There has been some talk about a new cafe that is situated within the Holland Village neighbourhood in recent times — Joy Cafe is a relatively new addition to the Lorong Mambong stretch of the Holland Vilahw neighbourhood; these folks can be found along the same stretch of shophouses in which houses the outlets of Project Açai and Hiang Ji Roasted Meat & Noodle House there. Joy Cafe is decked rather whimsically in the interior especially; the entire space does seem like it wishes to replicate the vibes of an English cottage with its use of cork-esque walls and brick walls with the latter even fitted with a pseudo fireplace with plenty of different ornaments that are placed on the ledge to provide a slightly more foreign vibe to the space. There is an eclectic mix of furnishings used especially for its dining area that sees a mix of bench seating space, proper dining tables and chairs and communal tables spread across the cafe. A cafe that primarily serves up only dessert offerings, much of its emphasis would be on their Basque cheesecake and Tiramisu offerings — beverages are being split into sections dedicated to The Six Chapters of Life, Pour Over, Cold Brew, Ice Drip and Classic Coffee.

Considering how they are quite swamped with the number of patrons visiting the cafe on a weekend afternoon, it does seem that Joy Cafe does only have whatever it has stocked in its display chiller being the only items available for the day — patrons can enquire if there are other items that are still in the midst of preparation and estimated waiting time for them (if any) if they have any specific items that they wish to try that are not stocked up in the display chiller. During our visit, we had managed to give the Classic Blueberry Basque a go; an item which was in the midst of being prepared whilst we made our order at the counter and needed an estimated waiting time of 5mins for it to be served. Though Joy Cafe does only not describe the elements that are featured in the cake, it could be observed that the Classic Blueberry Basque features a basque cheesecake with a layer of blueberry-infused pastry cream topping the basque cheesecake — all that with a drizzle of berry jam and blueberries coming over the top. Going straight for the cake, the basque cheesecake itself is smooth and creamy though it does lack the molten / runny texture that some basque cheesecakes from other establishments comes with. We did find that the basque cheesecake here does come with a light, creamy and tangy note that was easy to have; all that whilst the blueberry-infused pastry cream and berry jam adds another dimension of tanginess with a fruity note for an added contrast. The blueberries do add an element of bite and provides further enhancement to the blueberry-infused pastry cream and berry jam atop the basque cheesecake.

For those whom have been following on the happenings of the local F&B scene via social media often, one spot that has been popping out of the late would be that of Oaks Coffee Roasters. As one would probably have guessed it from its namesake, Oaks Coffee Roasters is an establishment that is brought to us by the same folks behind Oaks Coffee Co. at Upper Thomson Road — this would be their second outlet in which also houses their coffee roastery operations whilst also running as a dine-in cafe at the same time. Oaks Coffee Roasters is located at 619H Bukit Timah Road; this would be the very same shop unit that was previously occupied by Pocket by Flip Coffee Roasters before their move to Mercure Singapore On Stevens. The space at Oaks Coffee Roasters is smaller and less elaborate than that of the Upper Thomson outlet with the new location being more minimalistic with a slight industrial twist with its slightly raw look for its interior. The menu offered by Oaks Coffee Roasters does seem simpler than that of their first store at Upper Thomson; the food menu is being split into sections dedicated to From The Kitchen and In-House Bakes, though the main focus does seem to be on the beverages options that comprises of categories such as Coffee, Filter Selections, Signature Coffee Creations, Signature Matcha Series, Matcha, Organic Tea Selections and Others.

Most of what Oaks Coffee Roasters have to offer for their selection of hot food offerings does seem to centre around toasties, melts, open face toast and quiches. We found ourselves opting for the Triple Mushroom Spinach Pesto Quiche which is being listed under the From The Kitchen section of the menu which comes with elements such as that of housemade quiche crust, Shiitake mushrooms, Shimeiji mushrooms, King Oyster mushrooms, spinach, housemade pesto and mixed cheese based on the description of the dish on the menu. Slicing down the Triple Mushroom Spinach Pesto Quiche, we did find that the housemade quiche crust is rather well made; firm enough to support the heft of everything that is atop whilst not having absorbed all of the moisture from the fillings, yet light and buttery enough that made everything felt delightful and not too jelak. There is a hint of eggy-ness and creaminess within the quiche; all that with stringy, melted cheese that laces around the mix of mushrooms that provides varying contrasts of earthiness and bouncy textures while the spinach compliments that of the housemade pesto that provides a hint of sweet basil amidst that herb-y notes that one would typically expect out of pesto — a well-executed quiche that makes for a light meal for those whom are looking for something lighter than a toastie / melts offering during their visit to Oaks Coffee Roasters.

Had been noticing the hoardings that had been covering up the stall unit in which Ascend • 蔬升 Signature occupies at the basement of 18 Cross — yes; these folks had recently just made their move into the basement of 18 Cross (formerly known as Cross Street Exchange and China Square Central during different time periods). The same building is also where one can find notable F&B establishments such as that of Burnt Ends Bakery with Audi House of Progress, The Test Kitchen and Jiho Samgyetang; Ascend • 蔬升 Signature takes up a shop unit close to the relocated outlet of Morning Grind in the basement of the building. Ascend • 蔬升 may be a name that is familiar with the local vegetarian community here, considering how they are best known for their vegetarian Mala Tang offerings at their very first location at Esplanade Xchange. This would be the first concept under the brand operating with the Signature branding — their location at 18 Cross features more seating with a more upscale dining environment as compared to their Esplanade Xchange outlet; the food menu has also expanded beyond their vegetarian Mala Tang offerings with a “All In One Plate” dish being a rotating special that is exclusively available at this outlet. Also exclusively available at their 18 Cross outlet would be the lineup of Desserts that they carry as well.

We made our visit to Ascend • 蔬升 Signature on a Friday evening and the rotating special available on Fridays during the period of time in which we made our visit there would be the Hainan Signature Rice. Whilst Ascend • 蔬升 Signature does not describe the elements that comes with the various dishes that they have to offer, the Hainan Signature Rice does seem to be a dish that replicates that of Hainanese-style chicken rice that comes with a mock fried chicken cutlet — the lack of reference to the word “chicken” in its namesake does seem intentionally done so to avoid any unnecessary confusion since Ascend • 蔬升 Signature is a vegetarian eatery. It can be observed from our order of the Hainan Signature Rice that the dish comes with braised Shimeiji mushrooms stir-fried with capsicums, Nai Bai, shredded purple cabbage, leafy greens with cherry tomatoes with a slight drizzle of vinaigrette, Hainanese-style chicken rice chilli, as well as the mock fried chicken cutlet. Digging into the Hainan Signature Rice, we drink rice how the mock fried chicken cutlet does seem to be made from layers of beancurd skin with the topmost layer featuring a deep-fried crust much like deep-fried batter using Panko for that extra element of crunch. The flavoured rice does come sufficiently moist with a gingery, briny note that exactly replicates that of the typical Hainanese-style chicken rice. The chili that came on the side also comes within expectation of the typical chili sauce that would usually come with Hainanese-style chicken rice — zippy and spicy from the use of fresh, ground chili padi whilst also not particular strong on the tang of calamansi which some typical Hainanese-style chicken rice stalks tend to go for. The braised Shimeiji mushrooms do come with a savoury and earthy note; all that whilst coming with a bouncy texture, while the use of shredded purple cabbage and Nai Bai adds a refreshing crunch to reset the tastebuds from all of the heavier-tasting elements on the plate itself.

Warung Indonesia has been a stall that we had been wanting to try for a while after having noticed the stall whilst passing by its Toa Payoh outlet. It does seem that the stall had recently made its expansion around the island, their second outlet and third outlet being located in Pasir Panjang and Bedok South though the brand had just most recently opened its fourth and latest location in the hear of the Central Business District. Situated in the Telok Ayer Coffee Shop located at 121 Telok Ayer Street, this outlet is named Warung Uncle Jamal and occupies the stall unit which was vacated by the now-defunct Uptown Nasi Lemak; other notable tenants within the same coffeeshop includes Green Green, Veggie 121 and the outlet of Hua Kee Cantonese Chicken Rice. As one will be able to derive from its namesake, Warung Uncle Jamal specialises in serving up Indonesian fare; it does serve up a Breakfast menu in which Mee Rebus, Mee Siam, Lontong and Mee Soto are offered, though its regular menu comprises of mostly Penyet / Geprek / Bakar offerings with some other items such as Rendang, Fried Duck and Ayam Berempah as well.

The Fried Duck is essentially the Bebek Goreng that is slightly less common as compared to the different renditions of Penyet / Geprek / Bakar items that most places offering Indonesian fare tends to carry in their menu. Patrons do get the flexibility to choose their preferred sambal (there are seven (7) different types to choose from) to go along with their orders here and for our order of the Bebek Goreng, we went with the Sambal Matah. It can be observed from our order of the Fried Duck that the dish comes with fried onions topped above the white rice, whilst also coming with lettuce leaves, cucumber slices and cherry tomatoes on the side — all that which accompanies the fried duck, while a bowl of soup also does come on the side as well. Going straight for the fried duck itself, the fried duck comes crisp on the exterior. It doesn’t take much effort for one to separate the flesh and the bones for the duck — the flesh being juicy and tender; easy to chew whilst carrying a savouriness without being particularly gamey. The meat itself does seem to have been marinated with elements like turmeric and lemongrass. The Sambal Matah acts like a bridge between the rice and the fried duck; itself carrying a bit of a zing and crunch from the inclusion of the raw onions, whilst still being savoury and carrying a light hint of spiciness which would be manageable to those whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness — adds flavour to the rice whilst complimenting the flavours of the duck’s inherent saltish notes.

Was scrolling around social media and got to learn about the existence of Lixiang Noodle House 丽香面家 within Tekka Centre — the food centre has seen quite a number of new stalls opening in recent times especially within the area where a large concentration of local Chinese cuisine stalls are situated in. Lixiang Noodle House takes over the former premises of Pontian Noodle House 笨珍面家 within the food centre — the stall does feature a very prominent signboard with a green background for its facade. Despite the change of name and the entire look of the stall, it does seem that the offerings are rather similar to what Pontian Noodle House used to serve up — the items featured on the menu at Lixiang Noodle House does seem to revolve around that of dumpling / wanton / Charsiew noodle, fishball noodle and Chilli Ban Mian offerings; the most highlighted being that of the Chilli Ban Mian especially.

It is noted that Lixiang Noodle House serves up their Chilli Ban Mian in two different noodle types; one being the You Mian and the other being the Ban Mian. While the Ban Mian is the default option served if left unspecified, we went for the You Mian version of the dish instead. Lixiang Noodle House does not describe the elements that comes with the dishes that they serve up; nonetheless, it can be observed from our order that the Chilli Ban Mian does come with elements such as that of braised mushrooms, sous vide egg, fried onions, spring onions, anchovies, braised meat sauce and chili. Mixing up everything together, we did note that the consistency of the sous-vide egg was a little bit more done than what we had initially expected — it does add a bit of an egginess with the flavours of the yolk going around the noodles, though it was slightly short to provide everything with a silkier touch. With the braised meat sauce lacing the noodles after we had mixed everything in, the sauce added a savoury note without being too meaty; all that whilst the noodles remain slurpy at the same time. Braised mushrooms helped to add a bit of a tang and a bouncy bite with a slightly earthy note, while elements like the fried onions and anchovies adds a variance of crispness to the entire bowl with the latter adding a slight saltish note; the dried chili does add a mild spiciness that should be manageable for those whom are tolerant to moderate levels of spiciness to tickles the tastebuds.

Two Blur Guys should be a name that should be fairly familiar to most whom do follow the happenings around the local F&B scene here — these folks had first established themselves in 2012 within a shop unit at Orchid Hotel before making their move to another space in Jalan Besar; it appears that there is also a branch that had opened not too long ago at Havelock II as well. Fast forward to July 2026, and Two Blur Guys had finally made its return back to Orchid Hotel but within another shop unit that is located along the same row of shop units that it was situated back then. While the space of the shophouse can be described as pretty modest, Two Blur Guys has managed to quite a good amount of dining tables and chairs as well as counter seating peering right into the food preparation area within the restaurant itself. Two Blur Guys have been pretty notable for their burger offerings and their outlet at Orchid Hotel now still does stick to what they are best known for — the menu features sections dedicated to Burgers, Sides and Drinks.

All burgers available at Two Blur Guys are sold ala-carte; with that being said, patrons do have the option to go for a Set which includes a side of Fries / Salad and a soft drink at an additional cost of $4.50. We went for the Streaky Bacon Burger; whilst Two Blur Guys did not describe the elements that are included within the burger on its menu, it can be observed that the Streaky Bacon Burger does come with the same beef patty that is also served with their TBG’s Signature Burger which features Prime Beef; all that whilst coming with melted cheese, streaky bacon and mayonnaise in between toasted buns. Patrons can also choose their desired level of doneness for their beef burger orders here — we went for Medium Rare for our order. Sinking our teeth into the Streaky Bacon Burger, we did find that the buns were buttered and toasted to a crisp — it is noted that the buns which Two Blur Guys use for their burgers are slightly more heftier than the soft potato rolls that some other establishments tend to go for; this does result in a fuller bite and a consistently crisp texture on the undersides as one bites into the bun. The Prime Beef did indeed come at a medium-rare consistency with pinkish flesh in the middle; the patty coming with substantial thickness and all savoury and briny from its own juices and the light lathering of butter before it goes onto the grill — not particularly gamey, whilst coming with a bit of crust from the grilling process and quite a bite from the heft. The streaky bacon adds another note of saltish-ness and smokiness; still retaining a bit of a chewy texture to provide for a textural variance within the burger. Cheese is melted to add an additional savouriness to the entire burger and the patty, while the slice of tomato adds a juicy bite and a light tang for a refreshing contrast — the mayonnaise adding a creamy mouthfeel to bind all of the elements together.

One of the dining establishments that we had made a mental note on but had been sitting on the plan of giving the spot a try would be that of Itadakimatsu — these folks are located at Old Airport Road Food Centre occupying a stall space that is along the same row of stalls as where would find other notable establishments such as Minced Pork Bros. Itadakimatsu should be quite an easy stall to spot considering the use of Japanese-style paper lanterns for its decor hanging from the sides of the stall; it also sports a signboard with a clean design comprising of a logo and its name in a fairly unique typeface as well. As one might have noticed from the stall’s namesake, Itadakimatsu serves up Japanese fare; the stall does carry the tagline mentioning “Restaurant Standard Hawker Price” — its menu comprises of mainly Donburi items but also does feature items like Gindara Shio Grilled Cod Fish, Truffle Oil Angel Hair with Scallops & Ikura. Apart from such items, they also do offer some side dishes such as that of the Grilled Japan Oyster with Mentaiko and Ikura Chawanmushi as well — just to name a few.

The A5 Wagyu Hamburg Don (200 grams) is one of the items that is mentioned as a Chef Special — it does seem that the item is only added to the menu some time after Itadakimatsu has opened its doors; rather than being an item listed in the signage on the facade of the stall, the item is mentioned on a wooden board hung from the top of the stall in front of the counter. Itadakimatsu does not describe the elements that come with the various dishes that they have to offer; with that being said, it can be observed that the A5 Wagyu Hamburg Don (200 grams) does also feature a Demi-glace as well as Ikura — it also comes with a mix greens that consists of shredded cabbage, slices of cucumber and cherry tomato all seated atop a bed of short-grain rice. One thing to note is that all the elements in the bowl are made upon order; the A5 Wagyu Hamburg itself being hand-formed from scratch after we placed our order — the A5 Wagyu Hamburg also coming with melted cheese within the Hamburg patty itself. Done to a medium-rare consistency, the Hamburg patty had a good ratio of fatty parts to lean meat — the meat being tender inside and without any veiny or fatty parts that would have made it difficult to chew through; carried a firm bite with a bit of a smokiness and crustiness from the being grilled on the pan, while the melted cheese does add another dimension of savouriness. The Demi-glace sauce was chef’s kiss; it carries that sweet savoury note that gives both the patty and the rice sufficient flavour — a very rich, thick and indulgent sauce that we can’t get enough of. Topped above the A5 Wagyu Hamburg would be the Ikura which adds a popping sensation and an umami note to the entire bowl — the Ikura being sprayed with edible gold dust just for that extra touch of exquisite vibes for the A5 Wagyu Hamburg Don. Whilst pricey as an eat from a hawker centre, we did feel that the quality and execution of the A5 Wagyu Hamburg Don is leaps and bounds beyond what we have tasted from some Japanese restaurants out there — definitely something worth going for if looking for something to treat oneself to celebrate the small wins in life!

Was going around 313@Somerset when we had came across the hoardings set up for an establishment named Van Diemens Land Creamery during their phase of renovations — Van Diemens Land Creamery occupies a kiosk space at Basement Three (3) of 313@Somerset; these folks had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct outlet of KOOKS Creamery. Having started operations in late June 2026, this is Van Diemenso Land Creamery’s very first outpost situated in Singapore — an establishment that had been founded in Tasmania, Australia, Van Diemens Land Creamery does run a Cafe & Factory outlet as well as another cafe outlet there. Occupying just a kiosk space at 313@Somerset, patrons whom wish to sit down to enjoy their ice-cream can consider using the communal seating space provided by the mall within close proximity to the food stalls at the same level. For their outlet in Singapore, Van Diemens Land Creamery offers quite a variety of flavours in their display fridge which includes a number of pretty unique flavours; all that whilst allowing patrons to opt for their ice-creams to be served in cups or with cones — beverages available would include the likes of tea, espresso-based specialty coffee and drinking chocolate.

Skimming through the different flavours of ice-cream that they offer for the day stocked in the display case, we found ourselves going for the Double Scoops option going for both the Pepperberry & Leatherwood Honey Ice-Cream and the Peach & Lemon Myrtle Ice-Cream. What really caught our interest was the use of Pepperberry in the Pepperberry & Leatherwood Honey Ice-Cream; a berry of Tasmanian origin which we had definitely not come across previously even outside of ice-cream parlours as well. Whilst it is known to carry a spicy and numbing sensation not dissimilar to that of Sichuan pepper, we did find that the emphasis here when it came to the use of Pepperberry was more for its sweet and fruity notes that would gel well with the slightly musky notes of the Leatherwood Honey that adds a floral sweetness — overall, a very unique flavour that one would not be able to experience to say the least. Meanwhile, the Peach & Lemon Myrtle features a slight citrus-y notes that was slightly refreshing on its own, but also does carry a hint of sweetness from peach — both notes being on the lighter side and compliments each other without either being particularly stark. One thing we do love about their ice-cream is its smooth texture and mouthfeel where it was creamy and slightly dense without too much air being introduced into it during the folding process — very rich, but not particularly jelak at the same time.

Was passing by Sims Place for another dining establishment and got to learn about the existence of a seemingly new stall that is situated within the corner of the coffeeshop named Mei Cheng Coffeeshop — Taste of Sri Lanka does seem to be a fairly recent addition to this coffeeshop that is located at the foot of Blk 53 Sims Place. Taste of Sri Lanka can be found occupying a stall unit that is in between that of a stall serving up local Chinese-style mixed economic rice and another stall that serves up Bak Kut Teh. As the namesake suggests, Taste of Sri Lanka serves up Sri Lankan-style cuisine; one thing worth noting is that Taste of Sri Lanka is a Muslim-owned establishment — its offerings revolve around both Veggie Meals and Non-Veg Meals which comes with a fixed combination of elements apart from the type of meat / vegetables that one chooses to opt for. The various meat offerings that Taste of Sri Lanka serves up with their Non-Veg Meals includes that of Tuna Fish Curry / Tuna Fish / Ambul Thiyal, as well as Chicken Curry and Mutton Curry.

The Chicken Curry Meal at Taste of Sri Lanka does feature elements such as that of a vegetable of the patron’s choice, Dal (Parippu), Mixed Pappadom, Tomato and Cucumber Salad based on what is being described in the menu that is stuck on the display case of the establishment — these elements also does come accompanied with the other Non-Veg Meals that Taste of Sri Lanka. Going straight for the Curry Chicken itself, the chicken comes in the form of a chicken leg; for one, the curry itself does taste a little different from that of the local-style curries that we are used to. The Curry Chicken here felt like it has less emphasis on that of the coconut milk used; definitely less heavy and rich but lighter, brighter and tangier with a slight hint of the various spices that was added during the preparation process. This also does make the curry gravy work especially well with the white rice; providing just enough flavour and moisture that makes it easy to have. The chicken flesh itself does come reasonably tender and having absorbed the flavours of the curry as well. Other elements like the Dal which features lentils also works well when paired with the rice for a slightly richer and earthier note which it carries. The cubes of potatoes did come carrying a prominent yet light hint of spices; the texture of the potato still retained a bit of a crunch as well, while the cucumber salad does carry notes of spices whilst delivering a refreshing crunch — the accompanying vegetables also carrying a savoury note more akin to local wok-fried vegetables that gives the dish a break from all of the spices going on in the other elements on the same plate.

It does seem that establishments serving up Chinese desserts (i.e. Tang Shui) have been popping up all across the island in recent times — Corner Dessert Shop 甜在转角 is a fairly new addition to South Beach. These folks are located within another dining establishment named Saigon King that is directly situated at the entrance to the South Beach complex via Esplanade MRT Station along the Circle Line — Corner Dessert Shop occupies a small corner of the space that is being tucked towards the end right beside the entrance / exit of Esplanade MRT Station. Considering the amount of space allocated to Corner Dessert Shop by Saigon King, the only dine-in area dedicated for Corner Dessert Shop are all situated outdoors and marked by tables that are lined with chequered table clothed featuring a mix of green and white squares. An establishment that serves up local Chinese-style Tang Shui, their dessert offerings revolve around that of puddings, jellies, pastes and shaved ice desserts, while their range of Drinks are largely dessert-inspired beverages as well.

Skimming through the menu, one of the items that had caught our attention in the Desserts section of the menu was the Yuan Yang Paste — this is essentially an item in which one would be able to pick and choose between two (2) our of three (3) hot paste offerings that Corner Dessert Shop have to offer to come in a single bowl. Between the Almond Paste, Black Sesame Paste and the Red Bean Paste, we went with the combination of Black Sesame Paste and Almond Paste for our order. It does seem that the folks at Corner Dessert Shop has gotten the proportion of both the Black Sesame Paste and Almond Paste right here; quite a 50:50 balance here. Both pastes carry a similar consistency in texture here; we did notice that the pastes are a bit runnier than some establishments that does their pastes a little thicker, gloopier or starchier — we did feel that the texture was still adequate for such pastes and does make things easier to finish as well. Considering the consistency of the pastes, we are glad that the flavours of both pastes are not shortchanged as well; we did feel that the Almond Paste does carry a slight dominance over the Black Sesame Paste in terms of flavours though with the hint of almond powder being a little stronger — all that while the roasty and earthy notes of the Black Sesame Paste running at the back of the tongue. Both pastes were also not particularly sweet; makes it a comforting and warm dessert that was easy to finish.

It does seem that bagels sandwiches are still pretty much a thing considering how Two Men Bagel House had also recently opened the doors to their latest outlet at Punggol Coast, though there does seem to be another establishment serving up bagel sandwiches within a coffeeshop. Enter Snappy Bagels which had just moved into the coffeeshop at the intersection of East Coast Road and Jago Close (formerly also known as Brunners Coffeeshop) — Snappy Bagels aren’t exactly new to the local F&B scene here however; these folks had been in operations during weekdays at Brewth Coffee at Skysuites@Anson. These folks operate from a coffeeshop stall unit from within the said coffeeshop at 228 East Coast Road on weekends — this would bee the same coffeeshop which also houses notable stalls such as that of Meet 4 Meat that is notable for their Beef Wellington. The menu at Snappy Bagels at their East Coast Road location consists of categories dedicated to Morning Run, Cheesesteak, Breakfast Bagels and The Full House; they also do retail a variety of bagels as-is that are displayed prominently on a small table at the entrance.

The Usual is an item that is listed under the Cheesesteaks section of the menu at Snappy Bagels; these would be available to be ordered from 11am to closing. Snappy Bagels describes its The Usual to come with elements such as that of shaved ribeye, melted American smoked cheese, sautéed onions and bell peppers — the bagel that comes default with bagel sandwich would be the Plain Bagel. Snappy Bagels also does allow its patrons to opt for their bagel sandwiches to come as a set — this would be under the Upgrade section of the menu where patrons can opt for either Hashbrown, Chips or Salad, while the Drink would be limited to Kopi-O or Teh-O that is redeemable from the drinks stall of the coffeeshop itself. Sinking our Getty into the bagel, we did find that the plain bagel does come in a texture that provides a firm bite though not quite as dense or stiff as how some house-made bagels from other establishments tend to be — easier to have as such. The sautéed shaved ribeye does come savoury without any chewy, veiny or fatty parts; there was also no hint of gaminess that came along with it whilst being tender, while the melted American smoked cheese adds a further hint of savouriness to the beef with the melted cheese lacing around the sautéed ribeye pieces. Bell peppers and sautéed onions help to add an element of crunch with a slight zing and tang to the bagel sandwich — all that with a mild level of spiciness that most whom are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness should be able to handle.

Was going around the Holland Village neighbourhood recently got to notice a little bit of a change within the Holla coffeeshop just right in front of One Holland Village that houses the likes of stalls such as that of Chops! Grill & Sides as well as Jia Li Seafood Soup. HONŌTO is the latest addition to the said coffeeshop, having taken over the former premises of the now-defunct Sweet Blast Dessert there that is situated in between Pepper Castle and 33 Zhi Char. HONŌTO claims itself as an establishment that serves up Japanese Street Food — the menu at HONŌTO is segmented into two categories which consists of Tasty Bites and Japanese Classics; the former being the section that features a range of boiled, pan-fried and deep-fried gyoza alongside other Japanese-style snacks like Yakitori and Chicken Karaage, while the latter features various noodle and rice dishes that fits better as main courses for individual diners.

We found ourselves going for the Jajamen during our visit to HONŌTO for a weekend dinner service — this would be an item listed in the Japanese Classics section of the menu. One thing worth noting is how HONŌTO does offer a Set Meal Upgrade for its Japanese Classics dishes where one would be able to go for an add-on of Gyoza / Yakitori / Chicken Karaage at an additional top-up of $5 above the base price of the Japanese Classics item opted. HONŌTO does not describe in its menu the elements of which it includes in their various dishes; with that being said, it can be observed from our order of the Jajamen that it does come with elements like Kimchi, sliced cucumbers and a braised meat sauce; it also does come with a Lava Egg, whilst the choice of noodles used here does seem to be that of Somen. It does seem that the Jajamen here does seem to be served closer towards that of the Korean-style Jjajangmyeon with an execution of the braised meat sauce being more like the mainland-Chinese variant. We did like how the use of Somen provides an easy bite and a clean note that allows the flavours of the savoury braised meat sauce to shine here; the Kimchi providing a tang and a soft crunch while the cucumber slices adds a refreshing note and also gives the dish another element of crunch. The Lava Egg does come with soft and springy egg whites and a chilled lava yolk that comes with a slight savouriness from being marinated in soy sauce.