The appetizer came with a great spread of signature wings, onion rings, chicken tenders, southwest spring rolls and potato skins. I thought it was a really fun platter to dig into, with a plethora of exotic flavours and four dipping sauces to alternate around. The sauces include their homemade honey mustard, hickory barbecue sauce, sour cream and blue cheese. All were unique to Hard Rock and it was an interesting experience to match them with the various finger food.
One of their new items up on the menu, the Guinness inspired burger includes a well cooked juicy beef patty that is topped with jameson jam. The jam was a sweet sauce, mixed with fragrant bacon bits and caramelized onions. Its was an absolutely blissful burger with a mix of sweet, savoury and deliciously sinful flavours. The guinness stout cheese sauce was also pretty interesting and I like the addition of rocket leaves and tomatoes that gave it extra texture. The thick cut fries on the side were also done right and the mustard like sauce complemented it well. One thing to note - portion wise is huge so if you are not a big eater you might want to share!
The Kushiyaki skewers are definitely a must try when you are here. We ordered a variety of dishes including their udon, curry and sashimi but what really stood out was eventually their skewers. Grilled over a special charcoal in high temperature, the unique smoky flavour was really infused into the ingredients. I especially enjoyed the ebi and the nikuzume shiitake that was so juicy and fragrant. The taste derived from the charcoal was nothing like I had before, highly approved!
One of the best from the experience at Shin Kushiya, the beef was grilled to the perfect level that was not too tough. The meat was also juicy and once again, captured the essence of the charcoal.
Most people staying in the Jurong West area are probably aware of this neighbourhood favourite. I truely think the broth is the highlight of the store, with a deep hearty flavour that is unique to He Jia Huan. Completed with an egg broken and mixed into the soup, this store's ban mian sure taste homemade. Their standards are unfortunately not very consistent though. Regardless, still one of my fav ban mian stores!
As the latest addition of sprouting bubble tea shops, U Cha is here to join in the strong competition at Westgate. It was my first time there and I decided to follow the staff's recommendation - Cheese Sakura Oolong Tea.
The tea was extremely refreshing, with fruity notes that tasted like lychee fruit to me. The floral notes were present too but not very pronounced in this case. Still a delicious cup though, plus good tea!
Melting at the top sits the cheese cream that was a great companion to the tea. The sweetness was balanced with its slight savoury taste and the cheese also added that desired creamy texture at the top.
So far I'm really liking U Cha and I hope it will survive against the other big brands around. I'm also excited to try the other things on their menu including their fruit tea and fresh milk tea!
With a smooth but distinct texture from powdered green tea, this thirst quenching drink from Tsujiri has the right levels of creamy milk and matcha. The o-matcha kinakokuromitsu latte M ($6) was also an interesting choice with a nutty profile reminscent to Genmaicha they serve along with sushi at Japanese restaurants.
After trying multiple dry handmade noodles, I have to say Grandma's ban mee is really one of the best! The noodles are thick with a slightly chewy texture that was coated in this highly addictive sauce. The aromatic chilli truely heightened the dish and the stewed mushrooms added that extra dimension. Along with the noodles came a small bowl of soup with chinese spinach swimming within. Comprising of a sweet and natural taste from the vegetables, it was the perfect supporting character to the dish. The serving size was also perfect for me but those with a bigger appetite can opt to add more noodles or even an extra egg for additional 50 cents.
Looks like the addiction of dry handmade noodles has struck me hard! Here is another great store I would include in my top handmade noodles list along with bigger names like Grandma Ban Mee and Greenview Cafe. Situated within the humble Yuhua Market & Hawker Centre, Lai Lai U Mian is one of my recent favourite discoveries.
What makes this store distinct from other handmade noodles is its ultra springy thin noodles and the most fragrant shallots that are fried to crisp perfection. I was pleasantly surprised with the aroma of fried shallots from the start and the delicious scent lingered throughout.
Besides the original chilli, the stores also offers a tom yum chilli which I will return to try one day. In addition to the dry u mian, they also have a soup variation and other toppings such as lala/clams.
It's the 2nd time I am back and the food here is still as good! The Pork Loin Steak came with a good serving of meat that was well-cooked with some nice charred and smoky flavour to it. Spread on the bottom is a bed of truffle infused mash potato and on top is a brown sauce, followed by some vegetables coated in a refreshing cranberry dressing. The dish had such a great balance and tasted like much thought was put into the dish. With the combination of juicy meat, aromatic truffle, crunchy texture and appetizing, tangy sauce a luxurious taste is created.
Definitely one of the best mushroom soups I had by far. Quality ingredients were used and there was a hint of truffle that gave the soup that extra fragrance and earthy flavour.
Gan En (感恩) Ban Mian has been my go-to spot when the craving for a good nostalgic bowl of noodles hit. I have been a patron for years now, and I literally grew up eating the noodles from this store. Even after these years, their food still tastes great - the same natural rich broth derived from anchovies, plus loads of spinach and a mix of mushrooms. Even the old school rooster bowls and metal tray stayed the same!
The noodles here are definitely far from ordinary, with a warm taste of home just like a meal cooked by grandma. They have now expanded to 2 stores, one at Yuhua Market & Hawker Centre (block 347) and another at JE346 Eating House (coffee shop). If I am not wrong they are closed on Thursdays and do visit during ordinary lunch or dinner hours as they close really early sometimes.
