Restaurants ($$)

Softshell Crab Katsu ($22)
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Absolutely the must order @parkbenchdeli ‘s collab with Handsome Chinos available only for today. Katsu fried to crispy perfection topped with seaweed tartar and slaw sandwiched between a fluffy bun. Queue’s way shorter than usual so thats a plus to come!

Mac Kobe ($42)
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A decadent spin on the otherwise common mac and cheese @themalayancouncil . The mac and cheese here is tossed with spicy tulang (bone marrow) merah topped with grilled kobe beef and torched mozzarella. Loved this ultra rich version though the portion is best shared amongst 3 at least. The umami from the bone marrow was evident in every mouthful and the spicy gravy balanced well with the cheesiness. The most unforgettable part of this dish is the kobe beef slices, each perfectly seasoned and cooked to just the right doneness.

Samsui Ginger Chicken ($42.90)
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Crowd favourite samsui chicken @souprestaurantsg . Not sure whether the pricing for a large portion is usually this pricey as we ordered off the cny menu. Portion is good for 4-5 pax. My favourite way to eat this is to use the lettuce to wrap a piece of chicken and some sliced cucumber then douse the ginger sauce generously on top. I always feel that it’s a pity that there’s no chicken rice chilli accompanying this dish. Super flavourful lettuce wrap reminiscent of hainanese chicken rice.

Teochew Steamboat
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CNY steamboat at Teochew Traditional Steamboat Restaurant to save all the hassle of prep work and cleaning up. The walls of this restaurant adorned with countless photos of celebrities who dined here is testament to the popularity of this place. Soup base is a rich shark bone broth full of collagen and they serve up an array of homemade balls and pastes. Also on the menu is some ready to eat dishes like the fried wontons and brinjal with pork floss. Both are must orders here. Items are priced quite economically so it’s a real good deal to have spent reunion dinner here.

Charcoal Grilled Dried Atka Mackeral Set ($17.90)
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The best seller at Charcoal Grill and Salad Bar and it’s no sweat to understand why. Probably one of the most value for money mid tier priced selection as the portion of fish is large and full of meaty fish chunks. There was quite a lot of deboning to do but it was still worth the effort. I enjoyed having my rice topped with their seaweed salad and the onsen egg while savouring the smokey fish meat. Also, my 2 favourites at the salad bar are the tuna corn pasta and the coffee jelly dessert.

Hitsumabashi ($29.50)
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Ordered my unagi from Man Man and added an onsen egg. Best choice as the oozy yolk coated the unagi and rice making this ricebowl even more delectable. The unagi is grilled till the syrup turns crisp at the edges while the flesh is free of the usual fishy taste some other unagi may carry. Best part about this set is having the unagi ochazuke style with that clear bonito broth adding a different dimension to this already yummy dish. Maybe the hype has died down or the price tag is deterring as the Duo branch certainly didn’t replicate those lunchtime crowds back in the days they first open.

Hotate (Scallop) with Ikura Don ($28.80)
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Newly open @DonburiKingSG located on the 3rd floor of the new Paya Lebar Quarter. A cosy space of only 18 seats, the restaurant boasts a countertop seating so that you can watch your donburi being prepared. What’s great about the space is that there is finally another option for people who enjoy sashimi and people who don’t take raw to head to the same restaurant as this place serves both cooked food and raw fish dons.
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My favourite don of the evening has to be the Hotate with Ikura Don. Think succulent lightly torched Japanese scallops mixed with ikura and negitoro to deliver a great umami taste with each spoonful. Tamago slices are also served together with the bowl. Although the price tag may be on the hefty side, the premium ingredients imported from Japan more than justifies this. A good side to order is their fried shisamo ($3 for 3 pieces). Lightly battered, this was just delicious and inexpensive.
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Thanks @burpple for extending the invitation for this #burppleeatup and @DonburiKingsg for your warm hospitality and for hosting this event.

Sauerkraut Fish Pot
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After Chinatownpoint’s makeover at the basement, there’s now a wide array of new food options. One of these is @qilaifengsg which serves up a rather unique fish menu comprising their own signature grass carp nicknamed Q fish for its qq texture due to their unique feeding technique when breeding the fish. My favourite dish for the evening has got to be the sauerkraut fish pot filled with a generous serving of thinly sliced fish that doesn’t disintegrate easily, a testament to the freshness of the fish used here. The soup has a mildly spicy and tangy flavour tweaked to our local palette. For spice lovers, there’s also an option for a spicier level. Aside from this soup pot, there’s also the dry version that’s the best of both worlds for people who can’t decide. The fish pot is served dry and midway, there’s also an option to add pork bone broth and order extra hotpot ingredients for a round 2! Special mention also goes to the stir fried pork intestines. Offal lovers will love this dish done in a salt and pepper style.

Yakitori Platter ($48)
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This platter from @lecoqsg is totally suitable for people who cannot make up their minds on what to order. Best shared amongst 4, the portion here is generous to say the least. The platter comprises beef, chicken thigh and breasts, wings, cartilage, heart. Loving the char on the skewers and the slightly sweet glaze.

Yam Basket ($20)
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Sitting majestically on a bed of crispy bee hoon is the yam basket @kekseafood , one of my childhood favourite and the big brother of the taro balls found at dim sum restaurants. A spoonful of the crisp basket with some chicken and mushrooms is just heavenly.

Duck Confit & Foie Gras ($24.90)
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Duck confit @hungerskitchenbyarome served with truffle mash, orange, mushroom, cherry tomatoes, duck jus, broccoli and a generous slab of foie gras which is done just right. The price point is made even better with #burpplebeyond ‘s 1-for-1 deal. We went with the pan seared salmon that came with 3 pieces of salmon on a bed of brown rice risotto.

Tonkotsu Smoked Pepper Ramen ($14.90)
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Ramen served in a bowl of mildly peppery tonkotsu broth, premium char siew and woodchip smoked minced meat from Ura Hototogisu. We tried 3 bowls of ramen with very different flavours and this was my favoufite. The soup was on a slightly saltier side and I could have done with 1 more slice of char siew.