I was a tad disappointed when the Grilled Salmon Fillet with Tomato Salsa (S$28.00) was served to me, because it seemed like a grilled salmon with a medley of broccoli, cherry tomatoes, sautĂŠed mushrooms, baby potatoes and tomato salsa.
In terms of the overall flavours, the salmon was over-seasoned with salt (not complaining about the generous ground black pepper though). Though this was also labelled as a gluten-free dish, I could not help but wonder if this was grossly overpriced. Perhaps, the disgruntled feelings could only be set aside when one were to get a good discount like Burpple Beyond, if not this would likely be a deal-breaker for many diners.
#BurppleBeyond
Taking over the KFC that was within the driving range premise, Tenderbest Makcik Tuckshop brought a new lease of life to the almost forgotten part of Punggol. While the price point might be higher than their coffee shop counterparts, the restaurant offered some additional items such as the Onion Blossom (S$6.90) and some special desserts.
The Onion Blossom was beautifully cut and coated with batter before being dropped into the fryer, to make a âflowerâ out of the onion. Apart from its natural sweetness, the spiced batter also made this item a wonderful appetiser, probably good for two persons to share.
This restaurant building was also currently housing a stall that sold Cat and The Fiddle cheesecakes, and they also offered their in-house weblink to pre-order for drive-through and walk-in takeaway orders.
Yam Mooncakes were not uncommon to be found nowadays, but finding a good one would take some trial and error given all the pandemic restrictions.
With a stroke of luck, I ordered the Thousand Layer Yam Mooncakes from YĂ n recently to satisfy my mooncake cravings, and I was glad that I clicked the button for it. Coming as a box of two mooncakes, which is called their Double Moon package, this S$34.00 box contained two mooncakes that were freshly made (no sealed plastic packaging) that were best consumed within three days. The skin of the mooncake was not as distinctly flaky as I would have imagined, but the yam paste filling was at a pleasant level of sweetness, less the preservatives for the most natural taste. The yam paste was also very smooth as it had a slight melt-in-the-mouth texture, which made it really delectable when paired with a light-bodied hot tea.
And because of this, most probably I would keep a lookout for this mooncake in the next few years to come.
Bread shops were competitive at the basement of Great World. Among them, Gokoku Shichifuku was a brand that was brought in by RE&S Group (the same group that owned Ichiban Boshi). With a wide selection of bread and baked buns with fillings, bread lovers would find it difficult not to take a second look, especially when they could earn loyalty e-stamps with every S$20.00 spent.
Of course, the Signature Hokkaido Red Bean Anpan (S$2.40) was a mandatory purchase for me because the red bean paste was perfectly sweet with many red beans that could be nibbled with every bite. What was surprisingly good was that the bread was also very soft and fluffy, so it would probably also be a hit among young children because they could also easily eat this bread. I mean, donât we all reminisce a nice Anpan from a Japanese bakery during our childhood?
For 12 pieces at S$23.88, this dozen of freshly shucked oysters might be one of the cheapest in town. Being slightly plump with a creamy texture, most of the oysters tasted really fresh to the slurp. However, when I ordered a second serving, there was a slightly fishy smell that was a slight turn-off, but the taste of the oysters were untainted.
Though most items on the menu seemed quite affordable, the seating capacity of the restaurant was quite small, so it would be advisable to make a table reservation before one should show up to avoid a long waiting time.
Local celebrity Ben Yeo scored a collaboration with fast food giant McDonaldâs to create the Crispy âHainanese Chickenâ Burger. Inspired by the local delight â Hainanese Chicken Rice â this burger incorporated the essential spices and ingredients to fuse with the familiar elements from a chicken burger. The end product was a crispy yet juicy chicken piece with the lettuce and shredded cabbages with the garlic chilli sauce and the Dark Sweet Sauce that was given separately. Although the sauce lacked the umami notes, it somehow still tasted quite balanced when eaten with bread.
By ordering the Feast which was the combo meal complete with Criss-cut Fries, Kopi Frappe and Banana Pie dessert, it completed the experience that was curated for the fans. For S$11.70, this meal might not be a must-try for some, but in my opinion it was also something that deserved a chance, just as we would celebrate National Day this month.
Enjoyed watching MasterChef Singapore Season 2 Finals, where contestant Leon Lim made this Rojak Roll with Churro as his winning appetiser dish? Now, you can actually taste this in real life, with the chef himself making this dish right in front of you!
The Rojak Roll with Churro (S$14.90 for 2 pairs) was a combination of the Vietnamese roll with the key ingredients for Rojak wrapped in Vietnamese rice paper, and a stick of freshly-fried Churro (resembled a Youtiao but with a crunchy texture). The Rojak sauce was packed separately and could be dipped or poured over, but I would guess that pouring under would give myself more control to how much umami I would prefer with every bite. For sure, the roll was refreshing both in taste and in texture, but of course I wouldnât think anyone would reject more chopped peanuts to improve on crunch and fragrance.
Although this was a wonderful creation that debuted during the culinary competition and recreated by Leon himself, I strongly believed that he would not be standing behind the counter for the rest of his life making the roll for his customers. Maybe, this would also bring about a new wave of local-inspired reinvented hawker dishes in our local food scene. But for now, this would make a novel snack for those who loved the concept.
It was unfortunate that we went into Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) just shortly after Creatr. opened for business, but their takeaway business seemed to be going strong anyhow.
Their Chilli Crab Burger with Tofu Fries (S$29.90) used locally-sourced ingredients and made fresh, with sauces packed separately to keep the fried items crispy and solid. I liked how the crab cake patty crispy on the outside while keeping the crab meat juicy. And when the hot (nuke it if turned cold) chilli crab sauce was drizzled over, the subtle fishy smell from the crab meat was also covered up. Why fishy? Because itâs packed with real crab meat!
And it was also innovative to serve Tow Kwa strips instead of potatoes, just to convert carbs to proteins. But what was quietly clever about it was also that the fries would never turn soggy and that it would taste great even when it turned cold. And these sides would not be complete without the Sambal Aioli with Kaffir Lime Leaves dips for the extra spice and tang.
Pricey? Maybe, but if you could have the peace of mind that everything here were prepared fresh daily, that could probably justify.
Past the Happy Hour, Beer Basket was still bustling with activities. Customers were indulging in the restaurantâs selection of craft beer and alcohol, and it was nice for the restaurant to also offer bar bites and some mains, so thereâs always something to go with the beverages at different times of the day.
Their Beef Meatballs Bolognese (S$18.00) was one of the items that would be eligible for Burpple Beyond deals. Using their hand-made beef meatballs, the proteins might not be very big, but was reasonably seasoned yet had a bit of springiness to it. The bolognese was generously coating their linguine, which helped to keep the strands slightly wet, but thank goodness I did not have tomato sauce stains on my shirt after that.
#BurppleEatup
#BurppleBeyond
The Steak & Frites (S$22.00) seemed like something good to order here, with 220g of Angus striploin and a large serving of hand-cut fries and some salad by the side.
Perhaps it was owing to the fact that this was a place that also served lots of alcohol, the food were a bit too heavily seasoned with salt, so both the steak and the fries were salty. It was also a shame that the hand-cut fries were not crispy, so it was somewhat more towards the sautĂŠed finish. Having the touch of greens by the side was much appreciated, but I just wondered if the vinaigrette was also too densely-flavoured as opposed to having something to cleanse the palate a bit from all the heavy flavours.
Not sure if it would be possible to ask for less or no salt on the fries. Feeling the salt granules resting on my lips was not the coolest thing of this meal.
Those who loved durians anything would probably give this Golden Durian Mochi (S$3.45) a try. The golden balls of Mochi were still a little sticky and chewy on the inside while maintaining a lightly-coated crisp on the outside. Served warm, the durian sauce that was made of D24 durian had a somewhat nice flow to it.
However, the keyword here would be âwarmâ, because once the balls turn cold, they would make the experience lacklustre. And for those who would go for something organic, then the real food would still be the way to go.
Our impression of pudding would usually be sweet, but Ippudo had this Japanese Shio Pudding (S$5.90) that also carried a balanced twist of savouriness. Although it might not be silky in every scoop, it was still able to melt in the mouth.
The portion might seem small, but it was actually a sufficient size for one. Any larger might just feel too much for a dessert like this.
