Chao Yue Xuan Hand Crafted Dim Sum @ Capitol City Hall MRT 潮粤轩

Recently, we were chatting about what new places to go for good dim sum. Haha.... maybe the Universe heard us and Jun jio-ed (invited) me to try out a new dim sum joint Chao Yue Xuan 潮粤轩.

(Well, not exactly new - they were at Junction 9 in Yishun but they just moved here in Capitol and this was my first time trying their dim sum.)

Restaurant name: Chao Yue Xuan Dim Sum 潮粤轩

Address: 13 Stamford Rd, B2-51 & 52 Capitol Singapore, S178905

Nearest MRT: Steps from City Hall station & linked by underpass at basement 2

Tel: 8921 1929

Hours: 11:00am - 10:00pm

Qing Pu Liang in Hainan ● Famous Cold Dessert with Coconut Goes Back 2000 Years 海南 清補涼

The ten days I was in Hainan was unbearably hot and humid nearly every day 🥵

Bao Luo Fen Noodle 抱罗粉 ● Famous Noodle from Wenchang Hainan

When I went to Hainan in China, I had in mind to get to the roots of Hainanese cuisine in Singapore and Malaysia. There's Wenchang chicken, the mother of Singapore Hainanese chicken rice. Then, there's Hainanese beef noodle, which is near extinction in Singapore.

Mighty Mekong ● River of Fish, Rice & Life

The nearly 5000 km long Mekong starts high up in the snowy Tibetan Plateau and flows south through Yunnan, China (where it is known as Lancang 澜沧), and every country in Indochina (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam), before draining into the South China Sea.

The Mekong is the twelfth longest river in the world, third longest in Asia. The longest rivers in Asia, the Yellow River and Yang Tze also start in the Tibetan Plateau but run east across China towards the sea.

Haikou Thien Hou Mazu Temple 海口天后宮

There are two Thien Hou temples in Haikou which are side by side each other at 89 Zhong Shan Lu, Longhua District, Haikou. One is a bigger temple complex while the other is a shrine (in a small former storehouse right next to it).

Where did Singapore Chicken Rice Come From? For the Answer, I Spent 10 Days in Wenchang Hainan 白切文昌雞飯

Hainanese chicken rice is considered Singapore's unofficial national dish. Singaporeans and Malaysians sometimes argue about which of them created Hainanese chicken rice 🤔 (However, versions of Hainanese chicken rice can also be found in Thailand, Vietnam, and Chinese communities around the world.)

Mohinga @ No Name Myanmese Stall in Jiu Fu Food Court Peninsula Plaza Little Myanmar

Burmese (Myanmar) food is a paradox. It is not well known like Thai, Vietnamese or Indian food. Many people assume it is like Thai, Vietnamese, or Indochinese food. It is not - due to its geography and history, Myanmese food taste profile is unique.

Stall name: No name, no signboard

Address: North Bridge Rd, 111D/E, Peninsula PLaza, B1-07, S179098 (stall inside Jiu Fu Food Court)

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from City Hall station

Hours: Morning till noon

Chang Ji @ Setia Indah ● Wild Caught Fish Soup, Noodle, Porridge 昌记鱼肉粿條

As I am an avid fish soup lover, I came down to Setia Indah after seeing buddy Aus Pe shared about a fish soup she enjoyed there.

Restaurant name: Restoran Chang Ji 昌记鱼肉粿條

Address: 43, Jalan Setia 3/4, Taman Setia Indah, 81100 Johor Bahru

Tel: +6016 750 4740

Hours: 6:00am - 3:00pm (Weds off)

Song Kee Fishball Kway Teow Noodle Soup @ Toa Payoh Lor 5 Hawker Centre

Passed by Lor 5 Toa Payoh Food Centre, and recalled that there is a Song Kee fishball noodle stall here which I haven't tried so far.

Stall name: Song Kee Kway Teow Noodle Soup

Address: 75 Lor 5 Toa Payoh, stall #01-20, Singapore 310075

Nearest MRT: 10 minutes walk from Toa Payoh and Braddell station

Hours: 10:30am - 10:30pm (Weds off)

History of Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh ● Enter the Dragon 榕城肉骨茶

It is a great honour for me to meet up with Lim Hai Chay 林海星, a legend in Singapore bak kut teh history. We last met nearly a decade ago when he was still running his 22, Sin Ming Road stall - retired now, this morning we reminisced about bak kut teh over uncle Lim's favourite tea. Uncle Lim's wife, Mdm Chua was with us.

Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh @ Ang Mo Kio ● Everyone is Talking about their Braised Pork Trotter Shoulder 永记肉骨茶

Chit chatting with the owners of Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, and don't know how they mentioned that they love the braised pork leg at Eng Kee in Ang Mo Kio. Like that how lah....., that got me excited and craving it since hearing about it.

Stall name: Eng Kee Bak Kut Teh 永记肉骨茶

Address: Ang Mo Kio Ave 1, stall #01-04 Blk 341, Singapore 560341 (stall inside Teck Ghee Court Market & Food Centre)

Nearest MRT: 15 minutes walk from Ang Mo Kio station

Hours: 10:00am - 3:00pm (Mon off)

History of Myanmar / Burma for Foodies ● National Dish Mohinga & Lahpet Thoke

Compared to cuisine of its neighbours like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, India and China, Myanmnese food is relatively obscure to foreigners. 

Most people overseas would not have heard of, let alone tasted mohinga or lahpet thoke, both considered Myanmar's national dishes eaten throughout the 676 thousand sq km (larger than France) country of 54 million people, and more than 130 ethnicities.

Myanmese cuisine is unique due to its geography and history going back as far as 10,000 BC when humans first settled here during the stone age.

iO Italian Osteria @ HillV 2 Hillview ● Menu & Review ● Probably the Best Italian in the West

I can always rely on buddy Sean for the best places for Italian in Singapore. It was Sean who introduced me to Pastaria Abate, and on this Labour Day he brought me to iO Italian Osteria. I didn't expect to get such quality of Italian fare so far away from the city, but iO Italian Osteria got me  excited even though we only had a small sampling of dishes. Two of us only mah... . Actually, I think we ate a lot for two people 😄

Restaurant name: iO Italian Osteria

Address: 4 Hillview Rise, #02 - 01, Singapore 667979 (HillV 2 mall)

Nearest MRT: 5 minutes walk from Hillview station

Tel: 67107150

Hours: 11:30am - 10:00pm (opens 10am on Sat & Sun)