Evan’s Kitch – Humble Corner, Extensive Menu

Evan’s Kitch is a humble eatery in City Gate mall with an impressively large menu. Took me some time to sift through the many pages & take in all the options – pretty varied, from snacks to brunch fare, main courses, desserts, as well as tea & other drinks.

I’d say the food here is its strength – both in variety & flavours. Choose from brunchy toast dishes (loaded with a plethora of ingredients) & main courses packed with delicious flavour to fill your belly..

.. & speaking of belly, here’s a picture of one of their signature dishes – Spaghetti Pork Stew Stock with Japanese Char Siew Pork Belly ($24++) 😉

Spaghetti Pork Stew Stock with Japanese Char Siew Pork Belly

They are also a Burpple Beyond merchant; a Set for 2 here goes for $55, which gives you 2x mains + 2x drinks. & if you use my promo code EMIL005, you get 30% off Burpple Beyond 😀

My favourite dish was the North Malaysia Slow Cooked Coconut Beef Stew ($24++), also another signature dish of theirs. This heavyweight winner was a rich, creamy rendang with tenderly stewed cubes of beef. The level of heat in this spicy stew wasn’t overpowering & that was how the flavours truly shine.

North Malaysia Slow Cooked Coconut Beef Stew

You might think the egg is out of place in this one – but nah, I quite liked it. It added to the creamyness of the already-lemak rendang in a pleasant way.

I reached for second helpings of the sourdough toast to dip into the stew. Just too good. I can imagine this going super well with rice (which I believe is an option available) – comfort food after a long, arduous day in the office…. Mmmm.

Brunch fare here is more than just toast & things. We tried 2 options:
🔸 Umami Mentaiko Smoked Salmon Toast ($21++)
🔸 Asian BBQ Pulled Pork Toast ($17++)

I favoured the smoked salmon one over the pulled pork – as I’m not a fan of pulled pork in general. I also felt the creaminess of & cabbage slaw was at loggerheads with the acidity of the BBQ flavours & citrus sauce. However, it’s something unique for sure – so if you’re adventurous, I’d say give it a shot.

Teeming with housemade japanese mentaiko & tobiko, the Umami Mentaiko Smoked Salmon Toast is where Chef Evan goes all out with his creativity here.. There’s even chicken floss in this salmon dish!? Hand to heart, not sure how I feel about that..

.. But overall, the flavours came together fairly well. Umami came through from the salmon roe, brineyness from the smoked salmon itself, nicely poached nuyolk eggs & a sprinkle of scallions & furikake – on a crispy, toasted sliced of sourdough.

Seasonal Fresh Truffles Parmesan Cheese Fries

If you’re seeking out the lighter side of life & just looking for munchies, there are options here too. We nibbled through these dishes on the small bites menu:
🔸 Asian Chili Chicken Karaage ($12++)
🔸 Seasonal Fresh Truffles Parmesan Cheese Fries ($16++)

Had some teas (both cold brewed & hot ones) while we made a toast to good health:
🔸 Amint Tea ($6.50++)
🔸 Empire Citrus Tea ($7.50++)

Cold Brew Teas – Amint Tea & Empire Citrus Tea

& ended off with some sweet treats:
🔸 Aburi Pandan Coconut Cheese Cake ($12++)
🔸 Strawberries Bread Pudding & Vanilla Ice Cream ($11++)

Thanks Burpple for the invite, & Evan’s Kitch + Chef Evan for the hospitality! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope & Quandoo
🍽 Burpple Beyond Partner
📶 Free WiFi available

The Seagrill – Breezy Al Fresco Dining

Considering how the dining space at The Seagrill isn’t large, the menu here is quite sizeable. Quite atypically, I appreciated this al fresco dining spot along Changi Beach, made even more comfortable with the cool breeze in the evening.

There was one pesky housefly that kept bothering me & my dinner (maybe cos we sat at the outermost tables), but I’d attribute that to how scrumptious the food is.

In all honesty, the Spinach Salmon Linguine ($19.90++) looked like quite a small portion.. & it was, but it made up for it in flavours. Thick delicious cream sauce that wasn’t cloying, in part from the acidity of the lemon that cuts through it & binds the flavours together nicely.

The salmon was done perfectly too, fork tender & juicy. Would order this again.

I was on the fence re ordering the Seafood Platter ($55++), as there were some items in it that didn’t tickle my greatest fancy. Eventually did the Math & convinced myself it was (mathematically & otherwise) worth ordering… & thankfully it didn’t disappoint.

Good variety – grilled king prawns, barramundi fillet, short-neck clams in white wine sauce, baked scallops in half-shell, & salmon croquettes.

My favourite were the clams, quite plump & soaking in a delicious sauce that I joyfully dipped my bread in. What surprised me the most were the salmon croquettes – which I thought I wanted to pass up. The crispy edges were fried lovingly, & lent a satisfying bite into the soft, creamy insides.

💳 Accepts credit cards
☀ Al fresco seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations – I used Chope

YWCA Cafe Lodge’s Limited Time Pop-up with Chef Ratha – Scrumptious French-inspired 3-course Meal

In the first of YWCA Cafe Lodge’s guest chef series, Chef Ratha (formerly from The Black Sheep Café in Sin Ming) serves up a delightful 3-course meal ($48++ per pax) of his classic French-inspired food.

Cost, casual interior of YWCA Cafe Lodge

Being able to have quality French-inspired food in a comfortable, non-pretentious environment is the selling point for me. Service was attentive & friendly as well, & I had a great time.

This pop-up is for a limited time only – until 15 May 2022, & only available on Saturdays for dinner & Sundays for lunch. So call to make a reservation & head down while you can!

I cautiously took a first sip of the complimentary San Sirra Mocktail, as I tend to favour cocktails/alcoholic beverages over non-alcoholic ones that tend to overcompensate with saccharine sweetness. This might be the first mocktail that I willingly finish & dare I say, even craved for more.

Complimentary mocktail: Non-alcoholic Merlot

I loved how this non-alcoholic merlot (U.P. $8++ per glass) didn’t have any of that artificial syrupy flavour at all. & packed with sliced fruits, this reminded me somewhat of a sangria – pleasant & fun to drink.

We started off our night with appetizers:
🔸 Baked Brie in Pistachio Crust, Pomelo Citrus Salad
🔸 French Onion Soup with Cheese Crouton

When asked to choose from the polarizing duo of soup vs. salad, my choice was clear… SOUP ALL THE WAY BABY.

The onion soup was a winner, with the right level of sweetness from the caramelized onions & purity of a good broth. I could drink it on its own, but it was even better topped with oozy cheese & crusty French bread that soaked up the warm & comforting broth. I’d love to have this again.

Having said that, the salad is pretty bomb too. Brie is a palatable cheese – one of my favourites, actually, & the fresh tartness of the fruits go well with the crisp salad leaves. While the presentation could be improved on, I’m glad that I enjoyed this more than I expected.

Baked Brie in Pistachio Crust, Pomelo Citrus Salad

Braised Lamb Shank in Red Wine & Apricots, Mashed Potato & Seasonal Vegetables

To me, the highlight of a 3-course meal is the main course, & I was baffled by my struggle to choose a favourite out of the 3 options.. Because they were all just excellent:

🔸 Wagyu Beef Cheeks in Truffle Scented Red Wine Sauce, Gratin Potato
🔸 Duck Confit on Apple Roesti & Tangy Mango Relish
🔸 Braised Lamb Shank in Red Wine & Apricots, Mashed Potato & Seasonal Vegetables

Execution was on point, as the meats were tender & fall off the bone. The pairing of accompaniments were complementary too. Loved how the duck confit was Actually Delicious & not overly salty as I tend to find with the others I’ve had elsewhere. The lamb shank was good as well, didn’t have the gamey taste or small that most find off-putting.

Wagyu Beef Cheeks in Truffle Scented Red Wine Sauce, Gratin Potato

Ultimately, though, I think my favourite by a narrow margin is the beef cheeks. They were seriously melt-in-your-mouth, & bonus points for the heavenly gratin potato with creamy sauce that came with it.

Flourless Chocolate Cake, Raspberry Coulis, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

We wrapped up our night with a classic pairing of dark chocolate cake & vanilla bean ice cream.. With a slight twist: The cake is flourless. To be honest, when I first ate this from the outside in, I initially found this a little dry on the edges. However, when I got to the center, it was moist & delectable.

The ice cream wasn’t too sweet either (yay), & plus points to the drizzle of raspberry coulis on top that gave it nice acidity & Berry Good Flavour.

Thanks Cheryl for the invite & YWCA Cafe Lodge for the hospitality! 💕

CRUST Day 2022 – about time we had a sustainability fair

Earth Day was last week, but IMHO being responsible to mother earth is an everyday thing. CRUST kindly invited me to #CRUSTday2022 over the weekend at The Refectory.. Exceptionally happy when the causes I’m passionate about overlap in complementary fashion – namely #zerowaste & #supportlocal.

Was honoured to be remembered by Founder & CEO Travin as someone who has supported them from their humble beginnings. I first got to know about the brand in 2020 through their first CRUST Zoom Night during CB 1.0… & the rest is history. Very happy to see a great Singaporean brand flourish locally & even expand overseas.

Their sustainability-centric fair featured a plethora of F&B brands – Crunch Cutlery, Zenko Superfoods, The Wicked Granola, Thee Tea, Hook Coffee, Antidote Juice, Dan’s Bites, Lemuel Chocolate, Wolf & Wald.. Each with booths to explore, learn more & make purchases at. The fair may be over, but you can still buy some of their products on e-commerce platforms like Lazada & Shopee.

Thee Tea capsules – compatible with nespresso machines

My personal favourites were Crunch Cutlery‘s edible cutlery (which I bought for my nieces & nephew) & Zenko Superfoods‘ water lily pops + ancient grain clusters, which Dex & I couldn’t stop snacking on while sipping on beers at the beer flight tasting workshop.

Thank you CRUST for the invite – cheers to your very happy 3rd birthday & to a greater impact on our world! #saveacrust

The Tiramisu Hero – A Plethora of Flavoured Tiramisus

Thank you The Tiramisu Hero for acceding to my request of putting a candle into our tiramisu to surprise mum!

Ordering for dine-in is done through the app – which is a bit of a hassle cos you need to sign up/log-in/enter credit card details to pay (there is a cash payment option though).. But it made it easy to sneak in the candle request by typing it in swiftly 😛

They are a Burpple Beyond merchant too – however, the 1-for-1 deals are for main courses & not their tiramisus.. In this picture:

Foreground: Original Tiramisu ($7.50+)
Background: Brown Rice Tiramisu ($7.50+)

💳 Accepts credit cards
💵 Accepts cash
📱 Order using their app
🙋🏻‍♀️ Service charge applicable
🚫 No GST

High Hopes that Fell Flat – Ah Gong Minced Pork Noodles

Storefront of Ah Gong Minced Pork Noodles

Had high hopes for Ah Gong Minced Pork Noodles – I mean, claypot bak chor mee sounds quite heavenly.. But the soup was super salty, & I wasn’t the only one who felt this way.

Ingredients in the Signature Claypot Bak Chor Mee ($4.50) were not bad – minced pork, pork balls, dumplings & fish maw slices. But the soup… I can’t. I’m sorry. I’m hoping this was just an off day.

The uncle that served us was so cheerful & lovely, though! & with each bowl purchased, you get a 30¢ off coupon for sugarcane from the drinks stall a few stalls down at #01-08, which I ended up using. So that mitigated the less-than-desirable experience here..

💵 Accepts cash
📱Accepts ePayments e.g. Singtel Dash, GrabPay

Banh Mi Thit Tampines – Quality Banh Mi

Got the Beef Banh Mi ($5.50 nett) from Banh Mi Thit’s takeout outlet at Tampines – whoa, it’s shiok & flavourful. Option to have/omit chilli – I said yes & the chilli padi slices packed a nice oomph to some of the bites.

The baguette is so crispy & easy to chow down on. I hate it when bread is tough & my teeth feel like they’re about to dislodge from my gums. This was anything but that. Very satisfied.

Admittedly, with my big appetite, this alone wasn’t sufficient to fill me up. But dang, I’m glad I made the trip here because it was delicious. Should’ve bought 2x Banh Mis – maybe a pork one too.

Half-finished (oops) Iced Vietnamese Coffee

Added on an Iced Vietnamese Coffee (U.P. $1.80 nett) for only $1 nett because their set meal (1x Banh Mi + 1x Drink) is only $6.50 nett. Ah, my guilty pleasure. Sweet stuff for a Kosong-drinker, but the Taste of Coffee that packs a punch is smth I needed to start my weekend right. ❤️

Banh Mi Thit’s takeaway outlet at Tampines

💵 Cash payment
📱 PayNow also accepted
🪑 No seats; takeaways only
🚫 No GST or service charge

Laut – Supporting Local Food & Cocktails

Had a really enjoyable night with a plethora of delicious food, good variety of cocktails & even better company. I enjoyed listening to the unique stories behind each of these & I’m sure you will too. All part of the experience & good vibes here.

So the food at Laut – how do I summarize it, if that’s even possible. Each dish has a story of its own, inspired by local flavours, staying quite true to that yet managing to be unique/intriguing.

Sometimes, you just need to try a dish to really be wow-ed by it. Describing it doesn’t do it justice (or maybe it’s just me 😂). The Burnt Eggplant Dip ($12+) was that for me. It’s essentially that, with a tomato & onion relish – served with curry spiced papadums.

First of all, props to the papadums for being fresh & crispy, because there’s nothing like a soggy papadum to ruin your day. Secondly, what sorcery is exactly in this dip?? Such distinct yet harmonious flavours: The smokeyness from the char, creaminess of the eggplant, & flavourful spice (not heat!) from the papadums. This was a hot favourite for the original days when customers would order this during CB 1.0 for delivery. &, of course, it still is.

The Bergedil ($15+) is another dish that has a cool story to it. It does remain true to its tasty fried potato nature – with good fragrance & flavour which I believe is in part from the Madras curry oil, balanced with the earthiness from the trumpet mushrooms. But what truly takes the cake is what they call the umami soil. That’s where the story gets pretty cool to me! I’ll leave that to the good folks at Laut to tell it to you. I was quite fascinated as Damian took me through the narrative. 😍

I had a Malay-speaking friend who asked me if Laut was seafood-inspired cuisine, as laut translates to seafood in Malay. The scrumptious sharing plates I enjoyed had seafood as the main star. When dining restrictions open up, I’d recommend dining in with a sizeable group, so you can order more items off this sharing menu.

I hate it when squid/octopus are overcooked, rubbery & tough to the chew. Laut’s Squid Gado ($27+) was anything but that. The seared whole squid was done so marvellously that it was almost melt in your mouth… I had to pause to think about whether I actually put the correct thing in my mouth 😂 (just an excuse to have a 2nd bite, amiraiiii?)

& the “Gado” in the name – you guessed it – the peanut sauce in the Gado Gado we all know & love.

BUT WAIT, that’s not all. Introducing the Otah ($37+) – by far the most atas otah you’ve ever had… & dare I say, it is worth it. The mix of fish? Oh, no big deal, just some awesome barramundi, blended mackerel & squid. 🧐

This otah really left me wanting more. Its texture is bouncy & firm, & the rempah mix was on point with good flavour. I loved the Nyonya Achar on the side as well, which provided nice refreshing acidity in between bites. It actually also goes well with the otah in a single bite, too. On the whole, this was an addictive dish & one of my favourites of the night.

Now, on to the drinks. I tend to be wary when cocktails arrive at my table very pretty. I appreciate good aesthetics, but not at the expense of bad taste, i.e. saccharine sweet or artificially syrupy. This was anything but that; & the variety of bespoke cocktails here is quite impressive:

🔸Grass ($21+) – slightly savoury & refreshing 👌🏻
➡️ Gin, Ginger Flowers, Pickle Brine, 3 Grass Kombucha

🔸 Kopi O ($21+) – strong flavours, but thankfully I was able to sleep that night. Personally enjoyed the creaminess of the coconut oil that goes well with the coffee.
➡️ Trigona vodka, nitro charged Sumatra coffee, toasted bread vinegar, orange pekoe tea, coconut oil

🔸 Mata Kuching ($21+) – as a sweet treat, this isn’t my typical cocktail profile, but is likely an easy drink for some folks.
➡️ Aged malt, smoked longan distillate, rambutan & lychee soda, cat whiskers flower (they upsized our flower for us haha)

🔸Lengkuas ($21+) – refreshing, beachy vibes, feels like a summertime drink without the scorching heat or sunburn
➡️ Aged Malaysian Molasses, Citrus Granitas, Laut triple spiced ginger beer.

Thanks Damian / @drinking_noodle for the invite & hospitality! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🙋🏻‍♀️ Service charge applicable
🚫 No GST

Tempura Makino’s First Outlet Outside Japan – in Suntec City

A well-established tempura specialty chain in Japan, Tempura Makino, has come to our shores! Conveniently located at #02-305/308/311 of Suntec City’s West Wing, it’s near Donki (if you need a landmark) & nearer to Esplanade than Promenade MRT.

Within the premises, there are options to dine at booth or counter seats – if you’re seated at the latter, you get a good view of chef freshly preparing made-to-order tempura.

Tempura Makino’s Interior – Booth/Counter Seats

Tempura Makino’s style of tempura is right up my alley. As you can see, the batter is light & crispy. Really appreciate how it’s not dripping (or even soggy – eeks) in oil. They even have Mochi Ice Cream Tempura ($4.80++/piece)!? There are 2 flavour options: Strawberry/Matcha. Mochi gives this dessert a chewy texture, alongside the ice cream which is creamy & takes a while to melt. While I don’t have a sweet tooth, hence am undecided if I’d order this again, this gets plus points for novelty.

I am a MASSIVE lover of eggs, & their Tempura Egg ($2.50++/pc) me greatly 😂 After seeing Jamie’s Instagram stories & hearing her rave about it, I must say it lived up to my expectations. I enjoyed every slurpy bit of it & could totally eat this on its own to savour the creaminess of the yolk. But I found myself pairing it together with the other tempura we had & enjoying it more that way.

Speaking of creamy – know what else is creamy? These Tempura Oysters ($3.80++/pc)! They were absolutely bursting in my mouth.. & I was shocked when Jamie revealed these are priced so affordably. IMHO they tasted & felt more lux than that. Will definitely order this again the next time I’m here.

Special shoutout goes to the noods, which are available in cold/hot options – we picked cold for both.

I loved how silky smooth the Inaniwa Udon ($7.80++) is, & enjoyed the Soba ($6.80++) that I nicked from Evan. Both are good for sure, & it probably is a matter of preference as both of us had a different favourite carb choice.

Wash down your meal with some refreshing ice cold draft beer – I had a pint of Asahi Super Dry ($13.80++/pint, $8.80++/half-pint)…

… Or pair it with their housepour sake:
❄ [Cold] Tomioh Gin No Tsukasa Junmai Daiginjo ($48++/300ml, $30++/180ml)
🔥 [Hot] Hakushika Nadajikomi ($30++/300ml, $20++/180ml)
🍶 They also have other sake bottles available for the discerning ones (i.e. not me)

Housepour Cold Sake – Tomioh Gin No Tsukasa Junmai Daiginjo

Other tempura items on their food menu include:
➡ Prawn & Vegetable Tempura ($16++): A nice platter of Prawns (3 pieces), Eggplant, Maitake (mushroom), Butternut Pumpkin, French Bean, Lotus Root

➡ Chicken Fillet ($5.80++/plate): I’m not a huge fan of chicken tempura, but this is one of the better ones out there. The chicken was juicy & thankfully not dry

➡ Mentai Seaweed ($6.80++/plate): A heaping amount of mentai in this one – personally too overwhelming for me, but A+ for generosity! Probably best eaten with rice to balance out the salty flavours. Seaweed remains crispy alongside the light tempura batter 👌🏻

➡ Asparagus ($2.80++/piece): My favourite veggie tempura of them all – well executed, with a lovely crunch to the bite. There’s an Asparagus with Bacon ($4.80++/plate) option as well, for the porky lovers. I’d imagine that’d add a nice savoury touch to the Taste of Green.

➡ Okinawan Mozuku Seaweed ($5.80++/plate): No this is not hair LOL. It’s quite a sight to behold, also delightfully crunchy, & I think this is where the light batter really shines. I can’t imagine this being enjoyable in a thicker batter & dripping in oil. I loved chowing down on this goodness with the tempura egg 😉

Thanks Jamie/EN Group for the invite & hospitality! 💕

Gather – Try it once & call it good

Comparing against previous reviews – looks like Gather has upped the price of the Off the Bone Galette ($18++). It had good texture, but the flavours were just ordinary. A bit too salty for me. I wasn’t expecting too much from ham, gruyere, cheddar & egg though, tbh.

White Coffee, 5oz ($5++) was weak & it felt like I was drinking milk. Wouldn’t recommend…

On the brighter side, service here was very attentive & the staff always made sure my glass of water was topped up & full.

In all, this felt like an overpriced tea time snack… Glad I tried it once, but unfortunately I personally wouldn’t return for more.

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
📱 Accepts GrabPay
🔊 Acoustics indoors are very echo-ey
📶 No free WiFi
💦 Water is not chargeable