Michael Bublé warbles across on the vinyl in the cool dark interior as the staff prepares the food at a glacial pace. Just across the causeway, table for two feels much more laid back than any Singaporean cafe. The food when arrived, does not disappoint. The fish and chips were moist and crisply battered, yielding fresh and succulent flakes with every bite. The accompanying sides of fries and store bought nachos (we think it's chachos) didn't exactly impress but hey we can live with it. But still the best part of the meal was the chill ambience that brought a welcome respite from the hot and hectic life outside.
The wave of Korean fried chicken is becoming like the wave of ramen a few years back. More and more authentic shops are opening serving high quality food and each with a few unique selling points. Chir Chir certainly delivers high quality fried chicken; they blend sweet soy sauce with a crispy skin on top of tender chicken all in a tasty package. Of all the KFC I've eaten, Chir Chir currently holds top marks for the most tender. Still we can't bring ourselves to order chir Chir's signature dish of chicken with whip cream... too much sin in one plate. Maybe next time!
Simple food done well. There are some food which needs no well spun stories of its origins coupled with interesting decor. Punggol nasi lemak is it. Fresh fried chicken, fragrant chili, crunchy Ikan bilis with a sunny side up egg but with just the extra oomph that makes the trip worth while. Of course, punggol nasi lemak boasts a smorgasbord of side dishes, of which the specialty nogh hiang really stands out, crispy bean curd skin wrapped around chunky water chestnut and juicy meat. Best of all, this outlet had no queues even during dinner time and was comfortably air conditioned.
My eyes lit up and my mouth went dry. This burger was absolutely sexy. The buns were gorgeously buttered and fried. The patty was the star - just the right side of thickness without being overwhelming and it was dripping with juice. The cheese meltingly good and the bacon crisp. If there was a mere detail that could be improved, was that the sauce could have more kick to make it more heavenly, but as it is, it's enough to make your appetite spent.
Pretty good & value for money!
One of the things that Hanare does well is bara chirashi and it shows. Mounds of fresh succulent sashimi slathered on top of steaming hot rice and freshly grated wasabi. All for less than 20? Add to the mix a kitschy throwback to a 80s buffet line that somehow grows on you and you will have one of the best value for money chirashi don anywhere.
How much value can $6.50 bowl a noodles get you? Apparently a lot. The bowl comes with a Japanese half boiled egg, a skewer of abalone and scallop, and some very nicely tossed noodles with minced pork. The noodles were a tad oily but you can always wash it down with the bowl of hearty soup provided. Definitely a bowl of noodles that you won't regret having.
I got to say this, I'm a cynical diner. Fake chalkboard typography: checked. Generic seafood themed interior deco: checked. Coming Out of The Bag after Louisiana styled seafood restaurants hit Singapore? Checked. I was just expected the same old same old seafood but it was good I was proven wrong. The crab was succulent, meaty and infused delicately with the sauce unlike other seafood boils in which it Cajun just didn't hit the mark. Guess you can't judge the crab by its shell.
Decadent slices of sashimi. Nuff said. In fact they should make a new term for it. I present to you: Delices of sashimi.
These reminded me so much of the sweet potato balls from Taiwan! Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Give me more!
Is this a good bowl of noodles? Yes on all counts! The lor bah absolutely melts in your mouth. The noodles perfectly bouncy and the sauce can't be faulted with lots of crunchy meaty toppings. Even the soup; that perfunctory bowl of wonton water turns out to be the perfect bowl of radish soup to go with the lor bah. But for all its high points, you just can't shake off the feeling that this is a bowl of dressed up Chinese noodles given a hipster spin.
