Warning: this is a strong drink! Not for the faint of heart or untrained drinker. That being said, this made for a wonderful palate cleanser – refreshing, fizzy and potent enough to keep spirits high before going at the next course.

These seemingly modest-looking eggs have won my heart! Think two rolls of super fluffy, thick and substantial tamago sandwiched between pieces of buttered and grilled white bread. Nice touch with the sweet pear jam that was spread atop the eggs as well, as it provided a much welcome flavour contrast. Simple components, fabulous execution. Hopefully they can improve on the quality of the white bread (which tasted like any regular white loaf you can get at the supermarket), as that would definitely elevate this dish.

Consisting a harmonious line-up of crunchy prawn tempura, fresh prawns and creamy mentai mayonnaise topped with crunchy caviar; it’s really hard to go wrong with such a carefully curated mouthfeel of ingredients, which made for a texturally satisfying dish indeed.

Light, airy and not at all greasy (seems to be the case with all their fried items here) batter, this dish was a winner with everyone around the table! Encasing it, a moist and flaky dory fish, which paired well with the fragrant and thick mala sauce. Must-get item here!

Don’t let its simple look fool you — this is one tasty platter of fried mushrooms. Light, airy and not at all oily batter, encasing plump, juicy and fresh assorted mushrooms (four diff types, including Shiitake, Oyster, Porcini and Maitake). I could very much envision coming by again just to get a takeaway box of this to snack on-the-go.

So fresh! Loved the texture and thickness of the scallop carpaccio, which lolled in my mouth like a well-fitting glove. Yuzu and truffle dressing gave it a light and tangy brightness, kizami kombu provided a nice, salty edge, while the trout roe atop provided a nice crunchy mouthfeel. Despite its simplicity, a well-balanced and thoughtfully curated dish on overall.

Smoky and well-charred. Tending a little too much on the fatty side for me, but doneness was executed well. Nice touch with the kombucha butter and salsa verde, which I can imagine would be suitable for people who like stronger flavours. Not for me though, as I felt that the fatty cut of the meat was flavourful enough. Portion pictured here was taken at a tasting, not to actual scale.

Salmon Samurai is truly a godsend around Tanjong Pagar — where else can you find such well-seasoned and fresh cubes of sashimi, alongside bases like brown rice mixed with furikake or soba noodles in sesame sauce at $9.90? Even the one or two token leafy greens that come with every bowl are ensured crisp and fresh. For the amount of effort that this joint forks out to ensure the small details don’t go unnoticed, the prices offered here is a definite steal.

Been wanting to pay this la mian joint a visit for some time, and finally did so since I was around the area today.

Dish came with mala paste sitting atop a deceptively plain looking broth base. Don’t be fooled by its humble appearance though, as the broth was so intricately layered and complex! You can tell that the soup has been simmered for a long time, what with that poignant beefy essence despite its clear colour. Mixing the mala paste into the broth also lent it an extra dimension, best described by that distinct and fragrant mouth-numbingness that you would expect of the potent spice, yet without being too spicy. So delicious, this broth!

For noodles (there are 8 types of noodles you can pick from, with varying thickness), I opted for the thinnest option available. La mian was well-executed — QQ with a nice bite.

Overall a great meal! Just wish that it could’ve come with an option of spring onions and maybe a thicker cut of the beef slices to give it more bite. Those tweaks would’ve made this dish perfect. Nonetheless, a great option if you’re looking for a light meal around the area. Also Halal-friendly.

What a beauty this was! Steak was tender, juicy, grilled to a nice char, and had just the right fat-to-meat ratio. Truly, truly wonderful.

At just $22 for the steak, this is a STEAL. Top up $13 for the set and you’ll get a dessert and side (I’d recommend either the creamy kale or the truffle fries, as both were executed to a tee) as well — how affordable is that?

Thank you Fat Belly, for making decadence affordably accessible on our overinflated shores.

One of the two cakes we nabbed with Burpple Beyond’s 1-for-1! Matcha note was prominent in the smooth matcha cream, which I really liked, as it contributed to a bittersweet depth and nice variation in mouthfeel. Smattering of adzuki beans was a nice touch too — slight bite, which worked well to juxtapose the smooth cream and airy sponge layers.

However, we found that the sponge layers were a tad dry (possibly due to being left out for a long time as we visited right before closing), and the white fondant was rather flat in taste, which rendered it redundant. White chocolate or chocolate ganache instead, perhaps?

So freaking plump, juicy and tender, with a nice chewy bite. Fried ginger atop provided a nice fragrance and texture to this dish. Will come back here just for this.