Mrs Kuan Coffee

Had been going around Marine Parade MRT Station along the Thomson-East Coast Line and got to learn that the area around Exits 4 to 6 had been recently adapted to into an underground charity and commercial care hub named The Anchor @ Marine Parade. Whilst most of the tenants within this area are pretty much community care facilities and welfare organisations, there is a space provisioned for a convenience store and a cafe within the area. Located near Exit 4 would be Mrs Kuan Cafe — though a new entrant to the local F&B scene by name, the cafe is also opened by the same folks behind 七里香QILIXIANG that operates a dine-in establishment at Royal Square at Novena and a takeaway store in Toa Payoh North. Mrs Kuan Cafe takes up well-sized shop unit in the area; the seating space sees the dining tables spaced a good distance apart from one another while there is also an area dedicated as a stage for live music performances. Sticking close to what both QILIXIANG outlets have to offer which mainly comprises of Malaysian-style Chinese fare with a few other items to boast, the menu is split into sections dedicated to Nasi Lemak, Rice Meal, Noodles & Specials, Traditional Toast Set, Wraps, Sushi Sandwich, Snacks and Bento.

It is worth nothing that the range of Sushi Sandwich found in the menu had been previously exclusively available only to the Toa Payoh North outlet of QILIXIANG — considering how we had only visited QILIXIANG in its different iterations at Royal Square at Novena, it is needless to say that we were pretty excited to give their Sushi Sandwich a try during our visit to Mrs Kuan Cafe. Of the range of Sushi Sandwich available, we went for the Otak-Lah which is described to come with elements such as premium Otak and light Tomyam sauce — other elements that are served by default in all the Sushi Sandwich items are cabbage, pickled cucumber, soft Tamagoyaki and Sushi Rice. Sinking our teeth into the Otak-Lah Sushi Sandwich, the premium Otak does come pretty chunky with quite a fair bit of thickness to it — soft, yet hints evidently of the Rempah spices that is used to marinate the fish paste which gives it a savoury and spicy note that should be manageable for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness. The sushi rice does seem packed a little loosely and also had a tendency to slide off from within the sushi sandwich, though does come sufficiently sticky whilst elements like the the Tamagoyaki adds a soft and fluffy texture with a distinct egginess that further adds onto the Sushi Sandwich. Other elements such as the cabbage and pickled cucumber adds a refreshing crunch to the Sushi Sandwich, whilst the addition of the light Tomyam sauce felt like a Tomyam-infused mayonnaise that is appropriately creamy yet zingy and zippy that helps to bring all of the elements within the Otak-Lah Sushi Sandwich together.