BBQ Box (Chinatown)

With the Chinese Skewers aka Chuan Shao getting their popularity over the years in Singapore, we can see more and more of such eateries appearing near us. I must admit that I'm a "late boomer" in appreciating such delicacies but well, better late than never. 

We have been visiting different kinds of Grilled Chinese Skewers individual eateries over time and have finally visited BBQ Box which has a lot of outlets in Singapore.

With doors open till late and over years, BBQ Box is fast becoming a popular hot spot for casual suppers and after-work get together, especially outlets in Bugis, Geylang as well as Bukit Timah.

Interior BBQ Box

We prepared ourselves with a jug of Sparkling watermelon Yakult Drink to pair with our ordered skewers. It was refreshing.

Prosperity Sparkling Watermelon Yakult Drink

We had the set menu for 2, topping up with some ala carte orders.

For Starters

• Spicy Cucumber 手拍黄瓜

Mains

• Dumpling with Shrimp Leek & Egg 虾仁三鲜水饺 （12pcs)

BBQ Delights

• Signature Mutton on Rose Willow Branch 红柳枝羔羊  (2 skewers)
• Grilled Pork Sausage 烤猪肉香肠 (1 Skewer)
• Grilled Orleans middle-loin pork 奥尔良猪颈肉 (2 skewers)
• Cajun Roasted Chicken mid-wings 奥尔良中翅 (3 pcs)
• Grilled Fresh Prawns with Sea Salt 碳烤海盐鲜虾串 (2 skewers)
• Grilled Romaine Lettuce 烤油麦菜 (2 sets)
• Grilled Potato Chip 烤土豆片 ) (1 set of 3 skewers)
• Grilled whole Eggplant with special sauce 锡纸烤全茄 (1 Set)

Spicy Cucumber was not too spicy for a starter. They are appetising and good.

Abalone Marbled Beef Skewer (Left) - $6.80

Every skewer is placed onto the warmer with steel plate so that we can enjoy the warm and yummy sticks of skewers. The skewers that we had were decked up by the grilled romaine lettuce.  Did you spot that the 2 mutton skewer on rose wood too?

The Skewers

The dumplings were juicy and it went so well by dipping them into the chinese black vinegar.

Dumpling with Shrimp Leek & Egg 虾仁三鲜水饺 （12pcs)

The Grilled Premium Half Shell Scallops was a tad spicy and garlicky. Overall, it was quite tasty for us.

Grilled Premium Half Shell Scallops 2 Pcs - $9.80

The Cajun Roasted Chicken Mid-Wings were yummy and well roasted, sprinkled with roasted sesame. 

Cajun Roasted Chicken mid-wings 奥尔良中翅 (3 pcs)

Soft and spongy interior laid with a generous layer of delicious minced meat paste adorned with green coriander.

Grilled Eggplant 

The Teriyaki Chicken was drenched in the savoury sweet gravy garnished with onions and spring onions. The meat was charred at some parts and the only pet peeve that I had was that meat was tough.

Teriyaki Chicken

Man Tou

We were addicted to the skewers and ordered more. I also ordered my favourite grilled oyster mushrooms.

Additional Orders

While I was expecting to smell like "walking skewers" after the meal, I'm glad I not one after that. With so many BBQ Box outlets around, we will definitely be back for more.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

BBQ Box (Chinatown)
Location: 262 South Bridge Rd, Singapore 058811
Website

Ah Yat Kitchen

While looking for a quick dinner at Orchard, we stumbled upon this and finally decided to have our meal at Ah Yat Kitchen.

Ah Yat Kitchen

While not many places can search this dish and making it a stand out in the realm of Chinese Cuisine. I'm glad that the chef had doled out a delicious plate of silky texture of 'E-Fu' Noodles in combination of the earthy richness of mushrooms. This dish is delightful in a combination of flavours, textures and aroma.

Braised 'E-Fu' Noodles with Mushrooms 草菇焖伊面 - $8.80

The star of this deep-fried beancurd roll is undoubtedly its crispy exterior, perfectly fried to golden color and delivering a satisfying crunch with every bite. The textural contrast against the soft interior creates a delightful mouthfeel that makes us feel addicted. Within this crisp embrace lies the a soft and savoury filling with a comforting taste. 

Deep Freid Beancurd Roll (3 Pcs) 香脆腐皮卷 - $6 

The Yang Zhou Fried rice is a classic in our Chinese Cuisine, known for its aromatic fragrance, beautiful presentation as well as its well-balanced flavours. We enjoyed this dish standalone with its flavourful medley of ingredients and polish the plate empty.

'Yang Zhou' Fried Rice 扬州炒饭 - $8

The steamed chicken feet is a staple dim sum delicacy that I will order in every of my Dim Sum Meal. For the love of its texture and rich flavour, this dish definitely has flavourful marination. The gelatinous and tender texture of the steamed chicken feet creates a unique and memorable eating experience.

Steamed Chicken Feet 柱候蒸凤爪 - $6

The delicate charm of traditional Cheong Fun with the irrestible curnch of a golden, crispy interior and its silky rice roll wrapping it up. The texture together with the well-crafted dipping sauce is a perfect accompaniment to the Crispy Cheong Fun. We enjoyed the sweet and savoury soy-based sauce adding layer of complexity to the dish and enhancing its overall appeal.

Crispy Cheong Fun with Shrimp 脆皮肠粉 - $7.50

The Stir-Fried Radish Cake with Shrimp was surprisingly good. The harmonious blend of flavours, contrasting textures and the aromatic appeal of stir-fried goodness with beanspouts and chives were simply yummy. The visual allure had captivated both the senses and the palate. 

Stir Fried Radish Cake with Shrimp 香辣虾仁炒萝卜糕 - $8.80

We enjoyed this carrot cake with the plump and glistening shrimp.

Plump Shrimp

All in all, we were pretty surprise with its standard. If there are chances, we will want to be back here again for more.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Ah Yat Kitchen
Location: Far East Plaza,14 Scotts Rd, #05-36, Singapore 228213

Haig Road Putu Piring Cafe (East Village)

We went for dinner at East Village and spotted this popular Haig Road Putu Piring Cafe while going to the mall's toilet. The fragrance of from the steaming putu Piring had lured us closer to the shop, making us to order them.

It is a takeaway kiosk whereby you can pay through the semi-automated cashier if you are paying cash.

Putu Piring Cafe

Our order was placed in a box. While we always call this as the Malay Version of Tu Tu Kueh which is also known as Steamed Rice Cake. 

Packaging

Each piece looks simple yet has exquisite flavours. It is delicate and cylindrical, making every piece an art. Each Putu Piring is typically served with a banana leaf as a base, contributing to its natural charm. This modest appearance belies the explosion of flavours that awaits inside.

Putu Piring Gula Melaka - $5 for 4

We had Gula Melaka as the filling. It lies a sweet, gooey mixture and this molten sweetness oozes out when we bite into it, creating an indulging burst of flavour.

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Haig Road Putu Piring (East Village)
Location: 430 Upper Changi Rd, #01-14, Singapore 486936

Shun Heng BBQ (Bukit Batok)

We had tried Shun Heng BBQ Jurong West a few times and we all agree that their BBQ food is above-average fare. We chanced upon Bukit Batok's coffee shop and was excited to see their outlet here, so we decided to have a meal there.

The Sambal Petai was loaded with fried anchovies together with cut onions. This combination of bold flavours and texture makes the dish a memorable one. I love the distinct aroma of the petai and the robust flavours of this dish.

Sambal Petai

The Sambal Sotong was served on hot plate and was cooked to a tender consistency and its slightly chewy texture had complemented the thick and flavourful sambal sauce. Its a perfect blend of flavours, textures and spices. Yummy!

Sambal Sotong

The Sambal together with the use of fresh clams had a well-balanced flavour. Besides having just sambal chilli, onions and seafood like any other BBQ dish, its loaded with curry leaves that lift this dish up to another level in flavour.

Sambal Lala - $11

Keeping a good balanced meal, its always said to include some greens in our meal.  That's why we had garlic Kailan. It was savoury in its sauce and was crunchy too.

Garlic Kailan - $8

Crayfish is one of my favourite seafood. It's quite rare that we ordered this in Singapore as the price is often on the high side and we always felt that pocket would burn a hole after this. However, since we had the cravings for it, we will mend the hole after this. 

The meat is springy even after barbecued and the sambal chilli had elevated the natural seafood sweetness of the crayfish.

Cray Fish - $24

We ordered another item that we would normally skip from a BBQ Stall. The fish was generously spread with a layer of sambal chilli with a lime by the side.

Fish - $24

Surprisingly the meat was not dry and was taste was above my expectations.

Fish

While their service was fast and friendly, it gave us more reason to be back there again.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Shun Heng BBQ
Location: 217 Bukit Batok Street 21, #01-365 Block 217, Singapore 650217

Mariners' Corner Restaurant

Ushering the Year of The Dragon in 2024, Mariners' Corner Restaurant come up with their Prosperity is a noun that refers to a state of being successful or thriving, usually in regards to financial or material wealth.Set Menu, an auspicious meal for the Year of the Dragon at $28.

The Property Set Menu is interesting where the East meets the West. The set offers

• Double-boiled Hee Peow Soup with Homemade Pork Balls
• Mixed Fruit & Prawn Cocktail
• Platter of Grilled Chicken, Crispy Pork Belly & Norwegian Salmon with Hainanese Chap Chye
• Coffee / Tea
• Home-made Red Bean served with Vanilla Ice Cream

The Mixed Fruit & Prawn Cocktail was elegantly served in a wine glass with shredded carrot, cucumber, and honeydew cubes, refreshingly dressed in salad cream. Served chilled with 3 beautiful prawns hung onto the rim of the glass.

Mixed Fruit & Prawn Cocktail

The Double-boiled Hee Peow Soup with Homemade Pork Balls is meticulously prepared with an exquisite taste. It is a nuanced symphony of flavours. The slow double-boiling process extracts the essence from the ingredients like dried fish maw aka Hee Peow resulting in the umami and rich infused broth.

Double-boiled Hee Peow Soup with Homemade Pork Balls

The homemade pork balls gave a savoury depth, creating a harmonious balance, making the broth both comforting and refined.

Ingredients from the Soup

The culinary symphony of the East meets the West that blends diverse flavours and textures into a harmonious feast. Well crafted dish that tantalized the taste buds with its richness and variety. The Crispy Pork Belly steals the show with an impeccable crackling skin leaving us wanting for more. 

The Norwegian Salmon is a showcase of simplicity and freshness. It was grilled to perfection, boasting a delicate and moist texture. The natural flavours were enhanced with subtle seasonings, allowing the premium quality of the fish to shine through.

While we almost mistaken the Grilled Chicken as beef cubes. The succulent and tender meat is infused with a delightful smokiness with its marinadge adding depth to the bite size chicken cube.

While pairing a creamy buttery fragrance mashed potatoes completes the platter, it definitely filled our stomach to the brim. 

Platter of Grilled Chicken, Crispy Pork Belly & Norwegian Salmon with Hainanese Chap Chye

While Hainanese Chap Chye is a vegetable medley stew. adding a burst of colors and wholesome goodness to the platter. They were cooked to a perfect tenderness, absorbing the savory Hainanese Flaours. This dish not only complement the meat but also giving a delightful balance to the entire ensemble.

Chap Chye

This is my first time having homemade re bean served with vanilla ice cream. This pairing brings together the rich, earthy sweetness of red beans and the creamy indulgent allure of vanilla. 

Home-made Red Bean served with Vanilla Ice Cream

Lastly each of us was served with a cup of tea or coffee in completion of the set. The milk was served separately and can be added in base on one's preference.

Tea 

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Mariners' Corner Restaurant
Location: 106 Clementi St 12, #01-40 Singapore 120106

SpringLeaf Prata Place (Sunset Way)

While my habit of having Roti Prata usually stick to having breakfast, we made a slight change to have it for lunch. Springleaf Prata Place is a chained restaurant for Indian Food. They are also halal caterers who can make prata at the venue for all occasions. They offer a variety of food like thosai, prata, noodles, murtabak and set meals. 

Prata Set

Prata Set comes with 1 plain & 1 egg prata with 1 mini chicken (Masala/Curry) and a large hot Teh Tarik. The golden-brown and slightly cripsy exterior of the prata was served with fragrant curry that can be of free-flow servings from their self service counter. 

Prata Set - $8

Chicken Briyani Set

The Chicken Briyani Set comes with 1 Masala Chicken Briyani, 1 Large Teh Tarik or Regular Teh Tarik Cold with 2 pieces of Pappadum. The fluffy long grain basmati rice was infused with a symphony of spices, including cumin, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. The Malasa Chicken is tender and succulent, perfecting the marriage between itself and the fluffy aromatic rice, making each bite a delightful blend of texture.

Chicken Briyani Set - $9.70

The Hot Cup of  Teh Tarik rounds up everything in the meal. The harmonious blend of strong black tea with the fragrance of sweetened condensed milk was noteworthy. The art of "pulling" the tea contributed to its smooth and frothy texture, perking up its overall taste. 

Teh Tarik

Goreng Set 

Comes with 1 choice of Goreng, 1 Large Hot Teh Tarik and 1 Mini Masala or Curry Chicken 

• Maggi Goreng, 
• Mee Goreng, 
• Kuey Teow Goreng, 
• Mee Hoon Goreng, 
• Nasi Goreng

We had Mee Goreng and topped up another $1 for a sunny-side-up egg.

Mee Goreng Set + Sunny Side Up - $10.20

The curry chicken spice level was acceptable and we were served with a large chunk of chicken meat.

Curry Chicken 

While a good cup of Teh Tarik is made up of the right ratio of tea-to milk, I would say that they have it in the right proportion, striking a perfect balance between the robustness of the tea and the creaminess of the milk.

Teh Tarik

Checking out their Ultimate Series in their Menu, we had the Mini Ultimate Murtabak for 1 pax. It was loaded with chunk tandoori chicken, portobello mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. What's more, with the free-flow self-service curry station, we can help ourselves with fish or chicken curry, which makes the entire session merrier. 

Mini Ultimate Murtabak (For 1 Pax) - $10

This is my first time having Barley in combination of lime and I find it quite special. We enjoyed the pearl barleys as well as the refreshing taste from the lime.

Barley Limau

While Springleaf Prata Place offers an extensive menu, especially with some speciality and Ultimate Series which are unique to me, it is definite that we will be back for more.

SpringLeaf Prata Place (Sunset Way)
Location: Sunset Way Residence, 106 Clementi Street 12, #01-64, Singapore 120106
Website

Crazy Western Noodle House

A remote and quiet place in the industrial estate of Hillview serving Western and Noodle. While noodles are only available during the daytime, thus we usually order Western food. They also have a rice bowl too. The Menu was rather extensive.

Stall

There are 2 types of chicken chop, black pepper or mushroom and we chose the latter. The slab of chicken chop was well marinated and was served with a thin crispy layer thin. The meat was juicy with mushroom sauce separated. Sides like garden salad, butter corn kernels and potato wedges were served.

Mushroom Chicken Chop - $8.90

The Fish & Chips was kind of being raved on the Google review and let's give it a try. The layer of batter was soft yet crispy and the fish tasted above my expectation. At least it did not taste like that cheaper grade of fish fillet. It comes with Garden Salad as a side too.

Fish & Chips - $8.90

If you are hungry and have a bigger appetite, you may want to try out their mixed grill. We ordered the Chicken, Pork & Striploin Steak. It was served with potato wedges, and garden salad. The chicken and pork were very well marinated and the striploin steak portion was generous. 

Mixed Grilled (Chicken & Pork & Striploin Steak) - $27.90

The herbs gave the tender meat add additional flavour and that style suits our tastebuds. 

Yummy

I was craving for something creamy and rich, thus ordered a Steaky Bacon Carbonara. The spaghetti texture was Al Dente and carbonara always tasted best when served right away to enjoy the creamy sauce. The dish was topped with green parsley and egg. For my liking, I prefer that the Bacon can be a little bit crispier or fried. 

Steaky Bacon Carbonara - $8.50

Having tried their Western Food from Tabao to dine in, I will want to make an attempt to return for the noodles.

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Crazy Western Noodle House
Location: 31 Hillview Terrace #01-03, Singapore 669249