Ko Ryo Jeong

Date: 25th May 2012

Address: 10 Anson Road, #02-59 International Plaza

Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1-3pm, 6-10pm, Closed on Sundays

Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar 

I've read a few reviews on how this place serves authentic korean food. I can't give the same response because I haven't had authentic korean food yet, so i'll just tell you what i thought of it based on the other korean restaurants i've tried. 

On first glance of the menu, it looked like the ones at kopitiam, just that the prices were double of theirs. I can assure you the taste of the food offered here is much better than the food the kopitiam stalls serve so I guess it was worth every extra dollar eating here. 

The decor is simple, nothing extravagant, service is warm and helpful. 

BBQ Beef - S$17

Compared to the S$7 ones in kopitiam, this plate of beef was definitely much more tender and less salty. It was basically kopitiam beef but much better because it was well balanced. The beef was drenched in a thick gravy with an assortment of long beans, carrots and onions. 

Beef Rice - S$16 

The beef here tasted about the same to me, except maybe less salty and slightly more chewy. i'm not sure if the beef is the same kind of beef as the previous dish though. Anyway, this was quite average to me, mushrooms were good though. (But how hard is it to go wrong with mushrooms?) 

This was my Traditional Mix Rice Bi Bim Bab and I LOVED it. S$16

The rice was out-of-the-world fragrant and soft, yet not too moist, which was perfect to me. 

I think the stone bowl keeps everything warm so the rice was kept warm till the very last bite. 

The other ingredients blended together to become this synchronized fusion of crunchy-soft, bland-salty mixture. This was kind of like comfort food - simple ingredients cooked well individually to contribute in creating a warm and inviting dish. 

Kim Chi Stew - S$14 

This thick broth of kim chi was mildly spicy and sweet. I still prefer eating kim chi to drinking it but this was a nice change. 

Pancakes - S$16.50. I was afraid this would be too oily but it didn't turn out to be. The pancakes were very tasty, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It comes with a sauce you dip in which tasted rather bland and slightly salty but yeah they complement each other. The pancakes are light on the taste buds and have a chewy tangy texture to it. 

Good, authentic korean food can be really expensive in Singapore so this place is commendable because it offers a reasonably priced menu without compromising the quality of the food. There is a large seating area so you can come with family or a big group of friends. 

PS : I don't know how authentic the korean food is but there is a very cute and friendly authentic korean waiter working there ;) (hehe) 

Saveur

Date: 1st May 2012
Address: 5 Purvis street
Opening hours: Daily 12-230pm , 6-9.30pm
Nearest MRT: Bugis/City Hall

I finally got to try this new gem in the city and I am so glad i did! The food is different from anything i've tried and it came at such a reasonable cost. Furthermore, it doesn't charge GST and service charge and it's situated in a centralized location, somewhere in between Bugis and City hall. Seating area is not big but  it could probably fit a big group if you come during non-peak hours. 

I especially like the decor on this wall. It looks like they chose not to plaster bits of the wall and it has turned out to be a unique design. Gives the whole place a different texture. 

Before we stepped in, we read a sign that warned us about having to wait for quite a bit because they were short handed or something like that so, we expected to wait. 

Fortunately, our food came almost immediately (maybe 5-10 mins later) so our stomachs didn't need to wait at all. 

Angel Hair pasta with Tiger prawn and lumpfish caviar. - S$6.9

This was THE dish i had to try, after reading countless of food reviews on Saveur. It did not disappoint AT ALL, in fact it left me wanting more after the first bite. The pasta itself was extremely fragrant, olive oil perhaps (?), i honestly don't know, it was some kind of a wonderful, light but flavorful burst of emotions in my mouth. 

The portion isn't big but for me, it's filling enough. If not, you can always just order 2 dishes because this pasta is freaking 6.90. It tastes SO MUCH MORE than 6.90. Even if this were 16.90, I'd still order it. 

We ordered a starter - the Confit of Salmon with apple and fennel salad - S$8.90

I only have 2 thumbs but i wish i had more to put them up because this was amazing. 

Salmon is already nice on its own, whether raw or cooked, but the black thingy on top gave it a zesty oomph. The whole thing blended smoothly together and made a splendid starter. 

The waitress taking our order told me this was their specialty - Confit of duck with orange segments and saute shittake (mushrooms) - S$8.90. If you're wondering what 'confit' means, it refers to a technique for preserving meats such as goose, duck or pork that involves cooking the meat in its own fat, and then storing the meat in a covered container.

The duck was adequately crispy, almost a little hard but I think its because i took so long to eat (while taking photos) that it turned cold and slightly hard. It still tasted incredibly good though, with the buttered mashed potatoes that came in a generous portion. The mushrooms were too oily for me and the orange segments are a little redundant but not much harm was done. This dish didn't disappoint me at all, it probably exceeded what I had expected anyone can do with duck. 

Barramundi with Crab potato and french beans - S$12.90. The potatoes had a familiar taste to them, my friend said it was something like the "wok's smell." I felt it reminded me of the hashbrown nuggets. The waitress said it contained bits of crab but I couldn't tell. Well anyway, the potatoes tasted unique and good so just go try it! Fish was alright, soft and tasty enough. I didn't like the skin though, it had a very fishy taste. Might have been better if it was fried or just not there at all. 

Pistachio nuts are one of the few nuts i'm okay with and boy i'm glad we tried this!!!! The Pistachio Panna Cotta was a breath of fresh air that warmly rounded up our lunch. The smooth and dense composition of the panna cotta was nicely accompanied by the sweet tasting nuts that had a salty after taste. For ONLY S$6.9 , this is a must try when you visit Saveur. 

Saveur has only been at Purvis street for about a month and it has already won the hearts of many with its good food at extremely affordable prices. They started out like how Astons did, at a humble stall in a coffee shop and have now blossomed into a nice quaint gem located near the CBD. I wish them all the best and hope they'll grow to become more successful. The fact that the owners are only 25 and 28 is impressive and inspiring to all budding entrepreneurs.

Everyone should go to Saveur to have a piece of this treasure! 

East Coast Lagoon

Date : 26 May 2012

Address: 1120 East Coast Parkway
Opening hours : 8am-11pm ( varies for different stalls )
Nearest MRT: Bedok (transfer to bus/taxi)

My family loves going to the East Coast Lagoon, we hardly have dinner together so when a text comes in from Dad requesting " East Coast Dinner tonight? ", we all try to make time for a nice family get together. We'll put our dog in the backseat while he waits for us to finish dinner and then bring him for a nice stroll to the Bedok Jetty. 

We only ever eat the same few dishes but they satisfy our cravings all the time and I don't think ill ever get sick of BBQ

First up are the chicken wings! There are a few stalls selling them but this stall is our favourite. Each chicken wing is $1.20 and the stall number is 14.

I like them because they taste the same every time we order them. Great consistent bbq-ed taste and the edges of the skin are perfectly crispy. They taste well with or without the garlic chili. 

For wanton mee lovers, this, in my opinion, is SO MUCH BETTER than pontian. I've never understood the craze about pontian noodles because they don't even taste that good and they come in such small portions. 

This may be slightly more expensive than a regular plate of wanton mee -S$4 but look at the amount of charsiew there is on the plate. Compared to the normal few slices, this plate is almost fully covered with char siew. This is perfect for people like me who always have to ask for extra char siew. 

I don't fancy thinly sliced char siew because they tend to be too dry or just not satisfying at all. 

Some stalls have thick slices of char siew but they end up being too tough. 

This stall's char siew is tender and chewable! Chewable as in you can actually bite into every slice and savour the roasted aroma of the pork. 

Noodles are great too, with a tangy texture. 

 Find your plate of wanton noodles at Hwa Kee BBQ pork noodle - stall number 45. 

There are quite a number of seafood stalls selling stingray and i can safely say we've tried almost all of them. Out of all we've tried, we like this stall's stingray the best. For the smallest portion it's S$12. The stall is 16 BBQ Seafood. 

I like the sambal sauce they use to mask the stingray, it's not too spicy and slightly sweet. The meat is thick, fresh and sweet. I love stingray and this is probably one of my favourite stalls to have it. 

If i had to pick my favourite stingray stall, it'd probably be one in Clementi. I'll just have to go back to do a food post on that! More excuses to eat whooohoo. 

The best satay i've tried is definitely the one in JB. But this one is not bad too! I don't really fancy chicken satay but i like mutton. I say this stall is good because every stick is consistent and tender. Veeerrrrry tender actually. And they burn just enough of the edges to make it extra tasty. 

I get sick of some satay stalls who put too much butter on their satay but this stall does it just right so their meat aren't dripping with oil. Doesn't make you feel too guilty while eating. 

Each stick is 60 cents. This stall is number 51 called Musa! 

The food here is considered comfort food for my family. We expect great food and great food is what we get every time we visit the lagoon. It helps to walk off some of it along the beach, toward the jetty where it's windy and quiet. It's an alternative place to have a great dinner with a group of family or friends. Of course, transport is an issue because it's best to drive here, but if it's not a problem for you then this place is highly recommended for good BBQ food!

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh

Date: 23 May 2012

Address: 11 Bridge Road, Upper Circular road

Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay 

The lunch crowd filled the place when i was there at about 12:45pm. People come and leave really quickly though so finding a seat is not difficult. 

Soup is too diluted. Portion of meat is reasonable though. Meat is tender, not too hard and not too soft. Bak Kut Teh is probably only about the soup and the meat. The side dishes can only go so far to complement them. You can ask for soup refills, but as i've mentioned, it's too diluted for me. The bak kut teh flavor is not strong enough. 

For S$6.00 a bowl, it's acceptable, given its location. But they charge you 60 cents for your bowl of rice, 20 cents for a packet of wet tissue and 20 cents for water. Which is all quite normal for bkt stalls i guess. 

Not my favorite bkt stall for sure but if you work around the area and are craving for a hot bowl of lunch, this could be an option i guess. 

Not bad, not great, i'm gonna search for more bkt stalls. 

Tian Tian Chicken Rice - Maxwell

Date : 23 May 2012

Address: Maxwell Market , 1 Kadayanallur Street

Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar

Chicken rice is one of the delicacies in Singapore and there are countless of places to find them. I am quite determined to find my own list of top 5 chicken rice stalls. It may take me a few years or even longer than that, but what else do I have but time to spare? 

This day, I tried one of the many chicken rice stalls in Maxwell food centre. I wonder how all of them compete against each other, there are at least 5 of them I think, all closely positioned away from one another.

I chose Tian Tian Chicken Rice because it was the biggest (made up of 2 stalls instead of one). There were also alot of other people who had ordered from them. The fact that they had alot of backing from local cuisine shows intrigued me a little too. 

The soup was fine. 

The rice was too soggy for my liking. And a little too oily in my opinion. Chicken was decent. Chili was "meh" (which means average) and so this place of chicken rice is basically a typical plate of chicken rice. It was S$3.50 for a plate. 

For S$2.50, I could have had a much better plate of chicken rice elsewhere say for example, in Tiong Bahru market. 

This plate of chicken rice? Mediocre 

Bonheur Patisserie

Date : 23 May 2012

Address : 70 Duxton Road 

Opening hours : Mon-Thurs 10am-8pm, Fri-Sun 10am-10pm 

Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar 

This is one of the petite cafes along Duxton road. It's within walking distance from Maxwell market and places like Group therapy cafe (if you've been there before). I went in the afternoon so there weren't many people around. There also weren't many cakes to choose from.

I love Duxton/Ann siang hill area because it's just so nostalgic (not like i've been around in the 1950s-1960s but still)  it's nice to be around shophouses sometimes, a change from high rise buildings. There are plenty of boutiques and cafes around the area so if you have time and a friend to spend it with, this is a nice alternative as compared to somewhere like Orchard road which is always bustling with huge crowds that make me nervous and very uncomfortable.

They currently have 2 promotions, the picture is self-explanatory. 

 

While we were there, quite a few people came in to collect their orders for cakes. Looking from their samples they seem pretty good! The decor on some of the cakes are really exquisite and very detailed. I'm not sure about the taste though, maybe one day I'll try and we'll find out. 

Decor wise, the owner has kept it simple and homely. I say homely rather than inappropriate because i think their warm and friendly service made up for the fact that there is an altar at the back of the cafe. I didn't even realize it until my friend pointed it out. The fact that an altar is there doesn't bother me cos i'm not very religiously sensitive, but I guess if it makes my friend uncomfortable, it might do the same for other people. 

BUT ANYWAY, 

seating area is small so it definitely isn't good for big groups. I think it sits about 10-12 at most. 

As you can see, there isn't a wide range of selection of cakes. Which kinda made me a little disappointed but i chose to go with the Chocolate cake and an earl grey macaron. My friend tried the dark chocolate sorbet and had a coffee that came along with the cake-drink set.

There are all sorts of flavors of macarons but not all of them were available, which was a pity. 

Nus students get 10% off all regular items. Always remember to ask what discounts you're entitled to, whether you're a student or a card holder of whatever bank.

So I tried the Chocolate Cake which was S$8. It's more pricey than I would have liked to pay, but I thought why not. I love chocolate cakes and every cafe should have a good chocolate cake. It's like drinking a cup of milo, you can never be sick of milo but if you want a change then maybe you'll go for mint tea or whatever. I DIGRESS.

They had actually run out of chocolate cakes for the day but the owner said he could take one out from tomorrow's batch which was in the freezer.  I wish he had just rejected me and not given me a piece of cake that wasn't ready to be enjoyed. Though the cake was still quite nice, I couldn't properly savor it because I could still taste the ice bits in the cake. That sorely diluted whatever I was supposed to taste.

Maybe they just wanted to accommodate me but that led to a huge disappointment because i just couldn't get rid of the ice bits thingy that were quite annoyingly disturbing the flavor of the cake.

That said, I still found the cake very pleasant and interesting. The top 2 layers of the cake were just normal mousse (those were with the ice bits so the taste was diluted and the texture was soggy).
The bottom five layers were made up of a very queer compilation.
There was probably the usual crusted layer, a layer of cake, chocolate and then this layer that I really couldn't figure out. It gave the cake this unique texture, almost coconut-like. Crunchy but not brittle, rather dense and the after taste was a nutty one.
I took bite after bite, letting each layer distinguish itself and every bite was a different one.

The coffee my friend had was ordinary though, probably just one out of the coffee maker.
Their tea bags are from Grypthon.

This dark chocolate gelato was S$3.80. I forgot to ask if their gelato is home made because if it is, i highly recommend you try a cup. Gelato's hard to go wrong but when it does, it's bad. This one was slightly better than average and for 3.80? Why not. 

These were the available macarons available for the day. One of the ladies (im guessing the owner) recommended i try the earl grey one so I did. I think there was chocolate in there too.

It was nice and sweet, a little too sweet for me but if you share it, it's just nice. The earl grey flavor blends surprisingly well with the chocolate.

I wish they had more cakes for me to choose from. The prices are also slightly higher than average but service is warm and if you're around the area, it wouldn't hurt to pop in and see which cake might delight you. 

Canele Patisserie Chocolatarie

Date: 22 May 2012
Address: Raffles City Shopping Centre 
252 North Bridge Road #B1-46/47
Opening Hours: Mondays to Sundays 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Nearest MRT : City Hall Station

I've read countless of good reviews on how Canele has the best cakes and to-die-for desserts so I finally went to try a few and they have left me wanting for more! I went with 2 other friends for tea on a tuesday afternoon and we were seated right away.

We decided to try a cake, a crepe and the famous sticky toffee pudding. I'd heard about the Le Royale cake and was very eagerly anticipating to try it. I must say I was fairly disappointed because it didn't taste as heavenly as I'd imagined it would be. Also because i have quite a high expectation of chocolate cakes since everyone can bake them, but not anyone can bake them well.

So this is the Sticky Toffee pudding and IT WAS INSANELY DELECTABLE. It's not a lava cake so there wasn't chocolate oozing out or anything, but there was no need for that because the texture of the cake was smooth enough. It's probably called sticky toffee pudding because it has a rather spongy yet moist consistency.

Match that with a pinch of Madagascar ice cream and a dab of the toffee sauce and you're in dessert heaven. It immediately made me feel guilty for not working out enough - so you know this must be really really good to be so sinful. The pudding comes with the ice cream and this costs S$12. Not at all expensive and definitely worth every cent.

This is the Le Royale and it was S$7.50. I know I said I was disappointed, but that's only because I had worked up such a high expectation for it, plus i'm not a big fan of dark chocolate. This cake had layers of chocolate mousse with crispy chocolate praline and cream, chocolate glaze and almonds and finally topped with dark chocolate. Use a fork to break through the layers and then have a full bite of all of them because they work together extremely well - which also means I don't like the taste of the layers individually. It has a smooth enough texture, with the crunchy bits and then the final after taste of dark chocolate left on your tongue. I thought it would go well with a cup of tea, something minty.

I kept telling my friend this cake reminded me of another cake down at the Cafe Pralet in Tiong Bahru. I'll do a review on that soon so we can have some comparison done.

Our choice of crepe was the Flower of the Sea. It was basically filled with Nutella, topped with berries, a wad of cream, praline icecream and caramelized filo. The caramelized filo (im guessing) is the biscuit-like stuff standing on top of the crepe. It tasted a little like tissue prata, it wasn't flimsy and didn't melt in your mouth like I thought it would. Instead, it was crunchy and mildy sweet, very appealing. You put a piece of that biscuit thingy, a slice of the crepe and a tinge of the ice cream and you've got it. A wonderful mixture of flavors and textures in your mouth as you slowly savor that bite.

This is why i love eating. Because no matter how full of failures your day has been, food never fails you ( if you go to the right places ). Canele was the perfect place for me that day, a place to save you from drowning amidst the strange, unreasonable and pressurizing moments of what we call life.