Single origin coffee with frozen milk sounds like a fab idea for hot days, yet this fell a little short in our books. Nothing against it, but it felt as if the coffee’s acidity gave it a slightly strange aftertaste.
One of the many drinks available at this neighbourhood cafe, the Houjicha fares excellently for staying icy cold and intensely fragrant throughout. Those little cubes of white? Frozen milk — which while clever, honestly I could have done without cos the flavour was great from the get-go.
Similar to its chicken friend with sambal petai chicken mince and blue cheese, except for sporting their classic beef patty instead of a fried chicken thigh. The Stinkbomb is tastier, almost as if the petai flavour is punchier here than in the Hook, Line & Stinker. But then again, it could just be that the beef adds its own savouriness to the combi.
Buggin’ happy time as usual at myBurgerLab. The seasonal stinky burg makes a comeback this month (5 Mar onwards)! Featuring blue cheese, sambal petai chicken mince and a pineapple ring on top of a thick and crunchy deep-fried chicken thigh, this one’s not for the faint-heart - to say the least.
The good thing is, while you get the umami of petai and blue cheese, the sweet and juicy pineapple goes a long way in cutting through all that pungency. There is also a beef patty version though I personally liked the chicken one better just cos it offers a bit of crunch.
A+ for grandeur on this one, as the waiter shaves black truffle on top and cracks open the beautifully set and caramelised top to reveal cheese a-flowing. Within, the combination of blue cheese (yep!) and some other unnamed cheeses results in incredibly savoury goodness. Paired with a buttery base, this is one indulgent albeit not-sweet-at-all dessert.
Have a little more to spend? Put your money on a bottle of this. Maybe because it’s pink and beautiful and cheers one up instantly, but this was deliciously bright and juicy. Best paired with the tuna cheeks!
The new Olivia spells Barcelona, first and foremost with their warm and stellar service. The kitchen’s run by ex-El Bulli and Catalunya alumni, so you can be sure food’s good.
The top dish for me was this tuna cheek that surprises with all its flavours and textures. The marmitako sauce made with red peppers is ultra smoky and savoury, which perfectly blankets the fatty but still firm cheek.
Note that this was a tasting portion, so the actual dish ordered off the menu will be bigger in size!
Bright orange and bubbling in that stone pot, the spicy udon is expectedly... spicy. But it’s also a touch heavy as the broth is rich and almost gravy-like. Not my favourite pairing with udon, but I imagine some will love its heat!
Albeit the mindblowingly long wait (40 mins?) for this, I found myself really enjoying the subtle flavours of this udon. The clear soup has a shio-like flavour, and gets lifted by a touch of bright yuzu. The smoked duck is a wonderful topping to offer something savoury amidst the light broth. Meanwhile the smooth and taut udon satisfies in its own rights. I do hope as they get into the groove of busy lunch periods, service time will pick up.
A short walk outdoors along 7-Eleven in International Plaza leads you to this new coffee stop, painted in a you-can’t-miss-it blue. Drinks are takeaway only, so make it here after work for the excellent black made with a Guatemalan blend. White’s tasty too, but it was a tad too mild for me so if you like your coffee strong, get an extra shot!
Recommended by the owner, this meaty side is a must-order at this new modern Chinese bar within Kam Leng Hotel. Sweet and redolent of smokiness, the pork jowl slices are quite addictive and especially when had with a bit of tangy pickle!
Hor fun is deep-fried to resemble pork crackling, before it gets tossed into the wok with the sauce. The result is an interesting bite, and wok hei still comes through as hor fun gets steeped in that sweet, silky sauce.
