Yayoiken - Good Value for Money

Having been to Hai Di Lao and Saboten countless of times, I had always seen Yayoi's advertisement in the lift. Though its design cannot entice me to give this restaurant a try. It was by sheer coincidence that I went in to try out its set meals. The rational is: since it is cheap, ranging from $9.90 to $18.90, so why not. If the food there is meh, at least my wallet will bleed as much as my taste buds, not literally, of course.

The interior is modern zen where the place is partitioned into many sections. The good part is that there is a level of privacy, and the bad is there is no people watching.

The highlight of Yayoi are definitely the Teishoku meals. The huge variety of set lunches features stir-fried vegetables and meat, fried food, grilled food and even patties. The ingredients used taste pretty fresh, and the seasonings are done just right: tasty but not too salty. Surprisingly, there is free flow of quality rice, given how low the prices of the set meals are. The only drawback of the food is that the cooking standard varies slightly in different days. The first time I had the yasai itame, the meat and vegetables are well-soaked in the light sauce. On the second occasion, the ingredients seemed drier and plainer in taste.

Though I do not recommend the katsu meals because the deep fried breadcrumbs coating the meat really cut the tongue and palates, just like most CUTlets do. And avoid the sashimi also.

Still, for a wallet-friendly, quality meal around Orchard area, the place is one of the good choices. Not to mention that there are Japanese patronizing this place; goes to say how good the food here is.

My Thoughts: Not Bad

https://www.yayoi.sg/contact

Ginza Kuroson (Takeshimaya) - Quality Japanese Food at Good Prices

Closed

Kurosan is one of those Japanese restaurants that features an extensive menu of lunch sets, and in terms of variety and general quality of the food, I give thumbs-up to these.

At first sight, the interior looks impressive. The seats are spacious, so there is no elbow rubbing with one's neighbour. However, when seated at the counter, I was greeted with the sight of the Japanese produce and seafood. It is pretty tempting to order them.

The nagekomi here is filled with lots of different fishes, so much that the variety will dazzle one's tastebuds. I had the ama ebi, salmon, akami, hamachi, salmon roe, minced fish, tamago and a number of others packed onto the bowl of sublime tasting rice. Moist grains of rice are smooth and starchy in texture, each is imbued with fragrant sushi vinegar. They are soft yet not mushy—signs of rice wellcooked. The raw fishes are very fresh, and I like the addition of the minced fish, adding variety to this dish. But somehow, I didn't enjoy this chirashi entirely. After dining at Syun, I figured that I am not into chirashi. My companion did absolutely enjoy his bowls of nagekomi on our second time, third and fourth there.

My favourite got to be the negitoro rice bowl. Fresh minced tuna belly, topped with chopped spring onions and real wasabi, this dish is bursting with flavours. Spring onions can do wonders to the taste of food, and in this case, raw fatty fish meat. Not as sublime as the negitoro in Shinji, but good (and wallet-friendly) for me to indulge in.

The shrimp and avocado bowl is another good choice—the number of unique set lunch choices is so many that it is possible to patronize this place many times within a short span of time. The avocado introduces a creamy texture and neutral taste, saved for a slight bitterness of fresh vegetables, to the sushi rice, accentuating the taste of brine in the cooked shrimps. The sour-cream-like sauce adds the zing and tangy flavour, which stir up things, in a good way.

I give double thumbs-up to the grilled pork. The meat is super fresh, tender and grilled to perfection. The seasonings is simple, just some salt and a dash of sauce at the side to let the ingredients shine through and do their magic on the palates.

The appetizer changes according to availability of ingredients. The first time, it is pretty good, whetting the appetite, like the pickles I had in Nijumaru. The appetizer I had on the second visit is cooked tuna cubes, which taste very fishy, just like the one I had in Aoki. And just like that time, I had difficulty finishing it. There are other times where the appetizers are so good that they can be considered as dishes in their own. The salad is a huge meh—too generic to warrant any attention. Desserts are okay, coming in the form of pudding and custard. Yes, no watermelon! Though they are just those nice custard found in bakeries, instead of being unique in any way.

The service is good and professional though the staff was very down-to-business. Any casual chitchat with them will be met with smiles and a short reply, then full stop. I must be spoiled by the excellent service in other establishments, like Mad about Sucre, Holiday Inn Tandoori, to nitpick on this. The good part is that they are focused in attending to the needs of the patrons, which is all good.

During a recent visit, we were ushered into a hidden dining room. The vibe there is cosier, so I highly recommend opting to dine there. We were very impressed by the hospitality of chef Tommy stationed there since he took note of our preferences and dietary restrictions and chatted with us about the food—it is always good to know more to appreciate the food. The Japanese chef there is polite and goes the extra mile for the patrons. I definitely prefer to enjoy my meal in this room over the main area.

This is one restaurant I will always be going back due to the sheer variety of quality set lunches and the negitoro rice bowl, which is not easily available elsewhere.

Update: There is a branch at Robertson Quay now! And the food is as good.

Update as of Jul 2019: This restaurant had changed management and things are not what they were used to be. The fishes are not as fresh and the cuts are awful, yielding pieces of sashimi that are too thick and too big to be finished in a mouthful. Will not support them anymore.

My Thoughts: It is one of my Favourite Haunts!

This restaurant is no longer in operation.

Syun - Waxing Lyrical about Spring

The name of this restaurant, Syun, is actually referring to spring, and yes, the experience of dining is reminiscent of spring, especially the food.

The entrance of Syun has the layout of a Japanese wooden cottage, which is very scenic. So things are looking promising right from the get-go. The moment one steps into the restaurant, one will be greeted with the sight of the chefs displaying their skills behind the counter. The interior setting is more of a combination of rustic and elegant styles due to the dark wooden furniture and pillars.

The salad served with the set lunch is good—the second time I give such comment to the accompanying salad to Japanese set lunch. The yuzu dressing not only gives the kick to the dish, its aroma soaks into the raw vegetables so that they carry the flavour instead of being bland leaves glazed with oil and seasoning.

The chirashi sushi set is an aesthetically pleasing dish where multitude of warm colours of the cubes of fishes is given the spring treatment with the scattering of flower petals over the sashimi. The flowers add that sweet, mild flora fragrance into the overall taste. The fishes are fresh though they are kind of moist on the surface, which can be improved on. After the meal here and the chirashi I had at Kuroson, I feel that I am not into chirashi, so I cannot be raving about this dish. The comparison I can made between the chirashi of these two places is that Syun has the dimension in taste while Kuroson has the variety.

The sake brewed from flower yeast is exceptional: smooth and sweet, with hints of floral aroma. A must order.

I wish I can say more about Syun since the place looks to be potential. However, as I had only tried the chirashi that did not impress me a lot, I can only add more on the second visit.

My Thoughts: Pretty Good

Nearest car park: RWS car park

Nearest MRT: Habourfront

8 Sentosa Gateway

Level 2 World Square

Resorts World Sentosa

Singapore

Contact No: 65776688

Joe and Dough - Excellent Chocolate Cake

There is a cafe hidden behind the row of makeshift vendors on the first floor of Orchard Central. And it is one hidden gem of the place, after Jewels Artisans had closed and NUOC had shifted to Elizabeth Hotel. Want to lounge around and enjoy good cakes at Somerset area? Look for this secret cafe instead of heading to crowded Lady M for mediocre cakes.

The place is small, but it is less crowded, and the dark wood setting induces a cosy feeling. The service is okay.

What makes this place a keeper is the Trio Chocolate cake. Most chocolate cakes can hardly impress me, unless they are made with premium chocolate—Belgium chocolate, for the record, are not exactly considered as premium. This chocolate cake at Joe and Dough wins me over with its richness and the seamless combination of custard, praline biscuit base and different types of chocolates—both dark and milk. The cake part is crumbly though a bit dry and coarse. But thanks to the layering of the mentioned ingredients of the cake, the end result is a sweet smooth chocolatey goodness with a variety of textures and flavours. No boring, flat taste that is typical of lots of chocolate cakes.

Another highlight is the Blueberry Yoghurt Cheese Tart. The marriage of yoghurt and cream cheese is a match made in heaven—this tart looks heavenly also with its filling part taking on a white cloud-like appearance. The yoghurt tends more towards the greek variety in terms of taste: very thick in consistency and creaminess and not as sour as the common yoghurts. So the yoghurt balance out the taste of cheese to leave that lingering aroma of cheese intact while achieving a mild, light overall taste for the tart. A must try.

Pandan cake with gula melaka is saved by the intense flavour and moist texture of the gula melaka and grated coconut. Unlike the usual variety that made up of chiffon sponge, the pandan cake here is a butter cake, just like the Chocolate Trio. The texture is also the same, but I prefer such cakes over the plain chiffon due to my preference for richness in cakes. The gula melaka and coconut makes this an exceptional Pandan Cake that is more sinful to indulge in than its counterparts. Worth a try.

I am glad that I give this place a second try and get to try the Trio and went on to try other creations. The first time I went there, the SG50 chocolate cupcake I had is so dry that I kind of strike this cafe off my list.

One thing to note: given the coarse, heavy consistency of the cakes here, maybe it is better to give the cupcakes a miss.

All in all, the cakes here, which are of good quality, are slightly cheaper than those in other nearby places, so this is my favourite cafe in Orchard Area.

My Thoughts: Nice!

Nearest car park: Somerset 313's car park

Nearest MRT: Somerset

Orchard Gateway

227 Orchard Road #01-10

Contact No: 67024656

Patties & Wiches - One of the Better Choices for Cafes in Orchard

Closed

Orchard Road, especially around Takashimaya, is a great place to go (window) shopping. It is great if there are a lot of good choices of restaurants and cafes to hang out at after all the walking. The number of restaurants and cafes are countless, but only few offer good quality food to the niche market. While Takashimaya has Kuroson, Tampopo, Angus, Shaw has Shabu Shabu Gen, and Cuppage contains a whole trove of treasures, there are hardly any good cafes or bakeries around Orchard area. So due to the lack of worthy competition, Patties & Wiches provides a fairly decent choice to tuck into some pretty good cakes and enjoy good coffee.

I have no idea why the owner named this place "Patties & Wiches" because I decided to give it a miss the first time I passed by it due to the name sounds generic and that does not say a lot about what the cafe is all about. But after going to Paul's to find the place full and the cake selection looking unattractive, I turned back to Patties & Wiches since the place of black and white theme does look attractive and is reminiscent of one of those Japanese inspired Western cafes.

The cakes are creations of Chef Yamashita, who is the one behind those sublime cakes of Flor. So yes, cakes are, of course, good. I tried the chocolate cake with chestnut cream. The chestnut cream and the vanilla cream are no doubt very light, mildly yet bursting with creamy goodness, as expected of Flor's cakes. The chestnut cream is still one of the best I ever have, due to the good balance of sweetness and earthy aroma of the chestnuts—too much chestnuts will render the cream bitter while too little makes it taste like normal cream. Though the chocolate sponge in the cake is kind of meh. It is flat in taste, a bit too bitter and pretty dry in texture. I had heard about how the chocolate cakes in Flor are the lacklustre ones in the line-up. Guess it is true, based this first time experience.

The Chou-Pop is good. While the shell is nothing to shout about—at least it is not rubbery like those usual ones—the cream is thick and made with quality ingredients, such as real vanilla.

I did not try the coffee, but my companion gave the thumbs-up to the coffee.

Service is decent but not exemplary. Still, this place is a better choice to go to as compared to few others around the area. Though take note that the prices of the cakes here are exemplary. Nine dollars for a cake ... the cakes at Flor are not that expensive, saved for the sublime Bara that is decorated with real gold flakes. Considering that the cakes at Lady M are around nine dollars price range, this cafe is still the better choice.

My Thoughts: Nice!

This cafe is no longer in operation.

Henri Charpentier - Pretty (and) Impressive

Actually, I was not expecting a lot from Henri Charpentier due to the not-so-fantastic experience at Lady M—the chain restaurants' famous origins can hardly tempt me into trying their offerings. In addition, I do have a preference for quaint bakeries where the head chef is usually based here. All in all, Henri Charpentier impresses me with the meticulous, striking, grand interior and great play of colours through the pairing of fuscia canopy and rustic wooden outdoor flooring against the backdrop of lush greenery. The ambience there is as if it is fit for the royals, in a modern, trendy, casual setting.

The cakes are very beautifully crafted also, looking really delicious. Talking about aesthetics, there are decorations adorning the plates used for serving the cakes. Well, nice effort in having a focus on keeping up on the look, feel and theme of the place. Though I do wonder if the decorations are needed, especially if I have to wait for a while before the cakes arrived.

The Strawberry Shortcake is easily the biggest slice of strawberry shortcake, or cake, for that matter, that I had tried. Neat, nicely placed strawberries in the centre of the cake further enhance its yummy-looking factor. The cream is very light and has a faint aroma of fresh cream. The sponge is quite a disappointment, being dry and rough in texture. Luckily, the generous amount of cream slathered into and on the cake redeems this creation by imparting moisture to the sponges when eaten together.

The blueberry is one of lightest and most unique cheesecakes I had tried. This cheesecake comes in the mousse form, so it is like tucking into airy whipped cream cheese. The right balance of sweetness and the slight hint of sourness of the blueberry jam complements the cheese mousse very well. I do like this cake a lot due to its uniqueness and being one of those cheesecakes that is not heavy.

Since we were the first customers to have our desserts there, I did not encounter any hiccups in the service. 

Given that the price of the cakes here is comparable to those in Lady M, with the quality of the cakes and the ambience being better in Henri Charpentier, it is no brainer that I will choose Henri Charpentier anytime of the day. The only thing is that this place is more of the place that I will definitely visit if dining at Dempsey Hill, rather than specially trekking up to there for the desserts.

Anyway, the cakes are recommended, and this patisserie is one of the better chain stores, by several notches, among its peers.

My Thoughts: Sweet Bliss!

Note: This branch is no longer in operation. Outlet is shifted to Orchard Central.

Culina - Excellent Appetizers, Good Mains

Culina is one of those trendy, modern places where, surprise, families like to dine in. The all-white theme, coupled with the bright light from the sun, does create a family-friendly environment. Maybe it is also because of the mini supermarket section that occupied a side of the restaurant. The "auntie" nature in me was activated when I set my sights on the impressive display of the freshest quality produce.

Being the supplier of premium produce to the restaurants, it is totally expected of this place to serve up dishes made from the freshest ingredients. Culina did not disappoint on this aspect.

The oysters are unbelievably fresh, even fresher than those in the best restaurants in Singapore. Absolutely not a hint of the fishy smell is detected. The Wild Big Oyster is so sublime with its light nutty flavour and plump, succulent flesh. Fines de Claire oysters from Marennes have less meat, but the lingering taste of the ocean packed in these oysters makes for divine treats. Lemon slices and vinaigrette can be added for the extra kick and taste. Though the oysters are good enough to be eaten on their own.

The charcuterie platter offers few interesting appetizers not normally found elsewhere. The ham with lots of spices, in the likes of paprika, added is full of flavours, ranging from the slightly tangy, a bit of hotness to the robust flavour of smoked meat. Nice twist to the otherwise generic ham. The duck terrines are a bit too salty though I find the aroma of duck fat mixed with the minced duck meat to be quite irresistible.

The bread is extremely light and fluffy in texture, exactly how I like it.

With the best ingredients used in the dishes, the mains are pretty okay since it is quite hard to go wrong with premium produce, unless one is a terrible cook. However, after this, the importance of an excellent chef comes into the picture. Under the hands of a good chef, the ingredients can take a life of their own to tell their stories, interesting, out-of-this-world, adventurous or enchanting, to the diners. The thing with the mains here is that they did not achieve this. The chicken is well-roasted with crispy skin, but the meat is dry. And the portion is too big. One whole chicken consisting of dry, somewhat plain meat proves to be a challenge to finish by oneself. I got to take a quick bite of the Atlantic Cod—firm flesh, nice and not fishy, but the cooking method did not release the inherent aroma of the sea that is locked in the fish. To be fair, the fish is better than the ones I had in quite a number of European restaurants, like Les Amis.

The service is okay, particularly efficient. I happened to see a Caucasian staff preparing the just-vacated table for the next group of diners, he was smiling throughout the preparation. I am not sure if he is trained to do so, or he really loves his job. Either way, a smiling face on a staff always makes the patrons feel at ease and lightens their moods. The smile was still there when we called for the bill. So thumbs-up to that.

I will definitely visit this place for the oysters. In fact, I don't think I will bother to order oysters at any places other than Culina. My plan, and my suggestion, is to go crazy on the appetizers and order a main for sharing.

Update: Love the mains of Spaghetti with Spanner Crabmeat! The spaghetti is of just slightly more cooked than al dente, which I still like since spaghetti cooked to this degree still retains the smoothness of al dente pasta while being a bit softer. The sauce is spicy tomato so it hits all the notes in the flavour spectrum, making this dish a very hearty treat. What I like most about this mains is of course the generous amount of fresh crabmeat added!

And I had tried the fries of the Fish n Chips, it is the best french fries due to the wholesome flavour of the potato packed within.

My Thoughts: Wholesome Food, and it is the place I always go to for oysters!

Nearest car park: Dempsey Hill's open air car park. Go early to secure a good slot.

Nearest MRT: Queenstown, be prepared to walk a lot

8 Dempsey Road

#01-13

Singapore

Contact No: 64747338

Shinzo Japanese Cuisine - Delightful

After a recent string of good finds, I am excited to find another one: Shinzo Japanese Cuisine where I can get exceedingly fresh sashimi at an amazing price.

The interior of the restaurant is more of the minimalist zen type, kind of reminds me of the environment in Shinji, except for the atmosphere here that is more boisterous and casual. Almost all of the seats in there are around the counter, saved for two tables near the entrance. The place is not big, but it does have that cosy feel.

Time to rave about the sashimi: for a lunch set of $38, I got a platter of thick slices and morsels of fresh, raw seafood that are beautifully arranged on the plate. Salmon, mekajiki, hamachi, fish roe cake, hotate, ama ebi and yes, chutoro—all expertly prepared and have that firm texture indicating the freshness.  Mekajiki, hamachi and especially chutoro can especially have that offensive fishy smell if are not of the freshest quality, so the moment I tried the mekajiki here, my expectations was raised. And the chutoro—I am actually apprehensive about trying otoro in most establishments since a lot had disappointed me on this aspect—has none of that smell despite being laden with fish fats. This fatty slice of meat may not have that melt-in-your-mouth quality, but it has that buttery flavour that I appreciate. The hotate and ama ebi are so sweet that I finished them up with just a dash of horseradish.

The supposedly generic salad also surprised me. Fresh springy seaweed—the purple rough strands among layers of vegetables—are added to impart a very unique texture and a dash of unami to the dish. The batter used for the tempera is very well-done in the sense that it is of a very thin layer, so that I don't feel like eating copious amount of fried starch, and is extremely crispy, even after I set it aside for a while before tucking into it.

Another highlight of the meal is the spicy tuna maki. It is not spicy, more of sweet, but I am loving it because mashed tuna with chopped spring onions added totally works for me. This is so tasty that I rank this as my second favourite maki. The last savoury dish served is the soba in clear broth. The taste is extremely light, where the flavours come from the seaweed added. Feeling very full, the refreshing soba, instead of a heavy starch-laden dish, is welcomed. The honeydew is oh-so-sweet. The watermelon is, well, kind of like the lowlight of the meal, but it is just a minor gripe.

The service is excellent: friendly and very meticulous. The service staff make the efforts to introduce each dish when serving up the food, and will even inform that the raw items in the set meal can be changed if one only eats cooked food. I am impressed, really.

Not only am I going to be a regular of this restaurant, I am going to recommend this place to others.

My Thoughts: Very Nice!

Nearest car park: URA's open air car park along Carpenter Street

Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay

17 Carpenter Street

Singapore

Contact No: 64382921

Shirokiya - Very Unique Dishes

Closed

The menu does feature lots of rare and unique Japanese dishes that cannot be found in other restaurants. And they sure look temptingly delicious. The only issue is that a fat wallet is needed to try out all of them since the price is a notch above that of usual Japanese fare. The good part is that I can try different dishes on subsequent visits due to the huge variety of food.

For the Fried Rice with Crab Meat, the rice portion seems to taste a bit bland on the first bite due to the lack of salt and oil. However, after a few more mouthful, the inherent aroma of the rice comes through. The use of less oil actually makes this dish more enjoyable to tuck into. Not to mention that more skills are required to stir fry food with less oil. When paired with the generous topping of real crab meat and shredded dried seaweed, the result is bursting with the goodness of the sea. One of the best fried rice I have, most probably, for now.

The collagen hotpot seems like one of the main attractions, and frankly speaking, the seafood spread looks very attractive, where the fresh ingredients filled the pot almost to the brim. Though I will say that the star of this dish is the clear, light, tasty broth. Even the tofu-like pieces of solidified collagen are clear in colour. As compared to the hearty, strong-tasting soup in Tsukada Nojo, I prefer Shirokiya's soup base since it is packed with subtle favours yet not overwhelming. However, unlike the unique and wholesome range of ingredients that Tsukada Nojo prepares for hotpot, the ones of Shirokiya are pretty generic: prawns (the best part), chicken pieces (kind of like randomly cut) and the usual suspects of vegetables used for most hotpot, cabbage, carrot, golden mushrooms and shitake mushrooms.

Thus I find that the kurobuta pork hotpot set is a much better choice, where I can enjoy the soup and the generous helping of thinly sliced fresh kurobuta pork. A sprinkle of freshly grated black pepper onto the meat gives the extra kick and oomph.

The freshly made hot tofu, when combined with the bonito flakes, grated ginger, special sauce and chopped spring onions, tastes really flavourful. Though it is a bit like the stone soup—good when eaten with condiments, a tad plain when eaten on its own. I find that the hot tofu brings out the flavours of accompanying condiments while the cold one, which looks better at serving, mutes those tastes. I do like the presentation of the hot tofu, where the staff carries out a Japanese wooden tub and then scoops out the tofu from it.

The tori karaage is not exactly what I call healthy food, but Shirokiya presents the healthier version by reducing the salt. Taste wise, it is plainer, still palatable though. Not exactly a noteworthy dish.

The second floor feels cosy due to the wooden furniture, sliding doors and panels. The pictures of sceneries in Japan decorate the walls, imparting a modern yet distinctively Japanese feel to the place. Though making one's way to the staircase to second floor is, well, not pleasant. The walkway is narrow, and there is a part where the dirty utensils are piled up at the side.

The service varies from good to neutral to not-so-friendly. Quite a number has that poker face on a busy Friday night, no major issue, but also no points for this. One of the staff, Xandrea, is one of the exceptions who is cheerful, helpful and friendly. I will like this place a lot more if all staff are like her. The front counter staff is full of smiles, which is what attracted me to give the food here a try—yes, one of those few times I just walk in to check out the place without doing any research.

Note: After patronising this place many times, I find the overall service to be getting better. In fact, we feel very comfortable when dining there because of the helpful, genuinely friendly staff. 

I do enjoy dining in Shirokiya, not including the journey to the staircase. So will visit again.

My Thoughts: Very Nice!

This restaurant is no longer in operation.

Tamaya Dining - Authentic Japanese Dining Experience

At the recommendation of a Japanese chef of the best Japanese restaurant in Singapore, Shinji, I decided to check out Tamaya and the row of restaurants at Cuppage Terrace. And I was pleasantly surprised by the great finds there.

One of the biggest motivating factor to visit Tamaya is the authentic Japanese dining experience where the patrons get to dine at the low tables in traditional Japanese horigotatsu style with screens between each table for some privacy. Sitting seiza style is not required since there is a sink-in area underneath the table for some leg space. Getting the attention of the attentive service staff is surprisingly easy, in spite of being on the more secluded second floor.

As for the food, the variety is pretty impressive, ranging from the staples of sashimi and sushi to those items not regularly found in other Japanese restaurants. One of my favourites is the Otsumami Chashu, roast pork that is like no others. Served cold, this roast pork, made up of swirls of fat and meat, is soft to the bite and is packed with the sweet flavour of slightly charred meat. I am very impressed with how the fat, which is creamy instead of gelatinous, renders the overall texture of the meat to be smooth. I will usually pick off the fat from my dishes, but I gladly make an exception for this dish.

Another one that send me raving about it is the Iron pot Rice with Chicken and Burdock Root. The presentation of the rice topped with meat and vegetable served in a dainty iron pot encased in wooden box had already made me excited about getting a bite of it. I was not disappointed. The fragrance of the quality rice, imbued with the aroma of fresh chicken and burdock root, is concentrated into that little pot to yield incredibly flavourful rice. Every grain of it is absolutely not spared.

The Yasai Itame, stir-fried vegetables, is good as it retains a bit of the crunch of fresh vegetables and is not too salty. Though it is not really outstanding in any particular aspect. Another pretty good dish is Tonpei Yaki, egg omelette with pork and shredded cabbage. The fresh ingredients and the combination of runny egg mixture drizzled over cabbage and pork result in a wholesome and healthy appetizer. I suggest to add some soya sauce to this because the unseasoned raw cabbage may taste to be a tab plain.

The sole lowlight of the repertoire of dishes ordered is the yakitori moriawase. The sticks of grilled food are dry and tasteless. To make things worse, most of the items included in the moriawase are not the specialities of this restaurant ... at least that is my impression since specialities should not be epic fail in terms of both texture and taste, consisting of strange items in the likes of green chilies, chicken skin and chicken gizzards that is rubbery hard. Only the chicken meat is decent, in fact, it is pretty tasty. The better idea is to order individual kushiyaki items instead of the moriawase.

I am glad to find another Japanese restaurant to be added into my list of restaurants that I will patronize often. Tamaya does offer an authentic and a relatively unique dining experience that sets it apart from the competitors and gives me the incentive to visit it once in a while.

My Thoughts: Nice!

Nearest car park: Cuppage Plaza's car park

Nearest MRT: Somerset

45 Cuppage Terrace

Cuppage Road

Singapore

Contact No: 68353539

Osaka Ohsho Gyoza Bo - Mouth-watering Dumplings

Okay, the place is dingy but clean. The service is so-so but effective and quite friendly at times. The main attraction of this restaurants are the gyozas that prove to be hearty in taste. In fact, this place and Canton Paradise are the only two food establishments that I will patronize in Ang Mo Kio Hub.

What I like about the gyozas here are that each dumpling are stuffed to the brim with fresh, juicy meat, mixed with generous amount of cabbage for that variation in flavours and imbuing a refreshing taste to the stuffing, cutting down the oiliness. The pan fried ones are the best since the slightly charred flour adds a kick to the overall taste and accentuates the flavour of the meat.

The sui gyozas are pretty tasty when paired with the chilli oil. The fried ones are surprisingly meh, considering how good the original gyozas are. The fried skin is too hard, and the meat juices are lost due to the frying process.

For a good, filling, quick meal, this is the place I will always consider.

My Thoughts: Pretty Good

https://osakaohsho.com.sg/index.php/store-locator

Pantler - Nice Cakes

I had been wanting to try out the cakes in Pantler when I read about this place on a magazine. Not that I am easily enticed into checking out the restaurants and bakeries. There is something about Pantler that leaves a deep impression on me. Should be due to the unique array of cake offerings and the philosophies of the owners. Well, I finally have the time to make a trip down to there. The cakes didn't disappoint, with exception to Cassis Mont Blanc.

The must-try of this bakery got to be the Figaro, which I feel is one of the best berries cake. The issue with most berries cake is that most are either too sour due to the overwhelming amount of berries added in between layers, or the berries are more for decoration, so the end result tastes more like a cream cake, rather than a berries one. Pantler got the delicate ratio right for Figaro: there are enough berries to retain that pronounced aroma and taste of the fresh berries, thus giving dimensions to the overall taste, yet not overshadowing the light taste of mascarpone that introduces the delightful creaminess to the cake. It is so good that I tucked in to another cake with great expectations.

But alas, Cassis Mont Blanc is quite a disappointment. I love the huge dollop of cream on top since it is very light but full of creamy goodness. I actually ate that part by itself to fully appreciate its taste, not marred by rest of the cake. The chestnut cream does have that distinct earthy taste and fragance of chestnuts, which is great. However, I find the texture to be grittier than the one I had at Flor. The disastrous part is the biscuit base with cassis. Chestnut cream cannot go well with sour fruits, especially cassis with that black currant's taste. The sharp acidity is killing the harmonious, milder flavour of chestnut. I ended up eating the chestnut part separately from the cassis biscuit base because the combination of the two is too awful to take.

Yatsura, the rich praline cake, helped to salvage things before I branded Figaro as the only cake here worth trying. Unlike Figaro, which is quite daring in terms of taste, Yatsura has that classic, familiar flavours typical of praline cake. In terms of taste, it is good in every way. Every mouthful of this cake is bursting with nutty aroma of hazelnuts that go perfectly well with the chocolate. The mousse is very smooth, and the wafer bits added dimensions to the texture that I give two thumbs-up to. Though Figaro is still my favourite since Yatsura doesn't explore new grounds in taste, thus not exciting my taste buds.

Ambience there is pretty chic, nested among a row of shophouses. The service is just okay. Only one young chap welcomed me warmly. The others kind of treated me as transparent. Oh well, I might have been spoiled by the incredible service in Mad about Sucre, so expecting more from this cafe that I have high expectations of.

All in all, the cakes are worth checking out, with a huge mention of Figaro. Just avoid the Cassis Mont Blanc.

My Thoughts: Nice!

Shifted to River Valley Road

Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen - Best Ramen

Actually, I have a slight phobia of eating ramen. The oily, heavy and salty soup with a strong smell of pork, combined with the alkaline taste of ramen noodles—these usually are too strong for my tastes. I had tried the soup base of a number of famous ramen restaurants and had always ended up stopping after one sip. The one exception is the ramen in Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen.

One of the main reasons is because despite the milky appearance, the soup is light, infused with the flavours of fresh vegetables and not oily. It tastes almost like clear soup, which is what I prefer. Moreover, the soup is very flavourful due to the use of pork bones, yet there is no hint of that strong pungent smell of pork that is evident in lots of ramens—just like how the fishy smell is off-putting in fishes, if you know what I mean.

Another thing I like about the ramen here is that lots of fresh vegetables are added, so there is variation to the taste and texture instead of just downing strands of starch and carbohydrates. The noodles are a bit soggy, but I appreciate that they do not have that taste of lye that I dislike. Recommend to dip the food in the soya sauce mixed with freshly crushed garlic to up the simulating factor. Yes, you get to crush the garlics by yourself.

The tori kaarage is tasty with no hint of the smell of stale oil—I am sensitive to that. The gyoza is decent due to the fresh pork used.

The place is quite cramped and humble in terms of furnishing. At least, it is clean. The service is pretty good. Not exceptional when it comes to attentiveness and promptness, but they do give off a vibe that they enjoy what they are doing instead of executing what is expected of them. Special mention of the chef who not only handles the cooking station well in full view of the patrons, he is also very alert, responding promptly to our requests.

This is the only place I will go for ramen. Glad to find a restaurant that gets me to appreciate ramen and don't mind eating it again.

Update: Okay, the accolade of best ramen now goes to Burosu Honten Gyoza and Ramen instead.

My Thoughts: Nice!

Nearest car park: Square 2's car park

Nearest MRT: Novena

10 Sinaran Drive

Square 2 #02-68/69

Singapore

Contact No: 63976636

Mad About Sucre - Not only Mad about it, but also being Enthralled

The moment I stepped into this chic patisserie, I can feel the vibe of Paris. It has a black and white vertical stripes theme that is minimalistic and classy, and the decorations and cake couturier's works of beauty impart an European feel onto the place.

Things look further up when one of the bosses greeted me with zest. He went on to give a detailed introduction of the cakes. It is obvious that the cakes are made with dedicated ideals in mind, not compromising on quality in favour of profits. Such patisseries always get me excited about trying out their creations because there is potential of surprising me with their innovations and delighting me with the perfect harmonization of the best ingredients.

Moulin Rouge is the lightest in terms of taste, but it is no lightweight when it comes to getting the attention of dessert lovers. Despite the reduced sugar, plus the fact that raw sugar is not as sweet, this cake actually tastes blissfully sweet. I guess this is due to the quality and the combination of the ingredients bringing out the inherent sweetness. Like how the freshest seafood is so packed with flavours, in spite of not adding any seasoning. Well, you get the idea. Moving on back to Moulin Rouge, the initial bite invokes mental images of spring: flowers of different kinds blooming. Like the flowers that are pleasing to the eye and whose mild floral aroma filled the air, this cake embodies multiple subtle flavours, from the nutty taste of the walnut parfait to the nuanced charred flavour. The intensity gets cranked up when it is eaten with the almond flakes—they are not merely for decoration. I absolutely love this pairing since the almond adds an interesting crunchy quality to the bite and accentuates the flavour of the caramel, rendering this cake to be truely Moulin Rouge, like its namesake. The short pastry at the bottom, which is moist and crumbly, plus a millimetre thin sponge above it, add variation to the overall texture so that it is not about mousse only.

The Coco Citron may sounds heavy in terms of taste, given that it is consisted of lemon curb and coconut, the two components well-known to have strong flavours. So I was surprised to find out that it is light and refreshing—namely due to the airy coconut mousse. The two main ingredients are mild in taste and actually coexist in unison to create an unique and pretty exciting taste. The sugar crystals are delights to sink my teeth into because they are really crunchy and have the exact right level of sweetness: not overwhelmingly cloying.

The chocolate cake made with single origin cocoa from San Domingue, aptly named after the island, is very intense in taste. The smooth rum encased in the chocolate jewel box is potent and has a light sweetness, going perfectly with the fresh chocolate mousse. When someone says that dark chocolate is bitter, I always go, "Nope, that is not the case with premium chocolate." Like the best chocolates, San Domingue's ones only has a trace of bitterness to give the extra dimension to the overall taste, they are actually sweet, exceedingly smooth and full of the aroma of roasted chocolates. When I knew that there is no sugar added to the chocolate, I really wondered if I had heard it wrongly. The chocolate mousse tastes sweet, no doubt about it, so it is amazing that the cocoa itself has such inherent sweetness. I would have loved this cake to the bits if not for the banana in it. Since I have never like to eat banana in any form other than its original one. The acidity of the banana in San Domingue has been toned down a lot, which is all good, but it is not enough to switch me to the banana-in-desserts camp. Still, I will order this cake again because of the sublime combination of quality chocolate and rum.

Even the teas are made with fine, quality ingredients. I love the floral aroma of the rose from Paris, laced with traces of the sweet smell of vanilla from Magadascar.

Price wise, the cakes are not cheap though they are definitely worth it. Desserts in high-end restaurants are of the same price range anyway, and the quality is comparable. The service is just as good and friendlier than some well-known establishments.

I absolutely love to go back again.

Update: And I did! Check out my post on the savoury dishes of this restaurant, and Castile, a Spring 2017 cake.

My Thoughts: Amazing!

Nearest car park: URA's open air car park along Teo Hong Road and Bukit Pasoh. Prepare lots of coupons.

Nearest MRT: Outram Park

27 Teo Hong Road

Singapore

Contact No: 62213969

Mai Thai - Spicy Goodness and Best Tom Yum Soup

Closed

Seems like there are some changes made to the dishes after my first time, disastrous dining experience there where I had fallen sick due to the incredible level of hotness in the food. Things had gotten much better since they had added non spicy options in the set menu, and if I am not wrong, the level of spiciness can be adjusted, unlike last time.

Ambience wise, the place has a very exotic vibe with strong Thai influences. The service is okay.

As for the food, lots of ingredients and spices are added to create dishes with strong aroma and very simulating tastes, alternating between sourness, saltiness and spiciness. The curries are bursting with flavours, so do the tom yam soup, but lots of milk tea needed to quench the flaming sensations resulted. The grilled chicken itself is being imbued with a light charred flavour and essence of a few spices. When paired with the sauce, things kick into high gear. Yes, more milk tea needed in this case. The prawn paste balls have a very crispy exterior and an interior packed with fresh, delicious prawn paste. No hint of the smell of used oil, so thumbs-up to this. The milk tea is very sweet due to lots of evaporated milk added, but I appreciate strong taste of milk and that it helps to put out the fire on the tastebuds.

The Tom Yum Soup here is the best among all the Tom Yum soups I have tried. No doubt about it. Lots of ingredients like lemongrass, prawns, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, spring onions and spices are added to create this little bowl of tangy goodness. Absolutely simulating on the taste buds and appetite-whetting, this clear soup has the right balance of spicy and tangy flavours, completed with the strong aroma of the spices and seafood. No other Tom Yum soup packs as much flavours as Mai Thai's Tom Yum Soup. And to add a cherry on top of the cake, patrons can request for the less spicy version of the soup, which is what I always do.

The Mango Sticky Rice is another must-try. The starchy, sticky, smooth glutinous rice has crystal-like appearance, and when served warm with coconut drizzled on it, it is a delightful treat. When paired with the slightly cold, sweet mango slices, the contrast produces fireworks on the palates. This makes a satisfying dessert with its multitude of flavours and aromas.

Go for the set lunch, which is very value for money. Ala carte dishes are quite expensive, considering the small potions. But the dishes do cater to most palates, so this place is a great venue for gatherings.

I can't say that I'm blown away by the food here since the dishes are quite humble type that create an impression through overwhelming, bling bling kind of taste with no subtlety. But it is a place I like to go to once in a while to enjoy Thai food since my taste buds appreciate the shock therapy every now and then. In addition, I do love their generous use of spices in their dishes which is unlike many other places. By the way, among the Thai establishments I had visited, this is the only Thai restaurant that I write about, goes to show that this is the only one that gives me enough motivation to do it.

My Thoughts: Lots of Kick!

Note: This restaurant does not look like it is still in operation. And nobody in Greenwich V's management office answers my phone calls to confirm this.

Update: Yes, this place is no longer in operation, and the Holland V branch is no longer in operation also.

Hai Di Lao - Most probably the Best Hotpot

I was quite sceptical about how good Hai Di Lao is since chain restaurants are well-known to be huge disappointments. Thus I was totally bowled over by what this place has to offer, both in terms of food and service.

The rich, milky white—bright red if ordering Mala—soup base is very flavourful, even before adding the ingredients. The seafood one has a light taste of the goodness of the sea while the chicken soup has a strong flavour of, well, chicken. In fact, this is the only place, excluding Tsukada Nojo, where I do not need to order prawns to yield tasty soups. The Mala one is extremely potent in terms of spiciness, great for certain ingredients, like luncheon meat, sliced pork, tau pok (drain away the liquid first), baby corn and such. Avoid putting the vegetables into the Mala soup if one has low tolerance towards spicy food since it is easy to choke on the overwhelming hotness. Adding parsley and spring onion to the soup is recommended.

The ingredients are fresh, and most are reasonably priced, with exception to the pastes and seafood. Also helps that the variety is awesome, featuring many types of ingredients from all kinds of beancurd products, various meats and seafood, several kinds of noodles and vegetables. The best part about this place is that one can concoct customized dipping sauces from a huge array of condiments available. Sesame sauce, sesame oil, freshly minced garlic—so fresh that the typical strong pungent smell can blow one away, soy sauce, chives, parsley, spring onions, chillies, the list goes on. The staff is very regular in topping up the condiments, which is all good. Go easy on the chillies and even the garlic because the ones here pack lots of fiery power.

The service is unbelievably good, except for the reservation system where they lost track of a reservation that was two weeks old, and when they need to check their reservation list. They are very proactive, polite, patient and prompt in responding to requests. Even the kitchen staff is very polite.

The place is well-kept and clean. No complaints here. Though it may get cramped if an obnoxious patron sits behind you because the chairs take up quite a lot of space, and the person is inconsiderate, well, good luck.

Despite this minor issue, Hai Di Lao is still my favourite place to go for hotpot.

My Thoughts: Very Nice!

Nearest car park: 313@Somerset's car park

Nearest MRT: Somerset

Level 4, 313@Somerset

313 Orchard Road

Singapore

Contact No: 6835 7227

Tim Ho Wan - Not bad but not fantastic either

Given the long queue of Tim Ho Wan, I will never go and try out the food there. However, since I was hanging around Plaza Singapura at nine in the morning, and there is no queue at this place, so I thought that I might as well check it out. So if you want to avoid the queue, go there before ten in the morning.

The staff at the reception is friendly while the others are quite okay in terms of service. The place is pretty cramped, plus the cantonese music blaring in the background, the Hong Kong feel is really strong.

As for the dim sum, they are not bad, but are nowhere comparable to the ones I have in my favourite restaurants—take note that the price is comparable though. The Bo Lo Bun is decent in taste, the sauce used for the char siew tends to be on the sweet side. But there is nothing exceptional about it. The same goes for the Steamed Cake that has a very silky, fluffy texture but the taste is hardly noteworthy. There is just slight sweetness with hints of egg taste. The dim sum with wasabi looks and tastes interesting, but I can hardly detect any wasabi or horseradish in it. The porridge is really a huge meh. It is so bland and has that cooked-in-the-pot-for-too-long taste, like one of those horrible porridges I had in Imperial Treasures and Jade Restaurant.

I don't mind having the Bo Lo Buns and Steamed Cake again, but queuing for them is put of question. And I will not specially go down for them either.

My Thoughts: Still Okay

Nearest car park: Plaza Singapura's car park

Nearest MRT: Dhoby Ghuat

68 Orchard Road #01-29A

Plaza Singapura

Contact No: 62512000

Saboten - Delicious Tonkatsu ... and Salad

If you check out my reviews, you will notice I generally have bad impressions of chain restaurants. There are of course exceptions, like Rakuichi, and Saboten!

What this place gets right are the tonkatsu and the free flow of salad. The tonkatsu is coated with an amazingly crispy yet fine breadcrumbs that does not cut the mouth, unlike lots of CUTlets out there. I highly recommend the tenderloin over the loin meat since as the name has stated, the meat is tender, fresh, flavourful and juicy. The loin meat is a bit too tough and has too much fat. The special sauce has the right balance of flavours and a bit of sourness to kick things up. To make things interesting, many patrons need to grind the sesame seeds before mixing them with the specialty sauce. Needless to say, the aroma of the crushed sesame adds more robustness to the overall taste.

The salad of finely shredded cabbage totally whets the appetite when the tangy sesame sauce or ponzu one, maybe both are added to the cold, crisp, extremely fresh vegetables, served in a cold bowl. Even the rice served here is of high quality type. The grains each has a pearl-like sheen coating it, looking really moist. They are perfectly cooked: no broken grains, smooth texture and quite soft to the bite, but not overly so.

Dessert is yuzu ice cream, which refreshes the palate a lot. Nothing really special, but I am glad that watermelon is not served instead since a lot of Japanese restaurants love to serve watermelon.

Service is okay. They are prompt to responses and are quite friendly.

I became a regular of the place already.

Update: I find the quality of the meat to have somewhat dropped. The rest are still good though.

My Thoughts: My Favourite place for Tonkatsu.

This restaurant had shifted to Millennia Walk.

The Curry Culture - Intensely Flavoured Dishes

Besides the some great finds in Cuppage Plaza, I found out that there is a trove of treasures hidden among the stretch of shophouses outside the place: Cuppage Terrace. And Curry Culture is one of them.

Despite the relatively small area, the interior is quite posh with dark wood furniture and exotic decorations. The service is attentive and friendly. So I immediately feels at ease when in there.

As for the food, I need to rave about the Raita here. The Raita of Curry Culture is the best I ever have, period. The yoghurt used here is full-bodied, rich and thick yet mild and pleasing to the palates, unlike the watery sour ones commonly found in other places. It is almost of the quality of premium greek yoghurt. The raw vegetables like cucumbers and such are fresh and crunchy. A must-order, especially when it helps to quench the hot flavours.

The grilled chicken with cheese is another winner. The meat is imbued with lots of spices, simulating the taste buds when savouring it. The cheese adds texture to the dish and adds an extra dimension to the overall taste. Surprisingly, the light flavour of cheese complements the strong aromas of the spices instead of being muted. So good combination there.

The Briyani is good with lots of flavours, tends towards the spicy side. Though I prefer the one in the restaurant in Holiday Inn, which is drier, thus retaining the excellent bite, flavour and texture typical of basmatic rice.

Glad to find this restaurant, so I have more options to consider when having a craving for North Indian food.

My Thoughts: Lots of Kick!

Nearest car park: Cuppage Plaza's car park

Nearest MRT: Somerset

31 Cuppage Road

Cuppage Terrace

Singapore

Contact No: 62356133