It has been some time since I have posted in this food blog. I decide not to put too much pressure on myself. Not always do I have to take photos of the interiors of the food outlet I am in, because sometimes I do not walk into the makan place with the intention to review. And to be honest, it can be tiring to have perfectionistic tendencies, which ironically stop me from wanting to write altogether. That totally defeats the purpose, ne?
Enough with the babble, on for the short review!
I have two friends so far who tell me that is their favourite food Yes, isn’t it very comforting to eat a piping hot bowl of ramen?
Eastpoint Mall’s Takagi’s ramen is the only branch I have eaten from. It is only average, and from what I think, this is due to the management wanting to keep their pricing competitive and more economical (“Ramen for the Average Singaporean” is their motto). I admire their mission and belief, but alas, the taste is compromised.
I woke up at 4.00AM that night. Could not sleep, so of course the stomach was active and got hungry. Luckily, there is a 24-hour Takagi Ramen at my neighbourhood mall. Thank God!
Tonight, or To-morning, I chose the Butashoga Ramen ($11.90 iirc), which I had not tried before. The broth was alright, somewhat tasty, but nope, no ginger taste leh.
The freshly hand-crafted Hakata-style thin ramen noodles are awesome and have a nice, firm and toothsome bite to it (not nua nua).
From what I have tasted before, the Tonkotsu and Miso soups are both quite aromatic yet very oily. It is oily to the point that, after the soup cools, a thick layer of oil clumps with the soup base on the latter’s surface. It’s like when I take my spoon to comb through the soup, there are visible creases on the surface, showing that the oil has somewhat solidified on top. This sight gives even a person like me who doesn’t bother dabbing freshly cooked fried items with kitchen towels to remove the excess oil, go “Ee yur!” 😬
Their chashu is also lacklustre; they are not round, firm thin slabs, but rather, falling to bits, and the meat is very siap (Hokkien colloquial for “dry”). I left 80% of my Chashu languishing in the bowl, simply slurped up the more enjoyable noodles and left. Some of their ramens have no bamboo shoots (mine is one of the more premium bowls, I guess, so got bamboo shoots) and no seaweed, no Narutomaki. It is all quite minimalistic and dare I say it… A bit plain.
To their credit, the soups are quite flavourful. And I thank the chefs and Takagi-san for that. Still, like I have mentioned before, they are very oily. During my first Foodpanda delivery from Takagi Ramen, I happily whacked all the soup, thinking that was the “essence” from boiling the broth for over 12 hours. 15 minutes later, I happened to look into my father’s leftover disposable ramen cup and was repulsed to see that solidified layer of fat there! Not only was I ingesting high sodium (normal for ramen bowls), but I was drinking potentially arteries-blocking soup (not normal!) as well! From then on, I always took note to enjoy the soup a bit with the noodles, but to never slurp up the whole bowl of soup again.
Note: I am not a super health-conscious person, so when even I get turned off, it means the element is really quite hazardous.
All said and done, I do realise I am paying between $8 ~ 11 plus for a bowl of ramen which would usually cost at least $13 and upwards at other ramen joints. I shouldn’t be complaining. But human nature is to compare *wry grin*
The reason why I keep coming back once in a while is because Takagi’s is the only ramen shop in Simei, my neighbourhood. It is easier on the wallet and I can’t resist a comforting, hot bowl of ramen on some days. Temptation is too strong! Can eat is can eat lah. But not superb.
***There is an online exclusive item called Melon Milk. Now THIS, is toootally worth your calories! There is a strong melon flavour akin to that of Meiji’s melon-flavoured milk. Very refreshing to beat the Singapore heat. My dad who doesn’t take to every different flavoured drinks enjoyed it, so it’s a good bet that seniors will like it too! To my knowledge, this is available on Foodpanda, and perhaps on other apps as well. Check it out!
Damage: $15 and downwards should get you a ramen + drink!
Rating: 2.8/5
Operating Hours: Open 24HRS Address: 3 Simei Street 6 #01-31 Tel: +65 9170 7870
I have the occasional hankering for Indian food, especially Pratas, Thosais, Naans, Chapati and Poori. Yes, me carb-lover. Am sure many of you can relate! They taste sooo good when paired with curries or Daal!
You won’t find Pratas or Thosais here, but the latter three are available! In particular, there is a remarkably large variety of naans here to satisfy your every craving.
Here you go, the menu. You’re welcome 🙂
I must first state that I am nowhere near being an expert on any form of Indian food. I only learnt how to appreciate eating Paneer and Daal earlier this year.
But I knew that I was here for the Naans, Daal and some curry!!!
The lovely fragrance of roti wafted into our nostrils when this Mixed Naan Basket ($9.90) was served, causing my salivary glands to start working in overdrive.
The Naans came appealingly charred in some places, and the texture was chewy in some sections, crispy in the others. Love-lay~
My fave was the square Cheese Naan (I forgot to ask if it was Paneer or Mozarella cheese that was used), because it was so delicious and savoury that I could eat it on its own, without any dip. Those of you who like cheese in your chewy bread? You have a winner here!
The 2nd- runner-up was the Garlic Naan. Look at the generous amount of fried garlic bits scattered on and embedded in it! Every bite was an aromatic explosion of garlicky shiok-ness!
(Top) Fish Curry, $5.90 (Bottom) Daal, $3.00
The Fishy Curry ($5.90) is tomato-based, its taste a marked difference from Malay fish curries served with pratas. I cannot help comparing because I am so used to the latter. Still, I find this rather enjoyable – sweet, tangy and savoury. Loving note: Do eat the fish while it is hot. I had some leftovers, so I did a takeaway. The fish tasted rather fishy when I ate it a few hours later. Possibly my bad not to have heated it up.
The Daal ($3.00) is simply a delight to accompany the Naans with! Its earthy, savoury flavours slowly reveal a few mild hints of sweetness and spice. This is my preferred sauce between the two. As previously mentioned, I brought some leftovers home, and my mom who previously had expressed lacklustre interest in Indian food, asked me for permission to finish up the Daal, so enamoured was she with the delicious softened lentils in it.
I have drunk better iced milos. The Iced Milo ($3.00) was slightly diluted, in that there was not enough milk and there was too much ice, yet it managed to be too sweet as well. Quite an oxymoron, I know, haha!
I have drunk Mango Lassi, but the savoury Salted Lassi ($4.00) was a first for me. Yogurt together with salt is an unthinkable concept for me, but my verdict is that it is an novel and moderately pleasing combination.
Why do I use the word “moderately”? Yes, the taste was enjoyable. Yet, there were some drawbacks. (Perhaps the biggest reason might be that I am not a native drinker.) Firstly, it should take some getting use to for some people, in particular, those who are not partial to dairy products. Secondly, unlike a more “watery” drink like plain water or plain tea, this very thick and filling drink is not easy to “wash down” the food with. Thirdly, for the same reason as the second point ; it can be quite jelak to finish the drink on your own – perhaps it is will be a good idea to share it with another person.
A mixed-rice pattern Briyani counter sits outside in the al fresco section of the restaurant. I spied a few customers dapao-ing while I was dining. I aim to try out their Briyani soon!
Afterthoughts The Naans are very satiating – I was full after inhaling 1.75 naans. My Dad managed his one chapati and one naan. My love for this place’s Daal ish strong!
If you are into Indian food and are in the Simei area, do come by and give this restaurant a try. There are many choices as well for patrons who are not into Indian cuisine: omelettes, wraps and western options (pastas, chicken wings, fish & chips, fries) are available.
I’m sure everyone’s had a hunger pang late at night before. But what if you want something more substantial and exciting than instant noodles? (Don’t get me wrong, instant noodles are mighty exciting on some days! Yet, one does crave for something else after having one too many for consecutive days >_<” )
In comes 7-Eleven’s RTE range of meals to the rescue! There is a wide variety to choose from, and they are pretty easy on the wallet! In fact, some of the meals might be cheaper than those you find in food courts or coffeeshops!
I will be updating this page as I dedicatedly eat my way through whatever meals the whole gamut has to offer. Frankly speaking, there is a 7-Eleven store located below my block, and a nearby hospital that I visit occasionally carries a HUGE variety of RTE meals, so I am personally invested in this little mission! XDDD
I might be a big fan of their RTE meals, but this post is not sponsored, and I will be giving my very, very honest feedback on their meals.
There have been hits, there have been misses. Me glad to have tried them all!
Read on!
*Not eaten in chronological order 😀
-+- HITS -+-
Pineapple Fried Rice, $3.90
The rice was very fragrant, and a bit oily. Not overly sweet or salty. The fragrance of the rice was very appealing, and made me want to keep shoveling spoon after spoon into my mouth! Small pineapple chunks, carrot cubes, peas, raisins and small chicken bites all combine for an utterly flavourful meal. The turmeric chicken meat is very tender and nicely marinated. It was super shiok to suddenly bite into the small, sweet and ripe pineapple chunks and juicy raisins! Awfully well executed and held together. The calrose rice is chewier than normal white rice, and probably keeps better too. Awesome bite!
7-Eleven definitely has a winner and a keeper! I would definitely buy this again if I was craving for some rice. This version is better than, say, Sanook Kitchen’s version which I had just tried earlier today.
Here’s a look at their ingredient list in case you want to suss out what is needed to cook a Pineapple Fried Rice!
Lovin’ Note: Please eat this while it is still hot. The flavour definitely decreases when the rice has cooled!
Portion size: should satisfy an adult with moderately big appetite!
Rating: 9/10 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
Cream Cheese Garlic Toast by Bakeri, $1.80 Buttery sourdough toast with cream cheese and fresh garlic
Instructions were not given for using the home microwave, but I found that microwaving it on high for 30 secs resulted in a nice, hot toast.
Good balance of flavours – sweet, garlicky, wee savoury. There’s actual fresh, minced garlic bits and herbs, not just a spread or paste! The cream cheese thankfully did not overpower the garlic’s twang.
I spied rosemary as one of the herbs in the ingredient list – little wonder that the toast is so fragrant!
Sourdough fans are in for a treat here (the word “sourdough” was what spurred me to purchase this item in the first place)! The toast does not disappoint, a chewiness quality was present in both the crust and softer bread areas. I feel like I am eating atas bread! 😭💘
In terms of taste, this can easily rival outside bakeries’ garlic bread, because it is something different, as compared to a garlic baguette. It also thankfully isn’t one of those “garlic bread slice” that has the hard, crusty texture of a biscuit.
What an enjoyable slice of bread for $1.80! Perfectly executed.
7-Eleven, please let this toast stay on your RTE range forever! 🙇♀️🙏
Portion size: For breakfast, one slice enough. Tis’ a THICK slice…!
Rating: 8.5/10 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤1/2
Chicken Congee with Shredded Chicken Breast Meat and Roasted Silver Fish, $2.80
The congee is flavourful and savoury – perhaps a little too savoury. My tastebuds are very skewed to the salty side, so if I find it slight salty, then it is likely to be quite salty to those of you who like their food light in taste. Perhaps… add some hot water into the congee and give it a good stir? I understand where the recipe-designer is coming from – too bland and the customer needs to go looking for soy sauce or fish sauce to up the taste. This is a form of inconvenience to the customer, which goes against the RTE philosophy. Hence, the decision to make the congee more flavourful.
There is definitely a homely taste to it! The congee is thick and gooey, unlike what you find in those RTE food pouches that need to be heated up. The latter turns out too fine (the rice grains seem broken) and watery – quite artificial and unsimilar to real congee or porridge.
The Roasted Silver Fish is of course not crispy by after a day of two in the porridge, but they do impart a nice sweet taste, albeit chewier texture. What really worked for me is the combination of the shredded chicken breast and the shredded ginger. They combine to give a genuine taste of authentic home-cooked quality – like I could imagine this is what my momma or grandma cooked for me, or a bowl that I had bought from an authentic Cantonese congee stall.
I would be very happy to purchase this when I am sick, am hankering for porridge, or simply want something lighter and healthier.
Lovin’ Note: Upon finishing the congee, my tongue clearly hollered for water. So, 7-Eleven chefs, kindly do adjust the salt or MSG amount in this dish, or risk losing repeat customers! That would be such a shame, because the congee really does taste deliciously comforting.
Portion size: Confirm plus chop stamp will not satiate an adult male. Might satisfy an adult female with a smaller appetite. For me? This felt like a filling… snack.
Rating: 8/10 😌😌😌😌😌😌😌😌
Chwee Kueh by Taste Asia, $2.20
First thing first, handles would really be appreciated for this meal. There are none, making the reheated container super hot to carry.
This Chwee Kueh is only slightly less soft than regular ones sold outside. The Chye Poh/preserved radish is suitably salty. The chili here is better than the one sold at my neighbourhood kopitiam, with a more layered taste. It wasn’t just plain salty; it tasted of Umami! I took a quick look at the ingredient list, and was impressed. This was no simple chili paste, it’s actually Ikan Bilis Sambal, with Ikan Bilis and Shrimp from the Belacan inside!
As you can see, generous amount of Chye Poh, but too little of the addictively scrumptious chili!
Portion size: Very filling for breakfast. Good for moderate eater’s proper meal.
Rating: 7.5/10, compared to the version sold at Bedok Central Market. 😋😋😋😋😋😋😋1/2
-+- Middling -+-
Mee Siam by Taste Asia, $2.90
I always am a tad skeptical when it comes to RTE meals that are supposed to come with soups/broth in it. “Too much, and the liquid will spill. Therefore they will keep the liquid to a minimum. Lidat, got enough soup to go with the noodles or bee hoon anot ah?”, would be the thought tunneling through my head.
Well, the gravy did cover up to 80% of the bee hoon. Ooookay la, acceptable.
When using 7-11’s microwave, use button 6. No heating instructions were given for heating up at home, but I found that heating at High for 3 minutes gets the Mee Siam suitably hot.
There are the standard two egg halves and small tofu puffs. No beansprouts are to be found here, as expected, and for good reason. Semi-fine grounded peanut is an extra treat here, something not found in Qiji’s Mee Siam.
Now, Qiji’s Mee Siam is always the benchmark for me when it comes to Mee Siam (just my personal opinion), so I cannot help but compare this to Qiji’s version. This somehow lacks just that little extra oomph as compared to Qiji’s rendition. The gravy is equally tangy, but sweeter, but lighter and neither as rich nor as hearty.
Lovin’ Note: Remember to mix the chilli into the gravy for an added sweeter flavour!
Portion size: Moderate and not too filling. I was scouting for my next meal 2-3 hours later.
Rating: 6/10 😏😏😏😏😏😏
-+- Bad, Bad Misses -+-
Korean Army Stew, $4.50
The soup is enough to just cover the noodles. The noodle type is not Korean but still is slightly thicker than the Maggi type. The kimchi is very soft, probably due to being soaked in the liquid soup for a day or two.
There is an enticing array of ingredients: enoki mushrooms, kimchi, tiny chicken sausage slices, braised peanuts, carrot shreds, chopped leeks, chicken bulgogi and a small slab of tofu.
I was originally quite excited to dive into this.
But… *big sigh*
I don’t really like the taste. I have eaten army stew before; it does not rank at the top of my list of favourite foods, but I am quite ok with them. This doesn’t draw me in at all. Totally not appealing for me…
It might be that I don’t eat Korean food all that often. However, I am comfortable with most Korean instant noodles, kimchi and bulgogi. Yet, I am struggling to describe the taste today.
*Flails arms around helplessly*
The taste reminds me of inferior Kimchi soup sold in some food courts, mildly spicy, not flavourful, no umami, not really salty or sweet… In short, a nondescript taste. I really don’t know what to make of it.
But to its credit, there must not be much MSG, ‘cos I don’t feel that thirsty after ingesting it.
Portion size: Enough for small to moderate appetites.
Rating: I am giving it 3/10 😕😕😕 only because of the good variety in ingredients. It is truly a pity about the soup.
Fancy a simple, honest bowl of Lu Rou Fan that is lighter on your palate? Look no further than seikfaan!
A perfect mix of savoury and sweet, the first spoonful of this brings to mind a feeling of homemade goodness. The taste is light yet fragrant. I mused inwardly:
“How many bowls of Lu Rou Fan have I not managed to finish because I found the sauce-mixed rice too rich, heavy and jelak (Malay for “sick of eating)?” This is something different.
There is a nice balance of fatty and lean meat, so that I don’t find it overly greasy and sinful, but nor am I left with only lean meat to poke at. The fatty parts is braised gooey-soft, and melts in the mouth oh-so-gratifyingly.
There is a generous portion of meat. Look at this pot of braised pork goodness that Mama S. makes every round for her orders! It might look oily, but don’t worry. She scoops the meat in such a way that more sauce and little oil will end up on your rice.
The sauce here is on the thinner and clear side, a light brown in colour. It is not the thick, dark brown type. I am no expert on Lu Rou Fan; I don’t know the sauce is supposed to be which type to be considered “authentic”. But I do know that this lite version floats my boat! weeeee~ ~
Yummy braised goodness…
The veggie side doesn’t disappoint too. In fact, for me, this baked Rosemary Broccoli was the highlight of the rice bowl, and elevated the whole thing into another realm. There is a very pleasant rosemary herby aroma to the broccoli and I am – dare I say it – quite addicted to the taste! I have never tasted broccoli cooked in such a manner. In fact, I told Mama S. that she should consider selling this as a standalone dish because I am sure that this broccoli is going to win fans, the same way it did with me. I can totally munch on a cup or two of this.
Rosemary Broccoli
You can choose between the Braised Hard Boiled Egg ($5.50) or Onsen Egg ($6.50). In my humble opinion, her Onsen egg is cooked with more finesse than Idaten Udon’s – this has thicker consistency and is neither thin nor runny!
Get a self-indulgent kick from poking and drawing a straight line into the egg yolk and watch the vivid orange hued yolk blossom and ooze out from the Onsen egg! Purr-fect for foodies and Instagrammers who enjoy filming short videos of delectable food porn.
It is a pity that I cannot post videos here. Replaying the egg-oozing video that I took got my mouth watering again, haha!
The Onsen egg ripe with orange yolky wholesomeness
The Takuan shown below is another variable side dish. The thick pickled daikon radish is shiok-ly crunchy! These tangy pickles help cut through the slightly rich feeling that might pop up for some people towards the end of the meal.
Ker-runch crunchy Takuan!
Mama S. wants her patrons to have the best that she can offer, so she does not stinge on the ingredients – all her ingredients are premium.
She uses Calrose short-grain rice, Takuan (daikon radish pickles) imported from Japan, premium cuts of pork and eggs with Omega.
A steal at $5.50/$6.50, orders are capped at maximum 20 bowls/order because Mama has only one pair of hands. Island-wide delivery at $8. Free delivery above $50
Live in the east-ish area? Or better yet, in Tai Seng? Sick of Din Tai Fung and want to try something new under the Breaktalk group? Why not give DTF’s lesser-known sibling, Sō Ramen, a specialty ramen restaurant, a try?
The Japanese stone lantern and dramatic stone structure lends an impressive touch and stately dignity to the restaurant.
The menu is written in a quirky calligraphy on the lighted boards above the kitchen!
My steaming ceramic bowl of Toroniku Uobushi Tonkotsu Ramen ($13.90) came hot! As in, even the bowl itself was hot to the touch! This really gave new meaning to the words “piping hot”! It was extra comforting that the bowl itself was hot, and I wondered if the kitchen staff specially kept the bowls heated. The Japanese words for Uobushi Tonkotsu were “熏鱼豚骨”, which roughly translates to bonito fish and pork bone (broth). “Toroniku” refers to the slightly greasy seared pork cheek slices.
I am particularly nit-picky about my ramen noodles – they have to be firm to the bite. Soggy noodles are just sad. I lifted the first chopsticks-full of ramen to my mouth and was not disappointed! These were thin, firm Hosomen ramen that I love, each strand was brimming with the umami flavour of the soup! I knew from that moment that this bowl of ramen was a winner and that I would thoroughly enjoy it to the last bite~ (I was mentally cheering, haha!)
The rich double-boiled Tonkotsu and bonito soup was an absolute joy to slurp on, the bonito imparting a signature smoky, intensely savoury and slightly fishy taste to the Tonkotsu broth. The two ingredients, Tonkotsu and bonito worked together like delightful magic. This was something special, something different from the oft-seen Tonkotsu broth, the taste of which I find somewhat satisfying, yet a bit boring. I thank the chef/person who had the inspiration to marry both ingredients together in this ramen’s broth!
My two biggest judging requirements for good ramen (bite of ramen noodles and soup flavour) having been conquered by this bowl of deliciousness, I was already high in yummy heaven, but oh yes, there are still the ingredients to sample!
There are the token crunchy bamboo shoots (I likey!), chopped spring onions (both the green and white portions), and the seaweed pasted at the side of the bowl (It should be just for presentation purposes; it usually gets soggy and is not very nice to eat). The highlight is the slightly oily seared pork cheek slices. Tasting different from the usual tougher and leaner chashu slices, these pork cheek slices were flavourful and tender, and easily fell apart in my mouth without much chewing. Lovely meaty flavour. Last but not least, the ramen eggs! You know how some restaurants only serve you one half of an ramen eggs? Well, here at Sō Ramen, even with the ramen’s lower price tag, you are getting two halves of Ajitsuke Tamago! The cooked egg white parts are redolent of the shoyu sauce and a touch of mirin, and as expected of a good ramen egg, the yolks are still wobbly.
I am used to seeing ramen being priced around $18.90, or at the very least, $15.90 at Ajisen Ramen (which to me, is a very mediocre ramen joint). So I was pleasantly surprised that this bowl of authentic-tasting, full-bodied goodness came at only $13.90! It tastes really exceptional for its price tag! What stands out for me is the unique, superior soup and the thin, firm Hosomen ramen.
This is easily one of the best ramens I have ever had the pleasure to wolf down!
Make your way down to Sō Ramen one day soon and give it a try!
Damage for 1 pax: $16.36 (After service charge & GST)
Operating Hours: Monday ~ Sunday & PH: 11AM ~ 10PM Address: 30 Tai Seng Street, #01-03, (S)534013 Tel: 6444 5516 *Last order: 30 mins before closing
I have been to Umi Sushi every so often, but only noticed their new Poke Bowls one fine day last month when I dropped in for a late lunch. I stared hard at the poster outside its Tampines MRT branch. The prospect of raw salmon sashimi chunks was appetizing, so I thought, “Why not?”
Here are the steps to “pick your Poke”. (Somehow, I find that phrase hilarious, lol~)
I chose the Regular Bowl, ($10.90), since I felt particularly hungry, Norwegian Salmon because I don’t know how to appreciate Tuna/Maguro (sad right?), and Original Shoyu Sauce. Me and my fixation with noodles; I couldn’t settle for Brown Rice or White Rice. so there was a top up of $2.00 for Healthy Soba. I did not add anymore toppings since it all sounded quite substantial already and my bill had tipped over $10.00. Lalalaaaa~
My Poke Bowl took quite a while to be prepared, about 5-10 minutes. When it came, I finally understood why it was so! It was chock-full of ingredients, layer by layer, which took time to take out from their individual tupperware boxes and assemble.
There were
Salmon chunks tossed in a mixture of shoyu sauce and sesame/goma sauce
Cucumber chunks
Pineapple chunks
Walnut
Cherry Tomato
Tofu
shredded Carrot
Wakame (both the ribbon-like type found in soups and the hiyashi-type, served on gunkan sushi)
Avocado
Pomegranate Seeds
Edamame Seeds
a wedge of Lime, which I did not use as the whole thing was flavourful enough
a serving of Cha Soba below everything. It soaked up the sesame sauce that had filtered through the vegetables that it had coated.
The ruby-red of the pomegranate seeds and lush green of the edamame seeds presented an attractive, contrasting pop of colours that instantly grabbed my eyeballs the moment my Poke Bowl was served. There was a mixture of sweet from the fruits and savoury from the sesame sauce. The salmon chunks were meaty and delectable.
Japanese sesame salad sauce is really an awesome condiment – it goes well with salmon sashimi, the vegetables, cha soba, everything!
With all the fruits and veggies in the Poke Bowl, it all felt very healthy and I found myself thinking that my digestive tract will be very smooth tomorrow. Ahem.
I overheard another lady customer on the phone with her daughter, the latter whom also wanted a Poke Bowl tahpau-ed for her. Seems like it is popular, despite its higher price tag!
Overall, my verdict is, my Poke Bowl was cool, refreshing and delish!
P.S. Take a sweet or breath mint after this meal. My boss commented on my fishy breath when I went back to work, and passed me a sweet to clear my breath! ^_^
Damage: $12.90
Rating: 8/10
Operating Hours: 10.00AM ~ 10.00PM Address: Tampines MRT, 20 Tampines Central 1, #01-04, (S)529538 or any Umi Sushi near you! Tel: 6786 6637
(This 30 July 2017 post is extracted from Facebook, back when I did not own a food blog.)
Upon being very taken with a food review in 8 Days magazine (below), the Heng Familgia travels to Yishun today to Coba, a cafe serving Indonesian and Malay food.
Said 8 Days magazine review!
The knick knacks adorning the wall really jazzes things up. Very got feel~ Also, the staffs here actually wear uniforms bearing the cafe’s name, making them look more professional. Seems like this cafe has been established for quite a few years already… Saw them preparing food for Food Panda and what looks like a regular customer packing home takeaways of 6 packets of Chicken Curry AND two platters of Nasi Ambeng!!
Seng Li Buay Pai leh!! (Hokkien for “business not bad eh!”)
The crunchy carrot and cucumber shreds in the Tauhu Telur, ($5.00), combines well with the tofu and crispy fried egg in the dark sweet sauce. There is a nice contrast in texture – soft tofu versus crunchy vegetables. The bonus trails of fried egg batter is awesome! Quite tasty during our first few bites, but it does get jelak and fills our tummy up too fast. And we don’t want that, because…
The star dish has arrived! The Nasi Ambeng, a heaving communal platter of Nasi Putih surrounded by many side dishes (for2 pax, 10 dishes for Classic $23.90, 14 dishes for Deluxe, $32.90. The latter has 4 additional seafood side dishes.).
The photo below lists out the dishes. Do zoom in; the dishes’ names should be quite readable.
Since we had already travelled all the way here, might as well go all out right, so we chose Deluxe Platter, ($32.90). The Ayam Kalio (curry) was fragrant but not salty enough for me (but my salty taste buds’ meter is already spoilt, so that’s just me). My parents loved it though; Dad slurped up all its gravy. What I enjoyed notably today was, Ikan Kering (Fried long flat salted fish), Ikan Goreng (coated with tumeric powder, salted just nice), Paru (fried beef lung, truly no gamey taste as 8 Days enthused), Begedil (ahhh… the potato smell and its herbs are truly fragrant, so soft!), Urap(salad of raw bean sprouts and string beans all tossed in grated spiced coconut. Reminds me of Nasi Ulam!), AND..! Its sambal.. Wow, very savoury and potent taste. Too bad I have to reach for my iced drink every single time after I dip my meats into it. It’s that spicy. But so shiok! I noticed that a young chap from the group of young church-goers at the next table also had to order another drink. “Wah, spicy ah!”, I overheard. (>w<)
Did I mention that when the Nasi Ambeng arrived, I gave in to the urge to relinquish my cutlery and ate using my hand instead? Better taste, I tell you! No wonder Malays traditionally eat using their hands!
P.S. Even if you go in a party of three, please be cautious and order the platter for 2 pax. I am glad my mum stopped me from being gung-ho and ordering the 3 pax version. My father and I are rather hefty eaters, yet we ate until quite chuan! Their servings are generous. I saw that several patrons couldn’t finish their food. And it’s not because the food isn’t good!
I only took a photo of the menu and prices for the Nasi Ambeng, since that was what I had come for. They do sell a la carte side dishes a la Nasi Padang.
~ ~ ~
In the end, we finished everything on the Nasi Ambeng platter except a few mouthfuls of rice. Sadly, there was no more room in our stomachs for the neglected half serving of Tauhu Telur. The latter is reeeeally filling.
There was this nice makcik waitress who chatted briefly with me before we left. I told her the food was “very good”. She smiled kindly and said, “Thank you. ‘kay, bye and take care ah, sayang.” “Sayang” is just one simple word, but it filled me with warmth and connection. Don’t we all love people who serve with their heart? ❤ ❤ ❤
Spotted Coba Coba’s rickshaw on the grass patch outside its shop (so unique right!) and just had to have some photos taken. Of the lot, my Ma’s photo fares the best, so I’m posting it instead of mine.
The makan was undoubtedly fantastic~! But it will be a long time till we visit you again… 20+ MRT stops from Simei to Yishun seh.. Felt like we were venturing into different states in Malaysia, lol! Very long never see north side scenery already. Father got a bit irritated in the MRT though he had a seat. Too packed and noisy for him. Taxi fare back was $30 plus.
All in all! No regrets. Had quite the mini adventure today. ✌
Since its opening at the start of the year, this restaurant next to Eastpoint Mall’s entrance at Level 1 always seemed jam-packed with patrons and I never understood why.
“It’s only an slightly upmarket casual F&B outlet with fancy decor, serving up more expensive Lor Ark (Hokkien dialect for braised duck meat), right?”, I thought to myself whenever I passed by it.
Spurred by curiosity, I did some research (OK, you got me, Google lah) on Lor Duck. Turns out there is some history behind it! Uncle Tan Boon Kwang from Redhill Lor Duck Rice and Noodles has “entrusted his 40 years of hard work to a company and opened their first casual eatery”… Lor Duck at Eastpoint! Source: misstamchiak’s Lor Duck post Source: Sethlui.com’s Lor Duck post
Woah… I had wrongly pre-judged this eatery! This was not just some new start-up, the chefs prepared their ducks with time-tested recipes and handling methods! The quality of the food must be guaranteed to a certain extent!
Can try wor~
And so one fine day, the Heng family trooped down to Lor Duck.
Oh, P.S., the restaurant name, which is made up of an amalgamation of Hokkien and English words, tickles my funny bone! Also, their Facebook Messenger name is @lorduck.sg … Lord Duck, you geddit? ^_^ Okay, enough of my lame jokes! Moving on…
The dining plates, Chinese spoons and chopsticks are all exquisitely beautiful! Isn’t it gorgeous how the Prussian blue from the edge of the dining plate blends in slowly with the white middle? Eating with these utensils and crockery really felt very classy!
While my parents were busy perusing the menu, I snuck out to take a photo of these succulent-looking braised birds.
The rather elegant interior.
Having prior experience elsewhere, we knew better than to over-order for the three of us. We ordered the Lor Duck Braised Platter, ($17) for 2-3 pax. It came with three sides – duck wings, pork belly and pig skin. Considering the comfy restaurant setting we were in, this platter was rather value-for-money.
Look at that glistening dark sauce… It is just begging to be spooned onto my bowl of white rice! I wished that they could have given us a small bowl of dark sauce gravy on the side – easier for us to dip the meats in and scoop the sauce onto the rice from. You know, a la when we tapow, we can pour the bag of dark sauce into a bowl. The dark sauce is superb – savoury with herbal notes.
The chilli sauce was similar to kway chap’s chilli, fire engine-red, briny and slightly spicy. I like.
The savoury dark sauce had permeated the meats well.
There was this one piece of duck meat I ate that was super dry and tough, but the other other pieces which followed into my mouth were indeed juicy. The braised-until-softened meat and skin of the chopped duck wings were good to gnaw on. Strangely, the thin slabs of pork belly were not braised to the point of being melt-in-the-mouth gelatinous. Perhaps its point was to have more bite to the meat. My personal preference is to have it braised until softer. Ah well, the pork belly fared decently enough.
For me, the star of the platter was the pig skin! It was braised to a soft, gelatinous finish. Very comforting with the rice. However, take care to eat it fast, for once away from its sauce and exposed to the air, the pig skin dries, hardens and becomes over-Q. It will be harder to bite then.
The Salted Fish Duck Fillet Stir-Fried Bean Sprouts, ($6.80) was kissed fiercely with wok hei breath! I loved its robust flavour! However, at the same time, I wished that shredded duck could have been omitted from the dish, since there was already plenty of duck in the platter. It felt like the ingredient duck had been over-used and was superfluous here.
As we dined (around 7.30PM), I noticed that there was always a small queue building up outside the shop. It is a testament to the popularity of the restaurant’s braised duck (the place has been open for at least 3 months; you can be sure that by now many patrons have already found out for themselves whether the place’s food is nice or not). Also, Simei does not offer as much a variety of F&B outlets as, say, Tampines Central. Therefore when we Simeians find some place in Simei with nice food, you can be sure that we will keep coming back for more.
Being an Eastie who frequents the 3 Tampines malls, I have always been curious about this restaurant which is located next to fancy Japanese bakery, Châteraisé. One day, my beloved Papa and I decided to enter the restaurant. My dad likes Malay food; I figured that this Indonesia eatery would be right up his alley!
The chairs and tables were spaced narrowly apart as the space was quite small… But that was made up for by the beautiful murals of autumn trees and farmers working in the golden-hued padang! On hindsight, the murals had the effect of making the small restaurant feel roomier than it actually was. What a smart way of dispelling any feeling of claustrophobia!
My Ice Grass Jelly, $3.20
The half hidden kitchen!
One of the famous street foods in Indonesia, the Beef Ball Soup (Bakso Kuah) ($6.90) is one comforting soup! As promised in the menu, the balls are made of fresh beef meat and one can really taste the difference! The beef balls are firm and “QQ” bouncy to the bite! The accompanying tung hoon soaked up the flavour from the soup nicely. A one-dish meal good for people with smaller appetites =)
Woah… The rich aroma of the Oxtail Soup (Sop Buntut) ($8.90) hit me the moment the waiter served it to our table. Being in a family where only my Pa and I are beef/mutton-eaters (Grandma has a religious reason and my Ma lives in the dark shadows of seeing a cow slaughtered before her eyes… ’nuff said.), the closest that Papa and I get to any animals’ tails are pig tails’ soup. We can go years without eating oxtails… But now the chance arrives! *Celebrates*
Woe to me, I should have ladled up a piece of the oxtail to show how big it was…
But all you need to know is that there was a good mix of lean and gelatinous meat, all simmered to near melt-in-the-mouthness… Wah seh, shiok ah. According to the menu, the oxtails were fried first.
They weren’t kidding when the menu said, “served in vegetable soup with rich but clear beef broth”. My dad and I gulped these two soups down, leaving the bowls empty with nary a trace of soup in them.
The dish which coined the restaurant’s name, Original Crispy Fried Duck + Rice (Bebek Goreng Original + Nasi) ($9.90), according to my dad, was good. The accompanying dark sauce was superb – sweet, slightly savoury, and overall appetizing to the palate.
The other star of the menu, Original Smash Fried Chicken + Rice (Ayam Penyet Original + Nasi) ($7.90) fared a little poorly in my opinion. The chicken meat was tough and dry. The batter was also leaning towards the tasteless side. The accompanying kang kong and cucumber was delicious when eaten with the chilli, the tempeh tasted like how a tempeh should taste, good. But why the chicken ah…. … ?
Kangkong Belachan (Kangkung Belacan) ($5.90). It was a competant dish of crunchy vegetables. I only wished that this came with some dried shrimps, because my Ma and Grandma, as well as many Chinese Tze Char stalls I have been to include hae bee in their kangkong belachan. I feel that it lends the dish more umami flavour. Of course, perhaps in Indonesia, their cooking culture is to omit dried shimps from this dish.
Perhaps too big a spread for two people. But we managed to K.O. everything!
Daddy enjoying his food~<3
The menu, for you fellow foodies’ perusal! ^,^
Total Damage: $40++
Operating hours: 11.00AM ~ 9.30PM Address: 10 Tampines Central 1 #01-58, Tampines 1, (S) 529536
Tel: 6634 1242
Today I would like to introduce a place that I often pop by for a brekkie after I finish going for my fasting lab test at Tampines Polyclinic. This little cafe is located conveniently just behind the polyclinic. It offers a selection of Malay noodle and rice dishes, plus an assortment of Malay kuih-kuihs.
I am quite partial to their Kuih Kosui, Rempah Udang and Kuih Lopes!
There are Mee Siam, Mee Rebus, Mee Soto and Laksa. Rice dishes include Nasi Lemak and a beef with rice dish whose Malay name I cannot remember at the moment. The latter was not bad. I have bought their Laksa before; it tasted pretty good. Their Laksa is unique because it is not so lemak; only a little coconut milk or santan was added to it. Its soup was lighter, clearer and less jelak than the typical Singaporean Laksa. It’s a pity that I do not have a photo of it.
I had Stir-Fried Dry Mee Siam that day. It was very flavourful (maybe I was extra hungry from the fasting!). I am not skilled enough to know what spices went into cooking this, but all I know is this tasted delectable! Hmm… This is a dish which I am interested to try Googling its recipe to cook in future. It really turns my taste buds on!
In the photo above, you can see their deals and sets. Everything is quite affordable!
There are two wooden tables, plus a makeshift foldable one which the staff takes out if there are more customers. Not a lot of seating space, to be sure. Which is why I notice quite a lot of their business comes from takeaways. Everything is packed into clear plastic containers to facilitate easier takeaways. There will usually be one or two pakciks/makciks seated here when I patronize the little cafe.
From what I observe, there is a steady trickle of business here.
The serving staffs are always polite too, which is a plus. There is a makcik staff, whom I think is one of the owners, and if you ask, she will share with you about how they went from a small stall in a shop before taking over the whole unit.
So remember, if you feel peckish while waiting for your queue to be called at Tampines Polyclinic, you don’t have to resort to buying snacks at the vending machines in the polyclinic. Come visit Hany’s TheBrunchStore for a quick and satisfying bite!
Operating Hours: 6.00AM ~ 3.00PM (Or until the foods are sold out, as early as 1.40PM) Address: Blk 406, Tampines St. 41, #01-23, (S)520406
is their favourite food 
Yes, isn’t it very comforting to eat a piping hot bowl of ramen? 
Always Food Coma 