汁， Monki Milk Tea (Iced) 猴奶茶 - $5 Each

 

We ordered the Mix Mee Sua with Big Intestine and Oyster. There is definitely improvement with their taste for it was more savoury and stronger in taste with hints of bonito. Oysters were plump and fresh. Definitely better than most of the Taiwanese Cafes now.

Double Mix Mee Sua 双享面线 - $11

Their Taiwan Sausage is authentic and tastes different from what we are having from the supermart. Love its charred flavour and juiciness as we sink our teeth into the meat.

Taiwan Sausage 烤台湾香肠 - $5

We also had this favourite street food in Taiwan. The taste of Salt & Pepper Chicken was flavourful and crispy. 

Taiwan Fried Salt & Pepper Chicken 炸盐酥鸡 - $6

I'm glad that this return trip to Monki had given me more confidence in the tastes of their food and I will want to be back again for Taiwanese fare.

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Posted 28th January 2022

Monki 台灣小吃部 was previously at Holland Village and they have relocated to The Star Vista. Perhaps due to the restrictions in travelling, the urge and the constant search for Taiwanese Food seem unstoppable. We joined the queue outside Monki and waited for our turn to dine in.

Monki 台灣小吃部

Picture on Wall

While in the queue, we get to see the address signage on the wall. If you take notice of it, such style exists in Taiwan.

Signage on Wall

It's a disappointment as quite a number of items was sold out when we were there. Eventually, we ordered the Peach Milk drink from the can after learning that their Taiwanese Milk Tea sold out.

Canned Drink - $3.20

The Century Egg has nothing special in particular. A normal appetizer paired with spring onions and strips of ginger drizzled with some sweet black sauce.

Taiwan Century Egg 台湾皮蛋 - $2

We are glad that the sides' portion is not that big and it's good for sharing without overeating. The popcorn chicken was well flavored and addictive. Its suitable for snacking if you want to have just some bites over drinks.

Taiwan Fried Popcorn Chicken 盐酥鸡 - $6

The braised meat rice was served in a stainless steel bowl coupled with yummy braised pork that has a substantial amount of both fatty and lean meat. The braised meat was sweet and tantalizing. 

Taiwan Braised Pork Rice 台湾卤肉饭 - $9

The bowl comes with braised eggs, preserved vegetables, pickles and some greens. 

Delicious Braised Pork on the Rice

The Plum Juice was on the bitter side no doubt sugar has been added.

Osmanthus Plum Juice 桂花乌梅汁 - $5

It's hard not ordering a bowl of Mee Sua whenever I visit a Taiwanese 小吃 place. The Mee Sua was decent accompanied by a smooth texture filled with generous slices of big intestines and these are cooked till soft without having any gamey taste.

Double Mix Mee Sua 双享面线 - $11

We topped up the bowl of Mee Sua with Oysters. Overall, I find that the Mee Sua can be better if the taste is stronger.

Additional Oysters

The milky taste of Yam Snow Flake Dessert is topped with colourful marshmallows and Atap Seeds drizzled with sweet condensed milk. It's refreshing but I still prefer the traditional flavours of a Snow Flake Dessert without having fanciful toppings.

Yam Snow Flake Dessert 芋头雪花冰 - $8

Comparing the Taiwanese food places that we had gone to, I will still prefer the oriental taste of their staple food like Braised Pork Rice and Mee Sua. Nonetheless, I will still want to go make a return visit hoping that I can try the rest of the items that were sold out during this visit.

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Posted on June 2022

We were looking for additional food after dinner nearby as our dinner was not satisfying. A return trip to Monki for Taiwanese Drinks and food since there were a lot of items sold out when we visited Monki. At least on this trip, I get to try out their house Milk Tea. 

Grass Jelly Milk Tea 仙草侯奶茶,
Monki Milk Tea (Iced) 猴奶茶,
Soya Bean Milk (Iced) 冰豆浆  - $6, $5, $2

We ordered the Century egg as an appetizer again to share among ourselves.

Taiwan Century Egg 台湾皮蛋 - $2

Likewise, the double mix Mee Sua is also a repeated order for this visit. The standard still remain the same. 

Double Mix Mee Sua 双享面线 - $11

Besides the drink, the only difference in the food order is that we had ordered the Taiwanese Oyster Omelette for sharing. As this style of preparation is totally different from what we have in Singapore, not many of us can get used to the taste. Its sticky starch with egg, oysters and lettuce accompanied by the thick sweet sauce drenching them is a good reminiscent of what I had in the night market of Taiwan.

Taiwanese Oyster Omelette 台式蚵仔煎 - $10

Rating: 3 / 5

Monki 台灣小吃部
Location: The Star Vista, 1, #01-41 Vista Exchange Green, Singapore 138617

Dan's Steaks

Recently I passed by Dan's Steaks in Greenwood and came to know its Story of it. Dan's Steaks came about during the circuit breaker period 

Dan's Steaks

My friend and I started off our meal by ordering 2 cups of Honey Lemon for our meal.

Honey Lemon - $5 / Cup

The scallops they used are Sashimi grade and were served in a small saucer in yummy miso garlic butter sauce. It was served with sourdough too.

Pan Sear Hokkaido Scallops - $32

We had Dan's house cut and each cut comes with one side of choice. They recommend medium rare to medium for their cuts. 

The Wagyu Hanger Tender Onglet is Dan's Signature steak. Love the juicy and charred taste of the meat. For the side, we ordered pan-roasted mushrooms which comprise a trio of mushrooms with white wine, balsamic and garlic.

Wagyu Hanger Tender Onglet (220-240G) - $46

The slab of ribeye was paired with red wine bordelaise and we simply love its taste as well as texture. We were recommended the Amazing Frizzled Cauliflower as its side. The cauliflower looks interesting and was prepared with caper and beurre noisette.

NZ Riverlands Black Angus Ribeye 280g - $42

We ended our meal with savoury and rich chocolate brownies. It was paired with vanilla ice cream and pecan.

Double Chocolate Brownie - $11

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Dan's Steak
Location: The Star Vista, 1 Exchange Green #02-22 Singapore 138617

Website