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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.
I haven't been a fan of Korean BBQ lately as I was at the weather's mercy with bad throat and was not too keen on any heaty food. Since it was celebrating one of my pal's birthday, I decided to join them and check out what's the rave on this Korean Buffet Dinner in Orchard Gateway. Initially when we reached around 7pm on a Friday evening, the queue was still bearable however, once we return about 15 minutes later, long snaky queue was formed.
Queues
Environment was spacious with electronic BBQ Pit with infra light affixed onto every table and with adjustable ventilator to vacuum the smoke out from the place. Depth of the BBQ equipment was rather shallow but at a easier reach to diners. As soon as we sat down, the staff switched on the pit and started applying butter on the hot surface.
BBQ
Occupying a big section in the mall with tall ceilings. It makes the place rather spacious without having too many narrow walkways in between the tables.
Adjustable Ventilator
Over at the side counter, there are ready cooked food for those who are hungry, at least you can have some food while waiting for the raw items to be barbequed.
Cooked Food
Besides rice, you get to have soup selection like seaweed or kimchi soup.
Seaweed Soup
You can also find Korean Style Sushi from the trays too.
Sushi
Move over to the bar selection, you get to have the usual korean snack like Kimchi pancake, fried potato, sweet potato, glass noodles, kimchi fried rice and even spicy rice cakes. These cooked food wasn't too impressive as the stirred fried glass noodles were rather salty and pancake was rather dry.
Add caption
Just grab a plate and place them on your plate.
My Buffet Plate
While most buffet places would have charged additional for drinks, what we are paying here is all inclusive and unlimited flow. Besides the typical soft drinks available, this soda mix fruits drink caught my attention. Fruits like apple, dragon fruit, watermelon and soda were mixed together. Quite a refreshing treat after so much heat from the BBQ items.
Fruits Soda
Just too bad the seafood selection were not wide enough but if you want to make the trip worth your every cent, you can just whack the prawns. Dae Ssik Sin is also quite concerned about the level of food hygiene and had pasted note not to mix up the tongs.
Seafood
Get you dose of meat intake here! Besides the seafood column, I think having Pork and Beef will make the buffet trip worthwhile too. The section consist of chicken bulgogi, pork marinated rib, pork belly, beef bulgogi, spicy chicken collar to bacon.
Meat Section
Meat was definitely fresh with quantity replenished promptly by the attentive staff on duty.
Red Meat
Meat were well marinated and beef short plate was thinly sliced and curled up.
Beef
Meat
Let's hands on. Do not worry about the base turning black as the friendly staff will get it change once you feel uncomfortable about the charred base.
BBQ-ing the meat
Take a look at the clip.
Pork Belly
With all the bulgogi, it's time to make your own Bossam time! Grab a piece of leafy big enough to cover ingredients.
Vegetables
Add onion and bean paste for flavour.
Bean Paste
Also not forgetting their kimchi !
Kimchi
With so many korean BBQ restaurants popping up recently, competition is real though. Price over here in Dae Ssik Sin is quite reasonable taking in consideration that they are located in the town area. Here's the price as follows:
I would rate Korean BBQ restaurant base on the variety of food, service and the smoky level. Food and service are generally the average side but as for smoke, with so many places introducing the smokeless, I find that they still need to catch up on this portion as I still feel like a walking BBQ after meal.
If you are running out of cafes / places to go in a west for some gathering or chit chats, perhaps you can try going to On The Table which is just located a walking distance away from Pasir Panjang MRT station.
Waiting for the Order
Facade of On The Table
With similar concept to Lola's Cafe in Kovan, On the Table's Interior was rustic, whereby floor was just only cement screed with wall painted off white furnished with yellow furniture. If you dont know who is behind OTT (On The Table), they are actually the similar folks from Lola's Cafe.
Great Beer
On The Table
Self Service
Snail Sausage and bratwurst was served on a bed of creamy mashed potato. The caramelized onions gravy was simply a perfect marriage to the yummy mash!
Bangers and Mash - $10
Yummy~
Toasted buns, stuffed with house smoked pulled pork spread with BBQ sauce and purple slaw with thick cut potato fries placed beside the burger, making the meal a complete one. Pulled pork were juicy and a good crunch was added once biting on the purple slaw. Decent but not the best pulled pork I ever had.
Pulled Pork Burger - $15
Close Up on Burger
It really beats me when I saw the word "Gnocchi" till I figured them out on the bowl. Potato Gnocchi is actually thick yet soft dough dumplings. I find this dish rather appetizing especially the 63 degree Celsius cooked poached egg was broken and mixed with shimeji mushrooms, broccoli and Parmesan cheese.
Gnocchi - $14
And washing down the food, we had a bottle of Lemon Thyme Soda.
Lemon Thyme Soda - $8
Iced Mocha too!
Iced Mocha - $6
Rating: 3 / 5
On The Table Location: 118 Pasir Panjang Road Singapore 118541
Wishbone is another family in restaurant in Singapore that worth to pay a visit to. Ever since 20 over years ago, they were already there and retaining their old style service and menu. For weekends I passed by, the place was usually very crowded till the point that it got hold of our interest and we even walk towards to check out what are the kind of cuisine that they were serving. Wishbone serves Chinese as well as western food, also acts like a cafe with Steaks and grills. What I like about it is that they have a corner for ice cream and waffles.
Ambiance
Cafe Style
Ambiance and environment pretty matches the old Bukit Timah Plaza Building giving a classic 80s 90s restaurant feel under the dim orange lighting.
Environment
The all time best sellers in Wishbone was the scene stealer among all dishes. This succulent fresh half fish head was marinated in a familiar blend of Indian Spices and vegetables like ladies fingers, brinjas, tomatoes and green chillis.
Fish Head Curry - $28.90
Having Fu Yong Egg here in Wishbone is worth every cent that we were paying for. Eggs were fluffy and you get to eat a few whole prawns under the eggs. At least we did not feel short change over here.
Fu Yong Egg - $7
Glass Jelly drink was surprisingly good. The cup was filled with ample grated jelly stripes and the sugar level was not too sweet. Rather refreshing to pair with the meal.
Glass Jelly - $2.90 & Diet Coke - $2.90
Ice cream was too good to resist especially when there were so many recommendations. Having tried the Jackfruit flavour, I was totally swept off by the sweet fragrance and the added fruit bits among the cool bites. Though ice cream was soft and melts quickly, I guess I will be back for other flavours.
Single Scoop - $3.20
Overall, Wishbone is a good dining place if you want to get some taste of decent food that taste above average. Rating: 3.5 / 5
Wishbone Location: Bukit Timah Plaza, 1 Jalan Anak Bukit #B2-05 Singapore 588996
The moving of Tong Ah Eating House was all over the news sometimes back. Previously, Tong Ah Eating House stood out in its iconic red and white facade on a triangular plot of land in Keong Siak Road.
Tong Ah
Arguably serving the one of the best traditional Roti / Toasted Bread and coffee in Singapore,
it was quite fortunate that Tong Ah still manage to relocate to its
current place but just a few shophouses away from where they are
originally from.
Tong Ah Eating House
Beverages were served in the traditional small cups with spoon. It was rather bland at the begining till I realised we have to stir and dissolve the sugar crystals at the bottom of the cup.
Tea
Like wise for the cup of "Kopi O". Do remember to get your dose of traditional coffee here.
Black Coffee
While waiting for the traditional toasts, we had some Tau Sar Pau. Pau was fluffy and soft.
Tau Sar Bao
The red bean paste fillings was not too sweet.
Tau Sar Pau
Do you prefer to have the top most layer of the Pau removed?
Pau without its top skin layer
To perfect half boil eggs requires a good skill and Tong Ah Eating House definitely have it. Once cracked onto the plates giving, we find that the texture was perfect and of correct timing.
Half Boil Eggs
Munching on such crispy kaya toasts reminds me of such simple food that can be so delicious which often we have been taken granted for.
White Toast
The traditional Kaya spread with butter melting upon landing at the heated toast was yummy!
Kaya & butter Spread
Having said so, thickness of the toasts were just alright, not too tick for the mouth.
Brown Toasts
In the Morning Menu its all about the kind of traditional breakfast with toast, softboil egg and coffee and in the evening, it turn into a Cze Char Eating House with Coffee Crabs, Pork Ribs etc. Now that I have known about this, they have been jotted down into my "To-Go" for dinner places.
In case if you are still wondering where did the good old 89 Zion Road Cze Char went to, well, they are right here located in the heart of Serangoon Gardens. Now proudly presents, the Lost & Found Siang Hee Seafood!
Stall Front of Siang Hee
Menu
Menu with Illustration
I'm quite skeptical having steamed fish in Hawker Centre and always try avoiding such dishes but since Siang Hee has a reputable name, we gave the Garlic Steamed Fish a try. We all knew that the need required to prepare a fish dish can be long with steaming process and least expectingly, it came first on our table. Fish was absolutely fresh and steamed to perfection with tender white meat lending some nods from us. Black Soya Sauce as well as Ginger Strips gave additional fragrance to the dish, not mentioning the aromatic fried garlic too!
Garlic Steamed Fish - $35
This is the star of the night. From articles of the media, Pork Knuckle is not to be missed here. It did really sweep my feet off! If you are wondering if they taste like the German Pork Knuckle, I would say they are better in terms of crispiness and not too hard, yet retaining the moisture as well as the required succulence. Dipped these pieces into the given sweet spicy sauce and enjoy the tender bites. Yums!
Pork Knuckle - $18
Oyster Egg Omelette on the hotplate was nothing but rather standard. Egg was quite watery topped with few pieces of big oysters and garnished with fried garlic. Perhaps it would be a better choice to grab some oysters egg from its direct neighbour stall if you are craving for such dish.
Oyster Egg Omelette -
Though there were long lists of order before us, queuing was a breeze. The order taking Aunty was friendly and promised that it would not take us long before the food was served. Overall experience was good and we left with a satisfying stomach.
BurgerUp is the first only Premium Chain created in Singapore and it stands for Quality Up, Freedom Up and Service Up.
Burger Up Classic
BurgerUp is relatively new in HillV2 mall and has a comfortable dining settings with wallpaper pasted on the walls, featuring red bricks which made made the environment a little more cozy and cafe like. Furnishing was rather simple with wide walkways.
Environment
Burger Up Classic
Yellow melts burger was smothered with trio of cheese, nachos, parmesan and cheddar cheese, serving together with succulent Grilled beef patty, lettuce, tomatoes and onions.
Yellow Melts Burger - $10.50
Looking almost similar to the former's combination. Bacon Butty consisted of grilled beef patty with Back bacon, egg, sliced cheese, lettuce tomatoes,onions laid with BBQ sauce on a 5" toasted sesame bun and served with your choice of sides like fries or coleslaw.
Bacon Butty Burger - $10.50
Bacon Butty Burger - $10.50
To make a meal, just top up $3 to the burger and enjoy additional drink and soup of the day.
Having tried making my own bowl of mushroom soup, I'm sure that BurgerUp's soup of the day is of quality version with bits of mushrooms giving the creamy soup an additional texture. Soup was fragrant which left us wanting for more.
Mushroom Soup
Having Burgers in Burger Up reminds me of Carls Junior. Portion and serving portion is rather identical but one big difference is that in terms of the beef patty, what we had in BurgerUp was better as it was moist and juicy. Utensils like plates, spoon, fork and knife used was all disposable even though they seemed to be stainless steel or ceramic.
Colesslaw
Service was friendly and polite. Besides serving burgers, they do serve fried chicken too. I have heard comments that they were better than KFC. It sounds like there will be another trip back here again.
Rating: 3.25 / 5
BurgerUp Location: Hill V2, 4 Hillview Rise #01-11 Singapore 667979
