The appearance of the Cajun Roasted Chicken Leg (S$14.00) might look a little charred here, but I was quite pleased with the crisp of the chicken skin. Upon a closer taste, the chicken leg was adequately marinated, but perhaps because the chicken were frozen beforehand, I thought it might have a juicier texture if fresh chicken leg were used instead.

The main course was also served with a generous portion of fries and a fresh salad tossed in orange citrus vinaigrette. On the whole, this dish did not stand out so much for me, but I would also not resist ordering it again because it was sufficiently filling for me.

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This place used to be a popular ice cream parlour with a photo wall. Maybe the kids have grown up and now they serve alcoholic beverages from the tap.

“Orh Gao” was a colloquial term for stout back in the Kopitiam setting. And to create that inviting coffee shop ambience, the owners run Killiney Kopitiam here in the morning until 6.30pm. Be early evening, the restaurant transforms into a craft beer place that also serves bar food, pasta, main courses and desserts. The 10 taps on the wall dispense a variety of beer, stout and ciders, and the menu changes as the kegs empty, so be sure to experience something different every visit.

The food were reasonably priced as all main courses were available under S$20.00. Burpple Beyond users would rejoice as the restaurant would offer 1-for-1 deals on either “Main Dish” or “Main & Dessert”, so you need not order beer here but could still leave the restaurant with a happy belly after a good meal.

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The Ruby Razz (S$10.50) was a dessert that was less chocolatey and with a more fruity body. The exterior of the cake was made of ruby raspberry mousse. Concealed within the mousse was a piece of Yuzu curd, sponge cake and a crispy praline base. Looking really pink, the mousse carried more of a berry sweetness, while the whitish curd gave the cake a refreshing citric tang. Putting both of them together, the cake was not too rich and heavy in flavours, which also made it a suitable sweet to go with coffee or tea.

To balance off the flavours a little bit more, try it with a small piece of the chocolate crisp that wrapped around the side of the cake.

Starbucks Singapore had rolled out their new range of Frappuccino blended beverages, and the highlight would probably be the Shiok-ah-ccino, which was also somehow launched in celebration of local heritage. Basically, it was a vanilla cream blended with chocolate chips and topped with whipped cream, waffle crisp and a white chocolate topper.

But I guess it turned out more of a flop than a star, for the beverage tasted just like a cheap Cookies and Cream drink. It probably would have scored a better feedback if they had considered other more nostalgic flavours like red bean, mint chocolate chip or Neapolitan. And guess they had never learnt from their previous beverages that chocolate toppers (and now a piece of waffle crisp too) were not a good addition to a drink that would usually be served with a lid.

Well, try again next year.

It was my first time stepping into a Lao Huo Tang restaurant when most of the time I had seen them in food courts. While a bowl of soup would cost at least S$9.80 here, I was really thrilled because the waitress told me that all soups are entitled to one round of refill, and this bowl was bigger than the standard soup bowls for double-boiled soups.

But the thing that really impressed me with this bowl of Pork Rib with Apple & Snow Pear Soup (S$9.80) was that it was light and naturally sweetened by the boiled fruits. Said to have detoxifying and beautifying effects, the soup was also not loaded with excessive amounts of sodium. Pairing it with a bowl of brown rice, I would say that this meal itself was simple with a touch of bliss.

It took about a 15- to 20-minute wait for this to be served after ordering. Their Turkey Bacon & Scrambled Egg Pancakes (S$18.90) was one of the three savoury pancake options that one would consider for an all-day breakfast.

To be brutally honest, the wait was just a prelude to the bigger disappointment that came next. Without the soufflé puffiness, their classic pancakes was really ordinary in flavours (I quote the diners from my adjacent table commenting that this was comparable to fast food standard), and it did not help that the turkey bacon lacking crispiness and were served cold, and the scrambled egg was somehow tasteless. I probably would not be the only one who would think that this item did not match its price point.

Somewhere out there, there were diners who seemed pretty satisfied with their Tiramisu Pancakes. That might be something I would try if I were to come back for them.

Soufflé pancakes were not new to the local culinary scene, but these from Gram were quite special. Originated from Osaka, these S$17.90 pancakes were airy, fluffy and every piece were said to be 4cm thick. Slightly leaning when stacked, the wobbly pancakes also came with maple syrup, freshly-whipped cream and a dome of special butter. On its own, the pancakes could melt in the mouth with little floury taste; with the toppings, the pancakes became further enriched with sweet, buttery and silky notes.

While Gram was clever to use the limited portions to create the hype (one month on and the queue would still form for the Premium Pancakes), I was not impressed by the tightly-packed tables and the slow service, as this item was served 15 minutes later than the initially-promised time of 8.00pm (not forgetting a one-hour wait before that). The likelihood of coming back for this was questionable, as there were other restaurants out there that offered cheaper options, and much possibly a shorter wait.

Traditionally, soft serve ice cream sundaes would go best with thick chocolate fudge. Bubble tea lovers would probably substitute the sauce with tapioca pearls, but the conventional pearls were chewy with little value-add to the taste.

Now, with the tapioca pearls cooked in brown sugar syrup, adding them into a cup of ice cream could easily make a bubble tea lover jump in joy. HEYTEA, other than selling their extensive menu of tea and other beverages, also offered this regular cup of Bobo Ice Cream at S$4.50. The base, because of its composition to become a soft-serve, was meant to be super creamy, so it’s like enjoying a cup of bubble tea in the form of ice cream.

As it was expected to be really sweet, just be prepared to reach out for some water or their Pure Tea selections with the least sugar to wash down the sugar rush.

Malaysia Boleh was one of those food courts that housed many stalls, selling hawker food that originated from Malaysia. While I would not want to comment on whether the tastes were indeed authentic, let’s just say that it would be an alternative for those who crave Malaysian street food, but could not cross the borders for them.

The Chendol (S$2.00) was something that one of my colleagues had recommended to get, but the first impression was that it had got to be damn good because it came in a ceramic rice bowl and the kidney beans were basically countable. I was quite satisfied eating my dessert because it was sweet enough, but I probably would not buy it again, because the “shiok” feeling was not quite there somehow.

Malaysia Boleh was one of those food courts that housed many stalls, selling hawker food that originated from Malaysia. While I would not want to comment on whether the tastes were indeed authentic, let’s just say that it would be an alternative for those who crave Malaysian street food, but could not cross the borders for them.

The Chendol (S$2.00) was something that one of my colleagues had recommended to get, but the first impression was that it had got to be damn good because it came in a ceramic rice bowl and the kidney beans were basically countable. I was quite satisfied eating my dessert because it was sweet enough, but I probably would not buy it again, because the “shiok” feeling was not quite there somehow.

A food festival called “Nom Nom Nom” sprang up at the ground level foyer of Shaw House, to be open to public from 5 July to 14 July 2019. 13 food and beverages kiosks were set up to welcome foodies around the area for some carnival munchies.

Honestly, among all the stalls here, I was most attracted to the Rosti stall which was operated by The 6ixs Rosti. I mean, the smell of fried potatoes was so seductive to me. And if you could pardon the amount of oil to make the surface crispy, the rosti was made to the shape of a gigantic croquette, but with sour cream by the side. With the cheese topping and the chicken Bratwurst, the portion of snack costed S$10.00. And while the seats are pretty limited within the event venue, it would be best to come in groups of no larger than 4 persons, and that would be provided that you wish to grab a seat at their picnic tables.

Business was thriving during the lunch hours of Dosirak, and I was quite lucky to get a seat quite quickly with my lunch date.

Burpple Beyond allowed us to have a one-for-one deal of their Bibimbap. The Soy Citrus Salmon (S$12.90) had some cubes of seared salmon, topping a bed of brown rice (additional S$1.00) and five sides which I would personally recommend their spinach, beansprouts, kimchi, corn and cabbage. Onsen egg (additional S$1.00) would also be a nice additional touch to the rice box for some extra protein amidst the crunches.

Add both the Omma’s Gochujang and Soy Garlic Jang to enjoy a spicy finish with additional fragrance to the already tasty Bibimbap. Don’t be shy to also shake the box like a pro to mix the contents evenly, and then add a second round of sauces to make sure every single grain would capture some authentic Korean flavours.

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