Cafe Hop!

Friend N got the Melty Beef Curry Rice. While drenched in the robust curry gravy, the Black Angus beef chunks were not gamey while retaining its melt-in-the-mouth tender mouthfeel!

AFFORDABLE AND YUMMY Japanese Curry Rice within the SMU campus? If you haven't heard of Kuro Kare @kurokare, this place serves a DAMN FINE curry! 🍲 Also, SMU @sgsmu students get an additional $2 discount for every item!

You might notice the much darker hue of the curry roux generously ladled onto every plate! Due to the 36-hour cooking process, the gravy is umami-packed with a pronounced sweetness from the caramelised onions (which explains the darker colour of the gravy) and finished with a mild earthy kick from the combination of spices. Goes really well with the available protein options, such as their appropriately named K.F.C. (Kuro Fried Chicken)! 😆🐔 The chicken katsu also hits the spot with a light & crispy panko cladding over the chunky chicken meat.

The sides crowning the Wagyu Grain Bowl were equally well executed, but the star is the slab of wagyu steak grilled to medium rare. Not a beef eater myself, but I trust bb's judgement if she says it's good! For the price point, the grain-fed wagyu served was pretty reasonable portion-wise and is decently tender & juicy, though slightly chewy at some parts.

This place at Tanjong Pagar serves up one of the BEST ROSTI! Read about South Side Keppel @southsidekeppel from my feed and decided to drop by for our anniversary celebration! Some rostis I have tried so far are a bit greasy and hence get cloying after a while, so I appreciate that theirs wasn't! The russet potato pancake comes with an ultra-crispy golden crust complemented by a fluffy & flavorful inside and paired with sour cream and a fresh lemon wedge. Got my Switz Rosti with Smoked Salmon for the added burst of cured briny saltiness, but go for the likes of Wagyu or Grilled Salmon.

Indulge in a pure cup of bliss like this Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate from The French American Bakery @thefrenchamericanbakery! Aside from the alluring aroma of freshly baked pastries hitting me when I opened the door, there's no resisting a cuppa of rich, thick and unsweetened hot chocolate crowned with fluffy swirls of Swiss meringue that added a caramelized sweetness from the torching!

Lowkey regret having such a filling lunch cos the pastry selection available smells and looks so amazing! Made a mental note to myself to buy their Butter Croissant next time so I can dip it into the hot chocolate!

The boat noodles were also decent! I enjoyed the rich herbal sweetness of the broth, more GAO than most boat noodles I have tried. Quite a substantial portion of braised pork, but the thick-cut pork belly reminded me of 东波肉 so it may be a bit too fatty or jelat for some people (like myself).

Although the prawns were fresh and huge, I found the Glass Noodles with Tiger Prawn to be lacking in wok hei. The boat noodles are definitely a better carb option!

The Spicy Grilled Pork Jowl won me over with the marbling on the thick slices. The spicy and tangy dip helped cut through the fatty parts of the meat, so you can probably indulge in a few more pieces.

Our unanimous favourite was the Creamy Crab Omelette. THIS. WAS. AMAZING. *chef's kiss* These soft, creamy curds are packed with crustacean sweetness and buttery flavour, with chunky crab meat generously strewn within. It's definitely something I would order again with rice on my return visit!

The mee siam ran out, so we paired the Chicken Berempah Leg with Nasi Lemak Kukus instead! The rempah was spot-on with the fragrant curry leaf and lemongrass aroma, though we were expecting the chicken to be served as a drumstick rather than boneless deep-fried chunks so they ended up drier than expected. Their sambal was the best thing on the plate!

While quite a few items were sold out when we went, their Signature Hainanese Chicken Cutlet was the favourite among the two mains we ordered! The thin golden coat of batter reminded Bb of the old-school chicken wings, and the thick-cut meat was juicy without being greasy (that cross-section says everything!). The butter-based onion sauce was nice, though we thought the cutlet was good enough when eaten as is or with the Ligham chilli!

For those who prefer soft and chewy waffles, this is the place to go (crispy waffle fans might not enjoy it as much 😅)! Beneath the lightly crisp exterior, the pandan waffles are thick and fluffy like a dense pandan chiffon cake. Personally more of a crispy waffle person & it would be better if the pandan aroma was more pronounced, but the SUPER GAO AND FLOWY black sesame paste oozing between the layers made up for it. The BSSM spread hits different here with its strong roasted nutty fragrance and light sweetness - as a BBSM fan, I approve! 🖤🧇