Was scrolling around social media and got to know about Anakmak that had recently opened its doors at the Sinfoodie coffeeshop at Blk 215 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 recently. Anakmak is a new tenant that occupies one of the stall units situated in the corner of the coffeeshop — these folks had actually once operated as a home-based business, and this is the very first time in which they are operating from a full-fledged brick-and-mortar space for their business. Being a Muslim-owned establishment, Anakmak’s signature offering would be their Ayam Gepok; smashed crispy fried chicken with sambal that features cashews as well as tempeh, tofu and cabbage. Other dishes apart from Ayam Gepok that are served up at Anakmak would include a line-up of addons, as well as Nasi Lemak, Mee Rebus, Mee Soto and various renditions of Epok-Epok.

Anakmak does mention that their version of Ayam Gepok is one that carries their very own modern twist — there are also some influences from their mother in terms of the recipe that are used for their rendition of the dish here. Anakmak’s Ayam Gepok does feature all of the elements that one would typically find in a standard Ayam Gepok elsewhere — patrons do get the option to opt for spicy levels 1 to 4 for the sambal; we went with level 2 for our order, though it is worth noting that the sambal for spicy level 4 does not come with cashew sauce along with it. The smashed crispy fried chicken comes in the form of a chicken leg similar to that of Ayam Penyet; while flavoursome from the marination process using turmeric, the meat does come a little bit on the drier side. Adding a little bit of the sambal does help with things here — undoubtedly the star of the show with its piquant spiciness as one would usually expect from Indonesian-style sambals, though we liked that slightly saltish and nutty note brought upon by the cashew sauce that is similar to nut butter. The twist done by Anakmak would be with the burnt cabbage that is gives a bit of a streaky bite with a slight char alongside a hint of sweetness that we found to be pretty tasty.

There has been quite a fair bit of news going around a stall named Berempah Bros that had recently opened its doors at the hawker centre at the uppermost level of Beauty World Centre — these folks had taken over the former unit that was occupied by a stall that used to serve up satay that is located at the corner of the same stretch of stalls as where one would be able to find the outlet of KOPIFELLAS there. One thing notable about Berempah Bros is that the establishment is actually by Master Chef Singapore Season 2 winner Chef Derek — his Masterchef Singapore trophy can actually be found sitting on top of the display fridge that stocks up the beverages that they serve as part of the set if one chooses to go for the add-on. Berempah Bros keep things simple here with its menu featuring only different types / cuts of meats served with coconut rice, housemade achar and sambal belachan — think Ayam / Fish / Pork / Unagi Berempah with patrons being able to opt for Wing / Breast / Thigh for the Ayam Berempah option.

One thing that is well-noted at Berempah Bros is how they serve up meats that are inspired by the likes of Ayam Berempah — this means the different variants of meats are deep-fried, whilst coming with crumbs over the top. In an attempt to offer a dish with a fusion approach, the typical “Serunding” that one would find with Ayam Berempah is replaced with Hong Kong-style typhoon shelter (i.e. Bi Feng Tang) crumbs instead. Opting for the Pork Berempah, the highlight here is undeniably the fried meats. The slab of pork cutlet here is definitely well-executed in the way that the juices of the meat has been locked in; the meat being not too dry and also easy to chew apart. The use of Hong Kong-style typhoon shelter crumbs provides a crispy crunch that is almost similar to cereal crumbs typically found in wok-fried cereal dishes (i.e. cereal chicken, cereal fried rice etc.) found at Zi Char stalls in coffeeshops / hawker centres / food courts — buttery, slightly saltish and sweet with some curry leaves for extra fragrance and chili padi for a slight note of spiciness to tickle the tastebuds. The coconut rice was missing of that coconut-y fragrance and was more similar to just plain white rice given the lack of the “Lemak” feel, while the sambal belachan did carry a hint of savouriness and a tang whilst being spicy enough that those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness should find it pretty manageable.

The opening of the Singapore outpost of Elephant Grounds was probably the piece of news that had been spreading around the local F&B scene in the last week — a brand that hails from Hong Kong, the Singapore location of Elephant Grounds is located at Guoco Midtown, taking over the former premises of MASHI NO MASHI that has since made its move to Telok Ayer; this would also be the shop unit that is located right across from Umai Artisanal Udon Bar. Elephant Grounds features both outdoor al-fresco and indoor seating here; being pretty much a cafe at heart, the weekend menu is split into sections such as Rise & Shine, Healthy Boost, Carb Loading, Signatures, Donburis, Sharing, Pancake Club and Sweet; Elephant Grounds also offers a line-up of bakes and danishes which are being stocked up and displayed at the counter where the espresso bar is. Known for the specialty coffee, the beverage menu consists of categories such as Black, White, EG Exclusive, Brew Bar, Not Coffee, Ice / Hot Tea, Cold Press Juices and Smoothies.

Visiting Elephant Grounds for lunch on a weekend, we decided to go for the Torched Salmon Donburi which is described to also come with elements such as corn, pickled cucumber, mixed greens, Onsen egg and Kewpie mayonnaise. This is a fairly simple Donburi dish that we felt was actually pretty well-executed — coming with slices of salmon which are blowtorched, there is something about the torched salmon which carries a consistency similar to that of what one would expect of Aburi Salmon; a melt in the mouth texture whilst the fish carried its distinct flavour with a slight smokiness along with it. The Donburi also featured Japanese short-grain rice; the rice being well-executed with a slight stickiness whilst also being drenched with a little bit of a sweet-savoury sauce to provide ample texture without being overwhelming. Mixing the other elements such as the runny Onsen egg, Kewpie mayonnaise, corn and mixed greens gives everything within the bowl a creamy and silkier texture; the nibs of corn providing a hint of sweetness and some bite, while the mixed greens adds a crisp texture to the Donburi. The pickled cucumbers add a refreshing crunch with a slight tang to reset the tastebuds.

Had learnt about the existence of the new The Egyptian Baker whilst scrolling around online — these folks are new entrant to the local F&B scene within the Joo Chiat neighbourhood, having occupied a shop unit within Everitt Edge; the same building also houses another notable artisanal bakery named Pelle & Pepe Bread that has been operating for quite a while now. That being said, the facade of The Egyptian Baker faces the main thoroughfare of Joo Chiat Place which makes it easier to spot from the main road. Operating as pretty much a takeaway bakery, The Egyptian Baker does have two small tables that seats two (2) pax each situated outside the establishment for those whom wish to have their bakes on the spot. The offerings at The Egyptian Baker are available on a rotational basis; with that being said, these folks are offering patrons a variety of Middle Eastern bakes that are less commonplace in the local F&B scene amongst familiar favourites to provide locals here with a fresh take on Middle Eastern flavours at large.

The Muhammarah Makeesh is an item that was available on the day that we made our visit to The Egyptian Baker — this does turn out to be a Flatbread-style item that comes with roasted red peppers being spread over the top and includes the use of some middle eastern spices for flavour as well. The flatbread itself here does feel quite unique as compared to other flatbreads from other cultures; this felt a little bit similar to the crust of some pizzas where it is much more bread-like and doesn’t carry too much of a tension, while the edges does come with a texture that is a little bit biscuit-like that gives some sort of crunch that adds on further to the flatbread. We liked how the bell peppers comes with this roasty, nutty and tangy note; the hint of spices amidst those notes does seem to be similar to that of cumin and cardamom that helps to give an added fragrance to the roasted red pepper dip that is spread on the bread. Thought this was pretty reasonably-priced at $5; not to mention the sincerity and hospitality rendered by the folks that run this place whom has a passion for the craft— definitely an earnest establishment that would be well-appreciated by the community around it in time to come!

It seems that the folks behind the INITIA group have been getting quite busy especially with the TOFU • G brand; not only have they moved TOFU • G from it’s pop-up location to a new unit within Mandarin Gallery, but the brand has also entered the Malaysian market with its first overseas outpost being situated within The Exchange TRX in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Their second outlet in Singapore had just opened its doors — they are situated within Ngee Ann City, and takes up the former premises of the now-defunct Hazukido outlet there in basement two of the shopping gallery right at the entrance / exit of the linkway towards Wisma Atria. Given the compact space which Tofu • G has taken up within Ngee Ann City, this outlet operates entirely as a takeaway establishment within no dine-in seating unlike the one at Mandarin Gallery. The entire concept of Tofu • G otherwise remains the same where gelato is only served in cups of single scoops only, and patrons do get a choice to choose between eight (8) different flavours at a flat price of $8 a scoop.

We initially wanted to go for the Vegan Tofu / Vegan High-Protein Tofu variants of the gelato during our visit to Tofu • G at Ngee Ann City but it was unfortunate that both flavours were unavailable for order as a new batch was being prepared for both during our visit — we were however asked if we would like to try the Rich Chocolate Gelato that also turns out to be a flavour that is claimed to be exclusively available at the Ngee Ann City outlet; something which we eventually found ourselves going for. As with most other gelato flavours which Tofu • G offers outside of their Vegan Tofu / Vegan High-Protein Tofu variants of the gelato, the notes of tofu aren’t exactly that strong or detectable, though it is noted that there is a light whiff of tofu fragrance that lingers for the Rich Chocolate Gelato towards the finish. Nonetheless, the Rich Chocolate Gelato is one that would definitely capture the hearts of diehard chocolate lovers being especially rich, smooth and luscious — a very luxurious flavour with a velvety texture that isn’t overly bitter nor sweet, while the high quality chocolate used here also does not leave that itchy, sticky and scratchy “heatiness” that some chocolate gelato / ice-cream offerings tend to leave behind as well.

Was going past Tekka Centre and got to learn about a new stall that has opened up in the area where most of the Indian / Muslim stalls within the food centre are situated. Roti Kari is a pretty new entrant to the market; their Tekka Centre location isn’t their only outlet around the island however — they do have another stall that is situated at Pasar 16 Bedok which they operate from as well. It is noted that Roti Kari is a little bit of a social enterprise that “train and equip ex-offenders with the craft of bread-making and the business skills to one day run their own hawker stalls”; the establishment being one that is supported by the President’s Challenge. Being a bakery stall, Roti Kari has its variety of bakes displayed prominently within the display case in the stall — this would include a line-up of buns, Shokupans and Muffins that comes in various flavours to choose from.

One look at the Butter Chicken Bun and it is pretty obvious that Roti Kari’s direction for their curry breads seems to be inspired by that of the Japanese curry doughnuts (i.e. Kare Pan). Whilst there is a similarity to the Kare Pan where Roti Kari’s curry breads does make use of panko crumbs on the exterior, it is well-noted that Roti Kari’s curry breads are not deep-fried but instead are baked liked how the usual curry tend to be. The consistency of the bun at Roti Kare can be described as pretty dense, though there is this chewy mouthfeel that one can also describe it as pretty fluffy as well — the added panko crumbs on the exterior gives it an additional crispness for an additional variance of textures. Inside, the bun is reasonably filled with Tandoori Chicken fillings – we did find the lack of tomato gravy here making the Butter Chicken Bread stray away from its namesake a little; that being said, the chunks of chicken were generously sized being all flavourful and delivers a good bite at the same time as well.

Was scrolling around social media and got to learn about a new hawker stall that has opened up at Amoy Street Food Centre in the turn of the new year. Located at the second level of the hawker centre would be that Pan’s Kopi — these folks are finally becoming an actual hawker stall after having operated as a home-based business for a period of time; these folks are located in the row across other notable tenants such as the likes of the very first outlet of Mad Roaster that is also situated in the food centre. Pan’s Kopi takes the direction of being more akin to the old-school coffee stall that one can find within the hawker centre — the menu here revolves around the usual Nanyang-style Kopi & Teh offering as well as breakfast toasts featuring different spreads, though Pan’s Kopi also does serve up a range of Specialty Drinks as well which includes a line-up of Classic drinks and some listed under as part of an “Oreo Series”.

It was a shame that we didn’t get to try out their Taro Toast as the said item was already sold out by the time we reached Amoy Street Food Centre slightly before the weekday lunch peak period — we found ourselves settling for the standard Kaya Butter Toast instead during our visit to Pan’s Kopi. Thought that the Kaya Butter Toast at Pan’s Kopi is actually quite well-executed for a newly-opened stall and could rival that of more established beverages stalls in hawker centre settings; Pan’s Kopi does slice their white bread thin to achieve that lightly crisp texture that is desired after being toasted — toast also does come with a beautiful, slightly browned hue from the toasting process as well. Whilst many establishments tend to lather a generous spread of Kaya to compensate for the amount of butter that they serve up in the Kaya Butter Toast, Pan’s Kopi keep things manageable with a proportionate spread of both where the portion of Nonya Kaya is just about right — not too overwhelming, but gives the right amount of coconut-y sweetness and a slight fragrance of pandan to the slab of butter that comes in between.

There has been some talk on social media on the opening of a new stall named Nya Nya within the Food Republic food court at Wisma Atria — these folks had taken over the former premises of the space that was once occupied by a Toast Box outlet. For those whom are unaware, Nya Nya is a concept by the same folks behind Nonya Delicatessen — yes, that very same one that has been around in Bukit Timah Plaza for quite a long while now; Nya Nya is the concept that is run by the third-generation owner of the brand. The space that Nya Nya had taken over at the Food Republic food court at Wisma Atria does make Nya Nya operate a little bit like a mini restaurant, though patrons are free to utilise the other seats within the food court area if dining from Nya Nya and vice versa. Much like Nonya Delicatessen, Nya Nya splits its offerings on its menu into sections dedicated to Mains, Desserts, Cakes / Kuehs and Drinks. Bottles of various types of sambals and Nonya Kaya are also retailed at Nya Nya as well.

Nya Nya does not describe the elements that goes into their various dishes; that being said, it can be observed from our order of the Nasi Kunyit that it does come with rice that comes with a yellow hue, as well as curry chicken, sambal egg and Achar on the side. The Nasi Kunyit does come with a hint of turmeric as one would probably have expected given its aesthetic; the rice is generally of a decent texture apart from one part that does come a little clumpy. The curry chicken that accompanied the Nasi Kunyit came in the form of a drumstick; we liked how the curry chicken does come reasonably tender and moist — all that whilst coming with a curry gravy that is fragrant and rich and provided a subtle kick of spiciness that would tickle the tastebuds for those whom are tolerable to lesser than moderate levels of spiciness. The added sambal to the hard-boiled egg comes with a sweetness; something pretty much akin to that of local-style Nasi Lemak sambal, while the addition of Achar gives a refreshing, tangy and nutty crunch to reset the tastebuds from the other elements on the plate.

Was scrolling around the phone on social media and got to learn about the opening of yet another new cafe that is situated within the neighbourhood around the Chung Ling Wet Market area — located at the foot of of Blk 152 Bishan Street 11 would be Wad Coffee. Wad Coffee is pretty much a hole-in-the-wall establishment, though there are some two (2) tables suitable for groups visiting the cafe of four (4) pax each situated along the walkways of the HDB block that allows one to have their offerings on the spot. With its simple operations, the menu at Wad Coffee is kept relatively slim with its only food offerings being the range of Wad Waffles that they have to offer. The main highlight at Wad Coffee would be their beverage offerings however; these are segmented into sections dedicated to Specialty Coffee, Non-Coffee and Local Brews.

Considering how we were also in need of a light bite, we found ourselves going for the Plain Boring Wad Waffles that is listed on the Wad Waffles section of the menu. The Wad Waffles is essentially the same sort of Pandan-infused waffles that one would be able to find at old-school neighbourhood bakeries around the island; the Plain Boring Wad Waffles being the variant that comes as-is without any fillings, though other variants offered by Wad Coffee included the Chocolate Hazelnut, Kaya, Peanut, as well as the OG / Strawberry Cream Cheese. Sinking our teeth into the waffles, we did feel that the Plain Boring Wad Waffles was actually quite light and fluffy, making it a fairly easy eat whilst still carrying a bit of tension to chew apart. It also does come with a bit of crispness in some parts; all that whilst coming with a noticeable hint of Pandan fragrance at the same time.

Got to hear about the opening of the new Puurin Cafe at Binjai Park recently; for those whom have heard about the online-based business named Puurin Club specialising in Japanese-style custard pudding — yes, Puurin Cafe is their new brick-and-mortar store that operates as a strictly takeaway-only spot. These folks share the shophouse at 31 Binjai Park taking up the space at the back of the shophouse; the entrance to Puurin Cafe being the back door of the shophouse.Puurin Cafe is a little bit of an extension of what Puurin Club is all about; apart from the various flavours of Japanese-style custard pudding that it has to offer, Puurin Cafe also does serve up a variety of other small-sized brunch-style dishes such as open-faced toast and crepe — there are also a small selection of danishes.

Thought it would be good if we were to also go for one of their savoury food options that is befitting for a light lunch during our visit to Puurin Cafe considering how the entire range is newly-introduced here in line with the opening of the cafe. The crepes are available in a variety of savoury and sweet variants; we found ourselves settling for the Ham, Brie, Egg Crepe. It is noted that all crepe orders are freshly made upon order and a short waiting time would be required for its preparation. We really loved the texture of the crepes here that comes soft, thin and a little bit chewy with some areas especially around the sides coming with a slight crispness as well. With the addition of ham and Brie for the Ham, Brie, Egg Crepe, the two elements added different dimensions of savouriness to the crepe — all that whilst not being too salty, whilst the texture of both elements are also largely consistent with the softness of the crepe as well. The egg yolk that came over the top comes all runny; best to be enjoyed by breaking it first and mopping it all up with the crepe later, while it also does come with microgreens sourced from a local farm that helps to add a hint of freshness that compliments the crepe just about right.

There has been some talk about the new Wild Honey Pie Bakery that had recently opened its doors at The Promenade @ Pelikat — other notable F&B establishments that are situated in this building will include the likes of JM (Sisters) Noodle House Traditional Ipoh Hor Fun and Bandit's Joint. Wild Honey Pie Bakery is an establishment by the same folks behind Cat in the Hat Bakery that is situated at Golden Mile Food Centre that is best known for serving up small bakes; Wild Honey Pie Bakery itself still is pretty much a takeaway only bakery that is situated within a hole-in-the-wall shop space at the basement of The Promenade @ Pelikat. Whilst one can still find bakes such as the likes of Madelines, Financiers and Caneles which are being offered at Cat in the Hat Bakery as well, Wild Honey Pie Bakery also does serve up a wider variety of bakes that comes in full-sized portions such as the likes of danishes, sandwiches and dessert pies.

The Sourdough Pork Katsu Sando is served in halved portions and comes wrapped in a cling wrap which makes it pretty easy to be picked up considering how Wild Honey Pie Bakery operates as a self-service bakery where patrons would pick up the bakes that they wish to have using tongs and trays provided before making payment at the counter. Coming at a price of $4.50, it is noted that the Sourdough Pork Katsu Sando does come with quite a sizeable portion of deep fried pork cutlet in between the sourdough bread; one can also find a lettuce leaf that sits within the Sando — all that with some form of dressing (?) and Tonkatsu sauce in between as well. Taking a bite into the Sourdough Pork Katsu Sando, the Pork Katsu is definitely chunky; this does seem to be quite a premium slab of pork that does come with a good bite considering how it consists of fatty parts that requires a little bit more chew amidst the bite while the golden brown batter on the exterior is also crisp — could imagine how good this would be on its own if the Sando is being had heated up. The inclusion of the Tonkatsu sauce does add a savoury-sweet note with a slightly gingery-touch that kept things refreshing, while the sourdough bread does come crusty on the exterior with a fluffy interior that requires some tension to pull apart; all whilst carrying a slight tanginess that came from the fermentation process in the making of the bread.

Got to learn about the existence of 2 Chefs Too Many when scrolling around the phone one day — these folks are located quite at the far eastern end of Singapore within the foot of Blk 1 Changi Village; this would be the same block where one will be able to find other dining establishments such as that of an outlet of Ciclo e Caffè as well as that of the outlet of Makan Melaka Cendol there. 2 Chefs Too Many is decked in a rather simple set-up where the interior does feel a little more functional than for form; the establishment seemingly having a focus on serving up “Japanese Fusion Cuisine” with “top grade meat” and “seafood”. The menu at 2 Chefs Too Many is split into sections that are dedicated to Appetiser, Mains (Grilled Meat / Omurice / Udon), Grilled Items, Salads / Kids Meal and Dessert.

The Beef Hamburg Omurice is one of the items that 2 Chefs Too Many offers in the Mains (Omurice) section of its menu — whilst there is no description of the elements involved with the dish, it can be observed that the Beef Hamburg Omurice does come with a beef Hamburg patty that is made-to-order; all that accompanied with a tornado egg that is served over rice with the rice drenched in a Demi-glace sauce. Digging into the Omurice, we already like how the omelette is still pretty moist and runny; the rice beneath being short-grained rice that seemingly also carried a light whiff of buttery flavour that adds on to the experience. We especially loved the Demi-glace sauce here which was pretty much flavourful; delivering a briny finish to the typical savouriness of brown sauce which altogether helps to bring the other elements with the Beef Hamburg Omurice together. The Beef Hamburg does seem to be done to a well-done consistency, though we still found it to be easy to slice through; no parts that are too fatty or veiny here, while the charred bits of the exterior does provide a little bit of a crispness for some variance of texture for the Beef Hamburg itself.