Just beside VeganBurg, we had the wonderful opportunity to try out the legendary Kim’s Famous Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee. Just like other online reviews, he is known for serving up $15 Claypot Hokkien Mee to willing customers in the 1980s which would be ~$26 today. Even without the inflation, the more prudent or perhaps even ignorant amongst us, would still likened $15 for a plate of Hokkien Mee to daylight robbery. Apart from the Hokkien Mee, Mr. Tan Kue Kim himself is just as well-known and is recognised by his long-sleeve shirt and gold rolex which he wears even while frying the dish.

Picking up $20 worth of his fried edible gold, the noodles came wrapped up in 1 large banana leaf.

A wet Hokkien Mee, it reminded me of Yong Heng Fried Baby Squid Prawn Mee @ Bukit Batok Street 11, my benchmark for a good wet Hokkien Mee. While Kim’s failed to deliver as much ‘wok hei’ as the latter, one of my dining companions did remark that it was rare to find such a huge uncut portion of squid hiding within the noodles. And though I was unable to obtain a picture of it while it still looked appetising, I’m just contented to have tried yet another well established hawker stall which seemed to have maintained a consistent quality through the years. One of the better wet Hokkien Mee, I do hope their business is not significantly affected by the current pandemic.
Taste: 8.5/10 (Worth a try if in the area)

More takeaways around Eunos and Tai Seng at:
https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/04/13/takeaways-for-circuit-breaker-eunos-tai-seng/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-6EldcHQ7-/?igshid=1r8usyy4mj6zr

Unfortunately, this failed to live up to expectations. To be sure, my first bite wasn't all that bad and I was puzzled at my dining companions less than positive reviews. I appreciated the sweet and salty contrast brought about by the vegan cheese and their BBQ sauce, making it taste just like an ordinary burger, a remarkable feat by any means for a vegan burger. For my next bite, I isolated out the patty and had a small nibble. It was there that I realised what was going on. It tasted identical to the mock meats sold at just about any other Vegetarian hawker stall and one of my dining companion picked it out despite eating all of the elements together. While the description did state that it was a 'mushroom patty', I found that incredibly hard to believe as there was hardly a hint of mushroom to be found. As such, I can only recommend the burger if you're a huge fan of artificial meats. Else, it did be much safer to try one of their fried patties as recommended by numerous other online reviews or their more unique and (at least it used to be) seasonal, Chili Krab ($11.90).⁣
Taste: 5/10 (Would not recommend)⁣

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/04/13/takeaways-for-circuit-breaker-eunos-tai-seng/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-6EldcHQ7-/?igshid=1lkcnbz5grw3c

Made with "Wholemeal bun, Authentic homemade rempah, Plant-protein 'crab' patty, Farm-fresh greens", The “crab” meat patty is made up of vegan shredded konjac which honestly did a pretty good job in resembling crab meat. At first glance, it reminded me of a fish patty which I've come to detest. However, biting into it left me pleasantly surprised as the patty was as crisp as it looked on the outside while moist within. Even their chili crab sauce was rather on point and while I would still prefer mine to be spicier and thicker, I can imagine it being rather popular with the masses. ⁣
Taste: 7/10 (Can Try)⁣

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/04/13/takeaways-for-circuit-breaker-eunos-tai-seng/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-6EldcHQ7-/?igshid=qlfe9rs4r9qj

Relocating (again) just a few days ago to Block 107 Jalan Bukit Merah S(160107), Ye Shang Hai is well-known for dishing out high quality food at economical prices till the wee hours of the morning. It is no wonder then that the restaurant is even more sought after by taxi drivers. ⁣
Opening Hours:⁣
𝟭𝟬𝟬𝟬-𝟬𝟯𝟬𝟬 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆⁣
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Not to be confused with 夜来香 which has since occupied one of their previous locations at Bukit Merah View with a very similar facade, Ye Shang Hai is widely known for its (apparently) 97-year-old boss who consistently spots a hip and swanky fashion style and tongue-in-cheek humour. ⁣
See video by ourgrandfatherstory:
https://youtu.be/MMsiUHeBZpQ
⁣
Having tried other Teochew porridge restaurants in the past, I didn't think much about it even as online reviews raved about it. Honestly, how good can Teochew porridge get right? And so, while it was on my wishlist I certainly did not go out of my way to patronise the restaurant. Thankfully for all of us that day though, we happened to be in the area.⁣
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I was genuinely shocked by the quality and value of all of the food we had, leading us to a second order shortly after. Their 卤三层肉 (Braised Pork Belly), 大肠 (Large Intestines) and 蒸肉球 (Steamed Meatballs) deserves special mention. ⁣While the braised pork belly was outright tough, its sweet umami glaze was addictive enough to convert me. The large intestines were mind-blowingly good as it spotted a juicy and fleshy texture and had absolutely no stench at all, easily the best intestines I've ever eaten. I learnt that the fleshy texture here was no accident as Chefs who are more devoted to their craft would spend time stuffing intestines within each other to artificially make them more plump. While I did find their meatballs decent, it was not something that caught my tastebuds. Nonetheless, my dining companions were pretty unanimous that it was one of the best meatballs they've had. To be sure, the bulk of the dishes were too saltish on their own, but it's due to this over-seasoning that makes them exceptional accompaniments to the otherwise neutral tasting porridge.⁣
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Currently, they are offering an 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝟯 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀. Ordering about 10 dishes that day, the total cost came up to $39 for 5 of us and already, it seemed like we were having a buffet. 𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀.
Price: 10/10
Taste: 8.5/10
Ambience: 7.5/10
Overall: 9/10

As a dessert that was recommended on the menu, this was pretty disappointing, albeit unique. From Wikipedia, the dessert originates from Egypt and literally means 'Ali's Mother'. Typically, pastry is divided into pieces and blended with pistachios, coconut flakes, raisins and plenty of sugar. Milk, sometimes with cream, is then poured over the mixture and may be sprinkled in cinnamon. While it can be served either hot or cold, the variation at Le Rida's was hot. In essence, it contained filo pastry mixed with a variety of nuts and pomegranate seeds all of which are then soaked in a cloyingly sweet milk mixture. It reminded me of a watered-down version of Bircher Muesli with less texture and a whole lot more sugar. As all the ingredients were soaked in the milk mixture, the filo pastry became soggy which was unfortunate, especially when compared to its firm and crumbly counterpart found in the Baklava. The nuts still provided that crunchy texture I was craving for but overall, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗸 𝗺𝗶𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 '𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘆' 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗳𝘂𝗹𝘀. In fact, I required 3 more glasses of water to finish it up. While it is still a unique dish that I was thankful to try, I will definitely not order it again.
Taste: 4/10

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/03/26/restaurant-review-le-rida-bukit-timah-road/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-MRTn_nvkY/?igshid=8r16jwmx9yp0

Coming in 3 separate portions of filo pastry, the dessert immediately appealed to the penny-pinching, economical side of me given its price. Not only were the portions generous, the flavours were well-balanced as well. The layers of filo pastry were well-soaked in a sweet syrup which complemented the intense nutty notes you get with every bite. Needless to say, generous amounts of nuts were given between the layers of pastry. While it's hard to eat without getting the entire table (and floor) in a mess, it was certainly a great way to end off our meal. After a few miserable attempts at trying to be civilised, my tummy got the better of me and I barbarically devoured it whole as soon as it could fit into my mouth. For the immense pleasure experienced, especially after having a savoury healthy (If ordering Mediterranean) meal, it was 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘁.
Taste: 8.5/10

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/03/26/restaurant-review-le-rida-bukit-timah-road/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-MRTn_nvkY/?igshid=8r16jwmx9yp0

3 charcoal grilled lamb chops were plated beautifully at the center of the plate, with a small mound of fragrant saffron basmati rice at the side. Sampling the lamb chops first, I was glad at how easy it was to cut into it. As I subsequently sunk my teeth into it, it was expectedly moist and tender.  Hardly gamey to start with, as it was also imbued with a smoky charred flavour, most of its gaminess was masked. While it is still discernible, it is arguably sufficiently palatable for all, as long as you're not allergic to lamb. The rice was delicious in its own right. Topped with fruity bits of pomegranate which bursts as you bite into them and earthy notes of cashew nuts, I was happy eating the rice on its own, appreciating its medley of flavours. It leaned more towards the healthier side in that it was not oily but dry. Nevertheless, having it together with the lamb or pomegranate will help to balance its lack of moisture. While some may find the portion of rice slightly small given its price, you're 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘁.
Taste: 8.5/10 (One of the better lamb chops I've had for sure)

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/03/26/restaurant-review-le-rida-bukit-timah-road/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-MRTn_nvkY/?igshid=8r16jwmx9yp0

Introduced on 27th January this year, their Vegan Black N' White Cakeshake ($23++) consists of a 'soy-based chocolate shake with housemade vanilla frosting and mini chocolate chips on the rim, that comes topped with a slice of black-and-white cake, rice-based whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle'. Honestly, I am not a fan of their chocolate shake as I expected the chocolate to come out stronger and richer. Nevertheless, their 𝘃𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗮𝗽 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿. Most of the cake was moist and only subtly sweet. Also, despite Black Tap claiming that it is topped with a 'rice-based whipped cream', two of us that day agreed that we tasted a strong scent of coconut which worked really well with the moist cake. The only issue I had with it was the layers of fondant icing between the cake layers and on top of the cake. It had a sickishly sweet saccharine flavour that 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀.

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/03/23/black-tap-singapore-thick-beef-burgers-and-1600-calories-crazy-shakes/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Eg8TPnFeu/?igshid=uh7wt2oeigvb

Trying out both their falafel patty (Deep-fried mashed chickpeas) and their lamb patty in a salad, 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 to the otherwise beef overload I was starting to get from the burgers. I should emphasise that 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 and is probably targeted at those craving for something lighter. Essentially, they are made by stealing the patty from the Craft Burgers and putting it on top off a generous plate of salad. It's not a separate salad dish as what I was expecting, hence the high price point.

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/03/23/black-tap-singapore-thick-beef-burgers-and-1600-calories-crazy-shakes/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Eg8TPnFeu/?igshid=uh7wt2oeigvb

Despite The Cantonese BBQ Burger ($24++) being a creation exclusive to Black Tap Singapore's outlet and catered to local taste, this was 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 burger. While the sambal BBQ sauce may have been an innovative fusion to say the least, the two bold elements sadly were not balanced and I tasted more of the tangy notes from the BBQ sauce than the sweet and spicy sambal we've come to know and love. Also, while the Cantonese Mayo with Black Bean and Garlic did had discernible earthy notes from the black bean, similar to what you'll find in Chinese cuisine, it just seemed to have been overwhelmed by the rest of the elements or simply did not complement the other dishes at all. The complete lack of harmony within the burger is a real pity for a creation with so much potential and I'm unlikely to order it again.

Full review at: https://liveeatbless.wordpress.com/2020/03/23/black-tap-singapore-thick-beef-burgers-and-1600-calories-crazy-shakes/

More pictures at: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Eg8TPnFeu/?igshid=uh7wt2oeigvb

Priding themselves for serving Rojak which does not contain Shrimp Paste / Hae Ko, their Rojak is suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans as well. In fact, it was the owner's detest for the pungent smell of the shrimp paste which led to the eventual establishment of The Rojak Line. After waiting about 5-10min, it was finally ready. Again, I'm no connoisseur of Rojak but this was delicious as it came with crisp, warm and freshly toasted You Tiao (They literally place them in the oven upon ordering) and fresh, chilled fruits. This was no accident as they had invested in a chiller to store their fruits shortly after their initial opening and are apparently, the first Rojak stall to have its own chiller. A culmination of sweet, savoury, umami and slight sourness, I enjoyed every element of the Rojak, drenched in their unique thick black sauce.

Ultimately, while their Rojak is more expensive on average and the waiting time may be a tad too long, I do concur with the vision for their stall - 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗷𝗮𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲.

PS: It was a welcoming sight to see the staff handling all their ingredients with gloves and their provision of a hand sanitiser at the stall's front.

When the pot for 3 ($20) arrived at our table with the sauce and oil mixed in, we figured that this was likely due to our table situated far away from the stall, causing the owners to be fearful that their bottles of oil and soya sauce would be misplaced. No matter though, as it allowed me to have a fairer comparison with Ah Ching's which also came with the sauces mixed into the rice.Arguably the most important aspect of a good claypot rice, I tasted the rice first. It turned out to be marginally better as it was slightly sweeter (Though this could simply be due to a greater helping of dark soya sauce) but similar in terms of texture. The charred crispy edges of the rice were still edible but leaned on the edge of being cancerous. Some portions were practically charcoal black. While this may be a sign of an uncontrolled fire, the rice did spend a longer time in the claypot before it was eventually mixed at our table.Of all the components, I thoroughly enjoyed their Lup Cheong (Chinese Sausage) the most for it was surprisingly smoky and sweet to the point of being subtly alcoholic. Fans of salted fish would rejoice as thick visible chunks could be found, compared to Ah Ching's which were barely noticeable, if any. With regards to the chicken, their generous portions of meat were also wonderfully fragrant, with the charcoal smoke imbued and penetrating through the flesh of the meat. Again, comparable to Ah Ching's.
That being said, 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝘄𝗸𝗲𝗿, 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗵 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴'𝘀 simply because their's were boneless, awarding them huge brownie points for a lazy customer like me who may otherwise naively bite into a piece of bone upon failing to remove it properly.