Unique & Traditional Yusheng Options at Tanamera Coffee for Lunar New Year

How intriguing – Pecel Yusheng ($45.80+) is Tanamera Coffee’s spin on lunar new year yusheng, which has a variety of veggie noodles, fried tofu (which we forgot to put in frame for the picture 😂), hard boiled eggs, peanut crackers & smoked salmon. Definitely getting some good fibre & nutrients in with carrots, red & white cabbage, radish, turnip, cucumber & capsicum here.

Pecel Yusheng (imagine the fried tofu is also in frame…)

With an Indonesian-style peanut sauce as the dressing, this reminded me of gado-gado in salad form that you can toss & shout auspicious sayings while doing so.

I found this unique & quite delicious… Petition to put this permanently on the menu as an option, please! They actually already have this on the regular menu as Pecel ($11.80+), but it comes with veggie sticks instead of thin veggies noodles.

I loved the oodles of spirulized noodles, although great care must be taken when apportioning them as they are really long strands…. But I guess that symbolizes mucho longevity 长命百岁 am I right?? 🕺🏻

Tanamera Coffee also offers the Traditional Yusheng ($45.80+) option – it is what you’d expect it to be, & I appreciate that this dish isn’t as sweet as some other yushengs I’ve had.

Special shout-out to the copious amounts of crackers 黄金满地, which I believe kids would love… & perhaps adults too (adults are essentially just very big kids, right?). My family always adds an extra packet of crackers to our yusheng for the kids each year 😊

A 3-day advance order must be placed for all yusheng orders; last day to do so is CNY Day 1 初一 22nd Jan 2023 (for it to be ready on the 25th). If you purchase 2 yusheng platters (Pecel or Traditional yusheng), you can get them for a special promo price of $88+ for a pair.

Thanks Burpple for the invite & Nana from Tanamera Coffee for the hospitality! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Indoor seats available
☀️ Outdoor seats available
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope
🍴 Burpple Beyond partner: 1-for-1 Mains / Beverages
🙋🏻‍♀️ Service charge applicable (for dine-in)
🚫 No GST
📶 Free WiFi available

Republic Bar – Christmas Drinks Now Available!

It’s that time of year again… & Republic Bar has a Festive Cocktails menu with 5 options (at $26++ a pop) to get your Christmas spirit on. Available daily ’til 31st December 2022, from 5:30pm onwards.

I couldn’t pass up Eggnog (pictured in the tall glass, next to the Negroni), as it is one of my favourite things about Christmas – especially the alcoholic variant. Creamy, sweet drinks deviate vastly from my typical go-to flavour profile for cocktails… But this is probably the only exception.

Expectedly, this is dangerously easy to drink. Quite reminiscent of when I’d put Bailey’s in my milk & cereal, & sit at the back of the LT to inconspicuously slurp it up during class. But this drink is better, in part because it isn’t as sweet as the “cereal milk” left behind post-meal.

The lightness in the whipped texture of cream & egg provides a comforting mouthfeel in every sip. & as you swallow, you get the warm contrasting depth of the dark spirits – Barcadi 8 & Michter’s Bourbon. Of course, there is that touch of nutmeg for a homely Christmas feel… The warm hug that envelopes everything so nicely together.

I enjoyed this from start to finish, but am cognizant that I might be a little bit biased, festival-wise. Try it for yourself & pass your own judgement 😉

Hot Buttered Rum ($26++) was recommended by one of the friendly waitresses. I originally thought I’d stop at 1 Christmas drink, having had a few from the regular menu already… But this sounded too good to pass up.

I was pleasantly surprised.. I loved this even more than Eggnog! Super baffled – because I eat my kaya toast without butter (don’t judge), yet I’d happily drink a litre of this warm, comforting buttery rum…? What sorcery is this!?

Perhaps it was the simplicity of this drink that won me over: Bacardi 8, butter, festive spices. & as I’d mentioned above, it’s served warm. So past the creamy top that gives you a comical moustache, you get that warm fuzzy feeling inside that feels almost self-healing. Mana regen ftw.

Other drinks on Republic Bar’s Festive Cocktails menu:

𝑴𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒆 ($26++)
Remy Martin VSOP, Shiraz, Citrus, Festive Spices

𝑷𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒂 ($26++)
Telmont Champagne, Cointreau, Cranberry Juice

𝑷𝒊𝒎𝒎’𝒔 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒖𝒑 ($26++)
Pimm’s No. 1, Lager, Ginger

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Indoor seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations – I used SevenRooms
💦 Water is not chargeable; neither are the dish of nuts served as nibbles
📍 Inside the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia

The Dragon Chamber – Incognito Modern Chinese Cuisine

Admittedly, I was drawn to The Dragon Chamber because of how fascinating it is to enter the premises – through what looks like a fridge door.

Enter the Dragon Chamber

I was on the hunt for a Chinese restaurant to bring my tourist friend from the US to. The interior seats here looked comfortable enough for a good catch up session. & indeed, it was… Not too noisy as well, as the tables were spaced out nicely.

Interior & Bar Area of The Dragon Chamber

There are several unique, head-turning items on their menu, e.g. Dragon Claw ($60++), D*** Soup ($30++) (just a crocodile’s penis in soup), Flaming Pineapple Beef ($32++), but for the less adventurous there are regular, tasty options to choose from. & vegetarian options as well.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Wasabi Prawn with Tobiko ($26++ Small/$48++ Large). Several places over-fry the prawns & they end up being dry on the inside, overly oily on the outside… But not The Dragon Chamber.

This small portion was enough for 2 pax to share. The batter was light & crispy, & the sautéed de-shelled prawns remained juicy with a firm bite to them. Wasabi sauce was more creamy than spicy; I would’ve liked more of a kick to it, but that isn’t a crime. Lots of tobiko atop each piece for that added crunch. Would order this again.

As a yolk-porn egg lover, I couldn’t pass up the Wagyu Truffle Beef Hor Fun ($32++ Small/$58++ Large). Coupled with the fact that it has everything I love in a bowl.

While I found the presence of truffle lacking in this dish, it made up for it on other fronts: Silky smooth noodles & tender slices of wagyu beef, tied together by a copious amount of rich sauce to tantalize your taste buds.

After this was served to our table, our waitress broke the yolk & mixed everything nicely for us. So get your phones/cameras out for a nice video opportunity, & some oohs & aahs….

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations – I used Chope
💦 Water is not chargeable

Mui Siong Bak Chor Mee – Delicious, Umami, Livery

Mui Siong’s Tampines franchise is situated in an air conditioned coffeeshop. The premises are pretty clean & well ventilated.. In fact, I was quite cold when I was there ‘cos it was raining heavily outside. But I’d imagine the aircon would be good respite from the usual sweltering heat outdoors, on other days.

My honest verdict: Sibeh shiok. Especially in this cold weather.

This $5 Minced Meat Noodles gives you a good portion of noodles, tossed in a deliciously balanced ratio of vinegar & chilli. It is oily enough to lubricate the noodles without leaving an icky film all over your mouth.

The star of this, though, as everyone says, is the ingredients & soup. The liver needs no introduction – thiccccc AF, & lovingly cooked to soft perfection. Best of all, ’tis without a hint of gameyness or the powdery mouthfeel you get from overcooking. The pork slices, balls, & minced meat were all satisfactory as well. & as for the soup? You’ll be lapping up all its umami goodness, leaving no drop behind.

📍 Jin Xi Lai (Mui Siong) Minced Meat Noodle – 478 Tampines Street 44, #01-221, Singapore 520478

Don Don Prawn Noodles – Super Shiok

Don Don Prawn Noodles is quite delicious & generous with ingredients & soup. So happy that there’s lots of umami soup to slurp on & they’re not stingy with that. I like the hint of sweetness at the end of each slurp.

I will return.. Which says a lot, because I super love prawn mee & there are several “highly-raved-about” ones that I disliked & hence wouldn’t go back to.

Circuit Road Hawker Centre is quite quiet in the afternoon. I had my bowl of Prawn Mee (Large, $5.50 nett) at a very off-peak timing… Basically at 3pm lol. Despite this, while I ate, I saw several people coming to the stall to order. Seems like I’m not the only one who appreciates this bowl of goodness.

🎟 CDC vouchers can be used

Meow Xiang Vegetarian 妙香斋素食 – Very Meh Zeh Bee Hoon

If anyone knows of good vegetarian bee hoon in the East side of Singapore, please let me know…. ‘Cos this wasn’t it. Even though this is supposedly a famous stall. My all-time favourite spot is in Jurong West, & that’s quite a journey.

I mean, I finished this plate of Zeh Bee Hoon 斋米粉 ($2.50 nett), so it wasn’t terrible. It just lacked the finesse & oomph that I look for in vegetarian bee hoon… Call me a snob, but perhaps I’ve been spoilt by my favourite stall.

My preference is for saucey noodles – so I found the bee hoon in this too dry for my liking. Ingredients were also quite basic (passable).

Chilli was pretty good though, so I’ll give them that. & they open really early in the morning, so if you were up at 6AM like me hunting for food & with this specific craving… Maybe give this a shot.

But it’s unlikely I’ll be buying this again.

💵 Cash only; no electronic payments
📍 Located in Bedok 85 Market

Sonny’s Pizza – New York Style Pizzas So You Can Have A Slice Day!

Comforting New York style pizzas sold by the slice or a full pie – convenient to grab & go, but if you’d like to sit & dine, they have some indoor & outdoor seats.

I’ve tried the full works off of Sonny’s Pizza’s pizza menu (yes folks, they now serve more than pizzas with their new sides menu hehe), & it’s become clear to me which ones come up top on my list.

Pepperoni ($8+/slice, $24+/12″, $36+/18″) is a crowd favourite, with a generous load of specialty full pork pepperoni for the meat lovers.

For me, I’m Going Green ($8+/slice, $24+/12″, $36+/18″) is my favourite. Call me basic, but I don’t have mushroom to absorb your insults. I looooove a creamy bechamel sauce on pizza, & the mixed medley of juicy mushrooms give nice earthiness to this simple slice of joy. I rarely crave pizza, but I did for this one. Superb, & I’m sure I’ll keep ordering this time & time again 😂

Saigon Stunner ($9+/slice, $26+/12″, $38+/18″) comes a close 2nd on my list – chunky beef sausage on a marinara base. The herby betel leaf pesto & fish sauce might sound offensive, but it actually is quite balanced & well executed. The flavours just work.

Special mention also goes to the bottle of Hot Honey because DIET STARTS TOMORROW. So addictive to dip the pizza slices into this – especially the crusts when they’re still warm & fluffy. Lends a pleasant sweetness & tinge of heat to the already delicious pizza. I couldn’t stop doing this with my favourite I’m Going Green pizza…

.. You’ll understand what I mean when you try it.

Other pizza flavours available:
🔸 GM Pizza – Bechamel sauce, thick cut bacon, sausage, hollandaise ($9+/slice, $26+/12″, $38+/18″)
🔸 Sausage – Marinara sauce, fior di latte, peppers, Italian sausage ($8+/slice, $24+/12″, $36+/18″)
🔸 Cheese – Marinara sauce, five cheese blend ($7+/slice, $22+/12″, $34+/18″)

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Indoor seats available
☀️ Outdoor seats available
🙋🏻‍♀️ No service charge
💲 GST is chargeable
🥡 Takeout options available (convenient!)
🍻 Fridges full of craft beer, mmm yes

Fei Chang Hao – Ribbon-style Chee Cheong Fun

Fei Chang Hao 妃肠好 serves ribbon-style Chee Cheong Fun, which I find quite unique in Singapore. I followed them to their new location at Food Haven Coffeeshop (5 Upper Boon Keng Rd, #01-22), from their original location in Boon Keng Market where I first fell in love with them.

Priced affordably & substantial in quantity, I went for the You Tiao Rice Roll 炸两肠粉 ($3.90 nett) today. I paid extra (+$0.50 nett) to add an egg just ‘cos it compliments it well. This was a good portion for a tea-time snack, having had brunch in the late morning & I was feeling peckish before dinner time.

I really like the silky smooth texture of the CCF, which is consistent across their other options as well – as it should. The sauce was enough to dip each piece around without drowning the whole dish. Iirc, they used to be a Burpple Beyond merchant – but I’d willingly pay full price for this. & you know I’d return again… & again.

💵 Cash only; no electronic payments
📍 Located within Food Haven Coffeeshop (5 Upper Boon Keng Rd, #01-22)

The Food Peeps Coffee & Deli – Decent Brunch, Cosy Space

My Big Breakfast Club ($18 nett) took a while to be served, but thankfully I had my coffee (double shot as a default) to keep me happy.

Big Breakfast Club with Soft Boiled Eggs & Mushrooms

Wasn’t feeling a scramble or sunny-side up, so soft boiled it was for me. These are basically hard boiled eggs with a runny yolk, which is how I usually cook them on my own as snack prep. On a brunch platter, though, I wish they had poached eggs (my favourite) as an option..

Mushrooms were my choice of “meat” (for lack of a better word) – as opposed to smoked salmon, ham or bacon. These were plentiful, juicy, & appreciated. Great toasting technique on the sourdough toast as well – crispy but not hard. The spicy baked beans didn’t actually feel spicy to me, but lent good flavour to the platter. Was glad to get my veggies in with the halloumi side salad, although the cheese didn’t do much for me & I honestly would’ve been okay without it.

In all, a nice brunch platter that piqued my curiosity. I would love to try their other brunch, pasta, & bagels on the menu. Especially since The Food Peeps Coffee & Deli is such a nice (albeit small) place to chill at. I can totally see myself spending a nice afternoon here relaxing.

💳 Accepts credit cards
💵 Cash accepted
📱 GrabPay accepted
🌬 Indoor seats available
☀ Outdoor seats available
💦 Water is not chargeable
🚫 No GST or service charge

Cupfy Oolong Bubble Tea – Taro Pearls Only?

Unfortunately, here’s another non-aesthetic photo… Even more so because the cup is opaque & you can’t see through it 😂 But hear me out!

I ordered Cupfy’s Golden Oolong Tea with Lime ($5.90 nett) with less ice (doesn’t cost additional) & added Taro Balls (+$1 nett). Had my usual 0% sugar level – which made the lime taste even more distinctly sour. I didn’t mind that (I love sour drinks), but as a result I couldn’t really taste anything Oolongy, which apparently is their specialty.

Maybe this wasn’t the best combination to order. Coupled with the fact that the only option for pearls is taro balls (no regular tapioca/konjac/etc pearls)… That was an odd pairing. But it’s my habit to never drink bubble tea without pearls!

Just wanna put a couple of factual things out there as well, in hopes that this info will help someone:

🔹 This is NOT an actual store with a storefront; it’s prepared within Grab Kitchen Aljunied (@ Victory Centre, #02-08)
🔹 Order from them on GrabFood – delivery & self-collection options possible
🔹 At the time of writing, I made use of a 15% off self pick-up coupon on the Grab app
🔹 If you’re self-collecting & driving, Victory Centre’s carpark has a 10-mins grace period, which is sufficient time if there’s no queue…