handBELLO is running a 20% off promotion during P2HA right now, & online orders are usually ready in an hour. I received a call 1 min after I submitted it online to confirm my pickup timing, which I appreciated because I was able to eat this while still hot upon collection 👏🏻
La Nonna’s (U.P. $22.00 nett) is a cheerful dish with a refreshing zesty lemon twang & spicy fun from the chilli flakes in every bite. The casarecce was cooked al dente, & I enjoyed the crunchy texture (& healthiness haha) that the broccolini added.. However, the Kurobuta pork sausage was overwhelmingly salty & overpowered the other flavours each time it was in my bite.
Nonetheless, still quite keen to check out the other pasta dishes that #handbellosg has to offer. I’ve got my eye on the Fun-Guy & Pink Vodka 😁
I remember the days where Hopscotch was a cosy bar inside the Red Dot Traffic Building, whipping up a good variety novelty cocktails. They haven’t deviated from this specialty, but the vibes here now are quite different in the hipster/artsy enclave of Gillman Barracks.
Walking to Hopscotch (don’t park illegally like these cars!)
They still keep things interesting, changing their menu up once in a while. They’re on their 5th menu at the moment, with Singapore or Asian themed cocktails.
Bar seats available
My cocktail of choice: Kungfu Hustle (U.P. $22++/HH $15++), which has a base of Chrysanthemum infused scotch. It’s exactly what I look for in a cocktail: Strong, & not sweet. A harmonious balance of floral rose honey, fragrant Gunpowder Tea (珠茶), with a hint of heat from young ginger. Also, check out the bottle it’s served in – soooo aesthetic.
Kungfu Hustle Cocktail
Happy Hour is 5:30 – 8:30PM daily, & yes I could get HH prices on my cocktail ($15++) despite redeeming a Burpple Beyond deal on the same bill. I always make sure I check, & never to assume. I appreciate it when restaurants are flexible like that, so thank you Hopscotch!
Shelves of games you can play – fun idea
The Ribeye Steak ($26++) is part of the Burpple Beyond 1-for-1 menu options. 220g of New Zealand Grass-fed Black Angus Ribeye. It’s a simple hunk of steak, with not much else to the dish. It lies on a light swoosh of Purple Potato Mash that wasn’t very carby, & has a small side of sauteed baby spinach for you to get your veggies & fibre in.
I opted for my usual medium rare, but was afraid that at this thickness it’d be a little tough. But it wasn’t! It was also seasoned pretty well; I didn’t need to dip it in the veal jus served on the side – though that was tasty too. (My dad lapped it up quite eagerly…)
Ribeye Steak, eligible for Burpple Beyond’s 1-for-1 deal
Hopscotch’s Chilli Lobster Tagliatelle ($28++) pays homage to local flavours with a chilli sauce of local spices & a lobster-based stock. The chewy homemade tagliatelle pasta was firm to the bite, & the half a Boston lobster it comes with is fairly meaty. The heat isn’t unbearable, in all quite pleasantly tingly on the tongue with a subtle sweetness.
Chilli Lobster Tagliatelle
Being a pasta & seafood lover, I would order this again. Exceptionally pleased that I got this at “half price” thanks to Burpple Beyond’s 1-for-1 main deals, too!
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats available ☀ Al fresco seats available 🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope & Quandoo 🍽 Burpple Beyond partner 🏃🏻 Shopback GO partner 💦 Water is not chargeable
Winestone is a little out of the way to get to, but the ambience here makes up for it. Somewhat classy, but not pompous or stuffy. You could dine here with a friend, a date, or for business.
The interior of Winestone
I dined here in the evening, which isn’t the most ideal for food photography – but I reckon the floor to ceiling glass windows will give you ample natural light in the mornings!
Winestone’s bar
Burpple Beyond’s 1-for-1 brought me here; I was dead set on their pastas, & had a bit of dilemma on what to order from their Taste of Italy menu. Everything sounded good.
Eventually ordered the Ragout Tagliatelle ($25.00++) & Fettuccine Ai Funghi ($22.00++) to share with my friend. I originally thought these wouldn’t fill me up when they were served, but I was wrong.
Ragout Tagliatelle
Being a beef lover, I thought I’d enjoy the ragout more, as it is generally a hearty solid dish right up my alley. I generally prefer shredded meat ragout over minced meat ones, & this was minced meat town. I did enjoy my half of this while it lasted, but on a comparative basis, it was definitely heavier on the palate which I can’t guarantee everyone would appreciate.
Fettuccine Ai Funghi
Don’t look down on the Fettuccine Ai Funghi ($22.00++) for being a vegetarian dish. This was delightful. A great mix of juicy sliced mushrooms & confit tomatoes, with creaminess from the ricotta cheese & some acidity from balsamic vinegar that cuts through the heaviness of this dish. What a winner.
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats available ☀ Al fresco seats available 🍽 Burpple Beyond partner
Oops I did it again. Shopback GO brought me here with their 20% cashback deal. I’ve dined at Nipong Naepong before – I am a sucker for pasta & I love soupy things, so their menu is right up my alley.
Hooray for 20% cashback on Shopback GO!
Before you even order, you get a little plate of appetizer served to you. This whet my appetite as I eagerly waited for my meal.
A little spicy appetizer
I looked around & noticed each table had a clean container for diners to put their mussel shells in. Makes eating very convenient.
Interior of Nipong Naepong – spot the mussel shell container
Being a seafood lover, I ordered the Il Pong ($15.80++). Not much to plating or instagrammability here, which I don’t care much for. Huge mountain of pasta under the seafood ingredients – I initially thought this was disproportionately carby, but as I ate on, I realized a good amount of seafood was at the bottom.
The dash of chilli oil gives this dish a decent level of spice that might cause the average person to break out in a sweat, though I personally found it pleasant & enjoyed it. If you don’t like spicy food, try ordering something else; they do have non-spicy options.
Il Pong – soupy, seafoody, slightly spicy
You WILL be very full after this meal; small eaters be warned!
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats only 🍽 Shopback GO partner 📶 Free WiFi available (JEM‘s WiFi)
Bui Bui Eats 