There seem to have been quite a bit of change in the tenants that occupy a stall space within the FellasCube coffeeshop situated along Geylang Road ever since our last visit there — for those whom are unaware, FellasCube is the coffeeshop run by the same folks behind KopiFellas. One of the more recent additions to the coffeeshop will be that of Filwest Cusina; these folks had taken up the former premises of the now-defunct Pipa Duck Brioche Burgers there. Filwest Cusina is a stall that specialises in serving up Filipino cuisine and Western cuisine; the menu at Filwest Cusina is split into sections dedicated to Grilled & Fried, 10” Pizza (6 Slices), Finger Food, Rice Meal and Western Menu — most of its Filipino cuisine offerings can be found in the Finger Food and Ricr Meal sections of the menu.
The Sisig at Filwest Cusina is served in both chicken and pork options — we went for the latter. Whilst there is no description of the elements that are included in the dishes in various sections of the menu, it can be observed from our order of the Sisig (Pork) that it does come with pork that has been stir-fried with onions; all that whilst being topped off with spring onions, red chilies and capsicums — all that whilst being accompanied with a sunny side-up as well as a mix of tomatoes and cucumber on the side apart from the portion of rice that is served alongside with it. There is also the inclusion of lime that one can squeeze into the Sisig as well. Having only tried Sisig on sizzling hotplates, the Sisig (Pork) does feel like a cleaner version that can be enjoyed more frequently; this was definitely less greasy and buttery — whilst being less sinful and fragrant, one can still feel the slightly roasted notes of the pork as well as the meatiness of the dish in general, all that while the meat does carry a good bite without any undesirable porky stench and is well complimented by the sweetness of caramelised onions as well. The mayonnaise thus bind everything together, though it is the lime zest that really gives it a zippiness that adds on another layer of flavours alongside the capsicums and chili that accompanies it.
Has been quite a while since we had heard about Jin Yu Man Tang Dessert 金玉满堂甜品 expanding their operations — it seems that these folks had recently opened the doors of their new location at The Linq @ Beauty World. This would be the new mixed-use development that is situated within walking distance and directly connected via an underground linkway to Beauty World MRT Station along the Downtown Line; they are located along the same stretch of shops where one can find Offsite, and are neighbours with the outlet of MIXUE Ice Cream & Tea there. Their The Linq @ Beauty World location is their smallest location thus far though it does feature a mix of indoor and outdoor seating given how the shop units at The Linq @ Beauty World are designed to be. As with what they had been offering thus far at their Katong and Chinatown locations, Jin Yu Man Tang Dessert’s menu is segmented into sections dedicated to Double Layered Milk Pudding Series, Ginger Milk Pudding Series, Peach Gum Series, Gum Tragacanth Series, Fried Custard Series, Sago Milk Series, Local Desserts Series, Chinese Herbal Jelly Series, Taro Ball & Jelly Series, Mango with Mini Rice Ball Series, Milk with Clear Jelly Series, and Snacks.
One of the items that we had not recalled seeing during our previous visits to Jin Yu Man Tang Dessert’s locations at Katong and Chinatown would be their Flower Double Layer Milk Pudding; this would be an item that is listed in the Double Layered Milk Pudding Series section of the menu. Whilst the Flower Double Layer Milk Pudding does come with a pinkish aesthetic, there is a Matcha Double Layer Milk Pudding that comes with a similar look with a green aesthetic instead. Served chilled, the Flower Double Layer Milk Pudding features its usual Double Layer Milk Pudding with an infusion of a pinkish liquid that sits atop the pudding; it also features a carving of coconut flesh in the form of a flower that sits atop the pudding. The Double Layer Milk Pudding is pretty much what one would expect here; a smooth curd that is almost liquid — soft and nearly molten and glides down the throat pretty easily, whilst carrying a slight eggy note without being particularly sweet. It is interesting that the floral infusion of flavours does come rather light-handed whilst coming with a saltish note — perhaps to introduce a different dimension of flavours to the Double Layer Milk Pudding while the coconut flesh atop comes chilled almost to the point of frozen; likely to keep things fresh whilst preserving the shape of the carving as well.
The folks behind Hello Arigato are right at it again — they are definitely starting 2026 with a bit of a bang with the new opening of their Cross Street outlet that takes over the former premises of the now-defunct WANt Food Taiwanese Delights 恋恋湾味 there; this would be shop unit located at the corner that is also along the same stretch of shops where one can find other notable F&B establishments like the outlet of Wang Dae Bak Korean BBQ and Yanhuo Restaurant 烟伙餐馆. This is Hello Arigato’s smallest location thus far; whilst the entire operations at Cross Street does seem to be more catered towards takeaways, there is a small dine-in area where one can choose to still enjoy their food on the spot. Considering the slightly scaled down operations here, the food menu at this outlet is limited to offerings within the categories of Sandos, Sides, Dips, Matcha and Coffee and More.
The Bro Cali Sando is one of the new creations that has bene introduced to the menu at Hello Arigato’s Cross Street outlet — this is also the only vegetarian option when it comes to their Sando offerings. The menus describes the Bro Cali Sando to come with elements such as fried broccoli florets, miso teriyaki glaze, roasted pepper relish and Swiss cheese. Taking a bite into the Bro Cali Sando, we did notice that the bread used here is especially soft, light and fluffy — this would work especially for those whom are opting for the heftier and meatier sandos at Hello Arigato where the bread would not feel particularly overwhelming. The use of fried broccoli florets replaces the typical feature of meats in a Sando by giving it a substantial bite; the fried broccoli florets coming with charred florets that gives a bit of a crisp texture whilst elements such as the Swiss cheese does give a bit of an added savoury note to the Sando. What brings all of the elements together would be both the miso teriyaki glaze, roasted pepper relish — the former adding yet another dimension of sweet-savoury notes whilst the roasted pepper relish comes with a bit of a tang; adds up to provide for a umami note that made us finish the sandwich in no time.
Was going around Maxwell Food Centre and notice how a new Vietnamese cuisine stall had taken the place of the now-defunct Hello Banh Mi there. Despite being new to Maxwell Food Centre, Co Hai Banh Mi & Pho is not a new establishment to the local F&B scene here — these folks had previously been an independent dining establishment that is situated within the shophouses that lines Beach Road; they have since moved out of the shophouse and now operates at two (2) different locations. The other spot in which one can find Co Hai Banh Mi & Pho would be at 116 Mackenzie Road that is within walking distance from Little India MRT Station. As its namesake suggests, Co Hai Banh Mi & Pho offers both Banh Mi and Pho as its signature offerings; that being said, the stall does serve up other Vietnamese dishes such as fresh / fried spring rolls, salads, vermicelli salad, vermicelli soup and rice dishes — just to name a few.
We found ourselves going for the Stir-Fried Beef with Sauce Pineapple Baguette — though Co Hai Banh Mi and Pho does not describe the elements that goes into the making of their various dishes, we did observe during the preparation process that the item consists of elements such as stir-fried beef, pickled vegetables, chili padi, a spread of margarine, coriander, cucumber and pineapple slices. Taking a bite into the baguette, we did notice that the baguette here is toasted to a light crisp; whilst some folks may prefer a harder crunch, we did find that the consistency of the baguette here does make it easy to have without cutting into our gums — the interior of the bread still retains a soft texture nonetheless. We liked that the beef is actually stir-fried upon order; the beef being tender whilst the carrying a savoury note from the sauce that it was stir-fried in; the addition of pineapple does provide it with a sweet zing as well. The inclusion of chili padi in the baguette here doesn’t quite translate to spiciness but seems to be more for the aesthetic considering the size of the chili used; the coriander cuts through the meatiness and carbs, while the pickled vegetables does add an element of crunch with a bit of a tang which refreshes the tastebuds as well.
Was going around the Beauty World neighbourhood one day and got to learn about the existence of the new Sakeshi that is located along Lorong Kilat — these folks can be found along the same stretch of shops where one can find an outlet of Chicken House as well; Sakeshi takes over the former premises of what used to be Kim’s Family Food Korean Restaurant. For those whom are unaware, Sakeshi is a concept by the same folks behind Goro Japanese Cuisine that is situated along Holland Drive, though it does seem that Sakeshi is quite a different concept to what Goro Japanese Cuisine is all about. The menu at Sakeshi varies during different times of the day — available in the mornings would be the Morning Set that one can grab from 9:30am to 11:30am, while the Lunch Set runs from 11:00am to 5:00pm; the Recommended section of the menu is available from 12 noon onwards till closing, while items in the Sweet Bites and Side Dishes categories are available all day long.
The Volcano Salmon Mentai Aburi Don is an item that is listed in the Recommended section of the menu — this is an item that is described to come with elements such as Mentai, Sushi Rice, Cucumber, Onsen Egg, Ikura and Salmon Soup; the Salmon Soup being a highlight itself at Sakeshi where it is pretty much central to the entire dining concept, while patrons do have the choice to opt for spicy Mentai or non-spicy Mentai. For our order of the Volcano Salmon Mentai Aburi Don, we went with the former. This does turn out to be quite a decent bowl of Salmon Mentai Aburi Don that came with a good portion of flame-torched salmon sitting atop the bed of rice. Coming with spicy Mentai being drizzled over the top, the spicy Mentai carried an umami note with a slight hint of spiciness to tickle the tastebuds; the level of spiciness being pretty mild. The salmon slices do come fresh and melt-in-the-mouth, while the inclusion of the Onsen egg adds a smooth and creamy texture with a molten egg yolk to the Donburi. The diced cucumbers does add an element of crunch that also helped to make the entire bowl quite refreshing to have, while the inclusion of Ikura gives a popping sensation and another dimension of umami whilst being at it.
Thought we did come across quite an unfamiliar sight when we were going around the Arab Street vicinity right across from Golden Landmark Shopping Complex — Cafe Malabar is a pretty recent addition to the neighbourhood, being housed within a shophouse unit along the same stretch of shophouses where one would be able to find notable dining establishments such as PST Pizza Studio Tamaki. As the namesake suggests, Cafe Malabar is o an establishment that serves Indian cuisine — quite a bit of a rare breed in the Kampong Glam neighbourhood especially considering how Cafe Malabar emphasises on serving up Kerala-style cuisine that is more commonly found in the Little India district than the Kampong Glam neighbourhood. The menu is actually surprisingly wide and consists of quite a number of communal dishes amongst some individually-sized ones; the menu being split into categories such as that of Cafe Malabar Signatures, Erachi (Beef), Kozhi (Chicken), Vegtarian & Egg, Egg Selection, Vegetarian Favourites, Aadu (Mutton), Meen (Fish), Bread and Rice, Small Bites & Starters, and Desserts.
The Paal Kappa with Erachi Curry was one of the dishes that stood out to us considering how it was being described in the menu; elements coming with the dish includes steamed cassava that is then mashed, coconut milk, and beef curry — also a dish that is marked as a Chef’s Recommendation in the Cafe Malabar Signatures section of the menu as well. Patrons also do get a choice to go for the Meen Curry (i.e. spicy fish curry) if beef isn’t up to their fancy. The dish comes in a bowl with a swirly aesthetic with a hollow centre; the middle being where the beef curry is being plated while the swirls hold the cassava. Other garnishes included were dried chilli, fried shallots, wok-fried curry leaves and mustard seeds. Digging into the dish, we did find that the consistency of the steamed and mashed cassava to be pretty close to that of mashed potatoes — that being said, we did feel that the overall texture was lighter and fluffier than that of mashed potatoes, while there is a slight saltish-ness that came with a creamy note that came from the use of coconut milk. The addition of other spices like mustard seeds and curry leaves do add a different dimension of flavours to the dish; the curry leaves adding a hint of fragrance, while the fried shallots add another dimension of savouriness to the cassava. The Erachi Curry was rich and fragrant from the use of various spices, while the cubes of beef does come with a slight gaminess that adds depth to the flavours of the curry itself; the chunks of beef being cooked to a tender texture that was easy to chew without any fatty or veiny parts.
Word has seemingly gotten around about a new western food stall that is situated within the coffeeshop located at the foot of Blk 603 Clementi West Street 1; these folks might be pretty much the most nondescript western cuisine stall situated within a coffeeshop but they have since garnered quite a fair bit of attention on social media in recent times. The Reverie might have just recently opened their doors, but there has been quite a bit of talk about how they are serving up fine dining-worthy western cuisine at a neighbourhoodly setting with wallet-friendly prices. The menu at The Reverie is split across sections that are dedicated to Soups, Starters and Sides, Mains (Pasta) and Mains (Non-Pasta) — some examples of how fine dining techniques are incorporated into the dishes that they serve up includes the use of Espuma for some of its dishes.
We were actually spoilt for choice whilst skimming through the menu at The Reverie — after much contemplation, we found ourselves opting for the White Beef Bolognese Malfada that is being listed as a dish in the Mains (Pasta) section of the menu; this is being described to feature elements such as beef, pork, cream and chili oil. One should note that The Reverie does serve up most of their dishes ala minute, and therefore some waiting time would be required for the orders to be prepared. As the namesake of the dish suggests, the White Beef Bolognese Malfada does come in the form of what one would usually expect out of the bolognese; this also meant that elements such as the beef and pork does come in the form of minced meat. With the White Beef Bolognese Malfada being a white pasta, this also meant that the pasta is tossed with cream sauce — the choice of pasta used for the dish will also be the Malfada (otherwise known as the Malfadine). We liked how the pasta wasn’t overly creamy here; the Malfadine being able to trap both the cream sauce and the bits of meat that gives it ample flavour — the latter adding a slightly meaty and gamey note that isn’t too intimidating. The Malfadine does come with an al-dente consistency, while the use of some herbs does help to add an extra dimension of flavours to the pasta as well. Quite a well-executed plate of pasta, though one that definitely requires a fair bit of patience considering how things are done here and the queue that have started to form here.
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!
