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Inspired by the wide ranging food available & travel accessibility in Singapore, this blog serves information shared and experienced by the author. Beware, it might be highly addictive.
Located at the Junction of Eng Hoon Street and Tiong Poh Road, Tiong Bahru Yong Tao Hu is well seated in an old-school coffeeshop with its stall facing the road.
Stall, open concept
The kind of environment that was not commonly seen and felt nowadays and having dine here on a public holiday makes me feel even more nostalgic.
Old Style Coffeehouse filled with historical memories of the past.
Available in four permutations, soup or dry, big ($4) or small ($3) with only a noodle option, Bee Hoon. This stall is worth going as the broth is light and flavorable, not oily. A perfect stomach warming bowl of hot piping soup for my breakfast on a rainy Hari Raya Haji morning.
Big Bowl of Yong Tau Hu Soup - $4
Following the Hakka style, the ingredients on the bowls are fixed with fish balls, fish paste in bean curd skin and tofu. Dip these into the mixture of chilli with sweet sauce and they are perfect to go!
Small Bowl of Yong Tau Hu Soup - $3
These ingredients were seen freshly prepared on the spot. The wobbly bean-curd cube tasted natural, smooth and totally to my liking. Fish ball was bouncy and sweet. The stuffed beancurd skin pieces were delicious and malleable.
Fish paste wrapped within the beancurd skin
Given the choice of handpicking the ingredients from most of the Yong Tao Hu Stalls, I still prefer these fixed items in a bowl. Tiong Bahru's servings were plain and straight forward, traditional, no frills and at a reasonable pricing.
Rating: 4 /5
Tiong Bahru Yong Tao Hu Location: Block 56, Tiong Poh Road #01-46 Singapore
Din Tai Fung's reputation is made known for its delicious delicacies and was award one Michelin star by the Hong Kong and Macau 2010 edition of the Michelin Guide.
My visit to Din Tai Fung in Jurong Point was make a breeze especially walking in after their peak hours, also skipping the long queues and avoiding the agony of waiting its numbering system jumps at intervals.
Greeted with warm welcome by the staff and directed to our seat. Ginger strips and dinner utensils were promptly placed on the dining table shortly after we had seated. They were seen as a team of efficient and quick workers for turnovers.
Set of Utensils Placed on table with Serviettes
When asked for a bigger serving of ginger stripes, I was presented with half a bowl of it. Was amazed at how generous Din Tai Fung was. Having visited their main shop in Taiwan , I observed that the organization's serving culture was almost a replica. Service was professional, polite and every staff had a walkie talkie to communicate among themselves which in turns facilitate a smooth and enjoyable dining experience to their customers. Teamwork and bonding were very much seen here.
One of the famous appetizer that stands up even on the simplest ingredients. Meat was cooling tender complimented with Chinese wine without overwhelming the taste.
Shanghai Drunken Chicken 上海醉鸡- $7.30
Carefully simmered to perfection over a long span of hours, the soup was rich in flavour, filled with sweetness from the meat. Meat from the meat was very tender such that little effort was used to remove the meat from the rib.
Pork Ribs Soup - 元盅排骨汤- $9.50
A Yong Tau Foo alike dish which was new on their menu. Refreshing and simple meal with tasty minced meat wrapped by Tau Ki (Beancurd skin). The dish was light and goes very well with the soft bunch of translucent vermicelli noodles.
Yong Tau Foo
Vermicelli 油豆腐细粉 - $8.50
The taste of the fried rice had left a big impression of Din Tai Fung's branding to me ever since I first tried it. Every pearl grain of rice was fragrant and shreds of egg white and yolk were obvious. The chef had actually whip up such a good tasty and sweet dish with fresh shrimps added.
Fried Rice with Shrimps & Eggs 虾仁蛋饭- $10.80
Steamed pork dumplings or XLB (Xiao Long Baos) are the signatures mains of Din Tai Fung that keep folks coming. Consists of juicy meat filling wrapped in the thin and delicate dough skin which was done up with at least 18 exquisite folds and pleated, twisted at the top. Served and steamed in the traditional Dim Sum tray.
Dipped each of them into the vinegar and ginger provided, popped into your mouth for an explosion of flavours as you bite them down. But do becareful of scaling hot soup :)
Steamed Pork Dumplings 小笼包 (10 pcs) - $9.50
An Interesting Video On the Steamy Xiao Long Bao, juicy soup oozing out.
Din Tai Fung is part of BreadTalk Group and this branding has been growing stronger and stronger. They are seen mushrooming quicker in the new malls nowadays. With such professionalism in service and quality of food, there is no doubt that they are popular and packed with customers at all locations during meal hours.
Rating: 4 / 5
Din Tai Fung Location: Jurong Point Shopping Centre
63 Jurong West Central 3 #B1-68 Singapore 648331 Tel: +65 6861 1811
Vampires, beware! Mad for Garlic is re-opened on 1st July 2013 after its re-vamp in Suntec City Mall. Originated from korea, Mad for Garlic is one of korean's popular chain restaurants known for its Garlic-Specialized Italian dishes.
Not only that if you are a Wine lover, this is for you as Mad For Garlic did provide an extensive wine menu. Look at the neatly placed bottles of wine on the left. With Garlic as the main theme, I could never fail to miss out garlic as part of their interior decorations. A big garlic wreath was left hanging at its main entrance and seen surrounding its big lamps at the middle of the restaurant. The entire environment had brought out a good European Rustic ambiance with its sleek black and white design with zigzag tiles.
Shop Front
There were two sections in the restaurant, the one that we had seen earlier on was its main and looked brighter. As we were dining in a group about 10 with a kid, we were direct into a private area in the restaurant. This place had separated the main dining with a big glass panel, dimmer but cosy. The down side was that it was not easy for us to grab attention from the servers. Parents need not worry about their kids, Mad For Garlic has excellent place for you to park your prams in front of their shop.
Quiet Ambiance
Opted for Garlic Cream Based over Tomato. These Fresh Mussels were served with assorted pepper and tastes tad spicy with its dried chilli padi.Chopped garlic was heavily added to eliminate the natural's stink from mussels.
Sauteed Fresh Mussel - $32.40
Probably the best food ordered for the night. Garlic Snowing Pizza was cream-based topped with sweet garlic, diced pineapples and shrimps with cheese. It had a unique favour that gave a good first impression and I like its thin crust together filled with shaved cheese. A nice try for Snowing effect.
Garlic Snowing Pizza - $22.50
Rich Creamy Garlic Sauce Pasta anyone? Served with springy bite size lobsters and orange fish roes. Simply love these different kinds of textural bite on the palette.
Lobster Cream Pasta - $23.50
Garlic Fried Rice with Garlic Pickles, Bacon and Fish Roe. Ingredients like green and red pepper, onions was added. Each grain of risotto was aromatic, tasted full of flavour. This dish somehow relate me to the english version of "Yang Zhou Chao Fan "扬州炒饭".
Garlic Sizzling Rice - $21.40
Fresh Seafood Pasta was filled with original Italian Tomato Sauce as well as shaved cheese that covers up the entire dish.
Seafood Tomato Pasta - $24.60
Carbonara with Bacon in Herb Garlic Cream Sauce was too creamy to my liking. Advisable to be consumed before it turned cooler as it tastes abit chalky after sometime.
Garlic Carbonara Pasta - $21.70
So much of saying, are you mad for garlic yet? Do try it before the vampires start chasing after you. :)
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Mad for Garlic Suntec City Mall, 3 Temasek Boulevard #02-300/301, Singapore 038983
2fifteen is tucked in a cosy corner at Level 2 Rochester Mall, with the help of big signboards around, it made patrons easier to locate her by walking along the walkways at the outdoor area.
2fifteen was named after its unit number, #02-15 in case many of us wander why such an imitable name.
As we entered the restaurant, we felt that Interior Design was well done up, with a concept more towards a modern French ambiance furnished against some rustic looking brick walls and wood-liked homogenous flooring. Chandelier was seen hanging from the fore-ceiling with place brightly lited. Apart from these welcoming designs, service was above average with observant server who come in once a while to topped up our glasses of drinks.
Entrance
Though named as a kitchen but it was a place serving hearty, unpretentious comfort french European cuisine.
Counter
Executive Chef Kenny Yeo who helmed 2fifteen kitchen had his culinary skills honed at Le-Cententaire Hotel-Restaurant, 3 Star Michelin establishment in France, some Singapore's best restaurants including Les Amis and at various private functions with reputable guests including the former Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
During my visit, we had noted his presence and he was friendly enough to give us a smile and a waving gesture, saying "Hello" to us.
One need not worry about bringing the kids into the restaurant as they were children friendly. Service was professional as the child seat was already prepared when we were there.
Dining Area
The weekend menu that keep us thinking although it was cleared cut, I just felt like having all. 2fifteen, UMakeMeHungry!:p
Menu
Started our palates off with the freshly baked mini croissants & Baguette with Butter, warming right into our stomach.
Bakery
Crossiants were fragrant, crispy with flakes loosen from it as we bite them off.
Freshly Baked Baguette and Butter
One of the appetisers we had. Sprinkled heavily with vinargrette and if lucky, one can actually get to crush on the little sea salt crystals within.
Medley of Garden Mesclun (Vegetarian)
Tangy tomato as the soup of the day. Sweet and tastes tad sour, standard, nothing to rave about.
Soup of the day - Tomato Soup
Beverages - Pomegranate (front), Apple Juice (Back)
Enjoy every bite of the Warm Salad of Foie Gras with Grape Petite Sald and Raspberry Vinaigrette. This is a top up at ($14) on top of the adult main course. Look at the bubbles formation, isnt the pan-seared fragrant slab alluring? Once we had it in our mouth, it literally disintegrate and melts right away. Thumbs up!
Scrambled Egg prepared with Truffle Oil and a cherry tomato, included in a standard adult main course.
Breakfast Egg
A special dish served to us in replacement of Sauteed Aglio Olio & Spicy Italia, a children friendly dish which spaghetti was cooked to al dente perfection lavished with sauteed mushrooms with garlic.
Sauteed garlic mushroom with spaghetti
Pork escaplop was served with sage leaves in between the meat, accompanied by apples and dill sauce. Pork was abit hard to bite, nevertheless it still tastes good with the sweet black sauce.
Pork Escalope
An additional main ordered. Crispy Duck Confit from Perigord, Medley of Mesclun, Balsamic Vinagretter. Uncover the cracking crisp layer and you will find a layer of fat. Perfectly marinated and amazingly delectable accompanied with garden of Mesclun and roasted potatoes. Yums!
Cost: $36
Duck Confit
3 kinds of sausage was served, white, original and spicy flavour accompanied by a bed of smashed potatoes, sauerkraut with caramelized onions. Simple and very filling to the stomach.
Bungers and Mash, Sauerkraut and Brown Onion Sauce
Coconut and Ice Cream topped with fragran coconut flakes in a icy cup. Cooling and refreshing way to end the meal.
2 Scoops of Ice Cream
The presentation of Homemade Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese had brought laughter to the table. Served on a plate which reminds me of a tile from a renovation warehouse I had visited weeks ago, I thought this idea was crazy, nevertheless, I still find it innovative.
The dish was adorn with fruits like blueberries, raspberry, strawberries with 4 tiny dots of cranberry sauce at each corner, forming an invisible square. Carrot Cake was fragrant and not that oily with nuts and carrots crunch. A small ball of coconut ice-cream with coconut flakes was included too.
Carrot Cake
Homemade Cream Brulee with Exotic Food. 3 types of flavours (Earl Grey, Classic and Green Tea) to choose from and we had the earl grey. Caramelized frosty top layer packed with sweetness. The Earl Grey Cream Brulee was good.
A special compliment done up for the birthday girl. These Happy Birthday wordings were specially requested at the time of phone reservation. Carfefully planned with the "fireworks" on plate. Take a look at the video.
Home-made Apple Tart comes with Crushed Almonds, Caramelised Sauce and Vanilla Ice cream. Freshly baked and 20 minutes baking time is required. Voted this for the best desserts among all orders. Served in a hot pan, these paper thin crust had packed our last dish with cracking bites! Shiok! Cost: $16
I always think that having French Food in Singapore is costly. Amazingly, with the eminence of Chef Kenny Yeo, French Cuisine had been make wallet friendly, saving us from burning a hole in the pocket. I was rather surprised that the place was near empty considering that those dishes whipped out by reputable Chef Kenny Yeo was exquisite. It's really a hidden Gem in the west. For such quiet ambiance, this is a perfect spot to romance your date on weekends if this style floats your boat.
Do remember to make reservations for weekdays especially.
Having Meet Paul over dinner who serves the Halibut delights, either grilled or deep fried depending on customer preference was my pleasure. Meet Paul was located at one of the coffeeshops walkable from Tajong Pagar MRT station and would have gone un-noticed for people like me who seldom go into the vicinity as it was hidden below a HDB block.
Having met the chef, Paul, he was friendly and service-orientated, explaining his products. Only Deep sea halibut was used, affirming freshness and quality to Paul's customers.
His menu was make interesting with his innovative style of serving the fish which changes about once every two weeks. When I was there, he was serving halibut in Japanese style which I thought was something different for a stall in coffeeshop to do that.
The mains were served on a metal pan which reminds me of dining in Fish & Co and they had double sided tapes pasted below the pan to secure a placement on the table.
Grilled fish was cooked to a textural golden brown perfection. It's crisp outer layer was coated with typical Japanese chilli flakes and pepper. It's fresh was white in color and a little salty had actually bring out the taste of the Halibut. Just below it, enjoy the fragrant Japanese rice heavily sprinkled with Wakame (Seaweed) accompanied by mayonnaise sauce. Appetizer was pickled cucumber with another type of wakame that has a subtly sweet flavour in nature. Crunchy and unique. The chilli was more towards Thai, sweet and sour with chopped coriander leaves, and these goes very well with the meal.
Cost: $7.50
The only difference of this dish from the previous was the way how the halibut was cooked. Deep fried to a darker brown with japanese chilli flakes and peppers. I would prefer the former as I find that the taste of the meat was abit blend as compared to the grilled one.
Dressed in vinaigrette, the presentation of the plate of the Nicoise Salad had given me a different perspective of a salad, consisting of tomatoes, green beans, Tuna croquette (home-made), hard-boiled eggs, olives and anchovies. Cost: $7.50
Anchovies had a very distinct smell once the plate of salad had landed on our table.
The soft boiled (hanjuku) eggs which was part of the salad had velvety soft yolks but firm white. Totally japanese.
In conclusion, the kind of serving Paul offered was exciting and filling to the stomach. To me scaled down version of commercialized fish and chips we had in mall at an attractive pricing and also specializing in Halibut. Why not mark down on your calendar on this weekend to meet Paul for your gourmet trail?
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Meet Paul Location: Blk 7 Tanjong Pagar Plaza #01-105, Singapore 081007
