Pizz Please ~

Twirl Pasta is one of those establishments that we had managed to chance upon whilst going around Holland Village Market & Food Centre during a random visit passing through the food centre one day. For those whom have not visited the food centre after its most recent revamp, the food centre has recently seen an addition of four (4) new food stall lots in the area which was once dedicated to the market itself. Twirl Pasta is the newest of the three stalls that had since more into the said area of the food centre at the point of time of writing — itself taking up the corner-most unit that is closest to One Holland Village; its neighbour being a stall serving curry rice and braised meats. Whilst we were not initially aware about it, a search on the establishment on social media reveals that the chef at Twirl Pasta is actually mentored by the chef-owner behind Chef Choo Signature at Golden Mile Food Centre — a stall notable for their pasta and salads that is run by a chef formerly of Pete’s Place at the Grand Hyatt. Considering so, the menu comprises of mostly pasta dishes — each pasta typically comprises of some sort of meat / seafood, with patrons being able to pick their desired sauces for some of the meat / seafood options offered. Apart from the varieties of pasta that they offer, Twirl Pasta also offers a small selection of side dishes such as Cesar Salad (yes, spelt this way in the menu) and House-made Chicken Karaage to share across the table — just to name a few.

There were a couple of items that we were more in favour of in the menu than the Grilled Salmon + House-made Pesto Spaghetti, but we eventually found ourselves going for the tired considering how they were pretty much sold out of the items that we were more keen to try when we dropped by on a weekend evening for dinner service. The Grilled Salmon variant actually comes with two choices of sauces that one can go for — one being the Spaghetti Aglio Olio, and the other being the House-made Pesto Spaghetti that we had opted for. Despite being an relent that had only recently opened their doors, Twirl Pasta is a spot that seems to have a bit of a crowd visiting them; this also meant that waiting time for the food can go upwards to 40mins based on the time indicated on the paper that is stuck near the POS system; we were buzzed to collect our order from the stall after an estimated waiting time of 20mins. Twirl Pasta does not describe the elements that comes served with their pasta; that being said, or can be observed from our order that the Grilled Salmon + House-made Pesto Spaghetti does come with the grilled salmon and spaghetti that is tossed in their house-made pesto sauce; also comes accompanied with a sunny side-up and some florets of broccoli on the side. For those that are usually a little more intimidated by the more savoury / herb-y pesto sauce that some establishments serves up, the pesto sauce here seems to be a little creamier — in fact, the addition of parmesan cheese powder also adds a further savoury touch that makes it feel closer to a cream pasta instead. That being said, one can still detect a rather light hint of the herbs used in the pesto, while the garlic also helps to cut through the savouriness of the cream and cheese so that the dish does not get too overwhelming.

The pasta is done al-dente; its consistency being pretty impressive for a pasta dish that is being served at a hawker centre that could easily rival that of pasta dishes that are served at specialty cafes even. The grilled salmon comes fresh and with a nice, crisp skin — the flesh being flaky and smooth with the retention of its moisture; we also liked how the characteristic flavours of the fish were not overwhelmed with an onslaught of salt as well. The sunny side-up comes free from any undesirable stench of overused oil; also comes with a flowy molten egg yolk, while the stalks of broccoli provided a good balance with the rest of the entire plate with a soft crunch, providing a balanced and hearty feel. The price tag of the Grilled Salmon + House-made Pesto Spaghetti may be a little steep for hawker fare considering that it is listed at a price of $13; that being said, it is the priciest item of the lot to go for — the other pasta dishes disregarding the Grilled Salmon + Spaghetti Aglio Olio are priced between $8 to $9.50; still a little bit on the higher side, but the quality of which the pasta is being executed does seem to be well worth the price tag it commands for. With so much effort put into the pasta to ensure that the consistency turns out to be on point, it is probably best to exercise patience when it comes to the food at Twirl Pasta for the experience that they intend to serve to all their patrons!

Sarah’s Pancake has been one of those establishments which we had passed by quite a number of times whilst going around Clementi Town Centre. Located in the coffeeshop at Blk 449 Clementi Avenue 3, Sarah’s Pancake is actually neighbours with Brothers Rojak; a rather popular and well-known establishment that specialises in rojak. Sarah’s Pancake is a stall that is located around the exterior of the coffeeshop, with the view being perpendicular to that of where 321Clementi actually is — one would probably easily miss it if they were to search for the stall within the coffeeshop itself. Given how there is a huge signboard depicting a stack of Min Jiang Kueh that hangs right beside the shopfront, one should be able to find the stall rather easily from outside of the coffeeshop. All of the Min Jiang Kueh at Sarah’s Pancake that are available for the day are prominently displayed in the display case at the counter for all to view — some would find its offerings rather similar to that of another notable establishment serving up Min Jiang Kueh that starts with the alphabet “M” and operates multiple locations across the island (they had first started out at Yishun Park Hawker Centre however); the pancakes itself coming with a variety of flavours where it comes with to the fillings, though the pancake itself also comes in three (3) variations being Charcoal, Matchq and the Original.

Always felt that the combination of charcoal and sesame in a Min Jiang Kueh is one that is fairly intriguing due to its entirely black aesthetic from the pancake itself to the fillings. We were also thankful that they had given us a slice of the pancake that is around the corners so we do get a bit of that crust with the piece that was being served to us. While the pancake does seem to have been made for some time ahead of us placing our order since these were pretty much just picked off from the display case, the Charcoal Sesame Pancake does seem to come with a slightly crisp exterior as we would have expected — likely also the case considering how black sesame and charcoal also tends to absorb quite a fair bit of moisture in the dough during the preparation process in the batter as well. The texture did feel like it would be the most ideal when the pancake is eaten when warm; leaving it out for slightly longer might result in a slightly limp texture than what they seemed to have intended it to be. The sesame fillings really shine here considering how it is a combination of both black sesame paste and white sesame seeds; the latter immediately reveals when one takes a bite into the pancake itself where one can feel a crunch amidst the grainy black sesame paste as well.

In retrospect, the Original Kaya Pancake was one that was soft and aptly dense — definitely had a more moist texture than the Charcoal Sesame Pancake and would fit those whom prefer their pancakes to come a little fluffy with a bite. The Kaya filling does also seem to differ from what we had expected it to be; a little more molten, while also sweeter and with quite a prominent hint of Pandan that would work well with those who like heavier flavours in general. With prices of its pancakes being largely similar to the establishment that it is conceptually similar to, Sarah’s Pancake isn’t the establishment that serves the cheapest Min Jiang Kuehs around — the Original Kaya Pancake is priced at $1.60, while the Charcoal Sesame is priced at $2.50. That being said, the quality does seem to be fairly reasonable for the price — definitely a spot worth getting one’s Min Jiang Kueh cravings fixed if around the area.

Got to know about the new 9Toast that seems to be a pretty new addition to Singapore Shopping Centre whilst scrolling through social media one day — Singapore Shopping Centre is quite a forgotten spot in town considering its location along Clemenceau Avenue; this is the same building which also houses the original location where L'éclair Pâtisserie had first started. 9Toast, much like L'éclair Pâtisserie, is located along the exterior of the building, with the shop unit similarly facing out of the building towards Clemenceau Avenue as well — itself being situated just a few units away from L'éclair Pâtisserie. A space that is decorated simply but with a bit of style; the tall windows and ceilings of the space helps in bringing in natural light from the outside into the cafe; the cafe itself is being decked in wooden furniture and fittings that are matched against white walls and white tiles. While one side of the cafe is lined with bench seating that one can rest their backs on the wall and comes paired with smaller circular tables, there are three (3) proper dine-in tables with cushioned seats; two of which being suitable for groups of two pax, while the remaining table is suitable for a group of four pax. 9Toast is still on its soft opening phase when we made our visit to the cafe on a weekend morning; this also meant that they were serving up a slim menu that features only Honey-Glazed Toasts as well as Iced Artisan Drinks of the menu — the menu is peculiarly more drinks-centric, considering how there are more beverages listed on the menu as compared to the three varieties of Honey-Glazed Toast available.

Skimming through the menu that 9Toast has to offer, we decided to go for the Purple Haze Honey Toast amongst the other different variants of Honey-Glazed Toast which they have to offer; other Honey-Glazed Toasts available in the soft opening menu at 9Toast includes That’s So Cheesy and the Original. The Purple Haze Honey Toast is being described on the menu to come with elements such as Purple Sweet Potato, Taro, Milk Injeolmi, Honey and Milk Cream. Prepared only upon order, the toast takes a short while to be served to the table; the way it is presented on the plate sees the honey-glazed toast sandwiched with a thin layer of Milk Injeolmi in the middle — honey is also seemingly drenched on the toast, while there is a scoop of mashed purple sweet potato and taro that accompanies the honey-glazed toast. The Milk Cream comes in a separate pitcher on the side, allowing patrons to pour in the Milk Cream to their own desire. Best eaten when it is still hot, the honey-glazed toast is crusty and crisp on the exterior, we liked how the toast does not feel particularly dense, yet carries a rather apt hint of floral sweetness from the honey that was easily detectable. For those whom are not familiar with what Injeolmi is, Injeolmi is actually Korean rice cake — this can be described to carry a light hint of milkiness, but not as dense or sticky as what a mochi would have been; quite easy to have. The scoop of mashed purple sweet potato and taro comes in a shade of purple; the mix of the two ensured that the flavours were not particularly heavy on sweetness — instead focusing on the earthiness of both root vegetables. The sea salt milk cream that came on the side was pretty similar to that of a cheese cream / sea-salt cream macchiato that one would typically get at a bubble tea specialty shop — the consistency is a little more foam-like, bearing a slight saltish-ness that provides a bit of contrast of flavours to the toast.

We had also went for the Black Coffee Macchiato — the Black Coffee Macchiato is described on the menu to come with elements such as Black Coffee, Sea Salt Cream and Cocoa. Interestingly, the staff had mentioned that they had used roasted coffee beans that are typically used in local-style Nanyang Coffee — the slightly darker blend is said to be specifically chosen to match up against the slightly saltish note of the sea salt cream that provides better integration of the two elements as opposed to using coffee beans typically used by cafes serving up specialty coffee instead. We also noted that the coffee also carried a smoother, buttery mouthfeel apart from the roasty note it has to offer — all that while not being sweet like what a typical cup of local-style Nanyang Kopi is. 9Toast at this current juncture during its soft launch phase does seem to lack the variety of dishes that one would expect out of a cafe; that being said, their honey-glazed toasts does seem to be Korean-inspired, and does definitely satiate the sweet tooth’s craving without being overly sweet. With their current selection of honey-glazed toasts being priced well below $10, 9Toast does make for a decent quiet spot to hang around for a light meal or a dessert to share — all that whilst having an intimate catch-up session with a friend.

Got to find out about Flyboy Yong Tau Foo whilst going around NeWest a couple of weeks ago — it has been quite a while since we had last visited NeWest, though Flyboy Yong Tau Foo does seem like a new addition to the building in the last couple of months. For those whom are familiar with NeWest, Flyboy Yong Tau Foo takes over the former premises of the now-defunct Birdfolks — an establishment that used to be notable for serving up fried chicken with local-style Kopi that had been operating within NeWest for quite a while. Flyboy Yong Tau Foo has did a little bit of work to the space; it does feel that they seem to have provisioned for a bigger food preparation area considering how the dine-in space seemed to have shrunk by quite a fair bit. Nonetheless, the interior of the space is simply decked yet pleasing to the eye — the use of plastic seats with faux rattan accents against the white walls and wooden fittings does seem pretty matching for the most part, and that there are posters of their offerings being hung on the wall. Most notable of the items hung on the wall would be some accolades that seems to be in recognition of a particular individual in their military career — perhaps also being the reason behind the “Flyboy” in their namesake. Flyboy Yong Tau Foo is fairly easy to spot, considering how its signboard features a maroon background with gold font for its text. As one would expect given the namesake of the establishment, Flyboy Yong Tau Foo’s main offerings would be around its Yong Tau Foo offerings, which they do offer different sets comprising of different Yong Tau Foo items bundled together. Apart from Yong Tau Foo however, Flyboy Yong Tau Foo do serve up some specials that are only available from Friday to Sunday while stocks last; this will include the Abacus Seeds, as well as the Mango Pomelo Sago — the only dessert item that is listed. Beverages include local-style Kopi & Teh, as well as drinking chocolate, lime juice and soft drinks.

Skimming through the menu of Flyboy Yong Tau Foo, it is clear that one should probably go for the Set A (House Special) if one wants to give the most variety of Yong Tau Foo items a go during their visit here. Flyboy Yong Tau Foo’s menu describes the Set A (House Special) to come with Yong Tau Foo items such as bitter gourd, eggplant, chilli, lady’s finger, Tau Pok, Tau Kwa, meatball, fishball and crab stick — all of which coming in its own plate with its own gravy. The set comes default with white rice; that being said, one can also switch things up and opt for either the Bee Hoon Soup (available only for lunch) or the Fried Bee Hoon — both of them requiring a top up of $1 and $2 respectively on top of the original price of the sets opted for. Also available at a top-up will be the upgrade of the Yong Tau Foo fillings to a salted fish filling — something which we also gladly opted for. On first look, the Fried Bee Hoon looks more akin to that of a stewed Bee Hoon; this is considering how the Bee Hoon does come with a paler appearance as compared to the usual fried Bee Hoon that comes in a shade of brown at economic Bee Hoon stalls. It does seem that the Bee Hoon is stewed before being wok-fried for a while; there is a light umami note with a slight pepperiness that provides just the right amount of heat that makes it noticeable without being particularly spicy even to those whom are not tolerable to most levels of spiciness — makes it especially good to have already even when on its own. The Fried Bee Hoon also comes with bits of stewed pork for a slightly meaty bite; the scraps of cabbage providing a soft crunch for a variance of texture.

Moving on to the Yong Tau Foo itself, it seems that the gravy is pretty much the same as what one would expect from the usual mix of sauces that would come with Yong Tau Foo that is typically served elsewhere. The result is this umami, slightly sweet and a little earthy (or maybe bean-y) that went especially well with all the Yong Tau Foo pieces; and more so even for those that came with the salted fish filling that we had opted for. The Set A (House Special) does come with a balanced mix of both fried and non-fried items; the fried items being the bitter gourd, eggplant, Tau Pok, Tau Kwa and meatball, while the remainder are non-fried. The fried items were the ones that really impressed us; the consistency of the items were all just right with the bitter gourd and eggplant being soft enough but still carrying a crunch, while the Tau Pok does come with tofu within that was smooth and retained moisture of the soft tofu. All of the meat fillings were impressive; crisp on the exterior but doesn’t require too much chew to get through — the addition of salted fish filling into the usual filling helps to add an extra note of umami-ness that packs a punch in terms of flavour. We also note that the fried items did not feel particularly greasy as well. In retrospect, the other items such as the fish paste-stuffed chili and ladyfinger, as well as the fishballs were good to have; the fish paste being incredibly bouncy and smooth with the chili and ladyfinger also giving a crunch factor. There really isn’t anything much to shout about for the crab stick; not that we were expecting anything out of it, though it does seem to have been included as a crowd-pleaser nonetheless.

Since the Mango Pomelo Sago was not available on the day of our visit, we decided to just get their Kopi for something to pair our order with. The Kopi does carry quite a good caffeinated kick in the body, though we thought that it could have been a lot more punchier if they could up the level of sweetness by a fair bit. Notwithstanding so, this would likely hit well for those whom prefer their Kopi with less sweetness in general. Flyboy Yong Tau Foo’s offerings does seem to impress — probably the product of lots of research, labour and dedication behind the scenes that shows in the final product that can be felt by their patrons. No doubt that the prices are a little pricey especially if one goes for their Set A (House Special) which is already at $10.90 in its most basic form (ours came to $13.90 with the add-ons), but we do find it pretty worthwhile since it is representative of the best of which that Flyboy Yong Tau Foo has to offer. While seemingly a little far flung from most places, Flyboy Yong Tau Foo is a spot that is well worthy of making a trip for; wishing these folks success in their business in time to come!

It does seem that the Joo Chiat neighbourhood has no short of artisanal bakeries — the area is already known for being home to small-scale, indie bakeries such as that of Petit Pain though there has also been closures in the past couple of years; think brands such as that of Kamome Bakery, which has since ceased their operations at Joo Chiat Road earlier in March this year. For those whom have been lurking around social media about the happenings of the local F&B scene, there has been news going around a specific 174bingo that has recently sprouted up at 174 Joo Chiat Road. The latest to join the F&B scene at a neighbourhood with plenty of options that one can dine at, 174bingo is decked in a pretty rustic and industrial vibe — it is obvious from how the space is being decked out that they are going for a raw, unfinished look that is at the same time refined; the simplistic wooden benches around the communal tables, wooden platform seating segmented by bricks, and the lone corner filled with a camping chair all matched well with the concrete flooring and unfinished walls and ceilings that fill the entire space. Cafes that evoke a similar vibe like 174bingo’s in our view would be Paaru at Pearl’s Hill Terrace and Dawn Kissaten at South Bridge Road. Despite the availability of seatings, 174bingo is essentially a takeaway bakery at heart; the offerings available for the day at 174bingo are prominently displayed at the display cabinet that faces the door as one walks into the cafe — items available during our visit includes that of the Iranian Pistachio Tart and the “Dear Tomas, Love Bread” which is described to be an old-fashioned chicken pie. Beverages available at 174bingo includes espresso-based specialty coffee brewed using beans roasted by Maxi Coffee Bar (which runs their very own space at Ann Siang Hill), drinking chocolate and the Iced Seasonal Shrub Soda.

Skimming through the various items which are available in their display case during the day of our visit, we found ourselves wanting to try both a sweet and a savoury item — the folks ahead of us had already went for the last slice of the Iranian Pistachio Tart, and we found ourselves going for the Olive Vanilla Tart for the choice of our sweet bake. The Olive Vanilla Tart is described to include elements such as specialty olive oil frangipane, olive oil and Mireia’s vanilla pods (Mireia being a Singaporean vanilla cultivator and processor having started its journey of cultivating vanilla at Gardens by the Bay) for the making of the tart. For those whom might find the inclusion of olive in the elements for the making of the tart to be rather intimidating on paper, we were rather surprised with how the pastry doesn’t really carry a detectable note of olive oil. We really liked how the tart base of the Olive Vanilla Tart was particularly crusty, giving a good crunch without being overly sweet, while the frangipane provided a soft but firm base with a tinge of nuttiness that lingers around the tastebuds. One can observe the black vanilla beans speckled around the vanilla pastry cream piped atop the tart; the pastry cream carrying a soft, whipped consistency that is smooth while carrying a fragrant note of vanilla that perfumes throughout the tastebuds — not sure if it is the olive oil here, but a tang slight tang can also be observed towards the finishing notes of the pastry cream that gave it a contrast of flavours.

We also tried the Garlic & Herb Knot during our visit to 174bingo; this turned out to be a Danish that has been infused with garlic and herbs — what truly stood out for us was how well the pastry was laminated to achieve that light, crisp and flaky texture of the Danish, with very obvious earthy notes that complimented the fragrance of the herbs and light hints of butter that came with the pastry. The Iced White that we had went for was one whiner found to be pretty well-executed; the cuppa coming with a medium body and a chocolatey and nutty flavour profile they matched well against the bakes that they have to offer. Much has since been raved about in the various social media posts mentioning about 174bingo; it goes without saying that 174bingo does have quite a strong hand in what they have to offer, considering how well-executed their bakes are based on the items that we had tried during our visit — such consistency for danishes are particularly rare in the case of the Garlic & Herb Knot, which is a showcase of the skill in their execution of their bakes and the passion that goes behind the work that they do to perfect their craft before presenting their creations to their patrons. With that, 174bingo does seem to be a spot truly deserving of the ravings that we have been hearing all these while; a spot that is likely to get truly crowded in the days to come as it progressively gets explored by from folks coming down all across the island — definitely a name that one would probably hear a lot of in the local cafehopping scene, and a spot that one should keep a lookout for in time to come!

Just as when we thought that the trend for freshly-made Hong Kong-style Chee Cheong Fun has pretty much come to a close considering how the local F&B scene had pretty much moved away from specialty stores serving it up as their singular offering, we had came across yet another stall whilst going around the Blk 216 Bedok Food Centre and Market in Bedok fairly recently. It is unclear when Ah Girl HK Style Chee Cheong Fun 小妹港式猪粉 had set up shop here, though we definitely did not recall the stall’s existence in our last visit to the food centre a couple of months ago; nothing much could be found about the stall online either when we made a search for it online. That being said, the stall does boast of a longer queue than most of the other stalls were when we dropped by in the late morning on a weekday. Ah Girl HK Style Chee Cheong Fun is situated at the side of the food centre that is located closer towards Bedok Town Centre and is neighbours with a “San Curry Rice” located towards its left; its signage being one of a white background and red text — some may find their signboard similar to the style of that of Ah Boy Nasi Lemak’s which also runs a stall at the same food centre, though we aren’t sure if they do share an affiliations. Being an establishment that serves only Hong Kong-style Chee Cheong Fun, there are only four items being listed on the menu here — the HK Style Chee Cheong Fun (i.e. the plain variant), as well as variants they involve toppings such as Char Siew, Mushroom and Prawn.

Considering this is our very first visit to Ah Girl HK Style Chee Cheong Fun to give their Hong Kong-style Chee Cheong Fun a try, we found ourselves opting for the HK Style Prawn Chee Cheong Fun; the variant which we would typically go for when trying out establishments that are serving up such offerings during our first visit. Just as promised as per their signboard, all of their Jong Kong-style Chee Cheong Fun dishes are freshly-prepared upon order. The lady behind the counter first lays the cheesecloth on the steamer, before pouring in the rice slurry atop. Toppings are then added before the lid would be put on the steamer to cover the rice slurry as it steams. Once ready, the lady behind the counter would remove the lid, place the cheesecloth on the side to remove the Chee Cheong Fun from the cheesecloth, and roll them up before slicing them into bite-sized pieces. The other lady will then pour in the soy sauce, add a dollop of chili for those whom requested for it, as well as sprinkle the sesame seeds and spring onions before serving.

The HK Style Prawn Chee Cheong Fun is a pretty decent affair here — the Chee Cheong Fun at Ah Girl HK Style Chee Cheong Fun does bear a decent consistency and texture being silky though their variant comes with a bit of stickiness as well; slightly glutinous to a certain degree. It does come with an appropriate thickness, whilst being able to absorb the savoury soy sauce that comes drizzled atop — we did felt that they could have been a little more generous with the soy sauce however, since there were parts of the Chee Cheong Fun which barely got drenched with any. The prawns that came with the HK Style Prawn Chee Cheong Fun provided a good bite; carried a naturally sweet note, while the accompanying sambal was savoury with a note of spiciness that should do well for those whom are able to tolerate moderate levels of spice. Overall, we did feel that the HK Style Prawn Chee Cheong Fun is a fairly decent offering that would appeal to those whom are craving for Hong Kong-style Chee Cheong Fun in general — its price point between $2.80 to $4.50 per roll depending on the toppings opted for also being rather reasonably-priced. A dining option worth considering for to share across the table or have as a light meal for those whom frequent Blk 216 Bedok Food Centre and Market.

It does seem like a little bit of a shame that 64 Dirgahayu - Ian Tau Laksa had since pulled down their shutters permanently not too long ago; a spot that we really had a liking for around the Central Business District for their Sarawakian fare. That being said, the closure of a chapter also signifies the opening of a new one, and that the spot that the now-defunct 64 Dirgahayu - Ian Tau Laksa was previously at right beside Fun Toast in Downtown MRT Station is occupied by a new tenant named Baked Penne. Baked Penne does seem to have made minimal changes to the space since their takeover the spot; much of the layout of the shop as well as the furniture and fittings remains the same, though there is an effort in creating a more comfier dining environment with the dine-in space being less claustrophobic than before. Otherwise, the interior can still be described as one that is designed to be more functional than for form. As the namesake of the establishment suggests, Baked Penne is a dining establishment that has placed its emphasis on its baked pasta offerings — all of which using the penne pasta as the choice of grains and paired with a variety of meat options that one can opt for. Patrons can also go for the “Create Your Own Baked Penne” option by selecting their desired choice of sauce, proteins and veggies for their baked penne order. Sides available at Baked Penne that can be shared across the table would include a loaf of Garlic Bread, while beverages listed on the menu here includes espresso-based specialty coffee and drinking chocolate, and a few cordial-based drinks that are only available iced.

We weren’t quite in the mood to pick and choose our desired choice of sauces, proteins and veggies from the “Create Your Own Baked Penne” section of the menu; we found ourselves going for one of the pre-determined combinations that are listed on their menu instead. Amongst the limited number of choices available, the Cheesy Chicken Tikka was an item that stood out to us when we were skimming through the menu — this was also possibly the only item that sees a fusion element in the menu; the other baked penne items that are being listed on the menu at Baked Penne includes the Cheesy Turkey Bacon and Cheesy Beef Ball, just to name a few. The menu describes the Cheesy Chicken Tikka to come with elements such as Makhni Sauce and olives; for those whom are not familiar with what Makhni Sauce is, “Makhni” actually does refer to “butter” in Punjabi — with this, it can be described that the Cheesy Chicken Tikka is a creation inspired by both the Western baked pasta as well as Butter Chicken. Orders does require some time to be prepared but we did find that they were relatively quick for a diner that specialises in serving up baked pasta; patrons will be called to collect their order once it is ready via the display at the counter facing the dining area. Served in a dining ware that can also be described as somewhat similar to a baking pan, the baking pan is extremely hot when the item is being served; one should exercise some caution while handling it (or just don’t 😅). Coming with a little bit of cheese blanketing over the penne, we did wish that it does come with a little more cheese to cover the entire surface — that being said, this should be sufficient for those whom are looking more for a balance of flavours from the pasta and the cheesiness that comes above; the melted cheese being melted, gooey and stretchy as one pulls out the penne from beneath. The penne is a great choice here, considering how its cylindrical shape does hold some of that pasta sauce and that melted cheese that seeps through the middle of the penne; gives the dish a lot more flavour and even some texture if one may.

The pasta itself does carry a bit of bite, while there was just enough Makhni Sauce to go around the entire portion; whilst butter chicken is a dish that tends to be flavourful and at times a little jelak and overwhelming, the Makhni Sauce isn’t all that we were expecting — we did find it being sufficiently rich but not to the point of being cloying, making it pair very welll with penne considering how it did not feel artery-clogging while carrying a slightly uplifting tangy note of tomatoes towards the finish. While Chicken Tikka is described as a marinated, boneless pieces of chicken cooked in a tandoor, the small cubes of diced chicken doesn’t seem to carry any notes of texture that suggests that it has been grilled — the olives in the meanwhile does provide a whiff of aroma that gives a little bit of that “buttery” note back to the Makhni Sauce which we found to be rather fragrant. Since the coffee is only charged at a top-up of $2 with the order of any baked penne dish, we went for the Caffe Latte. Turns out, the espresso-based specialty coffee offerings here are dispensed from a machine typically found in office pantries or self-service machines that one can find on the counter tops of buffet restaurants in hotels; nothing too noteworthy though it does seem to be competitively priced nonetheless. Prices of the “Create Your Own Baked Penne” at Baked Penne does seem to be rather reasonable considering what they are serving up as well as themselves being a set-up located in the Central Business District — the “Create Your Own Baked Penne” starts at $7.50, while all other baked penne dishes listed on the menu with pre-determined combinations are priced at $9.90. Baked Penne does have the same problem that the now-defunct 64 Dirgahayu - Ian Tau Laksa used to face; a particularly hidden shopfront that most would not know exists unless one does make a turn into the walkway where it is situated. That being said, Baked Penne does seem like a rather fun addition to the ‘hood providing the office folks in the Central Business Distrjct yet another dining option for lunch.

Got to learn about this new stall named Meat House Grill by Chef Mel Dean when we were going past the Food Paradise coffeeshop situated at Blk 182 Woodlands Street 13 the other day — this coffeeshop has seen quite a number of tenants come and go throughout its existence, with many of the stall spaces being left vacant by now-defunct F&B establishments that had once occupied them at some point of time. Meat House Grill by Chef Mel Dean isn’t an entirely new concept; this is in fact their second outlet around the island — their very first location is situated in Clementi also in a coffeeshop (Kopitiam Corner) at Blk 209B Clementi Avenue 6. For those whom have not heard of Chef Mel Dean, he does seem to be quite a known personality especially in thr local Muslim community being a former food columnist and also a consultant chef for Permata Singapore at 73 Sultan Gate. Other establishments that does see his involvement and his image on their marketing collaterals include Hot Pan Sizzler at both Vista Point in Woodlands and Northpoint City. Unlike Hot Pan Sizzler that strictly focuses on its sizzling hotplate offerings, Meat House Grill is a Muslim-friendly establishment that surrounds around western cuisine in general — the menu at Meat House Grill does not only offer familiar items that are also served up at Hot Pan Sizzler, but also features item spread across other categories such as Singapore (i.e. western cuisine with local fusion element), Tex Mex, Omelette and Pasta. Patrons whom wish to further add-on items to their choices of mains can refer to the “Add On” section, which includes items like a sunny side-up, mashed potato and garlic rice — just to name a few.

Being folks that are usually quite drawn towards the classic Hainanese Pork Chop that comes with the tomato-based sauce at most other traditional Hainanese-Western establishments, it is needless to say that we were really intrigued with the Hainanese Chicken Chop in the “Singapore” section when we had first skimmed through the menu. It is worth noting that the mains at Meat House Grill come with sides that come with the meats by default. Our Hainanese Chicken Chop does come with fries and a mix of greens on the side, though patrons whom like to have rice instead of fries can opt for the Hainanese Chicken Chop with Garlic Rice instead. Food does take some time to be served considering how all of the meats are only prepared upon order; an electronic buzzer will be passed to the patron after payment, which is being used to page the patron once their orders are ready for collection at the counter. On first look, the portion size of the Hainanese Chicken Chop at Meat House Grill can be described as pretty generous; the slab of chicken coming rather huge and that there is plenty of fries that came along with it as well. Whilst we were initially a little surprised how the chicken chop actually came deep-fried since it was supposed to be a chicken chop rather than a chicken cutlet dish, it does seem that these folks are probably just replicating the Hainanese-style pork chop in the form of a chicken-based dish here. Some might mention how the deep-fried batter comes in a darker shade than what can be described as golden-brown perfection, but we did find that the batter still comes crisp and that the chicken chop was not particularly greasy — the consistency of the batter being rather close of that to the Hainanese-style pork chop that makes use of soda biscuit crumbs. There was also no undesirable hint of overused oil that reeks the fried items on the plate either.

Drenched in a tomato-based sauce, it is noted that the sauce itself also comes a touch darker than that of what usually will come with the typical Hainanese-style pork chop — we did find that the flavours here to be a little heavier than the usual ketchup and Worcestershire sauce combination; itself being a little more vinegary to achieve the slight tang but thankfully does not cloud the tastebuds. To bring their Hainanese Chicken Chop even closer to the usual Hainanese-style pork chop out there, they had even included some peas with the dish that also helps to add an aesthetic factor to the dish. The fries was pretty decent; sufficiently crisp, whilst we also note that they were pretty clean-tasting in a way that did not seem seasoned in excessive amounts of salt, while the blanched vegetables like the carrots and broccoli provided a soft crunch and a clean flavour whilst making the dish feel a little more wholesome — this is especially since the other elements on the plate are pretty much deep-fried stuff anyway. The Hainanese Chicken Chop is priced at $8.90; a rather decent price tag considering the cost of dining out these days — the prices of the other dishes at Meat House Grill ranging from $7.90 to $14.90, with the priciest dish being the Arrabbiata Salmon in the “Pasta” section of the menu. Not a spot that is entirely worth making all the way out for to try what they have to offer, though a more than decent spot for those whom have one around their neighbourhood that adds to the dining options that one can consider to have at their convenience.

Fans of the now-defunct Thunder Tree that used to be located at the basement food court at People’s Park Centre (i.e. the same building that also houses Nat’s Chicks and 厨皇香港贵妃鸡 Chu Huang Hong Kong Royal Chicken) rejoice; these folks, which were also behind the organic farm at Lim Chu Kang named Fireflies Health Farm have recently made their return to the same food court just a few stalls away from where they were previously at. These folks have been through quite a journey ever since the closure of Fireflies Health Farm —the closure of the farm due to the expired lease also led to the closure of Thunder Tree that they had previously operated at both VivoCity and People’s Park Centre; Thunder Tree being an establishment that sources their produce directly from Fireflies Health Farm. Since then, they had started another brand in the local food scene named Tian Tian Chi Su 天天吃素; the first one being located at Bukit Batok that is currently still in operations, though a second location at Jurong East has since shuttered some time back. Operating under the name 萤火虫 (translated to English as “Fireflies”) at its new location at People’s Park Complex, the namesake does seem to give a nod to the now-defunct Fireflies Health Farm that they had used to run — one can still find the wooden signage of Thunder Tree hiding within the stall. With the change of its name from Thunder Tree / Tian Tian Chi Su 天天吃素, 萤火虫 also serves up a refreshed menu — this includes some of its noodle offerings that are available at Tian Tian Chi Su 天天吃素, as well as the Lei Cha Rice / Kolomee that Thunder Tree was most notable for.

Having wanted to check out Tian Tian Chi Su 天天吃素 at Bukit Batok for a while, we went for the Signature Chili Kolomee instead of the Lei Cha Rice / Kolomee that has pretty much been raved about all these while. The Signature Chili Kolomee is illustrated in the photos on the menu board to have come with elements such as shredded carrots, small cubes of beancurd puffs, Enoki mushrooms and stalks of greens; all coming tossed with a spicy sauce base. Giving the noodles a bit of a toss before digging in, it is interesting to note how the sauce base used for the Signature Chili Kolomee seems to be that of sesame oil — while the sambal / chili sauce used here isn’t particularly obvious, it does seemed to have been pretty well-mixed into the sesame oil sauce base here — one could definitely taste the slight whiff of spiciness that tingles the tastebuds here which is pretty consistent throughout the whole bowl. The noodles are springy enough, though lacks the tactile and somewhat chewy bite that one might have expected from a standard Kolo Mee dish; the mushrooms providing and earthy note and a bouncy bite, while the beancurd puffs does somewhat soak up a bit of the sauce base for an added flavour.

The greens are fresh and crunchy, while we would prefer the strips of carrots to be cooked for a softer texture that would work better with us. We had also tried the Hakka Yong Tau Foo with Angelica Sauce — something which was recommended to us by the folks behind the counter. This came with mock meat stuffed in the middle of the beancurd; we also found bits of mushrooms amidst the mock meat that provided an earthy note — all drenched in a starchy sauce that carried a floral aroma of Angelica Root (i.e. Dan Gui). The return of Thunder Tree to People’s Park Centre as 萤火虫 is one that perhaps many of its fans are waiting for — we especially liked how they had brought back the Lei Cha Rice / Kolomee to this location as well — something that would no doubt appeal to its loyal customer base whom have been patronising them since their days as Thunder Tree; glad to have them back as a vegetarian option in People’s Park Centre!

Chanced upon a social media post that had mentioned about the existence of 18 SOI 拾八街云吞面 in Singapore. 18 SOI might be a name that is more familiar with those whom frequents Johor Bahru, Malaysia or Malaysians rather than Singaporeans — 18 SOI actually has their roots being an establishment that is started from Johor Bahru, Malaysia with two outlets currently in operation there; one at Taman Pelangi and one at Dedap. While the concept operates as an individually-run establishment in Johor Bahru, it is noted that their location in Singapore is actually a stall situated within a coffeeshop; their very first location in Singapore being situated within the Yong Li Coffee Station coffeeshop that is at the foot of Blk 136 Bedok North Avenue 3 — the same block of which one can find the outlet of Nakhon Kitchen, as well as Nangfa Thai Kitchen, Percolate, The Summer Açai and the very first location of hay gelato. 18 SOI takes over quite a large stall unit in the coffeeshop; one that is typically taken up by stalls serving up local Chinese-style mixed economic rice. Considering how 18 SOI is only a coffeeshop-based establishment here, the menu at their stall in Bedok sees a very limited number of items made available; whilst offering a number of sides that can be shared across multiple diners across the table, 18 SOI only serves up three (3) variants of their Wonton Noodle here — their Thai Style Signature Wonton Noodle, Old Airport Signature Noodle and the JB Wonton Noodle.

It is needless to say that we had made our way down to 18 SOI for their variation of the Thai-style Wonton Noodles and hence it would have been quite ridiculous if we went for any other rendition of the wonton noodles that they have to offer apart from the Thai Style Signature Wonton Noodle. Patrons do get a choice between ordering the wonton noodles ala-carte or in the form of a set — the set is being described on the menu to come with other components such as a bowl of wonton soup coming with three (3) wontons, as well as a choice of side between the Ngoh Hiang Ball, Fried Wanton and Fried Beancurd Skin. For our order of the Thai Style Signature Wonton Noodle (Set A), we had opted for the Ngoh Hiang Ball as the choice of our side dish to accompany the bowl of noodles. Some waiting time is required for the noodles to be prepared; patrons will be issued a receipt with a “Pager No.”, with the staff calling out the said number once the order is ready for collection. Interestingly, the food comes mostly served in metallic bowls here; a spoonful of chili flakes is also provided to allow patrons to toss with the noodles. Giving the noodles a good toss, it is noted that the Thai Style Signature Wonton Noodle comes with a lard-based sauce — much akin to the “white” sauce that one can opt for at stalls serving up Sarawak Kolo Mee and also the de facto sauce for Thai-style wonton noodles. The egg noodles here is springy as one would expect it to be; the sauce base providing a lightly savoury note while the chili flakes give it quite a good kick of spiciness that would tickle the tastebuds even for those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness. Included in the same bowl would be the Fried Thai Fish Meat Sausage, Fried Wanton, Char Siew and Fried Pork Lard; it is interesting to note that the Char Siew comes in chunks here rather than in slices — the Char Siew also being more heavier on the sweet glaze, with the meat providing for a good bite being on the leaner side.

Meanwhile, the element that left us with a stronger impression amongst the rest would be the Fried Thai Fish Meat Sausage — the ones here carried pretty much the same bite close to that of a hybrid of Taiwanese-style sausage and the typical Chinese XO sausage, though the recent carry that heavy of a meaty note as one would have expected if they had tried the same from similar establishments that are locally founded; the ones here comes with a rather complimenting note of lemongrass that made it pretty refreshing. Both the fried wontons and soup wontons were decent being pretty well-filled with meat fillings; the fried wonton being crispy and free from grease, while the soup wonton came with soup that was flavourful yet easy to drink. In retrospect, the Ngoh Hiang Ball was crisp but a little bit on the greasier side of things; pretty much something that was within expectations otherwise considering how it does feel like one variant with a heavy emphasis on fish paste in general — still a good-to-have in its own right. Prices of their ala-carte wonton noodles starts from $5, with the ala-carte Thai Style Signature Wonton Noodle priced at $5.80; the sets can be described as priced a little on the higher side with the priciest item being the Thai Style Signature Wonton Noodle (Set A) listed at $8.50. Still, the sets would probably be the best way to give multiple items offered at 18 SOI a go in one single seating for an individual diner. 18 SOI looks to be an interesting dining option in Bedok serving up something a little different from others that allows residents around to have an alternative choice for their meals, whilst also a convenient spot for Singaporean fans or the burner to have a taste of it without having to cross the border just to savour their food.

Had managed to find out about the new Basic Kneads whilst scrolling around social media one day — it does seem that it is finally the time where a cafe had opened their doors within the neighbourhood of Selegie House. Situated at Blk 9 Selegie Road, Basic Kneads is located in the HDB estate that is right across from where Apartment is along Selegie Road. Taking up a space that is the size of a typical shophouse unit at the ground floor of a HDB block, Basic Kneads does look like a cosy and homely set-up; the facade of the shop being one that is pretty modern as compared to its neighbours with the use of wooden fixtures and white walls with a dedicated blackboard that describes the establishment and lists its operating hours. Basic Kneads describes themselves as a collaboration between Sweet Surrender and Hey Sprouts; the former being an home-based baker while the latter is a social enterprise “that hires and trains people with special needs in industry-relevant job scopes with the eventual aim of open employment”. The interior space is rather simply decked; the left side of the space is dedicated to the espresso bar and the bakery where the muffins are baked in-house; both segregated in their own areas within the space. Towards the right of the space as one enters the cafe will be the dine-in space; there are a mix of tables good for two pax and four pax available, while there is one table that is good for groups of six as well — the furniture composing of mostly tables and chairs with wooden accents that is tastefully matched for a homely vibe despite being a little haphazard. Being a cafe that only serves bakes, the bakes that are available for the day are displayed prominently at the counter, while the list of beverages served up at Basic Kneads include espresso-based specialty coffee, teas and drinking chocolate.

There were three variations of their muffins that was available in-stock during our visit made to Sweet Surrender during a weekend afternoon — this would be namely the Sea Salt Triple Chocolate Muffin, Banana Cinnamon Muffin, and the Strawberry Muffin; we found ourselves going for the Strawberry Muffin since the formrer two muffins are flavours of which are more commonly found flavours at bakeries all around. Our order of the Strawberry Muffin is served warmed up without us having to specify for it to have come so, and it does seem that the Strawberry Muffin is best eaten warm. One thing that we note about the Strawberry Muffin here is how there is a crumble layer that comes on the top of the muffin; almost akin to that of the crumbles found atop Apple Crumble Pie. This adds a tinge of sweetness and a soft and light crunch that provides both flavoural and textural contrast to the muffin. As we dig in deeper into the muffin, the muffin was surprisingly light and fluffy — not too dense nor greasy and is actually really easy to eat. We did not find the muffin to be overwhelmingly sweet, and we were also impressed with how it does come with nibs of fibrous strawberry flesh embedded within that provided a bit of a light tang. The small nibs of dehydrated strawberries on the top of the muffin also adds a sourish zing and a bit of a bite that further enhances the notes of the strawberries as well.

During the same visit to Basic Kneads, we had also given the Lemon Bar a try — the Lemon Bar is an item that is sourced from Sweet Surrender whom they are in collaboration with and the Lemon Bar would likely be an item that would appeal to those whom love sour desserts. The Lemon Curd is smooth and thick, comes with quite a zing without being overly sweet; refreshes the tastebuds whilst coming with a crunchy crust at the bottom for a contrast of textures. We were not expecting much for the White that we had went for; the White we have had yet is not the best but does work well enough for those whom are not too particular with their cuppa; one with a somewhat medium body with a citrusy flavour profile — quite a decent one to match with the Strawberry Muffin that we have had. While the ‘hood does have more snazzier cafe options such as that of Apartment at Selegie Road as well as Working Title at LASALLE College of the Arts around, Basic Kneads is one of those spots that serves up simple yet well-executed muffins and bakes that we found comfort in; a great place to rest the tired feet at whilst walking in between the Dhoby Ghaut and Bugis areas.

Got to know about the opening of the new The Bagel Bunch recently via social media — it does seem to be correct to say that while the folks in the Central Business District now has Keen’s Bagelry to savour on, the folks working in the Buona Vista / Biopolis / Metropolis area has The Bagel Bunch to rely on. Located within The Metropolis, The Bagel Bunch is a new addition to the neighbourhood — they have occupied the space which was formerly occupied by The Co., which has itself made its move to Everton Park and now runs under the Quah Song & Co. brand instead. Tucked in a corner at the back of the building that it is situated at, The Bagel Bunch can be considered a hidden since it is mostly blocked by thick pillars and not quite visible from the typical walking path / main road — one can find The Bagel Bunch by going around the main entrance of Tower One; it is also situated not too far from the outlet of Ya Kun Kaya Toast at The Metropolis either. Those whom are familiar with the space that The Co. had used to operate out of would probably know that the shop soace is rather tight — as a result, The Bagel Bunch can be described as more of a takeaway kiosk though there seem to be outdoor tables placed along the walkway outside of the shop within a sheltered area of the building for those whom intend to dine-in. The look of The Bagel Bunch is pretty vibrant and playful with its colourful shopfront; the large use of white and orange also creates a bright look that stands out from the other dining establishments in the area. As the namesake suggests, their menu revolves around their bagels; and in partiuclar, their bagel sandwich offerings. Beverages available at The Bagel Bunch includes drinking chocolate, espresso-based specialty coffee and canned beverages.

Skimming through the menu available at The Bagel Bunch, we had initially found the Butter Chicken Bonanza to be quite an interesting item considering how we had not come across a bagel sandwich offering that sees a fusion of an Indian element thus far, though we were told that it was unavailable on the Sunday that we made our visit to The Bagel Bunch. Considering so, we found ourselves settling for The Bagel Brunch; an item which is being marked with a thumbs up icon on the menu beside its name, and is described to come with elements such as five-spiced bacon, egg, cheese, hashbrown, pickled red onions and scallions cream cheese. Patrons do get a choice to pick between their preferred choice of bagel amongst the three (3) different bagels that they have to offer — namely the Plain Bagel, Sesame Seed Bagel and the Cheddar Bagel; we went with the Cheddar Bagel for our order of The Bagel Brunch. All orders are prepared fresh upon order, so do expect some waiting time for the bagel sandwiches to be prepared — patrons will be informed to collect their order once their receipt number is being called out on the display that faces out of the shop. The Bagel Brunch is essentially the bagel sandwich that one should go for here if one is craving for something akin to a wholesome brunch plate; it does sound simple on paper, but it is nothing short of being comforting nonetheless. Sinking our teeth into the bagel here, we liked how the Cheddar Bagel did not feel too dense; easy to chew through despite the melted cheddar over the top and therefore didn’t feel particularly overwhelming. The Cheddar Bagel still carries a good bite to pull apart nonetheless despite not being too dense; something that one would expect minimally for a bagel. The five-spiced bacon was done in a way that the bacon was chewy rather than crispy; this adds quite a fair bit of textural contrast to the bagel sandwich considering how most of the elements in this one are a little bit on the softer side — all that whilst adding a note of savouriness typical to cured meat to the bagel sandwich.

Interestingly, the egg was done in a form close to a folded omelette; also seemingly in an effort to create more textural contrast in between the layers, though other elements like the hashbrown felt like it was lacking a bit of the crispness that we are looking for in a fried component. The cheese was the one that further enhanced the savouriness for a punchy flavour, but the scallion cream cheese was the element that help bound all of the elements together with its creaminess that brought the entire bagel sandwich together. Pickled red onions does seem to be included give a light, tangy crunch for a bit of flavour contrast to reset the tastebuds from the heavier elements. Meanwhile, we had also went for the Flat White — they do offer two sizes for their hot variant, being the Medium and Large; we went for the former. The Flat White here comes with a nutty and earthy flavour profile; medium-bodied, and provides a good caffeinated kick for a morning perk-me-up. It was a little bit of a shame that we aren’t able to give the more inventive creations at The Bagel Bunch a go during our visit as those items were sadly unavailable during our trip there — items like the Korean Fried Chicken bagel sandwich do look like fairly interesting dishes to go for given what other similar establishments are serving up. While only giving a small part of their menu a go, The Bagel Brunch that we have had does seem to be quite a decent offering that is bound to satisfy those whom are looking for a hearty brunch — definitely a spot that is likely to become more popular with the folks working around the Buona Vista neighbourhood in time to come!