Must really say that TASTE Orchard has probably provided the folks around the Orchard / Somerset area quite a number of interesting dining options to go for. For those whom have not been to TASTE Orchard, they are located at where OG Orchard Point used to be — a concept by the same folks behind HAO mart, TASTE Orchard also features quite a handful of F&B offerings within its premises that includes brands like Killiney Kopitiam, BHC Chicken, and Warabimochi Kamakura. The supermarket had recently seen the addition of two (2) new F&B tenants — this would include Bon Bon Coffee and Bon Ramen. For those whom are not aware, the two concepts are by the same folks behind the now-defunct Manpuku Sando that used to share its space with Dosukoi x Donpachi in Cuppage Plaza. While Bon Bon Coffee sticks closely to the roots of Manpuku Sando offering a limited variety of Sando offerings alongside specialty coffee, Bon Ramen focuses on serving up ramen. Offering only one item on its menu, patrons can either opt for the Premium Tonkotsu Ramen ala-carte, or make a top-up to add rice, gyoza or Kaedama (i.e. additional noodles) to their bowl of ramen.
While Bon Ramen does not really describe the elements that are included in their bowl of Premium Tonkotsu Ramen, it can be observed from our order that the bowl does come with three (3) pieces of Japanese Chashu, noodles, half on an egg and spring onions — accompanying the bowl would be two (2) different types of Japanese pickles and also a Japanese spicy sauce; the latter being quite an interesting addition since it is an element that is rarely found to be served with Japanese Ramen. Bon Ramen also does provide patrons with two different types of noodles to choose from; the “white” ramen and the “yellow” ramen — more on this later. Digging into the bowl, one thing we found ourselves really in love with in this bowl of Japanese Ramen would be the Tonkotsu broth itself — we are typically ones whom would skip on Tonkotsu broth and opt for the Spicy / Garlic Japanese ramen at most establishments considering how heavy and salty some Tonkotsu broth can be; that being said, the Tonkotsu broth here is creamy without being overly salty. The broth carried a nutty, roasty and a slight earthiness amidst its savoury notes — one that we found ourselves gladly sipping on even after finishing everything else in the bowl.
Our choice of ramen was for the “white” ramen that turns out to be great for those whom enjoy their ramen noodles to come with a harder texture as compared to the “yelllow” noodles that are softer and springier. The Cha Shu here comes sliced thinly and is one that comes surprisingly tender without being too lean, though the egg that came alongside was a little off from the usual Ajitama (i.e. Japanese Ramen Egg) that one would expect — the doneness being closer to that of a braised egg and lacks the molten egg yolk that one would expect out of the typical Ajitama. With the ramen priced at $15.90, we would say that the quality of the ramen here does resonate with the price it commands — we also do consider the price to be fairly reasonable to what other establishments serving up Japanese ramen charges as well. Definitely one spot which we would consider to return to if we are craving for a good and accessible bowl of Tonkotsu ramen whilst being in the heart of town!
For those whom have been following the happenings in the local F&B scene, Geometry might be a name that one would be familiar with — these folks had first established their brand a number of years ago with their very first location being at the foot of Blk 2 Jalan Bukit Merah not too far away from the ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre nearby. While they had been operating from its sole location for quite a number of years, it seems that these folks are finally ready for a phase of expansion — they had recently opened a new space that is located within the City Vue at Henderson neighbourhood; more specifically at Blk 95D Henderson Road. Whilst Geometry comes with a more well-designed interior at its Jalan Bukit Merah location that also featured more carpentry works, the City Vue at Henderson is one that is more plain with the vast use of white elements that is matched with wooden dining tables and plastic stools — more for function than for form and does lack a fair bit of detail overall. With that being said, the City Vue at Henderson location is definitely still a bigger and more spacious outlet than the Jalan Bukit Merah space — also the one that is more well-lit with brighter lights as well. Still being an establishment that serves up ice-cream at its City Vue at Henderson location, Geometry’s offerings here are consistent with what is available at their Jalan Bukit Merah outlet — the flavours of ice-cream available for the day are displayed prominently in the display chiller around the counter, while one can have them in a cup, with a cone, or accompanied with their other offerings such as the Belgian Waffle, Handcrafted Tart or Brownie. Beverages available at Geometry City Vue at Henderson would include a variety of espresso-based specialty coffee, as well as a variety of tea blends and cold brew tea — just to name a few.
Have always been dropping by Geometry for their handcrafted tart and this visit to their City Vue @ Henderson was no different. We had decided to pair up our order of the Handmade Tart with their Hawthorn Berries Sorbet this time round. For those whom have yet to have or heard about the Handmade Tart that Geometry has to offer, this is essentially an almond frangipane tart that Geometry bakes in-house — pretty much a vehicle for the variety of ice-cream that they have to offer. The Handmade Tart is also known to be topped off with spun sugar that is placed atop the scoop of ice-cream as well — something that is akin to that which is often served with a Croquembouche (i.e. a tower of Profiteroles). We did find the Handmade Tart to be very well-made on the day that we had dropped by their City Vue @ Henderson location; served hot, the tart base holding up to the elements above really well while slicing it through did not result in the tart shattering messily on the plate — the base also did not feel wet and soggy from the almond frangipane that was sitting atop of it. We also liked how the almond frangipane provided a nuttiness, whilst it was also absorbing all the sourish and tangy notes from the Hawthorn Berries Sorbet that carried a similar flavour profile to haw flakes which we found to match really well with the almond frangipane; think raspberry with almond frangipane but with a little bit of a twist. Geometry has been known to be fairly consistent in its offerings over the years, though we did feel that they had also improved on their other offerings over the years from when we had last visited them. A brand that is not unfamiliar to those staying around the Bukit Merah / Queenstown neighbourhood, the opening of Geometry in the City Vue at Henderson neighbourhood is one that residents in the area would be quite happy to learn about!
Bukit Batok does seem to be one of those neighbourhoods where there are quite a number of dim sum establishments that are hidden within the neighbourhood. While Ji Tuo Hong Kong Style Dim Sum 寄託港式点心 is one of more mentioned dim sum establishment that is hidden within the industrial estates of Bukit Batok, we had come across a social media post mentioning the existence of A Little Dim Sum 有一点点心 / Simply Steamed 全是蒸的 that is located in another nearby industrial complex named Bukit Batok Connection. A Little Dim Sum / Simply Steamed is located within the Fu Jiang Food Court 富江食阁, occupying the stall unit that is right beside Fu Jiang Seafood 富江海鲜 that serves zi-char. Despite the stall having its signboard split into two concepts, A Little Dim Sum / Simply Steamed is essentially the same concept and shares thr same kitchen space within the stall — the segregation of the brands on the signboard is likely to better reflect their offerings on their menu; the menu offers a mix of Hong Kong-style dim sum as well as various steamed dishes that includes the likes of fish, chicken, pork ribs, minced pork, and seafood just to name a few.
Being primarily here for the dim sum that they have to offer, one of the dishes that A Little Dim Sum / Simply Steamed really managed to impress us was the Steamed Prawn Dumplings. Having had a good number of Steamed Prawn Dumplings from various establishments all across the island all these years, the dish can be described as a staple at establishments serving up dim sum. With that in mind, A Little Dim Sum’s Steamed Prawn Dumplings managed to impress us the very moment that we went for a piece — the serving size of the dim sum at A Little Dim Sum are mostly in pieces of three (3) unless stated otherwise. Giving the Steamed Prawn Dumpling a bite, we really loved how tightly packed the dumplings were here and that the dumplings carried a really bouncy texture without being in any way wet or sticky — definitely gives a tactile bite that set a really high bar, while the insides were filled with prawns that carried a natural hint of sweetness of crustaceans.
Other dishes that also got us fairly impressed would also include that of the Minced Pork with Duo Eggs; this was a pork patty dish that would work well when paired with white rice on the side. Coming with fried shallots on the top, the minced pork patty comes with a pool of light soy sauce at the bottom — the soy sauce is similar to that of what one would get in a plate of Hong Kong-style Chew Cheong Fun. The pork patty comes with a firm bite and comprises mainly of minced meat of leaner cuts, while the duo eggs would include century egg and salted egg that gives it a very light contrast of saltish-ness against the meat — not so heavy that it would result in clouded tastebuds, yet also provided a good variance of textures as well. The Steamed Siew Mai Dumplings were pretty decent — these weren’t too meaty and provide a good bite and chew; we also noticed a chunk of shrimp added in the Steamed Siew Mai Dumplings to give it a slight crustacean sweetness. Whilst we aren’t usually fans of Steamed Beancurd Roll Skins considering how they often come in a gravy where the beancurd skin ends up being soaked in it, we quite like how well-filled the Steamed Beancurd Roll Skins is with meat filling that also came with strips of black fungus for an extra textural contrast.
The least impressive dish for us was the Steamed Jin Sha Egg Yolk Pig Buns — this item is just one of the many variations animal-styled buns that they have to offer. An item that should not be mistaken as the Molten Lava Salted Egg Yolk Bun which other establishments tend to serve up, the Steamed Jin Sha Egg Yolk Pig Buns seemingly carries a lotus-based filling that is seemingly infused with salted egg that comes with just a rather light touch of saltish-ness from the salted egg in the starting notes. We didn’t particularly enjoy the bun itself which we found it to be a little too thick and dense. The Steamed Teochew Yam Paste did come with a deep earthiness that we liked, though we did find the consistency of their yam paste to be on the denser side — mixing it in with the coconut milk didn’t really cause much a change to the consistency of the yam paste either. The version of the Steamed Teochew Yam Paste at A Little Dim Sum / Simply Steamed also comes with gingko nuts as well.
Overall, our meal at A Little Dim Sum / Simply Steamed is filled with both hits and misses — we do feel that these folks seem to do well more in their traditional Hong Kong-style Dim Sum and in their offerings of steamed dishes; at least these were the items that we found ourselves impressed by more so than that of their cutesy, animal-styled buns which felt more like something created for the ‘gram or to appeal to kids. Prices of the food here are surprisingly wallet-friendly despite the quality of its food — the only dishes priced above $5 at $5.50 are the Curry Chicken Cubes and Scallops with Vermicelli; likely something due to it being in a food court within an industrial estate. Coming here does require a bit of trek considering how it is located a slight distance away from a MRT station, though also a spot that is worth checking out at least once even for those whom do not reside around the area!
The time has finally come for Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre — while the old building has since been sealed off, the hawkers have also started to progressively start business at the interim location that is bounded by Jalan Seh Chuan and Chun Tin Road. Interestingly, the move of the hawker centre to an interim building had also seen the opening of several new stalls that were not part of the original hawker centre that was at Upper Bukit Timah Road. One of such stalls would be that of Nie Nie Mian 捏捏面; these folks are located in the part of the interim location where one can also find stalls such as the new outlet of Li Jie De Dian 李姐的店, as well as thatsmypizza.sg. Nie Nie Mian shares half a stall space with the outlet of Blanco Court Fresh Fish Soup; turns out that Nie Nie Mian and Blanco Court Fresh Fish Soup are run by the same folks behind Lao Gai Mee 老街面 — Lao Gai Mee 老街面 and Blanco Court Fresh Fish Soup also having stalls in the nearby Beauty World Food Centre at Beauty World Plaza. Nie Nie Mian is their new concept that centres around Ban Mian and Mee Hoon Kuey, offering patrons with four (4) different items on the menu being the Ban Mian Dry, Mee Hoon Kuey, Curry Mee Hoon Kuey and Tom Yum Noodle.
It was clear from the start that what we had wanted to try would be the Curry Mee Hoon Kuey — despite the stall specialising in its Ban Mian and Mee Hoon Kuey offerings, it is noted that patrons to get the option to choose between Ban Mian, You Mian, Mee Hoon Kuey and Koka Noodles for their order. Patrons can also opt for their order to come with Add-On Items such as that of the Onsen Egg, Minced Meat, Meat Ball and Fried Ikan Bilis. Observing the process that goes in the preparation of the dish, it is noted that the Mee Hoon Kuey is handmade here — these folks actually do take out a slab of dough and breaks the dough into several pieces whenever an order for Mee Hoon Kuey is being made; something which we appreciated since there are not many stalls out there that serves handmade Mee Hoong Kuey out there. Apart from the Mee Hoong Kuey and the curry gravy that comes along, the Curry Mee Hoon Kuey also features elements like Minced Meat, Sayur Manis, Crispy Ikan Bilis and Crispy Fried Tofu Puffs.
The curry gravy here is surprisingly rich and pretty thick — one that really gives a punchy flavour with a level of spiciness that should suit those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness, though we do feel that the gravy is a little MSG-laden at the same time. Considering how the Mee Hoon Kuey is made, the Mee Hoon Kuey also came with a good chewy texture, while the minced meat does provide some bite and a a slightly vinegary meatiness to match up with everything else in the bowl. Whilst we liked the crispness of the Ikan Bilis especially considering how we dropped by Nie Nie Mian in the evening and that they were still able to retain a crunch, though we did find the crispy fried tofu puffs to be a little odd considering how they felt a little dry even though it does seem to be intended to be done the way it is — likely to achieve the crisp texture of Ring Ring Rolls even after soaked in all of that curry gravy. With prices of their food items being listed to be from $4.50 to $5.50, Nie Nie Mian is a pretty wallet-friendly option that Mee Hoon Kuey lovers can look forward to checking out whilst being around the Beauty World area.
Been checking out the new Shifu Coffee Shop that is located within Bras Basah Complex since it is quite a convenient location for us, whilst it is also filled with quite a number of interesting tenants which are new to the local F&B scene here. For those whom are unaware, Shifu Coffee Shop has taken over the former premises of the now-defunct Coffee Express 2000 there — notable tenants located here would include an outlet of 椿风满面 (Chun Feng Man Mian) Chun Noodle (originally from Amoy Street Food Centre) as well as an outlet of Penang Island (originally from Kopitiam food court at Plaza Singapura). Okinawa Ramen is one of tenants that occupies a stall within the coffeeshop; these folks are fairly new to the local F&B scene here, with this location seemingly being their very first one around — they are however not the only stall serving up Japanese cuisine here, with Haru Haru being the other stall at Shifu Coffee Shop to be serving up Mentaiko-based rice bowls and Japanese Curry Rice. As the namesake of Okinawa Ramen suggests, the stall specialises in Japanese Ramen; the menu being segmented into categories such as Ramen, Soba and Ala-carte.
Interestingly, the mention of “Soba” in the menu of Okinawa Ramen actually refers to that of Dry Soba or Mazesoba rather than the Japanese noodles that are being made of buckwheat flour — Okinawa Ramen actually served up a variation of four (4) different types of Soba on the menu; each comes with a different variation of meat. We found ourselves going for the Karaage Soba; while the menu at Okinawa Ramen does not describe the various elements that would accompany the dish, it is noted that apart from the Chicken Karaage, the Karaage Soba also came with elements like corn nibs, strips of Nori (i.e. Japanese dried seaweed), Aji Tamago (i.e. Japanese Ramen egg), minced meat and a bowl of soup on the side. Giving everything a little bit of a toss, we did feel that there wasn’t quite enough minced meat to go around the entire bowl — the minced meat here lacks the punchy, spicy notes that one would typically expect out of such items that are being served at stores specialising in Mazesoba; not that they did promise on the spiciness either, though we note that they do carry a Spicy Tan-Tan Soba on their menu. We liked how there wasn’t any undesirable porky stench that came with the minced meat, though the flavours do seem to be veering towards that of the sweetness that it was marinated in rather than being savoury. The noodles here do come springy and chewy though it also felt a little less premium as the ones they one would get from a stall that specialises in such offerings as well.
The Karaage Chicken was something which we found to eh pretty decent; sized larger than the typical Japanese-style Chicken Karaage, these were tender and juicy without being greasy — lightly crisp, though wouldn’t be quite right for those whom are looking for an authentic take. For one, the batter comes lightly sweet; the Karaage also ladle the firmer bite that actual Japanese variants tend to carry. Other elements like the corn nibs and strips of Nori provide a hint of sweetness and umami-ness to the dish, while the molten yolk from the half of an Aji Tamago also hit the spot being well creamy for a good mouthfeel — it does lack the savoury notes that one would expect out of the soy-marinated variants however. It does seem to be noted that these folks are seemingly going for the rich and lip-smackingly sticky consistency of the Tori Paitan (i.e. Chicken White Broth) for the bowl of soup accompanying the Karaage Soba, though the version here seemed to have somehow included the use of cream(?) somewhat. We also tried the Fried Pork Gyoza during our visit here — these were decent with crisp edges and were well-filled with tender and savoury pork filling; all drenched with mayonnaise and Takoyaki sauce for an added contrast of savouriness. Overall, Okinawa Ramen isn’t quite that spot to hit if one is craving for an authentic bowl of Japanese Mazesoba; that being said, it does provide diners at Shifu Coffee Shop with a decent alternative that is different from the usual. Prices of its ramen / soba offerings are in the range of $6.90 to $8.50 — quite wallet-friendly to be considered as a weekday meal option for those whom are working in the area.
Whilst the coffee shop at Bras Basah Complex was one that felt particularly sleepy with a clear lack of food options ever since COVID-19 had come and gone, there seems to have been a new operator that had since taken over the coffeeshop and had given it a new makeover. Alongside the more modern decor and more brightly-lit dining environment, there is a change in the name of the coffeeshop that sees it being known as Shifu Coffee Shop instead of Coffee Express 2000; they had also given a refresh to the stalls operating from the coffeeshop and the tenant listing for the stalls operating there are definitely more interesting — this would include new outlets of 椿风满面 (Chun Feng Man Mian) Chun Noodle Bar and Penang Island, as well as fancier options such as that of Okinawa Ramen and Haru-Haru. Haru-Haru actually caught our attention fairly early on whilst skimming through the stalls that are located within the food court; the stall is one that serve up Japanese cuisine with a clear emphasis on Mentaiko — the signboard bearing the words “specialty in Mentaiko” even. The menu features several Donburi and Japanese Curry Rice dishes — all of which coming with different options of meat and drizzled with Mentaiko mayonnaise over the top.
We were fairly intrigued with their Mentai Pork Katsu Curry when we we were skimming through the menu on what they have to offer here — this also turned out to be one of their signature dishes that they have to offer here. While the menu does not describe the elements that come along with the dishes, it can be observed from our order that the Mentai Pork Katsu Curry comes with a slab of deep-fried pork cutlet, short-grain rice, a pool of Japanese curry and Fukuzin Zuke (i.e. Japanese red pickles). Digging into the dish, we did note that the Japanese curry did come with a slightly runny consistency but that wasn’t to say that it tasted bland — in fact, we found the Japanese curry that came along with it was really rich; there was definitely a hint of savouriness and deep earthiness with a slight peppery note going on here that gave all of the elements flavour and especially so for the lightly sticky and pearly short-grain rice. We liked how they weren’t stingy with the Japanese curry here; there was certainly enough Japanese curry to go with the pork cutlet and the rice. The pork cutlet comes coated with a batter that featured panko crumbs; the exterior coming with a golden-brown exterior that was light and crisp whilst also wasn’t particularly greasy, while the slab of pork wasn’t particularly dry. One thing we quite liked about the pork cutlet was how it still retains juiciness with the meat in the middle being more in the leaner side, while the ends came a little fattier for a more juicier bite.
Being an establishment that is centred around their Mentaiko Mayo, their Mentaiko Mayo really stands out with visible bits of the roe speckled all over — incredibly umami, whilst giving their Mentaiko Mayo a saltish and briny note as well that would work just about right for Mentaiko lovers. The Fukuzin Zuke provided a sourish tang with a crunch factor to reset the tastebuds from all the carbs and meat. With prices of their food ranging from $7.90 to $13.90, Haru Haru might come across as a little bit pricier when compared to the likes of other stalls serving up Japanese cuisine those serving up Mentaiko-centric dishes in other food courts / coffeeshop around. That being said, Haru Haru’s Mentaiko-centric offerings to come at a quality that resonates with its price tag — the food quality definitely coming close to that of what one would expect out of a casual Japanese restaurant at lower prices in comparison. We would like to congratulate these folks on the opening of their stall, and wishing them all the best in what is to come!
Had been going across the island to check out a number of establishments specialising in Taiwanese cuisine that had opened in recent times — whilst there are some names such as that of Taiwanese Izakaya, Kumi, Street Food Paradise and Jiak Ba Food Heaven that are newly-introduced in the local F&B scene, we had also found out that Str Tao Taiwan Cuisine had seemingly made its quiet return into the local F&B scene here. For those whom have not heard of the brand before, these folks had first started off as a food court stall situated deep in the industrial estate of Toh Tuck; they had eventually found themselves moving into their very own space at Alexandra Central before they had shuttered their operations — it seems that these folks do operate from two (2) locations. The Maddox Canteen Bar location can be said as the spiritual successor to the Alexandra Central due to the close proximity between the two locations, though there is also another one that is located in the East within the coffeeshop named The Bullion Hawker Bar. Str Tao Taiwan Cuisine can be found right beside the outlet of Bei-Ing Wanton Mee 美樱雲吞麵 there — other stalls located within the coffeeshop includes Prince of Hokkien Mee, THE BUTTER CHICKEN PLACE real PUNJABI taste and Bruce Lee Chicken Rice. Just like how things used to be at Alexandra Central, the menu is segmented into sections dedicated to Bento, Mee Sua, Pancake, Ramen, Fried Snack, Fried Rice and Ala-Carte.
For those wanting to try more of their offerings all at one go, the items listed in the Bento section are the ones to go for. Apart from coming with the choice of meat over a
bed of rice, the dish also does come with other elements that one can find from their Ala-Carte section of the menu — this includes the Taiwan Sausage, Braised Tofu and Boiled Cabbage with Garlic. Having visited Str Tao Taiwan Cuisine when they were still located in Alexandra Central previously, we recalled that we weren’t very impressed with what we had tried — the same could be said about the Deep Fried Fermented Bean Curd Pork Cutlet Bento that we have had this time. There has been a bit of thought process placed in the design of the dish however; noting how it does come with a slab of fried cutlet, we were already expecting the dish to come a little dry — we liked how they did include a little bit of braised meat sauce on the rice to help along with that. Whilst providing a bit of moisture to the dish with a savoury note that made things pretty tasty, it wasn’t really quite enough to go around with all of the rice. It also did not particularly help when most of the other elements were a little bit dry as well; the Deep Fried Fermented Bean Curd Pork Cutlet does come with a crisp exterior, though the meat was a little grainy and tough to chew through. No doubt it did come with a slight hint of salt and pepper that is sprinkled atop, but we found the texture a little difficult to down with the plain rice. The same could also be described about the braised tofu and the Taiwan Sausage; the Taiwan Sausage being the more disappointing one between the two considering how bland it was apart from all the lost moisture. At $7.80 though, the Deep Fried Fermented Bean Curd Pork Cutlet Bento is pretty decently priced considering how many elements it came with — that being said, this is certainly not the best rendition of Taiwanese cuisine that one would be able to find around the island nor in the East, though might do just about fine for those who stay within the vicinity of where they are located.
One of the few cafes that seemed to have been mentioned a little over social media that had opened in the past couple of weeks would be that of Same Days Coffee Stand — these folks are actually located within the new Grafunkt store situated along Joo Chiat Road. The space which Grafunkt is located in should be relatively easy to find — itself being located right across Tin Yeang Restaurant that houses Mr & Mrs Mohgan Super Crispy Roti Prata as well as Dunman Food Centre. Same Days Coffee Stand is located relatively near the entrance door of Grafunkt, hidden behind a couple of wooden partitions that gives the cafe a sort of segmentation away from the main space of the furniture retail shop — these wooden partitions also does double up as a standing space for patrons to use a table, whilst also acts a a seat backing for the low bench seats with low tables that faces the ordering counter. Being more of a takeaway kiosk more than it is a dine-in concept, Same Days Coffee Stand does interestingly serve up a very small variety of bakes for those whom are feeling peckish and wants something sweet to pair with their cuppa. Otherwise, Same Days Coffee Stand seems to be more focused on their espresso-based specialty coffee offerings that are split into categories such as Espresso, Specialty Espresso and Cold Brew. There are also non-coffee drinks such as drinking chocolate and matcha that Same Days Coffee Stand does also offer.
Having seen that they do offer the Canele as part of the line-up of bakes that they have to offer alongside their beverages, it was needless to say that it was an item that we knew we were going to get. All orders for their bakes are being warmed up before being served — we found their Canele to be pretty satisfactory considering how it came with a crisp exterior. The interior of the Canele here hinted of strong notes of vanilla; the texture being slightly cake-y and was a little short of being smooth and custard-like with a texture that should have been similar to Kueh Bika Ambon (i.e. Honeycomb Kueh) — still a pretty good attempt considering how the Caneles that we had tried from other more commercial chains tend to come with more disappointing texture for the exterior of the Canele. We also managed to try the Madelines which comes in a serving size of two Madelines for one portion. These were especially fragrant and carried a nice buttery note; all that whilst being suitably sweet and not too dense. The highlight at Same Days Coffee Stand would however be in their espresso-based specialty coffee — we were being told by the folks behind the counter that they do specialise in citrus-infused specialty coffee and this could be easily observed from the Specialty Espresso section of the menu where one can observe beverages such as Espresso Tonic, Orange Espresso and Yuzu Espresso are being offered.
Being a variant of the Espresso Tonic, the Yuzu Espresso is a carbonated drink that features espresso shot as well Yuzu marmalade at the bottom — giving it a good stir, the espresso provides a caffeinated kick with a floral note while the Yuzu provides ample sweetness with a slightly zesty kick that isn’t quite as stark as what one would usually expect from the use of orange in the typical Orange Espresso elsewhere; definitely works well as a refreshing cuppa that comes with a bit of a twist. Considering how Same Days Coffee Stand is more of a coffee kiosk that is sitting in the middle of a retail store, we are actually fairly impressed by how they actually do have a deep-rooted character in-built within the concept — one that actually has more soul than some proper cafe setups around. The concoctions in their Specialty Espresso section of the menu does also hint to us that these folks do know their stuff — these folks were able to achieve a good balance using coffee and the associated elements that is featured in each item; though the items listed aren’t entirely new and unique to Same Days Coffee Stand, they are still undeniably one of the more well-executed renditions of such drinks offered. Prices of its espresso-based specialty coffee are priced up to $7.50 for its Espresso and Specialty Espresso offerings, while the various bakes are priced from $5 to $7. A spot that we would see ourselves wanting to grab a cuppa from with a Canele to pair alongside when walking through the Katong / Joo Chiat neighbourhood!
There has been quite a number of openings related to both specialty coffee and artisan bakeries in recent times — such establishments would include that of Cata Coffee as well as Marymount Bakehouse which we had both visited not too long ago. Yet another of such establishments had since opened their doors — Sourdough & Brew is a fairly new cafe that had recently moved into the 1935 development located along 1 Tessensohn Road; this would also be the very same development that also houses Hey Slow Joe, which is yet another cafe that serves up specialty coffee and bakes that occupies the unit across from Sourdough & Brew. Sourdough & Brew had its roots from being Baking with Gina; a home-based business that had eventually expanded into a brick-and-mortar store at The Promenade @ Pelikat that is opened on an appointment-only basis — the couple running the establishment had also previously ran the now-defunct Ethan My Prawn Noodles 壹等蝦麵 at Amoy Street Food Centre. With a shop unit that comes with a limited space, Sourdough & Brew is still tastefully decked featuring white and wooden accents in the space; the kitchen and counter beautifully segregated away from the dining area that comprises of one dining table with three stools, as well as a couple of stools that also doubles up as table alongside high tables and chairs that faces out of the store. The food offerings available at Sourdough & Brew includes sourdough bagels, cakes and cookies that are prominently displayed at the counter, while beverages would include espresso-based specialty coffee, tea, and drinking chocolate — just to name a few.
Whilst offering a variety of sourdough bagels, it was actually their Sourdough Bagelwich offerings that actually caught our attention — likely due to the fact that we had actually dropped by Sourdough & Brew because we arrived the location during lunch hours on a weekend. Sourdough & Brew offers three (3) different types of Sourdough Bagelwich during their soft launch phase which they were in when we made our visit — this would include the Ham & Cheese, Tomato Egg & Cheese and Smoked Salmon; we eventually found ourselves going for the Tomato Egg & Cheese variant. Sliced into halves, the Tomato Egg & Cheese variant is pretty much what it is —a rather fuss-free offering that is simple and do well for those that are looking to have a clean and light meal. Taking a bite into the Tomato Egg & Cheese Sourdough Bagelwich, the bagel itself carried a firm and chewy texture; itself also carrying a slight tanginess that stemmed from the fermentation process in the making of the sourdough bagel. Sandwiched in between would be the slice of cheddar cheese, fried eggs and slices of tomatoes that is zesty and savoury altogether.
The Sourdough Wholemeal Banana Bread wasn’t quite our thing likely due to the how it is being made; the Banana Bread lacked the moisture nor the inclusion of chunks of soft, caramalised bananas that we would typically look forward to in a banana bread, though this was also understandably not quite the version of which the folks at Sourdough & Brew was going for — something that is more of a matter of preference in our part. The White here is fairly decent considering how Sourdough & Brew does seem to be a spot that is more focused in serving up their sourdough bakes; one that carried a light body and an earthy body, though also a little on the milkier side. Overall, Sourdough & Brew isn’t that sort of spot that one should expect something too gastronomical for an establishment that is serving artisanal bakes — it seems that the direction that they had undertaken is one that focuses more on being familiar; provides patrons with comforting, light meals or light bites alongside a warm cup of espresso-based specialty coffee to go along. With the Sourdough Bagels priced up to $6.50 (the spreads of Kirk Cream Cheese or French Butter charged separately) and Sourdough Bagelwiches being priced from $8 to $13, Sourdough & Brew does still stand out from the various establishments serving up fresh bakes in the ‘hood being one that specialises in bagels — a spot that residents around the 1953 development would appreciate having at their convenience.
There has been several home-based establishments that had been establishing their brick-and-mortar locations fairly recently, and it seems that Ground Floor Coffee is one that had just joined the league of such home-based business that are doing so. Previously better known as that spot serving up specialty coffee through the window at their HDB flat unit in Pasir Ris on the ground floor, Ground Floor Coffee had since found themselves a space to operate out of within East Village at Simpang Bedok. This is also the very building where one can find other notable dining establishments such as Thaiquet, Ramen-ya, Café Cartisan Specialty Coffee and an outlet of KTMW (KATONG MEI WEI) operating within. Occupying just a shop unit, Ground Floor Coffee is very much set-up with the intention for it to be a takeaway kiosk — the interior is simply but tastefully design with the large use of white elements, though there are also some use of wooden fittings and plants that help to spruce up the pace a little; one can also find some relics of when they were operating from the window of their HDB flat around the East Village space as well. A bench can also be found near the entrance for patrons to sit and wait for their order to be prepared by the barista. With its menu being centred around espresso-based specialty coffee, Ground Floor Coffee’s menu is split into sections such as All Day Everyday, Always Latte, GFC Signature, and Milk Based — they also offer two different types of coffee beans for their patrons to choose from as with most other establishments that centre themselves around specialty coffee.
The Rosette Noir was something that piqued our interest whilst skimming through the menu at Ground Floor Coffee — this item can be found in the GFC Signature section of the menu. Whilst the menu at Ground Floor Coffee does not describe on the elements that is being featured in any of their drinks, the folks around the counter was ready to explain on the elements that are featured in their beverages. We were being told that the Rosette Noir is pretty much an Americano that comes with the infusion of rose; the drink comes default without milk, though we were told by the staff behind the counter that she prefers it to come with milk added and that would also be something that would be recommended for those feeling a little “adventurous”. We went for the Rosette Noir in its default form and found the Americano to be a little weak; that being said, we did enjoy the notes of rose that gave it a alluring floral note that perfumed through the entire cuppa. In retrospect, the Spanish Latte that was listed in the Always Latte section of the menu carried a more evident nutty body in the flavour profile of the coffee; the depth of flavours possibly being attributed to the addition of milk, while it also does with a lingering sweetness towards the end. The motto of Ground Floor Coffee that seems to be adopted after the opening of its East Village location does seem to have reflected bigger aspirations for their brand — “From Pasir Ris to the world” does seem to hint for bigger things in time to come with their business. Indeed, it is amazing to think of how this folks had evolved from being a rather interesting and fun set-up at the ground level unit of a HDB block operating beside the window to being an actual shop itself — whilst we do feel that some of their offerings that we had tried could do with some minor tweaks, they do seem to be off a good start here; will be interesting to see how they will take things further as they move into a new phase of their business!
It seems like the folks at Joji’s Diner are back at it again — whilst the brand has had shuttered a few locations of Joji’s Diner such as the one at Stanley Street some time back, they seems to be ready to introduce an all-new F&B concept this time round. Newly-launched by the same folks behind Joji’s Diner would be Joji’s Sandwich Parlour — Joji’s Sandwich Parlour is of conveniently located within the shophouse located at 536 Upper Serangoon Road that is just right beside where Joji’s Diner is. Whilst the two dining establishments are located beside each other, both of Joji’s Sandwich Parlour and Joji’s Diner are decked differently with an interior layout that also differs from one another. Joji’s Sandwich Parlour is definitely more spacious than Joji’s Diner, with Joji’s Sandwich Parlour adopting a design scheme that is more of an old-school, Wild Wild West ranch-style decor that features mosaic tile flooring as well as cork-esque walls with metallic panelling matched against outdoor dining furniture of wooden accents to complete that look. Spread across the dining establishment are also some quirky decorations such as the huge, fake spider plushie on one of the walls, as well as bandanas that is wrapped around the pillar that further enhanced the interior decor of the space as well. Being an establishment that can be described as an extension of Joji’s Diner, the menu at Joji’s Sandwich Parlour is split into categories such as Sandwiches, Sharing Plates and Not Sandwiches — the beverages menu is also split into Drinks and Brews with the latter being where one can find the list of espresso-based specialty coffee, drinking chocolate and tea available. Just like Joji’s Diner, Joji’s Sandwich Parlour operates 24 hours daily as well.
Considering how they had identified the establishment as a sandwich parlour, it is needless to say that we had to have one of the offerings from thejr “Sandwiches” section of the menu during our visit to Joji’s Sandwich Parlour. Skimming through the menu, the Joji’s Grilled Cod Sandwich was an item that stood out to us considering how cod isn’t quite something that we would typically find in such a creation. The menu described the Joji’s Grilled Cod Sandwich to come with elements such as Atlantic Cod, romaine lettuce, Julius dressing, and garlic focaccia bread — patrons also do get a serving of two “sidekicks” of their choice with every order of a sandwich being made; “sidekicks” referring to the side dishes that are listed on the Sidekicks section of the menu. Our choice of Sidekicks would be the Fries and Coleslaw. This is a rather simple sandwich that we found to be of a rather decent quality overall — nothing too gastronomic but also not too shabby at the same time; the garlic focaccia bread comes with relative chew whilst still being airy and not too dense, while the romaine lettuce does provide a bit of a refreshing crunch amidst the soft bite and zingy notes of the slices of tomatoes that come in between. The Julius sauce can be described as a something similar to Caesar salad dressing with a slight tang — something that added on to the natural sweetness of the slab of grilled cod fish coming in between; the slab of cod fish providing a slight smokiness having been grilled with somewhat crisp edges though the consistency of the fish was a little bit on the firmer and slightly drier side as well. The shoestring fries were well-fried and well-seasoned with salt; crisp and not particularly greasy, while the coleslaw was sufficiently creamy but not heavily milky and came with small cubes of apples that provided an added sweetness and something to the crunch on.
The dish that gave us a more lasting impression was however the Smoked Brisket. Described in the menu to come with elements such as Black Angus Brisket and smoked with hickory wood, this was saltish and smoky with a slight hint of sweetness and savouriness coming from the barbecue sauce that was lightly drizzled on it — the only qualm about this dish was how the brisket was a wee bit tougher and slightly drier than what we had initially expected. Being a dish where we can opt for two Sidekicks, our choice of Sidekicks would be the Onion Rings and Potato Salad; the former coming all crisp on the exterior with an evident note of the slight sweetness of onions that also came with a soft crunch within, while the latter features both larger chunks of potato and smaller chunks of apple for a soft bite and a bit of a refreshing crunch that gives it a contrast of texture and flavour. The Creamy Baby Spinach that is listed in the Sharing Plates was one that came with wilted spinach, a mix of mushrooms and cream; we liked how it did not feel overall too creamy, whilst the mushrooms provided a bouncy bite along with an earthy note that went well with the soft spinach that was aptly moist but did not carry too much water content within. Going for the Chai Latte to pair with the food items that we had opted for, the Chai Latte really hinted of the various spices that went into the tea — the proportion of milk helping to provide a lot more depth to those notes without having the Chai Latte feeling too milky. Joji’s Sandwich Parlour is pretty much an extension of what Joji’s Diner has to offer — their food being of a fairly consistent quality with Joji’s Diner which promises rather generous portions for its price to say the least, though we do find the execution of the meats here being something of which that they can improve on. Prices of the individually sized mains range from $16 to $28; something that is still within some sort of expectation from an establishment of its type. With the operations being around the clock for all seven (7) days a week, Joji’s Sandwich Parlour does certainly add on as a great supper spot to head to considering how places offering the sort of cuisine that Joji’s Sandwich Parlour during late nights are far and few in-between.
Have been hearing about a recent opening of a new dim sum restaurant in the Sunset Way neighbourhood over the past couple of weeks — turns out, the new establishment is actually a new outlet of Five Star Dimsum 五星点心 which has taken over the shop units in between Buttercream and Cake as well as En Ramen at the foot of Blk 106 Clementi Street 12. Yes — this Five Star Dimsum is the same Five Star Dimsum that we have come to know that had first established their presence in the local F&B scene at Mei Ling Street, and also subsequently having operate another location at Shun Li Industrial Complex at Sims Drive. Comprising of a small indoor dining area and a larger outdoor dining area, there are plenty of seatings for its patrons here; the interior space featuring a rather simple set-up with the use of lantern-like ceiling lamps and a feature wall comprising of some oriental elements — all that, as well as mirrors that helped to make the space look a little bigger. Whilst Five Star Dimsum is an establishment that is better known for their Hong Kong-style Dim Sum offerings which they have been serving up ever since their beginnings at Mei Ling Street, it does seem that Five Star Dimsum had expanded their food offerings quite a fair bit at their Sunset Way location — the menu comprising of items split across categories such as HK Cheong Fun, Congee, Steamed Dim Sum, Dim Sum Buns, Fried Dim Sum, Baked Dim Sum, Fish, Zichar, Claypot and Soup. Beverages available at Five Star Dimsum’s location at Sunset Way would include local Nanyang-style Kopi & Teh, chinese tea, Ribena, canned drinks and Iced Luo Han Guo — just to name a few.
Having previously visited Five Star Dimsum when they had first opened its doors at the The Young Ones Eating House at Mei Ling Street, we recalled that Five Star Dimsum was an establishment that did better in their steamed and baked dim sum over their fried dim sum. One of the items that we had not yet given a try at Five Star Dimsum would be their HK Crispy Shrimp Cheong Fun. Five Star Dimsum does not describe the elements that are featured in their dishes on the menu — that being said, the HK Crispy Shrimp Cheong Fun is one of those newer Hong Kong-style Chee Cheong Fun dishes that has become a little more commonly found these days at Chinese restaurants / Hong Kong-style dim sum establishments where it features rice vermicelli rolls encased with fried spring rolls containing shrimp within. Coming with soy sauce drenched all over the rice vermicelli rolls, the first impressions were that there was sufficient soy sauce that came with the rice vermicelli rolls as well. Digging into the HK Crispy Shrimp Cheong Fun, the rice vermicelli rolls were silken and smooth; we also liked that it was of an appropriate thickness where it was sufficient to encased the fried spring rolls within without breaking, but didn’t feel as though it was too thick when one chews through the rice vermicelli roll. Considering how the soy sauce was drenched above the rice vermicelli roll rather than being poured onto the plate first before placing the rice vermicelli roll on the plate, the light and crispy batter of the fried spring roll that came with prawns within had soaked up quite a bit of soy sauce and it was evident that the texture of the spring roll is a little affected by this — definitely a dish that one should start having the moment that it arrives the table. Otherwise, the shrimp does help to provide a bit of bite to the item, and the soy sauce was actually pretty flavourful with an evident savoury and lightly sweet note that provided a good contrast of flavours for the dish. Other dishes that we had managed to try out during the same visit made to Five Star Dimsum at Sunset Way would include more regular dim sum items such as the Steamed Prawn Siew Mai — we personally felt that the Steamed Prawn Siew Mai was a decent item to have, though one thing we did note is how the Steamed Prawn Siew Mai was more evidently meaty for a variant that mentions the use of prawn; the Steamed Prawn Siew Mai carrying quite a firm texture and was one that felt as though it came with a higher proportion of pork.
We also tried the Crystal Steamed Shrimp Dumplings which we found to be pretty generously packed with shrimp and came in a larger size than what most establishments would serve up; we liked how the dumpling wrappers were well-made — sufficiently thick to encase the fillings without breaking, but still delicate overall. The shrimp also provided a hint of its natural sweetness to the dish as well. The Steamed Sesame Bun was interesting on paper — that being said, this felt like a version of the coffee bun that is being served up at some other establishments considering how the sesame filling for the bun do seem to featured a red bean paste base; the notes of both red bean and sesame being fairly evident though the paste itself is a little bit on the dense side. A dish that is also better enjoyed once it is being served to the table, we did notice the bun to be on the slightly thicker side of things and also gets a little more dried up; losing a little bit of fluff when one leaves it sitting around the table for a while. We were really curious about their Claypot offerings considering how this is a fairly new addition to their menu — going for the Claypot Sausage Rice, this item comes with waxed meat and Chinese sausages coming atop a bed of rice that had already been drizzled with soy sauce. We felt that the Claypot Sausage Rice was a little lacking on the heavier sweet and savoury flavours from the soy sauce and the greasiness that would lacquer the rice grains which would also allow for the existence of some charred grains for a better texture; it also lacks the smokiness due to the non-existence of the charred grains as well. Priced at $0.90, the Kopi here could be probably one of the lowest-priced cup of Nanyang-style Kopi around the island; whilst they did add in quite a fair bit of condensed milk, this was still a relatively strong brew that is better brewed than some coffeeshop stalls / food courts / hawker centre stalls out there. Overall, we felt that Five Star Dimsum is a fairly decent spot to head to for its steamed and baked dim sum offerings — the prices of its Dim Sum and Congee dishes are all priced up to $5.50 per item, while the priciest dish would be the Deep Fried Soon Hock Fish at $30. That being said, we do feel that some work is needed for them to look into their newer offerings such as their Claypot Sausage Rice which we felt was a little lacking. Considering how Sunset Way is a spot that is more noted for establishments serving up zichar-style dishes and live seafood, Five Star Dimsum does provide a good alternative option considering its range of Dim Sum that gives it a unique edge over the other dining establishments that are located in the neighbourhood.
