Nara Thai

Missing some Bangkok Street Food? It's time to curb your craving now without flying all the way into Thailand. With the new and revamped menu that was launched lately by Nara Thai Cuisine, it will definitely change your Thai Cuisine Experience here.

Having said that, my last experience in Nara Thai ION Orchard was about 1.5 years back and this now, the place was still well kept in its elegance decor.

Nara Thai

Kai Jiew Cha Om - Cha Om Omelette contains a herb (Acacia) like vegetables with a very strong and unpleasant smell when it is cooked. Having this plate of omelette was really a good kick off as it made us feel so at home with such mummy style cooking dish. Surprisingly, even the herbs smell may be smelly for some or even close the smell of Petai, there was slightly any trace of pungent in it.Instead these herbs give the egg a crunchy bite and it goes well with the chilli dipping sauce.

Kai Jiew Cha Om - $12.90

If you notice Gai Tord Gra Tiem (Crispy Fried Chicken with Garlic) uses small Thai garlic chopped into finer pieces together with its skin. Plate of tender and crispy fried chicken was given additional fragrance with this. For additional flavours, dip them into the Chilli Dipping sauce.

Gai Tord Gra Tiem -$10.90

The star of the night is none other than this appetiser. Moo Yang Jim Jaew are barbecued pork neck . Containing 50% of fat and 50% tendon, these slices were lightly seasoned and grilled into its smokey condition. They were wonderful bites without being too greasy and made a fantastic marriage with the Tamarind Dip. On a side note, the dip was made with Thai Ingredients and herbs too. If you notice, the sauce was topped with some chilli-like powder. In fact they were made from sticky rice and larb, grinded into powder form. You can find this ingredients in most Thai dishes like their salad too.

Moo Yang Jim Jaew - $13.90

Blue is my favourite color and how awesome to have a plate of Kao An Chan (Blue Jasmine Rice) right in front of my eyes. How do we get the blue coloring? Blue was obtained naturally from Butterfly Pea plant, also it has health benefits like high in antioxident, good for eyesight and of course for those who want to stay young, eat more Kao (Rice)!

Kao An Chan - $2

Ruam Mit Talay Yang is a platter filled with seafood goodies featuring Bangkok Street food, bringing out the flavours of Bangkok street food, perhaps the only difference here is without the dust from the streets. Though the platter is expensive, it is good for group sharing. Individual Food Items can also be bought separately from the menu too.

Ruam Mit Talay Yang - $88.90

Ensuring the freshness, the Seabass was chosen by their own chef at Jurong Fishery Port during the wee hours when we were all deep in sleep. This Street Style Grilled whole sea Bass with Thai Herbs was stuffed with lemongrass, kaffir lime and galangal, and slowed grilled to its flaky skin

Fish

Other assortments of seafood were fresh too. Enjoy them to the fullest by dabbing them with the given Thai condiments.

Squid

Scrumptious meal ended well with Ma Muang Khara Mel, Caramelised Mango with Coconut Ice Cream and Basil Sauce. This comtemporary creation was amazing and managed to get some nods from the table. Apart from that, the Thai Mango was sweet and the fusion of Basil Sauce gave a perfect finished to the dessert!

Ma Muang Khara Mel

Nara Thai may be a tad expensive in its Cuisine as compared to the usual restaurant chains but I would say their food are of quality and worth the try. If you want to try Thai Street food in an air conditioned environment and comfortable settings with service from staff, you will find Nara Thai's New Menu as an good introduction on Thai Food / Culture to Singapore.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Nara Thai
Location: ON Orchard 2 Orchard Turn, #B3-21 Singapore 238801
Website

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh

Looking through my Thai Pals itinerary in Singapore, I was indeed very surprise to have them emphazing that Song Fa Bak Kut Teh as one of the "MUST EAT" during their first day here in Singapore.

Unit interior

Another Unit

Swearing by the good taste, Song Fa Bak Kut Teh was swarmed with not only tourists, tour guides as well as locals. Even with 2 shop space side by side, the walkways were fully packed of snaky queues with patrons waiting patiently for their seating and queue number to be called.

Expected Waited Time

Thankfully, situation was organized and well controlled with assistant carrying an ordering tablet taking down orders and giving out queue numbers. Braving through the sweltering heat and humidity differences here in Singapore, we finally got our seats with orders efficiently served shortly.

Menu

The Teochew style Pork Ribs soup came with 2 big ribs which already kept them quite full from a start. Like most Bak Kut Teh places, servers will go around topping the soup and likewise in Song Fa. Ribs were cooked to tenderness that it fell off the bone effortlessly. Teochew Style Version of the Soup consists of garlic, pepper and salt. Though it was a peppery version but spicy level was mild. It strike a well balance with the natural sweetness from the pork.

Pork Ribs Soup - $7

Braised Pig's Trotter did not come as a whole and instead, they were cut into smaller portions, easier for diners.Surprisingly not too fatty and were not oily.

Braised Pig's Trotter - $8.50 (Big)

Going into the 3rd dishes on the table and my pals were already on their way towards "retirement" - their stomach was packed full of Singapore good food since they landed Singapore. The braised Pig intestine was what we called "Fen Chang", the part of the intestine with powdery substances. Well the taste wasn't too bad but lacking of fragrance. But still, the preparations were thorough as there were no foul smell.

Braised Pig's Intestine - $8.50 (Big)

Side dishes like salted vegetable was simple and not too salty.

Salted vegetable - $3.50 (Big)

There were 3 kinds of Vegetables to choose from, Kai Lan, Xiao Bai Cai and Cai Xin. The serving method is all the same with them on oyster sauce topped with fried onions.

Cai Xin - $8 (Big)

So much of the braised dishes, how I wish I can have a taste of the blacker version of Bak Kut Teh. Despite coming from a Teochew family, I still prefer the Herbal Version of Bak Kut Teh. Nevertheless, Song Fa Bak Kut Teh was rather decent and I like best is that their soup were not too peppery like most of other places.

Drink a cup

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh
Location: 1 & 17 New Bridge Road #01-01 Singapore 059383
Website

Jia Chang Cai

Jia Chang Cai relates itself to a wide variety as it simply means any home style cooked food. Stall is located at 3rd level of Taman Jurong Market and Food centre and is just along the stretch as U Mi Chiak. If you look around and saw anyone having braised rice with an egg, they should be coming from Jia Chang Cai.

Stall Front

Among the stretch of stalls over at the corner of Level 3,  Jia Chang Cai is the only stall in operation at my time of visit. And during then , the electronic whiteboard

Signage

Amazingly, Jia Chang Cai only serves 1 dish and that's their Braised Pork Rice which comes in 2 portion, big at $4 and small at $3. With a few self made posters over its stall front, it mentioned that the food is neither greasy nor fatty. Best of all the braised sauce is filled with collagen. The braised pork rice came with other food items on the plate like braised peanuts as well as egg with Mui Chai.

Braised Pork Rice - $3

Besides those chain eateries like Shilin selling such Taiwanese delicacies, I have not come across any hawker in the West selling such. It was decent and cheaper than the chain stalls.

Rating: 3 / 5

Jia Chang Cai
Location: Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre, 1 Yung Sheng Road #03 Singapore 618499 

Tim Ho Wan

Has this Michelin Star Dim Sum lost its Novelty here in Singapore?

Tim Ho Wan Menu

I still remember the time when its first launch in Plaza Singapura with a exaggerating long queues where people were willing to wait up to hours just to dine in there and I was also one of them. With about 5 outlets here in Singapore now, the wait is finally reduced. There are no longer sights of snaky queues and staff are well trained to handle crowds at least better for now.

Having been to Westgate for countless times, frankly, Tim Ho Wan is the last restaurant I ever want to visit. Firstly I have tasted their Dim Sum and secondly to avoid the queues.

Good thing is that they will only assign a table to patrons who are present at the scene. No reservation and waiting on the table is allowed. However there is seats provided in the queue for those who are waiting for the rest to come.

Two small bowls were given to divide the portion between us. Congee was rather smooth with two kinds of eggs and pork was chopped into smaller portions.

Congee with Pork, Century Egg & Salted Egg - $4.20

Porridge

When it comes to the Dim Sum cart, being the staples of such delicacies Siew Mai & Har Kau are always the top ordered item. I wouldn't say they are of my favourite here in Tim Ho Wan but shrimps that were elegantly wrapped under this thin layer of translucent skin were springy and tasted something run-out-of-the-mill.

Prawn Dumpling - $6

Siew Mai was rather standard fare too with one wolf berry that gave a final finish to the pork dumplings. Meat was neither greasy nor fatty, decent enough.

Pork Dumpling with Shrimp - $5.50

Out of the dishes ordered, this is what I like best. Mushroom was quite big with yummy soft glutinous rice. Chicken was tender and sausage was fragrant.

Rice with Chicken, Sausage & Mushroom - $6

Rice with Chicken, Sausage & Mushroom

One of the Big 4 Heavenly Kings of Tim Ho Wan, come 3 in a dish, this flaky crust outer layer was talk of the crowd previously due to its limited production each day. During then, one patron was also given a limitation to the number purchased.

Baked Bun with BBQ Pork - $5

However, it had soon lost its charms when I took a bite at them. They no longer carries the kind of buttery fragrance but its sweetness still remain.

Char Siew Fillings

Standards of Radish Cake used to be tip top but apparently, they were of standard fare right now.  Cake was still as soft and gentle on the bites but the taste and level of excitement was no longer as good as before. Where did the good day goes? Can they still live up to its name among the Heavenly 4?

Pan Fried Radish Cake - $4.80

Service was abrupt and when ever the servers place the trays of Dim Sum, we did not really feel comfortable. Instead of placing them on the table, the tray was "drop" with a tad sound. Perhaps it was too hot for them to handle or there were very many trays to be handled in a narrow area. But being so, this is not the kind of service we are expecting.

Rating: 3 / 5

Tim Ho Wan
Location: Westgate, 3 Gateway Drive #01-13/14 Singapore 608532

Nassim Hill Bakery

I chanced upon Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar during one of my birthday treats last year 2014 in Feedlot and was somehow amazed by the fully packed breakfast place over the weekends.

It's almost a year and I have not forgotten the place, that's why I'm back here at Tanglin Post Office again. For those who drive, parking can be a little tricky as there are limited free parking lots in front of this Bakery Bistro Bar and if you are lucky you get free parking. If not, you will have to park at the basement and pay the standard parking fee.

Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar

Spacious, wide and filled with a semi rustic designed interior whereby flooring are cemented yet not looking rundown. Be it dining in groups, alone or couple, this Bistro Bar is all ready. There is even a enormous long island marble table in the middle cater for big groups.

Dining Environment

Environment

Cutleries

Long black was served in a red cup with oblong-shaped almond biscuits (Biscotti). It was hard, dry and crunchy - the characteristics of what it should be. It has a little bit of Cinnamon fragrance which made a harmony of the long black and itself.

Long Black - $5 , Cranberry Juice - $8

Come with a choice of beerbeiser sausuage, center cut bacon or honey baked ham. Such country style was simple and straightforward with golden yellow scrambled egg topped with some herbs, garden salad and sausage as per our choice.

Country Scrambled Eggs - $18

If the above is too boring, you can enjoy some basket of bread assortments with butter. The bread was quite fresh and warmly toasted.

Assorted Toasts

Something special for my brekfast with "Shakshouka", two sunny side up eggs served in a red pepper Harissa ragout with sliced Spanish Chorizo sausages.

Skillet Eggs - $21

Not sure the style of eating the skillet eggs? These toasted Baguettes are here to aid you.

Toasted Baguette

Just dipped them into the red pepper and enjoy. I felt that the portion is filling for a pax and tasted quite spicy for a breakfast meal as I'm someone who dont really like too spicy stuff for breakfast. Overall, such dish still bring me a surprise in a way or another.

My way of eating

Though I have longed to come this place, there is nothing to rave about. Perhaps the lively ambiance over a lovely weekends like this is something I look forward to - young family gathers on table for breakfast, or even a few good friends to chit chat.

Rating: 3 / 5

Nassim Hill Bakery
Location: Tanglin Post Office, 56 Tanglin Road #01-03 Singapore 247964

Creamier

Not to be exaggerating but it's kinda true based on my factual experience that I'm actually queuing up for Ice Cream on a Sunday Morning. Coming from the West Side of Singapore, I'm rather amazed by how Creamier's fans diligently waited for the doors to be opened while the crews were still preparing the necessaries with a quarter of the shop shutters still unopened. For the moment, I could not recall that we have such a scenario in Jurong.

It was actually an impromptu meetup with my friend as we were in Toa Payoh area and she suggested Creamier as our meeting point. Just imagine someone recommended this place and have ice cream for breakfast, it so out of the usual lifestyle but I believe it was so good that it worth to do a little tweak in the lifestyle.

Queues swarmed into the restaurant immediately as their shutters were fully drawn up and orders were made in an orderly manner. No doubt the tables were abit narrow and "kid-sized", I would say it was intelligently catered in efficient use of the space.

It was all about waiting for Creamier and we were given a Table Tracker to alert us if our orders were ready. As tables were rather limited in Creamier, patrons were tend to wait outside the shop in front of the playgrounds where affixed public tables are. However patrons are reminded to stay within the vicinity in order to be alerted as the tracker will only vibrate in silent mode.

Belgian Waffles are the must try! Waffles were good, crispy at the exterior with buttery fragrance and they tasted, eggy with sweetness. Presentation is definitely inviting with 2 pieces of Waffles stacked together sprinkled with Icing Sugar and Chocolate syrup as its base.

Belgian Waffles

Thai Milk Tea was good but lacking in the intensity in flavour of what Thai's Tea supposed to be. Earl Grey Lavendar was one of the hits too! Simply love the decent scent of the Lavendar that also brings out the Earl Grey Essence in such lucious ice cream.

Thai Milk Tea & Earl Grey Lavender

Sea Salt Gula Melaka was my favourite too. Besides being dense & silky like the rest, though Gula Melaka suppose to has a strong taste, I would say its combination was a perfect marriage and with sweetness not too overwhelming. Recommended!

Thai Milk Tea and Sea Salt Gula Melaka

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Creamier
Location: Blk 128 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 #01-835 Singapore 310128
Operating Hours: Tue - Thu: 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm
                               Fri - Sat   : 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
                               Sun: 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm
                               Closed on Mondays
Website

Sun Lok Noodle House Pte Ltd

Revisiting the old school Chinese Noodle Place which my Dad introduced couple of years back. During then, he was praising high and low for their dim sum and we were there for lunch and dim sum. Since we were they visiting the Big Supermarket, it came to me as a surprise as Sun Lok are still there after so long. I couldn't confirm if it was still the same restaurant as I could vividly remember the traditional looking of their signboard.

Sun Lok Noodle House Pte Ltd

Ambiance was great, without too much crowd. However, at a closer look, I noticed that in fact the common dinner timing was over with emptied plates and bowls on most table.

Environment

Wet Tissue

Making things simple, we ordered from Set Menu for 2 pax at $29.80 which includes soup of the day, 2 dishes, plain rice and desserts.

Fruit Juices - $2.20 Each

Set meal started off with Soup of the day as Watercress soup with pork ribs which came in right at the essential time as we need soup like this to reduce the heat in our body system. Soup was sweet, flavoured by pork and sweet date.

Soup of the day

Sweet and sour pork was an addition on top of the Set Meal for 2. Simply love its deep fried golden brown crispy texture evenly coated with the yummy tomato sauce. Red, green capsicums as well as pineapple made up part of such wonderful taste.

Sweet & Sour Pork - $10

Chicken was tender and stirred fried with sweet sauce. Handful of garlic cloves were used to enhanced its taste.

Chicken

Portion for Set Meal - 2 Pax was adequate for both of us. At the sight of this plate of braised Tofu with vegetables and wild mushrooms, I felt suddenly at home. Though it may be of standard fare and typical taste of the Chinese Restaurant, not being too salty and tasted alright, having such dish made me feel at ease somehow.

Braised Tofu

Service was prompt and attentive. Nearing to our last dish, the servers walked towards us and asked politely if she could serve the desserts and we agreed and decided the type of desserts on spot.

Watermelon sago was light and not too creamy in its coconut milk. Instead it was rather refreshing with little balls of watermelon and translucent sago balls. The only grieve I had for such dessert was that there were white particles of undissolved coconut milk particles afloat on my dessert.

Watermelon Sago with Milk

Almond Longan was rather standard with 3 fruits too.

Almond Longan

All in all, I quite like the place with such homely cook food. I would say the kind of dishes served were of between Zi Char and Restaurant style. Ambiance was a very good reminiscent of my younger days as kid, bringing back plentiful of childhood memories. Having said this, Sun Lok Noodle House also serves a great place for families to enjoy Chinese Style of Home Cook Meal in a cosy environment like this.

Traditional & Family Environment

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Sun Lok Noodle House Pte Ltd
Location: Jurong SuperBowl, 1 Yuan Ching Road #01-05 Singapore 618640