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Mayflower is that neighbourhood in Ang Mo Kio that has been under the spotlight for a very long time — the opening of the Thomson-East Coast Line had since brought a lot of convenience to the residents nearby, whilst also putting the neighbourhood onto the map now that a Mayflower MRT Station exists in the MRT system map. New to the Mayflower neighbourhood at Blk 114 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 is F.I.C.; basically an acronym for their name Fried Ice-Cream & Viet Bites. Situated just a short walk away from Exit 1 of Mayflower MRT Station, F.I.C. is very unlikely that of other cafes that we have visited over the years — rather than being an air-conditioned establishment, F.I.C. takes on the direction of being an open-air dining establishment instead. This creates a look and feel that makes it bind together with the community it serves; this is especially so when the interior decor consists of really cosy-looking decor with its wooden furniture and fittings and plants that we found to be especially welcoming. F.I.C.‘s main offerings would revolve around their various fried ice-cream flavours — a dish that was fairly popular in the early 2000s and was one that was especially easy to find in Golden Mile Food Centre in its heydays, the hype for fried ice-cream has since been long gone and the dish is also one that is rather difficult to find in Singapore. Apart from their signature fried ice-cream, F.I.C. also serves up a good variety of Vietnamese and Western light bites — an iconic offering here would be their Paper Pizza, while other menu items includes Vermicelli Bowl, Chicken Wings, Salad, Rice Plates, Viet Rolls and Fries; an off-the-menu item which we were told that was available would be the Banh Mi. Beverages available at F.I.C. includes Coffee Phin (i.e. Vietnamese Drip Coffee), Floaties (i.e. soft drinks with ice-cream) and other concoctions such as the Fizzy Lime, Grass Jelly Bandung and Milocino.

Having come all the way down to F.I.C. to check out on what they have to offer, it is needless to say that we had to give their Fried Ice-Cream offerings a go. There was quite a variety of Fried Ice-Cream offerings that they offer — each coming with different toppings; we found ourselves going for the Mango Tango Fried Ice-Cream after hearing that the Cloud Nine Fried Ice-Cream was unavailable on the day of our visit as they had ran out of the meringue cookie which they make in-house that comes along with the the Cloud Nine Fried Ice-Cream. Settling for the Mango Tango Fried Ice-Cream, this was one flavour that we found would appeal to those who love tropical fruits and flavours in their dessert. The fried ice-cream is at the bottom here, whilst in gets topped off with fresh cream and diced mangoes over the top. One may call the offering simple based on its composition — and sure it is, though we did feel that they had gotten the execution somewhat right here. Encasing the scoop of Vanilla Ice-Cream is a fried golden brown batter that was crisp and free from grease or any undesirable stench of overused oil; as one digs in, the cold Vanilla Ice-Cream within reveals itself without having been all melted — a good control of temperature as it gets deep-fried right here. The ice-cream here is nothing much to shout about; after all, we aren’t expecting one that is artisanal with specks of vanilla beans here — F.I.C. isn’t quite that sort establishment anyway. Pairing the fried ice-cream with that cream and the diced mangoes over the top, the cream attempts to gel the fried ice-cream together with the diced mangoes with a neutral flavour profile, while the diced mangoes here felt closer to being on the tangier side and would suit those who prefer their desserts to be on the sour-ish side instead.

F.I.C. does feel like a spot that is created out of love — that sort of small neighbourhood family-run business that is born out of trying to make the world a better place, and that spirit and passion to serve the community at large. The non air-conditioned, open concept of the space does feel like it was done purposefully, while the folks running the business to feel very humble and down-to-earth — eager to chat up with their patrons to find out how they are doing, and also to give an extensive introduction on what their concept is about and what do they serve up; all that whilst sharing smiles with their patrons and making patrons feel welcome with the sincerity through they in their interactions with them. No doubt the food offerings at F.I.C. are simply-made; there are many cafes out there that can push out more delicate dishes that would satisfy the typical cafe-hopper, though it is also pretty clear from the get-go that F.I.C. just isn’t this sort of establishment at heart which makes it worth supporting even despite being a little different from the other specialty cafes these days. That said, F.I.C. still creates food items with its own identity — the offering of Paper Pizza being just one of the examples where an inventive attempt on using Vietnamese Rice Paper that is typically used for their Fresh Spring Rolls as a pizza base (replacing the standard crust) with toppings like Chicken Sausage and Lemongrass Chicken to choose from. F.I.C. is not just a cafe as it seems — a space which seems especially “human” in this day and age where specialty cafes are just simply about coffee culture, and a spot to catch up over brunch and coffee. Time seems to slow down at F.I.C., and one just feels like they could absorb some of those positive vibes not just from its environment, but also the folks who are running the space. We are looking forward to be back some day — the Coffee Chicken Wings definitely sound interesting on paper; all that whilst watching the day go past over a cup of Vietnamese Drip Coffee.

It’s a hidden gem in the heart of Ang Mo Kio HDBs. Thanks to Burpple! Their Silverfern Grass-fed Striploin steak ($25.90) is flavourful and affordable which come with 2 side dish (i had butter spinach and fries). Fish and chips ($17.90) is crispy and fresh. Strawberry rush spritzer ($4.90) added a glitz. Their Ember Signature Classic Waffle ($9.90) is a must try too, not too sweet and nicely crisped. The restaurant is fullhouse but the staffs are apologetic & friendly and really tried their best to attend to their costumer’s needs. Good service and good food!

Found this hidden gem opposite Bishan-AMK park thanks to Burpple! A small cafe beside a bright coffeeshop, I hesitated whether to go in because it looked a bit dark. But I'm glad I did! The food really impressed me. We ordered the fish & chips and the grass-fed beef flat iron with borderlaise ($23.90) and I found both done better than most cafes. It was a very satisfying meal! The waffle that the next table ordered also smelled great and something I would try the next time. Will be back and since they are on Burpple Beyond, give them a try!

Using the best high quality products at the most affordable pricing you can imagine, Ember offers you a delicious array of charcoal grill menu, handcraft waffles, house-brew and weekend brunch. Go for their charcoal grill dinner menu that starts from 5pm onwards and give a taste of the Silverfern grass-fed striploin steak ($25.90) served with Shoestring Fries, Vine Tomato, Confit Garlic and your own choice of sauce! Other mains to go for include the Blue ginger roasted boneless chicken leg ($16.90), Spanish pork chop ($21.90), Exceptional cheese burger ($19.90) and many more!
📸 by: Burppler Xing Wei Chua

Caught wind of the new Ember Charcoal Grill at Blk 332 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 — this neighbourhood steakhouse that focuses on charcoal-grilled meats takes over the former premises of the now-defunct The Workbench Bistro; also located just right beside a coffeeshop named Johnson Eatery within the same block. While we hadn’t visited The Workbench Bistro when they were still occupying the space, the interior of Ember Charcoal Grill is fairly reminiscent of cafes situated in the heartlands circa 2014 to 2015 — a little of an industrial vibe going on here that is a slightly dated when compared to the more minimalistic cafes with a touch of greenery and a contemporary design of the late. Serving two separate menus for lunch and dinner service, Ember Charcoal Grill serves up Donburi for its weekday lunch service, while dinner service stays the same on both weekday and weekends and primarily features charcoal-grilled meats served with different sauces — the same starters are available for both weekday lunch and dinner service. In addition, Ember Charcoal Grill also serves a “Scrumptious Brunch” menu on weekends from 10am to 5pm featuring typical brunch dishes; think items like the Carpresse Avocado Toast, Breakfast Cereal French Toast and Egg Benedict upon others — desserts served include several variations of waffles and croffles, as well as ice-creams, whilst beverages available here includes specialty coffee, tea in a pot, spritzer, Yakult soda, soft drinks and bottled beers.

It would be a little silly to drop by a spot specialising in charcoal grill without going for their steak. Offering various cuts of beef including the flank cut and the flat iron, we found ourselves going for the Silverfern Grass-Fed Striploin, which also comes with elements such as Shoestring Fries, Vine Tomato and Confit Garlic. Patrons can choose between a variety of sauces for the charcoal-grilled beef here; we found ourselves opting for the Jim Beam Honey Mustard to go with our order instead. Opting for medium-rare doneness for the beef, the striploin here was done with a pinkish centre — overall, the meat was pretty well-executed; not particularly gamey, and didn’t require much of an effort to chew being tender and sufficiently moist. It was also slightly flavoured by just a light sprinkle of salt that antes up the flavour profile of the beef. One could also opt to have the beef with the confit garlic as well for a punchier note. The Jim Beam Honey Mustard came with mustard seeds; didn’t feel that the booziness of the Jim Beam was particularly prominent — perhaps an attempt to keep things a little “PG” considering how there may be families bringing their kids here. Whilst the shoestring fries did look a tad plain, we liked how they were seasoned with sufficient salt for a bit of flavour — all that whilst being crisp without being particularly greasy. One thing we found really interesting with the dish was the vine tomato; choosing to serve a single tomato that is oddly dusted in icing sugar, the icing sugar did seem a little out of place in the beginning — the aesthetics somewhat reminding us of Christmas, but we found that zingy note of the tomato really go well with that slight hint of sugary sweetness just like what salt does to beef to create a unique experience.

Truth to be told, Ember Charcoal Grill did surpass our expectations — we were not really expecting much from a neighbourhood setup like this, but it was interesting to see how they are pretty creative with their menu here from the items we had, which includes the Charred Bourbon Chicken Wings and Creme Brulee Waffle as well; both being items that are served at a respectable quality for its price. No doubt the prices of the food at Ember Charcoal Grill are a little steep especially for dinner — the charcoal-grilled meats ranges from $16.90 for the Blue Ginger Roasted Boneless Chicken Leg to $25.90 for the Silverfern Grass-Fed Striploin, but they do deliver where one would be able to enjoy somewhat of a more premium western offering than what one would expect out of commercial outfits and western food stalls within coffeeshops and hawker centres. Personally, we do feel that Ember Charcoal Grill is a spot we would not mind checking out if we are residents in the neighbourhood, or even in areas that are slightly further away from the neighbourhood where they are situated — a pretty decent spot for chops and steaks conveniently situated within the heartlands.

Hawker is never a easy job, but it is always glad to see some youngsters willing to venture into this.

Sambae is definitely one of them, with a youngster selling the Asian cuisine in the coffee shop at Ang Mo Kio.

It has a very cheeky name, serving sambal based of foods such as this signature stingray. I personally love sambal a lot, so when there’s such stall I definitely would support.

Served as a rice bowl or you can order it individually, I find the size is actually consider big for one person like me.

But as for the taste wise, I was rather disappointed. The stingray itself is never an easy seafood to cook with, so for my visit the stingray texture was rather unimpressive, as compared to my favourite sambal stingray from another place. the meat wasn’t soft enough for me.

As the same goes to the sambal itself, it wasn’t strong enough for the spiciness.

But overall I would still supporting this young hawker and perhaps I will try the other dishes as well.

The Sambae Stingray Rice Bowl with Onsen Egg - sees three pieces of stingray topped with a  liberal amount of house-made sambal sauce atop a bed of pearl rice, and accompanied with onions, sliced pickled cabbage and a wobbly onsen egg. 

Read more: https://www.misstamchiak.com/sambae/

@sambaesg are sambal specialists, but that didn’t stop them from having menu items that aren’t related to that spicy sauce. Their chicken nanban side was a rather unexpected option, but it’s a sensationally stellar one. For just $4.90, you get six humongous chunks of deep fried chicken (karaage).⠀
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The batter cocooning the chicken is utterly incredible. Just take a peek at how craggy the surface of the deep fried chicken is, and you already know that batter is razor thin, startlingly crisp, and just all round ethereal. The chicken encased within that batter is exquisitely juicy, and so incredibly tender. To retain the moisture of a chicken chunk this thick while cooking it all the way through takes a lot of expertise, and fortunately Chef Noel is a poultry pro.⠀
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The chicken itself is very lightly seasoned, but that doesn’t matter as it relies on the abundance of homemade tartar sauce for most of its flavour. I’m not sure if the traditional vinegary nanban sauce is applied to this chicken, so I’ll just pretend it doesn’t exist. What is very tangible, however, is that tasty tartar sauce. It’s charmingly creamy, satisfyingly salty and has an appealingly chunky texture with the bits of hard boiled egg & chopped onions in there.⠀
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The result is a deliriously delectable deep fried chicken dish that demands pride of place on every single dinner table. The chunky, savoury sauce gets into every crag of the juicy fried chicken and stays on it even as you bite down. The perfect combo of creamy, salty & crispy is present from the first bite to the last, and the mouthfeel of the perfectly fried chicken is downright divine. There’s bound to be a fair bit of tartar sauce to spare, so make it rain all over your rice.⠀
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A minor suggestion would be to make sambal tartar sauce to tie it into the Sambae concept, but this is already perfection. Absolutely excellent work, @sambaesg. Thanks for having us!

And now we get to @sambaesg signature: rice bowls. Sambae’s Sotong Rice Bowl is very affordably priced at $7.50 a serve, and the utter deliciousness bowled me right over.⠀
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All the delectable & desirable qualities of the sambal chili that I expounded upon in my previous review is turned up to eleven here. I recall Chef Noel informing me that he does tweak the sambal slightly to differentiate the sotong from the stingray, and this one is different alright. It’s thicker in consistency, and I’m dead certain its sweeter than the one on the stingray.⠀
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That additional sweetness is perfect on the felicitously fresh squid rings, complementing the mild brininess & sweetness of the ocean fresh squid. Each & every ring had the trademark perfect bite of a stunningly fresh squid: bouncy & snappy at first bite before turning tender upon further mastication. The combo of spicy, salty & sweet from the scintillating sambal and the delightful chew from the squid was a marriage made in food heaven.⠀
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The steamed Japanese short grain rice was completely undressed, but the onsen egg did help to lubricate it a little despite lacking a runny yolk. The shaved pickles on the side were perfect as a palate cleanser, but it might be for the best if those zesty pickles were swapped for a serving of sambal kangkong. That way, the rice would be adequately saucy due to the salty, runny sauce that naturally accompanies the stirfried veggie.⠀
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In all honesty, the rice being under-sauced is a bit of a nitpick, because this sensational sambal sotong rice bowl is worthy of being anybody’s bae.⠀
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Thanks for having us, @sambaesg!

@sambaesg is the hot new thing on the block with Chef Noel at the helm (and the grill). He’s another member of the young hawker generation, and he’s dishing out hot stuff in the form of his homemade sambal chili. The twist here is that he’s taken classic bbq sharing staples like sambal stingray, sambal sotong (squid) and sambal clams and turned it into individual serve ricebowls.⠀
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Of course, Sambae still does sharing portions of these classics, and this hefty nineteen dollar portion of Sambae Stingray is quite the stunner. Two fat fillets of stingray are utterly smothered in Sambae’s signature sambal and grilled on banana leaves. That’s it, it’s as simple as ABC. Despite the process being incredibly simple, this spicy stingray is rather complex.⠀
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While the sambal was a little more watery than I was expecting, it was still undeniably umami. I’m convinced that seafood stock & lots of fish bones went into the making of this scintillating sambal along with the usual suspects of chili padi & belachan paste. The slightly spicy sambal was intensely savoury, with a delectable depth to the saltiness. There’s also a little sweetness to it, an unusual but very welcome variation to the normal sambal.⠀
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Grilling the slabs of stingray on the banana leaf imparts a stronger smokiness to the fish, in addition to the sweet, heady aroma of banana leaf perfuming the fantastic fish. The flesh was, as expected, marvellously moist and every chunk of stingray was positively glistening with all that moisture. The perfectly grilled stingray is slightly briny, and is the perfect canvas for the sambal to turn into an edible work of art. This one’s for you, Steve Irwin. That’s right, the streets don’t forget.⠀
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I’d like to thank @sambaesg for setting up this tasting for my friend & I, this was truly a culinary gem to enjoy!⠀

Quiet Tuesday noon at this Japanese fusion cafe with good coffee! Good deal with burrple beyond and Join their membership for free for $2 rebate with every 20$ for the nx purchase! Will be back for more

I popped in on a weekday late afternoon and it was quiet and cosy. The two lady servers in the shop were warm and friendly. I wasn't expecting much and just needed a place to chill for a bit but the coffee (I ordered cappuccino) was really good! Their sandwich menu looks quite good as well so I'm looking forward to stop by again sometime.