The cool, refreshing, and piquant beef broth is perfect for our weather, and the springy buckwheat noodles that bounce around the tongue just makes me so happy.
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Not comparing to the real deal in Korea, Guksu's version wasn't all that bad (I've had worse) after all. Its broth wasn't as tangy as desired, probably influenced by local palates, but there's nothing a shot of vinegar can't solve. What was interesting was the texture of the beef slices—chilling it breaks down the muscle fibres and imparts a certain creaminess to it. The magic of dry aging. 👌
#burpple
Interesting textures in this bowl of Knife Shaved Noodles ($6): Shaved from a block of noodle dough at a certain angle to yield chewy strands that are thicker in the middle and thinner on the sides, crunchy black fungus, and meaty braised beef chunks that were perhaps a little too lean for my liking. These were complemented by a full-flavoured broth that was beefy with a mellow end note—satisfying to the last drop.
Complete the meal with a variety of sides ($2.90)—choose from guotie (pan-fried dumplings), chives/radish/sweet potato/red bean pancake, and deep fried mantous. #burpple
Sundays are made for indulgent brunches, and Nosh sure proves an excellent choice for starting the day right. Hearty dishes can be had in a quaint dining room setting, or alfresco—a gorgeous, breezy verandah decked out with white-washed wooden tables and chairs, as well as powerful fans to combat the heat.
Their signature brunch item—one that dates back to a couple of years ago when Nosh was Krish—features perfectly poached eggs dressed with coconut curry hollandaise, a sweeter, Southeast Asian-inspired riff on the classic. The experience culminates when molten yolk lava meets the no-nonsense crab cakes—crisp patties of unadulterated crustacean goodness—on the perfect canvas that is the beautifully-toasted, chewy English muffin.
Have heard good things about Apiary, and I'm happy to report that this place is a keeper! Ice-cream parlours may be aplenty in our sunny island, but there are only a handful of them that stand out in my books. And this new kid on the block checked both my requirements for great waffles and ice-cream at once.
They've got quite an interesting variety of ice-cream flavours here, a few being Hojicha (Roasted Tea), Cassis, and Earl Grey Lavender. Didn't get to try the (too) popular Milk Chocolate & Cookies flavour as it was sold out. Pistachio is definitely one of the better ones I've had, with a nutty aroma that perfumed every bite. Made using Matchaya's green tea powder, Uji Matcha was earthy with a bittersweet aftertaste. The densely creamy texture of the ice-cream gets my approval as well. 😋
The plain waffle ($4.50) wasn't available when I was there, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because the charcoal-flavoured option (add $1) was surprisingly good! Normally, I'll steer away from charcoal-anything because to me, it seems gimmicky and adds an Instagram-worthy touch but no extra flavour. But Apiary's version wasn't the case—a pleasant smokiness permeated the crisp-fluffy waffle—so much so that I exclaimed aloud upon the revelation that the charcoal touch here is REAL. Defo going back for more of this, and to try the rotating selection of ice-cream flavours!
Didn't have a good experience (found it too sweet and one-dimensional) with their pho previously, but their dry-style noodles earned great merit this time. I would normally go for the Pork option, but only Beef/Chicken are available here, and the grilled chicken thigh seemed so tempting from behind the glass display.
And it sure didn't disappoint. Well-marinated, tender flesh and crisp skin made it a delight to have on its own, and even better when the juices of the chicken seep into the bed of springy rice noodles beneath. Pour the accompanying nuoc cham, and get ready to experience an explosion of sweet, sour, savoury, flavours with a tinge of spice for extra oomph. Truly #cheapandgood, looks like this will be my go-to option whenever I need my Bun fix in future.
Didn't even try to maintain when I was told that pigeon was coming up next. That distinct, intense flavour of this little bird, I never seem to get enough of it. It's gamey, for sure, like beef and lamb, but never foul-smelling.
The lollipop-looking piece would be the drumstick—fried to a golden crisp, giving contrast to its fat-lined tender flesh. What I liked even better was the one that seemed to be done in "au sang" style, judging from its deep red hue. Laying snug in soft crepe with a wobbly cube of foie gras, it was decadence in every mouthful, yet suitably portioned for maximum enjoyment.
While the latter makes #eatingclean cool, its alter ego is all about striking a balance by offering both "Eat Clean" and "Indulge Dirty" menus. What a genius way to satisfy everyone at the table.
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Here's the ultimate dirty dish, Fried Chicken Skin ($8), which, hands down, was my favourite of the 12 dishes we had. Rubbed and fried with a southern spice mix, the crisp chicken skin was light and crazily addictive, perfect with beer (do check out the interesting selection of craft beers & ciders here). Highly recommended.
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Thank you @alteregosg for the warm hospitality, @chocolatetbasil for inviting & hosting us, @burpple for organising this eatup, and @cassakating for being our hand model! 🙆
Also available in grilled chicken and beef steak options. Didn't realise that only the vegetarian option comes with guacamole, which you can add to any dish for $2. Quite tasty overall but I still prefer Vatos Urban Tacos' kick-ass, ultra-flavourful version. #burpple
All these for less than S$10? #takemymoney
These guys have taken customisation to a whole new level, leaving customers spoiled for choice. Choosing everything from the toppings to ice-cream flavours was a happy dilemma. The wide toppings selection isn't your run-of-the-mill stuff, but solid, handcrafted ones like cheesecakes (comes in original and chocolate), pineapple cake (also available in two types), flower cake, snow pops, and many more. These are also being sold in their retail store within the same building. But the main draw is still the jaw-droppingly extensive ice-cream flavours, classified according to tea, fruit, yoghurt, specials, and chocolate. The chocolate section alone has 17 different flavours, each in varying intensities and origins.
My picks were the 100% original chocolate, 80% smoked Uganda chocolate, as well as the Alishan Oolong Tea. The latter was highly aromatic, like sipping the real deal itself, while the full-bodied chocolaty flavour of the 100% original one was gobbled up in no time.
Can someone bring Miyahara into our sunny shores, pretty please?
A new entrant to the hip hawkers scene is this little coffeeshop stall specialising in Japanese rice bowls with a modern slant. $9.90 gets you a hearty bowl of sous vide mentaiko salmon (with the perfect, succulent, semi-raw texture), onsen egg, and furikake-specked Japanese rice. Love the addition of pickles to refresh the palate.
Can never resist the sweet Japanese omelette when I see one, but I guess I'll be able to resist this one after all. Though it was soft and moist, it didn't quite possess that sweet, umami flavour of a good dashi stock. The jet black squid ink tempura ebi looked really tempting, but I was craving unagi that day. Safe choice methinks—it wasn't the bony kind and didn't taste fishy at all. The real letdown was the mushroom rice though (+$2), which was dry and rather bland. The only thing I'll return for would be their delicious Choux Puffs.
