Westlake 西湖小吃

I first knew Westlake through the words of mouth from my friend for the Kong Bak Pau is so popular. I visited their kiosk in Jurong Point and it left me a very deep impression for the Kong Bak Pau was so delicious.

Westlake

The place was rather unique as it is located among the HDB estate. Interior furnishing was simple and place was well kept with bright lighting.

Restaurant

A combination of 2 types of Tofu on the plate, letting us enjoy the best of both worlds.  The dish was served with 6 tofu cubes drench in savoury sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The combination includes a slab of deep fried Tofu too topped with minced meat, preserved vegetables and dried shrimps.

Westlake Tofu Combi 西湖双味豆腐 - $13

Here's the reason why we were there, none other than their braised pork with pau. The slab of thoroughly braised pork that soaked up the goodness of the gravy was delicate and tender. 

Braised Pork with Pau 西湖招牌扣肉包 - $18 (5 pieces)

Look at these glistering pieces of Pork. They were so well braised, fragrant, a good balance of saltiness with sweetness. 

Braised Pork

Sandwiched the pork belly in the pau with lettuce and a stalk of coriander to elevate its taste. The plain pillow soft pau compliments the savoury braised pork, just exactly what I had a few years back from their kiosk.

They have another version to offer, Spanish Iberico Braised Pork with Pau 西班牙黑猪扣肉包 which costs $32.

Kong Bak Pau

If you enjoy the traditional flat yellow noodle, you will probably love this Claypot Hokkien Noodles that carry some nostalgia. Pork slices, squid, vegetables and pork belly as well as the noodle soaking up the sauce.

Claypot Hokkien Noodles 砂煲福建面 - $9 (Small) 

We also ordered the Popiah to try out since its on the menu. The popiah was bigger in size that the usual ones we had, taste wise its pretty standard.

Popiah 薄饼

The Yam Basket or Yam Ring is a popular dish when it comes to Chinese cuisine and also a staple in the Cze Char Restaurant. It is a Singaporean dish consist of a deep fried ring made up of mashed taro filled with separately stir-fried ingredients like cashewnuts, mushrooms, green pepper, chicken etc.

Yam Basket 砝钵飘香

The Spring Onion Pancake seemed overdone to us. It was kind of too brown and dry. Not the crowd's favourite among. us.

Spring Onion Pancake 

If you enjoy the old school vibes of a Chinese Restaurant and food in Singapore, you would most probably want to visit Westlake for it.

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Westlake
Location: Blk 4 Queen’s Road #02-139 Singapore 260004

Website

Authentic Teochew Tradition Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle

 I bet most of the BCM lovers heard about the “No Signboard” Bak Chor Mee hawker at Tiong Bahru Stall reopened at Havelock Road. Despite being about a month or so opening at its relocation and on top of a rainy day, it still demand a queue for about 20 - 30 minutes of our order.

Stall of Authentic Teochew Tradition Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle

Here’s the bowl of nostalgic, old-school bowls of lard-loaded minced meat noodles that has been selling since almost 60 years ago when back then it was just 20 cents per bowl. However it is now priced at $5, $6 & $7, Small, Medium & Large Respectively. 

The Noodles (Mee Kia & Mee Pok) were cooked to a satisfying texture that features a good contrast of those tender minced meat fragrantly braised juicy slices of the mushrooms. 

Mee Kia - $5 (Small)

As this is the first time I tried their noodle, I find that this Authentic Teochew Tradition Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle features a very strong punch of black vinegar among the generous amount of lards, seasonings and sauce. If you do order a larger portion, Uncle will include a piece of fresh prawn too.

Mee Pok - $6 (Medium)

The noteworthy items are the succulent pieces of the mushrooms as well as the nostalgic taste of a bowl of noodles from the “Tee Poh” aka sole fish.

Sole Fish

Interestingly, they are one of the very few Bak Chor Mee Stall that provide dumplings in the dish though the texture and taste is not to die for.

Dumpling Soup - $4

For those who enjoy a nostalgia taste of Teochew’s Authentic Bak Chor Mee, you may want to give this a go and to those who miss our legendary Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle, you may want to get your tastebuds working again here.

Rating: 3.25 / 5

Authentic Teochew Tradition Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle

Location:  Havelock Road Food Centre, Blk 22A Havelock Road, #01-21 Singapore 161022. 

Nummun Thai Kitchen (Yishun)

We knew of Nummun a few years back and visited their branch in Thomson for the tasty taste food. Their Yishun outlet occupies a small shop under the HDB Block following the theme of their first location with a clean and simple interior, with steel tables, chairs and stools laid out neatly.

nummun

We started our Thai Cuisine with their staple beverages like the Thai Milk Tea and Lemongrass drink.

Thai Iced Milk Tea & Iced Lemongrass - $4 each

The steamed seabass with chilli & lime is always my favourite from the Thai Cuisine as we get to enjoy the freshness and tenderness of the fish. I love the sweet, spicy, garlicky and sourish soup that made up of garlic, chilli and lemon grass.

Steamed Seabass with Chilli & Lime - $26

A harmonious blend of flavours and texture from the dish. We love the sweet savoury pieces of tender chicken served with crunchy cashew nuts and spicy sauce.

Cashew Nut Chicken - $12

A perfect appetizer that we will always go for when it comes to sharing dishes. Pandan Chicken is highly regarded for its fragrant and flavourful profile. It not only pleases the palate but also engages the senses of visual as well as aromatic appeal. It's a beloved recipe in Thai cuisine.

Pandan Chicken (5pcs) -$12

A delighting mix of flavours and texture whereby it satiate our taste buds with the healthy greens as well as the crispy roasted meat. The dish was said to be versatile and easily fit into a variety of meal settings be it a simple meal to a more elaborate banquet.

Stir Fried Kai Lan with Roasted Meat - $12

The crispy cuts of the Roasted Meat added bits of surprise to the vegetable dish.

Crispy Roasted Pork

The fresh and chewiness of the sotong in a mixture of sweetness and spiciness is totally appetizing.

Thai Style Spicy Sotong - $14

Here's what we had for the meal including the drinks.

Our Meal

We ended the meal with a chilling bowl of creamy coconut ice cream dessert topped with red ruby. I enjoyed the crunchiness of the water chestnut from the red ruby as well as the sweetness from the jackfruit.

Coconut Ice Cream with Red Ruby - $7

The dessert is sure to impress.

Close up of the dessert.

Well, we definitely enjoy every mouthful of Nummun food. 

Nummun Thai Kitchen
Location: Blk 103 Yishun Ring Road #01-85 Singapore 760103

Nanyang Dao 南洋岛

Nan Yang Dao started by Malaysian Chef Jackson Chu with brothers Wee Liow and Vincent Liow, specialises in dishes from different parts of Malaysia, such as Penang fried kway teow and Penang assam laksa. The Malaysian cuisine embodies a rich fusion of diverse culinary traditions, just within a short span of few years they opened a number of outlets to share the authentic flavors.

We started our meal with their staple snacks like muffin, polo bun and egg tarts.

Pastries

The combination of flaky fragrant pastry crust cradling the creamy, rich custard fillings were simply yummy. 

Puff Pastry Egg Tarts 酥皮蛋挞

The custard is mild sweet, smooth and silky in texture. It has a hint of vanilla that gives the egg tart a pleasant aromatic note that complements the creamy custard perfectly. 

What an indulgence!

The combination of the sweet, crunchy topping and the soft, buttery bread creates a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. When enjoyed fresh and warm, with a cold slice of butter melting into the bun, it is an indulgent treat that is both comforting and satisfying. 

Butter Polo Bun 酥皮牛油波罗包

Kopi butter offers a rich and indulgent coffee experience that is both comforting and satisfying. The combination of strong coffee and creamy butter creates a unique flavor profile and a smooth, velvety texture that is enjoyable to drink. 

Nanyang Kopi Butter 南洋古油咖啡

A a delightful and refreshing drink that offers a harmonious blend of flavors. The bottom layer of grass jelly provides a subtly sweet and herbal flavor that pairs well with the more robust and slightly bitter taste of the black tea in the middle layer. The top layer of creamy milk adds a rich, smooth finish that balances out the flavors beautifully. When combined, these layers create a complex and satisfying taste experience that is both sweet and slightly savory, with a pleasant herbal undertone from the grass jelly.

3 Layers Milk Tea Grass Jelly 三色奶茶仙草

A good recommendation by Nanyang Dao for our dinner. The Classic Stir-Fry Beef Hor Fun is not only presentable and perfectly done with the "wok hei" flavours. Every bite was in consistent flavours and the pieces of Beef were not gamey. Ingredients were simple with onions, vegetables, beansprouts and carrots. 

Classic Stir-Fry Beef Hor Fun 金典干炒牛河

The Lala Bee Hoon is a delicious and satisfying dish with the strands of Bee Hoon soaking up the Superior Broth. Its balance of flavours and pleasant Bee Hoon texture makes it a favourite among us. Through the dish's simplicity in preparation, Lala Bee Hoon is still an impressive dish for its rich and savoury flavours. The bowl of Lala Bee Hoon was good for sharing as its generous portion may be too much for a single pax. The aromatic flavours from the Chinese Wine and cuts of gingers elevated the dish too. They have the Chinese Wine separated from the dish and we can include them according to our preference.

Superior Clam Bee Hoon Soup 上汤啦啦米粉

The Nanyang Dry Chicken Curry with Plain Rice was rich and delicious. The gravy was thick and comes with a tad spiciness. The chicken was tender and the curry was aromatic. 

Nanyang Dry Curry Chicken with Plain Rice 南洋干咖喱鸡饭

The curry paired well with the plate of white rice and half a boiled egg. The potatoes were boiled to soften and tasted good.

Bowl of Dry Curry 

Ending our meal on a sweet note. The icy Chendol is a staple dessert in Singapore / Malaysian Cuisine. The pandan-flavoured green flour jelly, coconut milk and red beans were served over the shaved ice creating a harmonious balance of sweet, creamy and refreshing flavours.  

Chendol 煎蕊

With the use of the caramelized taste of the palm sugar syrup aka Gula Melaka, it blends in beautifully with the slight saltiness of the coconut milk. The ice makes the dessert refreshing while the pandan jelly adds a subtle aromatic sweetness to each bite.

A spoonful of Chendol for you? 

The matcha provides a distinct green tea flavor that is both refreshing and sophisticated, while the azuki beans add a subtle sweetness and a hint of umami, creating a well-balanced and harmonious taste. The combination of these two ingredients results in a muffin that is not overly sweet, making it a perfect choice for those who prefer a more nuanced and less sugary treat.

Matcha & Azuki Beans Muffin

Food totally suits our tastebuds. On top of that, the staff are friendly and approachable despite working in a fast-paced environment with full house customers.

Nanyang Dao 南洋岛
Location: Thomson Plaza, 301, Upper Thomson Road, #03-46/47 Singapore 574408

Noona Korean Kitchen

Visiting Noona Korean Kitchen in their Bedok Outlet for the All-You-Can-Eat Korean BBQ & Army Stew Buffet. If you ever crave similar Korean Food, this will be a good choice for they are affordable and reasonable, killing 2 birds in 1 stone with BBQ & Army Stew.

Do check out their Buffet Luch and Dinner, 12pm - 5pm & 5pm - 10pm respectively. For Buffet Lunch, it will be priced at $18.90 per adult and $10.90 per child that is below 12 years old while $22.90 & $13.90 for Buffet Dinner. Kids that are below 1m in height get to dine-free.

Noona Korean Kitchen at Bedok

We came here on a weekday night and the whole coffee shop is literally packed with Noona's customers.

Besides the unlimited serving of cooked food like Jacphae and fried chicken wings we had, do help yourselves with their Banchan in the fridge. 

For Buffet, its hard to to "whack" their so-called more "valuable" items like the seafood.

Scallops & Flower Crabs

We had them in the hot bubbling Army Stew or so-called Budae Jigae.

Budae Jigae

Not to forget about the Korean Staple, Ramyeon or our kind of "instant noodle".

Ramyeon

We enjoyed the various kinds of marinated meat, pork, chicken and beef over the BBQ stove with cheese melting by the side as well as the grilled egg by the side.

Korean BBQ

Besides enjoying the meat alone, we can also wrap them in the lettuce making our own ssambap with their zingy sauce, ssamjang.

Ssambap

Overall, the friendly services and variety of food were laudable. Its good for gathering if your family & friends enjoy Korean BBQ & Army Stew.

Noona Korean Kitchen
Location: 418 Bedok North Ave 2, #01-97, Singapore 460418

Beo Crescent Curry Rice

With the ever-long queue for Curry Rice at Beo Crescent, we queued about 15-20 minutes during lunch time. This is sworn by many as the best curry rice in Singapore.

We had our meal at a total cost of $13.90 with these ingredients on the first plate, braised vegetables, sotong and pork cutlet

Our Meal

While on the other plate, we had braised vegetables, minced pork pancake, pork cutlet and curry chicken,

Our Meal

The star order will be none other than their pork cutlet which is super crispy and flavourful. The cabbage and steamed minced pork are also one of their must-have dishes. For those who enjoyed a wet version of Curry Rice, this might float your boat. We love the gluey curry and braised gravy over our plate of rice. It's so appetizing.

Beo Crescent Curry Rice
Location: 40 Beo Cres, Singapore 160040

Paddy Fields Restaurant (Paddy Seafood Claypot Restaurant)

We stopped here for a comfortable meal before heading back to the customs. We decided to have a light meal and skip the carbs (noodles/rice). By word of mouth, we learned that Paddy Fields Restaurant is known for the freshness of seafood and quality food without burning a hole in the pockets.

Paddy Field

We had a plate of Stirred fried potato leaves with minced garlic. Simple and straightforward dish yet highly nutritious, rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron, making this dish both delicious and healthy.

Potato Leaves 番薯叶 - RM 15 

The clams are well executed, fresh & clean with a tad of spiciness from the chilli. The natural sweet flavours from the clams make it quite addictive.

Ginger Fried Clams - RM 22

This glossy glistering caramel color of the Sesame Chicken topped with bright green chopped spring onions with the fragrance of the sesame oil makes the dish appetizing and appealing. This dish is satisfying, delivering flavours and texture. The only pet peeve is that the thicken was skinny and there were more bones than meat.

Sesame Chicken 麻油鸡 - RM 35

Flower Crab can be served steamed or Fried and we opted for the fried version. Although Flower Crab is not my favourite order, the dish was very well executed with chilli, ginger strips and sauce. Overall, it tastes good and smells good.

Fried Flower Crab 炒花蟹

We enjoyed the Teochew Style Fish Porridge with added items like prawns, Fishballs and Meatballs etc.

Fish Porridge 

There are White Pomfret, Threadfin, Red Grouper and Chinese Pomfret for us to choose from and we chose the Red Grouper. The slices were thick and generous while the broth was fragrant, soothing the stomach with a warm pot of homely food.

Thick Slice of Fish

Overall, the service was friendly and the food served was heartwarming. If you want something different from the mall, you can head to Paddy Fields Restaurant and try it out.

Rating: 3. 5 / 5

Paddy Fields Restaurant (Paddy Seafood Claypot Restaurant)
Location: 6, Jalan Dedap 9, Taman Johor Jaya, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia