Fun Fusion Food

"Why would I visit a bar and order indomie when I can make it at home?"

Well, FRESH indomie is key to the Suprmee ($12), a solid bowl of noodles that serves as both a hangover cure and reliable drinking companion. Umami is its middle name, which I assume can be attributed to the "secret seasoning".

So unless you're the kind who jazzes up your regular instant indomie with onsen tamago, braised chicken, and chicarron (fried pork rinds), this just isn't the same!

Give the K.F.C. ($3.50) a miss and go for a side or two, like the Browned Cauliflower ($7) with a siiiiick miso butter glaze and furikake.

Menus are changed frequently at TCC without warning, but I felt like mentioning this new pasta on the Isetan Scotts branch's revamped menu.

The "locally-inspired" Prawn Laksa Pasta ($23) is one exotic looker of a dish, but then again, what do you define as "exotic"? For one, the flavours were certainly familiar. Al dente squid ink spaghetti in a mildly spiced coconut sauce that left us wanting more, with laksa herb crumble and otah-stuffed prawns. They appeared to be "otah-crusted", rather than "otah-stuffed", and could use some fine-tuning. If so, I'd be glad to see it land a spot in TCC's permanent pasta repertoire, joining the ranks of classics like the Seafood Aglio Olio.

Being late to the (dumpling) party's no fun, but thanks to the many enthusiastic reviews online, knowing what to order was as easy as can be. Let's get straight to the point.

The Miso Mushroom Noodles is more than just a "bak chor mee wannabe", and beats its braised pork counterpart, hands down. As for the dumplings, the heavyweights of Smoked Duck and Fried Pierogi took the cake. The latter, or what I call "fast food dumplings", rightfully deserves all the attention it's been getting - everyone seems to enjoy the foolproof (and deep-fried!) combination of potato, bacon, cheese and sriracha.

I suppose everyone already knows that the $16 Lunch Set is available on Burpple Beyond, so no more needs to be said.

Replacing spaghetti with good ol' mee pok would make any Italian chef recoil in horror. In comes the Good Time Carbonara ($12).

The egg noodles we know and love are prepared in, yet another subversion of tradition, a creamy alfredo sauce. Shitake mushrooms and bacon are then added into the mix, for a touch of salt to cut through the overall richness. It's a dish that's not actually super jelak, although it would be wise (for the waistline) to share.

Don't be fooled by the 50cm Baguette ($13.90), it's not as large a portion as it sounds. Sliced beef, jalapeños, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, cheddar, onion salsa, BBQ sauce and butter come together in what I call an elevated version of old school "pizza bread". It may sound overwhelming, but don't be fooled. The medley of ingredients do work well together, even though the sweetness of the beef & sauce m a y be a tad too strong for a select few.

M.A.C feat BACON ($10.90) is the quintessential creamy mac & cheese you'd find at fun, Korean-fusion chain restaurants (think: Chir Chir's mac & cheese), enhanced with bacon bits, that were sadly lacking and would've been better crisp, and shredded potato (fun to eat, like super duper skinny fries). A very safe choice.

The Salmon 2 Ways ($26) was presented to us with dramatic flair, as dry ice engulfed a glass bowl of salmon tartare, apple granité with of Sichuan pepper and ikura. Mix everything together for a refreshing citrus-y palate cleanser!!

On the side you get cured confit salmon, Japanese sweet purple potato (💜💜💜) , lychee and roasted bell pepper coulis. Clean, fresh and sweet flavours with a hint of spice.

Dinner companion not the most entertaining? Play a game of 'Find the Chicken in the Chillies' ($16), a treasure trove of fiery fried chicken bits and Sichuan chilli peppers. It's tongue-numblingly spicy enough to leave you feeling hot and bothered, which is a great excuse to order a cocktail, or two. 😉

The standout dish seems to be the Special Yaki Onigiri ($5.90 for two), and I think I understand why.

The charred surface of the onigiri brings to mind the best part of claypot rice - the crispy, barely blackened bits at the bottom that seem to have the most flavour. You get a pleasant kick from the hae bee hiam, and mind you, they are served piping hot. Great for a cool, rainy night!!!

Everyone should seriously go for the raw oysters ($12 for 3pcs); they were extremely fresh and plump, sweet yet briny, with a creamy mouthfeel that left me very very very impressed and clamouring for more. You can also opt for them to be grilled, if you don't take/feel like eating raw seafood.

Iza boasts an ideal atmosphere for a late night catch-up with friends and family over a selection of great beers and Japanese-fusion bites.

Enjoyed the familiar flavours presented with a twist, but one gripe is that our orders were served at erratic intervals, with our plates being cleared too abruptly (before I could even put my fork down...) after we finished each dish.

The Char Siew Sticky Iberico Spare Ribs ($18.90) with pecans and roasted pumpkin (could've been sweeter!!) tasted exactly how I like Asian-style BBQ ribs to be - sweet, smoky and caramelised, with meat that could be pried off the bone.

While this modernised version may not appease lovers of strictly traditional fried carrot cake, XYT Chai Tow Kway ($16) is a somewhat deconstructed take on the iconic Singaporean dish, with scrambled eggs, cubes of moreish crispy-edged homemade radish cake and radish slices (staying true to the main ingredient here I see).

In my opinion, the trio of spicy minced pork, dried shrimp and XO sauce takes centre stage here, with a hint of sweetness as well, giving the eggs additional oomph. This is a dish easy on the eyes, and also on the palate; an interpretation I can totally swing with. ☺