Welcome to North Bridge Road.

a pretty solid hokkien mee (top $5/ bottom $7)!! is on the slightly wetter side, with more beehoon than yellow noodle which i prefer hehe. comes w prawns & PORK BELLY😲 first time seeing it in hokkien mee. beware chilli is spicyyy

With our hunt for anything remotely similar to the viral Bird’s Nest Prata that had originated from Malaysia having yielded at least three different places that serves the same in Singapore, we were actually pretty surprised to learn that there are still more places that we have yet to discover that serves the Roti Sarang Burung around the island. Was tipped off by an acquaintance whom have probably heard about Mihrimah Restaurant elsewhere. For those whom have not heard of Mihrimah Restaurant before, this would be a Muslim-run Halal eatery that is situated along North Bridge Road in the vicinity of Kampong Glam — the establishment having occupied the ground level of a corner shophouse unit that gives it quite a decent amount of space for an eatery of its time. As much as we would probably want to call it a mamak establishment for the sheer convenience of doing so, Mihrimah Restaraunt is not quite that sort of establishment; there is a clear emphasis on serving Muslim fare rather than Indian-Muslim fare here, with counter that is dedicated to Nasi Padang where one can pick the dishes which they desire to be served with white rice like the Chinese-run mixed economic rice stalls in coffeeshop stalls. As indie as the establishment looks to be, Mihrimah Restaurant is actually a brand by GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd; a Malaysian company that does has several ventures in Malaysia, as well as all over the world including Thailand, Indonesia and France. That being said, Mihrimah Restaurant is decked in way that seems to be as simple as possible; foldable tables, plastic chairs and white walls with fittings they come with a blue trim that reflects the branding — nothing that comes across as particularly aesthetic and is particularly stripped down even when compared to similar establishments of its type.

The name of the item that fully resembles that of the Bird’s Nest Prata at Mihrimah Restaurant is actually the “Roti Ikhwan”, which honestly remains a mystery for us considering how “Ikhwan” refers to “brotherhood” in Arabic; the other names that we had seen thus far associated with that of the Bird Nest Prata used elsewhere includes Roti Prata Sarang Burung (which literally translates into Bird’s Nest Roti Prata in English; served at An Nur Shenton Way Famous), the Bull’s Eye (from Prata Lahhh! at Kovan and Changi Village), and the Plaster Prata (from Cafe O). One thing that we also noticed is how Mihrimah Restaurant seemed to refer to its Roti Prata offerings as Roti Canai — essentially the Malaysian term for Roti Prata that is never quite used in Singapore (and the same can be said for the inverse as well). The Roti Ikhwan from Mihrimah Restaurant is also one of the most affordable Bird’s Nest Prata that we have come across so far – priced at $3 a piece. Made fresh upon order, there is some waiting time required for the Roti Ikhwan to be served at our table; it is noted that the Roti Ikhwan comes with two eggs in the middle, and comes with fish curry paired alongside. Just like how Roti Canai would be in Malaysia, they had also served their Roti Ikhwan with a bit of sambal chili on the side as well.

Digging into the Roti Ikhwan, we did feel that the Roti Prata dough is probably one that is the least dense that we have come across — it tears apart easily, but was still crisp on the exterior without being too tough especially when left for a period of time. The two egg yolks were runny; the yolk eagerly flowing with its golden goodness as one pokes it with the fork — great to mop all of it up with the Roti Prata itself. Between the fish curry and the sambal chili, our choice was actually to pair the Roti Ikhwan with the sambal chili — we really liked how the sambal chili had a deep and earthy sweetness that comes also with a mild kick of spiciness that should do ok for those whom have lower tolerance to the heat; this was a contrast against the fish curry which required a bit of build up over time. This is considering the fact that while the fish curry (which comes with bits of sardine) was rich, it did carry an inherently duller note compared to the fish curry which we had elsewhere — it gets more interesting with the deeper, tangier notes after a while, though there just isn’t enough dough in the Roti Ikhwan to really allow it to get there. Considering how Mihrimah Restaurant’s Roti Ikhwan is probably Singapore’s lowest-priced Bird’s Nest Prata out there at $3 and how they are probably the most conveniently-reached one of the lot in town, Mihrimah Restaurant’s Roti Ikhwan is one that those whom have wanted to try Bird’s Nest Prata should head to — not forgetting that they also do serve up that stellar sambal chili in their rendition as well!

Quite crispy and the honey and milk were on point, only problem is that the centre is very stretchy, so it's hard to separate and eat. But taste was good

IDK WHY THEIR PORTIONS ARE SO BIG

Srsly their mixed grill for 2 feeds 4 well, pls be very very careful when you order. We see a lot of tables of 2 ordering some starter, the mixed grill, and drinks, and leaving a large chunk of the grill untouched

When it comes to the food tho, the ckn wings were pretty good, well grilled. The beef chunks had some very tough pieces. Ckn pieces were slightly dry

Ckn and mutton skewers were both tender. Rice was fluffy

Overall decent and portion was super generous

Not v crispy, and quite bland. You rlly mainly just taste mozz and nothing much else, the mushroom taste is nonexistent

Hummus was thick, the minced lamb was surprisingly decent despite how meh it looks

The bread was decent too, with good chew despite the thinness, and crispy at the bottom

Went past the all new Croissand Cafe when the establishment has yet to open its doors and made a mental note to check them out once they had opened its doors — Croissand Cafe is located at City Gate Mall, which is a short walking distance away from Nicoll Highway MRT Station on the Circle Line. It takes over the premises that was one tenanted to a now-defunct Y-Tea near the taxi stand of the building along Jalan Sultan, though there were subsequent tenants that had moved into the space before it eventually became Croissand Cafe. It is a little easy to miss Croissand Cafe from the outside as one passes through the area; the glass facade facing the main road does seem a little reflective, and it is not immediately obvious despite a decal indicating the cafe’s name being stuck on the window to provide a certain degree of noticeability to passers-by in general. The interior space of Croissand Cafe can be said as simple and chic; it wouldn’t be quite right to say that they had went for a minimalistic look though there seems to be attempts made to align to that — what is more evident would be how it is made to look somewhat cosy, yet with the adoption of a largely monotonous colour scheme to keep things simple overall. The namesake of the cafe might sound cheesy without context, though it is likely referring to themselves and their focus on croissant sandwiches on the menu — a word play that fuses both the words “croissant” and “sandwich” into one. Apart from croissant sandwiches though, there are also section le in the menu at Croissand Cafe that are dedicated to Fusion Pasta (available only from 11am to 5pm), Overnight Oats, and Desserts. Beverages available at Croissand Cafe includes the usual range of espresso-based specialty coffee, a range of Iced Refreshers, and Hot Brewed Tea sourced from TWG Tea.

We have actually ordered one of the croissant sandwiches during our visit made to Croissand Cafe, but the item which ended up stealing the limelight of the show during the visit turns out to be the Fluffy Castella Pancake with Maple Syrup & Butter. This was an item which actually genuinely got us very curious on what exactly it was supposed to be, considering how it mentions “Castella” and “Pancake” in its name and was actually listed as an item on the Desserts section of the menu which mostly comprises of Buttermilk Waffles — the Fluffy Castella Pancake with Maple Syrup & Butter being quite the odd one out here. While we placed the order for the Fluffy Castella Pancake with Maple Syrup & Butter at the counter, we were told that the item would require a minimum waiting time of 25mins for it to be served. Patrons ordering the Fluffy Castella Pancake with Maple Syrup & Butter and the various Buttermilk Waffle items also do get a choice to add-on a single scoop of gelato or double scoop of gelato at an additional costs of $5 and $8 respectively. Turns out, this was a giant Castella Pancake that is only baked on the spot to ensure that the diners enjoy the item at its optimal quality. The Castella Pancake comes with a beautiful crack that is perpendicular to each other, forming a cracked centre that allows for a knob of butter to find home within; the maple syrup being drizzled all over the Castella Pancake, with the flow of it following the ridges formed by the cracks.

This was warm, jiggly, incredibly fluffy and soft; there is definitely quite a number of eggs that went into the preparation of the item for how it wafted of an eggy note throughout — does remind us of those wobbly Castella Cakes which was a trendy item a couple of years ago. The icing on the top of the cake here had to be the sweetness of the maple syrup and saltishness of the knob of butter here — a classic combination of flavours that no doubt is comforting; just the right elements to finish things everything off. To be really honest, Croissand Cafe is one of those spots where we did not really bear much of an expectation on their food and beverages before we had made our visit. That being said, their Smoky Masala Chicken with Emmental Cheese and Cherry Tomatoes Croissant was an item that actually impressed us a fair bit considering how we aren’t quite folks who like croissant sandwiches to begin with. Their croissant weeks to be light, flaky and buttery; roasted slightly for a bit of crispness as well — we particularly liked the Masala Chicken; some of the chicken chunks do come with a bit of light wok-hei somewhat, but it was the hint of spices for the masala that really worked for us here. The choice of Emmental cheese does seem to be a factor well considered as well; something that is more neutral tasting to bind all the elements together without adding an extra saltishness that would have made things taste too heavy. With prices ranging from $7 to $9 for its croissant sandwich offerings and all the way to $16 for their Fusion Pasta, patrons do seem to be able to have the ability to choose the items that best suits their budget at Croissand Cafe; an interesting spot in the area to check out.

My favourite tang yuan stall in Singapore - Ah Balling Tangyuan! They also have a stall at One Punggol Hawker Centre!

I love that the tangyuan flavours can be picked ball by ball! Got 2 yam, 2 peanut and 1 matcha tangyuan with peanut ball soup!

Like a comforting yet elevated home dinner prepared by self-taught chef Jeffrey, Ovenbird was everything I expected and more. The casual one-man restaurant was like a gem hidden in the quiet basement of City Gate. As the sole solo dinner there that evening (I secured the slot very last minute as I chanced upon it just days before; truly a very spontaneous dinner plan for me), chef Jeffrey was a very gracious and attentive host, making sure I left rolling and was bursting at the seams from the Autumn menu ($165).

🐟[Hokkaido Herring (Nishin) vinegared for 2 days & Steamed Monkfish Liver (Ankimo)]

-A great starter to whet one’s appetite; the distinctive, mild salty, oily fish flavour of the herring was superbly balanced. The Chinese monkfish liver steamed with sake broth was also wonderfully done as its meaty texture was two thumbs up! And I love that the mild sweetness came without a trace of fishiness.

🐟[Fried Hokkaido Monkfish Fillets (Anko Karaage)]

-Pretty greasy but the sliced Hiroshima Sudachi helped cut the richness. It was my first-time having monkfish fillets, so the firm, plump, muscular texture was a nice surprise.

🐟[Hokkaido Prowfish (Bouzo Ginnpo) aged 9 days, marinated in Sakekasu & Saikyomiso | Ceps/French Porcini and Girolles Mushrooms]

-Brilliant combination, the little East-meets-West number was so tangy and delicious. Similar to cod, the Prowfish was tender, moist and a fantastic blend of firm-flakey. And oh wow, the crisp crunchy fish skin was so good. Slightly boozy, the alcohol-infused cream sauce was stellar too with the bits of earthy fresh French mushrooms.

🐟[Salted Grilled Kanagawa Beltfish aged 8 days (Tachiuou Shioyaki)]

-Spritzed with sake, the grilled beltfish was a simple and satisfying dish. Not grilled all the way through, the seasoned slice was charmingly fatty and soft.

🐟[Grilled Tsushima Mackerel (Ma Saba) vinegared for 3 days wrapped in nori]

-With the slightly pungent yet bright floral taste of the fresh-grated wasabi to tie all the elements together, the wrap really highlighted the delicate briny flavours of the mackerel.

🐟[Hokkaido Japanese Amberjack Loin (Buri) aged 5 days & Ibaraki Radish (Daikon)]

-Whilst braised radish will always have a special place in my heart, the buri was marvellous, aged amberjack at its finest - melty, fatty, perfectly seasoned thick slices with beautiful crisp seared skin. Though flavours were prominently the very familiar, umami soy-sauce dashi base.

🐟[Prawn Shaped Taro (Ebi Imo), Sakuna Pumpkins (Kabu) and Black Hen of the Woods Mushrooms (Kuro Maitake) simmered in Summer Unagi Eel Sauce, Coho Salmon]

-At this point, I was ready to call it a day but I pushed on. The ebi-imo with its intriguing texture was rather firm, not all that fibrous and none too sweet. A hearty autumn dish with sweet pumpkin and salmon bathing in a slight herbaceous sauce.

🐟[Miyagi Shiogama Blue Fin Tuna (Hon Maguro), Grilled Shimonita Leeks (Negi), Marinated Salmon Roe Sacs (Sujiko), Ibaraki Smoked Daikon Pickles (Iburi-gakko) with Sushi Rice (shari)]

-Going over the top with his idea of a ‘cai peng’ - calling it ‘2 meat 1 veg’; the exquisite bowl was a treat. Apart from the boozy Sujiko which was a bit too much for me, the elements were great. The roughly cut Maguro was amazing - high-quality buttery texture. In place of wasabi, the charred leeks were insanely sharp and kinda spicy yet moreish. And wah, the crunchy, smokey daikon pickles that came in mid-way during the meal was the best part. The unique smoky aroma was so shiok - full-bodied, savoury with a hint of sweetness.

🍐[Seasonal Fruits - Le Lectier & Le France Pears]

Once you reach this stall, you would find lots of people waiting around it. Unlike the traditional ordering system, you don’t rush to join any visible queue here. Because you have to collect the number plate hanging at the side of the stall first.

Then wait for your number to be called, only you make your order with them. Which they will prepare your food immediately after payment.

All their sets are standard come with Ajitsuke Tamago, Pressed Tofu, Tofu Puff, Shiitake Mushroom, Black Fungus, Vegetables and rice. Add-on is available as well.

I can see why they are so popular here, considering the portion and taste. Really enjoy the overload dark sauce with the meat.

The pork belly has really fatty texture in every pieces, but they does get a bit overwhelming at the end.

Was scrolling through social media one day and found out about the new Strait Jacket that had recently sprouted up around Haji Lane. Turns out, Strait Jacket takes over the former premises of what used to be Emporium by Wassies, being situated at the second level of the shophouse located at 48 Haji Lane. The space had seen some sort of revamp since its days being Emporium by Wassies — gone would be the NFT-themed elements and the space seems to have undergone a more “underground” look with posters and graffiti art adorning its walls instead. The seating for dine-in customers are a mix-and-match of various kinds of furniture; from couch seatings matched with coffee tables to proper dining tables and chairs as well as bean bags — a bit of a rebellious character that is fun when all comes together. Strait Jacket is essentially a retail-cum-cafe concept; the retail section featuring a small selection of streetwear and is segregated somewhat away from the espresso bar and the food preparation area. Considering the lack of a proper kitchen space at Strait Jacket, they do actually serve up a small variety of soufflé pancakes and waffles for those whom are feeling peckish. Otherwise, the drinks menu comprises of a variety of Chai, drinking chocolate and espresso-based specialty coffee offerings. Some notable offerings are Strait Jacket includes a Chilli Chocolate, Chilli Mocha, Orange Mocha and a Lemonade Espresso — just to name a few.

Since we were still hungry when we arrived Strait Jacket in the afternoon, it was needless to say that we were going to give their soufflé pancake offerings a try. Strait Jacket does offer a small variety of two different types of soufflé pancakes on their menu — the Big Ol’ OG Pancake and Berry Creamy Pancake. It is noted that the soufflé pancakes are items which require a wait time of around 15minutes per order; a rather standard requirement especially for soufflé pancakes that are made on the spot. The batter is whipped on the spot upon the order being made at the counter — the Big Ol’ OG Pancake being an item which is being described to come with elements such as soufflé pancakes, honey and butter based on what is being mentioned on the menu. Simple as it may look on first sight, but it also does carry a really indulgent aesthetic considering how it has been drenched with honey and comes with a strip of butter over the top. We wouldn’t say that this was the lightest soufflé pancakes we have ever had; that being said, the soufflé pancakes here are definitely moist enough and slightly on the dense side of things — still satisfying fluffy whilst also carrying an evident eggy note as well. The generous drizzling of honey and knob of butter provided much of the flavour that the Big Ol’ OG Pancake needs; just sweet enough with a slight hint of savouriness — quite the indulgence without being over the top. We also gave their Espresso Tonic a go — that tonic water providing a slight sweetness and tanginess to the espresso shot; all that with a bit of carbonation to spruce things up a little. Make use of their Lunch Combo deal that runs between 11am to 2pm that allows one to order the Big Ol’ OG Pancake with any drink on the drinks menu at $10.90; definitely a unique location that is a hideout from the hustle and bustle along the ground level of Haji Lane that is worth checking out if in the area.

Have heard quite a fair bit about the new Siesta which had just recently opened its doors at 41 Sultan Gate — located just above Overrice that is situated at the ground floor, the entry to Siesta is actually behind the black door beside the door leading to Overrice. The door, which is labelled with Siesta’s logo and comes with details of its opening hours and some of its offerings, leads one to a staircase that one would head up to find Siesta at the end of it. Siesta is actually a Muslim-run establishment; a little bit of a small nook on its own which is decked in a way that looks really comfy especially in the evenings; the interior features a mix of wooden elements against a mahogany-coloured wall towards the right of the space — all that being matched up with plush couch seatings and white walls all around for a really cosy look with dim lighting that is great to lounge around with some of their fancy concoctions of drinks. Despite the size of the space which seats 16 pax across 5 tables which can fit groups two to six pax each, Siesta does offer a rather wide range of food items in its menu to cater to their patrons — the menu consists of sections dedicated to Pita Dips, Toasties, Fries, Rice Bowls, Pita Pockets and Bites; there are also a small variety of desserts, as well as an “Uh … Anything” which is much like an omakase-style dish for those whom just don’t have an idea of what they want to order — a surprise dish served up by the chef. The list of beverages would be in the “Special Sips” section; which includes interestingly-named concoctions like the Killmonger (i.e. Milo Ice-Blend), Heart Racing (i.e. Brown Sugar Milk Tea) and Shrek’s Love Potion (i.e. Matcha Latte with Oat Milk, Coffee and a dash of Cinnamon).

One of the reasons why Siesta is able to serve up a wide variety of items on their menu might be due to their affiliations with Overrice situated downstairs — we did notice a few similarities in some of its menu items like the Pita Pockets, as well as the Broadway Banana Pudding; the latter even being listed in Overrice as an item being sourced from Okieco; this was especially obvious as we observed that our own order of the Creme Brulee (Durian) came from downstairs, and so did the order of some Pita Pockets from another table which was also there during our visit. Nonetheless, the items listed on the Toasties listed on the menu are actually prepared in the small kitchen area of Siesta itself — this includes the Beefin’ It Up which we ordered. The menu mentions the Beefin’ It Up to come with elements such as grain-fed beef, caramelised onions, pickles, cheese, tomatoes and honey mustard. Think of this as pretty much of a grilled cheese sandwich with a meat element; this is especially so considering how the Toasties came to the table being sliced into two, revealing all the stringy, melted cheese within.

Taking a bite into the Toasties, we really liked how the bread is toasted to a crunch here — not sure if it is sourdough that they have used here, but this was served up all warm with a crispness on the exterior all the way to even the skin around it; the bread being rather easy to chew through as well considering it has been toasted. Going through everything that comes in between, the grain-fed beef actually comes in rather thickly-sized strips; these were a little gamey in our opinion though it does seem to be done so on purpose anyway — also provided for quite a meaty bite as well. We are also not forgetting about the stringy, melted cheese that is all oozy and comes with that cheese-pull effect that is once termed as instagrammable, while the inclusion of caramelised onions provided for a sweetness against the pickles that gave it some crunch and a bit of sour tang to reset the taste buds. One can also find slices of tomatoes in here, which adds a bit of moisture and a mellow tang that worked well with the pickles. During our visit, we had also given the Creme Brulee (Durian) a go; was also the only dessert item that was available for the day. The Creme Brulee (Durian) came with a satisfying crystallised sugar layer over the top; shatters perfectly as one digs into the molten creme brulee that carried evident notes of the King of Fruits beneath. Meanwhile, the Hypnotise Me is described as an “Iced Creamy Latte” on the menu — comes sweetened by default. With prices for mains such as the Toasties, Rice Bowls and Pita Pockets being between $8 to $16, Siesta does find itself being a decent spot to visit for a cosy setting and cafe-style fare — though its operating hours does seem a little odd since they are only open from 5pm to 9pm on Wednesday to Fridays, 12nn to 9pm on Saturdays and 12nn to 6pm on Sundays; a little difficult to catch. Still, a spot worth considering to visit if one manages to get a seat in this tiny nook anyway.