Another store which stood out at Lau Pa Sat for its unique name, was Souper! Like the name implied, the food couldn’t be far off from soup, and it did slightly remind me of our Chinese steamed soup with rice. Well except for Souper they had baguette instead of rice to go along with the soup.
There’s four choices, the mushroom, clam chowder, garden salad, and maryland crab soup, which all came in two sizes, the 12oz, and 15oz.
Souper! Value Meal ($6.50) There’s a souper value meal which consisted of a choice soup, baguette, meatballs and bashed potatoes. It’s more worthwhile to get this rather than just the soup and baguette alone. The meatballs were not too bad, and they strike a cord with Ikea’s Swedish meatballs, which also had strawberry jams to accompany the meatballs.
My friend tried the maryland crab soup for the value meal. But somehow we didn’t particularly enjoy the soup, like i always mentioned, i’m not a soup person (other than my mom’s soup of course).
Total cost was $6.50 for the Souper! value meal, which i felt was quite worth the money since there’s a soup, baguette, meatballs, and also bashed potatoes. Nothing fantastic, but it’ll do for a simple lunch. Even though i don’t really like the soup that we had, Souper! does deserved a praise for being the outstanding one in the midst of the many stalls in Lau Pa Sat, for coming out with something different from the norm.
'You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Had been meaning to try out Vittles for quite a while and the opportunity finally presented itself one rainy afternoon. Apparently this small heartland cafe has been featured in quite a few media vehicles as well as in various prominent food blogs. Whats seemingly interesting about this place is the free flow of popcorn that you can help yourself to.
Vittles sits among a short stretch of shops along Sembawang Road and can be difficult to spot especially if you are not alert, which was precisely what happened to me and I had to circle the area a couple of times before I finally spotted it. The place offers an alfresco sitting as well as a smaller air conditioned interior and comes across as very "cafeish" with its white plastic chairs and laminted menus.
Julius Caesar Salad - As great as Julius Caesar was in Roman history, this salad bearing the namesake wasn't the least impressive, coming across as average and run off the mill. And just to set the record straight, no, Julius Caesar didn't invent the caesar salad.
Moo Moo II Burger - One of the signature dishes of Vittles, the Moo Moo Burger looked a tad smaller then what I had seen in photographs, which was a bummer really. Texture wise, the patty was relatively smooth with patches of roughness throughout (an indication of slip shod hand chopping?) and managed to retain some moisture even though it was cooked till well done. My major grouse came in the taste section. The patty was covered/drowned with BBQ sauce which greatly overwhelmed whatever taste the beef patty had to offer as well as that of the bacon and cheese.
Durian Mousse - I couldn't resist ordering the durian mousse even though it cost something to the tune of $7. I must say that it was quite decent - smooth and not too sweet although the mousse was a tad too dry. Not something that I'll order again though, simply because of its small portions.
While its comforting to know that $29 can buy you a soup, salad, main and dessert at Vittles, its not exactly value for money as food quality is a whisker above average at best. A return seems highly improbable for me as Carl's Junior does seem like a cheaper option.
Had dinner at Seafood Paradise @ Defu, the original and mass market seafood offering from Paradise Group, which has another outlet bearing the same name at the Singapore Flyer and also runs the excellent fine dining restaurant, Taste Paradise ,at Mosque Street. This wildly popular restaurant started out as a humble 25 seater cze char stall in 2002 and has since expanded its premises to accommodate more then 200 people, which is by no means a small feat.
Hidden within the Defu industrial estate, Seafood Paradise @ Defu isn't exactly located at the most convenient of places and people who are unfamiliar with the area might have quite a bit of difficulty trying to get there. The restaurant offers both alfresco and air conditioned dining and please be warned that turning up without reservations at prime time slots like 7pm to 830pm would probably leave you without a table.
Wasabi Prawns - A signature dish of Seafood Paradise, the wasabi prawns certainly lived up to its hype in my humble opinion. The prawns were fresh and huge with a nice crunchy texture beneath its slightly crispy exterior. Topped with sweet mango slices, pine nuts and dragon fruit seeds, I did think that the wasabi was a tad strong this time round, giving me a minor headache. But all in all a very good eat.
Homemade Beancurd in Seafood Sauce - The small serving of beancurd was quite a size (for 3-4 pax) and came across as silkily smooth with a very faint hint of the smokey aftertaste that I personally like. The generous meat floss atop gave it a nice sweet bearing while the savoury gravy had cubes of prawns, sea cucumber and squid. Very satisfying, to me at least.
Egg White and Scallop on Broccoli - I thought that this simple vegetable dish was very well executed with the broccoli not too soft from overcooking while the gravy had a very nice savoury taste. The scallops weren't overcooked as well and the egg white was plentiful sans the raw and mildy nauseating aftertaste that plague most such dishes. Probably the only fault I can find with this dish is the excessive oil in it, which would probably scare off the more health conscious folks.
Whole Ribs in Honey Pepper Sauce - Another signature dish of Seafood Paradise, the ribs were well seasoned without being the meat being too hard and carried with it a light sweetness from the honey with a placid pepperish undertone. But some might find it a tad too sweet for their liking, ie, my gf.
A dinner that costs close to $70 for 2 pax isn't what I would call cheap but I cannot deny the quality of food that Seafood Paradise offers. Just for the record, we had to doggy bag most of the ribs (3 out of 4 pieces) as both of us were too stuffed to eat anymore. Service was excellent as well although they could have been a little more organised in the reservations. People waiting up to 30 mins for a table even with reservations is definitely a big no no.
Hua Yu Wee (华友园) is the last standing seafood restaurant along Upper East Coast Road, an area that used to be populated by many seafood restaurants which have now all shifted to East Coast Park, save for this sole survivor. I remember eating at this restaurant with my relatives from time to time as a kid when there were occasions for celebration.
Hua Yu occupies an old colonial bunglow that has been converted into a restaurant and offers both al fresco and airconditioned dining areas. The interior is homely with its white washed walls but noise is a big problem here as the area is enclosed and with so many conversations going on at the same time, you might really have to raise your voice a little to be heard.
Homemade Tofu - The tofu was quite good. A little crisp on the outside yet soft and quivery on the inside. The layer of compacted spinach and dried scallop shreds atop provided a nice savoury taste to the tofu while the golden mushrooms and enoki gave it that extra bite.
Stir Fried Dou Miao - I thought that the dou miao fried with garlic was a little too bland and a dash of salt would have been much appreciated. On the upside, it wasn't overcooked, which sealed in the flavour and texture of this vegetable.
Salted Egg Pork Ribs - Interestingly, this is the first time I've eaten pork ribs coated with salted egg yolk and deep fried. And it didn't really impress me much. For starters, the taste of the egg yolk was rather faint and overall the ribs were bland. To compound matters, the ribs didn't taste fresh, more like frozen products really. Judging from the colour of the ribs (red), I believe duck eggs were used.
Black Pepper Crayfish - $14 for 2 small crayfish halved up into 4 pieces is definitely a no go. But to give it credit, the crayfish was fresh and the meat firm. However I did think that the pepper taste was overwhelming, threatening to numb my tastebuds.
The 3 of us chalked up a bill of $53 which is decent enough for the food quality. Standards seemed to have dropped significantly since the last time I visited about 10 years ago but that seems to be the trend everywhere! I doubt I'll be back though. Adiós my old friend.
Lau Pa Sat or Telok Ayer Market, holds a very special meaning for most Singaporeans. The distinctive clock tower on top, the unique, octagonal and intricate roof structure of the building. Not to mention the many mouth-watering food which showcase a wide variety of our Singapore culture.
Having said all that, i’m didn’t frequent Lau Pa Sat often, why you asked, since i praised the place to the sky. Well, i felt that it’s more like a tourist attraction kind of place rather than a food centre to me. And because of the tourist crowd and the over-hype in the place, prices are obviously much higher than other places. Therefore even i was working in the vicinity last time, but i rather go to other places for lunch.
Nonetheless, having heard some good reviews about a particular burger stall from Philippines setting up shop in the midst of Lau Pa Sat, and I was meeting a friend who was working in the CDB area, so we decided to go to Lau Pa Sat for lunch!
Hotshots does have a rather impressive menu of burgers considering that their’s a small store in Lau Pa Sat. I was in a dilemma over which burger to get, so i just randomly picked the Cheeseburger deluxe.
They took quite some time in preparing the burger on the spot, around 5-10 minutes or so.
French Fries ($3) I also ordered french fries for side since Hotshots didn’t have any set meals and just came with a lone burger. For fries that cost 3 bucks, I definitely expected better. Their fries was average, there’s no “wow” factor, which failed to justify the high price for a small miserable packet of fries.
Cheeseburger Deluxe ($5.50) On first sight, the Cheeseburger deluxe was kind of smaller than what i imagined, since the word deluxe implied another meaning. The sesame seed bun was kind of too soft, i’ll preferred those that are slightly toasted which gave a firmer characteristic to the burger. Presentation-wise also didn’t quite make the cut, the ingredients were hasty organised, and everything dropped out easily. A Messy affair!
The beef patty was not bad, rather juicy although it might look a tad dry on the outside. But still, i lamanted the fact their patty’s kind of too thin, which didn’t provide the “kick”when you took a bite in the burger. Nonetheless, you can’t compare this with Relish’s gourmet burger, given the disparity in prices.But i think it edged out Seah Street Deli’s rendition.
Total Bill was $8.50 for a burger and fries. I think i made the wrong choice in burger, maybe i’ll go back again to try their Real Bleu cheeseburger, or the crispy burgermelt. But for now, i still favoured the one that i had at Epicurious.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Basilico at The Regent Singapore is named after basil, a humble perennial herb that is featured prominently in Italian cuisine. This two month old Italian restaurant, which took over the now defunct Capers, is helmed by 3 Italians - Executive Chef Claudio Rossi, Restaurant Chef Angelo Ciccone and Pizza Chef Carmine Esposito, who hail from northern and southern Italy.
Located on the second level of this prestigious Four Seasons hotel, Basilico's interior is designed by renowned Japanese architect Yasuhiro Koichi and dazzles with its centrepiece crystal chandelier and circular open space dining concept which houses three open kitchens - antipasto, the hot kitchen and pasticceria (desserts). For those who wish to dine al fresco, there is the option of dining by the pool.
Complimentary Bread - I thought that the focaccia was quite decent, just a tad cold when served, which made it a little dry and hard on the outside. But I did like the slightly chewy texture it carried and of course the interesting repertoire of dips that came alongside, with the most notable one being mascarpone cheese, which can usually be found in tiramisu. The sheets of cheese crackers came across as rather average though.
Cacciucco di Pesce (Fresh Seafood in Lobster and Tomato Stew) - The lobster and tomato stew was rich in flavours yet did not overwhelm, making for a nice savoury soup with a tinge of spice. The servings of scallops, prawns and squid cubes were relatively generous as a whole, which was definitely a step in the right direction.
Focaccia Pita - I couldn't quite catch the name of this dish but it is, beyond a doubt, the shining star of the evening. Made with focaccia and stuffed with black truffle and mascarpone cheese, it looked anything but asthetically pleasing. However, the charmer came in the form of its considerably thin crust that had a nice chewy texture to it. Throw in a nice and light creamily cheesy undertone sans the nausea and you get an excellent pita dish.
Pizza Prosciutto - To be very honest, I thought the pizza was quite good but certainly not to the extent of outstanding. Granted, the crust was thin and baked to a crisp golden brown with the parma ham lightly smokey. But the pizza did seem a little bland overall. There was a harmonious cohesion amongst the ingredients but that failed to ignite any sparks (aka boring).
Risotto alla Pugliese - The risotto didn't quite do it for me as the arborio rice came across as a tad too hard for my liking. If its any consolation, the servings of diced lobster, prawn, scallop and asparagus were generous to say the least. I do wonder about the green foam atop though.
Wagyu Beef - Grilled to medium rare as per my request, the wagyu failed to impress. That's not to say it wasn't any good, just that I'm rather picky when it comes to steak. The beef carried an oily aftertaste that was quite prominent and invoked nausea. The steak sauce that came alongside wasn't really effective in masking the oily taste even though it carried a noticable amount of alcohol. On the upside, this was a quality piece of meat, which was naturally sweet and succulent with a proportionate amount of fats.
Semifreddo al Torroncino - I thought that the almond parfait was quite good with a consistently smooth and creamy texture which had bits of almond in it. The stewed sour cherries below provided a much needed jolt to tingle my jaded senses.
Apple Tart with Marsala Cream - Personally I felt that the apple tart was rather normal as the crust was a bit too dry but lightly buttery. The apple slices were bland and the marsala cream provided the alcoholic content.
Fig Tart - I dislike figs but surprisingly the crust was different from that of the apple tart, coming across as moist and leaning a little towards crumble. Personally I prefered this crust over that of the apple tart.
Raspberry Panna Cotta - One of the more unusual panna cottas I've come across so far, Basilico's rendition tasted more like mousse with an almond jelly aftertaste. Certainly not what I would expect from a good panna cotta.
The meal ended with a glass of groppino, which is essentially a lemon sorbet, champagne, mint and vodka concoction that is supposed to help you digest. I'm not sure it did the trick for me though.
All in all the meal was rather satisfying except for the desserts, which fell rather flat in my humble opinion. I'm not exactly sure how prices are like because the meal was complimentary, courtesy of HGW. I'm sure that in time, with some tweaks here and there, Basilico will be able to hold its own against the likes of other well know Italian restaurants like Senso, Garibaldi, Il Lido etc.
Heard quite a fair bit about Ah Chiang's porridge, which is situated amongst the conservation area of Tiong Bahru and boasts a rich history dating back to 1971. The various media appearances are seemingly testament to its honest to goodness bowls of porridge which are painstakingly cooked over a charcoal stove.
Occupying a corner unit, Ah Chiang's can take about 30 people or so and tables are on a first come first serve basis, very much like any mom and pop coffee shops around. On both occasions that I went, at 1230pm on a Saturday and 1030am on a Sunday, seats were readily available but I understand that long waits are to be expected especially in the morning.
Intestine Porridge with Meatballs & Century Egg Porridge with Chicken - At $5.50, this was a rather expensive bowl of porridge. The focus was undoubtedly on the porridge, which came across as smooth with bits of grains and didn't seem too starchy. The quantity of ingredients were acceptable at best and if it wasn't for the extra meatballs, the intestines alone would have been a sorry sight. Not that the meatballs or intestines tasted fantastic anyways. I could also detect MSG in the porridge, but I guess that's rather common in porridge nowadays. The bowl of century egg porridge cost slightly lesser, at $4.50 for a sprinkling of century egg and chicken slices. As with the previous dish, the porridge itself was the star while the century egg and chicken slices were merely average.
Honestly, I found the porridge quite decent overall, just that prices are a tad too steep.
Just happened to pass by this stall at Bugis Junction which was featured in the Straits Times sometime back about its fries so decided to give it a shot, especially since this is probably the only place in Singapore that sells poutine (to my limited knowledge).
Poutine - $4.90 gets you a medium size serving of thick cut fries with the skin still intact, covered in a sporadic layer of cheese curds and drizzled with beef gravy. I personally felt that the fries were too thickly cut, which resulted in some parts being overly hard while some parts were soft. The gravy wasn't hot enough( it was at room temperature!) to melt the cheese curds, unlike that of New York Fries, which pours hot/warm gravy over the curds to melt them onto the fries for a absolutely delicious experience. I also thought that the salt content was a little too excessive as good fries, in my humble opinion, only require minimal salt.
Was in the mood for some thin crust pizza so the glutton in me opted for Peperoni Pizzeria, which is owned and operated by fine dining chain Les Amis and boasts a never seen elsewhere in Singapore XXXL family size pizza, measuring 21 inches in diameter. Compare that with the 12-14 inches that is offered by other pizza joints and Peperoni easily takes the cake in terms of size.
Located in the upmarket and reclusive residential enclave of Greenwood Ave, Peperoni Pizzeria sits along a row of tiny shophouses that play host to various renowned F&B establishments such as Punggol Seafood, Lana, Greenwood Fish Market, just to name a few. The air conditioned area exudes a nice warmth through the use of pastel colours and various artworks by professional artists and school children alike. You can even follow the process of your pizza being made and then baked in the oven. There is also a small al fresco area behind which is reminiscent of a mini courtyard, complete with vines. If you need a pass time while waiting for your food or an aspiring artist, just ask for crayons and you can doodle on the paper tablecloths.
XXXL Pizza - If you order the large pizza (12 inches) and above, you can request to split your pizza into 2 totally different flavours, which allows for more variety. We had the Hawaii (tomato sauce, mozzarella, pineapple, cooked ham, bell peppers) and the Suprema (tomato sauce, mozzarella, shitake mushroom, chicken, sausage, onions and red chilli). The pizza crust was relatively thin but a tad too burnt along the edges. The base did seem a little too soggy from all the sauces as well. Ingredients didn't come across as plentiful but adequate nevertheless. Personally I thought that the Hawaii portion tasted better as it came across as more flavourful then that of the Suprema.
Creme Brulee - Ending our high carbohydrate meal on a sweet note was the creme brulee, which was quite good but certainly not the best I've had. Made from real vanilla beans, the pudding wasn't too sweet but the overly soft texture didn't exactly sit well with me. The sugar layer was thin and broke easily under pressure. Peperoni's rendition is comparable to the one at FRE(N)SH, just 1.5 times the size and double the price.
A lunch of gigantic proportions set the 2 of us back by about $55, which is still reasonable considering that the amount of food could have fed at least 3 people. In case you are wondering, no, we didn't finish the food. I surrendered at the halfway mark while my gf ate a quarter of it. The remaining quarter was doggy bagged. Service was slow and spotty and it was quite difficult to catch the wait staff's attention at times. They weren't rude or anything, probably just inattentive or not around.
Parkway Thai Restaurant's latest introduction to the culinary scene is one that fuses Thai and Spanish cuisine together - Limon, which started operations about a month ago in early August. I believe Limon is a portmanteau of the words lime and lemon, which was also used to market Sprite (the soft drink) a couple of decades ago.
Occupying the former premises of the restaurant turned food centre stall Cilantro along Purvis Street, Limon plays neighbour to more illustrious eateries like Garibaldi, Yhingthai Palace and Gunther's. The first floor of Limon spans out into the wine bar while the restaurant and private dining room sits on the second and third floor respectively. The restaurant's interior is somewhat muted but boasts a cosy sitting arrangement (about 20pax or so) complete with wooden flooring and large olden style post war architecture windows. Personally I liked the private room, which comes with a glass partition that overlooks part of the second floor and also the windows.
Limon's Special Nut Mix & Complimentary Bread - Honestly I thought that the mixture of peanuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts and walnuts were rather interesting with lemongrass and chilli thrown into the concoction. It provided a nice twist to the usual boring nuts you get.
On the other hand, I found the complimentary bread way too hard and dry for my liking. And the accompanying dips and margarine didn't help, save for the tangy tomato dip.
Cream of Pumpkin & Tom Kha Guy - The cream of pumpkin wasn't your usual excessively sweet and coagulated version, coming across as mildly sweet without forcing the pumpkin taste down your throat.
Personally I prefered the Tom Kha Guy or the coconut base chicken soup, which excited the palates more with its variety of flavours. Mildly sweet yet sourish and creamy with bits of cut chilli padi to give it a light spice. Very much like robust tom yam soup without the spiciness. I appreciated the adequate slices of chicken and mushrooms as well.
Paella with Seafood, Spanish Sausage & Broad Beans - Paella is a Spanish rice dish which involves cooking spanish rice in a specialised pan called paella or paellera, which is round and shallow with splayed sides. I thought that this dish was quite good as the spanish rice was plump and short, absorbing in the sublime garlicky flavours yet didn't come across as too creamy or sticky like risotto. The spattering of fresh seafood definitely helped in enhancing the dish, making it the undisputed star of the day.
Lobster and King Prawns Phad Thai - I was envisioning a baby lobster flanked by 2 king prawns served on a bed of phad thai but woke up to the sad reality when this dish was served. I made out 2 small cubes of lobster playing second fiddle to a lone upright prawn, whose size didn't exactly befit that of a king. Small portions aside, the prawn and the lobster cubes were overly salty but the glass noodles were springy with a hint of tomato sauce and fell into the dry category, which I personally prefer. Could have done with more grounded nuts though.
Caramel Flan - This heart shape dessert came served with a piece of hard sugar, also carved out into a heart. The pudding reminded me of a more robust and rougher version of creme brulee. The egg taste did come across as a little overwhelming and there was a tinge of lemongrass in the sidelines. Interestingly, the sugar heart tasted like 麦芽糖 or Maltose, which brought back childhood memories.
Tom Banana with Pandanus Leaf and Coconut Sauce - Honestly this was the only dish that I didn't quite take to, mainly because of its soft and rather fibrous texture. The banana was boiled till it became limp but not too mashed up and it reminded me of boiled sweet potato. Sorry but this dessert just didn't do it for me.
All thanks to a 1 for 1 set lunch promotion that Limon is currently offering, the 2 of us chalked up only about $41 for a satisfying and rather enjoyable lunch. Service was decent and personally I thought that the iced water they served was rather interesting with the addition of rosemary. To conclude, I honestly don't see much of a fusion in Limon's dishes and those small pockets of fusion would probably be classified under conservative. However, having said that, I do think that Limon's dishes are of a certain quality and for $20/head (after 1 for 1 discount), its definitely a steal. Please note that the set lunch promotion is ongoing for an undefinite period of time and runs from Monday to Saturday.
1=SGD 0.0587
Another store which stood out at Lau Pa Sat for its unique name, was Souper! Like the name implied, the food couldn’t be far off from soup, and it did slightly remind me of our Chinese steamed soup with rice. Well except for Souper they had baguette instead of rice to go along with the soup.
There’s four choices, the mushroom, clam chowder, garden salad, and maryland crab soup, which all came in two sizes, the 12oz, and 15oz.
Souper! Value Meal ($6.50)
There’s a souper value meal which consisted of a choice soup, baguette, meatballs and bashed potatoes. It’s more worthwhile to get this rather than just the soup and baguette alone. The meatballs were not too bad, and they strike a cord with Ikea’s Swedish meatballs, which also had strawberry jams to accompany the meatballs.
My friend tried the maryland crab soup for the value meal. But somehow we didn’t particularly enjoy the soup, like i always mentioned, i’m not a soup person (other than my mom’s soup of course).
Total cost was $6.50 for the Souper! value meal, which i felt was quite worth the money since there’s a soup, baguette, meatballs, and also bashed potatoes. Nothing fantastic, but it’ll do for a simple lunch. Even though i don’t really like the soup that we had, Souper! does deserved a praise for being the outstanding one in the midst of the many stalls in Lau Pa Sat, for coming out with something different from the norm.
'You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
Rating given:
Had been meaning to try out Vittles for quite a while and the opportunity finally presented itself one rainy afternoon. Apparently this small heartland cafe has been featured in quite a few media vehicles as well as in various prominent food blogs. Whats seemingly interesting about this place is the free flow of popcorn that you can help yourself to.
Vittles sits among a short stretch of shops along Sembawang Road and can be difficult to spot especially if you are not alert, which was precisely what happened to me and I had to circle the area a couple of times before I finally spotted it.
The place offers an alfresco sitting as well as a smaller air conditioned interior and comes across as very "cafeish" with its white plastic chairs and laminted menus.
Julius Caesar Salad - As great as Julius Caesar was in Roman history, this salad bearing the namesake wasn't the least impressive, coming across as average and run off the mill. And just to set the record straight, no, Julius Caesar didn't invent the caesar salad.
Moo Moo II Burger - One of the signature dishes of Vittles, the Moo Moo Burger looked a tad smaller then what I had seen in photographs, which was a bummer really. Texture wise, the patty was relatively smooth with patches of roughness throughout (an indication of slip shod hand chopping?) and managed to retain some moisture even though it was cooked till well done. My major grouse came in the taste section. The patty was covered/drowned with BBQ sauce which greatly overwhelmed whatever taste the beef patty had to offer as well as that of the bacon and cheese.
Durian Mousse - I couldn't resist ordering the durian mousse even though it cost something to the tune of $7. I must say that it was quite decent - smooth and not too sweet although the mousse was a tad too dry. Not something that I'll order again though, simply because of its small portions.
While its comforting to know that $29 can buy you a soup, salad, main and dessert at Vittles, its not exactly value for money as food quality is a whisker above average at best. A return seems highly improbable for me as Carl's Junior does seem like a cheaper option.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Had dinner at Seafood Paradise @ Defu, the original and mass market seafood offering from Paradise Group, which has another outlet bearing the same name at the Singapore Flyer and also runs the excellent fine dining restaurant, Taste Paradise ,at Mosque Street. This wildly popular restaurant started out as a humble 25 seater cze char stall in 2002 and has since expanded its premises to accommodate more then 200 people, which is by no means a small feat.
Hidden within the Defu industrial estate, Seafood Paradise @ Defu isn't exactly located at the most convenient of places and people who are unfamiliar with the area might have quite a bit of difficulty trying to get there. The restaurant offers both alfresco and air conditioned dining and please be warned that turning up without reservations at prime time slots like 7pm to 830pm would probably leave you without a table.
Wasabi Prawns - A signature dish of Seafood Paradise, the wasabi prawns certainly lived up to its hype in my humble opinion. The prawns were fresh and huge with a nice crunchy texture beneath its slightly crispy exterior. Topped with sweet mango slices, pine nuts and dragon fruit seeds, I did think that the wasabi was a tad strong this time round, giving me a minor headache. But all in all a very good eat.
Homemade Beancurd in Seafood Sauce - The small serving of beancurd was quite a size (for 3-4 pax) and came across as silkily smooth with a very faint hint of the smokey aftertaste that I personally like. The generous meat floss atop gave it a nice sweet bearing while the savoury gravy had cubes of prawns, sea cucumber and squid. Very satisfying, to me at least.
Egg White and Scallop on Broccoli - I thought that this simple vegetable dish was very well executed with the broccoli not too soft from overcooking while the gravy had a very nice savoury taste. The scallops weren't overcooked as well and the egg white was plentiful sans the raw and mildy nauseating aftertaste that plague most such dishes. Probably the only fault I can find with this dish is the excessive oil in it, which would probably scare off the more health conscious folks.
Whole Ribs in Honey Pepper Sauce - Another signature dish of Seafood Paradise, the ribs were well seasoned without being the meat being too hard and carried with it a light sweetness from the honey with a placid pepperish undertone. But some might find it a tad too sweet for their liking, ie, my gf.
A dinner that costs close to $70 for 2 pax isn't what I would call cheap but I cannot deny the quality of food that Seafood Paradise offers. Just for the record, we had to doggy bag most of the ribs (3 out of 4 pieces) as both of us were too stuffed to eat anymore. Service was excellent as well although they could have been a little more organised in the reservations. People waiting up to 30 mins for a table even with reservations is definitely a big no no.
See all my pictures here.
Rating given:
Hua Yu Wee (华友园) is the last standing seafood restaurant along Upper East Coast Road, an area that used to be populated by many seafood restaurants which have now all shifted to East Coast Park, save for this sole survivor. I remember eating at this restaurant with my relatives from time to time as a kid when there were occasions for celebration.
Hua Yu occupies an old colonial bunglow that has been converted into a restaurant and offers both al fresco and airconditioned dining areas. The interior is homely with its white washed walls but noise is a big problem here as the area is enclosed and with so many conversations going on at the same time, you might really have to raise your voice a little to be heard.
Homemade Tofu - The tofu was quite good. A little crisp on the outside yet soft and quivery on the inside. The layer of compacted spinach and dried scallop shreds atop provided a nice savoury taste to the tofu while the golden mushrooms and enoki gave it that extra bite.
Stir Fried Dou Miao - I thought that the dou miao fried with garlic was a little too bland and a dash of salt would have been much appreciated. On the upside, it wasn't overcooked, which sealed in the flavour and texture of this vegetable.
Salted Egg Pork Ribs - Interestingly, this is the first time I've eaten pork ribs coated with salted egg yolk and deep fried. And it didn't really impress me much. For starters, the taste of the egg yolk was rather faint and overall the ribs were bland. To compound matters, the ribs didn't taste fresh, more like frozen products really. Judging from the colour of the ribs (red), I believe duck eggs were used.
Black Pepper Crayfish - $14 for 2 small crayfish halved up into 4 pieces is definitely a no go. But to give it credit, the crayfish was fresh and the meat firm. However I did think that the pepper taste was overwhelming, threatening to numb my tastebuds.
The 3 of us chalked up a bill of $53 which is decent enough for the food quality. Standards seemed to have dropped significantly since the last time I visited about 10 years ago but that seems to be the trend everywhere! I doubt I'll be back though. Adiós my old friend.
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Rating given:
Lau Pa Sat or Telok Ayer Market, holds a very special meaning for most Singaporeans. The distinctive clock tower on top, the unique, octagonal and intricate roof structure of the building. Not to mention the many mouth-watering food which showcase a wide variety of our Singapore culture.
Having said all that, i’m didn’t frequent Lau Pa Sat often, why you asked, since i praised the place to the sky. Well, i felt that it’s more like a tourist attraction kind of place rather than a food centre to me. And because of the tourist crowd and the over-hype in the place, prices are obviously much higher than other places. Therefore even i was working in the vicinity last time, but i rather go to other places for lunch.
Nonetheless, having heard some good reviews about a particular burger stall from Philippines setting up shop in the midst of Lau Pa Sat, and I was meeting a friend who was working in the CDB area, so we decided to go to Lau Pa Sat for lunch!
Hotshots does have a rather impressive menu of burgers considering that their’s a small store in Lau Pa Sat. I was in a dilemma over which burger to get, so i just randomly picked the Cheeseburger deluxe.
They took quite some time in preparing the burger on the spot, around 5-10 minutes or so.
French Fries ($3)
I also ordered french fries for side since Hotshots didn’t have any set meals and just came with a lone burger. For fries that cost 3 bucks, I definitely expected better. Their fries was average, there’s no “wow” factor, which failed to justify the high price for a small miserable packet of fries.
Cheeseburger Deluxe ($5.50)
On first sight, the Cheeseburger deluxe was kind of smaller than what i imagined, since the word deluxe implied another meaning. The sesame seed bun was kind of too soft, i’ll preferred those that are slightly toasted which gave a firmer characteristic to the burger. Presentation-wise also didn’t quite make the cut, the ingredients were hasty organised, and everything dropped out easily. A Messy affair!
The beef patty was not bad, rather juicy although it might look a tad dry on the outside. But still, i lamanted the fact their patty’s kind of too thin, which didn’t provide the “kick”when you took a bite in the burger. Nonetheless, you can’t compare this with Relish’s gourmet burger, given the disparity in prices.But i think it edged out Seah Street Deli’s rendition.
Total Bill was $8.50 for a burger and fries. I think i made the wrong choice in burger, maybe i’ll go back again to try their Real Bleu cheeseburger, or the crispy burgermelt. But for now, i still favoured the one that i had at Epicurious.
You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written herein are my genuine feelings expressed in words. Food, my dear, is what they call an adventure!
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Basilico at The Regent Singapore is named after basil, a humble perennial herb that is featured prominently in Italian cuisine. This two month old Italian restaurant, which took over the now defunct Capers, is helmed by 3 Italians - Executive Chef Claudio Rossi, Restaurant Chef Angelo Ciccone and Pizza Chef Carmine Esposito, who hail from northern and southern Italy.
Located on the second level of this prestigious Four Seasons hotel, Basilico's interior is designed by renowned Japanese architect Yasuhiro Koichi and dazzles with its centrepiece crystal chandelier and circular open space dining concept which houses three open kitchens - antipasto, the hot kitchen and pasticceria (desserts). For those who wish to dine al fresco, there is the option of dining by the pool.
Complimentary Bread - I thought that the focaccia was quite decent, just a tad cold when served, which made it a little dry and hard on the outside. But I did like the slightly chewy texture it carried and of course the interesting repertoire of dips that came alongside, with the most notable one being mascarpone cheese, which can usually be found in tiramisu. The sheets of cheese crackers came across as rather average though.
Cacciucco di Pesce (Fresh Seafood in Lobster and Tomato Stew) - The lobster and tomato stew was rich in flavours yet did not overwhelm, making for a nice savoury soup with a tinge of spice. The servings of scallops, prawns and squid cubes were relatively generous as a whole, which was definitely a step in the right direction.
Focaccia Pita - I couldn't quite catch the name of this dish but it is, beyond a doubt, the shining star of the evening. Made with focaccia and stuffed with black truffle and mascarpone cheese, it looked anything but asthetically pleasing. However, the charmer came in the form of its considerably thin crust that had a nice chewy texture to it. Throw in a nice and light creamily cheesy undertone sans the nausea and you get an excellent pita dish.
Pizza Prosciutto - To be very honest, I thought the pizza was quite good but certainly not to the extent of outstanding. Granted, the crust was thin and baked to a crisp golden brown with the parma ham lightly smokey. But the pizza did seem a little bland overall. There was a harmonious cohesion amongst the ingredients but that failed to ignite any sparks (aka boring).
Risotto alla Pugliese - The risotto didn't quite do it for me as the arborio rice came across as a tad too hard for my liking. If its any consolation, the servings of diced lobster, prawn, scallop and asparagus were generous to say the least. I do wonder about the green foam atop though.
Wagyu Beef - Grilled to medium rare as per my request, the wagyu failed to impress. That's not to say it wasn't any good, just that I'm rather picky when it comes to steak. The beef carried an oily aftertaste that was quite prominent and invoked nausea. The steak sauce that came alongside wasn't really effective in masking the oily taste even though it carried a noticable amount of alcohol. On the upside, this was a quality piece of meat, which was naturally sweet and succulent with a proportionate amount of fats.
Semifreddo al Torroncino - I thought that the almond parfait was quite good with a consistently smooth and creamy texture which had bits of almond in it. The stewed sour cherries below provided a much needed jolt to tingle my jaded senses.
Apple Tart with Marsala Cream - Personally I felt that the apple tart was rather normal as the crust was a bit too dry but lightly buttery. The apple slices were bland and the marsala cream provided the alcoholic content.
Fig Tart - I dislike figs but surprisingly the crust was different from that of the apple tart, coming across as moist and leaning a little towards crumble. Personally I prefered this crust over that of the apple tart.
Raspberry Panna Cotta - One of the more unusual panna cottas I've come across so far, Basilico's rendition tasted more like mousse with an almond jelly aftertaste. Certainly not what I would expect from a good panna cotta.
The meal ended with a glass of groppino, which is essentially a lemon sorbet, champagne, mint and vodka concoction that is supposed to help you digest. I'm not sure it did the trick for me though.
All in all the meal was rather satisfying except for the desserts, which fell rather flat in my humble opinion. I'm not exactly sure how prices are like because the meal was complimentary, courtesy of HGW. I'm sure that in time, with some tweaks here and there, Basilico will be able to hold its own against the likes of other well know Italian restaurants like Senso, Garibaldi, Il Lido etc.
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Heard quite a fair bit about Ah Chiang's porridge, which is situated amongst the conservation area of Tiong Bahru and boasts a rich history dating back to 1971. The various media appearances are seemingly testament to its honest to goodness bowls of porridge which are painstakingly cooked over a charcoal stove.
Occupying a corner unit, Ah Chiang's can take about 30 people or so and tables are on a first come first serve basis, very much like any mom and pop coffee shops around. On both occasions that I went, at 1230pm on a Saturday and 1030am on a Sunday, seats were readily available but I understand that long waits are to be expected especially in the morning.
Intestine Porridge with Meatballs & Century Egg Porridge with Chicken - At $5.50, this was a rather expensive bowl of porridge. The focus was undoubtedly on the porridge, which came across as smooth with bits of grains and didn't seem too starchy. The quantity of ingredients were acceptable at best and if it wasn't for the extra meatballs, the intestines alone would have been a sorry sight. Not that the meatballs or intestines tasted fantastic anyways. I could also detect MSG in the porridge, but I guess that's rather common in porridge nowadays.
The bowl of century egg porridge cost slightly lesser, at $4.50 for a sprinkling of century egg and chicken slices. As with the previous dish, the porridge itself was the star while the century egg and chicken slices were merely average.
Honestly, I found the porridge quite decent overall, just that prices are a tad too steep.
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Just happened to pass by this stall at Bugis Junction which was featured in the Straits Times sometime back about its fries so decided to give it a shot, especially since this is probably the only place in Singapore that sells poutine (to my limited knowledge).
Poutine - $4.90 gets you a medium size serving of thick cut fries with the skin still intact, covered in a sporadic layer of cheese curds and drizzled with beef gravy. I personally felt that the fries were too thickly cut, which resulted in some parts being overly hard while some parts were soft. The gravy wasn't hot enough( it was at room temperature!) to melt the cheese curds, unlike that of New York Fries, which pours hot/warm gravy over the curds to melt them onto the fries for a absolutely delicious experience. I also thought that the salt content was a little too excessive as good fries, in my humble opinion, only require minimal salt.
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Was in the mood for some thin crust pizza so the glutton in me opted for Peperoni Pizzeria, which is owned and operated by fine dining chain Les Amis and boasts a never seen elsewhere in Singapore XXXL family size pizza, measuring 21 inches in diameter. Compare that with the 12-14 inches that is offered by other pizza joints and Peperoni easily takes the cake in terms of size.
Located in the upmarket and reclusive residential enclave of Greenwood Ave, Peperoni Pizzeria sits along a row of tiny shophouses that play host to various renowned F&B establishments such as Punggol Seafood, Lana, Greenwood Fish Market, just to name a few. The air conditioned area exudes a nice warmth through the use of pastel colours and various artworks by professional artists and school children alike. You can even follow the process of your pizza being made and then baked in the oven. There is also a small al fresco area behind which is reminiscent of a mini courtyard, complete with vines. If you need a pass time while waiting for your food or an aspiring artist, just ask for crayons and you can doodle on the paper tablecloths.
XXXL Pizza - If you order the large pizza (12 inches) and above, you can request to split your pizza into 2 totally different flavours, which allows for more variety. We had the Hawaii (tomato sauce, mozzarella, pineapple, cooked ham, bell peppers) and the Suprema (tomato sauce, mozzarella, shitake mushroom, chicken, sausage, onions and red chilli). The pizza crust was relatively thin but a tad too burnt along the edges. The base did seem a little too soggy from all the sauces as well. Ingredients didn't come across as plentiful but adequate nevertheless. Personally I thought that the Hawaii portion tasted better as it came across as more flavourful then that of the Suprema.
Creme Brulee - Ending our high carbohydrate meal on a sweet note was the creme brulee, which was quite good but certainly not the best I've had. Made from real vanilla beans, the pudding wasn't too sweet but the overly soft texture didn't exactly sit well with me. The sugar layer was thin and broke easily under pressure. Peperoni's rendition is comparable to the one at FRE(N)SH, just 1.5 times the size and double the price.
A lunch of gigantic proportions set the 2 of us back by about $55, which is still reasonable considering that the amount of food could have fed at least 3 people. In case you are wondering, no, we didn't finish the food. I surrendered at the halfway mark while my gf ate a quarter of it. The remaining quarter was doggy bagged. Service was slow and spotty and it was quite difficult to catch the wait staff's attention at times. They weren't rude or anything, probably just inattentive or not around.
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Parkway Thai Restaurant's latest introduction to the culinary scene is one that fuses Thai and Spanish cuisine together - Limon, which started operations about a month ago in early August. I believe Limon is a portmanteau of the words lime and lemon, which was also used to market Sprite (the soft drink) a couple of decades ago.
Occupying the former premises of the restaurant turned food centre stall Cilantro along Purvis Street, Limon plays neighbour to more illustrious eateries like Garibaldi, Yhingthai Palace and Gunther's. The first floor of Limon spans out into the wine bar while the restaurant and private dining room sits on the second and third floor respectively. The restaurant's interior is somewhat muted but boasts a cosy sitting arrangement (about 20pax or so) complete with wooden flooring and large olden style post war architecture windows. Personally I liked the private room, which comes with a glass partition that overlooks part of the second floor and also the windows.
Limon's Special Nut Mix & Complimentary Bread - Honestly I thought that the mixture of peanuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts and walnuts were rather interesting with lemongrass and chilli thrown into the concoction. It provided a nice twist to the usual boring nuts you get.
On the other hand, I found the complimentary bread way too hard and dry for my liking. And the accompanying dips and margarine didn't help, save for the tangy tomato dip.
Cream of Pumpkin & Tom Kha Guy - The cream of pumpkin wasn't your usual excessively sweet and coagulated version, coming across as mildly sweet without forcing the pumpkin taste down your throat.
Personally I prefered the Tom Kha Guy or the coconut base chicken soup, which excited the palates more with its variety of flavours. Mildly sweet yet sourish and creamy with bits of cut chilli padi to give it a light spice. Very much like robust tom yam soup without the spiciness. I appreciated the adequate slices of chicken and mushrooms as well.
Paella with Seafood, Spanish Sausage & Broad Beans - Paella is a Spanish rice dish which involves cooking spanish rice in a specialised pan called paella or paellera, which is round and shallow with splayed sides. I thought that this dish was quite good as the spanish rice was plump and short, absorbing in the sublime garlicky flavours yet didn't come across as too creamy or sticky like risotto. The spattering of fresh seafood definitely helped in enhancing the dish, making it the undisputed star of the day.
Lobster and King Prawns Phad Thai - I was envisioning a baby lobster flanked by 2 king prawns served on a bed of phad thai but woke up to the sad reality when this dish was served. I made out 2 small cubes of lobster playing second fiddle to a lone upright prawn, whose size didn't exactly befit that of a king. Small portions aside, the prawn and the lobster cubes were overly salty but the glass noodles were springy with a hint of tomato sauce and fell into the dry category, which I personally prefer. Could have done with more grounded nuts though.
Caramel Flan - This heart shape dessert came served with a piece of hard sugar, also carved out into a heart. The pudding reminded me of a more robust and rougher version of creme brulee. The egg taste did come across as a little overwhelming and there was a tinge of lemongrass in the sidelines. Interestingly, the sugar heart tasted like 麦芽糖 or Maltose, which brought back childhood memories.
Tom Banana with Pandanus Leaf and Coconut Sauce - Honestly this was the only dish that I didn't quite take to, mainly because of its soft and rather fibrous texture. The banana was boiled till it became limp but not too mashed up and it reminded me of boiled sweet potato. Sorry but this dessert just didn't do it for me.
All thanks to a 1 for 1 set lunch promotion that Limon is currently offering, the 2 of us chalked up only about $41 for a satisfying and rather enjoyable lunch. Service was decent and personally I thought that the iced water they served was rather interesting with the addition of rosemary. To conclude, I honestly don't see much of a fusion in Limon's dishes and those small pockets of fusion would probably be classified under conservative. However, having said that, I do think that Limon's dishes are of a certain quality and for $20/head (after 1 for 1 discount), its definitely a steal. Please note that the set lunch promotion is ongoing for an undefinite period of time and runs from Monday to Saturday.
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