Showing posts with label no frills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label no frills. Show all posts
Don Meijin: Look past the Chilli Crab Tendon
Labels:
affordable,
bugis,
family friendly,
fried chicken,
japanese,
large groups,
no frills,
tendon,
will return
·
Just when you thought it couldn't get any weirder at Ramen Champion; the through-bred recruited their newest contender, wait, WHUT? A specialist donburi joint which does only Japanese rice bowls.
Before you go on to discount this manoeuvre as a sell-out, hear me out, the long queues at lunch are justifiable given it's wallet friendly fare with a certain respect for quality.
Cajun on Wheels: Louisiana seafood truck @ Pasarbella
Labels:
cityhall,
no frills,
no reservations,
pasar bella,
promenade,
restaurants,
sunteccity
·
I can't quite recall the last time I had crab. Honestly, I really don't have it to often. The challenge of retaining a stain free shirt at the end of the feasting often the more intimidating factor that would steer me clear of that option. I would say that being a klutz has been a major deterrent in my choice to partake in crab, but the more poignant reason would be plain laziness. However, Cajun on Wheels isn't just your standard zi-char style Chili Crab or Black pepper crab, hence its worth the mess. In true American gourmet fashion, mussels and crabs are piled high on to a waterproof plastic sheet layer that hides the wonderfully decorated table tops of the new Pasarbella at Suntec City. A shame really, but the umami-laden galore of seafood that greets the eye is equally attractive.
The menu at Cajun on Wheels is kept simple, staying true to its roots of imitating a Louisiana seafood truck with Cajun influences. Seafood is simply boiled in bags with herbs and spices till just cooked and served with a variation of local-fusion sauces such as Salted Egg Yolk, Thai Red Curry and the kid-friendly Cheesy Cream.
Carvers & Co : Smashing Burgers and Kimchi Fries
I know, I know its Singapore's birthday today and judging by the boxes of remarkable flatlays of local foods flooding my instagram feed, everyone is out there frolicking with pratas, chwee kueh, hokkien mee and chicken rice this morning in a bid to rally the national day spirit.
I'm afraid, that's not really my jam. So I'm going to steer you towards some amazing burgers and fries from Carvers and Co. Lucky for you, the kind folks will be serving up their flagship burger, The General all weekend long.
So drop the dishes, drop the baby, let go of the steering wheel, flush the toilet, turn off the shower, unplug the oven, kick over the fuckin' TV, drop your pants, heck, drop everything, dance around, wave your hands in the air like you just don't care and order it now.
You will not regret it.
Shi Fu Korean BBQ: Meat Lovers Rejoice
Labels:
affordable,
barbeque,
big groups,
bras basah,
dhoby ghaut,
family friendly,
hidden finds,
korean,
korean bbq,
little india,
no frills,
will return
·
Shi Fu sited below the bright florescent lights of the many KTVs located near peace centre, may not be the most attractive sight to wander into. The thick fumes of garlic laden smoke streaming out of the open doors, yet again another dampening factor. But Shi Fu Korean BBQ is the common's best Korean BBQ in a joggers mile. So karoke party revellers seeking something to chew on after a madhouse session, this would be your best bet!
On The Table: Cafe on the Circle
It was a dime in a dozen. The dim light-bulbs straddling the wires knotted over the ceilings, representing the slight glimmer of hope in the eyes of an owner anticipating raging queues and long coffee ticket orders on a weekend morning. Despite it's lack of individualism, it was instant infatuation for me.
Reasons being its space, unclustered tables with roomy spaces for manevuering around (without the awkward shifting and kicking of chair legs involved); simplicity - a stripped down garage look is adopted here with grey walls and concrete floors which prove condusive for a bit of the weekend wind-down.
On The Table comes by way of the successful folks of Lola's cafe in Kovan who have decided to spread their feathers out just a little further to the sleepy neighborhood of Pasir Panjang. With little, or rather no direct competitors within a 1km radius, the cafe sets out to create a storm (evident from the larger than life space indented) and pack in the crowds who are itching for that hit of caffeine.
Things are kept simple here. Coffee from Dutch Colony is supported by a short and sweet cafe menu with your usual suspects and few surprising finds here and there. The more substantial mains like the Swimmer Crab Linguine ($16) and the Confit of Duck Leg ($18) catches my attention but my Aussie depraved soul cried out for a bit of brunch fare.
But first, coffee for the soul. My Latte ($5) arrives at the table with picture perfect intention. Finally an outstanding female barista who didn't have to resort to putting heart lattes in my cup to win my favor. *giggles*. However, the coffee recieved lukewarm responses around the table, everyone claiming to lean towards the nuttier, robust roasts over the higher acidity content normally found in Dutch Colony's stash. It's all subjective of course.
The food can't be faulted though. The Big One ($16.00) pulling its weight in quantity yet not compromising on quality as well. Pork sausage, honey glazed bacon, ham, baked portabello, mixed salad and scrambled eggs and toasted brioche. It might sound like a bit of work to get though, but the melange of fresh textures and excellent produce ensures that it all gets polished down rather easily. All in sync with the melodic croonings in the background and the lively chatter of good weekend companionship.
My Ultimte Croissant ($13.00) was yet again a usual calorie suspect done right and was highly culpable this time without signs of cloying richness in the overall composition.. Below its crispy half croissant cap grilled with some sort of herb butter spread, sits honey glazed bacon, ham, mayo, honey, scrambled eggs and melted cheddar cheese.... they don't call it "ultimate' for nothing... Laced with a dash of furikake for the slight savoury crunch, this was a thorough joy to work though and I took to it like a fat kid to cake.
And then, there were waffles. Deftly executed with a not so dainty scoop of Salted Caramel Ice Cream over the top ($8.00), the crisp honeycombed indented pastry flaunts a texture that is neither cloyingly thick and gummy nor too brittle and crisp and has the right level of egginess. The homemade ice cream building a flutter of anticipation with its smoky note of caramelization, yet beckons to be pushed a little more in the savoury spectrum. Still, a reasonably priced waffle combination with approachable portion sizes that doesn't make one feel piggish prior to placing the orders.
Feeling up for a little game of origami? (or amazing engineering feat as my cousin claims it to be), try folding their paper napkins into heart shapes.
Lesson of the day: "Start what you love"
Nothing quite like a bit of inspiration for the weekends.
On the table is a cafe that offers up a treat of hidden gems. Definitely my new go-to cafe in the region.
[Note: OTT doesn't charge service charge nor GST so do go generous on your tips!]
On the Table
118 Pasir Panjang Road
Singapore 118541
Opening Hours:
Tues - Fri: 11am - 10pm
Sat - Sun: 10am -10pm
(last orders for kitchen is at 9pm, and for bar (drinks and waffles) will be 9 30pm)
Mon: Closed
Hong Kong Street Family Restaurant: Har Cheong Gai
Labels:
beer,
cantonese,
chinese,
chinese food,
family,
family friendly,
fried chicken,
no frills,
novena,
wordless wednesdays
·
Wordless Wednesdays unravels at Novena's Hong Kong Street Family Restaurant.
On the hit list, Prawn Paste chicken, Sum Lor Hor Fun, Hotplate Beancurd (MMmmm...) and Stir Fried Sweet Potato Leaves.
These photos nurture a chimera of narratives... but with too many words spoken these day, my lips are sealed today. I'm leaving it to your imagination to draw the deductions.
Okay, I concede defeat, so maybe the food was all sorts of wonderful. Who can refuse the lure of that sweet layer of egg underneath that lusciously thick meat sauce on a sizzling hot plate?.. not me for sure...
Some sort of Wordless Wednesday this is turning out to be...
Read more about my previous experience at the Bedok brunch here.
Hong Kong Street Family Restaurant (Novena)
273 Thomson Rod
Singapore 307644
Khun Mee Thai Noodle Bar: Bedok Trippin'
Labels:
bedok,
bedok point,
beer,
braised pork,
desserts,
durian,
family friendly,
food tasting,
no frills,
no GST,
no service charge,
thai food,
upper changi
·
'Are we there yet?', those words kept ringing in my head as we made our way to Bedok on the crowded train from the west. Located on the second floor of Bedok Point, it's impossible to miss the signage as you look up upon entering the building.
Khun Mee Thai is a new Thai noodle bar and casual dining concept serving high quality and authentic Thai-Chinese street food. Khum Aum (or just Ahm as she prefers) is the founder and is proud of the fact that all Thai ingredients used are sourced directly from Thailand.
We started out with Thai Style Garden Roll (Guey Teow Lui Suan) [$5.80]. Rice paper rolls filled with Thai sausage, pan roasted peanuts, Thai sweet basil and Thai long-leafed coriander. Definitely a good dish to start with as our table all nodded in agreement on how the contrast of tastes and textures went down well. The chilli sauce on the side wasn't needed but added a nice tangy kick.
After what felt like eternity, the second dish finally arrived. The Egg noodles with dumpling, charshu and lava egg (Ba Mee Kiao, Moo Dang & Tai Tom) [ $5.80 - $8.80] is their signature dish. It comes with a variety of toppings and can be ordered as a soup or dry dish. We were served the dry version which was tossed with charshu sauce and oil that was infused with lard and garlic. The noodles were nice and springy bit was a tad dry. The dumplings were plump and juicy and you could tell they were definitely made in-house. With all parts combined, this dish actually went down really well. If you do find it a bit too bland or dry, there are condiments on the tables and a side serving of soup as well.
The Ba Mee Tom Yam with Milk ($8.80) was probably the most disappointing of all the dishes being served. It was spicy, but it lacked the sourness and was way too sweet. I would avoid this.
Ba Mee Kang Keaw Wan Gai ( Ba Mee with Thai Green curry and chicken) [ $9.80] - Aum told us the spices used in this dish was blended instead of suing those quick mixes readily available. I found her version way too sweet and lacking depth and felt like this dish was added to the menu as an afterthought. At least the vegetables were cooked well...
The Braised Pork leg in traditional Thai-Chinese Style (Kha Moo) [$7.80] is Aum's grandmother's traditional recipe. The pork leg is marinated for at least 2 hours before being braised for 4-6hours. You would be disappointed if you're looking for a total melt-in-your-mouth experience as the meat does still have some bite, which I really enjoyed. This dish really packs a punch in terms of flavor and richness and the blanched Thai Kai-Lan helped cut through it all. A clear winner of a dish as our table ordered seconds.
The Moo Yor Salad ($5.80) is a mix of Thai sausages with glass noodles in spicy dressing. The pork sausage is specked with crushed black peppercorns which helped lift the fragrance of the dish. Also in the mix were Thai celery, carrot and cucumber strips, sliced onion, shallots, mint, crushed chilli and pan roasted peanuts. Caution, the chilli and lime dressing really is spicy but addictive.
A popular bar snack in Bangkok, the Fried Chicken Joints (Khor Kai Tod) [ $4.80] or cartilages are deep fried to a crisp and lightly seasoned, and boy are they amazing. That crunch you get first from the batter, then the cartilage, shows they ain't mucking about. Best paired with beer. Thankfully they're having a July promotion of 4 bottles of Singha for $20, so get on it!
The Fried Rice with Shrimp Paste (Khao Clook Ga-Pi)[$8.80] is served with Thai sweet pork stew, sliced green mango, omelet strips, Chinese sausage, sliced cucumber, shallots and chilli padi. Aum came by as the dish was being served and told us to just mix everything up before eating. The sweet pork stew came in really small chunks hence they do fall apart pretty easily which made mixing things up easier. I felt my taste buds were getting a sensory overload from this simple yet stellar dish.
It was past 9pm as we reached out last dish for the day. The restaurant was still buzzing with a crowd and we were feeling a bit lethargic from all that eating. Out came the Durian with Sticky Rice (Khao Neow Tu-Rean) [ $5.80] and holy smokes, this one blew us away. Granted the pandan sticky rice wasn't too good, the durian puree was so light and airy, it wouldn't be out of place if you served it at Goodwood Park's Durian fiesta. The sweet yet supple chunks of durian helped give an extra burst of flavor and variance in textures as well. Enough said, just get it already.
Fundamentally flawed and S. dined as guests of Khun Mee Thai, but opinions are purely personal. Thank you Velda from Komars Management for the invite.
Khun Mee Thai Noodle Bar
799 New Upper Changi Road
Bedok Point #02-32/34
Singapore 467351
Tel: 6445 9932
Website: www.khunmeethai.com
This article is written by S (my better half). S is currently taking creative writing lessons to tackle his horrendous lack of verbal diarrhea. Also, S likes hats.
Newton Roast: Pork belly galore
Labels:
hawker,
newton,
no frills,
pork belly
·
This, my friends is the answer to all Roast Pork cravings. Though not as good as Mr Crackles back in Sydney. It comes fairly close.
Housed in Newton Circus Food Centre, Newton Roasts is a no-frills joint, my new go-to destination for those pesky pork crackling cravings, with the luxury of having your beers at no additional service charge! Committed to producing fresh roast, upon demand, a quick glance into their display case (almost empty) shows clear proof that they have stuck to that mantra. Their state of the art combi oven reveals another hidden stash of meat, it's skin blistering in the dry heat. Our order of The Loose Ones ($15 for a large plate) is a feast for two, decadent moist flesh studded with frisky bits of crackling all over. Dayum.
Things to note, Newton Roasts actually has an online ordering system which ensures fresh and crispy pork just in time for pick-up. NO more soggy skin and cold unrendered white fats! Check them out here.
Newton Roast
#01-51
Newton Circus Food Centre
500 Clemenceau Avenue,
S( 229495)
Open daily.
Purple Mustard: It's got heart
It was just one innocent glance. Then, envy struck me down with the weight of Thor's hammer. And yes, I’ll admit, I am jealous. I am jealous of the boy from Oh Nom Nom Nom who sank his teeth into picturesque dogs from Purple Mustard. And as a result, I had to get in on the action.
All in time for International Hot Dog Day too on the 4th July. I swore it was absolutely unintentional.
Purple Mustard is a no frills joint located at Icon Village @ Tanjong Pagar. With minimal seating and no elaborate decor so to speak of, the store steals the hearts of many wandering souls with it's gutsy sauces and innovative pairings, all dealt with the humble hot dog.
I opted for the signature Barnyard Dog ($9)which comes with a beef and Guinness sausage, caramelized onions, purple mustard and sriracha remoulade. I raped the poor beast of a dawg with my eyes first, my breathe stolen by its vibrant nature, the striking shade of purple caused by mixing Dijon mustard with whiskey soaked blueberries. The blueberries imparting a slight fruity perfume to the overall makeup of the sauce. This complimented the robustness of the firm savoury sausage sandwiched between the pillowy soft buns. And which each bite, I let out a painful moan of pleasure, as quietly as possible, to avoid my companion over hearing my exquisite love-making session with the unassuming fella. His combinations, power-packed and alarmingly alluring given it's humble beginnings from just a sausage and a bun (that I supposed was factory produced)
I added another $1 for the house drink of Lemongrass tea, a two way servant as a palate cleanser and a breathe freshener after the flavoursome ordeal.
Note: My friend's order of Beanless Chili Meat ($3.00)was excellent too so I suppose the Coney Dog would be a good option for the future. It's all out on the table now. Definitely worth a second, third and fourth visit! Check out their menu here!
Icon Village
12 Gopeng Street,
#01-31/32 ICON Village (near Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Tel: +65 6221 8498
Opening Hours: Mon–Fri: 11am – 9pm;
Sat: 12pm – 9pm (Closed on Sun)
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