Thought the trend for scrambled egg rice has pretty much died down now that new outlets of DanLao 蛋佬 / Sungai Besi Scrambled Egg Rice / Egg Talk / Kawan Bowl hadn’t been sprouting up around the island like how they used to — that being said, it does seem like there is no stopping of other brands in the opening of such establishments by themselves. 蛋之家 Scrambled Egg Rice is a fairly new addition to the ground floor of Amoy Street Food Centre; these folks are situated right beside B Salad Kitchen which is one of the few stalls set in up salad within the food centre that typically sees a long queue during weekday lunch hours — 蛋之家 Scrambled Egg Rice should be a stall that is relatively easy to spot considering how its signboard mainly comprises of Chinese characters; all that whilst mentioning “Scrambled Egg Rice” on the right side of the signboard to give patrons a rough idea of what to expect for its offerings. Much like the various scrambled egg concepts introduced by DanLao 蛋佬, 蛋之家 Scrambled Egg Rice only serves up scrambled egg rice dishes with various meat options; think the usual such as Luncheon Meat, Prawn and Fried Chicken, while other interesting variations would include the Chinese Sausage, Hunan Stir-Fried Pork (also their signature offering), Sliced Beef and Hakka Pork Scrambled Egg Rice.

The Hunan Stir-Fried Pork is a dish that seems to have popularised in Singapore only in very recent times with the uprising of Hunan-style mainland Chinese cuisine dining establishments such as that of Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine 湘香湖南菜 which now has multiple outlets across the entire island. The Hunan Stir-Fried Pork Scrambled Egg Rice from 蛋之家 Scrambled Egg Rice is exactly that dish but coming with scrambled eggs above a bed of rice — the same way as how DanLao 蛋佬 / Sungai Besi Scrambled Egg Rice / Egg Talk / Kawan Bowl would serve up their scrambled eggs rice. 蛋之家 Scrambled Egg Rice does not describe the elements that comes with their various dishes on its menu, but the Hunan stir-fried pork does come with pork slices that is stir-fried with the usual suspects such as green chilli peppers, fermented black beans and chili padi. It does seem that the pork slices served with the Hunan Stir-Fried Pork Scrambled Egg Rice at 蛋之家 Scrambled Egg Rice does come fatty but does come with a lighter shade of brown that suggests the lack of soy sauce — perhaps deliberately done so to not overwhelm the dish. That being said, the green chili peppers does exude the fragrance of bell peppers and provides a crunch to the dish whilst also giving the dish a mild hint of spiciness that might tickle the tastebuds for those whom are not too tolerable to lower levels of spiciness; further enhanced by the chili padi. The white rice here comes fluffy with the grains pretty much being distinguishable from one another; drenched with a little bit of soy sauce for flavour but there was definitely sufficient gravy from the Hunan stir-fried pork to provide flavour and moisture to the rice. The scrambled egg that came atop the bed of rice was all silky smooth and still runny — execution definitely on-point for a scrambled egg rice dish. Considering the price point of their Scrambled Egg Rice offerings being from $5 to $7.50 (the lowest-priced dish being the Luncheon Meat Scrambled Egg Rice, and priciest being the Hunan Stir-Fried Pork Scrambled Egg Rice), 蛋之家 Scrambled Egg Rice definitely works as a wallet-friendly, comforting and hearty lunch eat at Amoy Street Food Centre.

One of the establishments that we have learnt of its existence through scrolling through social media recently was that of Pasta Grove — these folks are pretty new to the local F&B scene, having taken over the remaining lease of the now-defunct Paradise Pizza & Elixir Coffee and Wine within the commercial / F&B units within the Parksuites condominium development situated along Holland Grove Road. These folks can be found along the row of shops that faces out towards the playground and towards Holland Grove Road — they have occupied quite a decently-sized shop unit for a F&B establishment. Jumping straight into operations are taking over the lease from its former tenants, Pasta Grove has done a little bit of work to the space to make the space theirs; whilst most of the interior layout and fittings remains largely the same as the days where the space used to be Paradise Pizza & Elixir Coffee and Wine, Pasta Grove did change out the dining furniture and opted for the use of cushioned seats with wooden accents with tables that mostly features grey table tops; there is a communal table that one can find in the middle of the entire space, while there is also a table located just right in front of the windows where patrons can view out of the shop unit whilst enjoying their meal. White paint takes over the fittings that previously came in a shade of terracotta, though Pasta Grove did retain the cork-filled feature wall with some posters hung over it to give a slightly different vibe. Tables at Pasta Grove are configured to accommodate diners visiting in pairs or groups of four (4) pax, while the communal table is able to fit in groups of ten (10) pax maximum. The food menu at Pasta Grove is segmented into sections such as Starters, Pastas, Mains and Sweets — there is also an entire section that is dedicated to children named “For The Little Ones” as well. Beverages available at Pasta Grove includes a selection of alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic beverages, with the non-alcoholic beverages comprising of tea sourced from Antea Social, espresso-based specialty coffee and canned drinks.

Skimming through the menu, the Raviolo with Ricotta & Yolk was an item that was listed in the Classics category in the Pastas section of the menu that caught our attention very early on — we are always on a lookout for good Raviolo, and that the menu does describe this item to come with ricotta, egg yolk, and brown butter sage sauce; brown butter and sage being elements that we absolutely enjoy having our Raviolo with typically. This was actually one of the first few dishes that came to our table during our meal at Pasta Grove. Rather than being a few small pieces of Ravioli, the Raviolo with Ricotta & Yolk came as a single large-sized pasta that encases the ricotta and egg yolk within in the middle; the brown butter sage sauce being drizzled above the Raviolo itself. We had sliced down the Raviolo down in the middle where the molten egg yolk reveals itself; eagerly oozing the golden goodness which we had spread all around the pasta. As we dug into the pasta, the pasta does come a wee bit thicker than what we had experienced from some other establishments; that being said, it does hold up very well against the fillings that it came with. While the egg yolk provided everything else with a silkier texture, we liked how the ricotta had added a different texture whilst being mild-tasting to provide some depth of flavours for the pasta; all that whilst the brown butter sage sauce adds a savoury and almost-umami note that we found so familiar and loved. An item that looked simple on first sight, but definitely big on flavour whilst nailing the textures of the dish just about right.

Considering how Pasta Grove also does offer a line-up of Fusion pasta that forms the Fusion category within the Pastas section of the menu, we thought it would be best to also check out one of the items here to experience what Pasta Grove is all about. Amongst the variety of pastas listed in the Fusion category, we made the decision to give the Caramelised Pork Belly and Scallion Oil a go — this item is described in the menu to be a dish that is their “take on Chinese Scallion Noodles, inspired by Char Siu). Featuring spaghetti as the type of pasta that comes with the Caramelised Pork Belly and Scallion Oil, one can notice that the pasta here is a little more broader than the typical commercially-made spaghetti that is retailed as dry pasta in supermarkets here. Done till al-dente, the spaghetti has a bouncy consistency whilst being all slurpy — tossed in scallion oil but also does hint of the slight sweetness from the Caramelised Pork Belly which we found to be immensely fragrant and gave the dish a familiar Asian twist that was still pretty refined nonetheless. The portion of Caramelised Pork Belly was also pretty generous considering the price point of the dish — it is interesting that Pasta Grove seem to have went the way of serving the Caramelised Pork Belly more tuned towards Japanese-style Char Siew, though we liked how there is still a very light hint of sweetness coming off at the start while the pieces of Caramelised Pork Belly didn’t carry the undesirable porky stench; we also liked how the Caramelised Pork Belly didn’t turn out to be completely gelatinous and came with sufficient lean parts to add a bit of bite as well.

During the same visit to Pasta Grove, we had also managed to give the Golden Cauliflower in the Starters section of the menu a go. These do seem to have been seasoned or marinated with turmeric and seemingly deep-fried to achieve that golden-brown hue — the florets of cauliflower were crisp yet carried a soft crunch; matches especially well with their house-made spicy aioli that is creamy and a little garlicky. The level of spiciness for the spicy aioli is actually rather manageable for most — something that those whom are tolerable to lesser than moderate levels of spiciness in general. We also ended our meal at Pasta Grove with the Chendol Panna Cotta that is listed under the Sweets section of the menu; this is an item that is described on the menu to come with elements such as a Pandan-infused Panna Cotta and Gula Melaka Granita — there is also red beans that is added to the dessert. We actually quite liked the Panna Cotta itself where it is smooth and didn’t feel particularly gelatinous; very creamy and perfumes of a note of Pandan fragrance whilst being sufficiently milky and reasonably sweet. The Gula Melaka Granita can be described as shavings of frozen concentrated Gula Melaka that helps to add an earthy sweetness to the Chendol Panna Cotta as it melts atop the panna cotta; the red beans adding another dimension of earthiness to the dessert whilst also seemingly being unsweetened. We weren’t a fan of what seem to be replicating that of the typical pandan jelly in the usual Chendol; coming in a shade of neon green, the jelly does seem to be a little too dry and comes without a distinct flavour — something which we would have felt that the Chendol Panna Cotta can do without.

Pasta Grove felt like an establishment where one can definitely see the sincerity behind their work — the dedication that they have brought to the creation of Pasta Grove can be felt both in their service and through the food that they have served up. For an establishment that had opened its doors not too long ago, these folks do seem to know what they are doing — the food arrives the table relatively quickly; the wait staff also do seem to be sufficiently educated about their menu to properly make recommendations to their guests. The hospitality provided by the wait staff also can be felt where they genuinely care about the patron’s dining experience through every interaction, whilst making them feel warm and welcomed and not forgetting to also obtaining feedback about their experience at the end of the meal as well. The strengths of Pasta Grove is really in their pasta offerings — there is definitely the showcase of the team’s skill and finesse in both execution and combination of flavours here through both their Classic and Fusion pasta offerings; the pastas in the Fusion category providing new perspectives to pasta with an Asian twist unique to Pasta Grove. Items on their Mains and Pastas section of the menu are priced within the range of $17 to $28 each — the lowest priced item being both the Raviolo with Ricotta & Yolk and Caramelised Pork Belly Pasta that we have had, while the priciest would be the Braised Beef Cheek with Mash in the Mains section of the menu. Despite being off the beaten path with some perhaps finding them a little difficult to get to, Pasta Grove is a spot that we would wholeheartedly visit again; a spot that serves up great pasta that would definitely appeal to the pasta-lover, family dinners or even as a date night spot for couples worth making the trip for — reservations recommended. A name within the local F&B scene to look out for!

Resorts World Sentosa does seems to be undergoing a round of renovations ever since its inception and it does seem that the first few F&B establishments that have been introduced alongside its revamp had already opened its doors despite works on the entire compound being still in the final phase of construction. We had visited Tivoli Coffee House which has recently opened their doors within the basement of the zone named Forum pretty recently near the entrances into the Casino in Resorts World Sentosa from the bus stop; there is also a new Senmo Coffee that is also currently in operation just right across from Tivoli Coffee House as well. Senmo Coffee takes up one out of the two shop units that used to house the now-defunct Duckland; the establishment features both indoor and outdoor seating where the latter would be within an open-air space. Senmo Coffee is decked in a manner that seems to give the establishment some sort of an ultra-modern look; the outdoor dining furniture coming with some sort of a metallic look while the interior of the shop adopts the use of blue as its theme colour — all matched with metallic counters, furniture and fittings with wooden accents and tiled floorings to finish that look. Primarily an establishment that is more of a takeaway kiosk, the dine-in seating space consists of limited seating and is configured with tables good for patrons visiting in pairs or in groups of three (3) to four (4) pax — there are also three counter seats that are perpendicular to the espresso bar as well. Being an establishment that places an emphasis on its coffee offerings, the beverage menu at Senmo Coffee is split across sections dedicated to Classic Coffee, Recommended Specialty Coffee, Specialty Coffee, Soda Baby Drinks (Non Caffeine) and Slushy. For those looking for a light bite to grab, there a few pastries, chiffon cakes, Japanese fruit jellies and sandwiches that one can find stocked within the display chiller that one can consider to pair with the beverage order.

It does seem that much of Senmo Coffee’s focus when it comes to their food items would be their Pastry items. The Pastry items does seem to be pretty much similar to that of Chinese-style pastry that resembles the likes of a Shanghai-style Mooncake — Senmo Coffee offers the pastry in five (5) different variations being the Jasmine Cheese Rose Pastry, Nanyang Coconut Rose Pastry, Wholemeal Mochi Rose Pastry and Classic Double-Petaled Rose Pastry. Between the Classic Double-Petaled Rose Pastry and the Jasmine Cheese Rose Pastry that we had opted for, our preferences laid towards the Classic Double-Petaled Rose Pastry. The pastry does seem to be a little bit lighter and flakier as compared to the Jasmine Cheese Rose Pastry; chewing down the pastry, one can also detect the strong floral notes of rose perfuming the tastebuds with the red fillings revealing as one chews through the pastry. In retrospect, the Jasmine Cheese Rose Pastry felt a little firmer and drier; we do suspect that there is a slight inclusion of matcha that gives it the slightly green hue it carries — all that with a different floral note whilst coming with a firm yet chewy lump of cheese that is hidden in its core.

The Mojito Latte is an item that is listed under the Recommended Specialty Coffee section of the menu at Senmo Coffee. Senmo Coffee does not describe the elements that comes with their various beverages; that being said, it can be noted that the Mojito Latte does come with the use of citrus-like elements and carbonated water to provide for that slight fizziness — something similar to that of an espresso tonic that one might be able to find at other establishments serving up espresso-based specialty coffee. Served iced by default with no option to go for the hot variant, the “Latte” in its namesake is a little confusing considering the lack of addition of milk to the coffee here; that being said, this does turn out to be a refreshing cuppa that works well as a thirst quencher especially in the sweltering heat these days; the fizziness along with the slight citrus-sy zing making it quite the drink to go for. Meanwhile, the Rose Latte is a typical latte that sees the addition of rose syrup to the concoction of milk and coffee. Available in both hot and iced variants, we went for the latter — the rose syrup adding a note of floral aroma and sweetness to the cuppa that features nutty and earthy notes.

Senmo Coffee does seem to be well-patronised during our visit there, though it is noted that the weather has been pretty hot during our visit and that there aren’t many F&B options around the compounds of Resorts World Sentosa when we made our visit there. Prices of the beverages on its menu ranges from $5.20 for an Americano to $8.80; a little bit on the steeper side though not too shocking considering the touristy area that it is situated in. With more dining options opening up in Resorts World Sentosa especially around WEAVE in due time, it will be interesting to see if Senmo Coffee will be able to withstand the test of time …

It’s been the longest time since Wheathead Bread & Pastry had first opened their doors at the foot of One-North Eden and it does seem that the remaining shop spaces beside them had been slowly getting occupied now that some time had passed. Vicbakery is not exactly a new entrant to the local F&B scene; these folks had been operating as an online-based bakery since 2015 and this is their very first time operating as a brick-and-mortar establishment — their shop space is being situated in the middle of Wheathead Bread & Pastry and the outlet of Burnt Cones Gelato there. The establishment is decked in a Victorian-themed cottage vibe where one can see the large use of wooden elements used in its furniture and fittings; that also includes the intentionally-weathered sliding wooden doors that leads to the kitchen from behind the counters, while one also can notice a faux fireplace that is tucked towards the end of the space as well. Some of its dining tables also features floral and laced table cloths that adds on to the vibes; the tables configured to accommodate dine-in patrons whom visit the establishment either in pairs or groups of three (3) pax — the dine-in space comprising of only four (4) dining tables. Being a bakery at heart with a focus on customised cake orders during the days when they are operating as an online-based business, Vicbakery’s offerings are prominently displayed in the display chiller at the counter; this would include a range of cream puffs, sliced cakes and macarons. Vicbakery does offer a variety of beverages to go along with their bakes; this would include the range of coffee and tea which is listed on the menu board above the display case.

Given the limited number of items that is available at Vicbakery on the day of our visit, we went for the Guava Jasmine Grapes Slice Cake; this was the only sliced cake that was offered for the day. Vicbakery does not describe on the elements that comes with the cake on the description card of the item; that being said, the cake does feature all of the items that are being mentioned in its namesake. It is interesting to note that the Guava Jasmine Grapes Slice Cake is actually their very own twist to the trendy Watermelon Cake that base its own hype on social media a couple of years ago; there is a slice of compressed guava that sits in the middle of the cake, which features fresh cream as well as slices of grapes both on the top layer and also in the lower layers of the cake as well. The texture of the fresh cream and the cake layers were all on-point; the fresh cream being light and fluffy while it is not overly sweet, while the cake layers were also soft and light without feeling “burdensome” to have — the cake carrying a light hint of vanilla that is a neutral flavour to the other elements. The compressed guava does give a tart flavour and a fibrous, juicy bite which was refreshing; provides a flavour so Abd textural contrast to the cake while the inclusion of grapes also added a bit of bite to the cake.

During the same visit, we had also managed to give the Pistachio Puff a go — these do seem to come with choux pastry that encases a pistachio-flavoured cream filling that is speckled with crushed pistachio nuts. Unfortunately, the choux pastry here does seem to have been sitting around for some time inside the display chiller — the pastry does seem to have lacked quite a bit of the crispiness that a choux should typically carry and was a little firm; felt a tad stale. That being said, the inclusion of the crushed pistachio does seem to add an element of crunch and further enhanced the nuttiness of the pistachio-infused pastry cream. One of the beverages that really piqued our interest whist skimming through the menu at Vicbakery would be their Jasmine Passionfruit Gin Americano — interestingly, this does turn out to be a little bit of a coffee-infused cocktail since there is a small amount of gin that is added to the entire concoction. There is a little bit of a resemblance between that of the Jasmine Passionfruit Gin Americano and what one would generally expect in an Orange Americano — the Jasmine Passionfruit Gin Americano being a beverage that incorporates a citrus-soy element to black coffee. The small amount of gin added to the cuppa does seem to be added to give a little more depth to the flavours of the passionfruit rather than to give the coffee a boozy note as what one would expect for other boozy coffee beverages such as that of the Baileys Coffee, while one can also detect a slight hint of floral jasmine notes that compliments the mix of passionfruit and fruity coffee from within.

Vicbakery seems like a brand that is born out of the love and passion for baking and this seems to show in the way that their cakes and bakes have been created; there seems to be a thought process where they have been inspired from the creations that others have brought out in the past, though Vicbakery does make some tweaks and adjustments that makes the creation truly theirs — this can be easily seen from the Guava Jasmine Grapes Slice Cake that we have had. With that being said, it does seem that One-North Eden is fairly saturated with dessert and bakery options considering how Vicbakery had been pretty much sandwiched in between Wheathead Bread & Pastry and Burnt Cones Gelato — a fairly competitive business environment; the saving grace here being how Vicbakery likely does have a loyal following for their customised cakes that had been with them since their online-based business days. Nonetheless, Vicbakery does offer a refreshing dining environment for those looking for desserts around the Buona Vista area away from the hustle and bustle of locations nearer to MRT stations if one is willing to make a bit of a trek from the beaten path.

Those whom have been following the happenings around the Singapore F&B scene via social media would probably have heard quite a fair bit about Pull-Tab Coffee that had recently opened at The Metropolis in Buona Vista. These folks had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct McCafé kiosk just across from the McDonald’s outlet there. For those whom have not heard of Pull-Tab Coffee before, these folks are a brand hailing from Hangzhou, China, and the brand does have an international presence with an outlet known to be in New York City as well. Despite being an establishment that seemingly operates out of a takeaway kiosk unit, Pull-Tab Coffee does has its own dine-in area that is tucked right at the back of the takeaway kiosk; this is an area that features patio-style furniture that comprises of six (6) tables; three (3) catering to patrons visiting in pairs, while the other three (3) catering to patrons visiting the establishment in groups of four (4) pax. Pull-Tab Coffee’s namesake does seem to come from their line-up of Pull-Tab Drinks — these do come with bottles with pull-tab bottle caps. That being said, one of the drinks that perhaps brought Pull-Tab Coffee to fame is their line-up of Aerofoam Coffee. Other beverages in their menu are being categorised into Creative Special and Classic sections, while they also do serve light bites like Butter Toast and Ice Cream Popcorn (to be made available in due time).

Considering their roots being an establishment that hails from China, we weren’t expecting too much with the Kaya Butter Toast that Pull-Tab Coffee has to offer — these does come in what seems to be a microwavable paper bag that is lined with wax; patrons would need to tear the paper bag to retrieve the Kaya Butter Toast within. The Kaya Butter Toast does come with the brown toast that one would typically expect out of the usual Kaya Butter Toast that is served at establishments such as the likes of Ya Kun Kaya Toast; the emphasis here seemingly being on the extremely thick slabs of cold butter that comes in between. The toast does come reasonably crisp around most parts though there are some bits that still felt a little limp. There was a slight over-emphasis on the butter here with the savouriness of the butter sometimes taking over the notes of the sweet, pandan-infused coconut jam that would typically be the centre of attention. Slicing the toast into squares does make them an easy-to-have snack however.

We also got to try the Banana Aeropress Coffee which his available in both hot and iced options — the staff did recommended that the way to best enjoy the Banana Aeropress Coffee is to have it iced however. The Aeropress Coffee does seem to be similar to that of a microfoam that has been whipped to a very fine texture that is creamy yet airy — the flavours being similar to that of the whipped coffee layer that comes atop the typical Dalgona Latte where the caffeine adds a thick, bitter note with a slightly sweet finish at the end. The Banana Aeropress Coffee does seem to feature the use of banana-flavoured milk that carries a note that hints of banana essence; the concoction likely working better with the Aeropress Coffee being mixed into it rather than to have it in its distinct layers much like a macchiato / milk foam / cheese cap offering typically found at a bubble tea stall. Considering how their menu is designed, Pull-Tab Coffee does seem to be an establishment that is pretty much coining on trendy offerings to make its mark all across the world — it would be interesting to see if Pull-Tab Coffee would be able to draw the crowds using the very same appeal in time to come. That being said, it does offer the working class within the area a rather interesting option for hipster beverages whilst also serving up familiar light bites such as the range of Butter Toast for a quick bite for something a little different from the usual.

Got to learn about the existence of Tivoli Coffee House that seems to have recently opened their doors within Resorts World Sentosa — Tivoli Coffee House can be found around the same area as where the entrance from the bus stop at Resorts World Sentosa leads up towards the Casino in the basement of the zone named “Forum”. This would be one of the newer dining establishments that had opened up ahead of the revamp of Resorts World Sentosa where works are still in the final stage; other F&B establishments that had found home in Resorts World Sentosa during this period of time would be that of an outlet of CHAGEE within WEAVE, as well as a Senmo Coffee that is located across from Tivoli Coffee House. Tivoli Coffee House attempts to be somewhat of a coffee house with a somewhat European influence from the store facade; the inside of the establishment also exudes the same vibes with quaint furniture that comes with wooden and rattan accents with a mix of tables featuring either marble-esque or wooden surfaces — some of the couches / cushions used for its seating space also featuring floral patterns that evokes a bit of a cottage-like feel while one can also find vast use of greenery to help add an element of life into the space. There is also the part of the ceiling where it mimics a sky roof that helps add on to the vibes of the space even despite the dining establishment being hidden in the basement of Resorts World Sentosa. Tivoli Coffee House is a cafe that somewhat sees a mix of Thai, Western and Local cuisine being served on its menu; the food menu at Tivoli Coffee House features categories such as All Day Breakfast, Signature Dutch Baby Pancake, Croffles, Burgers & Sandwiches, Western Mains, Pasta & Rice, Local Favourites, Great Sharing Sides, Classic Soup, Salad, Vegetarian and Desserts. Beverages offered at Tivoli Coffee House are categorised into segments comprising of Creative Drinks, Refreshing Coolers & Shakes, Beer, Tea, Hot Coffee & Chocolate.

One of the dishes that are being listed in the Local Favourites section of the menu at Tivoli Coffee House would be the Premium Oyster Omelette, Orh Luak. Tivoli Coffee House describes their Premium Oyster Omelette, Orh Luak to come with “premium oysters fried with eggs with fish sauce till crispy”. We were initially quite skeptical about the quality of their locally-inspired dishes considering how Tivoli Coffee House is situated within a touristy area and that the prices of the dishes are also considered to be a little inflated as compared to the same as what one would pay for at a coffeeshop / hawker centre and food court. With that being said, it does seem that the folks at Tivoli Coffee House does serve up quite a decent version of the oyster omelette after all — no doubt their rendition of the oyster omelette does come a little greasy, but it does come with starchy bits and some crispy bits of eggs around the edges. The oysters aren’t embedded within the omelette but plated above; pretty plump and sufficiently briny, though the chilli is a little sweeter than the typical chili sauce that comes with oyster omelette; it being a little close to the western chili sauce in consistency though coming with a slight zippiness to replicate that of the usual chili sauce that accompanies oyster omelette. Overall, a pretty decent dish that solves the basic cravings for oyster omelette.

During our visit, we also went for the Classic Chicken Chop. Tivoli Coffee House describes their Classic Chicken Chop to come with elements such as crispy chicken chop, Hainanese style gravy, coleslaw and fries. The Classic Chicken Chop is Tivoli Coffee House’s version of the old-school Hainanese-style pork chop; though rather than have it being served up with a deep-fried porn chop, Tivoli Coffee House has their rendition of the dish served up with a deep-fried chicken cutlet instead. Portion size of the Classic Chicken Chop is actually pretty generous with the serving size of the chicken chop being quite on the large side. We do think that the Classic Chicken Chop is yet another decent dish that brought out the spirit of the original dish that it was inspired from pretty well — while the fried chicken does come with a crisp, deep-fried exterior, the flesh within does come reasonably tender. The Hainanese style gravy holds the key to the item being served up to replicate that of Hainanese-style cuisine in the good old days; that tomato-based sauce that seemingly came with a mix of Worcestershire sauce that comes tangy with a slightly savoury note — all that whilst being accompanied with a mix of peas, carrots and corn. The coleslaw does come in the form of a purple cabbage slaw, while the fries that accompanied the dish were shoestring fries that were fried to a beautiful golden brown hue and holding up its crispness even when being left on the table for quite a while.

Tivoli Coffee House does serve up quite a range of Signature Dutch Baby Pancake and our choice would be for the Coconut, Thai Red Ruby and Ice-Cream variant — this would be a sweet variant of the Signature Dutch Baby Pancake (they do also serve up savoury versions of the item at Tivoli Coffee House) and the only one that seems to Thai-inspired. One can describe the Signature Dutch Baby Pancake to be a little dense and being thicker than most pancakes out there — the texture being firm and spongy and quite similar to a Yorkshire pudding. We did feel that the Coconut, Thai Red Ruby and Ice-Cream variant of the Signature Dutch Baby Pancake could have done with a moist, sweet element that tries to gel everything up as the Signature Dutch Baby Pancake can get a little dry and stiff after a period of time — there was also a lack of an element that attempted to bring the Signature Dutch Baby Pancake, Thai Red Ruby and Coconut together in terms of texture and flavour as well. Whilst the melted vanilla ice-cream could arguably be mentioned to have fulfilled that role, perhaps a more syrup-like element would possibly do the job slightly better. Nonetheless, it does seem that the other elements such as the Thai Red Ruby and coconut flesh does replicate the vibes of the traditional Thai-style Red Ruby dessert pretty well; the Thai Red Ruby providing a soft crunch within the chewy red gel that encases the water chestnut within.

The Apothecary Iced Coffee Latte at Tivoli Coffee House is an item that is listed under the Creative Drinks section of the menu — the presentation of this item does seem to hint of Tivoli Coffee House being an establishment that is being brought by the same people behind the now-defunct Crazy Rich Thai at Paragon which also does run both Crazy Rich Thai Toast at Wisma Atria and Crazy Street Thai Cafe at VivoCity. The entire aesthetic of the item does resemble that of Western medicine with the cough medicine bottle coming with labels resembling those printed by general practitioner clinics indicating usage instructions for medicine — even the accompanying pack of cookies comes in a ziplock bag with similar labels mimicking the packaging of pills. Otherwise, the Apothecary Iced Coffee Latte can be described as a deconstructed latte where the cough medicine bottle contains milk to be added to the glass of frozen cubes of espresso that also comes with a shot of espresso within — sugar syrup is also provided on the side where patrons can add on to the milk and coffee if they require some form of sweetness to the latte. The cuppa does turn out to be one with an earthy and roasty flavour profile, the use of frozen cubes of espresso also helped where the beverage does not get diluted over time when the frozen cubes of espresso melt into the milk.

Tivoli Coffee House does initially look like one of those establishments that seem a little bit of a tourist trap considering its location, its inclusion of local fare as a cafe and how they are priced — even the menu also does come with Chinese translations; a rarity for a dining establishment within Singapore. With that being said, Tivoli Coffee House does manage to impress us a fair bit with their rendition of their local-style offerings; whilst not the best renditions that would surpass that of deserving hawkers that have mastered the skill over time — that being said, the versions of those dishes served up at Tivoli Coffee House that we had tried do capture the true spirit of those dishes in a comfortable dining setting and all under one roof. Prices of the items listed in the All Day Breakfast, Signature Dutch Baby Pancake, Burgers & Sandwiches, Western Mains, Pasta & Rice and Local Favourites sections of the menu are priced from $7 to $68; the lowest-priced being the Hong Kong Chee Cheong Fun under the All Day Breakfast section of the menu while the priciest would be the TIVOLI 100 Days Angus Prime Cut (250g) in the Western Mains section of the menu — the prices of most dishes are around the $25 mark. Tivoli Coffee House does make for a decent spot for tourists to check out a variety of local fare whilst still offering a number of western options for something make conventional – a place decent to check out for those whom are willing to shell out a bit of money for what they have to offer.

Yishun does seem to be probably the more exciting spot for interesting F&B establishments to appear up here in the Northen area of the entire island and it does seem that a wave of Filipino dining establishments had found their way to making a presence within the said neighbourhood in recent times — Nanay’s Kitchen is a pretty new addition to the Kedai Kopi coffeeshop at Blk 925 Yishun Central 1. For those whom find the name Nanay’s Kitchen familiar, this would be the very same establishment with the same namesake that is located at Blk 301 Ubi Avenue 1 — they have been in operations there for quite a long while and is also notable to be one of the very few Filipino dining establishments that is halal-certified around the entire island. Nanay’s Kitchen within the Kedai Kopi coffeeshop in Yishun is an expansion of the brand — their location at Ubi still being in operations; their stall at the Kedai Kopi coffeeshop in Yishun takes over the former premises of the now-defunct Sangwoo Street, which is also one of the larger-sized stalls within the coffeeshop. The food menu at Nanay’s Kitchen at Kedai Kopi Yishun is segmented into sections dedicated to Lunch Set, Silog Sets, Regular, Soup, Street Foods, Boodle Fight, Noodle, Grilled and Dessert.

Our previous attempts on giving Filipino cuisine a try has always been pretty limited to their rice dishes — considering so, we had decided to give a noodle dish a go this time since Nanay’s Kitchen does serve up a very limited section of noodles. We decided to go for the Pancit Canton — this does translate into Cantonese-style noodles with “Pancit” referring to noodles. Whilst the menu at Nanay’s Kitchen does not describe the elements that goes into the making of the dish, we did notice elements such as carrots, cabbage and chunks of chicken which had been wok-fried together with the noodles. It does seem that the Pancit Canton is inspired by the Chow Mein (Hong Kong-style stir-fried noodles); the noodles used here are pretty similar to that of the Filipino Odong (i.e. yellow flour noodles) which looks similar to that of the local Ee Fu Noodles — we did like how the noodles didn’t carry any alkaline-y note while having been coated with all that savoury sauce that gave the dish much of its flavour. There is also a peppery hint that is pretty similar to that of black pepper sauce that runs at the back of the tongue for a bit of spice — one that should still be manageable even for those whom are tolerable to lower levels of spiciness. The vegetables such as the cabbage and carrots does add a bit of a crunch for a variance of textures.

During our visit, we also given the Oxtail Sinigang a go as well. It can be observed that the Oxtail Sinigang came with oxtail, long beans, cabbage and other elements within the same bowl. For the uninitiated, Sinigang can be described as sour broth — there is some resemblance between the Sinigang and the Chinese-style Szechuan Vegetable Soup, though the Oxtail Sinigang here does come with a slightly gamey finish. The oxtail itself also comes with a gamey note that some may find it a little heavy, though we liked how tender the meat was without needing much effort to chew and came off the bone easily. The vegetables also does come with a soft crunch to provide a slight variance of texture. The Oxtail Sinigang would be best paired with a serving of white rice on the side; a vehicle to drown all that soup in to have them soak up the flavours altogether.

Noting how Nanay’s Kitchen is a Muslim-owned establishment, the Sisig is offered either in Chicken or Tofu variants — we went for the Chicken Sisig and we did find that the meat for the Chicken Sisig was a little bit tough and dry; perhaps an attempt to somewhat bring the dish somewhere closer towards the texture of the original variant of Sisig that features pork though not quite ideal where the meat used is chicken. That being said, we quite liked how the egg yolk was still runny and mixing everything in the hotplate up does bring together the sweetness of caramelised onions and the spiciness and fragrance of the chili padi altogether — gelling up with all of the other components.

We also ended our meal at Nanay’s Kitchen with the Halo Halo with Leche Flan; Nanay’s Kitchen does also serve up a version of the Halo Halo without Leche Flan for those whom would like to opt out of the additional topping. The Halo Halo can be described as the Filipino rendition of our Ice Kachang though the elements featured are a little bit different from what we are familiar with — think crushed ice coming with a Ube (purple yam) paste, toasted desiccated coconut, boba pearls, different types of jelly, corn nibs, banana etc.. We liked how the mix of elements weren’t overly sweet, with each element seemingly adding a different contrast of sweetness and a variance of textures that goes hand-in-hand as a whole for the dessert. Nanay’s Kitchen’s expansion is one that we didn’t really quite expect given how these folks have been operating in Ubi for quite a good while; their move to expand to Yishun definitely gives them a lot more visibility as a F&B establishment whilst operating within an environment that is known for being a ground for halal-certified eateries to be situated within. We hadn’t been to the Philippines to experience true-blue Filipino cuisine, but it does seem that dishes like the Chicken Sisig do come a little short from the non-usage of pork, though it still does present itself as an interesting dining choice where the Muslim community can get to explore a different type of cuisine not commonly found across the entire island.

Bao’s Pastry is already pretty much making waves in the Singapore F&B scene considering how the news about their very first outlet in Singapore is spreading like wildfire on social media. The opening of Scarlett Supermarket that takes over the former premises of the now-defunct Giant Supermarket in the basement of Paya Lebar Square has seen the inclusion of a food court-like space within its premises — pretty similar to that of Scarlett Supermarket’s location at Westgate. Food stalls located within the Scarlett Supermarket at Paya Lebar Square will include that of SteamedLiu’s 浏杨蒸菜, Dough Magic 扑面而来 and some other usual suspects that one can find at other Magic Scarlett Supermarket locations all across the island. That being said, there is a Nan Yang Jiang Kee 南洋蒋記 in the Scarlett Supermarket at Paya Lebar Square that does serve up noodles and freshly-made dumplings much like that of Yuen Kee Dumpling 袁记云饺 and ZHANGJIYUNJIAO / Zhang Kee Dumplings 张记云饺. Bao’s Pastry occupies quite a vast area within Scarlett Supermarket; the stall being within the side of Scarlett Supermarket that is closer towards Charcoal Grill & Salad Bar Keisuke as well as Kuan Zhai Wan Wan Xiang 寬窄碗碗香 there. All of what Bao’s Pastry has to offer is displayed within the various display cases and chillers; the queue spanning all the way around the stall and into the supermarket around the other food stalls there — the menu of Bao’s Pastry will include items such as a lineup of tarts, Xiao Bei cakes, mochis and buns, just to name a few.

There is always perpetually a queue at Bao’s Pastry but one thing to note is that the queue does seem to move pretty fast if the patrons are quick and decisive on what they are ordering once they reach the counter. The Xiao Bei Crispy Seaweed Floss Cake is one of the must-tries at Bao’s Pastry — a signature offering of Bao’s Pastry which is a hot-seller back in China where the brand originated from. Whilst most seaweed floss bakes in Singapore features bread buns, it is noted that Bao’s Pastry’s Xiao Bei Crispy Seaweed Floss Cake features a cake in place of the bun. The cake is soft and light; makes the Xiao Bei Crispy Seaweed Floss Cake really easy to eat considering how it does not feel jelak — the cake layer which encases the mayonnaise within is very light and fluffy. The consistency of the cake being much like a chiffon without being particularly sweet, the texture of the cake goes hand in hand with the smooth and creamy mayonnaise that gels both the cake and the crispy seaweed and pork floss altogether — the overall flavours being a little sweet and umami, and does remind us of BreadTalk’s signature Flosss bun in flavour though served in a different format. We liked how Bao’s Pastry does retail these in boxes of two (2) pieces and four (4) pieces; the former being pretty ideal for those looking for a quick snack.

Knowing that they do serve up egg tarts, it is interesting to note that Bao’s Pastry offers different variations of egg tarts not just by flavour, but also by tart base as well. Most of its offerings will come with their croissant-esque tart base; such offerings would be named “Croissant Egg Tart” on the menu, while the other variant which is being served up at Bao’s Pastry would be the Golden Portuguese Egg Tart. Bao’s Pastry does offer a larger variety of flavours for their Croissant Egg Tart series — we found ourselves opting for the Pistachio flavour variant. Whilst the croissant-esque tart base does turn out to be pretty crispy, flaky and light without being particularly greasy, we did find that the flavours of the egg curd did get mildly overshadowed by the white chocolate shavings atop; there is a sprinkle of what seems to be candied pistachio, though we did feel that the inherent nuttiness typical of pistachios didn’t really quite pull through here. Meanwhile, the Golden Portuguese Egg Tart has a physical aesthetic that is much more similar to a typical Portuguese Egg Tart; all coming with the slightly charred egg curd over the top gives it that nice, custardy look. Similar to Croissant Egg Tarts that they have to offer, the Golden Portuguese Egg Tart does come with a light and crisp pastry; not exactly buttery nor greasy, though there was definitely a little more bite if one compares these to their Croissant Egg Tarts. The egg curd here does seem a little more dense and a little bit on the sweeter side — there are definitely better egg tarts around.

There does seem to be no denying that the focus at Bao’s Pastry does seem to be on their Xiao Bei Crispy Floss Cake (Seaweed Flavour) — they seemed to have found the “secret sauce” to the ace the item and this is certainly an offering which they have nailed which also brings the crowd to them. That being said, it does seem that Bao’s Pastry isn’t quite as strong in some of its offerings as others — the flavoured Croissant Egg Tarts in comparison does feel that it had came a little short from what we had experienced with the Xiao Bei Crispy Floss Cake (Seaweed Flavour). There are still quite a number of items which some have raved about from Bao’s Pastry that we have still yet to try; there are also items like the Mochi Butter Bun that does seem to be fairly popular amongst patrons during our visit there. Notwithstanding what has been mentioned above, Bao’s Pastry is definitely worth making the visit for just for their Xiao Bei Crispy Floss Cake (Seaweed Flavour), and we do think that the queues wouldn’t be stopping any time soon!

It does seem that the opening of Yuen Kee Dumpling 袁记云饺 might have inspired the opening of other Chinese establishments with similar concepts across the island. While Clementi has seen the existence of ZHANGJIYUNJIAO / Zhang Kee Dumplings 张记云饺, it does seem like the East is also seemingly seeing the opening of such a concept within the space of Scarlett Supermarket that has just taken over the former premises of Giant Supermarket in Paya Lebar Square. Nan Yang Jiang Kee 南洋蒋記 takes up a stall unit within the food court-esque area within the Scarlett Supermarket located in the basement of Paya Lebar Square — these folks can be found within an area across from that of Bao’s Pastry which is best known for their Xiao Bei Crispy Floss Cake (Seaweed Flavour) that has also gone viral on social media ever since they had landed in Singapore; both stalls being located close by to both the Charcoal Grill & Salad Bar Keisuke as well as Kuan Zhai Wan Wan Xiang 寬窄碗碗香 there. Nan Yang Jiang Kee’s menu is somewhat close to that of Yuen Kee Dumpling’s in the way that they both offer various noodle dishes alongside their freshly-made dumplings that are prominently displayed behind the counter — even the way that the dumplings are stocked behind the counter does seem to be pretty similar to the way that Yuen Kee Dumpling does at their stalls here.

Whilst most of their noodle offerings does seem to surround around what more mainland Chinese-style establishments would be serving up, it is interesting to note that Nan Yang Jiang Kee does serve up a Wanton Noodles and Dumpling Noodles in both soup and dry mixed formats for those who wishes to pair their wantons / dumplings with noodles rather than have them alone. We went with the Wanton Noodles (Dry Mixed) considering our usual preferences for dry noodles. Whilst it is not being stated on the menu, it does seem that the Wanton Noodles (Dry Mixed) at Nanyang Jiang Kee does come with Corn and Pork Wontons — the only Wonton offering on its menu. The Wanton Noodles (Dry Mixed) served at Nan Yang Jiang Kee does seem to be served in a style similar to that of the Hong Kong-style wanton noodle with the noodles tossed in a light sauce — one thing we did note about the noodles here is how they are pretty springy. Unfortunately, the noodles does come with a slight hint of alkaline-y notes that would be quite typical of Hong Kong-style wanton noodles; we did find it a little difficult to finish. Meanwhile, we also note the inclusion of crispy bits of pork lard that attempts to provide a contrast of flavours in terms of savouriness — the wantons coming with a slurpy, slippery smooth skin and were well packed with meat, though the inclusion of corn nibs does add a slight hint of sweetness to the wantons.

We also wanted to give their various Dumplings a go and the best way to try a number of the Dumplings that Nan Yang Jiang Kee has to offer would be through their Five Flavours of Dumplings. Whilst Nan Yang Jiang Kee does serve up a variety of seven (7) different flavours of dumplings on its menu, the Five Flavours of Dumplings only showcases a fixed set of five (5) different flavours in a serving size of 10 pieces — the five flavours of Dumplings being the Corn and Meat Dumplings, Chives and Meat Dumplings, Celery and Meat Dumplings, Cabbage & Meat Dumplings and Fungus & Meat Dumplings. Considering how all five dumplings in the Five Flavours of Dumplings does come with pork fillings much of the difference between each flavour variation was within the element that accompanied the meat. The one flavour variant that tasted a little more different from the rest would probably be the Corn and Meat Dumplings — itself being the dumpling variant of the Corn and Pork Wontons that was being served up with the Wanton Noodles (Dry Mixed); the nibs of corn similarly adding a note of sweetness to the meat fillings with the meat fillings carrying a firm bite. The remaining flavours within the Five Flavours of Dumplings does seem to be a little more centred around the meat fillings in retrospect.

Overall, Nan Yang Jiang Kee does provide its patrons with the experience of what one would somewhat expect from an establishment that is noted to be serving up freshly-made dumplings and wantons; that being said, we do feel that its offerings aren’t quite up to par to what Yuen Kee Dumpling — the main underlying difference with Yuen Kee Dumpling is how they have offered sauces to go along with their wanton and dumpling offerings that seemingly help to add a pop of flavour that other establishments replicating them are unable to provide. That being said, we do find Nan Yang Jiang Kee’s offerings to be pretty decent overall, while the prices of their dishes (wanton, dumplings and noodles all inclusive) are all in the range of $6 to $10.50 (the only exception being the Sichuan Old Style XiaoLongBao priced at $3.80 for three (3) pieces) — rather wallet-friendly to be considered as a daily meal option for those working or staying around the Paya Lebar neighbourhood.

Got to learn that Sarah’s Pancake had recently opened a second outlet in town; for those whom have been following us for a while, the mention of Sarah’s Pancake might ring some bells — these are the very same folks whom we had visited some time back at Clementi within the FoodHub coffeeshop at Blk 449 Clementi Avenue 3. There has been an uprising of Min Jiang Kueh places around the island with Munchi Pancakes expanding its footprint to almost all neighbourhoods, while a new contender named Ottie Pancakes had also been aggressively opening around the island. Sarah’s Pancake’s new stall is situated within the S11 coffeeshop at the foot of Blk 34 Upper Cross Street — this is also the very same coffeeshop that houses Zhou Zhen Zhen Vermicelli & Noodles 周真真南昌粉面; Sarah’s Pancake replacing the operator that was also serving up Min Jiang Kueh. Sarah’s Pancake is probably best known for serving up modern-style Min Jiang Kueh pretty much like what one would find at other establishments like Munchi Pancakes and Ottie Pancakes, though they only do offer the classic style of Min Jiang Kueh with different batter and different fillings.

We are quite a sucker for Black Sesame pancakes and the black-on-black aesthetic of the Charcoal-infused batter and the black sesame filling of the Charcoal
Black Sesame is something that always catches our eyes when we visit Sarah’s Pancake. One thing to note about Sarah’s Pancake is how their pancakes are actually slightly thinner than that of what Munchi Pancakes and Ottie Pancakes would typically serve up — this does make Sarah’s Pancake’s Min Jiang Kueh items less filling as compared to the same from Munchi Pancakes and Ottie Pancakes where having one almost equates to having an entire meal. The pancake itself is soft and easy to chew apart; the slices coming with the edges coming with a slight crisp as one sinks their teeth into it. The black sesame filling that came with the Charcoal
Black Sesame does seem to also come with a mix of white sesame within; the entire filling being one that is more gritty / sandy with a focus on the earthy and roasty notes of black sesame rather than that of being a smooth spread with a hint of sweetness — something that we very much prefer as well.

Of course, we also could not give the Matcha Redbean Pancake a miss; this one does come with an obvious green hue in the batter though the surface does still come browned from coming off the pan. We liked how the Matcha pancake itself isn’t carrying only a visual impact to the pancake, but also does carry a hint of the bitter undertones of the Japanese tea at the back of the tongue. Considering the flavour that the batter of the pancake brings, it is needless to say that the red bean filling was a pretty complimenting choice to go with the Matcha pancake — the Matcha Redbean Pancake featuring a flavour combination that is pretty much a classic one to have. The red bean filling is suitably dense in a form that is pretty much like a paste with an evidently earthy note without being overly sweet. The consistency of the Matcha pancake is also similar to the likes of the Charcoal pancake that came with the Charcoal Black Sesame — soft and easy to chew through. Quite glad to see Sarah’s Pancake opening a new outlet that is slightly more accessible to most as compared to their Clementi location; perhaps a move that would provide more exposure to the brand’s existence at large. With this being said, perhaps those whom are used to the tenant whom have operated the previous stall might find the Min Jiang Kueh at Sarah’s Pancake to be a little bit pricey — the range of Min Jiang Kueh at Sarah’s Pancake ranges from $1.80 to $2.50. That being said, this would be yet another establishment to hit for those craving for some modern-style Min Jiang Kueh whilst in the Chinatown area.

Got to learn about the opening of the new Tombok Tombok at Kaki Bukit Community Club — these folks does seem to have found a spot that is rather obscure within the Bedok neighbourhood, considering how they are somewhat of a short bus ride away from Bedok North MRT Station along the Downtown Line. Tombok Tombok occupies a spot within the community club that features a dual frontage; the space does have glass windows that faces out to the main road whilst also having is entrances being within the compounds of the community centre itself. These folks describe themselves as an establishment that serves up modern Peranakan fare; Tombok Tombok actually occupies quite a well-sized space within the community club — the space being well-used as a dining hall that seats a good number of patrons with tables that are configured to suit groups of four (4) pax and above. It’s noted that all seats are also spaced a good distance apart from each other — provides different groups of patrons with some form of privacy. Considering how these folks are an establishment specialising in Peranakan fare, the space has been decked out in a way where one can find various Peranakan-style wares and tiles being hung around its walls; the booth seats and dining chairs coming with a tinge a green and yellow hue that provides a modern look with a colour contrast against the wooden floors and fittings and the white walls within the establishment. It is interesting to note that Tombok Tombok is an establishment by the same folks behind South Union Park and Eleven Strands; other now-defunct establishments by them would include Tok Tok Beef Soup, as well as Restaurant Mia — Tombok Tombok is an establishment where its founder is returning to his Peranakan roots especially considering how his previous concepts are primarily centred around Italian / French cuisine. The food menu at Tombok Tombok is pretty diverse, with the menu being segmented into sections dedicated to Nasi Lemak, Toasts, Chee Cheong Fun, Porridge, Snacks & Starters, Sambal & Pickles, Vegetables, Mains, Seafood, Rice & Noodles and Dessert. Some of these items are only available during different timings of the day, and not throughout the entirety of Tombok Tombok’s operating hours. There is also the Tombok Tombok Set Meal that is available from 11am to 4pm, while a range of Peranakan Kueh available for the day can also be found prominently displayed at the counter. Beverage options includes the usual Nanyang-style Kopi and Teh, as well as some other options that includes the Buah Long Long — just to name a few.

It is noted that one of the dishes that isn’t available to be paired as part of the Tombok Tombok Set Meal would be that of the Sambal Serai Prawn — this does seem to be a dish that is fairly difficult to find in Singapore considering how we didn’t seem to recall having seen the availability of the dish around other Peranakan establishments within the island. The menu at Tombok Tombok does introduce the Sambal Serai Prawn as Creamy Lemongrass Sambal Prawns — having researched a little bit on the item, it does seem that the Sambal Serai Prawn is a dish that doesn’t actually come spicy as what one would typically expect “Sambal” to entail; one can also observe from our order of the Sambal Serai Prawn to come with elements such as that of cashew nuts, prawns, fried shallots and coriander all coming in a rich gravy with lettuce being served on the side. Digging into the gravy, one can actually detect notes of Chinchalok (i.e shrimp paste) — a note that is distinctly savoury with a pleasant pungency made rich with the addition of coconut milk. There is a slight lingering hint of lemongrass somewhere that helps to uplift the savouriness of the dish a bit, but we absolutely enjoyed the nuttiness from the cashew nuts that complimented the gravy so well for a contrast of flavours. The prawns here do come with a bouncy bite; all that whilst carrying an inherent sweetness typical to that of crustaceans as well.

Opting for a plate of Coconut Rice to go along, this would be one out of the four different Rice & Noodle options that Tombok Tombok carries on their menu; the remaining options being White Rice, Fried Mee Siam and a Buah Keluak Fried Rice. It does seem that the Coconut Rice would be the very same one that comes along with their Nasi Lemak offerings that are only available between 11am to 4pm. We did find that the Coconut Rice here does come with rice that is sufficiently moist and distinguishable to the grain without having turned too mushy — all that whilst carrying a lingering aroma of coconut milk that perfumes throughout each spoonful as one digs into the rice. This surprisingly paired very well with the Sambal Serai Prawn, further enhancing the fragrance of the dish considering the use of a common component that would that of the coconut milk — making both dishes really easy to finish when had together.

We also made a subsequent visit for their Tombok Tombok Set Meal which is only available on weekdays between 11am to 5pm — this would be the best way to give a number of the items that Tombok Tombok has to offer a go in one seating. The Tombok Tombok Set Meal comes with a Main of the patron’s choice, two (2) Starters / Sides of the patron’s choice and Steamed Rice / Coconut Rice / Fried Mee Siam. The choices that we had made for our order of the Tombok Tombok Set Meal would be the Gulai Tumis for the Main, Prawn & Mushroom Ball Soup and Jiu Hu Char for the two Starters / Sides and the Fried Mee Siam. The Gulai Tumis can be translated as Tamarind Fish Curry — whilst Tombok Tombok does not describe on the elements that come with the dish, it can be noted that the Gulai Tumis does come with a slab of fish that comes with bones, whilst it also does feature other vegetables such as that of eggplant, tomatoes and lady fingers. The gravy that came with the Gulai Tumis does come tangy from the tamarind; the gravy being sufficiently thick but not too greasy and would do well if paired with white rice on the side that serves as a vehicle to the gravy. The fish does features soft flesh with the bones coming off easily if care is taken to consume the dish; the vegetables also stewed to a soft consistency whilst at it. It is also noted that the Gulai Tumis gravy is of a level of spiciness that is suitable for those whom are tolerable to slightly lesser than moderate levels of spiciness — quite an easy item to have.

Meanwhile, the Jiu Hu Char came along with the same plate as the Fried Mee Siam which also comes with a sambal on the side. The Fried Mee Siam here seems to be heavier on the savoury notes of Belachan and dried shrimp here; the springy rice vermicelli here does seem to lack the slight tang from the tamarind juice that is usually absorbed during the wok-frying process of the dry variant of Mee Siam. For those whom have not heard of Jiu Hu Char before, this can be translated to Stir Fry Jicama with Cuttlefish. Whilst a dish that seem to be more commonly found in Peranakan dining establishments in Malaysia more than the same in Singapore, this can be described to be a dish that is fairly similar to the fillings that one can find in Kueh Pie Tee or in Popiah with similar ingredients and flavour. One thing notable about Jiu Hu Char is how it is still sufficient moist but not as wet as the filling that one would find within Kueh Pie Tee or in Popiah; it also does seem to come with a note of dried shrimp amidst the savouriness — all whilst coming with a soft crunch. Meanwhile, the Prawn & Mushroom Ball Soup was pretty hearty; featuring prawn paste and a mushroom-infused meatball whilst also coming with other elements like cabbage and carrots that have been boiled to a soft texture — also offered in a bigger portion as an ala-carte item, we do feel that the ala-carte Prawn & Mushroom Ball Soup would work great as an item to share around the table especially for families dining at Tombok Tombok.

During the first visit, we had also give the Nonya Chendol a go — there are actually two variants of the Chendol being listed in the Desserts section of Tombok Tombok; the other one being a Durian Chendol. Going for the Nonya Chendol which is essentially the more basic offering of the two, it can be observed from our order that the Nonya Chendol does come with the standard elements one would expect out of a typical bowl of Chendol — coconut milk, Gula Melaka, red bean, Chendol jelly and shaved ice. The shaved ice does come shaved to a consistent texture where it isn’t too icy; all of it drenched in coconut milk that gives it a depth of flavours. We like how the Gula Melaka here comes all rich and thick — the earthy sweetness that it carries being almost sinful but surprisingly well-balanced so as to not dominate the flavours of the entire bowl. We usually aren’t a fan of the red beans but these were cooked to a soft consistency without much of a need to bite, yet not too mushy — all that whilst being suitably sweet with an earthy note that hangs around at the back of the tongue. One can also observe from the dull green hue of the Pandan jelly that these seem to be made in-house; the Pandan jelly being suitably soft to chew whilst coming with a slightly saltish note with a hint of Pandan fragrance that lingers at the back of the tongue.

We had also went with the Buah Long Long; otherwise known as the Ambarella Juice — the variant of the Buah Long Long at Tombok Tombok does come with sour plum and sugar syrup added. With that being said, it can still be said that the Buah Long Long still comes pretty refreshing with its zingy notes — all that whilst the sour plum does help add a bit of depth of flavours to the juice while the addition of sugar syrup does make it a pretty easy beverage to have despite the inherent sourness of the ambarella fruit itself. The Kopi itself here is also pretty satisfactory; this came with sufficiently strong notes of local Nanyang-style coffee brewed using Robusta beans — all that whilst coming sufficiently sweet from the condensed milk to provide a good balance.

Overall, Tombok Tombok does present itself as quite an interesting dining establishment within the heartlands; the focus on Peranakan cuisine in such a neighbourhood-ly setting does certainly bring a whole set of challenges for them as well — the offering of Nasi Lemak, Toasts, Chee Cheong Fun and Porridge being rather obviously dishes that are introduced to cater to those staying around the area that makes Tombok Tombok more accessible to the masses, but less aligned with its Peranakan theme. We do feel that there are some tweaks that Tombok Tombok can make to its fare that may help with the overall dining experience a little — this would include the deboning of the fish with the Gulai Tumis to facilitate for easier eating (though likely lesser of an authentic dining experience), while perhaps making the Tombok Tombok Set Meals for dinner or at least for lunch on weekends; this gives patrons a larger window of opportunity to give their main offerings a go especially for those whom have a thing for Peranakan fare, but usually are unable to do so if they tend to be individual diners. Prices of the Tombok Tombok Set Meal ranges between $11.50 to $15.50 at its base price depending on the Mains that one opts for, while its Nasi Lemak offerings are priced from $5.50 to $8.90; dishes in the Snacks & Starters, Vegetables, Mains, Seafood, Rice & Noodles sections are priced around $12.50 to $16. For those looking for a spot serving up communal fare unlike the usual Zichar-style fare found in coffeeshops / jewel centres / coffeeshops within the Kaki Bukit neighbourhood whilst not wanting to head toward the direction of Katong for Peranakan fare, Tombok Tombok is an establishment worth considering to try.

There seems to be quite a number of modern-style teahouses that have been opening up around Singapore of the late — LANTINE 蘭亭一盞 at Rangoon Road being one of the first establishments of such a style that bucked this trend. Have been scrolling around social media and got to learn about the new Tea Story that is located at the foot of Blk 76 Circuit Road. Occupying the space of a single shophouse unit, Tea Story is decked to be quite a quaint, almost cottage-like tea house with the extensive use of wooden elements within the interior — the space featuring oriental elements with the use of arches, wicker elements and also greenery to help to spruce up the entire space. Tea Story isn’t the sort of traditional tea house that one would be able to find in Chinatown; its offerings are can be described as somewhat more trendy with a focus on items such as that of Classic Milk Tea, Oriental Original Leaf Milk Tea, Hand-hammered Fresh Lemon Tea, Fruity Milk Tea Ice — somewhat similar to that of stores serving up bubble tea that one can find at shopping centres around. That being said, the tea offering that Tea Story heavily emphasis on would be that of the Healthy Baked Milk that is served in a pot. Despite being hyper-focused on its tea offerings, Tea Story does also served up a limited variety of Handmade Desserts for those looking for something sweet to pair with their teas; they also do offer Bone Soup Rice Noodles which would appeal to those looking for something savoury to have as a simple meal option.

Amongst the various Handmade Desserts that Tea Story has to offer, the Osmanthus Jasmine Cheese was the one that stood out to us — the item is described to come with “Jasmine Cheese”; essentially comprises of fresh milk that has been soaked with jasmine flowers, and also does come with handmade Osmanthus jelly. This would be a dessert item that comes with pudding, jelly and white pearl elements that we found to be pretty easy to have — thought there was a slight hint of milkiness that seems to blend into the floral notes of the dessert particularly well. There isn’t a particularly strong cheesy note within the dessert that one would typically expect from elements like cheese foam, though it does seem to enrich the milky elements within the dessert. There was also a variance of textures going on within the Osmanthus Jasmine Cheese, with the soft pudding and slurpy handmade Osmanthus jelly matching up against the chewy pearl-like elements that gave a contrasting mouthfeel to the dessert.

Meanwhile, the Rose Milk Tea from the Healthy Baked Milk featured red tea, red dates and Goji berries with rose petals — this does turn out to be quite similar to that of the usual milk tea where one is able to detect the underlying notes of the tea leaves brewed within; there is an accompanying roasty note that comes along at the start, though the tea also gets a little sweeter as one reaches near the bottom of it. We did feel that there wasn’t much floral aroma that was infused in the Rose Milk Tea however. Tea Story does seem like a fairly interesting establishment that can be found within the heartlands — one of those that just seem to be satisfying the needs of what the average bubble tea shop would within the residential neighbourhoods of MacPherson, yet being a trendier establishment that is also social media-worthy with interesting offerings to boast. Prices of all of its offerings are well below $10 be it for their tea and beverage items; pretty wallet-friendly for an establishment situated in the heartlands they might be worth checking out if around the area.