Xiang Dessert & Food: Taiwanese nosh in Upper Thomson

We all know that one of the best things about travelling is eating, and I think its safe to say that trips to Taiwan are always characterised by feasting on street food! Craving Taiwanese food while here in Singapore?  饗好吃 Xiang Dessert and Food has got your back. Rebranded in 2015 by the owner of 甜品之家 , this cosy cafe now served up both sweet and savoury Taiwanese treats for all to enjoy.

Tucked in a quiet corner along Thomson Road, it is easy to miss Xiang Dessert and Food. While not all the dishes here are remarkable, there are certainly some that deserve special mention and are worth making a trip down to try!

La Ventana: launches all-new Spanish High Tea

Leisurely afternoons come by so rarely; and when they do. All you want sometimes, is just a soothing cuppa tea followed by a convoy of dainty sweet treats to put the cocktail hour into perspective; and perhaps the bonus company of a good-humoured individual to match your devour-ment pace.

Rolled out on the 3rd May, the 3 tiers of goodness at La Ventana includes puffy cinnamon laden churros, salmon gravlax croissant, homemade salted caramel chocolate tartlets and more, prepared single-handedly by the Pastry Chef at La Ventana.

Hard Rock Cafe (Sentosa): World Burger Tour

Hard Rock Cafe has officially kicked off the World Burger tour right here in Singapore! To commemorate the start of the burger season, Hard Rock Cafe will be offering for a limited time only -  a menu exclusive to their Sentosa outlet.

What better way to celebrate World Burger Month than with legendary burgers from all around the world right? This June, three burgers from New York, Chicago and San Francisco will join a local favourite to tempt and tantalize your tastebuds.

At the heart of every burger is a quality patty. The Hard Rock Cafe doesn't cut and corners in ensuring that premium grade meat is served straight to you. All 4 burgers have certified Angus beef patties, grilled medium well so that you get full flavor and juiciness in every single bite.

Hokkaido Sushi Restaurant @ M Hotel: launches The Hokkaido Buffet Experience

Gone are the days when I used to gorge myself silly on mediocre ala-carte buffets. Shin Yuu in 2012 being my last undertaking; memories of overtenderised wafu steak leaving a bad taste in my mouth. So when broached with the subject of attempting The Hokkaido Buffet Experience at Hokkaido Sushi Restaurant in M Hotel; I held my breathe. Is it worth all the apprehension and grief it occasions?

At the end of the day, pushing past the ugly, Hokkaido Sushi is worthy of a shout out; especially for the sushi and sashimi stalkers. Here are some star attractions to place your bets on; and others that you should steer clear of.

First and foremost, a brief introduction to the joint that occupies a section of the 9th floor of M Hotel. Famous for dishing out ala-carte items as well as Omakase set menu; the venue presents itself as a bit dated; it's shady pine interior with the usual bamboo work and ghastly purple table cloths in the private dining room impressing no one. But you're not here to be charmed by the ornamentation; you're here to stuff yourself silly on the free-flow of fresh fish and seafood. And that's exactly what you should be doing.

Knicker + Bockers: $12.90 customisable pizzas in the heart of the CBD

CBD warriors can now rejoice in having another tasty and reasonably priced option to satisfy their hunger pangs during the workday. Located at the basement of Ocean Financial Centre. Knicker+Bockers is an New York inspired pizzeria offering handcrafted pizza with unlimited toppings. Yes, you heard that right. Unlimited toppings! At only $12.90 for a 10-inch pizza, this is a really good deal.

First off, the menu reads more like a checklist of your heart's desire - 8 kinds of cheese, check; 20 different options for healthy veggies, check; 16 varieties of gourmet meat toppings and 6 choices of seafood garnishes, check and check!

Nom La La by Bakerzin: 360 Degree Dining Concept @ Punggol

Nom La La by Bakerzin is a homegrown enterprise oriented on a 360 degree dining concept. If I could sum up the experience here in a few words, it would be that there's truly something for everyone at Nom La La.

Located at the newly opened SAFRA at Punggol Waterfront, Nom La La is a perfect location for a good family meal for its diversity of choice and pocket-friendliness. The cafe serves up different cuisines for every palate, from Asian to Western; different courses for any time of day, from breakfast to dessert and even snacks to go; different styles of cooking for all ages, from traditional to fusion.

Nom La La operates on a self-service concept, a fuss free order-pay-collect system much like Ikea. This is intentionally done to differentiate themselves from parent brand - Bakerzin. As the Head Chef said, "with less distraction for service, all the heart can go into the food!". We say, yay!

8 Korean BBQ: The Underdog of Korean BBQ

In a land festered by Korean trends; I've every reason to believe that Korean BBQ may just become a mainstay in our local foodscape - especially since the topic of Descendants of The Sun (DOTS) seem to sneak up upon every table conversation I've participated in for the past month. First K-dramas, then K-pop, then came the Korean cuisine affliction; Korean barbecue, bibimbap, all things kimchi and then patbingsu joints sprouting all round the island. 

There's no escaping its cult-like influence. Like they said, if you can't beat them, join them.

Chir Chir introduces a Honey Butter Chicken and other new dishes

I'll find any excuse to treat myself. Actually, my whole system of self-adulting is based on an intricate balance of tasks and rewards to keep myself happy and motivated. I clock in 6 miles, I get pistachio gelato. I pay a bill, I get a cocktail (and a significantly lighter wallet). I make it to the weekend, I go down to Chir Chir and get myself that very exciting looking pile of Honey Butter Chicken. This very deliberate systems that involved foot rubs from the mister, exotic beers and the occasional burger; works, and it gets the job done.

Since we've all made it to the weekend, I'm absolutely certain that we're all due for a treat ourselves. Here are some new dishes from the Chir Chir's new menu from me to you. 

Torimaru @ Ramen Champion: the Next Better Player?

Torimaru is the newest contender at Ramen Champion, and if the ramen I tasted yesterday is anything to go by, the reigning six brands ought to be worried indeed! 

Torimaru is bringing a rather unique take on ramen, unlike what we're used to having here in Singapore. Instead of the traditional Tonkotsu soup made from pork bones. Head Chef Takano Koji is introducing Tori Paitan, a broth made from five different parts of chicken and five different kinds of vegetables.

When asked about the inspiration behind his dishes, Chef Koji explains that Tori Paitan is all the rage in Japan now, and he simply adapted it by creating his own original noodles to batch match the broth. His demeanour betrayed nothing but humility despite the fact that he experimented with over 10kinds of noodles and personally consulted suppliers before finally producing this splendid rendition that (I find) he has every right to be proud of.

Mikuni Special: Guest Chef Lawrence Mok of I M Teppanyaki & Wine, Hong Kong

The meal unravels like a heated dance battle, with the warmth licking off the blazing hot teppanyaki grill, acting as the melody. Every dish executed by guest Chef Lawrence Mok Of I M Teppanyaki pitted against the theatrics exhibited by resident Chef and Comedian Moon Kyung Soo of Mikuni. Known to its fans, Mikuni has never rest on its laurels even after half of decade of lurking around in the chilly shadows of Fairmont Hotel; churning out special promotions and honoring age old festivals such as the recent Hina Matsuri (dolls festivals).

This time round, a random acquaintance made via instagram sparked off a friendly banter between the two chefs and a collaboration was put in order. For 2 days only, the 26th and 27th May, a special guest chef lunch and dinner menu will be available; highlighting the prowess of Chef Lawrence Mok behind the teppan grill. We would urge you to request for counter seats for a front row experience to the heated combat; and for other reasons such as eye-candy in the form of dashing Chef Lawrence who exudes a smoldering Ken Watanabe impression.

Ninja Bowl: All the right moves

Sitting around awaiting news can be agonising sometimes. At times when I encounter predicaments like these, my mind instantly drifts to an encyclopedia reflection of comfort food types such as the one I'm about to mention.

Ninja bowls takes over Department of Caffeine's plush albeit smokin' hot pad along Duxton Road. Just over  a month old, the minimalist cafe looks to woo the same target audience of trend chasers who, over the year have seen a graduation of palette from waffle-depraved souls to atas rice bowl hunters. The region, seemingly reaching a saturation of similar concepts such as May May and Grain Traders, still receiving a respectable traction with busy executives looking to squeeze in a bit of nutrition during short lunch hours.

Speaking for myself, I'm not usually such a go-getter for rice bowls. The mere fact that I've not tried neither of the two above-mentioned establishments proving that claim firmly. So my recent invitation to suss out Ninja bowl and their infamous donburis really cause me offguard (ninja pun).

Edge @ Pan Pacific Hotel - Theatrical Sunday Champagne Buffets

Hailed to be the longest brunch, I arrived at the grounds in search of a elongated magic carpet of sorts festooned with delicacies representing lands of unimaginable outreach only to be met with death glares when the reality of "long" being represented by its 4 hours duration dawned upon me. Pardon my ignorance but I don't deal well with buffet lines and my failure to even surpass 2 hours in an overindulging session makes me the worst kind of companion for sessions such as these.

The newly revamped Edge Buffet at Pan Pacific does however pique my interest solely based on the upbeat music drifting out for the make-shift area right smack in the middle of the buffet grounds with a live band stationed within. "Let's lose our minds and go f****** crazy. I-I-I-I-I-I keep on hoping we'll eat cake by the ocean." warbled vigorous voices without so much of a strain.

And that's exactly what I did.

[SAVOUR 2016]: Reasons why it's worth a visit

Reasons why its worth paying a visit to SAVOUR 2016?

I would say, because of Fried Chicken. Hallelujah. Or maybe complimentary entry to festival grounds? hmph... if that isn't reason enough to warrant a visit, we'll just have to dive a little deeper.

First things first, to make sure we're on the same page, patrons of last year Savour 2015 (you can read my wrap-up here) would have noticed that premises have been severely downsized. No, it's not because officiates have lower budgets but because they've decided to space it out over 3 sessions throughout the year to pique the interest of gourmands and specific target groups; in which I share a strong affinity with the second group of 'outcasts'.

The 2016 SAVOUR calendar looks a little something like this
SAVOUR Gourmet: 12 - 15 May
SAVOUR Wines: 8 - 11 Sept
SAVOUR Christmas: 17 - 20 Nov

Brotzeit's NEW exclusive German draft beers by Lowenbrau and Franziskaner

It's not everyday that you are graced with the presence of beer royalty, so imagine my astonishment when Brotzeit Singapore invited Master Brewmaster George Reisch of Anheuser-Busch and Honorary Knight of the Brews Mashstaff to launch four draft beers from two German heritage breweries, Franziskaner and Lowenbrau, brewed since the 1360s and 1380s respectively.

In conjunction of their 10th 'wunderbare' anniversary. Brotzeit has these exclusive drafts on tap at all of their Singapore outlets - the Lowerbrau Original Munchner Lager, Franziskaner Hefe Weissbier, Franziskaner Dunkel Hefe-weissbier and Lowenbrau Original Munchner Dunkel Lager for the first time. And not only that - a bevy of new German items were introduced to the menu as beer pairings.

Nobiro Japaneses Restaurant and Sake Bar: Hidden Gem in the West

I distinctively remember the day we ventured into the secluded vicinity of Nobiro Japanese Restaurant and Sake Bar. The driver starred at us with bemusement as we forced halted the cab at a rather peculiarly situated bus stop across the highway from the restaurant, supposedly rested within residential property. Sure enough, a little walk up from the bus stop found us starring with rare wonder at a small stretch of shops along Faber Hill estate, housed below an old albeit spacious looking residential apartments.

[NEW OPENING] Honolulu Cafe: a taste of Cha Chaan Teng culture

Beloved Hong Kong treasure, Honolulu Cafe spreads its wings across the seas for the first time and unfurls its first international outlet right here, in Singapore. Despite the quizzical reactions that are stirred due to its unorthodox choice of location - in Centrepoint -  a rather drab mall along the main stretch of Orchard. It's isolation further proven when my partner was left skirting around the mall for an additional 20 mins in a fruitless attempt to unearth the delicacy that is their infamous Egg Tarts. I on the other hand, found the exploration process strangely intriguing, it's convenient yet seemingly secluded position bringing new life to the mall, that I've heard, have grand re-branding plans in the pipeline.

Paper Crane @ Waterloo Street: Cafe Food with Soul

If ever I had plans to set up a cafe, Paper Crane would be a visionary example of what would manifest. A hole-in-the-wall located within the premises of Singapore Council of Women's Organisations; the vibes are straightforwardly bright and sparky, almost as simple as the menu layout which remains as chalkboard writings sprawled across blackboards; greeting visitors once they step into its cozy premises. If you must know, the cafe is co-owned by ex-magazine editor and her partner, a big burly Canadian with a teddy-bear like persona, who trained in Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and previously worked the stoves at Wild Honey - with such food credentials at bay and a certain anti-establishment act put in place; you know that quality and price of the food will be un-debatable.

It took me a while, but I finally made my pilgrimage to the quaint little 40-seated cafe touting a lean, mean Fried Chicken dish that was highlighted recently on the Today newspaper. The Signature Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($15) served alongside UBO's homemade chilli and ajwar (roasted capsicum and eggplant) is a real winner. A sturdy cornmeal crust infused with a healthy dose of spices enrobes succulent chops, whilst the sprightly mannerism of my accompanying Citrus Sunshine Slacker from Evil Twin Brewing provides a fizzy finish.

Also on the menu are some really value for money deals, take for example their $10 specials which come with a free homemade coolant from 11am - 2pm daily. The Pesto Spaghetti with Mushrooms is a delightful tangle-weed of freshly made pesto evenly coating individual strands. Despite the dish needing just a wee bit more extra virgin olive oil to enhance the intensity of the sauce; admittedly you can't really complain since its a pretty decent meal for just 10 buckaroos.

At the end of the day, regardless of the finished product and its failure to evoke a 'life-changing' experience; the food at Paper Crane is a true reflection of our urges to involve ourselves in a bit of slow-cooking from time to time. Everything here is made from scratch, albeit with lots of love injected; so hold the comments and indulge in the unpretentious fare dished, as if you were in a friend's kitchen.

Paper Crane 

96 Waterloo Street

S(187967)

t: 6837 0836

w: https://www.facebook.com/papercranesg/

Operating Hours:

Mon - Sat: 11am - 10pm

KEK Pandan Gardens: Modern Zi-Char with some of the usual suspects

Keng Eng Kee's modern rendition opened up in a make-shift box-like fixture at Pandan Gardens, just a stone's throw away from my maiden church Pandan Calvary Bible Presbyterian. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the tze-char institution had found residence near a spot I've been trying so hard to avoid for the last 5 years of my life (Yes, I admit to being a backsliding Christian; but the orthodox and rigid practises of the church just rubs me in the wrong way). So, contrarily, with little resistance, I packed my bags in search for enlightenment to the establishment coined as serving up 'modern zi-char'

Sakurazaka: Traditional shabu-shabu with refined European flair

It's hard to fault an establishment when the starter blazes a trail in its path. The meal begins on an all time high with the Ishiyaki and Onsen Tamago leaving me tongue tied. Depending on the set that you've ordered (Pork Set - 95++, Bouillabaisse Set - $108++, Beef shabu shabu set ($128++), Sukiyaki Set ($150++); slices of Iberico pork, Japanese wagyu beef or seafood is served alongside a searing hot stone heated till 140 degrees in the oven so that your thin slices of protein get cooked with a quick swish in under 15 seconds. Proceed to dip your loot into the bowl of onsen egg mixed with spring onion and sukiyaki sauce -  and after that is done, smash the rest of the egg mixture in one elegant swoop.

Sakurazaka, an upscale shabu-shabu-sukiyaki-kakigori joint has got a lot of things going for it. Bringing to life several menu items that are just a tad unusual for the run-of-the-mill 'eat-all-you-can' shabu shabu establishments targeted at feeding the young and ravenous. Debuted at the kitsch little neighbourhood of Greenwood avenue, the team, mostly consisting of consultant chef, Masashi Horiuchi of Shelter in the Woods and Verre fame; are well known for injecting modern European flair into his heartwarming Japanese upbringing led cuisine. Needless to say, Sakurazaka, with the backing of wine merchant, Wine Culture, curates an exquisite choice of wines, sake and Japanese craft beers.

Asanoya Bakery: [Limited Ed.] Sakura Range bakes

Can't get enough of the Sakura season in Japan? Asanoya Bakery celebrates the romanticism of the pink blossoms with a whole range of baked goods ranging from the Sakura Swiss Roll ($15.80 for a whole and $3.50 per slice) to their traditional Karuizawa loaf in Sakura style with Cured peaches ($3.50/100g).

My favourite of the lot being the Bonjour Sakura ($2.80) buns filled with red bean paste and salt-cured sakura leaves. Cured between kombu and sea salt, these leaves have a gelatinous slimy sort of texture with hints of preserved plums in its wake. A lovely addition to the thick and sweet sakura infused red bean paste that fills the flat buns. The buns have a peculiar structure, a tad distinct from the usual pillowy fluffy soft textures of Japanese bread, instead, these are slightly dense and chewy even; quite possibly to serve as a better foil to its rich fillings. 

Tim Ho Wan (Plaza Singapura): NEW menu items

Call me a noob or whatever you wish but my recent trip to Tim Ho Wan can be regarded as my virgin experience since take-away BBQ Pork buns doesn't count as patronage. The immensely successful brand has expanded to 6 locations dotting the island, making it convenient for people from all walks of life to enjoy its affordable yet deeply satisfying dabble into Hongkong Michelin-starred fare.