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?? 🕺🏻

Traditional Yusheng

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

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.

Asian BBQ Pulled Pork Toast

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.

Umami Mentaiko Smoked Salmon Toast

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++)

Asian Chili Chicken Karaage

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++)

Aburi Pandan Coconut Cheese Cake
Strawberries Bread Pudding & Vanilla Ice Cream

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

Found My Happy Ending in Pizza

I discovered Happy Ending Pizza on Burpple Beyond during Phase 2 of Circuit Breaker, when they were a hole-in-the-wall space in Orchard Towers serving only takeouts.

It was a cool October night; I’d ordered 2 pizza sets from them 2 hours in advance. Stood by the roadside eating my piping hot pizza, & I was impressed. The Mushroom Madness & Green Hulk I ordered were delicious, but I couldn’t finish everything – so I kept the leftovers in fridge & heated them up the next day.

Standing outside Orchard Towers gobbling pizzas

Guess what? The 2nd-day pizza still tasted good. & that, my friends, was the beginning of my happy ending. They’ve since relocated to City Gate, where you can enjoy their pizzas with a dine-in experience.

Janan, the founder of Happy Ending Pizza’s shared his pizza philosophy (pizzalosophy?) & the genesis of his brand. Essentially, he believes that the entire pizza should be enjoyed, with nothing left behind.. Including the crust. & the crust is what makes a happy ending (to your meal) (what were you thinking, you filthy animals).

New dine-in space at City Gate, neon lights aplenty

You’ll believe it when you try it for yourself. Even the non-crust-lovers at the table didn’t have a crumb left on their plates. The pizzas come with sauces as well, which is unique as much as it seems strange. I’m a carb-loving monster that could eat these fluffy crusts on their own, but if you need that extra flavour, go ahead & dip your crust into the sauce for a flavour explosion in your mouth.

As a hardcore fungi & fun guy lover, Mad About Mushrooms ($27) was actually my favourite of the night. A simple savoury pizza topped with 3 different types of mushrooms, gooey stretchy cheese, & drizzles of fragrant truffle oil. The earthiness of the mushrooms are comforting to me, as much as the chewy pizza base is. If you’re looking for a reliable/traditional pizza option to fall back on, you won’t go wrong with this one.

Mad About Mushrooms

Should you be on the hunt for something more quirky, give the Holy Crab! ($28) a shot. They actually use real crab meat here – plump, juicy, succulent pieces. It’s slathered with their special chilli crab sauce which is also served on the side as an excellent crust dip. I liked how this isn’t crazy spicy, & that the flavours stay quite true to what you’d expect of a chilli crab inspired pizza. Definitely a winner in my books.

Holy Crab! with dipping sauce

If you’re in the mood for more heat, Spicy Babe ($28) might be for you.. This one is for the mala lovers. The toppings are fairly simple – beef, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella & parmesan cheese. The pizza base is mala-infused, but the real heat comes from the sichuan chilli slathered all over the toppings. It packs a decent punch, while still remaining quite remaining palatable.

Spicy Babe

Thanks Happy Ending Pizza Parlour for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

Chinese New Year with Burpple #huatwithburpple

Chinese New Year may be different this year, but the puns are still the same – #happyniuyear, #oxpiciousnewyear, in my case #qige笼dongchiangdongchiang as seen below 🤪

Burpple’s 2021 CNY Media Kit

I’ve always loved Burpple‘s well-designed merch, feel like I might have collected them all – shirts, stickers, tote bags, tissue packs.. But hot off the press this year are their angbaos & cloth face mask. I must say, great quality stuff as usual!

The angbaos are sturdy & so adorable, definitely giving them to my nieces & nephew this CNY. Scan the QR code at the back of these angbaos to get a neat $30 off a new Burpple Beyond Premium plan 😍

& with masks being a necessity nowadays, I’m happy to receive reusable ones that I can use to stay safe. This one is soft & comfortable, & aptly proclaims my love for food. It’s also adjustable (which I value, as standard masks don’t fit my face well) & comes thoughtfully packed with a PM2.5 filter sheet.

Thanks Burpple for sending over this Chinese New Year media kit! If these caught your eye & you want in on this, head on to Burpple’s Instagram page to participate in their giveaway.. You might just be their next lucky winner:

Rookery’s 3rd Outlet Serves Up Good Mains, Plentiful Tapas & Drinks

In the last year, I’ve patronised Rookery’s other outlet at Capital Tower fairly frequently, & it was packed each time I went. They must be doing well because they now have a 3rd outlet at China Square. Congrats guys!

There is a live band that plays on Thursdays, & it was a little too noisy for me to chat properly while they’re playing. However, it’s nice if you are dining solo or aren’t trying to make conversations with anyone. The band played a good mix of classic songs.

Regrettably, I forgot to take a photo of my drink after taking a few sips. That’s a Tokyo Martini hanging out in the back. My drink – the Old But Not Forgotten (Happy Hour $13++, U.P. $17++) – is in the foreground.

Happy Hour Cocktails

This well-rounded drink had much to offer, & is in line with my drink preferences. The smokeyness from the Laphroaig whiskey (ohh my love) & the burnt butterscotch, caramelized sweetness of brandied cherries, & citrus hints from the flamed orange peel.

If cocktails aren’t your thing, you can choose from their extensive menu of spirits. There’s bound to be something for everyone. I picked a Lagavulin 16 ($15++) on the rocks.

Lagavulin 16 on the Rocks

I usually order & enjoy pasta dishes at Rookery’s other outlets, so I was eager to try their mains. These mains are available from 11:30AM onwards, great for the CBD crowd to drop by for lunch & dinner. Being so used to their pasta & as noodle lover in general, I was surprised how much I enjoyed these mains.

I eat sooo much chicken at home that I rarely order chicken when I’m dining out. However, it delights me when I’m served up a good chicken – & that’s what the Roast Chicken & Stuffing ($25++) was. The cranberry stuffing made this dish slightly sweet, & you get your fill of carbs with the creamy mashed potato underneath & roasted pumpkin.

Roast Chicken & Stuffing

We unanimously decided that the Miso Glazed Norwegian Trout ($28++) was the best dish of the night. No wonder there’s a chef’s hat next to it on the menu! Served medium, it’s super moist inside & is a highly forkable piece of fish. It practically melts in your mouth.

Miso Glazed Norwegian Trout

Sliced cherry tomatoes & asparagus drizzled with garlic yuzu oil keep this dish light & fresh. The zucchini noodles underneath are tossed with a creamy pesto mayo that compliments the natural flavour of the trout. I do wish there were more zoodles to match the proportion of fish, as they were quite addictive.

If you’re all about the nibbly life, Rookery has a Tapas menu (available after 3PM) you can choose from. I can’t say much about the Har Cheong Gai Wings ($16++) as I don’t eat chicken wings, even more so when they are fried… But damn this smelled hella good.

Fragrant Har Cheong Gai Wings

The other tapas we had:
Wagyu Beef ($25++)
Meatballs ($17++) – these are made of beef, btw
Iberico Pork Ribs ($18++)
Sakura Ebi Capellini ($14++)
Crispy Pork Belly ($17++)

Wagyu Beef
Meatballs (these are made from beef)
Iberico Pork Ribs
Sakura Ebi Capellini
Crispy Pork Belly

As a seafood lover, the Scallops ($22++) is totally my kind of tapas. Nicely seared Hokkaido scallops that are plump & juicy, served in a pool seaweed & miso butter. As I chomped down on my first scallop, I liked how firm its texture was without being rubbery. I dipped the crispy thin toast into the butter & was impressed. It’s pretty good; I had to go for seconds.

Scallops Tapas

You might think the Vongole Alla Blanc ($16++) is served with the same sauce as the Scallops, but they tasted different to me. The Korean clams are swimming in a broth made from garlic, white wine & chilli flakes for a nice kick. I preferred to dip my toast into this one!

Vongole Alla Blanc

Thanks Rookery for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope
🎶 Live Band on Thursdays

The Goodburger – Food Truck Serving Impossible™ Burgers in Marina Bay

I run the MBS loop once in a while, & I’ve noticed this black & orange food truck fairly often on my evening runs. Naturally, I was very excited when Burpple‘s invitation to taste their burgers came in!

You can’t miss this black & orange food truck

Fun Fact: Not all Impossible™ burgers are the same. The “base” Impossible™ meat is the same, but each eatery has control over what they mix in with it to create their dishes. Fortunately, the ones I’ve tried so far are delicious & had great texture, so I had high hopes for The Goodburger‘s burgers.

The Goodburger’s Menu

All burgers come with a side of shoestring fries, which are my favourite kind. They were served hot, crispy, & not too oily. I enjoyed them so much that I couldn’t stop. I even went to the next table to steal more fries (sorry not sorry).

An additional side of Truffle Fries cost $12 – while fragrant, I wasn’t a fan of the oilyness, so I’d stick to the regular bomb diggity fries.

The Goodburger’s Impossible™ Burgers with Fries

Started off with The Classic ($16) burger – upon first bite, I noticed how fluffy & soft the burger buns were. Then my teeth sank into the juicy meat patty – great mouthfeel. As I chewed thoughtfully, I liked how the flavours came together in my mouth. The cheese, the special sauce, the tangy pickles.

The Classic with the Default Single Patty

Then we tried the same burger with an extra patty ($6). IT IS WORTH IT. Spend that money for a more balanced meat-to-bun ratio; you won’t regret it 👌🏻

The Classic Double Patty FTW

One Night in Bangkok ($20) honestly did not remind me much of Bangkok or Thai flavours, but it was still delicious & unique. The complexity of the flavours are quite mind-boggling. A little bit of heat from the chilli, & a powerful but not offensive combination of fragrant spices. We had a field day trying to pinpoint what “aromatic Thai-inspired flavours” they actually are. But their lips are sealed, so we’ll never know…

One Night in Bangkok

The Black Tie ($18) was my favourite burger of the night. It’s touted as kid-friendly with its more subtle flavours. I mean, think about the other 2 burgers: Classic has tangy pickles, & One Night in Bangkok has spices & chilli.

Subtle doesn’t mean boring, though. I love me some veggies in my burger. Rocket is one of my favourites so I loved that inclusion. The truffle aioli could’ve been a bit stronger but I’m not too bothered by it. It’s a winner in my books.

The Black Tie

I personally haven’t tried this, but the burgers apparently reheat well. They don’t get soggy even though they retain their moisture. Update when I dabao one home & reheat it 😉

You can find The Goodburger at these locations on regular days, but do check their Instagram/Facebook for the latest updates:
Lunch @ The Promontory (Tue – Fri, 12 – 3PM)
Dinner @ Bayfront Link (Tue – Sun, 5 – 9PM); that’s next to Marina Bay Sands, near where the light show/Black Tap is.

Thanks Ken & Sophia from The Goodburger for the hospitality, & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
☀ Al fresco standing spots only (I mean, it’s a food truck!)

Burpple Beyond Giveaway!

Burpple Beyond is rolling out their new Premium & Lite plans, & I’m giving away 1 of each to 2 lucky winners. Visit the contest posts on @wobblethebui & Bui Bui Eats below to participate! Giveaway closes 8th Oct 2019.

Fat Belly’s Tasting Menu – 6 Courses of Delish

I still remember my first trip to Fat Belly, before Burpple Beyond even existed. Fond memories, & glad to be back here again. They still have their regular menu, but the Tasting Menu ($80++) is something new.

You get 6* courses in this tasting menu, & if you’re a Burpple Beyond member you can swipe to redeem the 1-for-1 deal on this here. The Consommé & Starter Duo were served together, so I consider this as 1 course on its own.

Scallion oil was drizzled over the Consommé, which is made from clarified beef bone broth. Delicious & comforting, it was a good way to warm my tummy by waking it up gently.

The Starter Duo was a savoury tart & a financier. I preferred the former; the tart base crumbled nicely in my mouth with the softness of the truffle mascarpone. & the air dried beef, aged for 24 months, added a nice saltiness to it. The financier was a bit dry, its saving grace was really the foie gras mousse & duck fat to give it flavour & moisture. But I’m still not really a fan.

The Short Ribs were served with a Potato Pavé; both were easy to cut through, I enjoyed these cute cubes together very much. In fact, the greedy devil in me wished the cubes were bigger.

I appreciated the thinly sliced layers of potato that gave the Pavé good texture, & the little bit of Crème Fraîche balanced it out fairly well.

The meat was juicy & tender – & to be honest, I didn’t need the smoked sea salt flakes, as it was flavourful enough on its own already. I did dip it in the chimmichurri on occasion just to switch it up, but it was mighty fine on its own.

The Char Siew is one dish I’d kick the habit for – that is, my habit of always peeling fat away from my food. Nicely charred, the beef rib fingers were a little bit sweet & pretty dang orgasmic with the fats melting slowly in your mouth.

Served on a bed of wilted kale that does not have the characteristic bitterness of kale that most don’t enjoy. In fact, it was slightly crisp & I polished the whole plate of it clean!

Fat Belly’s Bikini was served quite quickly after the Char Siew – but don’t be mistaken, these are actually separate courses. I can’t decide what the best part of this dish was – the cheese (which you can see), or the bak kwa (which is hidden but is sizeably thicccc).

I actually don’t like bak kwa, but I loved this. Maybe because it’s wagyu beef. Maybe because it wasn’t dry or tough. Maybe because it was tasty. Probably all of the above. Enveloped by the melty emmental cheese, & sandwiched with 2 slices of crispy bread. I’ve probably just had pretty nasty bak kwa all my life. I’m glad this is one of the good ones!

We waited a while for the Tri Tip Wagyu to be served. The timing in between courses was quite inconsistent, but it might not matter to you if you’re dining with someone you can make good conversation with.

Tri Tip Wagyu. Hot damn.

Just look at that beauty. AusKobe F1 Wagyu Marble Score 4-5. If none of that matters to you, just know that this was hunky juicy tasty. The smoked king oyster mushrooms were also juicy, but had an unusual tangyness to them which raised an eyebrow or two.

I will preface this that it isn’t the best steak I’ve ever had. But I was fairly happy at the end. It paired nicely with the pomme puree – super creamy mashed potatoes, & the fragrance of the sprinkle of burnt shallots on top.

The last dish in this tasting menu – the Sweet. I was worried this would actually be too sweet, but my fears were unfounded. I surprisingly enjoyed it! It wasn’t too sweet. The pistachio mousse was smooth & light; the 2 little cherry cubes & 2 meringues on the side provide good variety between sour & sweet that you can alternate between.

Thanks Fat Belly for the hospitality, & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats available
☀ Al fresco seats available
🖥 Accepts reservations on their website
📱 Accepts GrabPay
🍽 Burpple Beyond partner