Was scrolling around the phone and got to learn about the existence of The Artisan’s Table at The Rail Mall; these folks are located around the same stretch of shop where one can find establishments such as the outlet of Ya Kun Kaya Toast and the outlet of Luckin Coffee there. A relatively new addition to The Rail Mall, The Artisan’s Table is a little bit of a grocer-cum-cafe concept — there are retail shelves dedicated to the sale of imported food items on the left of the space whilst most of the dining furniture are placed in the middle of the entire establishment. The menu at The Artisan’s Table is largely restricted to Pizza and Focaccia Italian Sandwiches; there is also a line-up of pastries and cakes stocked up in the fridge, while they also do offer Cream Tea sets paired with scones and also gelato on the menu as well. Beverages served up at The Artisan’s Table includes tea, specialty coffee and drinking chocolate.

Having made our visit to The Artisan’s Table for their range of pizzas, we found ourselves opting for the Mortadella Pizza. This is being described to come with elements such as Fior di latte, mortadella, pesto, burrata and arugula — it is also noted that the pizzas at The Artisan’s Table are served with a thin crust. Taking a bite into one slice of the pizza, it is undeniable that the crust of the the pizza is the highlight here with the crust being light, airy and crisp — definitely the type in which that doesn’t get too jelak nor felt too dense. The portion of the toppings atop the pizza does come pretty apt; the combination of Fior di latte and burrata does give a milky and cheesy note to the pizza — this topped above the mortadella that is essentially the ham that also features nibs of pistachio within. Whilst coming with the savoury notes that one would typically expect out of ham, this was not too saltish — all that whilst the pesto helps to add a herb-y zing that cuts through the carbs, meat and cheese alongside with the slight bitterness of arugula that helps to provide a flavour contrast to the pizza.

Was scrolling around the phone and got to learn about the existence of Mingalar Foodies Kitchen — these folks had just recently moved into the K2 F&B Canteen at Blk 51 within Paya Ubi Industrial Estate. Whilst this namesake of the establishment is still fairly new, these folks aren’t new to the local F&B scene — they had previously been operating as Foodie’s Arian within an industrial building named Nordix in Woodlands Industrial Park. Foodie’s Arian was an establishment that previously emphasised on serving up Myanmar cuisine; its move to Paya Ubi Industrial Estate sees an expansion of its menu however — these folks now serve up three categories of items on its menu being Chinese Food, Thai Food and Myanmar Food.

We found ourselves going for the Coconut Milk Curry Chicken Soup with Noodle that is listed under the Myanmar Food section of the menu — this dish can also be referred to as Ohn-No-Kauk-Swe. A soup noodle dish, the Coconut Milk Curry Chicken Soup here is observed to com with elements such as turmeric, onion, chickpea flour, coconut, chicken broth, lime, rice noodles, half-boiled egg, chicken chunks, coriander and chili oil. This dish can be described as their version of a Laksa, though the flavours here do differ quite a bit from the Laksa that we know — despite the use of coconut milk, the broth isn’t too rich; the flavours of the broth being one that is somewhat briny especially with the chicken soup and turmeric yet slightly thickened from the use of chickpea flour and coconut milk which we found to be pretty comforting with the slurpy noodles. Adding a bit of lime zest adds an extra citrusy zing to the broth as well. The other elements like onions and coriander provide further aromatics to the dish, with the onions giving an element of crunch at the same time. Mixing the other elements in, the splash of chili oil lends a bit of spiciness that should be manageable for those whom are tolerable to lesser than moderate levels of spiciness, while the chicken chunks gives a meaty bite; elements like the chickpea fritters further does give an extra dimension of crunch as well.

There has been some talk recently about the newly-opened D’Raub Ayam Berempah that is situated within the Fu Chan coffeeshop situated at Blk 139 Tampines Street 11 within the same vicinity as Tampines Round Market & Food Centre; this would be the same coffeeshop that houses an outlet of Three Meals a Day (一日三餐）as well. Despite its namesake mentioning Ayam Berempah, D’Raub Ayam Berempah is more of a Nasi Lemak stall at heart — there is however a heavy emphasis on serving up their Nasi Lemak with Ayam
Berempah however, with patrons being able to opt between chicken thigh and chicken wings. All that being said, there is also the option to add-on other sides which are prominently displayed in the display case at the counter as well.

We opted for the L-Shape Chicken Thigh Set and the default elements that came along with it are pretty much what one would expect out of a Nasi Lemak dish; this includes the coconut-infused rice, anchovies and peanuts, sambal chili, sunny side-up and slices of cucumbers. For our order, we did request for the add-on of the Begedil, while the folks behind the counter added a complimentary serving of curry vegetables which they claim to be their best-selling item. We did find that the Ayam Berempah was decent here; topped of with Serunding and also some wok-fried curry leaves that adds a crisp texture with a slight hint of fragrance for aromatics — we were glad that they do heat the Ayam Berempah up upon order. Whilst the marination does feel a little bit on the simpler side, the chicken does seem reasonably juicy. It seems like D’Raub Ayam Berempah does use typical rice grains for their rendition of their Nasi Lemak — there is a soft fragrance of coconut milk that lingers at the back of the tongue, while the sambal chili adds a hint of sweetness without being particularly spicy here. The highlight for us here was definitely the curry vegetables however — the vegetables were stewed to a soft texture, whilst the curry gravy was nothing short of being creamy and Lemak with a nice hint of curry fragrance with just a slight tinge of spiciness to the tickle the tastebuds. Sunny side-up comes with a fully-cooked egg yolk, while the anchovies does come slightly salted and still crisp despite us dropping by the stall only during weekday dinner service in the evening.

Cheeky Don has been one of those names that we had been hearing about for quite a while within the local F&B scene — these folks had first started out as a home-based business, though they did had their pop-up stint within the grounds of Chef X at Central before opening a space of their very own. Their brick-and-mortar store is located at the second level of Millenia Walk; they had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct outlet of Gochi So Shokudo there. As one would have expected, Cheeky Don serves up their usual lineup of Donburi at their Millenia Walk location; there is also a line-up of hot / cold classic side dishes, as well as ala-carte appetisers and sides. Patrons looking for a sweet treat can also look forward to giving their range of Kakigori a go.

Having not tried Cheeky Don before, we went for the Signature Cheeky Don — it is interesting to note that all Donburi orders at Cheeky Don allows the patrons to choose between one hot classic side and one cold classic side to go along with their Donburi. For our order of the Signature Cheeky Don, we went with the Midnight Diner-Style Nagaimo for our choice of the hot classic side (plated together with the Signature Cheeky Don) and the Zen Salad for our choice of cold classic side. It also does come with a bowl of soup on the side, whilst the Donburi features their Takenoko Rice. Truth to be told, the Signature Cheeky Don is more than just a simple Japanese Donburi — the entire deal felt pretty gastronomical in a way that it does seem that a lot of emphasis has been placed in the science behind how each element works to attempt to bring the flavours and textures to the next level. Coming with pork jowl, Cheeky Don describes the cooking process to involve brining, marinating, grilling, flame-torching and smoking; the whole process ensures that the pork jowl comes tender with the juices of the meat still locked in — all that whilst the meat does come with a hint of smoky char with almost crisp edges for a good texture. It is being topped off with a Chimichurri sauce that adds a zingy note that cuts through the meatiness as well. The Takenoko Rice was another highlight; coming with a brown hue, it was pretty evident how this was simmered with Dashi broth — the umami flavours being fairly prominent while the inclusion of bamboo and crispy fried tofu bits provided a contrast of textures to go along as well.

Have gotten to know about Harvest Union Market & Bar for quite a while ever since we had passed by its premises at Thomson Plaza some time ago — but little did we know that the establishment is actually affiliated with the neighbouring AFresh & Co. that is situated within the same mall. Harvest Union Market & Bar had taken over the former premises vacated by Kith Cafe at Thomson Plaza situated around the perimeters of the mall near where the taxi stand of the building is located. Being a cafe and bar, the food menu at Harvest Union Market & Bar is split into sections dedicated to Signature & Premium Cuts, Signature Mains, Signature Ocean Selections, Pasta & Pizza, All Day Breakfast & Light Plates, Salads, and Shareables & Sides. Beverages available at Harvest Union Market & Bar would be segmented into categories such as Water, Juice, Tea, Dairy, Coffee, Soft Drink, Beer, Taruhai and Happy Hour.

One thing we were surprise to find out about Harvest Union Market & Bar is its affiliation to Fishop — this is a seafood and fish retailer that used to also run its own bistro with an emphasis on serving up its fare from sea-to-plate previously at their former premises at Link@896; this is evidenced from the use of Fishop branded ware for its Fish & Chips Set items. Harvest Union Market & Bar allows its patrons to choose from different types of fish to go along with their Fish & Chips Set; the Fresh Barramundi was the lowest-priced of the lot at $20++. Thought that the Fresh Barramundi was a good option to go for for those whom are not too fussy about their choice of fish in general and are more for to experience Harvest Union Market & Bar’s fish & chips with its fresh fish offerings at large. The batter of the fish fillet weren’t overly thick; yet crisp enough whilst the fish is still sufficiently moist, soft and flaky within — the fish fillet being very delightful to have even on its own without even the use of sauces. We also liked how the fries were pretty well-executed; hot, crispy and well-seasoned with salt for flavour. Definitely one for the fish and chips lover to check out!

Red Ginger is probably a name that locals would have probably found pretty familiar especially for those whom reside in certain heartlands — these folks had been around for quite a while serving up local Muslim cuisine in some shopping malls; it’s iconic locations would include its outlets at IMM, JEM and Causeway Point. Whilst being in operation for quite a while, their Waterway Point location is quite a recent addition to their operations. Branded as Red Ginger Coffeehouse, this would be their largest outlet at the time of writing — there is definitely a slight difference with the operation of this outlet whereby Red Ginger Coffeehouse does seem to be emulating the same vibes and model as Nanyang Kopitiam-style eateries are all about these days; gone would be the display case that is stocked with different dishes that they offer for their Nasi Padang offerings. Instead, Red Ginger adopts a more restaurant-style approach; the food menu has also expanded quite a bit to feature categories such as Breakfast Sets, Sedap Bites, Nasi Padang, Nasi Lemak, Dry Mee Siam, Nasi Briyani, Kampung Fried Rice, Traditional Noodles, Local Wok, Chicken Rice, Hot Piping Claypot and Local Desserts.

The Dry Mee Siam with Signature Fried Boneless Chicken is just one of the dishes offered as part of the line-up of Dry Mee Siam dishes on the menu — it comes with the expected elements mentioned in the namesake alongside sunny side-up, cucumbers and an accompanying sambal in a separate saucer. Thought the Dry Mee Siam with Signature Fried Boneless Chicken was overall pretty decent; the Dry Mee Siam does come with a slight hint of tang that carries sufficient flavour for those whom prefer lighter flavours; those whom need a bit more zing can squeeze a little bit of the lime that accompanies the dish, though we preferred pairing it with the sambal that gives it an extra kick of spiciness instead. The use of fried boneless chicken instead of fried chicken thigh was a thoughtful one that allows for easy eating; that being said, we did observe that the Signature Fried Boneless Chicken was pretty much a variant of fried chicken in their own unique right rather than that of being Ayam Goreng Berempah — whilst coming savory and reasonably tender; crisp with a batter that wasn’t overly thick, we did note that crispy bits of fried flour accompanied the fried chicken rather than the inclusion Serunding. That being said, there is still the addition of wok-fried curry leaves that added an aroma to the dish. The sunny side-up was a crowd-pleaser with its runny egg yolk and crisp edges around the egg whites; all that without any undesirable odour of overused oil as well.

Was scrolling around the phone and got to know about the existence of the fairly new Baker RST that is located at Empress Road Market & Food Centre — these folks should be fairly easy to identify considering how they extensively use a shade of blue throughout the entire stall facade; they are also located in one of the corner-most stall units within the food centre closest towards the side of the wet market as well. As the namesake of the stall suggests, Baker RST is a bakery stall — its offerings surround around mini-sized boat pizzas which consists of different savoury fillings that makes for a good light snack, while their line-up of muffins would be the selection of sweet items which they have to offer.

Between the items we had ordered during our visit made on a weekend to Baker RST, it was the Chilli Crab, Prawn, Fish, Cheese Boat Pizza that left an impression with us; we also did feel that their Boat Pizza items are better executed than their muffin offerings as well. For one, the dough for the boat pizza was the element that reeled us in; whilst looking like a mini bread that would probably come with an element of chew, this does come crusty with a good crunch that is similar to some basic pizza crust offerings that more commercialised quick-service establishments tend to serve up — the rendition served up at Baker RST barely being overwhelming given the size of the boat pizza. For the Chilli Crab, Prawn, Fish, Cheese Boat Pizza, we liked how it had captured that tangy, sweet and spicy note that one would associate with the local iconic dish of chili crab; all that whilst the inclusion of melted cheese provides a savouriness that also gels the other elements on the top — the prawns adding an element of bite and a hint of natural crustacean sweetness to the boat pizza as well. Works well as a light munch in the morning or for tea break to be coupled with Kopi / Teh on the side.

Was going around the Hougang neighbourhood and got to learn about the opening of TACOZA by STFU within Hougang Central Bus Interchange — Foodie Hub itself is a fairly recent addition to the bus interchange being situated right next to the outlet of KNS Restaurant there, that being said, the previous rendition of Foodie Hub was serving up local cuisine before TACOZA by STFU had revamped the concept. For those whom are unaware, STFU (abbreviation of Snack That Food Up) is a concept that operates out of a stall unit within Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre. Whilst this is the very first time that STFU is running an independent eatery outside of the hawker centre environment; with that being said, TACOZA by STFU still keeps to serving up Mexican fare that is fairly familiar to STFU’s menu at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre — the menu at TACOZA by STFU comprising of categories such as Quesadilla, Flatbread, Tacos and Burgers, though they are also bundled into Combo Sets which can be shared across multiple pax around the table as well with other side dishes to go along.

The Smoky BBQ Chicken Taco that comes with Combo 2 comes in a serving size of three (3) pieces; whilst TACOZA by STFU does not describe the elements that goes into the making of their items, though it can be observed that the Taco items at TACOZA by STFU do make use of corn tortilla shells whilst the fillings consists of diced chicken, mozzarella cheese and purple cabbage slaw. One thing that is worth noting about the Smoky BBQ Chicken Taco was how it was incredibly easy-to-eat without being difficult to handle — we liked how the tacos weren’t overly loaded with sauce and grease much like the loaded tacos that we have had at other establishments; this also made the Smoky BBQ Chicken Taco feel a little simpler in the composition of flavours here as well. For one, the shredded cheeses does provide a savoury note to the taco, though some might hope for the cheese to be torched for a slightly more melted and gooey texture that would enhance the dish further. It does however work well with the diced chicken that was savoury and slightly smoky; the bits of chicken still tender and easy to chew, while the purple cabbage slaw does add a refreshing crunch while the corn tortilla shell also gives another dimension of crunch to the tacos. Overall, a taco offering that feels pretty clean and easy to finish without overwhelming flavours nor being one that is a mess to deal with.

Was scrolling around social media and got to know about the opening of Sabana Coffehouse at Mei Ling Market & Food Centre. For those whom are not aware, Sabana Coffehouse has first started its operations as an online-based business before their move into the premises of the now-defunct Baker X at Orchard Central subsequently after the departure of Foreword Coffee Roasters in that space. These folks are situated within a stall unit that is located just across The Ceylonese Affair there — another stall which we had visited not too long ago within the food centre serving up Sri Lankan cuisine with an emphasis on Briyani and Appam. Sabana Coffeehouse is a stall that serves up beverages — its line-up of beverages consists of a series of Sabana’s Signatures, as well as that of Traditional and Specialty Coffee beverages. Non-coffee drinkers can also opt for Oriental Teas as well.

The Iced Black Sesame Kopi was something that we had previously tried during our visit to Sabana Coffeehouse during their days at Baker X; we found ourselves still gravitating towards this considering how they were serving only a variety of four different beverages on its opening day at Mei Ling Market & Food Centre. For the rendition of the Iced Black Sesame Kopi at Sabana Coffeehouse, it is observed that the beverage comprises of regularly-brewed local-style Nanyang Kopi that is topped with black sesame infused foam. Taking a sip of the Iced Black Sesame Kopi, we note that the Kopi here is freshly-brewed using the same recipe as they would with the Kopi (Hot); whilst not as rich and thick as what would expect out of a typical Kopi (Iced) — that being said, we felt that this gave some balance for the black sesame-infused foam that helped add a slight hint of sweetness and creaminess amidst the roasty and smoky notes of sesame that complemented the Kopi well, though the only qualm will be the slight temperature contrast of the Kopi that is still a little lukewarm being slightly cooled down from the ice cubes considering how this is a fresh brew after all.

If WOKIN does sound familiar especially to those whom have been following the local F&B scene for a while — yes, this is a little bit of a revival of a concept by the folks behind Keng Eng Kee Seafood that had existed quite a while back. Previously having once operated from a stall unit from their Alexandra branch as well as its own store from the former JCube, WOKIN had previously operated as Wok In Burger; WOKIN now operates from SAFRA Punggol — itself taking over the former premises of the now-defunct The Pasta Project. WOKIN has revised its menu from its days being Wok In Burger; apart from a leaner menu where its burger are revisited, they also do serve up a line-up of flatbreads and pastas — some of which also with a tzechar influence.

Keng Eng Kee Seafood is perhaps most notable for its Coffee Pork Ribs offering — something which we had always ended up going for when we make our visit there. Wok In Burger had also always carried the same offering in the form of a burger, and we are glad that they have revived the offering with the launch of WOKIN. WOKIN describes the dish to come with elements such as brioche bun, glazed crispy pork patty, roasted sesame seeds, pickled cabbage slaw, lettuce and tomato. All burger orders also comes with a side of fries, and also comes with a canned beverage as well included in the base price. This was a generously-sized burger especially in terms of the sizing of the glazed crispy pork patty; we liked how this was essentially pretty similar to that of their usual coffee pork ribs. Coming with a crispy fried batter on the exterior, the exterior is glazed with Keng Eng Kee Seafood’s iconic coffee sauce glaze — this does come with sweet, slightly bitter and smoky aroma that hints of caffeine, while the slab of pork itself does come juicy and tender. We also like how the brioche bun isn’t particularly heavy nor dense; it is light, fluffy and easy to have — slightly toasty with a crisp. To balance things out, they have included lettuce and a purple cabbage slaw that helps give a crunch. The shoestring fries come crisp and well-seasoned with salt for a good flavour.

May Pho Culture is one of those establishments that we had previously visited that left us pretty impressed — whilst their original location at Fook Hai Building has been opened for quite a while, these folks seem to have recently expanded their operations with a second outlet named May Pho Culture 2. Unlike the original store, May Pho Culture 2 operates as a stall situated within the coffeeshop; these folks are located within the Chang Cheng Mee Wah coffeeshop at Blk 9 Telok Blangah Crescent; the HDB block itself being within the same neighbourhood as where Telok Blangah Crescent Market & Food Centre. As the namesake suggests, May Pho Culture is a stall that serves Vietnamese cuisine; the menu comprises of quite a variety of Pho dishes as well as other Northern Vietnamese noodle dishes — aside from pho, there is also a small variety of dry noodles and Banh Mi items listed on the menu. Those looking for something to share can opt for fried / fresh spring rolls to go along.

Having tried their pho during our visit to their Fook Hai Building outlet, we decided to go with the Tenderloin Pho when we went to their Telok Blangah Crescent stall. May Pho Culture 2 does not describe the elements that are included in their dishes — that being said, we did observed elements such as various herbs as well as the use of tenderloin beef and onions coming together with the rice noodles; typical elements that one will expect in a bowl of pho. What we really liked about the pho previously is the soup stock that was immensely flavourful; savoury, yet clean-tasting in its finish — all that whilst the tenderloin comes thinly-sliced and easy to chew without any veiny parts. The rice noodles do come silky smooth, while the onions provided an element of crunch for some contrast. Overall, a pretty well-executed bowl of pho though the prices of which can be a little out-of-touch to the typical coffeeshop-going audience being priced at $11.90 for the regular-sized bowl; those looking for something more wallet-friendly can opt for the Brisket Pho, Beef Coins Pho and Beef Ball Pho which costs in the range of $7.90 to $9.90.

Had managed to learn about the existence of SJD Carinderia Filipino Food whilst scrolling around the phone during our lull time — these folks had been a fairly recent addition to the Bedok neighbourhood. Situated within the coffeeshop at the foot of Blk 57 New Upper Changi Road, SJD Carinderia Filipino Food is situated pretty close to the The Marketplace @ 58 which houses both the wet market and food centre for the neighbourhood. Other notable stalls that also operate from the very same coffeeshop that SJD Carinderia Filipino Food is at would include that of Katong Jago which serves up fried carrot cake and Char Kway Teow — these folks had moved here ever since they had left the now-defunct Brunners Coffeeshop at East Coast Road. As the namesake suggests, SJD Carinderia Filipino Food serves up Filipino cuisine — whilst the menu does list quite a number of communal dishes, we did note that there is also the option to go for individually-portioned dishes served with rice as well.

For those whom are not aware, the Adobo is quite an iconic Filipino dish that typically involves elements like soy sauce, vinegar and garlic. For the Adobo at SJD Carinderia Filipino Food, they seem to have went for the use of pork — the cut of meat here being that of the pork belly. There is a good mix of fatty parts and lean parts here with the lean parts giving quite a good, meaty bite while the fatty parts come with a more gelatinous texture overall. Given the elements involved in the making of the Adobo, the Adobo does come round feeling pretty much similar to what we would typically identify as braised pork belly; there is definitely the caramelisation of the sauces which gives the dish a savoury touch without any undesirable porky stench. It also comes with a touch of black pepper that gives it a slightly spicy kick in the finishing notes — overall a good accompaniment to white rice on the side.