Pizz Please ~

Had been noticing these folks setting up shop in the area for a while — located at 23 Baghdad Street is the new Lemak Pandan; these folks should be a relatively easy find considering how they are situated right beside Smashed; yes, the same exact Smashed by The Halal Corner that serves up smashed burgers that was once featured by ishowspeed during his visit to Singapore not too long ago. One thing that is noticeable from outside is how Lemak Pandan does look very similar to Smashed with an almost identical layout of the shop space and the use of rather complimentary colour tones in its shop facade — whilst Smashed adopts a yellow colour scheme for its shop facade, Lemak Pandan uses an orange colour scheme for its colour theme. With that being said, the folks at Lemak Pandan had told us that there two stalls do not share any relations and are simply neighbours. Despite the bright colours used to bring out a seemingly hipster vibe, Lemak Pandan is decked rather simply inside; the interior features a long counter table that is paired with plastic stools that cater for individual diners, while dining tables good for two (2) pax using the same plastic stools and foldable tables can be found within the space as well. One can possibly tell the specialty of Lemak Pandan just by the namesake of the establishment; the menu at Lemak Pandan features Nasi Lemak as its core offerings, while there is a number is side dishes available where one can add on to their choice of Nasi Lemak sets as well. For beverages, Lemak Pandan serves up soft drinks from the dispenser, whilst they also do offer Fruits Cup for those looking for a dessert to end the meal with.

Wanting to go for something on the smaller side, the Nasi Lemak Wing was the one item on the menu that appealed to us — the other Nasi Lemak offerings that Lemak Pandan has to offer would be its Nasi Lemak Fish, Nasi Lemak Leg Meat, and Nasi Lemak Cutlet. Lemak Pandan describes its Nasi Lemak Wing to come with elements such as chicken wing, egg, anchovies (seemingly replaced by long beans and salted fish for our order) and peanuts. Patrons will be given a receipt with an Order Number being stated after making their order at the counter — the LED display will indicate the order number to be collected from the pick-up point once the order has been processed and ready for collection. One thing that had caught our attention very early on with the Nasi Lemak Wing that we have had ordered was the Pandan-infused basmati rice; it seems that the folks at Lemak Pandan had opted to go with serving their Nasi Lemak with its rice bearing a green hue. With that being said, it is interesting to observe that the rice here does come with a duller shade of green as compared to the neon green hue that most Pandan-infused rice tend to come in — these folks had mentioned that this is due to the use of actual Pandan juice in the making of the rice. The results do show in the flavours of the rice; wafting of a Pandan and coconut-y aroma, while the choice of using Basmati rice meant that the rice remains fluffy and light — very easy to eat despite all the flavours that it carries. The other star of the Nasi Lemak here is undeniably the Chicken Wing — one thing that we found to be especially prominent with the chicken wing here would be its marination with turmeric as well as the flavours of the spices such as the lemongrass; we also loved how the chicken wing didn’t feel particularly greasy, yet coming all tender and juicy whilst also being served piping hot as well being fried only upon order.

Meanwhile, the long beans does seem to have come with salted fish as well as caramalised onions; the long beans delivering a soft crunch while the other elements provided a slight saltish-ness and sweetness that gave the element a bit of a flavoural contrast. The sambal chili that came with the Nasi Lemak Wing was one that we found pretty familiar; the sweet sambal went well with the Pandan-infused rice — all that whilst not being spicy and should be pretty manageable even for those whom are less tolerable to spiciness in general. With their Nasi Lemak Wing priced only at $4.80, it is needless to say that the Nasi Lemak offerings from Lemak Pandan is absolutely value-for-money; this is especially considering the level of detail placed in the Nasi Lemak that they have to offer — very few places would go to the extent of serving up their Pandan-infused basmati rice with actual pandan juice, while their chicken wing was also especially stellar. Considering how they have priced themselves in a manner that is even competitive against Nasi Lemak stalls situated within hawker centres / coffeeshops / food courts, the Nasi Lemak Wing is perhaps the best Nasi Lemak out there for the quality it brings at its price point — something which we will most certainly go for if craving for Nasi Lemak whilst in the Kampong Glam neighbourhood and on a tight budget!

Bao Bao 宝包 is one of those establishments that do not need much of an introduction for those whom have been following up on the latest news with regard to the various F&B establishments that had opened up in Singapore in recent times. Located at basement 4 of ION Orchard, Bao Bao is an establishment that had garnered long queues subsequent to the media coverage during their official opening. These folks might be new entrance to the local F&B scene; that being said, they are also a brand that is from the Surrey Hills Grocer Group that not only runs the Surrey Hills Grocer brands which has since grown to a brand operating out of five (5) locations around Singapore, but also the Mensho Tokyo, MoVida Original and Bon Broth brands at Raffles City Shopping Centre. Bao Bao differs from the other set-ups by the Surrey Hills Grocer Group where it is operated as a grab-and-go takeaway kiosk, and is also focused on local Chinese-style cuisine; a deviation from the group’s line-up of brands thus far. Bao Bao’s location within ION Orchard is relatively easy to find; one of its neighbours being the only Hang Heung 恆香outlet in Singapore at the point of writing — both of which being located close by to the Hawkers' Street food court there. Despite being a takeaway stall, Bao Bao is decked in a style reminiscent to an old-school shop; the various offerings that it has on the menu being displayed prominently in the display warmer right at the shopfront. The menu of Bao Bao is segmented into a “Traditional Range” and a “Signature Range” for its Bao offerings, with the items being listed under the Sides section of the menu comprising of the Siew Mai, Glutinous Chicken Rice and Fan Choy.

Quite a number of the items that were being listed in their “Signature Range” section of the menu were unavailable during our visit made to Bao Bao on a weekday afternoon — we did find ourselves ending up trying quite a number of the Baos listed in the “Traditional Range” instead. One of the Baos that we usually would not miss when giving a new dim sum establishment a go would be the Roasted Char Siew Bao or the equivalent of such an item at other establishments. Surprisingly, it is also the Roasted Char Siew Bao that turned out to be our favourite of the lot of the Baos that are being offered at Bao Bao. One thing worth nothing about the Roasted Char Siew Bao at Bao Bao is how old-school the fillings taste. Sinking our teeth into the soft and fluffy bun, the Baos at Bao Bao does come without feeling particularly clumpy or dense — that being said, they are still better to be enjoyed as soon as possible out of the box before the condensation sets in. The buns sold at Bao Bao are sold in smaller sizes — something similar to that of what Teochew Handmade Pau at Toa Payoh West Market & Food Centre serves up. The filing of the Roasted Char Siew Bao features a good balance in the texture of the meat that wasn’t too fatty nor too lean; all that smothered in the red honey bbq glaze — the glaze lends a sweet note to the savoury Char Siew whilst the Char Siew still comes with a bit of its meatiness though without any undesirable hints of porky-ness.

Coming in second for us would be the Orh Nee Bao that is listed as an item under the “Signature Range” section of the menu at Bao Bao. The Orh Nee Bao is sized slightly bigger than the Roasted Char Siew Bao that we have also written about above — the Orh Nee Bao can also be distinguished from the other Baos that Bao Bao has to offer with the dusting of purple powder above the surface of the bun; whilst creating an aesthetic that sets it apart from the usual Yam-infused Baos available elsewhere, we aren’t too big a fan of how it looked nonetheless. Interestingly, the approach to the Orh Nee Bao is slightly different from other Yam Pau that we have had thus far — the addition of Gingko Nuts and the inclusion of shallot oil in the fillings of the Bao were the main difference that Bao Bao has to offer. The fillings do come with a darker hue of purple; one can also observe a dark green lining on the bun just where it meets the fillings within. By far, the Orh Nee here is by far the richest, yet smoothest that we have come along in Baos thus far; it actually bears the right density that allowed it to carry an adequate depth of flavours — the inclusion of scallion oil giving a savoury and umami note to the inherent earthiness of the yam whilst not being overly sweet. The inclusion of Gingko Nuts gave a soft bite that provides a contrasting texture to the other elements of the bun as well.

We also managed to give the Rabbit Bao a try. These are essential Baos stylised into a shape of a rabbit that comes with lotus fillings within. One thing to note about the lotus fillings is how they are a little more dense as compared to the other fillings of the Baos that we have had. The notes of the lotus definitely comes with more depth than what one would typically expect out of the commercially-made lotus buns which also tend to be on the sweeter side. When it came to the Coffee Bao, the Coffee Bao came with an all-familiar aesthetic of dark brown. Considering the infusion of coffee in the bun of the Bao itself, the bun of the Bao is slightly drier than the other Baos that we have had — that being said, we did feel a stronger note of coffee within the coffee-infused red bean paste; this is quite unlike others that we have had before where the flavours of coffee within the filling tends to fade off and gets overwhelmed by a note of red bean paste as one goes further into the bun. We also noted that the Coffee Bao wasn’t overly sweet at the same time either.

Bao Bao’s efforts in preserving the local Bao-making heritage is one that we found to be pretty commendable especially considering how the group does not have any prior experience in serving up local cuisine — it does seem that the folks are making quite a risk with the move, though they do seem to also know what they are doing at the same time. Their Baos can be described as one that is done with a more artisanal touch, though we do feel that we preferred a few of the items a lot more than the rest; the Coffee Bao and Rabbit Bao did feel like they pale a little bit in comparison with the Roasted Char Siew Bao that was pretty stellar, and the Orh Nee Bao that comes with its very own twist unlike what we typically see around elsewhere. We still do think that there are some things that Bao Bao can further refine especially coming to the Coffee Bao and Rabbit Bao, though one thing they can definitely work on would be on the service at the counter where the staff just felt rather annoyed in general — not that we are expecting top-notch service at a takeaway kiosk, but the level of hospitality is still atypical from what one would usually expect at establishments operated by the Surrey Hills Grocer Group. Prices of their Bao offerings range between $1.20 to $2.90 a piece, which works as a rather affordable tea-time grab-and-go / light breakfast to go for should there not be a queue for the Baos.

No Ordinary Chicken might be a brand that is seemingly unheard of by most, but perhaps those working around the PSA Complex at Keppel Road might find it especially familiar — having established their presence in the local F&B scene with their location within Tanjong Pagar PSA Complex, we did manage to find out that No Ordinary Chicken had recently opened within Beo Crescent Food Centre; it remains unclear if this is a move out of their previous stall at Tanjong Pagar PSA Complex, though it is worth noting that both locations still exist on Google Maps at the very least (the latest reviews for its Tanjong Pagar PSA Complex location is however a few months back during the writing of this post). No Ordinary Chicken has taken over the former premises of the now-defunct MASALA CANTEEN by PasirPanjangBoy within Beo Crescent Market & Food Centre — the set up of No Ordinary Chicken is fairly simple though there are attempts to draw the attention of patrons with the use of coloured LED lighting surrounding its menu board. Whilst not quite obvious from its namesake, No Ordinary Chicken is an establishment that serves up Indonesian-style grilled chicken and curry chicken dishes; the menu is split into categories such as Grilled Chicken Set and Braised Chicken Set, while there are also the availability of some ala-carte sides as well — for those familiar with their menu at Tanjong Pagar PSA Complex, the offerings of the various curry chicken items in the Braised Chicken Set section of the menu at their location at Beo Crescent Market & Food Centre replaces the Fried Chicken Set line-up that is offered at the Tanjong Pagar PSA Complex location.

It is worth noting that the items that come with the Grilled Chicken Set at their Beo Crescent Market & Food Centre also differs from their Tanjong Pagar PSA Complex outlet — whilst each set at their location at Tanjong Pagar PSA Complex comes with rice, soup and sambal, the various Grilled Chicken Set items at Beo Crescent Market & Food Centre comes with rice, salad and sambal instead; patrons can also opt for the Briyanj Rice over white rice at an additional charge of $0.50 if they fancy so as well. Amongst the various sambals that they have to offer with the Grilled Chicken Set, it was the Shallot that stood out for us — it is worth noting that almost every element of the dish is actually made from scratch when we made our visit to the stall in the late evening on a weekday; there would be some waiting time involved with the preparation of each order, though considering how there wasn’t much patrons opting to dine from the stall, the waiting time was minimal and reasonable for those wanting their food to be freshly-prepared upon order.

What drew us to ordering the Shallot rendition of the Shallot Grilled Chicken Set was how it was seemingly done in the style of Sambal Matah that typically comes with Balinese grilled meats. The fragrance of the grilled chicken could already be detected the moment the dish was being prepared in the kitchen; we really like how lightly savoury the grilled chicken is with its slightly crisp exterior — there is also a very light hint of smokiness that one could detect that is similar to Balinese-style grilled chicken, while the flesh remains especially juicy and incredibly tender and the same time. Thought that the Shallot sambal wasn’t particularly spicy as what one would experience with the Sambal Matah served at Bali — guess these folks might have tuned the level of spiciness down to better suit local tastebuds here. The Shallot sambal adds a bit of a zing whilst also comes with the aroma of the other elements such as lemongrass and lime leaves further adds on for a refreshing note.

The various elements in the Shallot sambal also provided a crunch that adds on to the textures of the dish. Meanwhile, the salad that came on the side comes with diced cucumber, carrots, tomatoes and onions which are served chilled; these seem to have been seasoned with a bit of sugar that gives it a bit of a sweetness — all that without being a slightly spicy zing that tickles the tastebuds from the raw onions. Despite its unassuming looks in the way that it is plated, the Shallot Grilled Chicken Set is an item that felt big on flavours — we were most certainly impressed with how the grilled chicken was executed; absolutely tasty and quite different from how one would expect from a typical grilled chicken dish that one can find in the hawker centre. All of the elements are also designed with quite a fair bit of thought; as evidently so with the accompanying salad that was especially simple, yet creative and pairing with the grilled chicken so well. At $5.80 for its Grilled Chicken Sets, No Ordinary Chicken has also priced its offerings pretty affordably to be considered as an everyday meal option for most — definitely intrigued enough to give their other grilled chicken sets like the Curry, Dry Chilli and Green Chili a go when we return!

The success of Legacy Pork Noodles at its Potong Pasir location has not only brought upon more outlets of Legacy Pork Noodles around the island, but also in general more dining establishments that dedicates itself to serving up Malaysia-style pork noodles around the entire island as well — think stalls like New Ocean 新海 KL Pork Noodle and Fish Head Noodle that is located at the Blk 93 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh Market & Food Centre for example. There seems to be yet another establishment that specialises in serving up Malaysian-style pork noodles that has recently opened around the island in recent times — named Malaysia Pork Noodles, the stall can be found sharing a stall unit with the wanton noodle stall within the coffeeshop named Meng Soon Huat Eating House at the foot of Blk 359 Bukit Batok Street 31; a short walking distance away from Bukit Gombak MRT Station. The stall is one that shouldn’t be difficult to find considering the image of a pig that appears on its signboard; the menu of Malaysia Pork Noodles is also kept rather simple being comprising of only Pork Noodles that are available in soup or dry format.

We like how the folks behind the stall does allow for patrons to opt for the Pork Noodle to come without pig liver or innards; something which they do ask the patrons when they are making their order at the counter. Malaysia Pork Noodles does allow their patrons to choose from a variety of noodles for the noodles that is to be served with their order of the Pork Noodle. We went for the Dry version of the Pork Noodle; the choice of noodle that we went for was the Mee Tai Mak, though other types of noodles available would be the Yellow Noodle, Kway Teow and Bee Hoon. With us opting out of the innards, our bowl of Pork Noodle (Dry) came with a bowl of soup that comes with pig liver, pork balls, pork slices and clusters of minced pork — the accompanying bowl of noodles that came on the side having been tossed with dark sauce, chili and comes with lettuce and crispy fried pork lard. One look at the soup and one could tell how the soup here comes with all of the minced pork disintegrating into the soup — the soup comes with a cloudy appearance and is immensely flavourful being all savoury on a warm and comforting manner. The pork slices and minced pork were all immensely tender and easy to chew — pretty fresh and did not come across as being rubbery; not carrying any hint of undesirable porky stench. The pork balls provided a firm, meaty bite, while the pig liver were not too grainy with its flavours being not too intimidating for those whom do not necessarily like pig liver in general.

The Mee Tai Mak comes all slippery, smooth and savoury — coated in dark sauce whilst also carrying a hint of spiciness that should be manageable for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness; all that while crispy fried pork lard adds an element of crunch and a fragrance to the noodles when chewed upon. At $5 for the Regular portion size and $6 for the Large portion size, the Pork Noodle at Malaysia Pork Noodles are definitely considered wallet-friendly enough to be considered as an everyday meal option — one that we felt they also provided us with quite an authentic taste of Malaysian-style pork noodles based on the various renditions of the same that we had tried around the island thus far. One that we would consider dining at especially if we were to be craving for some good Malaysian-style pork noodles when around this part of town.

Three Little Coconut isn’t an entirely new name in the local F&B scene here — with already three (3) locations that are in operations all across the island, one can only wonder where they are going to sprout up next; these folks are actually a brand that is by the same folks behind Mr. Coconut, and the Three Little Coconut brand first started out with its outlet in One Punggol Hub before it had further expanded to one in Downtown East in Pasir Ris, and one in Plantation Plaza at Tengah. The outlet at Plantation Plaza is actually located right beside Brunch & Co. at level 2; a brand that is by the folks of The JellyHearts, and is one that is decently-sized to include a dine-in space for its patrons. The Three Little Coconut location at Plantation Plaza is decked in a style that is reminiscent to old-school coffeehouses with mosaic tiles used for its floors and counters, whilst featuring wooden dining furniture that blends in well within the environment for a coherent look throughout the entire space. There are some differences between the menu served between the Three Little Coconut outlet at One Punggol Hub and the one that is situated at Plantation Plaza — the Plantation Plaza outlet is notably missing on the Cheesecake section of the menu, though the menu still otherwise features desserts spread across the Coconut-Flavoured Snowy Ice, Signature Coconut Tang Shui, Chendol & Sago series, Traditional Coconut Dessert, Classic Coconut Dessert, Croissant, Coconut Macarons and Croffles. For those looking for the coconut shakes that Mr. Coconut is famed for, one can also find the same range of beverages at Three Little Coconut as well.

Got to learn that they have an entire section of the menu dedicated to filled croissants and that pretty much caught our attention enough to head down to a Three Little Coconut location to give them a try. Three Little Coconut serves up four (4) variations of their croissant; the Plain, Pandan Coconut, Coconut Cream Cheese and the Orh Nee. Being fans of the Yam Paste as we are, we found ourselves going for the Orh Nee Croissant. We aren’t expecting a lot for the Orh Nee Croissant considering how Three Little Coconut / Mr. Coconut isn’t an establishment that is known for its bakes and truth to be told, the croissant as is wasn’t something that is particularly impressive – that being said, it does carry some form of a buttery not; all that with a light and flaky exterior though does appear to be on the flatter side as compared to the more artisanal versions served at other establishments would typically be. That being said, we did find that the croissant is actually fairly well filled with Taro filling despite not being seen to be so when we first sliced it into half — it actually does ooze more Orh Nee with every single bite taken into it. We found the Orh Nee filled within the croissant to be one that surpassed what we had initially expected — smooth with a bit of graininess considering the density of the paste; all that whilst carrying an earthiness that has an underlying savouriness, yet with a fragrance of coconut milk without being particularly sweet.

Meanwhile, we had also tried the Coconut MSW Chendol during the same visit to Three Little Coconut at Plantation Plaza — this item is described in the menu to come with elements such as coconut-flavoured snowy ice, Mao Shan Wang meat, Nyonya Chendol, Red Bean, Gula Melaka and Coconut Cream. The coconut-flavoured snowy ice seems to be the same as what they would serve with their Coconut-Flavoured Snowy Ice series of items; the texture being similar to that of the milk ice that is found in Korean Bingsu. The mix of Gula Melaka and Coconut Cream comes with an earthy sweetness and coconut-y fragrance that further complemented the coconut-flavoured snowy ice to bring it closer to what one would expect out of a typical bowl of Chendol; the Red Bean providing yet another dimension of earthiness and sweetness and came with a paste-like texture being a little soft and lumpy — going well together with the other elements within the bowl. The scoop of Mao Shan Wang flesh comes with a pungent note of durian that one would expect — sweet, buttery and with bitter undertones; all that whilst being fibrous and should do well for those whom love durian in general. The only qualm with the Coconut MSW Chendol was the Pandan jelly; the Pandan jelly served with the Chendol offerings at Three Little Coconut is of the more commercially-made sort with a neon green appearance — lacked of a Pandan fragrance that would have added on nicely to the Coconut MSW Chendol otherwise.

Mr. Coconut is an establishment that has formed a solid foundation in its fairly short run in the local F&B scene thus far; their coconut shakes are famed for being particularly refreshing in our tropical climate, and is well-loved amongst locals looking for a thirst quencher whilst going about. Three Little Coconut further expands on what Mr. Coconut has to offer, and is an establishment that manages to successfully integrate its specialty in coconut into its menu to remain cohesive to their branding. No doubt that there are some elements that we feel could be better executed to provide for a more well-rounded experience with their food items, though considering the type of brand that Mr. Coconut is, their attempts are still fair enough and do satiate if one manages their expectations well where some of the details are of concern. Considering the lack of variety of dessert options at Tengah at this current juncture, Three Little Coconut is a spot that Tengah residents would appreciate having around in their neighbourhood!

Got to learn about the new Myeongdong Korean Cuisine that had opened fairly recently within the basement of Bukit Timah Plaza — the Beauty World neighbourhood is an area where there are quite a number of Korean dining establishments that have found home at within the island. Myeongdong Korean Cuisine is situated right beside Sherwood Snack Bar, having taken over the former premises of the now-defunct Prologue By C’rius Bake. Despite occupying a rather modestly-sized shop space, Myeongdong Korean Cuisine is still able to provide its patrons with a dine-in area within its premises; it seems that there is a fair bit of work being done within the interior where the space is decked in a slightly more colourful manner than before — while mostly a vibrant pink aesthetic for its space to match against the wooden accents for its furniture and fittings, one can also find traces of yellow, blue, orange and purple that provides a good contrast for the wallpaper that they have chosen. The dining furniture seems to be carried over from its former tenants however. Being a casual Korean establishment, Myeongdong Korean Cuisine serves up both Korean street food as well as freshly-cooked dishes — somewhat following the trend of Korean establishments such as Mom's Banchan & Food located in the nearby Bukit Timah Shopping Centre and Koryo Jeong at the ground floor of International Plaza. Some of its pre-cooked food packed in plastic containers, as well as Kimbap, Tteokbokki and Cup Fish Cake can be found displayed prominently beside the entrance of the establishment for grab-and-go, while the Banchan and Kimchi that they have to offer are kept in a display chiller right across on the other side of the entrance as well. Otherwise, the menu at Myeongdong Korean Cuisine is split across categories such as Tteokbokki & Fish Cake, Noodles, Kimbap, Bulgogi, Pancake and Stew.

Speak about Korean street food and one thing that cannot be missed would probably be the Cup Tteokbokki.
Myeongdong Korean Cuisine keeps its stock of the Tteokbokki within a metallic container on a table at the front of the establishment around the entrance — the same area as where one can find its pre-packed cooked food offerings in plastic containers, and is pretty much the same as what one would find at street food stalls in Korea. Myeongdong Korean Cuisine does not describe on the elements that one can find in their dishes on the menu; that being said, it can be observed from our order of the Cup Tteokbokki that the dish comes with elements such as fish cakes and rice cakes and a boiled egg — all that with Gochujang (i.e. Korean chili paste). There really isn’t anything that is out of the ordinary with the Cup Tteokbokki that Myeongdong Korean Cuisine serves, but it definitely does still hit the spot for those whom are itching to resolve their cravings for Tteokbokki in general. The Gochujang here does come a little bit more on the sweeter side than actually being spicy — probably one that even those whom are tolerable to lower levels of spiciness would be able to manage. The rice cakes are done with a chewy consistency, while the fish cake comes thin with a bit of a bounciness for a variation of textures — the elements all being pretty sufficient to hit the spot for us to satisfy our cravings for Tteokbokki which we had been having for a while.

During the same visit to Myeongdong Korean Cuisine, we had also decided to give one of their Kimbap a try — something which we usually would go for if we do notice it being served up at Korean dining establishments that we are visiting. Offering quite a variation of meats / seafood for their Kimbap, we found ourselves going for the Tuna Kimbap. One can observe from the Tuna Kimbap that it comes with fish cake, pickles, crab stick, omelette, carrots, tuna in mayonnaise, and beetroot(?) — all wrapped within rice and dried seaweed. The Kimbap comes with a firm bite; some elements like the carrots, beetroot and pickles did provide a crunch, while the tuna in mayonnaise does come with sufficient flavour without being particularly fishy — a good balance of flavours with the rest of the other elements within the Kimbap, while the pickles a tang that cuts through all of that giving a refreshing note to reset the tastebuds. The Black Bean Noodles at Myeongdong Korean Cuisine would essentially be the Jajangmyeon offering here — the version served up at Myeongdong Korean Cuisine would feature noodles, black bean sauce, minced meat, pickles, cucumber and half of a hard boiled egg within the bowl itself. Giving everything a slight toss before digging in, one thing that we noted about the Black Bean Noodles here would be how the noodles seemed to have been done with a softer texture while the black bean sauce itself came being a bit more savoury and less sweet when compared to most other renditions of the Korean Jajangmyeon that we have had elsewhere. Overall, Myeongdong Korean Cuisine does seem to be that sort of establishment that is more about serving up a rendition of Korean fare that feels fuss-free — sure; its offerings are not particularly gastronomical and do not attempt to change the wheel, but they do seem to still turn out well enough to satisfy the cravings at a decent price point with most of its individually-sized offerings being below $15. Its offerings do also make Myeongdong Korean Cuisine a spot quite suitable for individual diners as well; a niche since most Korean dining establishments are positioned for communal dining experiences. Overall, a decent spot that we wouldn’t mind dining at in Bukit Timah Plaza again.

If anything, Kovan seems to be putting itself back on the map when it comes to being the hotspot in the local F&B scene of the late; there has been quite an number of dining establishments that had sprouted out in the vicinity of Kovan MRT Station in recent times including that of Today Restaurant 日日茶室 at Upper Serangoon Road. Located right across the road taking over the former premises of the now-defunct The Bread Shop / Jie Traditional Bread Bakery at 953 Upper Serangoon Road is the new Yut Yun Tong Sui 月圆堂. The whole shophouse has been reworked with Yut Yun Tong Sui taking over its premises — the works done had been pretty extensive from its facade all the way into its interior; the facade features geometrical elements that gives the shop space a unique look, while the interior exudes a look that is close to that of a modern Hong Kong-style tea room with the use of tiled walls, booth seats with rattan-esque and wooden accents and cushions in the shade of royal green. The dining environment is well-lit, and pretty welcoming despite the slightly raw looks when it comes to the half-height stone walls and concrete floors. Being an establishment that serves primarily serves up Chinese-style Tang Shui, the menu at Yut Yun Tong Sui is split across categories such as the Paste Series, Traditional Series, Collagen Series, Coconut Series, Milk Pudding Series, Icy Desserts and Snacks. It is worth noting that there are no beverages being listed in the menu at Yut Yun Tong Sui.

The Durian from the Milk Pudding Series was also one of the items that had caught our attention when we were skimming through the menu to see what Yut Yun Tong Sui has to offer. Unfortunately, we found the Milk Pudding itself to be a little lacking to say the least — the Milk Pudding seemed to have come in a jelly-like texture rather than in a form that is runnier which some would describe to the more alike soya beancurd. This also meant that the milk pudding didn’t really carry that exact milky and creamy flavours that we had expected per the usual milk pudding offerings that other establishments tend to serve up. Nonetheless, the scoop of durian flesh is pretty much on point; this came with loads of fibrous durian flesh and would definitely satisfies those whom are looking for that pungent, sweet and buttery note of durian though it doesn’t really blend into the milk pudding considering the consistency of the milk pudding itself.

We had the “Mixture of either 2 above”in the Paste section of the menu, which we opted for the Black Sesame Paste and the Creamy Custard Paste to be served half-on-half in a single bowl. Digging into the Creamy Custard Paste, one can find that the texture of the Creamy Custard Paste to be pretty smooth and a little runny with a bit of density without being overly starchy at the same time — this keeps the paste from being too heavy to have. Interestingly, the flavours of the Creamy Custard Paste is considered to be pretty milky without the usual sweetness and eggy notes that one would typically associate with custard; quite decent for those looking for something that isn’t overly sweet whilst still of the milky sort — something which we found to be more like the usual double skimmed milk pudding that one would expect as compared to the Milk Pudding Series that they have to offer. The Black Sesame Paste is the meanwhile is smooth yet reasonably dense and comes with a roasty and nutty note; the texture being what some might prefer. When combined to be enjoyed with the Creamy Custard Paste, it adds a milky fragrance that provides a slightly richer note to the Black Sesame Paste without being particularly sweet.

The Watermelon Aiyu with Sago is one of those items that is being listed in the “Coconut Series” section of the menu — this dessert is observed to have come with cubes of watermelon, sago, Aiyu Jelly and a splash of coconut milk. This is one of the more refreshing desserts here that we have had during our visit to Yut Yun Tong Sui; the watermelon cubes are sliced in chunks that allow one to actually have a bit of sago and Aiyu Jelly to go along with it — this allows one to get that refreshing sweetness of watermelon that gives a light, fibrous bite to go along with the slippery smooth Aiyu Jelly, as well as the slightly chewy sago that all in one spoonful. The addition of coconut milk further thickens the juices of the watermelon, providing a depth of flavours of all else that comes within the bowl.

We had also given the Handmade HK Egg Tart a go during our visit to Yut Yun Tong Sui — it is noted that the Handmade HK Egg Tart is sold as a single piece here. Coming with a cookie crust, we did note that the tart base of the Handmade HK Egg Tart at Yut Yun Tong Sui does hold up the egg curd above it pretty well and crumbles rather neatly as one takes a bite into it. The egg curd within baked egg tart does come soft and jiggly — pretty on-point when it came to the texture, though it also felt that it quite lacked the eggy fragrance and that bit of sweetness that would help bring out the flavours better perhaps in an attempt to manage the overall level of sweetness that the Handmade HK Egg Tart would carry.

Meanwhile, the Durian Mochi is an item which seems to be misnamed in its menu; the Durian Mochi turned up at our table being a durian crepe, whilst we do note that there is no durian crepes listed on the menu at Yut Yun Tong Sui anyway. The insides of the durian crepe also does not feature any mochi elements though it does come with the usual suspects of a dessert crepe served up by establishments serving up Chinese-style Tang Shui — fresh cream and fibrous durian flesh. A classic combination that never goes wrong, the crepe is stuffed with quite a good load of fresh cream and durian flesh within, with the durian flesh carrying a pungent note and a fibrous texture much like the scoop of durian flesh served with the Durian Milk Pudding that would be bound to satisfy the fans of the King of Fruits. Having tried a good number of what Yut Yun Tong Sui has to serve up, it does seem that there are quite a few hits and misses with the dessert items that they have to offer — some just seemingly falling short of what one would reasonably expect like the Milk Pudding, while some like the Durian Mochi comes misnamed and therefore misaligning with what its patrons would expect. That being said, elements like the durian flesh, as well as the Paste and Coconut Series offerings were pretty satisfactory. With prices of most of its desserts from $3.80 to $8.80 (the Icy Dessert series ranging from $12.80 to $16.80), Yut Yun Tong Sui is one spot that would likely see a healthy crowd seeking a sweet treat to end their meal off in the area that has an abundance of late night establishments to dine at!

Apart from the opening of Yut Yun Tong Sui 月圆堂 and Today Restaurant 日日茶室 around the Kovan neighbourhood, there is also a few other dining establishments that had also opened around the same area in recent times. Located just slightly away from Yut Yun Tong Sui and Today Restaurant would be Redhill Braised Duck Kway Chap that had found itself a spot within Simon Road — this would be the very same stretch of shophouses where one would find notable establishments such as that of the very first location of Lola’s Cafe and the remaining location of FATCAT Ice Cream & Coffee Boutique. Situated in the middle of the entire stretch of shophouses there, Redhill Braised Duck Kway Chap should be an establishment that is fairly easy to find — this is considering how the shop facade is painted in a bright red, while the lit signboard features a black and red colour scheme that is especially contrasting when one walks past the establishment in the evening. Inside, the establishment is decked in a similarly contrasting colour scheme of orange and black; the dining area mostly comprises of booth seating catering to larger groups of diners, though there are some two-seater tables and four-seater tables with regular dining chairs / cushioned stools as well. The colour contrast, as well as the use of neon lightings within the brightly-lit space does give the space a bit of a modern and vibrant look — something that is not so much expected for an establishment that serves up the sort of cuisine that they do. As the namesake of the shop suggests, Redhill Braised Duck Kway Chap is an establishment that serves braised duck and Kway Chap as its core offerings; the menu is categorised into sections dedicated to Kway Chap, Rice, Noodles and Add Ons, while beverages offered at Redhill Braised Duck Kway Chap would include Nanyang-style Kopi & Teh, Calamansi Juice, Ice Lemon Tea, Honey Citron, Assorted Fruit & Flower Tea and canned drinks — just to name a few. It is also worth noting that the Redhill Braised Duck Kway Chap brand does seem to have a heritage behind it though it doesn’t remain obvious to us at the point of writing — some would probably notice the “Since 1986” script that comes underneath the namesake of the establishment in its logo.

Given how Redhill Braised Duck Kway Chap is an establishment that specialises in their Kway Chap, it is needless to say that we had found ourselves gravitating to order the 1 pax serving of the Kway Chap Set that they have to offer. Going for the Kway Chap Set, the Kway Chap Set here features a platter of braised items that patrons can opt for it to be accompanied with a bowl of rice, or with a bowl of Kway Chap on the side; our choice was to go for the latter. It can be observed from our order of the Kway Chap Set (1 pax) that the platter of braised items include braised Tau Kwa, braised pork belly, braised pig skin, braised egg, and braised intestines. These items do come all braised and we liked how the braising liquid here is aptly flavourful without causing the other elements to feel overly saltish even despite the elements having absorbed the flavours of the braising liquid here. The pork belly here is a good balance of leaner parts and more gelatinous parts that give a good bite whilst still being tender — all that whilst not carrying any undesirable porky stench. The braised intestines were also clean and did not carry any odour; all that whilst also not being particularly rubbery — the braised pig skin also being all soft and jiggly for a good contrast of textures with the other pork elements in the same dish. Meanwhile, the braised Tau Kwa comes all smooth but firm; easy to chew through as well. Pairing the chili that one can help themselves to at the self-service condiment bar, the chilli helps to add a zingy and zippy note with a bit of a tang to the braised items — all that whilst coming with a level of spiciness that tickles the tastebuds and should be manageable for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness.

For the bowl of Kway Chap, we especially loved the smooth and slippery broad sheets of rice noodles that glides down the throat effortlessly; all that whilst swimming in a comforting broth that comes lightly savoury with a bit of a herbal note — slightly garlicky from the addition of shallots as well which we found to speak to the soul. At $6.80, the Kway Chap Set (1 pax) at Redhill Braised Duck Kway Chap definitely delivered — a variant of the Kway Chap in which we found to be very delicious even though we aren’t typically ones whom would go for Kway Chap as our choice of a meal; there was just something so satisfying to the point that piqued our interest to find ourselves more about the dish in general. Portions can be a little bit on the smaller side for some but it does still cater for most whom do not have a big appetite anyway. A spot that Kovan residents would likely find themselves appreciate having in their neighbourhood in time to come!

Another day and another establishment that seems to be serving up Orh Nee Butter Toast? Got to learn about the opening of the new Tina’s Cafe 翠芳咖啡室 from social media — they are the latest addition to the Everton Park neighbourhood, taking over the former premises of the now-defunct O Happi Place that was situated at Blk 5 Everton Park before its closure. For those whom are unaware Tina’s Cafe is a new concept by the same folks behind Edith Patisserie / Edith Patisserie Cake Bar; whilst these folks primarily do operate more as a takeaway establishment / orders-only basis during their initial years, the opening of Edith Patisserie Cake Bar at 9 Penang Road did see the brand go into cafe operations with a dine-in element. With that being said, Tina’s Cafe can be described as an operation into unfamiliar territory for these folks considering how it serves up savoury food; the establishment is being set-up as a tribute to the co-founder’s mother that “celebrates her life and legacy” serving up the comfort food that she used to enjoy whom has sadly passed due to cancer in 2024. The space had been through a fair bit of a revamp ever since its days of being O Happi Place; the entire space is now being sealed up more like the typical shop unit that one can find within Everton Park — now decked with a pastel pink facade, the shop unit keeps a vibrant look whilst still keeping a look that is still in-sync with its neighbours. Illustrations of Hainanese-style breakfast with a cup of Kopi can be found on the window that overlooks the interior of the space, while the space within is simply decked with tables with wooden tops, plastic chairs with a rattan-esque accent that is matched with walls featuring geometrical elements and a concrete flooring — simple yet modern with a slightly local touch. Most of the tables at Tina’s Cafe caters for group sizes between two (2) to four (4) pax. The menu at Tina’s Cafe is split across categories which includes Nanyang Breakfast Sets, Sandwiches, All Day Breakfast, Nasi Lemak, Snacks and Pandan Waffles. There is also quite a list of Cakes and Pastries that are available on the menu at Tina’s Cafe — there are also some sliced cakes from Edith Patisserie that can be found stocked within display fridge and the counter. Beverages available at Tina’s Cafe will include Nanyang-style Kopi and Teh, as well as Honey Lemon and Milo — just to name a few.

We have been going all around the island scouting for Orh Nee Butter Toast and we knew that we were definitely giving this a go when we were skimming through the menu of Tina’s Cafe. As per how most establishments serve up their Hainanese-style toast offerings, Tina’s Cafe does allow their patrons to either having the Orh Nee Butter Toast ala-carte or as part of a breakfast set — the breakfast set would see the toast coming with soft-boiled eggs and a choice of Hot Kopi / Teh that comes along at the side. Some waiting time is required for the Orh Nee Butter Toast; it is interesting to note that Tina’s Cafe serves up their Hainanese-style toast using white bread that has been grilled to a beautiful brown char on the surface. Whilst carrying a slightly crusty exterior, the white bread still retains a soft, fluffy consistency — it also seems to have been packed with quite a generous serving of yam paste that comes in a light, purple hue as well as a slab of chilled butter in the middle. Upon closer observation, we also noted specks of orange within the yam paste as well — seemingly suggesting the use of pumpkin puree which is also an element that one may find in the typical yam paste. The yam paste here does come a little dense but is still smooth in its texture; itself seemingly focusing more on the earthiness of yam while the specks of pumpkin does help to add a bit of a natural sweetness to the yam paste. With that being said, we did feel that the slab of butter was a little bit overly-generous; the saltish-ness of the butter does cut into the earthy notes of the yam paste causing the Orh Nee Butter Toast to feel a little off-balance at times in its flavour. That being said, we do still think that the Orh Nee Butter Toast is a good attempt to serve up a Hainanese-style breakfast toast with yam paste nonetheless.

Tina’s Cafe is an establishment where local-style breakfasts meets western-style breakfasts; perhaps a move that falls in line with serving up hearty, simple and comforting breakfast-style food to its patrons. For those wanting to try the different versions of its All Day Breakfast menu in one seating, the item to go for would be the Tina’s Breakfast Platter which is described in the menu to come with elements such as eggs, bacon, ham, chicken sausage, baked beans, hashbrown, toasted bread and mixed greens. That being said, we didn’t need that much of a variety of cured meats nor the baked beans; and so we have went with the Eggs with Bacon instead which comes with bacon, hashbrowns (seemingly replaced with toasted bread for our order instead; something which we were not informed of) and mixed greens. Patrons do get a choice to opt between sunny side-up and scrambled eggs for their choice of eggs — we found ourselves opting for the latter. The scrambled eggs do come in a runny consistency; pretty moist, whilst coming with a creamy undertone that pairs well with the toasted bread that is beautifully browned to a crisp. The strips of bacon that accompanied the Eggs with Bacon were turkey bacon and these came crisp with a slight chewiness to it; all that whilst being suitably savoury much like how one would expect cured meats to be. Meanwhile, the mixed greens provides a balance to the other elements on the same plate; the leafy greens having been lightly-drizzled with Goma dressing for a roasty note and a creamy consistency whilst coming along with good flavour.

During our visit, we had also given their Egg Tart a go. Sold in portion sizes of a single piece, the Egg Tart at Tina’s Cafe is definitely one of the better ones that are around. Served warm, the Egg Tart comes with a flaky pastry base that was light and crisp without being particularly greasy — also holds up the egg curd that sits in the middle pretty well. The egg curd within is also soft and jiggly with a beancurd-esque texture; all that whilst coming with a prominent eggy note that isn’t overly sweet — one of the egg tarts out there that is worth making a trip for. We also had the Kopi (Hot) — we weren’t expecting too much for the Kopi at Tina’s Cafe considering how Edith Patisserie is an establishment that serves up espresso-based specialty coffee; that being said, the Kopi at Tina’s Cafe seem to have better pulled than some that we have had at hawker centre stalls / coffeeshops. This was a roasty cuppa with a robust flavour profile that comes with a good caffeinated kick — all that without being overly sweet at the same time; very well-balanced and certainly a cuppa that we enjoyed.

Tina’s Cafe is an establishment that is stemmed from its desire to serve up comfort food in memory of a loved one who cherished the simplest things in life; one could definitely feel the sincerity behind the food that they have to offer, which is in itself rather different from what Edith Patisserie has been all about. Whilst we hadn’t given their Nasi Lemak offerings a go, we are definitely more impressed with the Egg Tart and the Kopi that we have had, while the Eggs with Bacon is something that pretty much embodied the spirit of Tina’s Cafe being a simple yet unpretentious offering that is predictable, yet satisfying. Prices of the food at Tina’s Cafe also seems to have been kept quite affordable to its patrons — the most expensive dish listed at Tina’s Cafe would be the Tina’s Breakfast Platter priced at $14.80; still below the price point of $15 while most items do not cross the $10 mark either. Service was a little slow with staff being a little confused when we dropped by the establishment on the first day of its operations; that being said, these do seem like teething issues that these folks should be able to resolve in the long run. We do think that Tina’s Cafe is a spot worthy to check out for those looking for a breakfast-style offerings within Everton Park that is familiar, yet with a modern twist — this is despite the area having quite a number of cafe options within the area offering more glitzier and hipster brunch fare such as the likes of Cafe Wabi Sabi and Hello Arigato. Looking forward to returning to Tina’s Cafe to give their various Nasi Lemak items and the Homemade Kaya Butter Toast a shot some time soon!

It has been a while since the BreadTalk group had introduced a concept with a nostalgic coffeeshop vibe after the openings of the Toast Box outlet at Ngee Ann City, as well as both Toast Box Coffee House and Today Restaurant 日日茶室 at Tiong Bahru in 2024 — that being said, the group seems to be starting the year of 2025 with a bang with the opening of Today Restaurant’s second location at Upper Serangoon Road. This outlet of Today Restaurant is situated within walking distance away from Kovan MRT Station; the establishment taking over the former premises of the coffeeshop where Yi Dian Xin Hong Kong Dim Sum 一点心港式点心 was once located at. The Today Restaurant location at Upper Serangoon Road is decked fairly similarly to the very first location of Today Restaurant at Tiong Bahru — the space had been decked in a vibe that replicates the look of an old-school coffeeshop way back during simpler times; there are some cues of nostalgia that one can observe within the space such as the abacus hung on the walls, as well as fittings replicating old mailboxes and the vintage payphone placed around one of the pillars of the establishment. There is plenty of dine-in seating that can be found around the space; most of which features colourful tables that replicate old-school Formica tables matched with wooden chairs and stools to further go with that retro look. Much like Today Restaurant at Tiong Bahru, Today Restaurant at Kovan is a multi-concept eatery almost similar to the likes of an actual coffeeshop with several brands located under one roof — the main offerings would be that of Today Kampung Chicken Rice 日日甘榜鸡饭 and Tonight Zichar 夜夜煮炒; the latter being available form 5pm to 3am. Other tenants that share a space with Today Kampung Chicken Rice and Tonight Zichar within Today Restaurant includes First Street Teochew Fish Soup 第一街潮州鱼汤 and First Street Fried Prawn Noodles 第一街炒虾面, as well as the Today Kopi / Nanyang Toast stall tucked right at the end of the space.

Despite being much of the same concept within Today Restaurant at Tiong Bahru, there are some slight differences in the items offered at Today Kampung Chicken Rice, Tonight Zichar and Today Kopi / Nanyang Toast at the Today Restaurant in Kovan. That being said, we had decided to give First Street Fried Prawn Noodles a go instead considering how they seemed to be a relatively new entrant introduced by Today Restaurant at its Kovan location. There are only two (3) items listed on the menu at First Street Fried Prawn Noodles; one being the Signature Big Prawn Fried Prawn Noodles and the other being the Fried Prawn Noodles; the former comes in a single portion size that is priced at $12, while the latter comes in three portion sizes that are priced at $6, $8 and $10 respectively. We went for the Fried Prawn Noodles at the smallest portion priced at $6. There is some waiting time involved with the cooking of our order, though patrons are issued electronic buzzers to collect their order at the counter once it is ready. While the menu at Today Restaurant does not describe the elements that goes into their dishes, it can be observed from our order of the Fried Prawn Noodles that it comes with sotong, prawns, pork lard, sliced pork, omelette, beansprouts and spring onions that had been simmered in a broth that is also served with a mix of thick rice noodles and yellow noodles.

The Fried Prawn Noodles are done with a slightly more dry consistency here, having seemed to have absorbed all the umami-ness of the stock that it is being simmered in; the stock being adequately thick and flavourful, while the noodles does seem to come with a very light touch of wok-hei. The addition of Sotong does provide for a springy bite, while the three (3) pieces of prawns were reasonably fresh and came with a sweetness that it inherently carries; the sliced pork adding a chunky meatiness that gives a bit of bite without being particularly porky, while the chopped-up omelette adds a fluffiness in between the chunks of meat, slurpy noodles and umami broth. Mixing the sambal into the noodles, this helps to add a zingy yet savoury note with a level of spiciness that should be manageable for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness; the addition of beansprouts also provided a dimension of crunch for more texture.

Meanwhile, the Kopi from the Today Kopi / Nanyang Toast stall is largely consistent to what one can expect out of Toast Box outlets / the beverage stalls at Food Republic food courts — we did find that the mugs used at Today Restaurant at Kovan to come with a nostalgic flair; the Kopi also does seemed to be served less sweet by default as well. It was initially thought that the Upper Serangoon Road area around Kovan would had lost a dining establishment that is opened till late when the previous operator of the coffeeshop had moved out of the premises before Today Restaurant has occupied the space — we are pretty glad to see how Today Restaurant has preserved that with its operations of Tonight Zichar going past well over midnight. With that being said, it remains to be seen if the popularity of Today Restaurant would only last for during its initial phase of opening, or if it would be for the long-term. That being said, one could also only wonder if we will be seeing more of such concepts from the BreadTalk group opening up all across the island in time to come …

For those whom have been following us for quite a while, perhaps one of the things that most would know is how we had been following the folks behind Wild Coco for a while; whilst they had first started operations within a coffeeshop-like set-up at McNair Road, these folks had certainly grown quite a fair bit over time. Though their McNair Road outlet has since shut for a bigger space at Hamilton Road, the brand had also expanded its operations with another outlet situated at Circular Road. These folks are not resting on their laurels, and they have since opened yet another new space this time within the Central Business District along McCallum Street — they had taken over the ground level of the shophouse that some would probably recall being the location of the now-defunct Telok Ayer Arts Club and now-defunct City Donuts (a Mala Tang establishment had occupied by the same premises briefly subsequent to City Donuts moving out of the space). It does seem that the folks behind The Coconut Club has renovated the space to replicate the vibes of an old-school coffeeshop; the style is somewhat similar to that of their Circular Road outlet with the use of tiled floors and walls and furniture and fittings that feature a wooden accent, though much simpler. There is a slight rustic vibe in the decor used in the space, while the space is brightly-lit with natural lighting coming in from the large windows at the main entrance. Much like their other locations such as the Hamilton Road and the Circular Road outlets, the menu is split into sections such as Nasi Lemak, Fresh from Wok, Only at Wild Coco, Sides, Laksa by Laksa Labo, Shakes and Dessert, and Home Made Nyonya Kueh & Kaya. The Shakes and Dessert section of the menu does contain a number of drinks, though Wild Coco also does offer Traditional Teh as well as Traditional Gourmet Kopi for beverages — more on their Traditional Gourmet Kopi later below.

As with other Wild Coco locations when they had first opened their doors, Wild Coco does serve up a few outlet-exclusive items that are only available at their McCallum Street location — the outlet-exclusive Nasi Lemak items at McCallum Street includes the Ayam Kecap Manis Madu Leg / Breast Set, as well as the Nasi Lemak Vegetarian. Unfortunately, both of the outlet exclusive items are not available during our visit made during Wild Coco’s soft launch at their McCallum Street location. With this in mind, we went for the Ayam Berempah (Leg) Burnt Green Chili Set; a twist to their signature Ayam Berempah Leg Set which we had been having at their other outlets thus far since their McNair Road days. The menu at Wild Coco describes the Ayam Berempah (Leg) Burnt Green Chili Set comes with the coconut-infused rice, Berempah chicken leg, sunny side up, Ikan Bilis, peanut, Sambal, Japanese cucumber, as well as Sambal Hijau that comes above the chicken leg. For patrons whom prefer to have chicken breast over chicken leg, there is also the Ayam Berempah (Breast) Burnt Green Chili Set to go for. The coconut-infused rice from Wild Coco is made with fresh coconut milk; we have always liked how Wild Coco’s Nasi Lemak rice always comes with a subtle hint of coconut milk that lingers at the back of the tastebuds — very fragrant, yet still fluffy with the rice being aptly moist with each grain being distinguishable from one another. The Ayam Berempah (Leg) is well-executed; the chicken leg being tender with the juices of the meat being locked in; the fried exterior being all light and crisp and carrying a very light hint of spices such as lemongrass that was being used in the preparation process — nothing too greasy as well. The addition of the Burnt Green Chili adds this smoky, yet dull savouriness with a slight tang that provides a further flavour to the fried chicken; kept things easy to eat, whilst gelling well with the Nasi Lemak as well. The sunny side up comes with soft whites, crisp brown edges and a molten egg yolk — does not reek of any odour of overused oil, while the sambal that comes in its own saucer carries a good sweetness. Both the Nasi Lemak Sambal and the Burnt Green Chili come with a slightly fiery kick — the level of spiciness being pretty manageable for those whom have moderate tolerance to spiciness, while the Ikan Bilis carries a crisp crunch.

During the same visit to their McCallum Street outlet, we also decided to give some of their Kueh offerings a go — something which we would usually not give a miss if dining at a Wild Coco location. We had previously given the Kueh Bingka, Kueh Bingka Gula Melaka and Kueh Salat a go when we made the visit to their Circular Road location previously; we had decided to give the Kueh Dadar and Kueh Ko Swee a go this time round. The Kueh Dadar comes pretty standard with the Pandan-infused crepe layer encasing Gula Melaka-drenched desiccated coconut within. We liked how the Pandan-infused crepe wasn’t too thick, while the Gula Melaka-drenched desiccated coconut was fresh and suitably sweet without clouding the tastebuds in sweetness. Meanwhile, the Kueh Ko Swee comes in a serving size of two pieces for one serving; we loved how the Kueh Ko Swee comes pillowy soft and bouncy — all that without being sticky to the teeth with a deep and earthy sweetness that one would associate with Gula Melaka. Much like the Kueh Dadar, the Kueh Ko Swee is not overly sweet, while the exterior of the Kueh Ko Swee is covered in desiccated coconut like how one would expect it to be. One thing that is worth noting at their McCallum Street outlet about their Traditional Gourmet Kopi is how they are all pulled using the espresso machine — this is quite similar to the ones that are done by other establishments like Generation Coffee Kopi More at Golden Mile Food Centre, Lim’s Kopi at Chinatown Complex Food Centre, Star Coffee at Bukit Merah Central Food Centre and the beverage stall at Shifu Food Court at Bras Basah Complex. Unlike other Wild Coco outlets that brews their Kopi using the traditional brewing methods for Nanyang-style Kopi, the Wild Coco location at McCallum Street uses a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans to brew their Kopi.

The hot Kopi does come with a slightly more robust note in its body that is much similar to the Kopi that Generation Coffee serves up, though it does seem that Wild Coco has calibrated it in such a way that it does not result in the cuppa being too punchy with its caffeinated kick — all that whilst being a little bit on the sweeter side to balance things out a bit. Overall, quite a good rendition of Nanyang-style Kopi brewed using the espresso machine that is still fairly balanced in our opinion considering how some variations of the same can turn out being a bit too bold and sharp in its flavour profile. We do say this quite a fair bit but it’s always wonderful to see how brands like Wild Coco has come such a long way in their journey in the local F&B scene — still remember how these folks started off being a promising establishment when they had first opened their doors at McNair Road. There had been some bumps that the brand has faced in the introduction of their various menu items over the years, but it does seem that Wild Coco has found its way whilst navigating their way around the local F&B scene through the feedback that they have been gathering along the way. The introduction of new items along with the improvisation of its signature items is what helps Wild Coco attract new patrons, whilst also enticing return customers to drop by again — it is little wonder how these folks have become a name that some will quote on the mention of places serving up Malaysian-style Nasi Lemak in Singapore. Looking forward to being back after they have launched officially to give their Ayam Kecap Manis Madu Leg / Breast Set, as well as other beverages from the Traditional Gourmet Kopi section of the menu a go — as always, we would like to congratulate these folks for the opening of their newest location, and would also like to wish them all the best in what is to come!

Got to learn about the existence of House of Mi 米之家 whilst passing by Bras Basah Complex the other day; House of Mi can be found within the Shifu 食福 Food Court located at Blk 231 Bain Street within Bras Basah Complex along the same stretch of stalls as HARU-HARU はるはる which is best known for serving up Japanese rice dishes with Mentaiko. As it seems, this isn’t House of Mi’s only location around the island; the brand has also mentioned of another outlet that is situated within the SG Hawker food court at Changi Airport Terminal 1 that they also operate from as well. The stall facade of House of Mi’s outlet at Bras Basah Complex is fairly attention-grabbing with its bright yellow lights that form the background to its signboard bearing the namesake of the stall; all that without being illustrations of the dishes that they serve up at the side. Translating its Chinese namesake into English, House of Mi actually means “Rice House”; considering so, it does seem that the items of the menu at House of Mi surrounds around rice items which also includes that of rice noodles as well. The menu at House of Mi is segregated into three broad categories; Rice, Noodles and Stone Grind Rice Rolls with Additional Dishes that one can also add-on being listed as well.

There is quite a variety of items that is being listed in the Stone Grind Rice Rolls menu that House of Mi has to offer; that being said, the Rice Roll Trio is the one to go for if one wishes to give a variety of their Stone Grind Rice Rolls dishes a go if they are looking to try multiple items in one seating. The Rice Roll Trio comprises of Fresh Egg Rice Roll, Pork Mince Rice Roll, and the Shrimp Rice Roll. House of Mi serves up their rice rolls freshly-made upon order; their Stone Grind Rice Rolls being one that is of a Cantonese-style that explains its similarity with the Hong Kong-style rice rolls which one would typically find at dim sum specialty stores. One thing worth noting here is how the rice rolls is doused in sufficient soy sauce. The rice rolls here does come with a wrinkly aesthetic that is typical of rice rolls made with stone-grind rice slurry; other establishments serving up such style of rice rolls would include that of Chef Leung’s Authentic Hand-milled Rice Noodle Rolls 梁師傅腸粉 at Chinatown Complex Market & Food Centre and the now-defunct Rice & Roll at Blk 107 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4. The rice rolls here does come with a springy and bouncy texture without sticking to the teeth; the rice rolls does come across as a little bit dense and not quite as delicate as the slippery and smooth ones that Chef Leung’s Authentic Hand-milled Rice Noodle Rolls serve up, but still bears quite a significant difference from the usual rice rolls that one would come across at dim sum specialty stores nonetheless.

The Shrimp variant was the most predictable version of the lot carrying a natural sweetness of crustaceans; provided a good bite whilst being pretty fresh while at it — the Fresh Egg Rice Roll comes with an egg that is done in the same style as one would expect with Roti Prata Egg. This also meant that there is a lot more bite from the egg that the rice rolls are lined around, though this would also take away a bit of that springy texture of the rice rolls would otherwise inherently carry. The Pork Mince rendition would prove to be the most interesting of the lot; one that features tender and juicy chunks of pork that carried a slight tang to take away some of that meatiness of the pork — very similar to the pork fillings that one would find in a Xiao Long Bao that really works well with the soy sauce. We did feel that the accompanying soy sauce was a little heavier in flavours; more savoury and lacks the delicate balance of sweet-saltishness that the light soy sauce which typically comes with Hong Kong-style rice vermicelli rolls usually feature. At $7, House of Mi’s Rice Roll Trio can be described as a little pricey even for a rice roll dish — most establishments have their renditions priced a little lower, though their Stone Grind Rice Rolls dishes are priced from $4.00 to $7.30: the lowest-priced being the Fresh Egg Rice Roll and the priciest being the Beef Mince Rice Roll with Egg (though there is also a rendition that is priced at $5.80). Still a pretty decent eat for those looking to have a light meal at Shifu Food Court that works fine for those willing to shell out the money for it.