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

Signature Yuzu Shio Ramen ($15.90)
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After having @afurisg in Tokyo, it’s great to be able to savour it again locally. Soup is as tasty as I remembered it to be with a refreshing zest of yuzu. Char siew came with less slices but still had that tender chargrilled taste. Needless to say, I slurped up all the soup!

Indomie Ayam Bakar ($9.90)
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Simple but simply delicious indomie served with grilled chicken then topped with the housemade choice of either sambal belacan or sambal hijau. Both packed a fiery kick and paired well with the juicy chicken thigh. Indomie portion is the standard instant noodles quantity. They also served the same dishes with a plain rice and fried rice options and the fried rice was plentiful so it’s good for big eaters.

Pandan Pancakes
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Pandan pancakes with a scoop of coconut ice cream drizzled with a generous dose of gula melaka syrup @tolidosnook . Nothing like starting the week long break on a sweet note! Everything was on point though it was a tad sweet for my liking.

Gobi Manchuria. ($10)
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This dish from The Banana Leaf Apollo is good for sharing. The Gobi Manchurian is made using cauliflower thats battered then fried and tossed with their special sweet and sticky sauce. Addictive to munch on as a side though too much of it can get a little salty.

Butter Chicken ($14)
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Craving this silky smooth butter chicken and some warm naans to mop up all that sauce from @thebananaleafapolo . They use boneless chicken thigh for this dish so both the gravy and chicken are amazing.

Fried Hokkien Mee ($5)
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Aside from the usual curry rice from Beo Crescent that everyone raves about, 洋洲fried hokkien mee is an almost equally popular stall located just a few shops down at a nearby coffeeshop. This may not be the best I’ve had but certainly comes up as above average. I love my plate oozing with the thick gravy that’s been infused with wok-hei.

Klang Bah Kut Teh ($7)
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Serving both the dry and wet Malaysian style Klang bah kut teh at Leong Lee Klang Bah Kut Teh, these are actually quite different from the peppery ones we are so used to having. The wet version here is peppery too but carries a heavy herbal taste too whilst the dry version can be described as a gong bao sauce mixed with a generous amount of dried cuttlefish, making the thick black gravy an umami flavour burst. For those unaccustomed to such herbaceous flavours, it may take a little getting used to but I definitely loved dousing my rice with the rich black gravy. Also to note that side dishes are very economical eg. shrimp paste fried chicken is only $6.50/plate.

Half Chicken ($16)
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So it has been a while since I visited Go-Ang Pratunam’s shop in Bangkok that boasts snaking queues. Thankfully, a branch has opened up at the basement of Vivocity. We promptly ordered half a chicken and a soup. The chicken was surprisingly tender and silky smooth. However some parts were leaning towards the drier side. We were also rather perplexed as to the amount of pieces of meat that resembled chicken breast. There seemed to be too many pieces of breast meat as compared with the thigh meat.

Chicken Chashu Ramen ($13.90)
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The distinct aroma of seafood fills the entire restaurant at Tokusei Souper Ramen located at Raffles exchange. The restaurant serves 3 types of broth with their ramen. The most eye-catching one being their kani ramen that has its broth made from the sweetness of crabs. The soup is similar to a crab bisque, totally slurpworthy though I do prefer it a little less thick. The chicken thigh chashu reminds me of teriyaki chicken and was juicy and tender. Overall, quite good value for the pricepoint.
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Thai Kway Chup ($5)
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Super late to the party @yaowaratthaikwaychap but really enjoyed my meal here. Although the taste still falls short of my favourite roadside stall in BKK, this is a good version no less. Think peppery soup, sweet thai sausages, crispy pork belly and a generous dose of sliced pork cooked to perfection served with rolled kway. Add a dash of the chilli flakes to give a bigger kick! Also worth ordering are the fried intestines ($8) and the stirfried cabbage($5).

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