Showing posts with label kallang. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kallang. Show all posts
Crab-Hunting @ 姑妈家 & Joyden Treasure
Labels:
affordable,
chinese,
circle line,
crab,
family friendly,
hidden finds,
kallang,
large groups,
special occasion,
will return,
zichar
·
You don't have to have a mother who can remotely cook a single dish in the kitchen without catching the corner of her frilly apron on fire (a bit of a stretch, I know) to appreciate the charms of the food being served up at 姑妈家, located at the far end of the food-centric Macpherson Road.
The storefront and interior are kept minimal and simple as if to preserve high strung days where the establishment grounds were packed wall to wall with hungry diners. Nowadays, the rare family occasional rolls in on a weekday night; the lazy susan bearing significantly lesser burden than in those hay days. That being said, 姑妈家 with its homey environment and earnest sit-down diner experience is something suited for the large family get togethers.
The Snack Culture Company: 9 Course Omakase @ $49 (I Kid You Not!)
Labels:
affordable,
degustation,
family friendly,
fusion,
hidden finds,
kallang,
modern,
must go,
omakase
·
Unintimidated by the strong restaurant F&B concepts spotting the vicinity, out sprouts The Snack Culture Company which suffers from more than just a bi-polar disorder. It's concept comes across as a tad confusing as I first pulled into the restaurant. The white walls and customised grid like system showcasing a whole array of edibles and snacks (hence the name) which can be selected and crafted into gift boxes. In the day, the shop converts itself into a sandwich type tuckshop, offering tasty snacks suitable for office workers on-the-go and as the light dims down in the early evenings, that's when the magic happens.
The $49 dollars 9 course omakase. I kid you not. It's real and I'm smitten.
New Openings & Re-openings: De-Burg + Druggists
Labels:
affordable,
ala carte,
beer,
burgers,
craft beers,
family friendly,
hidden finds,
jalan besar,
kallang,
lists,
must go,
will return
·
My first visit to De-Burg was in 2011 (please refer to my super old but good post here), that was still the days when they occupied a non-descript hawker stall in the quiet neighborhood of Ghim Moh. Imagine tucking into a burger surrounded by the banter and chatter of boisterous old men taking swigs at their tiger beer in frozen mugs. Yes, that was what it was like back then. No hipster alcove here. Just some burger loving action going on in the back as the kitchen works hard to churn out everything to order; no pre-fried bacon nor chips, that's a crime.
Fast forward several years and De-Burg has tunnelled its way into the hearts of many. It's move to the popular Bukit Merah Lane (where Two Wings and Immanuel French Kitchen are now located) improving its reach to the public.
But despite the transformations, one thing remained steadfast, my love for their burgers.
Hence I was truly excited to hear of their re-opening at CT Hub a week ago. What's a better date-night option then a trip to our favourite burger joint?
Just a heads up, the menu can be pretty intimidating. Beef burgers, lamb burgers and seafood burgers, the list runs 2 A3-size papers long. But fret not, if you have a solid idea of what your burger ought to look like, it's going to be a breeze.
That's his Mushroom Cheese ($14.90 for 200g), AUS beef patty, cheese, greens and portobello mushroom gravy. No money squandered here.
But taking the cake was my Baconcheese ($15.50 for 220g), you know, because of the jealous stares cast across the table, the sudden spikes of crispy bacon shards pressed into the melted cheese paired with that juicy beef patty done medium rare will have you hankering for your next fix.
Of course, you don't have to be bores like us, there's a full range of Signature and Celebrity Burgers that will certainly knock your socks off for example the UnXpected Burger, with sauerkraut on the heel and currywurst on the patty or the Dee Kosh umamified with inclusion of a deep fried spam ring. Do also note that all burgers are served with an endless supply of fries; the staff are always making their rounds holding metal bowls of salted fries and smiles.
Another great love of mine, besides burgers is my love for craft beer. So for you beer geeks out there, you'll be thrilled to know that a new beer destination has popped up in the jalan besar region, just a walk away from CT hub. This region, popularised by the gentrification of one too many hipster joints, chye seng huat comes to mind obviously, invites a lovely new neighbour, the Druggists.
It is, too, guilty of hitching the hipster vibe bandwagon, preserving it's "Chinese Druggists Association" signboard up front and remodeling the interior to looks like traditional Chinese diner, complete with mosaic floor tiling and old school kopitiam furniture. Personally, I don't give two hoots, after all, we're here for the 23 beers on tap! And Druggists does a good job of procuring the strangest and the most exotic beers.
Intrigued by the Mikkeller range, we settled for the Peter Pale & Mary Ale ($8/$15) and the K=rlek Pale Ale ($8/$15), the former carrying slight citrusy notes with piney and grassy hops.
Besides the ales, there is plenty of variety to provoke the senses, everything from fruit beers to stouts and porters. You name your flavor profile, and the good-humoured staff would have something for you.
Definitely a beer destination worth checking out if you're in the area.
De Burg
2 Kallang Avenue
CT Hub
#02-15
S(339407)
w: https://www.facebook.com/deburgsingapore
Opening Hours:
Weekdays: Lunch 11am - 3pm (last order 2 30pm)
Mid afternoon drinks in between (beers and side orders avaiable)
Dinner: 5 45pm - 10pm (last order 9 30pm)
Weekends: 11am - 10pm
(closed on every last Monday and Tuesday of the month)
Druggists
119 Tyrwhitt Road
S(207547)
Opening Hours:
Tues - Fri: 5pm-11pm
Sat-Sun: 2pm - 11pm
Joe & Dough:Perfect for the Average Joe
Labels:
cafe,
cakes. affordable,
coffee,
desserts,
family friendly,
hidden finds,
kallang,
novena,
sandwich,
stadum,
wholesome,
will return
·
When I first received the invite to sample Joe & Dough's Christmas offerings (I know this post came in a little late), I was ecstatic. Those who know me well would understand my undying love for bread and coffee, hence it was easy to understand my buzzing enthusiasm.
Founded in 2009, Joe & Dough has been slowly extending it's empire, spanning across the island in very strategic locations, for example, Kallang Leisure Park, Milennia Walk, Golden Shoe, Orchard Gateway and even Square 2. All this, in a bid to capture the working adult market. Its' success rate, evident from its steadily growing presence on the island.
Le Bistrot: classic or contemporary?
Labels:
french,
hidden finds,
kallang,
restaurants
·
For whatever inchoate reason, dinner landed up being in Le Bistrot upon recommendation from the older brother. And in a spectacularly scattershot and eclectic approach, dinner plans saw me having a pint of beer alone along the Kallang river as the family trudged the course to the marine barrage.
After a short period of evaluating the curious dearth of bleak monotony at work despite the mundane work flow over my inspiring drink, it was return time to the dinner table with the family. Le Bistrot claims presents a classic french menu to its diners coupled with a casual environment. I was there with the intention to rock the boat.
Note: Portions are huge and between the four of us, we ordered 3 prix fixe sets($60 each) which entitles us to 3 entrees, 3 main courses and 3 desserts. So "value for money" wise, we were off to a good start.
Poivron farci a la ratatouille, chevre marine grille - roasted red capsicum stuffed with ratatouille, served with lightly grilled marinated Sainte Maure goats cheese and mesclun salad. Best entree of the lot, love the combination of the creaminess of the goats cheese with the richness of the ratatouille.
Soupe a l'oignon gratinee - traditional caramelized onion soup gratinated with emmenthal cheese. I'm going to be blunt here, forgettable, and overcompensating with a lack of portion control.
Caviar du pauvre (poor man's caviar) verrine of eggplant and garlic puree, chicken liver mousse and pernod creme fraiche served with char grilled bread. A strange tasting dish that I spent half the time sifting thru for the permeating acidity of chicken liver. Fortunately eggplant is on my list of favourite foods, so I happily dug into this rather neglected dish.
The mains arrived in orderly fashion at the table. First to be assessed was the Confit de cuisses de canard - duck leg confit with honey mustard vinaigrette and creamy potato puree. Highlight of the evening for sure. Crisp from the action of poaching in its own fats, the skin was an absolute delight to munch on, its flesh, a pompous affair of plumpness and succulence. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish.
I can't say the same for the Steak Frites with pink peppercorn beef jus served with pomme frites. With such a thick slab of meat at stake, our medium rare request resulted in a high percentage of rare doneness towards the middle of the steak. What a shame.
The last, Pan-seared Salmon fillet was a respectable attempt with gargantuan portion sizes once again. Done perfectly pink in the middle and served with haricot vert. I was pleased but not blown away.
Desserts were an utter flop. The Tarte au citron bearing the taste of uncooked cornstarch, the lack of tartness reflecting a state of lazy cooking. The trio of creme brulee were acceptable with the pistachio raspberry flavor outshining the rest. The pastilla a la pistache et chocolate noir was an interesting dessert with a strudel like pastry encasing a warm filling of chocolate ganache and crunchy pistachios. But I shan't speak more of it.
To put things straight, Le Bistrot offers quality service but very sub-par food. Perhaps its my misconception of French fare, but I would think twice before putting my money on a meal here.
2 Stadium Walk, #01-03
Singapore Indoor Stadium
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
