Across the road from Katong Mall – at the corner before the traffic light lies a coffee shop with a signboard that screams “126 Beer Garden”!!! Situated along East Coast Road – a gem is holed within this very cosy coffee shop – Hai Kee (Soy) Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle.
Formerly from Upper Cross Street, what strikes me amid the new and colourful signage was the doggy looking yellow board placed behind – rustic and oily facade – a trademark of tradition!
I proceed to order a plate of Dry Soy Sauce Chicken Noodle ($3) and I wasn’t disappointed by the noodles. The texture of the noodles was very pliable and bouncy – cooked just right to give it that extra bite. However, I was a little dismayed that some of the chicken pieces were smashed before being chopped up, so what you get are seemingly heaps of “flatten meat” that does not come with any bite in it.
It would be acceptable if it is done on a plate of mushroom and shredded chicken noodle – but not when one is having a plate of soy sauce chicken noodle. But for the two pieces of chicken that weren’t done that way, it was tender and succulent, and its skin – flavoursome. Given a choice I would rather make do with few pieces of the beefy chicken meat than heaps of such squash ones anytime.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Along Joo Chiat Road lies this discreet small shop with a seemingly run down facade which sells only Durian pastries. For the uninitiated, this tiny shop houses Puteri Mas, one of the most famous names in Durian pastries, aside from Goodwood Park Hotel's Deli. Bite sized durian puffs are sold in boxes of 20 and they have other stuff like Durian rolls, cakes etc. Bite into one of the Durian puffs and the Durian literally explodes from within the thin pastry. Only gripe I had was that the puff was too thin and thus became a little soggy. $10 for 20 mini puffs isn't cheap, but its worth it. Miss trying it at your own loss. ;)
Make no mistake, Dessert Boutique of Delectable Blessings! is actually the name of a dessert shop housed along the newly refurbished Market Street Carpark. Just 7 weeks old and located just a few doors down from RoGues, this outfit prides itself on selling healthy desserts. No more oily and excessively sweet or salty desserts. Everything here is freshly made and natural flavours are key to the desserts. I had a few samples, courtesy of a lovely lady, who also happens to be one of the owners of the shop and found them quite delectable. The In All Fairness (trust them to come up with such names), which was essentially Barley, Gingko with Beancurd Skin, was very light and refreshing. This dish is best taken chilled. The Mango Tango!, on the other hand, was a little creamy with Sago, Pomelo and Watermelon. I didn't quite taste the Watermelon, but the Pomelo provided an added zest to the dish. It tasted like your normal day to day Mango Sago, albeit a creamier and less sweet rendition. My favourite was the White Fungus with Chinese Almonds and Papaya, which happened to be the Delectable Experiment of the week. For $3, you get a huge cup of White Fungus swirling in a sweet but light syrup and lots of Chinese Almonds. I could see the pieces of Papayas, but they were too mashed up too have any taste. Experience the chilled syrup trickle down your throat and all memories of a bad lunch quickly dissipates.
Do try it if you happen to be in the area. They do delivery to nearby areas within a 10 minute walk from the shop, but the minimum order is $10. Other than that, the minimum order goes up to $30 and a delivery charge of between $5-$10 is imposed, depending on location. They also serve healthy breakfast items which might be a good alternative to those MacDonalds or Char Kuay Teows. There is a small dining area which can seat up to 6(?) people, but it is rather cramp, so you are better off eating on the go.
It was a great lunch outing and boy the food! If not for the bright bright sun from out the window, it might seem like we were having a dinner feast! Ha!
The spread was good. But there's two item that I enjoyed most! And both are prawns!
The first prawn dish was an add on to the set menu ordered. This is one of their signature dish, the Wasabi Prawn balls. The wasabi prawn wasn't powerful enough. It tasted more like salad prawn with all the fruits (honeydew, dragonfruit bits and strawberries) that came with it. Nevertheless, it was nice and easy to eat too. (No need to peel the shell mah! Haha!) Give me this dish alone and I'll be happy to eat it with a bowl of rice.
The next one was from the set menu, not sure about the name, but it seems like cereal butter prawn. (Picture) Before the prawn was served, waiter brought a bowl of lemon water and everyone started discussing whether the ladies or the men will be doing the peeling. Haha! Everyone sighed a sign of relief when the prawn was served. The prawn was big and fragrant. The mixed of dried chilli, curry leaves and dried shrimp makes the whole dish very flavorful and yummy. Enjoyed it!
Hidden in an obscure corner of the Changi Market is a lesser known western bar cum restaurant. Recommended by Makansutra as "Don't try, regret ah!", i made it my personal agenda to pay the place a visit. Charlie's corner has always been more of a 'watering hole' location to me as they serve an astonishing variety of beer. Pretty close to 80 different beers from around the world can be found here, though not on tap. This time however, i was there for the food.
There's really nothing much to say about the interior nor exterior really, its just a make shift corner with cheap metal chairs and alfresco dining qualities in an Asian way. Thats not to say its without it charm of course, and honestly, after a few beers, it doesn't matter where you are at.
Kilkenny ($10.90), Hoegarden ($9) - My 2 favorite sins. Kilkenny and Hoegarden. Both are bottled and served in their respective glasses but i really do find the price a little too steep. I can get a pint of Hoegarden at $7 and triple the volume shown here. That said, how can you fault a smooth and melt in your mouth Kilkenny and an ice cold sweet Hoegarden? Regardless of the price, its still going to be good.
Charlie's Famous Fish and Chips ($13.90) - Charlie's famous fish and chips is kind of an overstatement if you ask me. First of all, it really doesn't look like much. At first glance, i thought its was breaded fried fish which isn't too far from the truth. The good thing about the fish and chips is that its thick and juicy and has a light sweetness. The crust is also nicely done and well fried for a crumbling crispy finish. However, i still think its overpriced.
Chicken Chop ($12.90) - The chicken chop was a joke really. The meat was quite tender to its merit but tasteless even with the mushroom sauce accompaniment which basically renders it salty. My gf commented that its very average and just not satisfying. And at this price, i could have gotten 2 chicken chops from the market just around the corner.
Spicy Chicken Wings ($7.50) - The spicy chicken wings were served only with the central portion of the wing which is touted and the most tender and meaty portion of a chicken wing. This version came in 6 pieces but i really would have preferred having the entire wing given the price. The thing is, these wings were the best items we had that night (aside from the beer of course). Fried to perfection and still retaining its meat juices inside, the wings were delectable. Add the fact that the sauce is a mix between chili and rodeo sauce and its basically a fragrant juicy and tender experience. Have it piping hot with an ice cold beer for best effect.
This below average meal cost me $54.20 which really shocked my socks off.
Somehow, its either i ordered the wrong items or the Makansutra guy got special treatment. To me, the place is good for lazy gatherings and quiet drink sessions but the food offerings, in terms of main courses, needed much improvement. At this stage, it still feels like a bonafide rip off. And honestly, the drinks were overpriced as well. Its difficult for me to find a reason to return sadly.
In recent years, many food outlets claiming to sell restaurant quality western food at coffeeshop prices have sprung up in the heartlands across Singapore. Think Aston's and Botak Jones. Western Chow is the latest contender to have jumped on the bandwagon.
Opened just barely two weeks ago, Western Chow is hidden at the corner of a secluded coffeeshop just off Lorong Ah Soo. The system of ordering is simple. You make your order at the counter, pay up and you will receive an order number (as shown in the picture above). Take the number and sit anywhere you want and you will be served shortly.
Ribeye Steak ($14) - I had my ribeye medium rare and it came looking a shade of red, indicating its over doneness. That aside, the beef was way too soft, hinting of a possible use of tenderizer or "Peng Seh" as my parents term it. The beef had no bite whatsoever and no natural beef taste, masked by the overpowering black pepper sauce. Its really a sheer waste of such a good cut of beef.
Chicken Chop ($5.80) - As with the ribeye steak, the chicken chop was soft and a didn't really hold up to much chewing. I liked the sauce though, BBQ square with a dash of pepper. Having said that, the sauce alone wasn't enough to salvage the chicken chop. A pity really.
The 3 of us spent $33.80 in total, which was relatively expensive given the below average quality of food. To give them credit, all of the staff were very friendly. I certainly hope they will do something about it before they start losing customers. Oh and if you do ever patronise, please sit along the fringes of the coffeeshop or risk smelling like cooked food when you are done due to the fumes from the Char Kway Teow stall.
While I must admit, the donut itself was soft and melted in my mouth, I dislike the thick sweet stuff that they have placed over it. I found them too sweet. Maybe this would be suitable for sweet tooths.
The queue was never-ending and the donuts that I wanted were still in the racks, so I had to order some other flavours. Even the Oreo flavour was too sweet for my taste.
I have heard of this brand of donuts for sometime especially from those who had been to Indonesia. They had been saying that this brand of donuts one of the best there. Some even say it is better than Krispy Kreme. Wah. This is a very big thing to say. Finally I had the chance to taste it when they open their first flagship store in the newly create Raffles City Basement. No need to search for it, just follow the smell, you are able to find the store already.
I was there and have to say that Singaporeans are quick to try all things new. There was a long queue going on, people trying out their new donuts. Other then selling their donuts, they also open a café where you can drink their drinks while eating and smelling their donuts. Wahahaha. Their café is a bit small, can only seat a small number of people.
Well you can read from the above post on how they sell/pack their donuts. A person is in charge of a few flavors of donuts, so you inform him/her what you want then she will grab whatever is within reach, if not, they will pass it to the next person to get the donuts from you. This will go on until you reach the cashier at the end of the line. I did not have to wait long but I did not managed to get ot buy all the flavors that I want.
They got quite a number of different flavors of donuts, at least 10 plus over flavors. From the normal almond glazed one to special ones that have crème inside the donuts. I tried a few and I shall use the almond glazed donuts as comparison. From the outlook, it does look like any other donuts (the same kind) that are selling from other donuts shops. My first bite into it, the donut is soft and simply melts in the mouth. The almond glazed is not too sweet. Pretty good. I dare say one of the best. For other flavors like
Alcapone which got lots of almond nuts with white chocolate, but my mum prefer Donut Factory version.
Tiramisu which is loaded with tiramisu cream inside. A bit sweet, not for those who don’t like cream.
Whynut which inside is filled with peanut butter and the donut is topped with white and milk chocolate.
Well after tasting a few times, I think some of the donuts are actually quite good while some of them are just average. To me it is just another donut company that came into Singapore to grab a slice of the pie. I will still go back to eat the almond glazes provided there is no queue. I think it is sooner or later you will see that they will pop up all over the little island of ours.
This place is a well hidden café in an ulu location. If HFB is not here to mention about it, I think I will never discover a place like this. Hee… Thks bro. All thks to him, FZ and bobo, I got the chance to visit this place. It is inside this building, Balmoral Plaza along Bukit Timah Road. Well I least I know I got a direct bus from my house now. Hee….
When we reached, I got this brought back to the 80s feeling, because everything there is so retro (as put by Claudia). They got both outdoor (read: smoking) and indoor seats. Outdoor seats can be very noisy as it is next to the road where traffic can get quite heavy and noisy at times. For the indoor decoration, it is a very spacious with quite a number of seats and a few seats in the middle of a room. The counter and the kitchen took up half of the space there. Very simple designed. I loved the seats there. How should I put it? Hmm…. It is very “A&W” if you understand what I meant. Wahahahaha.
Since it is called Wafflestown, they have to sell waffles, all different kinds of waffles and of course they also sell fried chicken as well. Yum Yum! We ordered 2 piece fried chicken set and 2 waffles.
2 pieces fried chicken set @ $6.70 per set: When it came to our table, it looks like those chicken sets that are sold across all the western stalls in those coffee shops. It looks simple and I have to say not impressive on presentation. On the plate, there were 2 pieces of medium sized fried chicken, with 2 side dishes of coleslaw and French fries. I have to say that looks can be deceiving. The fried chicken came piping hot, once I tear the meat apart, the steam can be seen. Even though, some people did complain that it is a bit oily, but hey, it is fried chicken, supposed to be oily. Wahahahaha! I always like fried chicken. I liked their fried chicken; it is crispy on the outside, but moist and juicy on the meat inside. The chicken is also seasoned slightly, making the chicken tasty as well. The coleslaw is average; however it has all the big chucks of vegetables inside, making it very crunchy. The fries are normal, nothing fanciful.
Now to the stars of the day, WAFFLES @ $4.90 each! We ordered Blueberry waffles and Blackberry waffles. Instead of the normal round waffles, both came in rectangular shapes. With a scoop of ice cream on top and covered with blue and black berrys and whipped cream along the sides. First on the waffles, they are FANTASTIC! One of the best I ever tasted! It is crispy on the outside but soft in the inside. It had big squares in it so that can hold the ice cream inside as well. The blueberries and blackberries are also good on their own. They are not too sweet but full of their own flavors, they came in big sized berries as well. Together they are a great combination. Based on the waffles alone, it is enough to make me come back for more!
Expect for the bit ulu location which is my only complain. I think I will be back for more if possible! Go and give it a try!
Had a craving for Japanese curry so dropped by Curry Favor's newly opened outlet at Novena Square for dinner. Curry Favor, which has its flagship outlet at Stamford House, purportedly dishes out one of the best authentic Japanese curries in Singapore and South East Asia. Quite a statement I must say.
The interior is simply done up with ample distance between tables which allows for limited privacy. Not that it was really necessary as the place was quite dead on a Saturday evening, with only 4 tables occupied.
Rosu Katsu (Pork) Curry - Curry Favor offers the flexibility of ordering half portions for certain dishes, which caters to small eaters or people who tend to opt for a lighter meal. The half portion of Rosu Katsu came with about 5 slices of succulent and not overly deep fried pork chops and a regular serving of rice. With a name like Curry Favor, it is rather obvious that the curry should take centre stage. And this is where it falters, well almost. The curry was light and sweet ( a little too sweet in fact) but didn't posses the wow factor. It lacked the fragrance as well. I would say its very decent but certainly not the best in Singapore or South East Asia.
Filet Pork Stewed Curry - This was a full sized order and honestly, the amount of pork fillets in it didn't justify the price. There seemed to be more potato cubes and carrots than pork fillets. Sure, the fillets were tender and full of bite and the curry thick and lightly sweet. But as with the Rosu Katsu, the curry lacked the oomph factor and fragrance, although I must say I did enjoy the overall dish quite a bit.
A rather filling but hardly satisfying dinner for 2 cost about $35 ($30 with $5 discount). Filling because there's a lot of starch in the dishes, rice, potato and curry. But having said that, food quality is still reasonably above average but prices could drop a notch or two. It does help that service is good as well.
1=SGD 0.0587
Across the road from Katong Mall – at the corner before the traffic light lies a coffee shop with a signboard that screams “126 Beer Garden”!!! Situated along East Coast Road – a gem is holed within this very cosy coffee shop – Hai Kee (Soy) Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle.
Formerly from Upper Cross Street, what strikes me amid the new and colourful signage was the doggy looking yellow board placed behind – rustic and oily facade – a trademark of tradition!
I proceed to order a plate of Dry Soy Sauce Chicken Noodle ($3) and I wasn’t disappointed by the noodles. The texture of the noodles was very pliable and bouncy – cooked just right to give it that extra bite. However, I was a little dismayed that some of the chicken pieces were smashed before being chopped up, so what you get are seemingly heaps of “flatten meat” that does not come with any bite in it.
It would be acceptable if it is done on a plate of mushroom and shredded chicken noodle – but not when one is having a plate of soy sauce chicken noodle. But for the two pieces of chicken that weren’t done that way, it was tender and succulent, and its skin – flavoursome. Given a choice I would rather make do with few pieces of the beefy chicken meat than heaps of such squash ones anytime.
You can view more photos and other reviews @ His Food Blog.
Rating given:
Along Joo Chiat Road lies this discreet small shop with a seemingly run down facade which sells only Durian pastries. For the uninitiated, this tiny shop houses Puteri Mas, one of the most famous names in Durian pastries, aside from Goodwood Park Hotel's Deli. Bite sized durian puffs are sold in boxes of 20 and they have other stuff like Durian rolls, cakes etc. Bite into one of the Durian puffs and the Durian literally explodes from within the thin pastry. Only gripe I had was that the puff was too thin and thus became a little soggy. $10 for 20 mini puffs isn't cheap, but its worth it. Miss trying it at your own loss. ;)
Rating given:
Make no mistake, Dessert Boutique of Delectable Blessings! is actually the name of a dessert shop housed along the newly refurbished Market Street Carpark. Just 7 weeks old and located just a few doors down from RoGues, this outfit prides itself on selling healthy desserts. No more oily and excessively sweet or salty desserts. Everything here is freshly made and natural flavours are key to the desserts. I had a few samples, courtesy of a lovely lady, who also happens to be one of the owners of the shop and found them quite delectable. The In All Fairness (trust them to come up with such names), which was essentially Barley, Gingko with Beancurd Skin, was very light and refreshing. This dish is best taken chilled. The Mango Tango!, on the other hand, was a little creamy with Sago, Pomelo and Watermelon. I didn't quite taste the Watermelon, but the Pomelo provided an added zest to the dish. It tasted like your normal day to day Mango Sago, albeit a creamier and less sweet rendition. My favourite was the White Fungus with Chinese Almonds and Papaya, which happened to be the Delectable Experiment of the week. For $3, you get a huge cup of White Fungus swirling in a sweet but light syrup and lots of Chinese Almonds. I could see the pieces of Papayas, but they were too mashed up too have any taste. Experience the chilled syrup trickle down your throat and all memories of a bad lunch quickly dissipates.
Do try it if you happen to be in the area. They do delivery to nearby areas within a 10 minute walk from the shop, but the minimum order is $10. Other than that, the minimum order goes up to $30 and a delivery charge of between $5-$10 is imposed, depending on location. They also serve healthy breakfast items which might be a good alternative to those MacDonalds or Char Kuay Teows. There is a small dining area which can seat up to 6(?) people, but it is rather cramp, so you are better off eating on the go.
See all my pictures here
Rating given:
Yummy prawns!
It was a great lunch outing and boy the food! If not for the bright bright sun from out the window, it might seem like we were having a dinner feast! Ha!
The spread was good. But there's two item that I enjoyed most! And both are prawns!
The first prawn dish was an add on to the set menu ordered. This is one of their signature dish, the Wasabi Prawn balls. The wasabi prawn wasn't powerful enough. It tasted more like salad prawn with all the fruits (honeydew, dragonfruit bits and strawberries) that came with it. Nevertheless, it was nice and easy to eat too. (No need to peel the shell mah! Haha!) Give me this dish alone and I'll be happy to eat it with a bowl of rice.
The next one was from the set menu, not sure about the name, but it seems like cereal butter prawn. (Picture) Before the prawn was served, waiter brought a bowl of lemon water and everyone started discussing whether the ladies or the men will be doing the peeling. Haha! Everyone sighed a sign of relief when the prawn was served. The prawn was big and fragrant. The mixed of dried chilli, curry leaves and dried shrimp makes the whole dish very flavorful and yummy. Enjoyed it!
Rating given:
Hidden in an obscure corner of the Changi Market is a lesser known western bar cum restaurant. Recommended by Makansutra as "Don't try, regret ah!", i made it my personal agenda to pay the place a visit. Charlie's corner has always been more of a 'watering hole' location to me as they serve an astonishing variety of beer. Pretty close to 80 different beers from around the world can be found here, though not on tap. This time however, i was there for the food.
There's really nothing much to say about the interior nor exterior really, its just a make shift corner with cheap metal chairs and alfresco dining qualities in an Asian way. Thats not to say its without it charm of course, and honestly, after a few beers, it doesn't matter where you are at.
Kilkenny ($10.90), Hoegarden ($9) - My 2 favorite sins. Kilkenny and Hoegarden. Both are bottled and served in their respective glasses but i really do find the price a little too steep. I can get a pint of Hoegarden at $7 and triple the volume shown here. That said, how can you fault a smooth and melt in your mouth Kilkenny and an ice cold sweet Hoegarden? Regardless of the price, its still going to be good.
Charlie's Famous Fish and Chips ($13.90) - Charlie's famous fish and chips is kind of an overstatement if you ask me. First of all, it really doesn't look like much. At first glance, i thought its was breaded fried fish which isn't too far from the truth. The good thing about the fish and chips is that its thick and juicy and has a light sweetness. The crust is also nicely done and well fried for a crumbling crispy finish. However, i still think its overpriced.
Chicken Chop ($12.90) - The chicken chop was a joke really. The meat was quite tender to its merit but tasteless even with the mushroom sauce accompaniment which basically renders it salty. My gf commented that its very average and just not satisfying. And at this price, i could have gotten 2 chicken chops from the market just around the corner.
Spicy Chicken Wings ($7.50) - The spicy chicken wings were served only with the central portion of the wing which is touted and the most tender and meaty portion of a chicken wing. This version came in 6 pieces but i really would have preferred having the entire wing given the price. The thing is, these wings were the best items we had that night (aside from the beer of course). Fried to perfection and still retaining its meat juices inside, the wings were delectable. Add the fact that the sauce is a mix between chili and rodeo sauce and its basically a fragrant juicy and tender experience. Have it piping hot with an ice cold beer for best effect.
This below average meal cost me $54.20 which really shocked my socks off.
Somehow, its either i ordered the wrong items or the Makansutra guy got special treatment. To me, the place is good for lazy gatherings and quiet drink sessions but the food offerings, in terms of main courses, needed much improvement. At this stage, it still feels like a bonafide rip off. And honestly, the drinks were overpriced as well. Its difficult for me to find a reason to return sadly.
Rating given:
In recent years, many food outlets claiming to sell restaurant quality western food at coffeeshop prices have sprung up in the heartlands across Singapore. Think Aston's and Botak Jones. Western Chow is the latest contender to have jumped on the bandwagon.
Opened just barely two weeks ago, Western Chow is hidden at the corner of a secluded coffeeshop just off Lorong Ah Soo. The system of ordering is simple. You make your order at the counter, pay up and you will receive an order number (as shown in the picture above). Take the number and sit anywhere you want and you will be served shortly.
Ribeye Steak ($14) - I had my ribeye medium rare and it came looking a shade of red, indicating its over doneness. That aside, the beef was way too soft, hinting of a possible use of tenderizer or "Peng Seh" as my parents term it. The beef had no bite whatsoever and no natural beef taste, masked by the overpowering black pepper sauce. Its really a sheer waste of such a good cut of beef.
Chicken Chop ($5.80) - As with the ribeye steak, the chicken chop was soft and a didn't really hold up to much chewing. I liked the sauce though, BBQ square with a dash of pepper. Having said that, the sauce alone wasn't enough to salvage the chicken chop. A pity really.
The 3 of us spent $33.80 in total, which was relatively expensive given the below average quality of food. To give them credit, all of the staff were very friendly. I certainly hope they will do something about it before they start losing customers. Oh and if you do ever patronise, please sit along the fringes of the coffeeshop or risk smelling like cooked food when you are done due to the fumes from the Char Kway Teow stall.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
While I must admit, the donut itself was soft and melted in my mouth, I dislike the thick sweet stuff that they have placed over it. I found them too sweet. Maybe this would be suitable for sweet tooths.
The queue was never-ending and the donuts that I wanted were still in the racks, so I had to order some other flavours. Even the Oreo flavour was too sweet for my taste.
Verdict: Suitable for sweet tooths only.
Rating given:
I have heard of this brand of donuts for sometime especially from those who had been to Indonesia. They had been saying that this brand of donuts one of the best there. Some even say it is better than Krispy Kreme. Wah. This is a very big thing to say. Finally I had the chance to taste it when they open their first flagship store in the newly create Raffles City Basement. No need to search for it, just follow the smell, you are able to find the store already.
I was there and have to say that Singaporeans are quick to try all things new. There was a long queue going on, people trying out their new donuts. Other then selling their donuts, they also open a café where you can drink their drinks while eating and smelling their donuts. Wahahaha. Their café is a bit small, can only seat a small number of people.
Well you can read from the above post on how they sell/pack their donuts. A person is in charge of a few flavors of donuts, so you inform him/her what you want then she will grab whatever is within reach, if not, they will pass it to the next person to get the donuts from you. This will go on until you reach the cashier at the end of the line. I did not have to wait long but I did not managed to get ot buy all the flavors that I want.
They got quite a number of different flavors of donuts, at least 10 plus over flavors. From the normal almond glazed one to special ones that have crème inside the donuts. I tried a few and I shall use the almond glazed donuts as comparison. From the outlook, it does look like any other donuts (the same kind) that are selling from other donuts shops. My first bite into it, the donut is soft and simply melts in the mouth. The almond glazed is not too sweet. Pretty good. I dare say one of the best. For other flavors like
Alcapone which got lots of almond nuts with white chocolate, but my mum prefer Donut Factory version.
Tiramisu which is loaded with tiramisu cream inside. A bit sweet, not for those who don’t like cream.
Whynut which inside is filled with peanut butter and the donut is topped with white and milk chocolate.
Well after tasting a few times, I think some of the donuts are actually quite good while some of them are just average. To me it is just another donut company that came into Singapore to grab a slice of the pie. I will still go back to eat the almond glazes provided there is no queue. I think it is sooner or later you will see that they will pop up all over the little island of ours.
Rating given:
This place is a well hidden café in an ulu location. If HFB is not here to mention about it, I think I will never discover a place like this. Hee… Thks bro. All thks to him, FZ and bobo, I got the chance to visit this place. It is inside this building, Balmoral Plaza along Bukit Timah Road. Well I least I know I got a direct bus from my house now. Hee….
When we reached, I got this brought back to the 80s feeling, because everything there is so retro (as put by Claudia). They got both outdoor (read: smoking) and indoor seats. Outdoor seats can be very noisy as it is next to the road where traffic can get quite heavy and noisy at times. For the indoor decoration, it is a very spacious with quite a number of seats and a few seats in the middle of a room. The counter and the kitchen took up half of the space there. Very simple designed. I loved the seats there. How should I put it? Hmm…. It is very “A&W” if you understand what I meant. Wahahahaha.
Since it is called Wafflestown, they have to sell waffles, all different kinds of waffles and of course they also sell fried chicken as well. Yum Yum! We ordered 2 piece fried chicken set and 2 waffles.
2 pieces fried chicken set @ $6.70 per set: When it came to our table, it looks like those chicken sets that are sold across all the western stalls in those coffee shops. It looks simple and I have to say not impressive on presentation. On the plate, there were 2 pieces of medium sized fried chicken, with 2 side dishes of coleslaw and French fries. I have to say that looks can be deceiving. The fried chicken came piping hot, once I tear the meat apart, the steam can be seen. Even though, some people did complain that it is a bit oily, but hey, it is fried chicken, supposed to be oily. Wahahahaha! I always like fried chicken. I liked their fried chicken; it is crispy on the outside, but moist and juicy on the meat inside. The chicken is also seasoned slightly, making the chicken tasty as well. The coleslaw is average; however it has all the big chucks of vegetables inside, making it very crunchy. The fries are normal, nothing fanciful.
Now to the stars of the day, WAFFLES @ $4.90 each! We ordered Blueberry waffles and Blackberry waffles. Instead of the normal round waffles, both came in rectangular shapes. With a scoop of ice cream on top and covered with blue and black berrys and whipped cream along the sides. First on the waffles, they are FANTASTIC! One of the best I ever tasted! It is crispy on the outside but soft in the inside. It had big squares in it so that can hold the ice cream inside as well. The blueberries and blackberries are also good on their own. They are not too sweet but full of their own flavors, they came in big sized berries as well. Together they are a great combination. Based on the waffles alone, it is enough to make me come back for more!
Expect for the bit ulu location which is my only complain. I think I will be back for more if possible! Go and give it a try!
Rating given:
Had a craving for Japanese curry so dropped by Curry Favor's newly opened outlet at Novena Square for dinner. Curry Favor, which has its flagship outlet at Stamford House, purportedly dishes out one of the best authentic Japanese curries in Singapore and South East Asia. Quite a statement I must say.
The interior is simply done up with ample distance between tables which allows for limited privacy. Not that it was really necessary as the place was quite dead on a Saturday evening, with only 4 tables occupied.
Rosu Katsu (Pork) Curry - Curry Favor offers the flexibility of ordering half portions for certain dishes, which caters to small eaters or people who tend to opt for a lighter meal. The half portion of Rosu Katsu came with about 5 slices of succulent and not overly deep fried pork chops and a regular serving of rice. With a name like Curry Favor, it is rather obvious that the curry should take centre stage. And this is where it falters, well almost. The curry was light and sweet ( a little too sweet in fact) but didn't posses the wow factor. It lacked the fragrance as well. I would say its very decent but certainly not the best in Singapore or South East Asia.
Filet Pork Stewed Curry - This was a full sized order and honestly, the amount of pork fillets in it didn't justify the price. There seemed to be more potato cubes and carrots than pork fillets. Sure, the fillets were tender and full of bite and the curry thick and lightly sweet. But as with the Rosu Katsu, the curry lacked the oomph factor and fragrance, although I must say I did enjoy the overall dish quite a bit.
A rather filling but hardly satisfying dinner for 2 cost about $35 ($30 with $5 discount). Filling because there's a lot of starch in the dishes, rice, potato and curry. But having said that, food quality is still reasonably above average but prices could drop a notch or two. It does help that service is good as well.
See all my pictures here.
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