After our dinner at Hong Kong Cafe, we proceeded to Ice³(Ice Cube) at Serangoon Gardens for some dessert. Ice³ is a trendy looking place with bar top tables affixed with blue neon lights below to give that hip and modern feel. We settled into a cozy sofa seat tucked right at the end of the cafe and hidden from the view of passers by. After much contemplation, we had a single Fondue set, a double Fondue set and a Waffle with Chocolate Syrup and Ice Cream.
We were very surprised by the size of the Fondues when they arrived. The single Fondue set was actually meant for 2 pax, whereas the double Fondue set was meant for 3-4 pax! And all the while, we thought a double set was only meant for 2! The variety of ingredients was much better than that of Max Brenners. However, only one type of Chocolate was given, as compared to three given by Max Brenners.There was Ice Cream, Bananas, Marsh mellows, Peaches, Crushed Nuts and Strawberries. The Chocolate was quite concentrated and sinfully sweet.
The Waffle was undoubtedly the star of the day. Crisp and decadent with the generous drizzle of Chocolate Syrup and the smooth home made Chocolate Ice Cream. Size is also not an issue here. The waffle is huge.
All in all, the desserts cost us to the tune of $44.75/-, which was a little on the high side. It is still slightly cheaper as compared to other outlets which offer similar products, but my main peeve is that service charge is levied when there is not much service to speak about. Not that the wait staff are unfriendly or what, but I had to pour and refill my iced water myself, walk up to the counter to order and make payment as well. So whereabouts does the service come from?
Had lunch at Rasa Sayang Western Food, a rather popular western food stall situated at the S11 coffeeshop just next to AMK Jubilee. Hoards of people used to patronise it for its fish & chips and chicken cutlet.
Chicken Chop - I didn't quite fancy eating something deep fried so I had the milder version - the humble chicken chop. Honestly, it was as good as it looked - average and flat tasting. The gravy wasn't rich nor was it tasty, even with the slices of mushroom in it. The coleslaw must have been the most outstanding item on the plate, which is rather sad isn't it?
Fish & Chips - Okay this dish fared slightly better. It was a little too heavily battered and lost quite a bit of the fish goodness with the over frying. The fish wasn't as good as Botak Jones's when served piping hot, but certainly didn't become unpalatable after turning cold like the latter.
Was in the mood for curry rice so my gf and I dropped by Jian Dao Jian along Jalan Besar for some whopping curry rice. Haven't been there for quite sometime so it felt good to be back. The old coffeeshop housing the sole stall was as I remembered it, old and dilapidated, with no effort to even spruce it up a little or add more tables to the existing meagre table count. There was a long snaking queue when we got there and to make things worse, it was drizzling. Surprisingly, we managed to get a table, albeit in a bad position, without much difficulty. For the uninformed, Jian Dao Jian is so called because of the hawker uses a pair of scissors to cut up your orders, which gives off a pretty distinctive "Tiak Tiak Tiak" sound.
I had deep fried chicken cutlet, pork cutlet, chup chye (mixed vegetables) and a sunny side up with my rice while my gf had beansprouts, chicken cutlet, egg and fishcake with hers. The ingredients were all pretty normal, with the exception of the chup chye which wasn't too mushy. The thing that made the whole experience wonderful was the gravy. The gravies, be it curry or "Ru Zi" (Braised gravy?) was thick and gelled everything together. Simply delicious!
2 plates cost us $7. Slightly more expensive than your usual Chup Chye Png stall, but worth the money. Do try it if you are in that area.
Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee has been around ever since the Japanese surrendered in 1945. That's more than 60 years ago! This is definitely one stall with a long history and has been named one of the Makansutra legends. $3 gets you an average sized bowl of Mushroom Minced Pork Mee. The only thing that I liked about it was the slice of Ti Po which was crispy and salty and the hand made dumpling, which packed in the meaty flavours. The black vinegar was not too overwhelming and the soup had Tong Cai in it which made it tasty yet light on the palate. Quite good, but it certainly wasn't spectacular. Oh it comes with free flow lard too if you are interested.
I waited for a plate of Kuay Teow Mee for about 20 minutes and $2 got me a reasonably sized plate with about 5-6 pieces of cockles. I found this version a refreshing change from the usual heavy ones you get outside. The taste was more subtle and I didn't get nauseous from eating too much of it.
Can give it a try but be prepared for a long wait.
My second foray into Korean food - a very late dinner at Auntie Kim's one weekday night. I've heard many good things about Auntie Kim's and since my last visit to Nul Bom was less then ideal, I thought it would be nice to explore new Korean places.
Located within a row of shophouses along Upper Thomson Road, Auntie Kim's interior is rather smallish and elegant with its dark wooden tables set against light coloured walls. Korean music lingers in the background and service is extended by waiters in black suits and waitresses in traditional Korean costumes.
I didn't find any of the side dishes particularly outstanding or lousy for that matter. There was the usual kimchi, beansprouts and anchovies which I'm beginning to feel that they taste almost the same everywhere. But as mentioned before in my entry on Nul Bom, I do appreciate the variety.
Yookgae Jang - Spicy Beef & Scallion Soup - This dish looked really really spicy with its intense reddish colour. However, that was just a facade. Even someone who can't really take spicy stuff, like me, could take it without so much as breaking out in sweat. I personally found the soup rather bland and the beef slices were a tad too tough and overcooked for my liking.
So Jungsik - Hotplate Beef - The beef was overcooked but still decently tender probably due to it being thinly sliced. I found it too sweet for my liking but maybe that's how Koreans eat it. I like the few strands of golden mushroom that came with it though, crunchy and breaking the monotony of just chewing through meat.
Dessert - This came complimentary and I honestly don't know whats in it. To me it was just a chilled drink which reeked strongly of Cinammon. Definitely not my idea of a sweet ending.
We paid about $35 for a rather filling dinner (thanks to the sides) but after having tried out Korean food for a second time, I still dont find myself taking to it. Is it just me or have I been ordering the wrong things or going to the wrong places?
Note: This review first appeared on my blog (www.camemberu.com), I've left in the captions to delineate and explain segments. Please see the actual review for more photos (I can only upload five here).
Sushi Kikuzawa: A Very Long Lunch
Sashimi platter, originally uploaded by Camemberu. Today was a real treat! I finally stole away to Sushi Kikuzawa for a nice sushi buffet lunch. Had heard many nice things about this restaurant but never got the opportunity to try it until today. It's a tiny sliver of a place upstairs at International Building. We sat at the counter and were served immediately with edamame starters and warm takenoko wakasani (stewed bamboo shoots). Soon to follow was the plate of sashimi (you only get one portion) - one slice of ika (squid), two slices of shake (salmon), three slices of maguro (tuna) and some whitefish. The salmon was sweet, sweet heaven but the tuna wasn't very well-cut (a bit sinewy in some parts). The whitefish proved somewhat nondescript but was not unpleasant. As for the squid, it's not my favourite but what Kikuzawa served was quite acceptable - not too chewy.
Nikujyaga (stewed chicken with vegetables), originally uploaded by Camemberu. This was followed by a small bowl of delicious broth with chicken pieces, radish, fried tofu and a gingko nut. Yummy appetiser.
Saba and Something, originally uploaded by Camemberu. We were swiftly presented with this duo of saba (mackarel) and some fish of white flesh that I forgot. These went down quickly into our hungry tummies. Fresh and not fishy.
Aburi Shake (Seared Salmon), originally uploaded by Camemberu. The next item is a highlight at Kikuzawa's - aburi shake. Seared lightly with a blowtorch on top, this item married two different taste dimensions of fatty salmon flesh - very gently-cooked and raw. Umai!!
Ikura and Uni, originally uploaded by Camemberu. Ikura (salmon roe) and uni (sea urchin "roe" but really its reproductive organs) arrived as a pair. Both extremely rich in flavour. I've grown to like ikura (in small amounts) but I can't say the same for uni. Maybe I just don't have the tastebud receptors required to fully appreciate the prized gonads of the hermaphrodite sea urchin (incidentally also a prickly object I stay away from when diving). This completely foreign, briny, bitter metallic taste always brings a mini-shock to my senses.
Kajiki (Swordfish), originally uploaded by Camemberu. Kajiki or swordfish was up next. Nice, smooth and creamy but it still isn't a favourite of mine. Good thing I'm not addicted, as its mercury levels are one of the highest.
Aburi Unagi (Seared Eel) and Awabi (Abalone), originally uploaded by Camemberu. I was glad to hear and smell the blowtorch in action again. This time, unagi (river eel) arrived warmed and with a caramelised top - inimitably sublime! It came with awabi (raw abalone). Wow, a sushi buffet that included abalone?? To be honest, I am not a fan of abalone, I don't even like it cooked but I gave it a go. Surprise, surprise...it had none of the tough chewiness of the cooked version. Instead, what greeted me was a more powdery softness and a taste almost akin to fish cake (sorry, this must be sacrilegious to fans of this expensive shellfish). Unfortunately it also carried a strong, fishy after-taste.
Mashed Sardines (?) and raw scallop(?) , originally uploaded by Camemberu. I think I must have been too distracted by the heavenly unagi to hear what the next two items were (the junior-looking sushi chef was also very soft-spoken and did not always announce what he served). One tasted like finely-mashed sardines (very light in flavour) and some shellfish, possibly nama-hotate (raw scallop).
Chawan-mushi, originally uploaded by Camemberu. Chawan-mushi arrived in a generous bowl. Piping hot and lighter than clouds, the steamed egg was extremely smooth and soothing. Not too salty either. I think they only prepare/steam this on order, unlike some places which (I suspect) give you a reheated bowl.
Salmon in Ponzu Sauce, originally uploaded by Camemberu. Another warm serving arrived - this seemed to be salmon poached in ponzu sauce. My friend got a nice one (pictured), and I had something full of bones (big and small) and much harder to eat. In fact, the whole meal, the chef served my friend better-looking stuff for most of the items!
Negi-toro Temaki, originally uploaded by Camemberu. A handroll! Mashed tuna with spring onions. A lot of rice and not enough tuna but still tasty. Actually handrolls would be a good way to fill up customers, so I'm not sure why the chef only gave us one.
Hokigai (Whelk), originally uploaded by Camemberu. OK, I wasn't too happy to see hokigai (sea whelk) since I had a bad sashimi one at Keyaki recently. But this one was much fresher (and sliced much thinner), so it had none of the offensive chewiness. Not much taste either though.
Kakigai (Oyster), originally uploaded by Camemberu. When oysters came next, I was surprised. This would be my first as sushi. I love oysters but I'm kinda avoiding them since I'm pregnant. My friend doesn't like oysters so it was a while of trying to pass it to each other in vain. I prodded the thing to see if it was cooked (it looked so) but it felt stone-cold. My friend then bravely decided to pop his into his mouth and so did I. Oh, the familiar burst of smoky flavour - no regrets. It was more delicious than it looked.
Kazunoko (Herring Roe), originally uploaded by Camemberu. I like kazunoko (herring roe) which is fish roe that comes in one crunchy piece. Very fresh and very yummy. I only wish the portion was larger. The gunkan (boat-shaped) sushi here is quite miniscule. But that allows you to go for more variety.
Ika, originally uploaded by Camemberu. Oh no, we should have told the chef no squid! Another round again of trying to pass the sushi to each other, but we ate our own servings in the end. I'm not sure why I'm still squeamish about squid. It's virtually tasteless. I think it's the texture. You mash it in your mouth but some parts of it still stubbornly refuse to be masticated. Hmm, it's not unlike nata de coco, come to think of it, but I like nata de coco.
Ama-ebi, originally uploaded by Camemberu. OK, ama-ebi (raw sweet prawn) I passed to my friend. I have never liked it and suspect I never will.
Tamago, originally uploaded by Camemberu. Ah, tamago, this is sometimes called the true test of a sushi chef's skill! It takes patience and expertise to get it right. The tamago here was very good - a perfect balance of sweet and savoury (some places make it too sweet). A generous slice that looked quite different from the sickly yellow, almost plasticky stuff that you sometimes see.
Aburi Hotate (Seared Scallop) with dash of lemon, originally uploaded by Camemberu. By this time, the chef had noticeably slowed down his pace of serving items to us. Still, this next one was a delight. Seared scallop with a dash of lemon (no need for dip, said the chef). Another multi-dimensional treat of savoury and sweet.
Maguro with special sauce, originally uploaded by Camemberu. This one was nice. Tuna seasoned with a special sauce and sesame seeds. Melted in the mouth. No sinews this time.
Sayori (half-beak), a seasonal item, originally uploaded by Camemberu. Again, something new - sayori (half-beak), a seasonal item. Delicious with all its toppings. I wonder what the fish looks like...I keep visualizing the parrot fish (with their beak-like mouths).
Tobiko, originally uploaded by Camemberu. We requested for tobiko and this cute little gunkan came. Nice but I wish there was more tobiko. Oh, the seaweed used here is fantastic. Extra dry and crisp, it's probably lightly toasted before being used in the sushi.
Sweet Salmon, originally uploaded by Camemberu. We also asked for salmon. Sure, it's a plebian choice but it's just extra tasty here.
Our last sushi order, originally uploaded by Camemberu. OK, by this time, the chef had slowed his serving pace to a halt. I think we breached their breakeven point some time ago. But we weren't totally FULL yet...so we requested a final four sushi items. That wonderful aburi unagi, shake, ikura and kazunoko. There were still items on the menu that we hadn't tried but we just couldn't resist an encore of these four.
Kazunoko with Ikura, originally uploaded by Camemberu. I played with my kazunoko (herring roe) a bit. Put three ikura (salmon roe) on top for eye candy and flavour. Went quite well! Oh, there's some fish floss underneath the herring roe piece too. Good way to add flavour.
Mango Pudding, originally uploaded by Camemberu. Don't be disappointed by the lack of choice in desserts. There's only pudding but oh, my lord, how divine this lovely jelly-like concoction was! Excellent texture - not creamy or mushy but firm with lots of bounce. Very refreshing. Smelt like it was made from nectar of the gods. A superb way to round off a great meal. They only had mango flavour today (normally there's an assortment including lychee, papaya, pineapple, strawberry, apple and peach). But we were more than happy. Plus, we had fun with its uber-jiggly nature.
Udon, originally uploaded by Camemberu. My friend still wanted more. We asked for udon and cold tofu. The udon arrived but they forgot our tofu. We decided to end this with another mango pudding.
I think Kikuzawa and staff were glad to finally see us go. But hey, gochisosama deshita! And we will certainly be recommending friends here for excellent value-for-money sushi. While not top-of-the-line quality, the sushi here is infinitely better than any of the conveyor belt chains. I think this is an excellent place for those who want an introduction to the different varieties of sushi (more than 40 available here). My friend, for example, had never ventured beyond salmon sashimi/sushi prior to this (not even maguro/tuna!). I was quite surprised he ate everything here. Bravo!
Prices: S$29 for lunch buffet; S$39 for dinner buffet (Mon-Fri) Weekends and public holidays, add about S$10 more. They have a membership card promotion: for every six stamps (one buffet = one stamp), you pay only S$10 for the next buffet.
They also have fixed lunch sets and various other meals (unagi, chiraishi, etc). Shochu, beer and sake available to wash all that sushi down, although free-flow green tea is served.
I had a $6 serving of 5 items for 2 pax and ended up polishing the whole dish by myself (wasn't too big actually) together with a plate of beehoon. The egg slices were pretty unique because they slightly sweet, very much like eating Tamago , except that this one was slightly crispy due to the deep frying. The Wu Xiang was also quite good, with the skin being very thin and crispy and the filling a little sweet. The others were normal. Overall, not bad, but waiting time can be a killer.
Garden Street Kway Chup used to be situated at Blanco Court and queues were a common sight everyday. Now located at Serangoon Gardens Food Centre, it is but a shadow of its former self. I decided to try it out as I had fond memories of the days when I would queue up for about an hour on a Saturday afternoon just to get my hands(mouth rather) on their delicious Kway Chup. Alas, it turned out to be a wrong move. The Kway was very normal, so unlike the days when it was soft and silky and with a clear soup base to boot. The ingredients were very limited as well, with the Pig's tongue noticeably missing from the menu. Of those that I ordered, nothing stood out. Everything was just average. And it doesn't come cheap either. Expect to pay a premium of about 10-15% as compared to other neighbourhood Kway Chup stalls. This is yet another case of a once famous food stall biting the dust. Sorry but this will be the last time I'm eating here. For the price and quality of food, I'm better off eating elsewhere.
Another must try stall within Dunman Road Food Centre is the Dunman Duck Rice stall. Located at the lower level of the food centre, my parents and I always make it a point to stop by for some duck rice whenever we visit.
A standard plate of reasonably sized Duck Rice sets you back by about $2.50. The duck is very chewy and goes very well with the slightly sweet and sticky gravy. The rice tastes suspiciously like yam rice, but I couldn't detect any yam pieces in it. Prices are cheap at this stall, with an additional bowl of rice or Kway Chup going for only 30 cents.
1=SGD 0.0587
After our dinner at Hong Kong Cafe, we proceeded to Ice³(Ice Cube) at Serangoon Gardens for some dessert. Ice³ is a trendy looking place with bar top tables affixed with blue neon lights below to give that hip and modern feel. We settled into a cozy sofa seat tucked right at the end of the cafe and hidden from the view of passers by. After much contemplation, we had a single Fondue set, a double Fondue set and a Waffle with Chocolate Syrup and Ice Cream.
We were very surprised by the size of the Fondues when they arrived. The single Fondue set was actually meant for 2 pax, whereas the double Fondue set was meant for 3-4 pax! And all the while, we thought a double set was only meant for 2! The variety of ingredients was much better than that of Max Brenners. However, only one type of Chocolate was given, as compared to three given by Max Brenners.There was Ice Cream, Bananas, Marsh mellows, Peaches, Crushed Nuts and Strawberries. The Chocolate was quite concentrated and sinfully sweet.
The Waffle was undoubtedly the star of the day. Crisp and decadent with the generous drizzle of Chocolate Syrup and the smooth home made Chocolate Ice Cream. Size is also not an issue here. The waffle is huge.
All in all, the desserts cost us to the tune of $44.75/-, which was a little on the high side. It is still slightly cheaper as compared to other outlets which offer similar products, but my main peeve is that service charge is levied when there is not much service to speak about. Not that the wait staff are unfriendly or what, but I had to pour and refill my iced water myself, walk up to the counter to order and make payment as well. So whereabouts does the service come from?
Rating given:
Had lunch at Rasa Sayang Western Food, a rather popular western food stall situated at the S11 coffeeshop just next to AMK Jubilee. Hoards of people used to patronise it for its fish & chips and chicken cutlet.
Chicken Chop - I didn't quite fancy eating something deep fried so I had the milder version - the humble chicken chop. Honestly, it was as good as it looked - average and flat tasting. The gravy wasn't rich nor was it tasty, even with the slices of mushroom in it. The coleslaw must have been the most outstanding item on the plate, which is rather sad isn't it?
Fish & Chips - Okay this dish fared slightly better. It was a little too heavily battered and lost quite a bit of the fish goodness with the over frying. The fish wasn't as good as Botak Jones's when served piping hot, but certainly didn't become unpalatable after turning cold like the latter.
Rating given:
Was in the mood for curry rice so my gf and I dropped by Jian Dao Jian along Jalan Besar for some whopping curry rice. Haven't been there for quite sometime so it felt good to be back. The old coffeeshop housing the sole stall was as I remembered it, old and dilapidated, with no effort to even spruce it up a little or add more tables to the existing meagre table count. There was a long snaking queue when we got there and to make things worse, it was drizzling. Surprisingly, we managed to get a table, albeit in a bad position, without much difficulty. For the uninformed, Jian Dao Jian is so called because of the hawker uses a pair of scissors to cut up your orders, which gives off a pretty distinctive "Tiak Tiak Tiak" sound.
I had deep fried chicken cutlet, pork cutlet, chup chye (mixed vegetables) and a sunny side up with my rice while my gf had beansprouts, chicken cutlet, egg and fishcake with hers. The ingredients were all pretty normal, with the exception of the chup chye which wasn't too mushy. The thing that made the whole experience wonderful was the gravy. The gravies, be it curry or "Ru Zi" (Braised gravy?) was thick and gelled everything together. Simply delicious!
2 plates cost us $7. Slightly more expensive than your usual Chup Chye Png stall, but worth the money. Do try it if you are in that area.
Rating given:
Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee has been around ever since the Japanese surrendered in 1945. That's more than 60 years ago! This is definitely one stall with a long history and has been named one of the Makansutra legends. $3 gets you an average sized bowl of Mushroom Minced Pork Mee. The only thing that I liked about it was the slice of Ti Po which was crispy and salty and the hand made dumpling, which packed in the meaty flavours. The black vinegar was not too overwhelming and the soup had Tong Cai in it which made it tasty yet light on the palate. Quite good, but it certainly wasn't spectacular. Oh it comes with free flow lard too if you are interested.
Rating given:
I waited for a plate of Kuay Teow Mee for about 20 minutes and $2 got me a reasonably sized plate with about 5-6 pieces of cockles. I found this version a refreshing change from the usual heavy ones you get outside. The taste was more subtle and I didn't get nauseous from eating too much of it.
Can give it a try but be prepared for a long wait.
Rating given:
My second foray into Korean food - a very late dinner at Auntie Kim's one weekday night. I've heard many good things about Auntie Kim's and since my last visit to Nul Bom was less then ideal, I thought it would be nice to explore new Korean places.
Located within a row of shophouses along Upper Thomson Road, Auntie Kim's interior is rather smallish and elegant with its dark wooden tables set against light coloured walls. Korean music lingers in the background and service is extended by waiters in black suits and waitresses in traditional Korean costumes.
I didn't find any of the side dishes particularly outstanding or lousy for that matter. There was the usual kimchi, beansprouts and anchovies which I'm beginning to feel that they taste almost the same everywhere. But as mentioned before in my entry on Nul Bom, I do appreciate the variety.
Yookgae Jang - Spicy Beef & Scallion Soup - This dish looked really really spicy with its intense reddish colour. However, that was just a facade. Even someone who can't really take spicy stuff, like me, could take it without so much as breaking out in sweat. I personally found the soup rather bland and the beef slices were a tad too tough and overcooked for my liking.
So Jungsik - Hotplate Beef - The beef was overcooked but still decently tender probably due to it being thinly sliced. I found it too sweet for my liking but maybe that's how Koreans eat it. I like the few strands of golden mushroom that came with it though, crunchy and breaking the monotony of just chewing through meat.
Dessert - This came complimentary and I honestly don't know whats in it. To me it was just a chilled drink which reeked strongly of Cinammon. Definitely not my idea of a sweet ending.
We paid about $35 for a rather filling dinner (thanks to the sides) but after having tried out Korean food for a second time, I still dont find myself taking to it. Is it just me or have I been ordering the wrong things or going to the wrong places?
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Note: This review first appeared on my blog (www.camemberu.com), I've left in the captions to delineate and explain segments. Please see the actual review for more photos (I can only upload five here).
Sushi Kikuzawa: A Very Long Lunch
Sashimi platter, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
Today was a real treat! I finally stole away to Sushi Kikuzawa for a nice sushi buffet lunch. Had heard many nice things about this restaurant but never got the opportunity to try it until today. It's a tiny sliver of a place upstairs at International Building. We sat at the counter and were served immediately with edamame starters and warm takenoko wakasani (stewed bamboo shoots). Soon to follow was the plate of sashimi (you only get one portion) - one slice of ika (squid), two slices of shake (salmon), three slices of maguro (tuna) and some whitefish. The salmon was sweet, sweet heaven but the tuna wasn't very well-cut (a bit sinewy in some parts). The whitefish proved somewhat nondescript but was not unpleasant. As for the squid, it's not my favourite but what Kikuzawa served was quite acceptable - not too chewy.
Nikujyaga (stewed chicken with vegetables), originally uploaded by Camemberu.
This was followed by a small bowl of delicious broth with chicken pieces, radish, fried tofu and a gingko nut. Yummy appetiser.
Saba and Something, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
We were swiftly presented with this duo of saba (mackarel) and some fish of white flesh that I forgot. These went down quickly into our hungry tummies. Fresh and not fishy.
Aburi Shake (Seared Salmon), originally uploaded by Camemberu.
The next item is a highlight at Kikuzawa's - aburi shake. Seared lightly with a blowtorch on top, this item married two different taste dimensions of fatty salmon flesh - very gently-cooked and raw. Umai!!
Ikura and Uni, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
Ikura (salmon roe) and uni (sea urchin "roe" but really its reproductive organs) arrived as a pair. Both extremely rich in flavour. I've grown to like ikura (in small amounts) but I can't say the same for uni. Maybe I just don't have the tastebud receptors required to fully appreciate the prized gonads of the hermaphrodite sea urchin (incidentally also a prickly object I stay away from when diving). This completely foreign, briny, bitter metallic taste always brings a mini-shock to my senses.
Kajiki (Swordfish), originally uploaded by Camemberu.
Kajiki or swordfish was up next. Nice, smooth and creamy but it still isn't a favourite of mine. Good thing I'm not addicted, as its mercury levels are one of the highest.
Aburi Unagi (Seared Eel) and Awabi (Abalone), originally uploaded by Camemberu.
I was glad to hear and smell the blowtorch in action again. This time, unagi (river eel) arrived warmed and with a caramelised top - inimitably sublime! It came with awabi (raw abalone). Wow, a sushi buffet that included abalone?? To be honest, I am not a fan of abalone, I don't even like it cooked but I gave it a go. Surprise, surprise...it had none of the tough chewiness of the cooked version. Instead, what greeted me was a more powdery softness and a taste almost akin to fish cake (sorry, this must be sacrilegious to fans of this expensive shellfish). Unfortunately it also carried a strong, fishy after-taste.
Mashed Sardines (?) and raw scallop(?) , originally uploaded by Camemberu.
I think I must have been too distracted by the heavenly unagi to hear what the next two items were (the junior-looking sushi chef was also very soft-spoken and did not always announce what he served). One tasted like finely-mashed sardines (very light in flavour) and some shellfish, possibly nama-hotate (raw scallop).
Chawan-mushi, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
Chawan-mushi arrived in a generous bowl. Piping hot and lighter than clouds, the steamed egg was extremely smooth and soothing. Not too salty either. I think they only prepare/steam this on order, unlike some places which (I suspect) give you a reheated bowl.
Salmon in Ponzu Sauce, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
Another warm serving arrived - this seemed to be salmon poached in ponzu sauce. My friend got a nice one (pictured), and I had something full of bones (big and small) and much harder to eat. In fact, the whole meal, the chef served my friend better-looking stuff for most of the items!
Negi-toro Temaki, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
A handroll! Mashed tuna with spring onions. A lot of rice and not enough tuna but still tasty. Actually handrolls would be a good way to fill up customers, so I'm not sure why the chef only gave us one.
Hokigai (Whelk), originally uploaded by Camemberu.
OK, I wasn't too happy to see hokigai (sea whelk) since I had a bad sashimi one at Keyaki recently. But this one was much fresher (and sliced much thinner), so it had none of the offensive chewiness. Not much taste either though.
Kakigai (Oyster), originally uploaded by Camemberu.
When oysters came next, I was surprised. This would be my first as sushi. I love oysters but I'm kinda avoiding them since I'm pregnant. My friend doesn't like oysters so it was a while of trying to pass it to each other in vain. I prodded the thing to see if it was cooked (it looked so) but it felt stone-cold. My friend then bravely decided to pop his into his mouth and so did I. Oh, the familiar burst of smoky flavour - no regrets. It was more delicious than it looked.
Kazunoko (Herring Roe), originally uploaded by Camemberu.
I like kazunoko (herring roe) which is fish roe that comes in one crunchy piece. Very fresh and very yummy. I only wish the portion was larger. The gunkan (boat-shaped) sushi here is quite miniscule. But that allows you to go for more variety.
Ika, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
Oh no, we should have told the chef no squid! Another round again of trying to pass the sushi to each other, but we ate our own servings in the end. I'm not sure why I'm still squeamish about squid. It's virtually tasteless. I think it's the texture. You mash it in your mouth but some parts of it still stubbornly refuse to be masticated. Hmm, it's not unlike nata de coco, come to think of it, but I like nata de coco.
Ama-ebi, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
OK, ama-ebi (raw sweet prawn) I passed to my friend. I have never liked it and suspect I never will.
Tamago, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
Ah, tamago, this is sometimes called the true test of a sushi chef's skill! It takes patience and expertise to get it right. The tamago here was very good - a perfect balance of sweet and savoury (some places make it too sweet). A generous slice that looked quite different from the sickly yellow, almost plasticky stuff that you sometimes see.
Aburi Hotate (Seared Scallop) with dash of lemon, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
By this time, the chef had noticeably slowed down his pace of serving items to us. Still, this next one was a delight. Seared scallop with a dash of lemon (no need for dip, said the chef). Another multi-dimensional treat of savoury and sweet.
Maguro with special sauce, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
This one was nice. Tuna seasoned with a special sauce and sesame seeds. Melted in the mouth. No sinews this time.
Sayori (half-beak), a seasonal item, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
Again, something new - sayori (half-beak), a seasonal item. Delicious with all its toppings. I wonder what the fish looks like...I keep visualizing the parrot fish (with their beak-like mouths).
Tobiko, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
We requested for tobiko and this cute little gunkan came. Nice but I wish there was more tobiko. Oh, the seaweed used here is fantastic. Extra dry and crisp, it's probably lightly toasted before being used in the sushi.
Sweet Salmon, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
We also asked for salmon. Sure, it's a plebian choice but it's just extra tasty here.
Our last sushi order, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
OK, by this time, the chef had slowed his serving pace to a halt. I think we breached their breakeven point some time ago. But we weren't totally FULL yet...so we requested a final four sushi items. That wonderful aburi unagi, shake, ikura and kazunoko. There were still items on the menu that we hadn't tried but we just couldn't resist an encore of these four.
Kazunoko with Ikura, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
I played with my kazunoko (herring roe) a bit. Put three ikura (salmon roe) on top for eye candy and flavour. Went quite well! Oh, there's some fish floss underneath the herring roe piece too. Good way to add flavour.
Mango Pudding, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
Don't be disappointed by the lack of choice in desserts. There's only pudding but oh, my lord, how divine this lovely jelly-like concoction was! Excellent texture - not creamy or mushy but firm with lots of bounce. Very refreshing. Smelt like it was made from nectar of the gods. A superb way to round off a great meal. They only had mango flavour today (normally there's an assortment including lychee, papaya, pineapple, strawberry, apple and peach). But we were more than happy. Plus, we had fun with its uber-jiggly nature.
Udon, originally uploaded by Camemberu.
My friend still wanted more. We asked for udon and cold tofu. The udon arrived but they forgot our tofu. We decided to end this with another mango pudding.
I think Kikuzawa and staff were glad to finally see us go. But hey, gochisosama deshita! And we will certainly be recommending friends here for excellent value-for-money sushi. While not top-of-the-line quality, the sushi here is infinitely better than any of the conveyor belt chains. I think this is an excellent place for those who want an introduction to the different varieties of sushi (more than 40 available here). My friend, for example, had never ventured beyond salmon sashimi/sushi prior to this (not even maguro/tuna!). I was quite surprised he ate everything here. Bravo!
Prices: S$29 for lunch buffet; S$39 for dinner buffet (Mon-Fri)
Weekends and public holidays, add about S$10 more. They have a membership card promotion: for every six stamps (one buffet = one stamp), you pay only S$10 for the next buffet.
They also have fixed lunch sets and various other meals (unagi, chiraishi, etc). Shochu, beer and sake available to wash all that sushi down, although free-flow green tea is served.
Rating given:
I had a $6 serving of 5 items for 2 pax and ended up polishing the whole dish by myself (wasn't too big actually) together with a plate of beehoon. The egg slices were pretty unique because they slightly sweet, very much like eating Tamago , except that this one was slightly crispy due to the deep frying. The Wu Xiang was also quite good, with the skin being very thin and crispy and the filling a little sweet. The others were normal. Overall, not bad, but waiting time can be a killer.
Rating given:
Garden Street Kway Chup used to be situated at Blanco Court and queues were a common sight everyday. Now located at Serangoon Gardens Food Centre, it is but a shadow of its former self. I decided to try it out as I had fond memories of the days when I would queue up for about an hour on a Saturday afternoon just to get my hands(mouth rather) on their delicious Kway Chup. Alas, it turned out to be a wrong move. The Kway was very normal, so unlike the days when it was soft and silky and with a clear soup base to boot. The ingredients were very limited as well, with the Pig's tongue noticeably missing from the menu. Of those that I ordered, nothing stood out. Everything was just average. And it doesn't come cheap either. Expect to pay a premium of about 10-15% as compared to other neighbourhood Kway Chup stalls. This is yet another case of a once famous food stall biting the dust. Sorry but this will be the last time I'm eating here. For the price and quality of food, I'm better off eating elsewhere.
Rating given:
Another must try stall within Dunman Road Food Centre is the Dunman Duck Rice stall. Located at the lower level of the food centre, my parents and I always make it a point to stop by for some duck rice whenever we visit.
A standard plate of reasonably sized Duck Rice sets you back by about $2.50. The duck is very chewy and goes very well with the slightly sweet and sticky gravy. The rice tastes suspiciously like yam rice, but I couldn't detect any yam pieces in it. Prices are cheap at this stall, with an additional bowl of rice or Kway Chup going for only 30 cents.
Rating given: