Decided to tear myself away from ordering my usual fave - the Breakfast Burger, to try something different. The large golden sandwich featured slices of crisp sourdough squishing a triple threat of gooey-soft Gruyere, Emmental and Parmesan. It came with fresh mesclun salad to balance the richness. I could have added smoked salmon or thick-cut maple bacon ($5 each) but didn’t. Am glad because it would have been too much for me since I had a heavy meal later the same day.

(Media Tasting) I had been waiting eagerly to this as I’ve been a huge fan of Yum Hwa’s @benfatto_95 private dining for a few years. His obsession with making true-to-heritage Italian pastas, produces results so sublime, a bite of it can transport you straight to Italy. By him joining forces with The Cicheti Group to open @formasg, you can expect your tastebuds to traipse merrily across Italy even as your geotag shows Singapore.
Officially opening on 3rd May 2022, the upscale trattoria located along the quieter Tembeling Road in Joo Chiat, is a beacon - even more so once the sun sets as its tall glass frontage allows for a fantastic golden-lit view of Sfoglino (that’s the proper title for a maker of a family of pastas) Yum Hwa and @sfoglinadenisa at their craft. Young and old, an audience inevitably gathers to ogle in fascination as they work.
The menu is led by #BenFatto95’s pasta programme but I recommend not stopping there because the Secondi and dessert sections deserve stomach real estate too. Although concise, the former offers a selection of proteins including ever-changing meat options from neighbouring @butcherboxsg. And based on what we swiftly made disappear that night, the dessert game is also strong at #Formasg.
Then there’s the wine list. Curated by @ronaldkamiyama, it has over 150 labels spanning Italy’s 20 wine regions from Valle d’Aosta in the north to Campania in the south. Native and unfamiliar grapes such as the likes of Cesanese from Lazio, Nero di Troia from Puglia, and Schiopettino from Friuli, are showcased. That’s how @dominicswj ensured we paired every course with an exciting and unconventional pour.
We began with four Antipasti, led by Gnocco Frittos (fried parcels of lard-enriched dough with lardo and pink peppercorn) and braised baby artichokes in stracciatella with mint salsa verde, balsamic, braised blackcurrants, pine nuts and breadcrumbs ($21++). My faves though were the Cured and Cold-smoked Speck Ham plated with pan-roasted medjool dates, sea salt and extra virgin olive oil, and the Polpette di Baccalà ($21++) - lemon aioli-crowned Sicilian style fried salted cod and mashed potato balls with alepo and chilli.
After which we plunged into a parade of pastas.
Yum Hwa presented the Tortellini in Brodo, the “purest form of pasta” ($34++) first. An emblem of Emilia-Romagna's cuisine, each pork-filled parcel in the chicken broth contained exacting ratios of Mortadella di Bologna, Prosciutto Crudo, and Parmigiano Reggiano DOP. Knowing how much time and effort went into making enough Tortellinis to fill a bowl had me savouring this with mindfulness.
Next, the Struncatura Ammollicata ($32++). Long, bronze-extruded pasta cooked with simple ingredients of anchovies, taggiasca olives, chilli and Mollica di Pane-sauteed breadcrumbs that imbued it with a Mediterranean flavour profile. Fun fact: Before achieving cult status in Lucanian gastronomy, it was considered a “poor man’s dish” due to its origins.
Our third, the Pappardelle e Coda alla Vaccinara ($36++) has its roots in Rome, Lazio. The satisfying creation comprised of long and broad hand-rolled ribbons in a braised oxtail ragu of tomato, pecorino romano DOP and red wine.
Pasta number four, the Linguine al Limone ($29++), tied with the Tortellini in Brodo for top spot in my heart. Like the classic Cacio e Pepe, this seemingly simple dish has two key ingredients besides the bronze extruded pasta - the Amalfi Coast’s famous lemons and distinctively-shaped Provolone del Monaco DOP cheese. Along with a bit of garlic, they are what formed the luscious sauce. It is not a pasta for everyone but if you adore lemons and appreciate purity, do try it.
We were very impressed by our Secondi - the Merluzzo alla Scafata ($38++). The Umbrian-style pan-seared blue cod was a dream with its shatteringly crispy skin and moist flesh. It arrived in a lip-smacking cucielo vermouth-butter sauce with fava beans, English peas, cipollini onions and prosciutto.

We were smitten at first sight and bite by the Beef Katsu Omu-Rice. At $26.50++, this NEW dish is oishii-ness at superb value.
Presented in a pan is a thick slab of deepfried beef cutlet served with rice blanketed in a large, silky and runny-soft omelette, with a mildly spicy Japanese curry alongside. At the table, the staff stirs the slightly sweet, warm creamy cheese sauce before pouring it over the curry and beef. Terrifically tasty and deeply satisfying - we won’t hesitate to return for.

There has never been not been a line of people waiting to get into @newstationsnackbar whenever we walked past. Hence, the sight of an unoccupied table at this popular eatery on level five of Far East Plaza beckoned like a neon-lit sign from the universe.
@huatkaliao and Ipp didn’t overthink - just went straight for their signatures of Salted Egg Pork Rice ($7) and Teochew Fried Hor Fun ($6.50).
The highly addictive former comprised of very tender, well-fried pieces of meat flooded in a creamy sauce that’s thick with salted egg, a touch of sweetness and chilli heat.
Stirfried with expertise, the latter’s springy ribbons of rice noodles heaved with intense “wok hei”. It was super shiok as there were crunchy bits of “chye por” (preserved radish), baby squid, prawns, egg, “chye sim” and sliced fish cake intermingling with the “hor fun”. Highly recommended if you are like me and enjoy this dry style of carbs.
We added on the Bittergourd with Black Bean Sauce too. It was also tastily cooked and not too oily.
Bonus: The Kopi-O here turned out to be surprisingly good as well.
You can bet your bottom dollar we will be returning to try more dishes soon.

Spago’s style is the complex kind with the perfectly grilled, juicy Angus beef patty joined by bacon and blanketed in a cascading blend of two cheeses - gruyere and aged cheddar. Also found between those glorious golden, soft buns were garlic aioli, lettuce and raw onions (which I love!). Tagging along with it, a literal bucket of very crispy fries which could have easily fed a village.

I always try to order my favourite Amela Tomato Soup as my starter. It comes with housemade crusty bread and whipped tomato butter. When these three elements unite, I can’t help but swoon. A must-try in my opinion.

Although the pancakes don’t look as thick and fluffy as before, there is no lack in fragrance and deliciousness. The sauce is plentiful in blueberries and has a nicely balanced sweetness.
Still a winner in my book and deserving belly space for sure.

Shared this Spanish Scramble because the stir-fry of eggs, sliced chorizo, juicy cherry tomatoes, caramelised onions, smothered in melted Monterrey Jack cheese is massive. Bulking up the plate - hash browns and sourdough toast. I think it’s good value at $23++.
The eggs are quite well cooked and there’s a generous amount of ingredients mixed in, so it’s really tasty. Love it with a dash of Tabasco.

One of the better Korean BBQs I have tried in Singapore thus far. Introduced by a friend for our long overdue get-together, @hyangyeon_kfood at Telok Ayer impressed us very much with their solid Banchan (the kimchi wasn’t too sour which is how I prefer mine and they didn’t drag their feet when we requested for repeated refills), very satisfying Beef Bone Soup ($16++), tasty Seafood and Kimchi Korean Pancakes ($22++ for the combo plate) and most important of all, the meats. We made a beeline for the Tong Galbi Gui, a huge slab of marinated bone-in beef short rib ($98++, feeds 2 to 3 pax) and Duroc Pork Belly ($28++). Loved both, especially since the staff handled the grilling for us (it was done over a gas fire at our table) to ensure the meats were cooked to tender, juicy perfection. I must agree with Fengyi that this KBBQ restaurant serves high quality beef and pork. Will be back to this branch for sure!

Chilled out with my ladies at Chef-owner @rishinaleendra’s @foolwine.sg, a boldly stylish yet very comfortable and welcoming place that’s great for exploring and enjoying diverse wines, while smashing plate after plate of amazing food by Head Chef Marcus (@tanzybra) and his team.
Deciding what to drink here is fun. You either flip through their gorgeously designed magazine of a menu, or leave it to one of their friendly Sommeliers to tempt you with the curated bottles in their steel basket. Which is what @iamjaynedoe, @amanda_tan, @fionating and I did, and @davistanjj didn’t disappoint.
Once our wines were poured, we pored over the food menu. Really wish we had bigger stomachs to get one of everything because all the items we picked to share were winners!
Heard from a few folks that the absolute must-have at @foolwine.sg is the Chicken Liver Eclair with Date and Madeira ($16++) - true enough, it was perfect with a flawless ratio of pastry to filling.
The Dark Rye Rolls with Vegemite Butter proved soooo addictive, a repeat order was necessary.
Then came what’s possibly the cleanest tasting of sweetbreads I’ve met. Fried to a crunch, the veal’s thymus glands, seasoned with some aromatic spices, were presented on blue corn taco with burnt eggplant and pickles ($16++).
We got the day’s special of crunchy Fried Frog’s Legs with a herb salad, aioli and caviar as well.
Looked simple but the Pan-Fried Saganaki Cheese with chopped beans and fermented green chilli blew my mind ($18++). Who knew such epic tastiness lurked in that combo?! I could have inhaled three of it by myself.
Must lick the plate clean - that’s my opinion of the Pacific Flying Squid served with a crazy fragrant squid ink daal and tarragon toum ($24++). Don’t miss out on getting this if you love your seafood.
Thanks to Chef Marcus (@tanzybra), we got to try his new dish of Jerome Galis Spring Asparagus with soft-yolked quail’s eggs dressed in a funky goat cheese dressing and finished with fine shavings of Tasmanian pepperberry-cured venison ($24++).
Our tastebuds were amazed at how charred Baby Romaine tossed in a Green Goddess dressing and finished with toasted hazelnuts could be so huge in flavour ($16++). Loved it.
Naturally, we had to have the only pasta on the menu and naturally, the Spaetzle was stellar. Some might find the Pecorino Romano and Kampong pepper sauce a little salty but I lapped like my life depended on it. Cooked to a perfect al dente, the pasta also came with crispy kale for extra texture ($18++).
Because @amanda_tan was craving red meat, we couldn’t disappoint her. The slab of tender Wagyu was accompanied by a super delish side of crispy potatoes that triggered much raving.
The title of the prettiest dish of the night belonged to the Wagyu-Fat Confit Celeriac plated with onion jus and burnt mustard seeds ($22++). It wasn’t a case of style over substance either because deliciousness was delivered in spades.
The two desserts of Creme Caramel ($12++) and Szechuan Peppercorn Cherries with Sour Cherry Sorbet and Coconut ($16++) were polar opposites that brought out the best in each other.
Thank you Chef Marcus (@tanzybra) and team for cooking up all the unabashedly flavourful dishes to enjoy with our wines.
It was also lovely to see Chef @rishinaleendra when he popped in for a while - congratulations again on @cloudstreet.sg being ranked No. 44 on #asias50best!

(Media Tasting) I first tried #oneprawnnoodle more than two years ago when it was a hawker stall located in Golden Mile Food Centre. Even back then, professionally trained, Chef Gwyneth’s vibrant orange-coloured broth was striking in its silkiness and lobster bisque-like intensity. Fast forward to the present and her business has leveled up in style. Going by a slightly different name - @oneprawnnco, it has expanded into a spacious standalone corner shop at 458 Macpherson Road, boasting restaurant-standard equipment to handle the huge volume of prawns needed for her signature broth.
I took my parents along to try #OnePrawnCo’s new expanded menu last Tuesday on their official opening. However, it seems that they’d been packing in the crowd since mid January when Gwyneth and her team had done a soft opening to tweak and improve their food and operations.
Anyway, if you enjoy “gao gao” (very thick) prawn broth, you will find great satisfaction in their food. A number of permutations for their noodles are offered, ranging from $14 to $30 per serving. If you like things simple, go for the prawns-only version but if you live life with a “more is more” belief, the priciest “Five Fortune Jumbo Prawns Claypot” has your name on it. Portions are generous so small eaters, you may want to consider sharing. Regardless of which option you pick, all the “liao” (ingredients) will be cooked in their crustacean-rich broth (a combo inspired by Penang prawn noodles and Japanese ramen broth) in a claypot which, after it is brought to your table, helps keep it hot for longer.
Personally, I preferred the dry version of noodles because One Prawn & Co.’s housemade sambal is really shiok - it’s the savoury and spicy kind that suits my tastebuds.
They have a Ngoh Hiang section as well, which should please many since having a plateful of freshly fried five-spice-seasoned pork and liver rolls, prawn crackers, beancurd etc. while slurping up prawn noodles is a thing in Singapore.

His great-great-grandfather started this Teochew Porridge business on Beach Road several decades ago - that’s what we learnt from the fifth generation young man who served our food. He added that “Choon Seng Teochew Porridge” has been at their current location at Blk. 43 Cambridge Road for twenty-four years. I also witnessed for myself that regular customers don’t even need to state their orders - they just take a seat and food is sent over shortly after. One of them even nonchalantly mentioned he had forgotten to pay the day before and the hawker was super chill about it.
Anyway, I did go a bit mad when ordering and ended up with enough food to feed three (the bill came to about $27) but somehow, @huatkaliao and I managed to conquer the spread.
What was most unusual was the dish of shark meat and its liver. It seems they are purchased from Pek Kio wet market, a stone’s throw away. Both flesh and collagen of the fish were firm and quite chewy, while the liver was softer with an iron-rich creaminess. If you are sensitive to strong smells, I suggest skipping this even though it does come with a housemade dip of plum sauce, chilli, garlic and peanuts that helps to neutralise.
I also picked the following to have with our bowls of plain porridge:
- Braised Pork Belly - Very good!
- Bittergourd With Egg - Full of “wok hei”.
- Braised Pig’s Ears - Excellent.
- Braised Egg
- Tau Kwa
- Tau Pok - Always enjoyable.
- Kiam Chye Buay - Theirs is not salty.
- Fish Cake
- Stirfried Chye Sim
- Stewed Cabbage with Tau Kee and Tau Kwa

I liked this stall’s vinegar-sharpened chilli and garlic dip very much - it’s a great complement for all the braised items.