We wanted to have laksa on Sunday but it was closed, so we went for Heng Hua Restaurant instead. Opened for more than 10 years, the stall used to be at Joo Chiat before moving to Yishun. A small eatery at the void deck, you can expect pretty decent Heng Hua dishes at wallet friendly prices.

For starters, Stir Fried Sliced Yam ($10/$15/$20) is a must as the yam cubes are sweet and tasty. They are fried till it has a slight crispy skin and coated with a slightly sweet sauce, while the yam melts in your mouth.

Heng Hua Style Fried Bee Hoon ($4.50/$8/$12) is another popular dish featuring thin translucent noodles soaked in rich stock made from pork bones. It’s simple but comforting and paired with seaweed, clams, peanuts etc. Another option will be Heng Hua Style Lor Mee ($4.50/$8/$12).

Whenever I eat at a putien restaurant, I would always order deep fried mackerel fish. Deep Fried Slices of Tenggui Fish ($10/$15/$20) is lightly seasoned and retains the sweetness. We needed some greens so we also had a plate of Braised Bean Curd Skin with Kailan ($8/$12/$16).

MissTamChiak.com paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

The post Heng Hua Restaurant – Affordable Putien Food in Yishun appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Hot Pot plays an important part in Chinese cuisine, just like how the French is in love with fondue. It may sound odd but this tongue-searing experience is one of our favourite meals during humid weather like Singapore.

While there are hot pot restaurants on practically every neighbourhood, Peach Garden’s 4-Tier A La Carte Steamboat Buffet is the latest steamboat craze that is bound to take Singapore by storm. What’s the best deal? THEY ARE HAVING ONE-FOR-ONE! It’s literally a merry ritual for the hungry.

First and foremost, pick from 5 different soup bases – Double-boiled Pork Bone Soup, Tomato Pork Bone Soup, “Chen Du Ma La” Spicy Soup, Chinese Herbal Soup and Tom Yum Soup.

A tall steamboat filled with your desired broth is then brought to the table and heated until it boils. Because it is a la carte buffet, so you can freely order any ingredients you wish. All the ingredients are brought to the table raw. You can then decide on how you want to cook it.

Don’t get too intimidated by the 4-tier steamboat. It is actually very simple to use!
Level 1: Soup Base
Level 2: BBQ
Level 3: Warmer
Level 4: Steamer

So you can either choose to boil, barbecue or steam your favourite dishes before your eyes using this all-in-one steamboat. A number of ingredients can be cooked in the broth, on the BBQ grill or on in the steamer. Plus, there are three different chilli sauces specially prepared by the chefs at Peach Garden.

While the broth is warming,, we shared some appetizers such as Deep fried Fish Skin and Stir Fried Bitter Gourd with Salted Egg Yolk for instant gratification.

Because it is a la carte buffet, pick anything you want. Carnivores will like the meat variety including fresh lamb fillet, beef fillet, pork fillet, chicken fillet, luncheon meat, homemade pork balls, sausages and fishballs. Dip a silver of meat into the broth and let it cook till tender. Or, have it BBQ and pair it with a bowl of rice.

We added a lot of vegetables to the broth so that it helps to bring sweetness. Choose from bean pouch, bean curd, spinch, lettuce, tang ‘o’, golden mushrooms, black fungus, sweet corn, deep-fried yam, etc. It’s visually satisfying to share a whole table of ingredients with your family.

My recommendation for you is to make full use of the steamer on the top because steaming ensures that all the natural juices and nutrients of the ingredients are sealed in. This is also one of the few places in Singapore to enjoy dim sum dishes that are steamed upon order at your table! You can steam any dim sum you wish like Shanghainese Xiao Long Bao and Chives Dumplings.

I prefer to steam seafood because they are so fresh! Options include Fresh Flower Crab, Sea Clam, Dice Fish Ball, Fresh Prawn and Sea Bass. Different seafood has different marination. For some, hua diao wine is added. For others, just some sliced ginger will work wonders. The essence and juices of these fresh ingredients are all collected in the dish which boast a light yet robust flavour. I like my sliced fish steamed with superior soy sauce, minced garlic and scallion. The thick fish slices are so delicate and moist, with soy sauce bringing out the sweetness!

Although diners can steam the dish themselves by plunging the meat into the marination, there are also waitress to help you with the process. “We can cook for you, barbecue for you, and steam for you,” said one of the restaurant managers. Within minutes, you will get your steamed dish ready!

The restaurant also offers ready-cooked foods like Yang Chow Fried Rice, Fried Mian Xian with Assorted Seafood and Diced Chicken with Dried Chilli. End of your filling meal with Chilli Almond Alongan, Chilled Mango with Sago and Pomelo, and Chilled Jelly Royale wth Julienne of Coconut.

Socializing during the meal is as important as the cooking and the eating. We had an enjoyable time with my family at Peach Garden and yes, the ONE-FOR-ONE deal definitely makes it more worth it. All the food is unlimited in quantity and it’s only $48++ per person, minimum 4 pax. Only available at Peach Garden @ Thomson Plaza, what are you waiting for?

The post Peach Garden: One-For-One 4-Tier A La Carte Steamboat Buffet at Thomson Plaza appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

After the major revamp at The Centrepoint, we had our first round of makan in August where we tried Ollie Kitchen & Bar, Chicken Up, Dapur Penyet, Souper Tang and Ministry of Food.

Just two weeks ago, we invited 5 lucky readers with their plus ones to join me on a food trail to savour another 5 new restaurants at The Centrepoint’s brand new food precincts, Gastro+ and Food Hall, which offer over 30 new food concepts across five levels. The trail was a mix of local, Cantonese and Japanese cuisine. We had such a good time eating sooooooo many dishes at different outlets! Which is your favourite?

Tendon (天丼) is the new Japanese food trend in Singapore. It is a type of donburi where crispy tempura is laid over freshly steamed Japanese rice and topped with a delicious light soy dressing. Riding on the wave, MOF has opened Tensho – a Japanese specialty tendon restaurant with wholesome and quality tempura donburi at affordable prices.

They currently only have two items on the menu – Mixed Tendon ($14.90) or Vege Tendon ($13.90). For seafood lovers, go for the Mixed Tendon featuring crispy prawns, dory fish, Onsen egg and vegetable tempuras served on Japanese rice, served together with Chawanmushi and Miso Soup. Made upon order, the batter is crispy but fluffy, and the sauce offers a good balance of sweet and salty.

Vegetarian friends can choose otherwise which works equally well. The addition of soft boiled eggs kind of gels everything together. Especially when you dip the vegetables into the egg yolk, we went like “oooomph!”. You can also help yourself to the pickles on the table. For their opening special, enjoy a free drink with any tendon order!

Kyoaji means “taste of Kyoto”. Newly opened at The Centrepoint, the restaurant exudes a warm Japanese ambience with fresh Japanese cuisine.

Freshness is ensured here because the seasonal seafood is air flown. They even have their own vessel to catch the fish and each supply is stored at an ultra-low temperature storage facility in Singapore. Its Sashimi Moriawase ($88) features a plate of premium assorted raw fish that is fresh. We also had the Shiro Maguro Aburi Maki ($22) with seared white tuna roll which has a subtle sweetness and smoky aroma.

Kani Tofu (Crab Meat Bean Curd, $6) is a Japanese style cold dish which features a soft handmade cold tofu, drenched with a generous dollop of creamy century egg yolk and wrapped with crab meat. The generous amount of Tobiko adds crunch to this dish. Zuwai Kani Tama Mushi ($16) is a smooth bowl of steamed egg served with snow crab meat and salmon roe.

The star of the meal is Gyuniku Fagura Sauce ($35) where the chef pan fried cubes of Australian striploin beef with goose liver sauce. Tender and succulent beef cubes are drizzled with the rich and creamy goose liver sauce. It was so good that we couldn’t stop!

If you wish to enjoy classic Cantonese cuisine with your family at The Centrepoint, the newly opened Crystal Jade Kitchen is a good option. We shared a whole table of dishes including dim sum, HK roast, congee, noodles and classic wok dishes.

Its Roasted Meat Combination ($18.80 for 2 combination; $23.80 for 3 combination) lets you choose from a variety of meat – signature pork belly, roasted pork belly, roasted honey BBQ pork, roasted duck, kampong chicken or soya sauce chicken. The roasted honey BBQ pork is slightly charred, and beautifully caramelized.

The congee is smooth and silky. We had the Classic Ting Zai Congee ($8.80) with sliced fish, cuttlefish and shredded pork. We liked the Handmade Pork Meatball Congee ($9.80) that was incredibly juicy.

Fortune 5 Chicken ($20.80 for whole; $12.80 for half) features paper crisp skin and succulent meat, served with five sauces to enhance the flavours. It was the favourite dish on the table. On top of that, we also had Smoked Chinese Yam with Whole Garlic ($14.80) and Braised Beancurd with Vegetable ($12.80), which went well with rice. I like the crunchy strips of Chinese yam!

From now till 31 October 2016, enjoy 10% off a la carte food bill at Crystal Jade! This promotion is valid on weekday dinners and weekends, full day. T&CS applies.

With a humble beginning since 1969, Song Fa Bak Kut Teh is well known for their peppery and aromatic soup. Today, under the stewardship of the founding family’s second generation, the brand has since expanded significantly with a new outlet in The Centrepoint! The interior of this outlet provides a unique experience, inspired by Glutton’s Square, the popular hawker street of Orchard in the 1960s.

As with all Pork Ribs Soup ($7 / $9), the quality of the dish depends strongly on the quality of the pork. Keeping this in mind, Song Fa uses good quality pork that is carefully simmered with garlic and pepper to achieve the clear and peppery soup. The peppery kick is not overpowering, balanced off with the sweetness from pork ribs. Another signature dish is the Braised Pig Trotters ($7 / $9) stewed with a range of spices to achieve the intense flavour and mouth-watering tenderness.

Song Fa has also launched new dishes in their menu, including the Spicy Pork Belly ($8) cooked with dark soya sauce, and enhanced with dried chili, dried cuttlefish and lady’s fingers. What makes this dish stand out are the strips of dried cuttlefish that gave the depth and a lovely punchy flavour that pleased our palates. They also serve handmade prawn roll ($8.50) filled with marinated minced prawn, meat and vegetables wrapped in beancurd skin. Don’t forget to have some King’s Garden Tea to complement the bak kut teh.

Honolulu Café at The Centrepoint is their first international outlet. Originating from Hong Kong, it is famous for its egg tarts, pineapple buns as well as Hong Kong Milk Tea.

Their egg tarts are famous for its flaky pastry and soft egg custard center. The dough is frozen overnight so that they can fold a total of 192 layers. That is a lot because usually normal egg tarts only fold 100 layers. That’s probably the reason why the pastry is so flaky. Baked fresh everyday, I am more intrigued by its soft and smooth egg custard. Don’t forget to pair it with Honolulu Coffee (Hot $3, Cold $3.20).

In addition, they also serve a range of classic Cantonese dishes such as Curry Fish Ball ($3 for 5), Chicken Wings with Sweet Sauce ($6 for 4), Beef Brisket Soup ($6) and Fish Fillet Curry Rice ($8.50). We like the curry fish balls because they are deep fried before serving with curry, hence creating that bouncy texture. The curry is imported from Hong Kong.

REDEEM $10 DINING VOUCHER AT THE CENTREPOINT’S DINE.POST.REDEEM CAMPAIGN

Surprise! There’s yet another chance to win a $10 Dining Voucher at The Centrepoint! Simply post a picture of your delicious meal when you dine at The Centrepoint’s food precincts called Gastro+ and Food Hall and redeem a $10 Dining voucher! Hashtag with “TCPGastro” or “TCPFoodHall”, “TheCentrepoint” and lastly, don’t forget to hastag the restaurant’s name.

Redemption at Customer Service Level 3 and limited to first 1,000 diners only. Terms & Conditions apply.

A big thank you to The Centrepoint for hosting us! I am giving away another $10 worth of The Centrepoint F&B dining vouchers to FIVE LUCKY READERS!

All you have to do is:
1. Like The Centrepoint and Frasers Centrepoint Malls on Facebook
2. Share this post on Facebook.
3. Share with us any memories you had with The Centrepoint.

Closing date: 29 October 2016, 23:59. Good Luck!

The post The Centrepoint – 5 New Restaurants Opened in Orchard Road + GIVEAWAY appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

More chio bu going into the F&B industry! Meet Merissa Ang, an ex SQ air stewardess, who gave up her job to set up a cafe ‘The Caffeine Addicts’ in Jalan Besar since July. No, you won’t find your typical eggs benedict and coffee here. Instead, what you get is this kaya toast, chicken rice and Vietnamese coffee!

Learning how to cook chicken rice from a chef, Merissa fulfilled her dream of having her own eatery in July. She passes the cooking to the chef while she brings you SQ quality service and smile. Our Chicken Rice Set ($6.50) comes with a plate of rather tender chicken breast, braised eggs, vegetables, soup and rice. The rice grains have got that light chicken and ginger fragrance and it’s not too oily. And quite surprising that the chicken breast is not too tough and drenched with the sauce.

The Ngoh Hiang ($4) fared well too with crispy skin wrapped with prawn and minced pork. The smell of the five spice powder wasn’t too overpowering and it is served with the sweet black sauce. The only glitch today was the Curry Chicken ($6) which was a little bland and watered down. But it comes with generous beancurd puffs (tau pok) and tender chicken, which I believe to go well with the noodles.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

The post The Caffeine Addicts – Ex Air Stewardess Sells Chicken Rice & Kopi in Jalan Besar appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Most casual-dining sushi restaurants are conveyor-belt type of establishments. But for Genki Sushi, their food is prepared and sent out to the tables from the kitchen on trains. Now, Tunglok Teahouse is following suit as the FIRST Chinese restaurant to launch the automated tray delivery system!

Located at Square 2, customers start by ordering dim sum and other Tunglok signature Chinese dishes through ipad. The food is handmade on the spot and steam to order. It is then then delivered to you table automatically via trays. Now with shortage of manpower, this automation definitely helps to restaurants to operate more effectively, even though it also means less human interaction.

There are two levels, one on top of the other. Dim Sum is typically ‘transported’ from the top while all other signature dishes are delivered from the bottom track. There will be a beeping sound when food arrives and you can off load the dishes on the table. The empty tray is then sent back to the kitchen with the press of a red button beside the table.

We ordered some of dim sum items like steamed shrimp dumplings ($5.30), steamed siew mai ($5.90), Teahouse signature rice rolls ($7.80) and steamed juicy xiao long bao ($5.30). The har kau and xiao long bao didn’t quite impress as the skin breaks easily but forgiven lah, since it was their soft launch anyway.

Teahouse Signature Rice Roll Cheong Fun is one of my favourites with silky skin stuffed with crunchy prawns, scallop, vegetables and a crispy netted rice paper offering varying textures in dish. Other signatures including the Brainsed House Special Beancurd with spinach ($16) is so soft with eggy fragrance.

The post TungLok Teahouse @ Square 2 – First Chinese Restaurant To Deliver Dim Sum Automatically on Trays appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Conceptualized to pay tribute to the decadent glamour of 1980s Hong Kong, Sum Yi Tai (meaning “Third Wife” in Cantonese) propels traditional Chinese cuisine into the realm of designer bars. This restaurant is spread over 3 storeys of a conservation shophouse in the vicinity of our Central Business District. Upon entering, the wall of delicious-looking ducks will capture your attention immediately.

The first floor offers tapas-style dishes in a crimson-lit gangland bar while the second floor houses the Mona Lounge where the DJ starts playing after 7pm from Wednesday to Saturday nights. At the rooftop, Sum Yi Tai used decorative screens and rattan to create an intimate cove and this Rooftop Bar attracts the after-work crowd in search of good whiskies, wines and cocktails.

We visited on a weekday afternoon for their “Lunch Express” menu which consisted of sides and mains. We had Maple Honey Char Siew ($12) for our side dish to share. Honestly, we found this Maple Honey Char Siew to be the highlight of our meal, comparing this to the mains we had later on. There is a good layering of fats within layers of lean meat, giving the char siew a soft, chewy texture, retaining its juiciness and moisture. Drenched in a honey sweet sauce that was not overwhelming, this char siew was full of flavours. Each bite whets your appetite for more. It’s actually possible for one to finish the entire plate!

The dry version of Zha Jiang La Mian ($8) with spicy minced pork sauce was an average dish. It would have been better if the spicy minced pork sauce was more flavourful. As the sauce was not on the generous serving side, the noodles dried up very quickly and became slightly lumpy. However, there is a very generous portion of vegetables for the health conscious.

The biggest disappointment for us was their Signature Chinese Sausages & Preserved Meat Clay Pot Rice ($26). Personally, we feel that good clay pot rice is supposed to be richly flavoured by the sausages and meat, with a hint of smokiness from the dark soy sauce and a satiny smooth texture from the oil but Sum Yi Tai’s clay pot rice failed to meet our expectations. They were a little stingy on dark soy sauce hence our rice lacked flavours. For the portion we were served, we also felt that it is way too overpriced.

Perhaps, Sum Yi Tai is a good chillax place after work, with their wide offering of alcoholic drinks and delicious Chinese tapas especially when it is conveniently located in the CBD.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

The post Sum Yi Tai – Lunch Didn’t Impress, Dinner Maybe Better appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Bukit Merah View Food Centre is labeled as one of the best food centres in Singapore by taxi drivers. This food centre also caters to the working crowd around Henderson Industrial Park. It’s quite a big-scale food centre even though it’s not that accessible from MRT stations. You’ll be able to find our favourite local hawker fare, as well as, some many delicious food options from different countries. We bring you 7 delicious food stalls that made us shout, “MORE!”

Sisaket Thai Food

Owner-chef Viparat Saibua, affectionately known by her loyal customers as Cat opened this stall in 2014 and has since gained a huge following. Her Thai Mango Salad ($4) consisted of good textural crunch, with a distinct sweetness from the mangoes that balanced out the usual spiciness of Thai salads. Thai Seafood Tom Yam Soup ($5) consisting of fresh, tender fish slices and prawns came with a bowl of white rice which came in handy as the soup lit our mouths on fire. Pineapple Fried Rice ($4) was fragrant and had a good consistency. The pork floss topping enhanced its flavours. Lastly, Phad Thai ($4) were slightly moist, with a strong eggy flavour. The squids were cooked just right and isn’t hard unlike most stalls that tend to overcook their squids.

Na Na Homemade Curry

We’re pretty sure this stall needs no introduction as everyone went crazy over the extremely spicy fish head curry ever since it was included in the Michelin Bib Gourmand list. Ang Go Li (Goldbanded Jobfish) and Ang Sai (Red Snapper) are usually used as they can grow to quite a large size so their heads fit nicely into the large claypot. Due to its large size, their heads also contain a lot more gelatinous bits, which Chinese really enjoy savouring. Moreover, the meat from these fishes are able to hold its shape yet absorb the curry very well when lifted from the bones and not flake apart. Each bite was filled with fine, tender and juicy meat, with an excellent texture.

Not a fan of fish as you’re too lazy to pick the bones, go for the Curry Chicken ($3) or Curry Chicken Drum Stick ($3.50). You can pair your meat with a bowl of Curry Vegetable ($3), as well as, bread and rice at an additional 50 cents. The chicken meat falls off easily from its bones and it’s so tender. Basically, all the curry dishes are extremely spicy but so well executed that it’s really savoury and delicious.

Bukit Merah View Carrot Cake

Having been in the business for over 60 years, the hawker is still painstakingly making carrot cake the traditional way. If you’re wondering why carrot cake here is served in bigger chunks, it dates back to around 50 years ago. The original carrot cake came in big chunks and fried simply in sweet black sauce. This hawker believes in sticking to tradition. There was no chye poh or eggs in the past but it evolved to suit the young crowd’s tastebuds. This is also how the white version came about. Bukit Merah View’s Carrot Cake is served in chunks that feature a crispy exterior. It has a good texture inside, soft but not mushy. It was very flavoursome, with its savoury taste coming from fish sauce, eggs and chai poh. The small portion only costs $2.50.

71 Lor Mee

There wasn’t any queue around 11.30am when we ordered a bowl of Lor Mee but we only realized later on that they cater mostly to the early morning marketing crowd as they were sold out around 1pm when we were about to leave Bukit Merah View food centre. Affordably priced between $2.50-$3, the portion is very reasonable. You can request for a mixture of beehoon and yellow noodles or either one. There were fishcake, wu xiang and little pork bits which gave the lor mee a unique crunch. The lor (gravy) was savoury and did not turn starchy even after it had been left out for awhile (due to photo-taking).

Hong Xing Handmade Fishball and Meatball

This couple makes their fishballs and meatballs every morning before boiling them in a mouthwatering fish and meat stock. Yellowtail is used to make the fishballs which turned out super bouncy, springy and tender. You can taste the freshness and natural sweetness of the yellowtail fish. It’s perfectly executed such that you can’t detect any fishy-ness. The meatballs, on the other hand, are firmer in texture and contain lots of teepo (dried sole fish) which gave it a savoury finish. Our kway teow soup costs $5 as we requested for a mix of both fishballs and meatballs. If you’re observant, you’ll notice that the size of each fishball and meatball differs as they are truly made by hand, unlike those purchased from suppliers that are mass-produced with a uniformed shape at factories.

Charcoal Grilled

This hawker only opens for business in the evenings for approximately 4 hours only. They sell cuttlefish kang kong, rojak and their highly sought-after satay. You can opt for pork, chicken or mutton satay. Pork and chicken satay costs 50 cents per stick while mutton satay costs 60 cents per stick. We shared 15 sticks of chicken satay and 2 ketupat for $8.60. Each stick was glistening but only lean meat is used. One bite of satay was full of flavours, with a slightly charred exterior. The meat was tender and goes very well with the soft ketupat that has a melt-in-your-mouth texture. It was so addictive that we devoured stick after stick and before we know it, the plate was completely empty.

Chai Chuan Tou Yang Rou Tang

It’s hard to miss this hawker stall when there’s always snaking queues. The queue might be very long but the hawker aunties were super efficient and managed to clear the crowd quickly. We paid a total of $7.50 for mutton ribs, mutton stomach and mutton meatball soup, with a bowl of big rice. The soup contained a peppery punch and was full of coriander leaves, with a distinct gamey mutton aroma. The meat falls off the ribs easily and was fork-tender, with pleasant layers of fats and skin. The mutton was not overpowering and had a touch of its natural flavours so for people who don’t really know how to appreciate mutton soup, this is considered acceptable. The good news is that the soup is refillable! Our only disappointment was the chilli as it had no kick and we found it a tad too saltish.

Bukit Merah View Food Centre seemed like a rest-point for taxi drivers so if you’re driving, do go earlier to avoid long waiting time for a parking lot. Besides the above mentioned 7 food stalls, we’re certain that residents staying in the vicinity have their personal favourite stall that we might have missed out. We would return to this food centre due to the wide variety of delectable hawker fare!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stalls featured here.

The post 7 Outstanding Stalls at Bukit Merah View Food Centre appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Situated in the city centre and close to Marina Bay, The Westin Singapore is a 5-star luxury hotel providing us with a contemporary escape amidst the bustling city. What are some of the good food around the hotel? Here are 10 Best Places To Eat In And Around The Westin Singapore!

I have a thing for anything peranakan. Even when I conduct food tours, I will make sure I introduce our unique Peranakan heritage. For #MakanWithWestin Food Trail, Chong Wen Ge Café is one of our food stops. Sharing the same building as Singapore’s first music box museum and Peranakan tile gallery, Chong Wen Ge cafe is also part of Thian Hock Keng temple complex that was gazetted as a National Monument in 1973. The menu is all about local favourites. The sweet tangy tamarind gravy from Mee Siam ($7.80) was unabashedly bold and served with rice vermicelli paired with tiger prawns, beancurd, eggs and fresh beansprouts. The assortment of nonya kuehs ($1.50/pc or $6 for 4 pcs) lets you choose from keuh da da, ondeh ondeh, kueh salat, ang ku kueh and kueh lapis. Don’t forget to pair it with Teh C Special made from caramel, evaporated milk and brewed black tea.

Seasonal Tastes is The Westin’s Singapore’s signature dining venue. Offering a live interactive kitchen concept, the restaurant’s sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows show off breathtaking views of Singapore’s city skyline while you are having your brunch.

Its Decadent Sunday Champagne Brunch Buffet is a must-visit because it offers freshest seafood – shucked oysters, Alaskan king crab legs, lobsters and half-shell scallops. If you prefer your oysters cooked, there are options such as Garlic Butter, Kilpatrick and Rockefeller just beside the fresh oysters station. Not only that, there is lavish selection of crabs, potatoes, corn on the cob and smoked house made sausages from steamers. I am also in love with their tom yam lobster soup which is specially prepared by a Thai chef. Don’t forget the dessert corner as well!

Decadent Sunday Champagne Brunch Buffet is available every Sunday from 12 to 3pm and costs $148++* or $88^ per adult and $44++ per child.

*Inclusive of free-flow of champagne, wine, beer, soft drink, or selected cocktails.
^Inclusive of a glass of champagne, wine, beer, soft drink, or selected cocktails.

Rayyan’s Waroeng Penyet stands out with long queues during lunch hours every weekday. Their fried chicken featurs crispy skin with tender and uicy meat. Instead of tempeh and beancurd, they offer stir fried vegetables. The sambal belachan is spicy but not numbingly spicy. I think the accompany coconut rice did make this lunch memorable.

Originally built as a wet market in the 19th century, Lau Pa Sat has been converted into a hawker centre where both local and Asian foods are sold. For local street dining experience, you should come for the satay street which opens from 7pm till late daily which provides diners with chicken, lamb, beef and pork skewers from Chinese to Muslim style. See how they barbecue the meat skewers with charcoal fire before you and breathe in the smoky aroma that lingers in the air. I usually go for Stall 7 where the owners are friendly and the satay are decent. Don’t forget to have a bottle of Tiger Beer for the ultimate experience. If you are staying in The Westin Singapore, it is only 3 minutes walk from the hotel.

A walk around Telok Ayer and you will be surprised to find so many Korean restaurants. My personal favourite is Dal-In. The moment I stepped in, it makes me feel like I am in a traditional Korean eatery in Korea. The TV plays Korean MTV, we were surrounded by Koreans having their dinner, the Korean waiter speaks with an accent and you get real traditional Korean food. We were recommended to try Seafood Jjamppong Tang ($32) – our seafood soup came in a pool of red broth and generous portions of seafood. Man, the soup was real spicy which sent down some sweat on my forehead. BUT IT WAS SO SHIOK! The fresh seafood is excellent and the combination of soup and rice was indeed tasty. Another must try is Jokbal ($38), or pig trotter in seasoned soy sauce. Very light in seasoning, the tender meat goes perfectly well when eaten with garlic, bean sauce and green chilli.

Hawaiian poke bowls are in trend now and there are many salad bars offering this colourful and healthy bowls. One of them is Aloha Poke. Filled with fresh vegetables, proteins and grains, each bowl offers an interesting myriad of textures. Ordering is easy. First, pick a base – sushi rice/ quinoa/ romaine lettuce. Then, select a flavour – shoyu/ spicy garlic sesame tuna, avocado miso/ spicy mayo salmon. After choosing the size of your bowl, go for the toppings such as carrot, edamame, cucumber, tomatoes, pineapples and tobiko. It’s an healthy meal and their smoothie bowls are creating a quiet stir as well.

Don’t be taken aback when you find out that Ocean CurryFish Head is actually an economic rice stall. Only Grade A Ang Goli fish are used at Ocean so you can be assured that the fish are fresh and of tip-top quality. The use of spices in their curry is the X-factor that made so many office workers love it despite of the hot weather. On top of choosing and selecting your desired food items from those that are displayed, you will also be able to order dishes that are prepared freshly out from their kitchen. All the food items maintain a high standard of tastiness!

Uncle Frankie’s peanut pancake is a gem. Now located at the coffee shop at the junction of Boon Tat Street and Telok Ayer Street, his ban chiang kueh is a favourite amongst the office crowd. The thick and spongy pancake is pleasantly fluffy and chewy at the same time. Get the combo version which is a mix of both red bean and peanut for just 90 cents.

This is the place to go for quick, comfort food in an unpretentious environment. Fat Saigon Boy serves Australian-Vietnamese cuisine. They have attractive lunch sets that caters to the working crowd in the CBD. We felt that their Street food outshine their mains such as the Viet Nachos that we had ($6.50 a la carte). You get crispy sesame wafers with a spicy pulled pork with sour cream and salsa dipping. We found this the highlight of our meal as the dipping gave a really good kick and was very savoury and appetizing. We also had The Beef Eater Pho, consisting of beef balls, shin and sliced tenderloin in a deep-flavoured broth topped with aromatic herbs. These is a comfort food, especially on rainy days!

For a romantic dinner with your loved one, Cook & Brew is a good choice. The gastro-bar offers the perfect contemporary setting to indulge in an array of delectable local and international comfort food, paired with a carefully curated selection of craft beers, wines and cocktails, against magnificent views of the Marina Bay area.

The burgers here are impressive and the patties are made with USDA beef and served with house-brined sour pickles and fries. Cook & Brew Classic Burgers ($27) comes lettuce, tomato, red onion. For a burger with local twist, Hawker Burger ($27) features tender and fatty char siew styled pork jowl with crispy pork belly and sambal mayonnaise.

Or share a plate of appetizers such as House-Made Fresh Smoked Pork Sausage ($24) or Surfed & Turfed USDA ($145) – a platter of 365-day grain-fed beef rib-eye 400g, Nova Scotia lobster 600g, fork-crushed fingerling mashed potatoes, clarified butter and avocado cream.

BOOK WITH WESTIN & JOIN ME FOR FREE FOOD TOUR

Yes, you didn’t hear me wrong! Whether you are planning your anniversary locally or if you are a tourist visiting Singapore, book your stay with The Westin Singapore and you can join me for a food tour every Sunday morning!

From their signature Heavenly Beds to Level 35 Infinity Pool, The Westin Singapore truly offers world-class facilities and services. I have stayed here for a few times and one of the things that I look forward to whenever I stay in The Westin Singapore is their HEAVENLY BED. Seriously, that is one of the best beds and they are designed to give a good night’s sleep. It’s so comfortable that I nearly wanted to get the blanket and pillows for my new house.

Every Sunday 10am, my team and I will be bringing all hotel guests on a walking food tour around The Westin Singapore where we will introduce you to different local cuisine and its history. Through this tour, you will have a better understanding about our food and culture scene.

The Westin Singapore is really feeding you well. Not only will you get to enjoy this free food tour, you can also visit their restaurants such as Seasonal Tastes and Cook & Brew. So what are you waiting for? Book your stay at The Westin Singapore today!

This post was brought to you by The Westin Singapore.

The post 10 Best Places To Eat In And Around The Westin Singapore appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

As the saying goes, Birds of a feather, flock together.

Birds of A Feather is the new all-day dining, cafe and bar in Amoy Street that is the perfect antidote to frenzied, stressed out lives. The owners are from Chengdu, where they own Good Wood Coffee, a successful chain of café across Chengdu. As the capital of Sichuan province, the city has given rise to an entrenched tea culture and a globally renowned cuisine.

The space here is BEAUTIFUL! There is green everywhere with comfortable sitting spaces where you can really come and relax and bond over food. On the menu is superb contemporary Western cuisine with a pronounced Sichuan influence.

Look forward to small plates options such as Crispy Pork Trotter in a Bag ($12/5pcs), Find the Chicken in the Chillies ($16), Fortune Skewer in Szechuan Pepper Broth ($19) and Fried Calamari ($19) with yuzu tartar sauce. Crispy Pork Trotter in a Bag is inspired by paper wrap chicken or shaker fries where you add in the sichuan spices into the paper bag and shake it well with the cooked trotter. Positively exploding with flavour, Find the Chicken in the Chillies, or simply firecracker chicken, comes fiery and filled with sichuan peppers and chillies.

Fortune Skewer in Szechuan Pepper Broth is a party in a bowl half-filled with chile-laced broth and long bamboo skewers sticking up. At the pointy end of the skewers, you might find almost anything: prawns, lotus root, quail eggs, cauliflower etc. You never know quite what you are getting when you pluck each skewer from the broth, the element of surprise is definitely there. The broth is almost mild enough to sip and you can top with noodles after finishing all the skewers.

For flavours from the less-spicy end of the spectrum, go for the Roasted Chicken & Avocado Salad with Szechuan Pepper ($18) and Charcoal Roasted Romaine Lettuce ($16). The former is a very western dish on a bed of mixed greens and lemon dressing while the latter features deep fried fried cheese ball in a nutty sesame dressing. I like the Grilled Cheese Panini ($20) with flavourful braised pork belly in sichuan style, pickled cabbage and fried potato. Or, go for the Bird’s Signature Burger ($30) with charcoal grilled beef patty with foie gras, cheddar and caramelized onion.

We enjoyed the Oriental Bolognese ($20) very much. A modern version of zha jiang mian, thin angel hair pasta is cooked with pork ragout, onsen tamago, wilted kale and sakura ebi. You can want it non-spicy or spicy (add $2). I wish they were more generous with the pork ragout but the onsen tamago coated the noodles well, balanced with the deep, earthy notes from kale. Tofu burger with Mapo Meat Sauce ($22) has got soft house-made bun sandwiched in MAPO pork ragout, tofu cheese patty and pickled cucumber served in fried potato.

Available only for dinner, Hot & Sour Chazuke ($28) featuring niigata rice with spicy mustard green broth, charcoal grilled barramundi and mentaiko. The clear broth is spicy and appetizing, balanced with tangy pickles. Such comforting bowl of porridge that works best for rainy days.

You might as well stay for desserts. Although it’s not extensive, they have some good ones including Raspberry Granite ($16), Poached Pear ($12) and Glutinous Rice Cakes ($12). Homemade cakes such as Feather Cheese Cake served with Red Fruit Compote ($9), Sea Salt Caramel Cheesecake ($9), Chocolate Cake ($12) and Matcha Tiramisu ($8) are available as well. And the choice of beverages is not limited to tea and water, they make decent coffee as well as cocktails and mocktails.

The post Birds Of A Feather – Sichuan Influenced Western Food in Amoy Street appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

We wanted to have laksa on Sunday but it was closed, so we went for Heng Hua Restaurant instead. Opened for more than 10 years, the stall used to be at Joo Chiat before moving to Yishun. A small eatery at the void deck, you can expect pretty decent Heng Hua dishes at wallet friendly prices.

For starters, Stir Fried Sliced Yam ($10/$15/$20) is a must as the yam cubes are sweet and tasty. They are fried till it has a slight crispy skin and coated with a slightly sweet sauce, while the yam melts in your mouth.

Heng Hua Style Fried Bee Hoon ($4.50/$8/$12) is another popular dish featuring thin translucent noodles soaked in rich stock made from pork bones. It’s simple but comforting and paired with seaweed, clams, peanuts etc. Another option will be Heng Hua Style Lor Mee ($4.50/$8/$12).

Whenever I eat at a putien restaurant, I would always order deep fried mackerel fish. Deep Fried Slices of Tenggui Fish ($10/$15/$20) is lightly seasoned and retains the sweetness. We needed some greens so we also had a plate of Braised Bean Curd Skin with Kailan ($8/$12/$16).

MissTamChiak.com paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Hot Pot plays an important part in Chinese cuisine, just like how the French is in love with fondue. It may sound odd but this tongue-searing experience is one of our favourite meals during humid weather like Singapore.

While there are hot pot restaurants on practically every neighbourhood, Peach Garden’s 4-Tier A La Carte Steamboat Buffet is the latest steamboat craze that is bound to take Singapore by storm. What’s the best deal? THEY ARE HAVING ONE-FOR-ONE! It’s literally a merry ritual for the hungry.

First and foremost, pick from 5 different soup bases – Double-boiled Pork Bone Soup, Tomato Pork Bone Soup, “Chen Du Ma La” Spicy Soup, Chinese Herbal Soup and Tom Yum Soup.

A tall steamboat filled with your desired broth is then brought to the table and heated until it boils. Because it is a la carte buffet, so you can freely order any ingredients you wish. All the ingredients are brought to the table raw. You can then decide on how you want to cook it.

Don’t get too intimidated by the 4-tier steamboat. It is actually very simple to use!
Level 1: Soup Base
Level 2: BBQ
Level 3: Warmer
Level 4: Steamer

So you can either choose to boil, barbecue or steam your favourite dishes before your eyes using this all-in-one steamboat. A number of ingredients can be cooked in the broth, on the BBQ grill or on in the steamer. Plus, there are three different chilli sauces specially prepared by the chefs at Peach Garden.

While the broth is warming,, we shared some appetizers such as Deep fried Fish Skin and Stir Fried Bitter Gourd with Salted Egg Yolk for instant gratification.

Because it is a la carte buffet, pick anything you want. Carnivores will like the meat variety including fresh lamb fillet, beef fillet, pork fillet, chicken fillet, luncheon meat, homemade pork balls, sausages and fishballs. Dip a silver of meat into the broth and let it cook till tender. Or, have it BBQ and pair it with a bowl of rice.

We added a lot of vegetables to the broth so that it helps to bring sweetness. Choose from bean pouch, bean curd, spinch, lettuce, tang ‘o’, golden mushrooms, black fungus, sweet corn, deep-fried yam, etc. It’s visually satisfying to share a whole table of ingredients with your family.

My recommendation for you is to make full use of the steamer on the top because steaming ensures that all the natural juices and nutrients of the ingredients are sealed in. This is also one of the few places in Singapore to enjoy dim sum dishes that are steamed upon order at your table! You can steam any dim sum you wish like Shanghainese Xiao Long Bao and Chives Dumplings.

I prefer to steam seafood because they are so fresh! Options include Fresh Flower Crab, Sea Clam, Dice Fish Ball, Fresh Prawn and Sea Bass. Different seafood has different marination. For some, hua diao wine is added. For others, just some sliced ginger will work wonders. The essence and juices of these fresh ingredients are all collected in the dish which boast a light yet robust flavour. I like my sliced fish steamed with superior soy sauce, minced garlic and scallion. The thick fish slices are so delicate and moist, with soy sauce bringing out the sweetness!

Although diners can steam the dish themselves by plunging the meat into the marination, there are also waitress to help you with the process. “We can cook for you, barbecue for you, and steam for you,” said one of the restaurant managers. Within minutes, you will get your steamed dish ready!

The restaurant also offers ready-cooked foods like Yang Chow Fried Rice, Fried Mian Xian with Assorted Seafood and Diced Chicken with Dried Chilli. End of your filling meal with Chilli Almond Alongan, Chilled Mango with Sago and Pomelo, and Chilled Jelly Royale wth Julienne of Coconut.

Socializing during the meal is as important as the cooking and the eating. We had an enjoyable time with my family at Peach Garden and yes, the ONE-FOR-ONE deal definitely makes it more worth it. All the food is unlimited in quantity and it’s only $48++ per person, minimum 4 pax. Only available at Peach Garden @ Thomson Plaza, what are you waiting for?

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After the major revamp at The Centrepoint, we had our first round of makan in August where we tried Ollie Kitchen & Bar, Chicken Up, Dapur Penyet, Souper Tang and Ministry of Food.

Just two weeks ago, we invited 5 lucky readers with their plus ones to join me on a food trail to savour another 5 new restaurants at The Centrepoint’s brand new food precincts, Gastro+ and Food Hall, which offer over 30 new food concepts across five levels. The trail was a mix of local, Cantonese and Japanese cuisine. We had such a good time eating sooooooo many dishes at different outlets! Which is your favourite?

Tendon (天丼) is the new Japanese food trend in Singapore. It is a type of donburi where crispy tempura is laid over freshly steamed Japanese rice and topped with a delicious light soy dressing. Riding on the wave, MOF has opened Tensho – a Japanese specialty tendon restaurant with wholesome and quality tempura donburi at affordable prices.

They currently only have two items on the menu – Mixed Tendon ($14.90) or Vege Tendon ($13.90). For seafood lovers, go for the Mixed Tendon featuring crispy prawns, dory fish, Onsen egg and vegetable tempuras served on Japanese rice, served together with Chawanmushi and Miso Soup. Made upon order, the batter is crispy but fluffy, and the sauce offers a good balance of sweet and salty.

Vegetarian friends can choose otherwise which works equally well. The addition of soft boiled eggs kind of gels everything together. Especially when you dip the vegetables into the egg yolk, we went like “oooomph!”. You can also help yourself to the pickles on the table. For their opening special, enjoy a free drink with any tendon order!

Kyoaji means “taste of Kyoto”. Newly opened at The Centrepoint, the restaurant exudes a warm Japanese ambience with fresh Japanese cuisine.

Freshness is ensured here because the seasonal seafood is air flown. They even have their own vessel to catch the fish and each supply is stored at an ultra-low temperature storage facility in Singapore. Its Sashimi Moriawase ($88) features a plate of premium assorted raw fish that is fresh. We also had the Shiro Maguro Aburi Maki ($22) with seared white tuna roll which has a subtle sweetness and smoky aroma.

Kani Tofu (Crab Meat Bean Curd, $6) is a Japanese style cold dish which features a soft handmade cold tofu, drenched with a generous dollop of creamy century egg yolk and wrapped with crab meat. The generous amount of Tobiko adds crunch to this dish. Zuwai Kani Tama Mushi ($16) is a smooth bowl of steamed egg served with snow crab meat and salmon roe.

The star of the meal is Gyuniku Fagura Sauce ($35) where the chef pan fried cubes of Australian striploin beef with goose liver sauce. Tender and succulent beef cubes are drizzled with the rich and creamy goose liver sauce. It was so good that we couldn’t stop!

If you wish to enjoy classic Cantonese cuisine with your family at The Centrepoint, the newly opened Crystal Jade Kitchen is a good option. We shared a whole table of dishes including dim sum, HK roast, congee, noodles and classic wok dishes.

Its Roasted Meat Combination ($18.80 for 2 combination; $23.80 for 3 combination) lets you choose from a variety of meat – signature pork belly, roasted pork belly, roasted honey BBQ pork, roasted duck, kampong chicken or soya sauce chicken. The roasted honey BBQ pork is slightly charred, and beautifully caramelized.

The congee is smooth and silky. We had the Classic Ting Zai Congee ($8.80) with sliced fish, cuttlefish and shredded pork. We liked the Handmade Pork Meatball Congee ($9.80) that was incredibly juicy.

Fortune 5 Chicken ($20.80 for whole; $12.80 for half) features paper crisp skin and succulent meat, served with five sauces to enhance the flavours. It was the favourite dish on the table. On top of that, we also had Smoked Chinese Yam with Whole Garlic ($14.80) and Braised Beancurd with Vegetable ($12.80), which went well with rice. I like the crunchy strips of Chinese yam!

From now till 31 October 2016, enjoy 10% off a la carte food bill at Crystal Jade! This promotion is valid on weekday dinners and weekends, full day. T&CS applies.

With a humble beginning since 1969, Song Fa Bak Kut Teh is well known for their peppery and aromatic soup. Today, under the stewardship of the founding family’s second generation, the brand has since expanded significantly with a new outlet in The Centrepoint! The interior of this outlet provides a unique experience, inspired by Glutton’s Square, the popular hawker street of Orchard in the 1960s.

As with all Pork Ribs Soup ($7 / $9), the quality of the dish depends strongly on the quality of the pork. Keeping this in mind, Song Fa uses good quality pork that is carefully simmered with garlic and pepper to achieve the clear and peppery soup. The peppery kick is not overpowering, balanced off with the sweetness from pork ribs. Another signature dish is the Braised Pig Trotters ($7 / $9) stewed with a range of spices to achieve the intense flavour and mouth-watering tenderness.

Song Fa has also launched new dishes in their menu, including the Spicy Pork Belly ($8) cooked with dark soya sauce, and enhanced with dried chili, dried cuttlefish and lady’s fingers. What makes this dish stand out are the strips of dried cuttlefish that gave the depth and a lovely punchy flavour that pleased our palates. They also serve handmade prawn roll ($8.50) filled with marinated minced prawn, meat and vegetables wrapped in beancurd skin. Don’t forget to have some King’s Garden Tea to complement the bak kut teh.

Honolulu Café at The Centrepoint is their first international outlet. Originating from Hong Kong, it is famous for its egg tarts, pineapple buns as well as Hong Kong Milk Tea.

Their egg tarts are famous for its flaky pastry and soft egg custard center. The dough is frozen overnight so that they can fold a total of 192 layers. That is a lot because usually normal egg tarts only fold 100 layers. That’s probably the reason why the pastry is so flaky. Baked fresh everyday, I am more intrigued by its soft and smooth egg custard. Don’t forget to pair it with Honolulu Coffee (Hot $3, Cold $3.20).

In addition, they also serve a range of classic Cantonese dishes such as Curry Fish Ball ($3 for 5), Chicken Wings with Sweet Sauce ($6 for 4), Beef Brisket Soup ($6) and Fish Fillet Curry Rice ($8.50). We like the curry fish balls because they are deep fried before serving with curry, hence creating that bouncy texture. The curry is imported from Hong Kong.

REDEEM $10 DINING VOUCHER AT THE CENTREPOINT’S DINE.POST.REDEEM CAMPAIGN

Surprise! There’s yet another chance to win a $10 Dining Voucher at The Centrepoint! Simply post a picture of your delicious meal when you dine at The Centrepoint’s food precincts called Gastro+ and Food Hall and redeem a $10 Dining voucher! Hashtag with “TCPGastro” or “TCPFoodHall”, “TheCentrepoint” and lastly, don’t forget to hastag the restaurant’s name.

Redemption at Customer Service Level 3 and limited to first 1,000 diners only. Terms & Conditions apply.

A big thank you to The Centrepoint for hosting us! I am giving away another $10 worth of The Centrepoint F&B dining vouchers to FIVE LUCKY READERS!

All you have to do is:
1. Like The Centrepoint and Frasers Centrepoint Malls on Facebook
2. Share this post on Facebook.
3. Share with us any memories you had with The Centrepoint.

Closing date: 29 October 2016, 23:59. Good Luck!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED! Congratulations Rebecca Sim, Goh Hui Peng, Tan Li Ling, Daphne Fong, Muhammad Irman for winning the vouchers!

The post The Centrepoint – 5 New Restaurants Opened in Orchard Road + GIVEAWAY appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

More chio bu going into the F&B industry! Meet Merissa Ang, an ex SQ air stewardess, who gave up her job to set up a cafe ‘The Caffeine Addicts’ in Jalan Besar since July. No, you won’t find your typical eggs benedict and coffee here. Instead, what you get is this kaya toast, chicken rice and Vietnamese coffee!

Learning how to cook chicken rice from a chef, Merissa fulfilled her dream of having her own eatery in July. She passes the cooking to the chef while she brings you SQ quality service and smile. Our Chicken Rice Set ($6.50) comes with a plate of rather tender chicken breast, braised eggs, vegetables, soup and rice. The rice grains have got that light chicken and ginger fragrance and it’s not too oily. And quite surprising that the chicken breast is not too tough and drenched with the sauce.

The Ngoh Hiang ($4) fared well too with crispy skin wrapped with prawn and minced pork. The smell of the five spice powder wasn’t too overpowering and it is served with the sweet black sauce. The only glitch today was the Curry Chicken ($6) which was a little bland and watered down. But it comes with generous beancurd puffs (tau pok) and tender chicken, which I believe to go well with the noodles.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

The post The Caffeine Addicts – Ex Air Stewardess Sells Chicken Rice & Kopi in Jalan Besar appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Conceptualized to pay tribute to the decadent glamour of 1980s Hong Kong, Sum Yi Tai (meaning “Third Wife” in Cantonese) propels traditional Chinese cuisine into the realm of designer bars. This restaurant is spread over 3 storeys of a conservation shophouse in the vicinity of our Central Business District. Upon entering, the wall of delicious-looking ducks will capture your attention immediately.

The first floor offers tapas-style dishes in a crimson-lit gangland bar while the second floor houses the Mona Lounge where the DJ starts playing after 7pm from Wednesday to Saturday nights. At the rooftop, Sum Yi Tai used decorative screens and rattan to create an intimate cove and this Rooftop Bar attracts the after-work crowd in search of good whiskies, wines and cocktails.

We visited on a weekday afternoon for their “Lunch Express” menu which consisted of sides and mains. We had Maple Honey Char Siew ($12) for our side dish to share. Honestly, we found this Maple Honey Char Siew to be the highlight of our meal, comparing this to the mains we had later on. There is a good layering of fats within layers of lean meat, giving the char siew a soft, chewy texture, retaining its juiciness and moisture. Drenched in a honey sweet sauce that was not overwhelming, this char siew was full of flavours. Each bite whets your appetite for more. It’s actually possible for one to finish the entire plate!

The dry version of Zha Jiang La Mian ($8) with spicy minced pork sauce was an average dish. It would have been better if the spicy minced pork sauce was more flavourful. As the sauce was not on the generous serving side, the noodles dried up very quickly and became slightly lumpy. However, there is a very generous portion of vegetables for the health conscious.

The biggest disappointment for us was their Signature Chinese Sausages & Preserved Meat Clay Pot Rice ($26). Personally, we feel that good clay pot rice is supposed to be richly flavoured by the sausages and meat, with a hint of smokiness from the dark soy sauce and a satiny smooth texture from the oil but Sum Yi Tai’s clay pot rice failed to meet our expectations. They were a little stingy on dark soy sauce hence our rice lacked flavours. For the portion we were served, we also felt that it is way too overpriced.

Perhaps, Sum Yi Tai is a good chillax place after work, with their wide offering of alcoholic drinks and delicious Chinese tapas especially when it is conveniently located in the CBD.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

The post Sum Yi Tai – Lunch Didn’t Impress, Dinner Maybe Better appeared first on Miss Tam Chiak.

Bukit Merah View Food Centre is labeled as one of the best food centres in Singapore by taxi drivers. This food centre also caters to the working crowd around Henderson Industrial Park. It’s quite a big-scale food centre even though it’s not that accessible from MRT stations. You’ll be able to find our favourite local hawker fare, as well as, some many delicious food options from different countries. We bring you 7 delicious food stalls that made us shout, “MORE!”

Sisaket Thai Food

Owner-chef Viparat Saibua, affectionately known by her loyal customers as Cat opened this stall in 2014 and has since gained a huge following. Her Thai Mango Salad ($4) consisted of good textural crunch, with a distinct sweetness from the mangoes that balanced out the usual spiciness of Thai salads. Thai Seafood Tom Yam Soup ($5) consisting of fresh, tender fish slices and prawns came with a bowl of white rice which came in handy as the soup lit our mouths on fire. Pineapple Fried Rice ($4) was fragrant and had a good consistency. The pork floss topping enhanced its flavours. Lastly, Phad Thai ($4) were slightly moist, with a strong eggy flavour. The squids were cooked just right and isn’t hard unlike most stalls that tend to overcook their squids.

Na Na Homemade Curry

We’re pretty sure this stall needs no introduction as everyone went crazy over the extremely spicy fish head curry ever since it was included in the Michelin Bib Gourmand list. Ang Go Li (Goldbanded Jobfish) and Ang Sai (Red Snapper) are usually used as they can grow to quite a large size so their heads fit nicely into the large claypot. Due to its large size, their heads also contain a lot more gelatinous bits, which Chinese really enjoy savouring. Moreover, the meat from these fishes are able to hold its shape yet absorb the curry very well when lifted from the bones and not flake apart. Each bite was filled with fine, tender and juicy meat, with an excellent texture.

Not a fan of fish as you’re too lazy to pick the bones, go for the Curry Chicken ($3) or Curry Chicken Drum Stick ($3.50). You can pair your meat with a bowl of Curry Vegetable ($3), as well as, bread and rice at an additional 50 cents. The chicken meat falls off easily from its bones and it’s so tender. Basically, all the curry dishes are extremely spicy but so well executed that it’s really savoury and delicious.

Bukit Merah View Carrot Cake

Having been in the business for over 60 years, the hawker is still painstakingly making carrot cake the traditional way. If you’re wondering why carrot cake here is served in bigger chunks, it dates back to around 50 years ago. The original carrot cake came in big chunks and fried simply in sweet black sauce. This hawker believes in sticking to tradition. There was no chye poh or eggs in the past but it evolved to suit the young crowd’s tastebuds. This is also how the white version came about. Bukit Merah View’s Carrot Cake is served in chunks that feature a crispy exterior. It has a good texture inside, soft but not mushy. It was very flavoursome, with its savoury taste coming from fish sauce, eggs and chai poh. The small portion only costs $2.50.

71 Lor Mee

There wasn’t any queue around 11.30am when we ordered a bowl of Lor Mee but we only realized later on that they cater mostly to the early morning marketing crowd as they were sold out around 1pm when we were about to leave Bukit Merah View food centre. Affordably priced between $2.50-$3, the portion is very reasonable. You can request for a mixture of beehoon and yellow noodles or either one. There were fishcake, wu xiang and little pork bits which gave the lor mee a unique crunch. The lor (gravy) was savoury and did not turn starchy even after it had been left out for awhile (due to photo-taking).

Hong Xing Handmade Fishball and Meatball

This couple makes their fishballs and meatballs every morning before boiling them in a mouthwatering fish and meat stock. Yellowtail is used to make the fishballs which turned out super bouncy, springy and tender. You can taste the freshness and natural sweetness of the yellowtail fish. It’s perfectly executed such that you can’t detect any fishy-ness. The meatballs, on the other hand, are firmer in texture and contain lots of teepo (dried sole fish) which gave it a savoury finish. Our kway teow soup costs $5 as we requested for a mix of both fishballs and meatballs. If you’re observant, you’ll notice that the size of each fishball and meatball differs as they are truly made by hand, unlike those purchased from suppliers that are mass-produced with a uniformed shape at factories.

Charcoal Grilled

This hawker only opens for business in the evenings for approximately 4 hours only. They sell cuttlefish kang kong, rojak and their highly sought-after satay. You can opt for pork, chicken or mutton satay. Pork and chicken satay costs 50 cents per stick while mutton satay costs 60 cents per stick. We shared 15 sticks of chicken satay and 2 ketupat for $8.60. Each stick was glistening but only lean meat is used. One bite of satay was full of flavours, with a slightly charred exterior. The meat was tender and goes very well with the soft ketupat that has a melt-in-your-mouth texture. It was so addictive that we devoured stick after stick and before we know it, the plate was completely empty.

Chai Chuan Tou Yang Rou Tang

It’s hard to miss this hawker stall when there’s always snaking queues. The queue might be very long but the hawker aunties were super efficient and managed to clear the crowd quickly. We paid a total of $7.50 for mutton ribs, mutton stomach and mutton meatball soup, with a bowl of big rice. The soup contained a peppery punch and was full of coriander leaves, with a distinct gamey mutton aroma. The meat falls off the ribs easily and was fork-tender, with pleasant layers of fats and skin. The mutton was not overpowering and had a touch of its natural flavours so for people who don’t really know how to appreciate mutton soup, this is considered acceptable. The good news is that the soup is refillable! Our only disappointment was the chilli as it had no kick and we found it a tad too saltish.

Bukit Merah View Food Centre seemed like a rest-point for taxi drivers so if you’re driving, do go earlier to avoid long waiting time for a parking lot. Besides the above mentioned 7 food stalls, we’re certain that residents staying in the vicinity have their personal favourite stall that we might have missed out. We would return to this food centre due to the wide variety of delectable hawker fare!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stalls featured here.

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Set against the backdrop of central business district, Crystal Jade Prestige offers a repertoire of Cantonese specialties that have been refined and elevated with modern culinary techniques and incorporate top quality ingredients. This contemporary Chinese restaurant has recently refreshed its menu with new specialty creations. Now it’s time to bring your families over for a good meal!

To begin, Chilled Organic Tomatoes with Sesame Sauce ($10.80) are bursting with sweetness, nuttiness and subtle tanginess. It definitely opens the palate and prepares us for the sumptuous meal ahead.

Everyone was eagerly anticipating the colourful Prestige Dim Sum Platter ($10.80 per portion). The assortment is tempting, comprising of prawn & carrot dumpling with black truffle, assorted mushroom dumpling, osmanthus dumpling with prawn and celery and water chestnut with olive and parsley. These are classic dim sum reinterpreted in a cute way. The dumplings are plump and grease-free. It’s all good.

Undoubtedly, the show-stopper among the additions is the Best of Both Worlds ($48/whole) – a duo platter comprising of Classic and Prestige Pipa duck with fermented beancurd sauce.

I’d be happy with either of these as both are delicious! The butterflied duck is marinated for 10 hours with a homemade spice blend and air-dried for 10 hours to achieve the extraordinary, crackling-crisp skin; the mark of an excellent Chinese roast duck. The duck is basted with golden maltose sugar before roasted to a perfect finish.

The Prestige Pipa rendition is brushed with an additional coat of fermented beancurd sauce which imparts an extra umami boost to the fatty meat. The glistening dark brown skin of each piece says it all.

Not only can you enjoy perfectly- executed ducks, you can also savour a compact selection of specialities from MICHELIN one star restaurant – Crystal Jade Golden Palace. Baked Lamb Rack with Red Wine & Black Pepper ($19/pax) is an east-meets-west creation. A succulent lamb chop is simmered red wine; which adds body and sweetness, and finished with a black pepper sauce. The result is a deep, dark and rich flavour reminiscent of coq au vin.

Other highlights include a fragrant Stir-Fried Assorted Mushrooms with Basil in Claypot ($22 small, $33 medium, $44 large) and Signature Fried Rice ($20 small, $30 medium, $40 large). The fried rice looks unassuming but it’s imbued with the breath of the wok and studded with egg, spring onions, crunchy diced homemade radish and some finely-chopped salted fish.

I know you are already rubbing your belly by now but hey, how can we resist these sweet temptations? Steamed Pandan Bun with Green Tea Custard ($6.80 per portion) is a pandan-infused bun enveloping a creamy molten matcha lava and salted egg yolk; while the Coconut Jelly with Fresh Milk in Coconut ($8.80) is served chilled with coconut flesh. Crystal Jade Golden Palace’s Sugar Coated Yam ($13) is addictive. It’s light yet fragrant, coated with crystallized sugar.

RECOMMENDED MICHELIN DINNER SETS

Available daily, Crystal Jade Prestige has also crafted two exclusive MICHELIN set menus comprising highly-recommended dishes from One MICHELIN-starred sister establishment; Crystal Jade Golden Palace.

Priced at $58 and $68 per person (minimum of 2 persons), key highlight dishes include Chilled Foie Gras infused with Japanese sake, Crackling Suckling Pig Roll with Black Truffle Pearl Rice and Sugar Coated Yam.

Jadeite members, DBS/POSB and Standard Chartered cardmembers can enjoy these dinner sets at $48 and $58 respectively.

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Kam’s Roast first overseas branch has opened in Pacific Plaza, located next to the Michelin-starred ramen restaurant Tsuta! The flagship outlet in Hong Kong was awarded the Michelin Star in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 editions of MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong & Macau. Started by Mr Hardy Kam in 2014, Hardy was the grandson of the late Mr Kam Shui Fai, who founded the Hong Kong roast goose institution, Yung Kee Restaurant. Within 6 months of opening, Kam’s had earned a Michelin star.

[EXCLUSIVE!] Kam’s Roast Goose: Moving On From Yung Kee to the Michelin Star

Head Chef Wong Kwan-sang has also flew to Singapore to train the staff and make sure everything is smooth in the beginning. The chef helming Kam’s Roast in Singapore used to work at Yung Kee and will be permanently based in Singapore. Another chef from Kam’s Roast Goose will be stationed here for a month. With careful supervision from the original roster of Hong Kong chefs, the same Kam’s Roast will achieve the same quality and standards expected of the dishes.

Using the family recipe and the same sauce and marinade techniques used back in Hardy’s grandfather’s day, signature dishes at Kam’s include roast duck, suckling pig and “toro” char siew made with premium pork belly. With everything done fresh daily, the whole process takes a few hours, including cleaning, marinating, air-drying and then roasting. There is slight crisp in the skin with a layer of fats underneath. The meat was juicy and tender, even better with the subtly sweet plum sauce. The first plate which I tried, they drenched a little too much sauce hence the skin turned soggy. Subsequent plate that my husband had was much better.

‘Toro’ Char Siu is a secret recipe by Mr Kinsen Kam Kwan Sing, who was once the second-generation owner at the famed Yung Kee. The premium pork belly is seasoned with Kam family’s award-winning marinade. The slab of meat is barbequed and boasts a melt-in-your-mouth texture. It’s more on the sweet side and I thought a little more char is good to get a greater smoky flavour.

Even though the duck was the highlight, what impressed me was the sio bak instead. I think Kam’s has got the right formula. The skin is crispy brittle and you can hear the crackling sound when you bite the skin. The first bite producing a noisy crunch from the skin before it gives way to the juicy layers of well-seasoned tender and moist meat under it. OOOMPHH…..

There is roast chicken with ginger and scallions dip as well. Suckling pig is also available at Kam’s. Corporations or individuals can also order the Suckling Pig for events or celebratory occasions too. It is roasted gently for long hours, and the collagen produced from the meat is bound to please.

My dining partners all love the legendary Wonton Noodles, exclusively available in Singapore. Apparently, it was the same noodles that Mr Kinsen Kam Kwan Sing served in Yung Kee. Al dente with a firm bite, the noodles are air flown from Hong Kong daily, hence absolute freshness is guaranteed. Not much alkaline taste, it has got that eggy fragrance. The noodles can be accompanied with slices of Kam’s famous roasts or their goldfish-shaped wontons which I have not tried.

End your meal with red bean dessert cooked with premium mandarin peel that has aged for decades, hence they are more potent in aroma and taste. At Singapore’s outlet, you will get to see the same artist’s impression of Kam’s family on the wall, just like the one in Hong Kong. Congratulations to Mr Hardy Kam and Mr Robert Chua!

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Celebrity Mod Sin Chef Shen Tan is back in action again! We have been supporting her at various pop-up events because we miss her food. And finally, she has found a place to call home! She will be taking over the kitchen at Revolution Coffee in One-North. And of course, she’ll be bringing her famous Nasi Lemak to Revolution Coffee.

I knew Shen back in her Wok & Barrel days when I did a story on her Nasi Lemak in the newspapers. I even went into the kitchen to cook the rice with her. Oh man, it’s really tedious. Shen has developed this Nasi Lemak recipe after loads of research to get the “Lemak” rice.

Her nasi lemak is steamed with fresh coconut every day, instead of being thrown in a rice cooker with coconut milk.
Only the best Fragrant Jasmine rice is used and each grain of rice is distinct and fluffy but richly lemak and deserves to be called Nasi Lemak! It is so well flavoured that you will want to eat the rice on its own!

The 5 Nasi Lemak rice sets feature dishes such as crispy pork, crispy fried chicken, 5 spice pork confit, beef rendang and chicken rendang. Instead of going for the usual beef rendang, I went for the crispy pork instead. It’s so crispy on the outside yet juicy on the inside.

Each set comes complete with the Nasi Lemak rice, omelette, ikan bills, homemade sambal belachan and coffee sambal on cucumber slices. Coffee and chilli gives a unique earthy flavour. You have to sample Shen’s extra spicy Sambal Belachan with its nuclear explosive kick. Shiok! The price of nasi lemak ranges from $4.90 to $9.90.

With a love of incorporating local and South East Asian flavours into her dishes, Shen has come up with brand new creations such as Buah Keluak Pasta ($19.90). Al dente ribbons of tagliatelle is generously slathered with the black paste made with turmeric, blue ginger, garlic, shallots, prawns, minced pork. Served with twice cooked pork belly, it has got that addictive umami. There is also Bak Chor Mee Pasta ($19.90) and Fish Curry Pasta ($19.90).

Don’t forget to try the Shendol Delights ($10). Shen’s version of local dessert, Chendol, is a creamy smooth panna cotta with the gula melaka syrup and super yummy red bean ice cream.

Revolution Coffee is the only café in Singapore to offer coffee from the Caffeine Dispensary, a Jakarta-based roastery. With such good coffee, Shen will be using the coffee powder to create coffee-based sauces such as coffee sambal and coffee-barbeque sauce. There is also coffee-kaya, where additional dimensions of brightness and mocha put a new spin on this much beloved local spread.

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Located at Bugis Cube along North Bridge Road, Jiu Gong Ge Hotpot is the latest trendy hotpot place to go in Bugis to get your mala fix. They sell your typical mala hotpot, but erm, it’s bigger. And we really mean much bigger.

Different from the normal round pot, 9-grid Hot Pot is divided into 9 sectors. Using the same soup base, you can boil your favourite side dishes without mixing with others. The heat varies from sector to sector, with the centre being the highest.

You’ll find plenty of fresh hot pot ingredients, ranging from mouthwatering meats like kurobuta pork, frogs, mala chicken, to seafood like spicy baby lobster, as well as plenty of vegetables, rice and noodles. You can order an ala-carte or go for the seafood set at $118 (2-3pax), $148 (4-5pax) and $198 (6-7pax).

While hotpots provide warmth during rainy days like this, it is also a communal eating experience that makes it memorable. My group of 5 sat around the hotpot, dipping and chatting and generally having a great time. We ordered the seafood set for 4-5 pax. There were at least 50 clams in the pot and a whole lot of other fresh seafood like bamboo clams, lobsters, crabs and more.

We looked at each other and the pot. Then we dug back in. Slowly and steadily, we conquered every piece of crustacean, slurping the juices from the prawn and lobster head quietly while listening to the list of Chinese songs played in the restaurant. If seafood is not your thing, go for the ala carte menu where you can order the meats.

The seafood has been pre-cooked before steeping in the hotpot that is slick with oil and heaped with cilantro. More than 10 spices are used to make the soup, all we feel is the signature mouth-tingling after every sip. Even so, it tasted so good. I was trying to render some self-control but all seems futile. In fact, it wasn’t my first time here. The previous time, we had mala grilled fish here and it’s delicious too. To cool the tongue, you might land on the a can of soya bean (or maybe not), which we thought was homemade.

As with all hotpot, concoct your own chilli dip to go with the mala. But seriously, I don’t think there is a need here because the soup itself is already power. At the end of the feast, we all join in and sip the broth as a last course; it has absorbed all the flavors of the seafood that have gone before.

It’s definitely a perfect way to start December and a great team lunch to get to know each other better.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to Jiu Gong Ge Hotpot 九宫格火锅. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

MissTamChiak.com paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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Ever since we tried Tai Cheong Bakery’s egg tarts in Hong Kong, we were converted. Few have even managed to come close to swaying our heart. For that reason, you can probably imagine how elated we were when Tai Cheong Bakery announced their opening of a Cha Chaan Teng in Holland Village.

Look forward to experiencing traditional delights and beverages in a Hong Kong-style eatery setting, and we believe the snaking queue speaks volumes about what you’re in for.

All hail the glorious Egg Tarts ($1.90 for one). If you’re thinking flaky and thin short-crust tart shells, let Tai Cheong surprise you with their fragrant, buttery crust that will leave you begging for more. The filling is everything you would ever wish for in an egg custard – light and smooth, without driving you crazy on the sweetness. The surface was slightly firm yet bouncy, but when you bite into them, the egg custard was so soft that it almost breaks apart instantly. Do note that they only allow a maximum purchase of 2 egg tarts per dine-in customer.

Savour on one of Hong Kong’s favourites – toast, we decided to go for the humble Scrambled Eggs Toast Stack ($6.50). The dish, though seemingly modest, actually looked inviting – a glistening, warm bed of scrambled eggs resting on a slightly browned toast. The eggs were fluffy, moist and light – just the right consistency. However, we would have appreciated more seasoning on the eggs. If you prefer something stronger, you may want to consider the Scrambled Eggs Toast Stack with Chicken Chop.

Browsing through the menu, you will notice that most of the hearty mains are priced under $10. We settled on Three Eggs Macaroni Soup with Luncheon Meat ($8.50), which is a tomato-based soup dish. The soup, filled with tomato chunks, tasted almost like a comforting bowl of Minestrone. This dish, filled with flavours close to your heart, will leave you satisfied on a cold, rainy day.

Finishing my meal off with another of their popular bites – the Chicken Pie ($2.80). The crust falls apart easily so avoid handling the pie with too much force. The beautiful golden-brown pie crust encased a creamy filling containing tender chicken chunks. These pies are best warm, so try to eat them immediately.

Tai Cheong Bakery’s menu consists of a good variety of classic Hong Kong dishes, such as Bolo Bun, Beef Brisket Curry Rice and Hong Kong Milk Tea. Ultimately, go for the must-try egg tart – which is literally happiness on a plate in my opinion. Receiving the authentic Hong Kong experience no longer costs you an airplane ticket.

For you busy bees out there, you will be delighted to know that there is a takeaway counter for you to enjoy some pastries amidst your packed schedule. P/S No service charge!

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there are any changes or additional information to Tai Cheong Bakery. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!

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