Sian. Made a trip to Tipsy Penguin specially for their oysters, only to find they didn’t have the promo ones anymore that day.
Settled for these Japanese oysters (“premium price” they said, hence not eligible for 10% off $100 spend on OCBC cards back when I visited – not sure if this promo is still available)… Which were delicious, but damn – 6 for $24…
Ps: Naked oysters are the best. These toppings here (grapefruit & ikura in the middle; hua tiao ebi at the bottom) don’t do much for how decadent & creamy these oysters are on their own.
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats available ☀️ Al fresco seats available 🖥 Accepts reservations on Quandoo (I walked in, though)
Long queue on Saturday at 12pm lunch at this stall at 704 Bedok Reservoir Road, but turnover was quite quick. Cleared 9 people in front of me within 10 mins – IMHO, because of the systematic way of they take & prepare orders.
Prawn Mee
However… I really don’t know what people are queueing for. This was a super ordinary bowl of prawn mee ($4). The soup wasn’t as umami as I’d hoped for, they messed up my noodle type (gave me 面 instead of 米粉面), & there is a disproportionately large amount of noodles to ingredients.
It wasn’t terrible, but I wouldn’t return for this. Not sure what the hype is…
Gravitea’s Oolong Cheese Tea ($4.50 nett) with Pearls (+$0.50 nett) left much to be desired, though. Tea was disappointingly diluted, albeit I was comforted by the chewy, nicely done pearls.
I finished the pearls, but couldn’t bring myself to do the same for the tea.
Also took a while to be prepared – which I can overlook if this was a good cup, but it unfortunately wasn’t.
Oolong Cheese Tea with Pearls
💳 Accepts credit cards 🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
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++)
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.
The Seagrill’s bar
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.
Spinach Salmon Linguine
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.
Seafood Platter
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
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.
French Onion Soup with Cheese Crouton
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 SaladBraised 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
Duck Confit on Apple Roesti & Tangy Mango Relish
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.
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! 💕
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.
CRUST Day 2022 held at The Refectory
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.
CRUST Day 2022
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.
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.
Crunch Cutlery – edible cutlery!Zenko Superfoods
Thank you CRUST for the invite – cheers to your very happy 3rd birthday & to a greater impact on our world! #saveacrust
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
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.
Claypot Bak Chor Mee
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.
30¢ off Sugar Cane Juice
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
Bui Bui Eats 