Restoran Xin Segar Coffee Shop · Amazing Kaya Butter Toast & Six Six Ice Coffee · Mutiara Rini

Our JB plan was simple - go nice makan (eat), and in between go to nice cafe to chill out before makan again 😬 Kim was raving about this frothy coffee place in Taman Mutiara Rini in Skudai but I couldn't really make out what exactly she said as I was in the back seat of the car. I just assumed it would be a nice Instagram opportunity that would make any influencer proud jealous.

Restaurant name: Restoran Xin Segar 新食客美食阁

Address: 1, Jalan Jasa 64, Rini Hills, 81300 Skudai, Johor

Tel: +6016 712 7993 (Bosh)

Hours: 6:30am - 1:30pm (Mon off)

Nyonya House by Rempahs @ Balestier Plaza · Home Cooked Style, Authentic Peranakan Food @ Coffee Shop Prices

Uncle Bob stumbled upon Nyonya House by Rempahs @ Balestier Plaza and jio-ed (rounded up) the makan kakis (buddies) to try out this little restaurant. All five of us enjoyed ourselves to the home cooked style Peranakan dishes. Thanks Uncle Bob for the good find 🙏

Stall name: Nyonya House by Rempahs @ Balestier Plaza

Address: Balestier Plaza, Balestier Road, #02-01, Singapore S329802

 

Nearest MRT: 15 minutes walk from Novena station

Tel: 8820 2353 ☎ Alice 9834 5569

Hours: Opens 11:00 (lunch only)

Foodie History of Laos ● Land of Mother Mekong & Children of Sticky Rice

Among Southeast Asian countries, Laos has a relatively low profile. Lao cuisine is also relatively unheralded compared to the dishes of its neighbours Thailand and Vietnam. But, the truth of the matter is, many of us tasted Lao cuisine without knowing it. Most Thai restaurants have dishes from the Isaan region of Thailand - 80% of Isaan dishes have Lao roots. Some of these are synonymous with Thai cuisine, e.g., sticky rice, som tum, and larb are derived from Lao dishes.

To understand how this came about, we need to delve a little into the history of Laos.

Blanco Court Prawn Mee @ 243 Beach Road · Since 1928 · Probably the Oldest Prawn Mee in Singapore

I like this no frills, old school prawn mee conveniently located at the heart of town. Founded in 1928, Blanco Court Prawn Mee is in the fourth generation now. The recipe for the soup hasn't changed since the beginning.

Restaurant name: Blanco Court Prawn Mee 白蘭閣街蝦麵

Address: 243 Beach Road, #01-01, Singapore 189754

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Bugis station

Tel: 63968464

Hours: 7:30am - 4:00pm (Tues off)

Review of Da Po Hainanese Chicken Rice · Golden Mile Food Centre · One of the Best in Singapore 大坡海南鸡饭 · 咖哩鸡面

You know....., in Singapore, Hainanese chicken rice stalls are ubiquitous - most every hawker centre will have 1, 2, 3, even up to 8 at Singapore's chicken rice central, Maxwell Food Centre.

Over here at Golden Mile Food Centre, there are only 5 nia nia 😄 😉 (nia nia is Singlish for "only".)

And, the other thing about Singapore Hainanese chicken rice is, the standard is high. It is rather hard to find outright poor quality from the among the literally thousand chicken rice stalls across the island.

Singapore hawkers have unlocked the secret of good Hainanese chicken rice 🔐

Stall name: Da Po Hainanese Chicken Rice & Curry Chicken Noodle 大坡海南鸡饭

Address: 505 Beach Road, stall #B1-53 Golden Mile Food Centre, 199583

Nearest MRT: Lavender station

Tel: 9848 9949

Hours: 11:00am - 8:00pm (Mon off)

Chai Kee Fish Soup @ Hong Lim Hawker Centre · Unheralded Old School Gem 財记

My buddies know I am a regular in Hong Lim food centre but how did I miss this unheralded gem all these years? 😮 

Today, I tried out a media famous stall at Hong Lim but it didn't inspire me to write anything. Wandering around looking for something else to salvage my wasted calories, I stumbled upon Chai Kee, noticing its long queue.

Stall name: Chai Kee 財记

Address: 538 Upper Cross Street, stall #01-69 in Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, Singapore 050538

Nearest MRT: Chinatown station

Hours: 10:00am - till sold out (usually before 1pm)

Where Burmese Eat in Little Myanmar Clementi · Shwe Kant Kaw Myanmar Cuisine · Mohinga & Lahpet Thoke

Mohinga, a noodle soup dish from Myanmar is considered its national dish. I tried a few mohinga in Singapore, and like this by Shwe Kant Kaw Myanmar Cuisine - a humble, low profile hawker stall run by three Myanmese aunties at block 325 Clementi.

Stall name: Shwe Kant Kaw Myanmar Cuisine

Address: 325 Clementi Ave 5, Singapore 120325

Nearest MRT: 10 minute walk from Clementi station

Tel: 9183 3546

Hours: 9:00am - 9:00pm

Mandalay Style Burmese Restaurant @ Little Myanmar Peninsula Plaza

Continuing my exploration of Myanmese cuisine in Singapore with Mandalay Style Restaurant. This was my third restaurant tasting at Singapore's "Little Myanmar" at the basement of Peninsula Plaza - the others were Yanant Thit and Inle Myanmar. Four of us, all new to Myanmese cuisine, enjoyed our experience which stretched our culinary horizons a little.

Restaurant name: Mandalay Style

Address: 111 North Bridge Rd, #B1-01 Peninsula Plaza, Singapore 179098

Nearest MRT: City Hall station

Tel: 6962 8895 ☎ 8314 9585

Hours: 12:00 noon - 10:00pm (opens at 10am on Sun)

What is Black Thorn Durian? Eating Ochee 黑刺 in Singapore

Black Thorn (Ochee 黑刺 in Hokkien) originally from Bukit Mertajam (state of Penang) is one of the most sought after durian cultivars now. The cultivar won Penang state's best durian competition in 2012, 2013, 2014 and many more years country wide. Demand is high while supply is still limited, so it is now one of the most expensive durians in the market.

R-HAAN 2 Michelin Star in Thong Lor Bangkok · Amuse Bouche & Appetisers · Part 1 of 2

Our dinner at R-Haan was a breathtaking, two hour whirlwind tour of Thailand through its culinary delights.

It was a long session from amuse bouche through appetisers to mains and desserts. There were three of us and we shared the dishes, so all of us tasted everything on the menu. (Don't be like bloggers 😬 ) To do justice to the many dishes we enjoyed, I am blogging my experience at R-Haan in two parts. This first segment covers only the amuse bouche and appetisers. The next segment (another post) will cover the mains and desserts in detail.

Price was Baht 3,812++ per pax which is about SGD150++.

Restaurant name: R-Haan

Address: 131 Thonglor Road Thonglor Soi 9, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Nearest MRT: BTS Thong Lor station

Tel: +66 95 141 5524

Hours: 6:00pm - 11:00pm

Famous Clementi Brothers Rojak · Uglylicious Champion 兄弟囉喏 · 好丑, 好吃

Today, I came to Clementi Central to survey "Little Myanmar" which I will cover in a future post. In the process, I stumbled upon Brothers Rojak which is one of the best rojak that I have tasted in Singapore and Malaysia for a long while.

Stall name: Brothers Rojak 兄弟囉喏

Address: 449 Clementi Ave 3, #01-211, Singapore 120449

Nearest MRT: Clementi station

Tel: 97102700

Hours: 9:30am - 7:30pm (Sunday off)

Lunch @ Super Supper · 103 Desker Road · Opens 12 noon to 3am · Singapore Style Fast Food CLOSED

When buddy Jimmy heard that I am exploring the old Desker Road area by night, he jio (invited) me to join him at Super Supper. This newly opened (in May 2022) diner of sorts is really quite fascinating and the eclectic menu has delicious eccentric dishes. I like it. I also realised that despite its name, supper is not its only game - Super Supper actually opens at 12 noon and is a great place for lunch too.

Restaurant name: Super Supper

Address: 103 Desker Rd, Singapore 209625

Nearest MRT: Jalan Besar station

Tel: 81177505

Hours: 12:00 noon - 3:00am

Inle Myanmar Restaurant · Taste of Traditional Burmese Cuisine in Peninsula Plaza Singapore

Inle Myanmar Restaurant at the basement of Peninsula Plaza is the second foray in my Burmese food exploration in Singapore. There are about 10 Burmese food stalls and restaurants here in Singapore's "Little Myanmar".

Restaurant name: Inle Myanmar

Address: 111 North Bridge Road, #B1-07A Peninsula Plaza, Singapore 179098

Nearest MRT: 5 minute walk from City Hall station

Tel: 63335438

Hours: 11:30am - 8:30pm

Yanant Thit Burmese Chinese Restaurant @ Little Myanmar Peninsula Plaza

Starting my hunt for Myanmese food in Singapore today. The first step of my Myanmese journey 😄

Restaurant name: Yanant Thit Restaurant

Address: #B1-07C, 111 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 179098 (shop inside Peninsula Plaza)

Nearest MRT: 5 minute walk from City Hall station

Tel: 6837 2575

Hours: 9:00am - 9:00pm

Siam Square Mookata Clementi 321 · My First Mookata, Can You Believe It?

When Ben suggested we meet up for lunch at Siam Square Mookata, I wasn't full of enthusiasm for it (truth be told). I don't really like those meals where we have to cook our own food, have lots of meat and processed items, and cooking fumes getting into our clothes and hair (though I don't have that much). I have never been to a Mookata despite its raging popularity in Singapore since the last decade.

However, Ben's suggestion got me curious. Siam Square Mookata established in 2013 is still the leading mookata place among dozens that jumped on the Thai pork skillet bandwagon. It turned out that the food was delicious, I didn't smell like a walking BBQ after the lunch and I enjoyed the whole experience (otherwise, why would I spend a day writing this post 😬 ).

Restaurant name: Siam Square Mookata (Clementi outlet)

Address: 321 Clementi Ave 3, Level 3, #03-01, Singapore 129905

Nearest MRT: 10 minutes walk from Clementi station

Tel: 8826 1919

Hours: 12:00 noon - 1:00am (close at 3am on Fri & Sat)

Origin of Hokkien Mee in Penang · Noodles in Prawn Head Soup from Xiamen

Hokkien mee in Penang (known in Singapore as Penang prawn mee) refers to the umami rich, spicy soupy noodle dish garnished with prawn, pork slices, hard boiled egg, kang kong (water spinach), and fried shallot. The signature soup which defines the dish is made by boiling fried prawn heads, shells and sambal chili together with pork and chicken stock bones.

Ah Ma Teochew Kuih @ Jalan Trus JB · Reviving the Flavours of Kuala Sangga 阿嬷潮州糕 · 老港的滋味

Buddy Evonne suggested we try Ah Ma Teochew Kuih 阿嬷潮州糕 at Jalan Trus in Johor Bahru's old downtown. We enjoyed the tasty dishes we tried, the nostalgic hip ambiance and the friendly service at the cafe.

Stall name: Ah Ma Teochew Kuih 阿嬷潮州糕

Address: No.13, Jalan Trus, Bandar Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia (15 minutes walk from JB CIQ)

Tel: +6017 767 2199

Hours: 7:30am - 5:00pm (Mon off)

Mughlai Paratha Fried Bread Fit for a King @ Boishakhi Restaurant in Singapore

Mughlai Paratha is a fried bread from Bangladesh. We can find them freshly made at Singapore's Little Bangladesh. This was my first time tasting Mughlai Paratha and it was an interesting alternative to the ubiquitous more common roti prata and murtabak in Singapore.

(Note: I came back here many times since this post.)

Restaurant name: Boishakhi

Address: 18 Desker Road, Singapore 209556

Nearest MRT: 10 minutes walk from Farrer Park station

Tel: 9829 6003

Hours: 11:00am - 10:00pm