@habibisansg marries the unusual combination of Middle Eastern and Japanese cuisines and the result is as exotic and exciting as it sounds. You can opt for the FEEEED ME (Omakase at $62/pax), a popular option judging from reviews online to try a range of items, but we felt like going ala carte that night.

A common denominator between the dishes were the grilled items were done to perfection. Our iberico pork was charred, tender and juicy; all hallmarks of a great dish. Honestly could have passed off as a good steak! The broccoli tabbouleh helped cut through the richness of it all with some spice and acidity thanks the dressing and generous amount of pickled ginger.

Newly opened along North Bridge Road, @labocasg is a Cuban fusion bistro bar with comforting food and well-priced drinks. I’m no expert at Cuban food, so it’s pretty much a blind foray into the cuisine, but I generally enjoyed the strong flavours that were put on the table.

This rich seafood stew came with squid, prawns and mussels, and a crisp soft shelled crab right on top. Root vegetables like carrots and taro stewed till soft also have this hearty dish more character. While a little salty, the flavours were nicely rounded out by the addition of dill and made for a great dip for the crisp focaccia.

Available till the end of March, head down to @wooshisg to before the special @burpple 1-for-1 bowls disappears! Featuring chicken karaage, kani sticks and more on a bed of brown rice, enjoy it with the accompanying rich salted egg yolk sauce.

Also not pictured here, but we quite enjoyed their add-on sides of funky flavoured popcorn from @thekettlegourmet! Both Chilli Crab and Nasi Lemak flavours grew on me and felt like an interesting marriage of sweet and savoury.

We also tried @lemakboys’s Premium Nasi Lemak ($18.80) which comes with an array of ingredients and a super tender fried drumstick. Did feel their sambal was sweeter than I normally like, but still a pretty good plate.

Mui Kee needs no introduction, and their Frog Legs Claypot ($23.50) is fragrant and with that ‘bao Xiang’ aroma which goes great with their porridge.

For more Japanese options, @sushijin_sg’s Steak Don ($29.80) is bound to satisfy with perfectly done beef on a bed of seasoned rice.

@socieaty.sg is @lesamisgroupsg ‘s newest venture and it brings many of the group’s favourite concepts under one roof.

@tenjinsg’s Inaniwa Udon Set ($25.80) was one of my favourites, featuring their light tempura batter and addictively chewy and smooth udon.

You’ll also find @peperonipizzeria, @namnamnoodlebar, and @tartebycherylkoh (perfect way to end the meal) here. So there’s really something for everybody at SOCIEATY, making this a spot to remember when you have your next big family gathering!

Also known as broken rice, this iconic Vietnamese dish from @cochungvietnam certainly satisfies! Broken rice which can’t be sold was considered inferior and often used for street food, now a favourite among many. You’ll usually find pork chop as an accompanying protein and this was smoky and full of flavour.

Decided to try @cochungvietnam on a whim and was very pleasantly surprised by the standard of food! The only thing I felt that was missing was a chilli dip that I’ve become used to when having Vietnamese *cough*mrspho*cough*.

There’s no shortage of great cafes in the east, luckily having options is a good thing and @thebrewingground’s seems to have what it takes to contend with the competition! Tasty food combined with great ambiance seems to be the pull here, definitely worth a visit at least.

The Breakfast Burger hits all the right spots if you’re a Sausage McMuffin fan. Perfectly cooked scrambled eggs with the sausage patty, caramelised onions and ketchup mayo had a great texture and flavour, though my friend found it a little too salty.

@_thebravery_ seems to have gone through a pretty significant transformation since moving to their new space at Amoy! The food is now much more ‘bistro’ and seems to have been refined quite a bit. Was craving a simple aglio olio and this ticked all the right boxes, tasty al dente pasta with a good hit of heat as well. Nothing special, but @grimlay’s Chicken Ragu seemed a lot more substantial (and at the same price), so I’d order that the next time I’m back!

@ryanskitchen_sg currently has this tomahawk steak set that’s certainly worth some festive cheer! Besides a sizable tender steak, it also comes with two red wines, a medley of vegetables and two truffled angel hair pastas (though we weren’t in love with the pastas). Added on some fries and this was easily good for 3-4 pax and made for a pretty good family lunch.

Excuse me @burpple, was I living under a rock or did you guys stealth launch @putien_sg deals on #BurppleBeyond recently! Imagine my glee when I was scrolling and saw my favourite restaurant now offering 1-for-1 on their mains, vegs and tofu dishes! Don’t think there’s a need to introduce the food, just that I’m going to be using my deals as much as I can wahahaha!