Nam Nam GO @ Timbre+ - A New Express Concept By Nam Nam Noodle Bar

Nam Nam Noodle Bar has moved into Timbre+ at Ayer Rajah Crescent with a new express concept - Nam Nam GO, operating out of a repurposed caravan. The menu offers a variety of noodles, rice and banh mi which is ideal for the busy executives or diners in a rush.

Pho Australian Beef Steak Slices & Beef Balls 3.8/5

The Hanoi Pho comes with 4 selections. Basically they are pork balls, chicken, beef and vegetarian. I decided to have the beef, Pho Australian Beef Steak Slices & Beef Balls ($7.90). The soup was robust and sweet but I did not like the texture of the rice noodle. I find it too thick. The beef slices were fresh and tender but the beef balls were too tough for my liking.

Lemon Grass Chilli Chicken Viet Fragrant Rice 3/5

The other item we ordered is the Lemon Grass Chilli Chicken Viet Fragrant Rice ($8.90). I did not quite enjoy the rice because it uses broken rice. It did not have that satisfactory bite of the rice grains. Saying that, the rice was quite fragrant with the aroma of the lemon grass. The chicken pieces were also chunky, tender and juicy.

Nam Nam Go
Timbre+
73A Ayer Rajah Crescent
Singapore 139957
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Website
Nearest MRT: One North (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at One North MRT station. Take Exit A or C. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Mrs Pho @ Beach Road - Traditional Vietnamese Food Just Like Mama Used to Cook

I have to confess that after visiting Melbourne and even Sydney on several work trips, I seldom have Vietnamese food in Singapore. I find the Vietnamese food standard is better than Singapore. The standard of Vietnamese cuisine in Singapore is below par and I find it hard to find one that can proudly declare authentic Vietnamese cuisine. Hence I was not prepared to visit Mrs Pho at Beach Road even though there was raving reviews of the place when it is opened back in 2014. It is not until recently due to an unsuccessful dinner appointment, that I decided to make a detour to the restaurant.

Fried Pork Spring Roll 4/5

I am not fan of the fresh spring roll as I find them rather bland. Hence I had the Fried Pork Spring Roll ($3) instead. The crispy wrap stuffed with minced meat inside, encompass the whole enjoyment of flavour and texture.

Egg Drop Soup 3/5

I was rather taken part when a complimentary bowl of Egg Drop Soup is served. I find it kind of weird to be served this in a Vietnamese restaurant. I always associate egg drop soup with Chinese cuisine.

Special Beef Combo Noodle Soup 4/5

To get a bit of everything, I had the Special Beef Combo Noodle Soup ($8.90) or Pho Bo Dac Biet. The light but yet hefty of flavour broth comes with silky smooth rice noodles, bean sprouts, beef slices, beef flanks and beef meatballs. The additional of onions and mints further accentuated the flavours. For those that prefers a more fiery kick, you can add some chilli padi. 

Overall, I find Mrs Pho serves a delicious bowl of Pho. The flavoursome broth coupled with the silky rice noodles and fresh beef slices made it one of the better pho I have eaten. However do note that Mrs Pho is a small and cramp place. Hence be prepared to share tables with other diners as well as rubbing shoulders with one another.


Mrs Pho
349 Beach Road
Singapore 199570
Tel: +65 62920018
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Website
Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway (CC Line) , Bugis (DT Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Nicoll Highway MRT station. Take Exit A. Take the overhead bridge, walk to the end of the bridge. Walk to the traffic junction of Beach Road and Jalan Sultan. Cross the road. Continue walking down Beach Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk to the traffic junction of Beach Road and Rochor Road. Cross the road. Continue walking down Beach Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 18 minutes. [Map]

Penang Home Made Beef Ball @ Beauty World Food Centre

Newly opened just beside my favourite Top 1 Home Made Noodle at Beauty World Food Centre is Penang Home Made Beef Ball. The owner told us that they are from Penang and the family has a restaurant (Restoran Kham Khee) in Penang. The couple has ventured down South to open the little humble stall at the food centre.

Beef Noodle Soup 3.5/5

The Beef Noodle Soup ($5) comes with with mix of beef slices, beef tendon and beef balls. The ingredients were fresh and I like that the beef slices are not over cooked, still having a little pink in colour. The beef balls were also firm and bouncy. Unfortunately, we find the soup lacking in depth. It felt like we were having Vietnamese Pho.

Beef Brisket Noodle 3/5

The Beef Brisket Noodle ($5) comes with springy noodles but I thought the beef brisket was not tender enough. This did not seem to bring justice to the beef.

Overall I find the beef noodle stall is only average. If you want something light, then you can consider having this. I would recommend going for the soup version over the dry version. Saying that, the home made beef ball is good.


Penang Home Made Beef Ball
Beauty World Food Centre
144 Upper Bukit Timah Road
Level 4, #04-43
Singapore 588177
Nearest MRT: Beauty World (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Wed, Fri-Sun: 10am - 7pm
(Closed on Thu)

Direction:
1) Alight at Beauty World MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

An An Vietnamese Street Kitchen @ Pasarbella Suntec City

Visited the new Pasarbella at Suntec City a few weeks ago, and this particular stall at one corner caught my eyes. Perhaps it's the yellow hue and the lit signage - An An, with the symbolic Red Star in between. What an eye catching and graphic design for a Vietnamese concept.  It was to my surprise when I found out that this is the latest concept from Madam Saigon. Back when Vietnamese cuisine was considered pretty novel more than a decade ago, Madam Saigon has already established its name at Liang Seah Street. They gave me my first taste of Vietnamese cuisine too.

The profile of Liang Seah Street has changed over the years (not in a pretty way, sadly), and they have decided to make Millenia Walk their second home. The owner definitely has a strong business acumen. Knowing that the market is ever changing and getting more challenging, one got to evolve and craft new concepts to stay afloat of the competition. An An was hence born, a Vietnamese concept with a hip factor, to draw the younger crowd with improved recipes.

Mango Salad 3.8/5

Mango Salad ($6.50). One of my favourite appetiser, I have this almost everyday whenever I visit Thailand. I find this Vietnamese style of Mango Salad much more refreshing, without the use of the Thai sauces. However, I would appreciate if the portion could be much bigger.

Prawn Rolls 3/5 and Fried Spring Rolls 2.8/5

Prawn Rolls ( $7.50 for 2) and Fried Spring Rolls ($6.50 for 2). Please don't mistaken the lettuce and carrots as simply part of the plating. I was told that the Vietnamese way to eat the fried spring rolls is to eat it wrapped with the lettuce. That reminds me of how my dad used to wrap his favourite ngoh hiang. The crisp and sharpness of the lettuce cuts away the greasiness. The carrots are pickled in house, hence please try to finish all up if you can. I prefer the prawn rolls though, which is more refreshing. The fried version is kinda skinny and dry.

Special Beef Pho 3.5/5

Moving on to their mains, their Special Beef Pho ($9.90) is hearty, with slices of beef and beef balls.  Though the beef balls ain't made in house, they were produced using An An's recipe. The broth is light, comforting and not too sweet. Before you start tucking in, don't forget that squeeze of lime!

Vermicelli with Chicken 4/5

What I want to find more exceptional from An An, is their Vermicelli with Chicken ($9.90). The chicken has a nicely charred skin, flavoured with lemon grass. Loaded with pickled carrots, lettuce and cucumber, this makes a real good summer salad. The fried shallots crisp, an essential condiment of Vietnam, together with their home roasted peanuts add another dimension to this dish. As 'clean' as it may look, it's packed with textures and flavours. I would definitely be back to try the beef version.

A trip to Vietnam and you will find that the food tastes different from what we have gotten here. Afterall our taste buds are raised differently, hence tweaks to the original recipes is necessary.  Luckily, their Head Chef is one stubborn guy who will go all out to make sure that the essence must not be lost. Honest food, this is what you will get from An An.

Photograph and written by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.



An An Vietnamese Street Kitchen
Pasarbella Suntec City
3 Temasek Boulevard
(North Wing)
#01-455
Singapore 038983
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Nearest MRT: Promenade (CC Line), Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Promenade MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Loylum Thai Boat Noodles @ Sam Leong Road (Little India)

Many Thai Boat Noodles eateries have sprung up across Singapore this year. Loylum Thai Boat Noodles is the latest entry in the local F&B scene located at Sam Leong Road, just a street behind Kitchener Road. In fact Loylum is a brand in Thailand since 1952, with around 20 outlets in Thailand. Loylum has worked with a local partner to bring the authentic taste to Singapore.

Beef Thai Noodle Soup with Thin Kway Teow 3.8/5

At Loylum, the ordering comes in 3 simple steps. First you select to have Beef, Chicken, Pork or Vegetarian. Second the type of noodles (Mee Hoon, Egg Noodle, Thick Kway Teow, Thin Kway Teow). Lastly the size of the bowl. Either $2 or $5. There are also side dishes whereby diners can add on at an extra cost.

Pork Thai Noodle with Egg Noodles 4/5

For the bigger bowl, we tried the Beef Thai Noodle Soup with Thin Kway Teow ($5) and Pork Thai Noodle with Egg Noodles ($5). We also added an Thai Egg ($1) to each bowl. Both the soup base were quite rich and robust with hints of herbal taste. I added additional pork lard for a more flavours. Personally I preferred the pork version over the beef, as I did not enjoy the cut of beef being used.

Chicken Thai Noodle with Egg Noodle 3.5/5

Mushroom Thai Noodle 3/5

For the Chicken Thai Noodle ($2) and Mushroom Thai Noodle ($2), we ordered the smaller bowl. The soup for these two bowl of noodles were lighter and cleaner in taste.

Thai Mango Salad 3.5/5

Besides the noodles, we also got ourselves a plate of Thai Mango Salad ($4). I do not like how the mango was shredded, losing the crunchy bites. Nevertheless, the characteristics of the Thai flavours were all present, with the natural sourness of the mango exciting my palates.

Durian Chendol 4/5

Perfect for the humid weather in Singapore, we rounded off our lunch with the Durian Chendol ($6) and Thai Mango Sago ($4). While I enjoyed the durian chendol, I felt that the puree for the mango sago was rather watered down.

Thai Mango Sago 3/5

I have not tried enough Thai Boat Noodles to do a comparison but based on my visit, Loylum does provide a comforting and hearty bowl of noodles. Together with the side dishes and desserts, it completes a satisfying meal.


Loylum Thai Boat Noodles
45 Sam Leong Road
Singapore 207935
Tel: +65 62913001
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Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit I. Cut cross City Square Mall to the exit to Kitchener Road. Cross the traffic junction and continue straight on Verdun Road. Turn left onto Sam Leong Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 7 minutes.

Grub Noodle Bar @ Rangoon Road

Following the success of Grub at Bishan Park and Fix Cafe at HomeTeamNS, the folks from Cookyn Inc opens their third F&B concept, Grub Noodle Bar at Rangoon Road. They have renovated and converted their previous cooking studio into a supper bar servicing  beef noodles, assam laksa, delightful appetisers and craft beers.

Kang Kong Salad 4.2/5

The wife and me enjoyed the Kang Kong Salad ($7) very much. Tossed in a Nonya achar and house dressing, this interpretation of the achar was crunchy goodness that we can never have enough of it.

Baby Cuttlefish 3/5

What is a bar without bar snack or food right? The Baby Cuttlefish ($9) was deep fried to a delightful crisp with basil pesto mayo. While I enjoyed the crispiness and the hint of Indian spice, I thought the batter was a bit thick for the size of the cuttlefish.

Soft Shell Crab 3/5

The Soft Shell Crab ($13) is another delightful deep fried snack with mayo and house seasoning. I thought a little bit more of the mayo and seasoning would be better.

Chicken Drumlets 3.5/5

The other enjoyable deep fried food on the menu is the Chicken Drumlets ($9). It is coated with curry leaves, garlic and sesame seeds. The crunchy bites and the palatable seasoning made it finger licking good.

Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier Dunkel 4.2/5

With all the deep fried snacks, it is best to go with a bottle of beer. Grub Noodle Bar offers a selection of Belgium and German craft beers. I had the Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier Dunkel ($14) which was light, sweet and fruity. It is quite easy to drink and goes well with the deep fried snacks.

Hokkaido Scallop Tataki 4.5/5

Not to be missed at Grub Noodle Bar is the seafood appetisers. Their seafood are freshly supplied from the seafood supplier just a couple of door steps away. The Hokkaido Scallop Tataki ($15) was mind blowing with its well balanced execution to showcase the sweetness of the fresh scallop. The scallop was lightly torched with mustard glaze and mandarin orange segments.

Venus Clams 4.2/5

You can't really go wrong with fresh clams, the Venus Clams ($13) sauteed with beer, toasted ginger and lemongrass broth was plump and sweet. I could not really taste the lemongrass but the freshness of the clams were already as good as its own. Hence I am not complaining.

Live Tiger Prawns 4.5/5

How come you peeled the prawn so fast, asked one of the diners? This is because the Live Tiger Prawns ($15) was fresh and the shell simply comes off the flesh with ease. The tiger prawns were steamed in sake, garlic and ginger glaze. The execution once again highlighted the freshness of the seafood, allowing the nature sweetness to be the star.

Beef Noodles

The Beef Noodles ($12 to $19) is the signature item at Grub Noodle Bar. The noodle bar serves only the dry version that comes with fresh egg noodles in house sauce, 100% beef meatballs, minced beef, mushroom stew and a bowl of beef broth with a choice of beef slice. There are 4 types of beef slice choices namely Pasture-Fed Brisket, Pasture-Fed Rump, 100% Hormone and Antibiotic free 150-day Grainfed Angus Sirloin and 100% Hormone and Antibiotic free 150-day Grainfed Angus Ribeye.

There is also free flow serving of homemade Chinchalok. This is to die for. It was so good that I poured the whole thing into my bowl of noodle.

Beef Noodle 4.5/5

The Beef Noodle served at Grub Noodle Bar is not your typical or classic beef noodle that you get elsewhere. The egg noodle texture is quite similar to those Chinese ramen noodle with a delectable bite. What made this a good bowl of noodle is the slurping good in house sauce. I even added the chinchalok into the bowl of noodles to give it a more spicy kick and lift in flavour.

Beef Broth with Beef Slices 4.2/5

I felt that the beef noodle is quite value for money. Besides the bowl of noodles, it also comes with a huge bowl of beef broth with a choice of beef slices. Among the 4 choices of Pasture-Fed Brisket, Pasture-Fed Rump, 100% Hormone and Antibiotic free 150-day Grainfed Angus Sirloin and 100% Hormone and Antibiotic free 150-day Grainfed Angus Ribeye, my favourite is the ribeye which is really soft and tender. While I find the beef broth on the sweet side, I think it will be well received by the younger crowd.

Assam Laksa 4.2/5

Due to diet restriction, some of us may not take beef. In this case, I would recommend the Assam Laksa ($13) with prawns, fresh cucumber, pineapple chinks and fish gravy. This is surprisingly good. The broth was really robust that is packed with the flavours for a good bowl of assam laksa.

Grub Noodle Bar will be opened from 16 October 2014 from 7pm to 12 midnight. After trying out the menu, I am confident this will be the next supper hot place if they can continue with the quality and consistent.


[CLOSED]
Grub Noodle Bar
221 Rangoon Road
Singapore 218459
Tel: +65 63415341
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GRUBNoodleBar
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 7pm - 1230am

Direction:
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left and walk to traffic junction. Cross the road to Rangoon Road. Walk down to the end of Rangoon Road. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Hock Lam Beef @ Alexandra Retail Centre (ARC)

The other day I decided to go to Alexandra Retail Centre (ARC) to check out the food establishments there since it was near to Labrador Park MRT station which I have yet to cover in my food journey. After recceing the mall, I decided to try Hock Lam Beef which took up a whole unit on the second floor of the mall. It has been a while since I last have beef noodles and I kind of missed it after it closed its Upper Serangoon outlet near my home. Hock Lam Beef needs not further mentioned as its already well known in Singapore for dishing out delectable bowls of beef noodles for over 100 years since 1911.

Kway Teow Soup Mixed 4/5

The new premises at ARC is quite big and with an extended menu servicing some common zichar items too. Ordering is quite simple, first decide the type of noodles (kway teow, yellow noodle or thick beehoon). Second decide whether you want the soup or dry version. Lastly, choice of  the 5 toppings (mixed beef, chunky & hand sliced beef, pure tendon, hand sliced beef, beef balls).

Kway Teow Soup Mixed 4/5

One of the most popular dish for over 100 years at Hock Lam Beef is their Kway Teow Soup Mixed ($7.90). The herbal bowl of goodness comes with juicy beef balls, tender sliced beef, bouncy tripe and tender chunky beef.

Kway Teow Soup Sliced Beef 4/5

The house specialty of juicy sliced beef in herbal marinade for flavour and aroma, Kway Teow Soup Sliced Beef ($7.80) has never disappointed me. The soup was boiled for a good 24 hours, rich and robust. The hand sliced beef was also very tender and dip into the chilli sauce made from 13 ingredients to further elevates the taste of richness of the beef.

Sauteed Kailan with Salted Fish 4/5

As mentioned the outlet at ARC offers other zichar items besides their fame beef noodles. I got a plate of their Sauteed Kailan with Salted Fish ($6.80) to go with the noodles. It always good to have some greens in each meal right? The sauteed kailan was pretty well executed which still retained a crunchy bite to it flavoured by the fragrant salted fish.

A worthy note I noticed in the menu at ARC outlet is their Big Mixed Beef Bowl without noodles that comes in 3 sizes for serving up to 4 pax. It will be good for family or big group who wants to try the cooked food as well as the delish beef soup.


Hock Lam Beef
Alexandra Retail Centre (ARC)
460 Alexandra Road
#02-24
Singapore 119963
Tel: +65 62729945
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OriginalHockLamBeef
Website: http://www.hocklambeef.com/blog/
Nearest MRT: Labrador Park (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10am - 9pm
Sat-Sun & PH: 11am - 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Labrador Park MRT station. Take Exit A. Take the overhead bridge and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.