My favorite of the lot is for sure the wet noodles. The broth has that unique Thai street hawker taste, Kinda like Lor mee but less thick, more dilute and a tad bit sweeter. 101% will recommend. I think the serving portions will make this an awkward meal. Come here for tea break maybe! #burpple #marshmunch
Think rich, flavourful broth and springy noodles while being temporarily transported to the streets of Vietnam with their fun, comfortable decor. Their generous beef pho might also be one of the best ones around, and at only $8.90! Perfect for dinner with friends.
This fairly new kid on the Burlington Square block shares a space with Geisha Coffee, an unassuming spot for good brews that faces LASALLE. Neato has taken over the humble shopfront, banging out ridiculously tempting sweet treats like Pumpkin Cheesecake ($4.90) and Toasted Marshmallow Fudge Cake ($5.90) alongside small takeaway servings of salads. What you really need to get in on is this gorgeous Malted Milk Custard Puff ($3) — imagine flowy milk custard that reminds you of cereal, held together by a lovely choux casing that yields instantly to your teeth. It's slightly savoury thanks to the malted milk, and is a lovely twist to the sweet vanilla cream we've come to expect of a custard puff.
A trip to BLACK&INK would be incomplete without having at least one muffin to go with their excellent cuppa. The Salted Egg Coffee Muffin is probably the most popular variant, stuffed with a familiar golden liquid found in liu sha baos. While not everyone may fancy the marriage between the coffee-based muffin and the salted egg yolk centre, the Kimchi Egg Muffin (!), on the other hand, hits all the right spot. The batter is studded with kimchi bits and a soft-centred egg is nestled in the middle of it all. If you’re lucky, you might catch some of the limited edition ones like the gooey-centred Thai Milk tea or the zippy Calamansi Curd Muffins when you visit!
Leaving Mr Baguette without trying their lava baguettes ($1.80) is simply a no-no. Just looking at these baguettes will get you salivating. This humble little stall in Golden Mile Food Centre offers both sweet and savoury baguettes, so you're not going to miss out if you don't have a sweet tooth. Imagine biting into a mini hot, crusty baguette, and having a copious amount of luscious molten chocolate or red velvet filling flow out – oh so irresistible. They're rather innovative here; flavours include cheese, tiramisu and cookies and cream. These little babies can be brought home and reheated as well, so you can enjoy them from the comfort of your home. ;)
Want to venture away from the usual Vietnamese pho? Then head straight for these hearty and flavourful broken rice bowls (cơm tấm). Cơm tấm is a humble dish unique to southern Vietnam that sports a couscous-like texture. It is a cheaper grade of rice traditionally preferred by poorer folks, but has gained popularity over the years due to its ability to soak up flavour. Their specialties include the Sautéed Lemongrass Pork Slices Rice Bowl ($9.90), which comes with BBQ pork ribs, ham and a fried egg, and the Crispy Soft-shell Crab and Crispy Squid Rice Bowl ($13.90). You get to choose between steamed Vietnamese broken rice or kimchi fried rice.
This hidden gem previously located at the basement of Concorde Hotel's food court has relocated a few floors up and expanded to accommodate the large following they have built. Do not dismiss this humble eatery, it dishes out superbly executed dishes like Bibimbap, Bulgogi and Korean Rice Cakes. Go for the Spicy Chicken Soup Set, a fiery red soup filled with loads of ingredients and sweet potato noodles. Complete the meal by sharing a potato pancake. With nothing above $10, you won't have to worry about breaking the bank!
You really don't need to spend a bomb on seriously good Italian pasta. The Wicked Garlic's Aglio Olio is very much raved about, and costs a mere $5.70 on its own! But of course, you'd want to add some prawns (+$6), mushrooms (+$1), or even some bacon (+$1). Even then, it makes up to be a more than decent pocket-friendly meal. Nicely put by Tastemaker Shawn Loh, 'Amazingly wok hei prawns, and wickedly value for money. It's the PSLE top student of aglio olios seriously, why it doesn't have its own Brands Essence of Chicken endorsement deal is beyond me.' Their Carbonara ($8.70) is superb as well!
Yes, $16 isn't exactly cheap, but for arguably one of the best chirashi around, it certainly is worth it. Teppei Syokudo's much raved-about Kaisen Don is one of the most value-for-money ones out there, and it doesn't compromise on quality or flavour. Add four beautifully sweet, plump scallops for just $1.80 (bringing the total to $17.80), and dig in to what is quite possibly the most indulgent takeaway food. The marinated chunks of salmon and tuna are perfectly meaty and fresh, punctuated by salty bursts of ikura. So you might have to stand and eat this awkwardly in some corner of Takashimaya, but who cares when it tastes so darn good?
At Ten-Ichi Udon, you can personalise your bowl of udon by selecting your own noodles, toppings and tempura. Have the original, matcha or yuzu udon in hot soup or cold soba-style, and top it off with crispy tempura. Not feeling creative? Choose from their specialties and all-time favourites like their Black Sesame Smoked Duck Udon ($5.80), or their chilled Yuzu Wasabi Udon ($6.50) for a refreshing meal. Tip: add an onsen egg for $1, it'll make your udon much better. Also get a Crab Cream Croquette ($2.80) on the side — its crisp crunch and molten insides make it irresistible.
This spacious rooftop cafe situated on the 11th floor of Pico Creative Centre in Kallang not only has great panoramic views, but also serves tasty Peranakan food at a steal. Definitely go for their fantastic Nyonya Assam Pedas Fish ($6.50) — a generous portion of fresh fish lying in an addictive gravy that goes so perfectly with rice, and their incredibly flavourful Sambal Prawns with Petai ($6.50). They serve a variety of western dishes, brunch fare, coffee and cakes as well, but it's worthwhile to just focus on satisfying your Peranakan cravings here. A great place for cheap and tasty food, you'll be asking for more gravy please, and an extra plate of rice. What's more, no service charge or GST! Note that they are closed on weekends.
