This dome-shaped dark ganache houses an almond dacquoise and a hazelnut feuilletine – two layers of crunchy, nutty goodness, with just a scintilla of sweet. A dollop of hazelnut praline mousse sits atop the cake like its crowning glory, spiking the chocolate exterior with more velvety nuttiness. My only misgiving is located in the strong imbalance of flavours: I found it a pity that the surfeit of nuts ultimately obscured the chocolate, but it is, after all, a rocher cake! So if nuts are your thing, you’re in for a real treat.

🏅 9/10
💭 Must try

What I loved about this cake was the sublime convergence of alcohol, coffee and dairy. The base layers alternated between bitter and sweet: mascarpone with a faint sweetness pillowing on a triplet of lady’s fingers steeped in wine and espresso, both so light and airy that they dissolved instantly on the tongue. Crowned by a dusting of cocoa powder, this cake deftly balanced the two conflicting flavours – truly phenomenal!

🏅 10/10
💭 Must try

It’s a bit of a misnomer to label this “donburi” – I can’t park it squarely in the Japanese cuisine category if it uses brown rice, instead of sushi rice. The collops of beef were gamy (if a bit salty) and gleamed in a nice, medium-well red. The dish was carpeted by a profusion of sesame seeds (black & white) which infused every bite with a burst of fragrance. I enjoyed my meal, but I thought that the flavours were more artificial than innate. The beef, for instance, had a chewiness to its texture which was redolent of a burger patty. I also wish they went easier on the sesame, which pretty much eclipsed all else the dish had to offer – including the sauce on the rice.

🏅 7/10
💭 Can try

Pluses: double (!!!) medium-rare Angus chuck patties which were properly gamy without being tough, oozing with American cheddar and bedecked with onion strips caramelised in red wine. Could be better: greasiness, and doughy buns. I wish they tasted less like cheap Gardenia rolls.

🏅 6/10
💭 Can try

Served piping hot with a good array of wings and drumsticks, this dish was the very embodiment of decadence! Insidiously crispy, evenly marinated, boldly flavoured and kicked up a notch by the smattering of chilli flakes. I’m impressed by how easily detachable the meat and bones were from the remaining stalk of chicken, and that is, if anything, testament to how soft the chicken was.

🏅 9/10
💭 Must try

Fish soup doesn’t need to be just sick food—bland and boring—for the indisposed. The soup was liberally populated with fried garlic flakes and ginger hash. While immensely flavourful by itself, the addition of evaporated milk took its richness up several notches. Most crucially, the fish slices were soft and free of any nasty piscine odour. I’m confident that this dish will pander even to the most demanding of tastebuds.

🏅 9/10
💭 Must try

Step aside Tsuta, this new contender in town is here to kick your ass with their clam-based broth!!! I liked that the briny tang of clams filtered clearly through the strong truffle aroma. The broth remained wonderfully sapid, lightweight and free of any fishiness. Savour your ramen in two ways: start with the section of the bowl with no garnishes (for the unadulterated original), then mix well and try it with the flavours melded together for that exquisite burst of truffle-packed crustacean umami.

🏅 10/10
💭 MUST TRY

A generally unimpressive dessert. The froyo was much sweeter and less zesty than I’d have liked, but it wasn’t objectively bad. When paired with hazelnut sauce, caramel biscuit crumbs and brownies chunks, it actually makes for a passable dessert. But what’s bad is the lack of anything distinctive in the charcoal flavour, and this detracts heavily from its novelty. Doesn’t taste differently from what others have to offer. Doesn’t beckon attention. It’s a pity, because this means it’ll quickly be outcompeted – by other froyo joints with far more propitious locations.

🏅 5/10
💭 Try once?

Baos are usually banal elements of a standard dim sum spread. But not this impressive creation! Each bun houses a sizeable gobbet of finely chopped BBQ pork, marinated in honeyed sauce which strikes a good balance between sweet and savoury. The skin was crisp and airy, perfectly browned in the oven but not excessively greasy. I still prefer Tim Ho Wan’s rendition (just for that crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture), but this certainly puts up a good fight.

🏅 9/10
💭 Must try

The gyu (beef strips) were tender, lightly spiced with chilli flakes, soused generously with Japanese shōyu, and adorned with fried garlic shavings. Every bite culminated in a burst of charred, garlicky aroma, and I particularly enjoyed the sticky sweetness from the coalescence of sauce and onsen egg. Perhaps the sushi rice deserved better marination, but even on its own it was invitingly soft and fragrant.

Kogane Yama is celebrating their first anniversary by pricing all their rice bowls at $11. This has attracted insufferably long queues. But if you can weather the wait, their non-tendon rice bowls make a persuasive case for being, quite literally, worth your while.

🏅 9/10
💭 Must try

This is a sophisticated version of the chee cheong fun. Nestled at the core were fleshy shrimps (whole and minced), sheathed in a paper-thin layer of crispy flour batter and rice noodle roll. Skin could be thinner though.

🏅 9/10
💭 Must try

The moist noodles were daubed amply with sweet seafood broth and bedecked with clams, prawns, and collops of succulent roast pork capped by a delightfully brittle skin. The aggregate: a powerful confluence of crustacean and meaty umami. But it doesn’t stop there: every bite peaks with an irresistible whiff of wok hei. No question that this is my favourite Hokkien Mee.

🏅 10/10
💭 MUST TRY