The Hainan Story Coffee House @ Nex - Opens First Coffee House Concept In Serangoon

The Hainan Story has launched its fourth location in the heartlands of Serangoon at NEX Shopping Mall. It is also their first-ever coffeehouse concept - The Hainan Story Coffee House that will serve a selection of new exclusive dishes alongside classic favourites.

Hainanese Ah Mai’s Chee Cheong Fun 4/5

The Hainanese Ah Mai's Chee Cheong Fun ($7.80) features smooth rice rolls drenched in a spicy, savoury blend of four sauces: chee cheong fun, rojak, green chilli as well as light soya sauce. It also comes with fishballs and crispy wanton.

Hainanese Pig’s Trotter Assam Curry Noodle 4/5

The Hainanese Pig's Trotter Assam Curry Noodle ($9.80) consists of tender pork trotter, fish cake, hard-boiled egg, and yellow noodles in a sour-spicy assam curry gravy. It has a tangy, full-bodied flavour with subtle spicy notes.

Childhood Fried Chicken Wing 3.8/5

The Childhood Fried Chicken Wing ($2.80/pc) boosts tender and juicy meat. They were pretty standard, though I wished the wings could be meatier.

Hae Bee Hiam Spaghetti 4.2/5

Another must-try dish is the Hae Bee Hiam Spaghetti with Hainanese Fried Pork Cutlet ($12.80). A fusion pasta for those who are a fan of the Hae Bee Hiam (Dried Shrimps Spicy Sambal), the flavour was pronounced and aromatic. The spice level was also intense enough to give that fiery kick.

Classic Pandan Waffles 4.2/5

Dessert options include the Classic Pandan Waffles (from $2.20), which can be paired with sweet toppings like gula melaka kaya, nutella, honey butter, and even savoury flavours like avocado egg mayo. We opted to go with the gula melaka kaya, which was not too sweet and had a delicious gula melaka fragrance. The waffle itself also has the perfect fluffiness with subtle pandan notes.

Words and photos by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Hainan Story Coffee House
Nex
23 Serangoon Central
#02-17
Singapore 556083
Tel: +65 97835757
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Nearest MRT: Serangoon (CC, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Serangoon MRT station. Take Exit B, E, G & H. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Nan Yang Dao (南洋岛) @ Serangoon Central - Authentic And Affordable Malaysian-Style Dishes In Serangoon

Nan Yang Dao (南洋岛), a vibrant eatery offering Malaysian-style dishes, opened earlier this year. It is located within Serangoon Central and just a short walk away from Serangoon MRT. The popular eatery has seen crowds throughout the year, especially during meal times to get a taste of their extensive variety of authentic Malaysian classics.

3 Layers Coffee 4/5

We kickstarted the meal with a cup of 3 Layers Coffee ($3). This layered drink was initially inspired by Sarawak's famous '3 Layer Tea. As for the coffee version, the drink consists of three layers of black coffee, palm sugar, and evaporated unsweetened milk. Perfectly milky without being overly sweet, it is great for coffee drinkers who prefer their coffee to be milkier and sweeter.

Penang Fried Kway Teow 4.2/5

The Penang Fried Kway Teow ($6.80) is one of their signatures. The Penang's rendition has lesser soy sauce and boasts a nice wok hei aroma. The pork lard gave the dish an extra oomph and comes with essential ingredients like Chinese sausages, bean sprouts, fish cakes and prawns.

Selayang Big Bowl Curry Noodle 4.2/5

Another signature is their Selayang Big Bowl Curry Noodle ($9.90). It arrives in a giant bowl of curry mee while a plate contains the excess curry broth at the bottom to depict the overflowing goodness. The rich curry broth is fragrant and slightly spicy and comes loaded with pork belly, prawns, beancurd skin, meatball, and fishball.

Dry Curry Mee 4/5

We also tried the Dry Curry Mee ($6.90), where yellow noodles are doused in a robust and creamy curry sauce and topped with char siu slices and french beans, along with tau pok and shredded chicken. Like the Selayang Big Bowl Curry Noodle, the spiciness was slightly tamer, but the dishes were still very satisfying.

Hometown Prawn Paste Fried Chicken 4.2/5

The Prawn Paste Fried Chicken ($10.80), better known as 'Har Cheong Gai', is crisp on the outside and succulent on the inside, with a pleasant prawn paste aroma. The wings packed a punch full of flavours from its special shrimp paste batter.

Chendol 4.5/5

To end off the meal on a sweet note, we had the Chendol ($3.50). It has a good amount of gula melaka without being overly sweet and has a nice brown sugar and coconut fragrance. The generous amount of red beans and chewy green jelly toppings also added a nice textural contrast to the dessert.

Words and photos by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Nan Yang Dao (南洋岛)
Blk 262 Serangoon Central
#01-85
Singapore: 550262
Tel: +65 65131750
Facebook
Instagram
Nearest MRT: Serangoon (CC Line, NE Line)

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

Direction:
1) Alight at Serangoon MRT station. Take Exit E.Turn left and walk down Serangoon Central. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 mintues. [Map]

Dine At Home During Circuit Breaker - Shi De Fu Wanton Mee

With the COVID-19 pandemic and the circuit breaker measure, that means I have to stay at home, and I can't go around the island checking out the delicious food offered by various food establishments. We used to say we will travel for good food, but now things have changed, we can actually order them and have them at the comfort of our home with island-wide delivery. One such stall that I got to check out during this period is Shi De Fu Wanton Mee, a hawker stall located at Geylang Bahru Food Centre.

Wanton Mee

One of the signature items at Shi De Fu is their Wanton Mee. The noodles tossed in a chilli concoction has a delightful bite paired with flavourful wanton wrapped in thin wanton skin. It also comes with slices of char siew though the stall does not roast it themselves anymore. The generous serving makes up for the less fatty cut.

Dumpling Soup

We also have the Dumpling Soup. I enjoyed that the dumplings are stuffed with a flavourful mixture of prawn and minced pork, there is even surprise bits of crunchy chestnuts in it.

Fried Dumpling and Wanton

If you like it crispy, you can opt for the Fried Dumpling which has been deep-fried to a golden brown. They also have Fried Wanton too.

Curry Chicken Noodle

Another highlight at Shi De Fu is their Curry Chicken Noodle. The curry was fragrant, thick and creamy. It comes with tau pok, a whole chicken wing and a huge piece of potato. I surprised myself in drinking up the entire bowl of curry.

Braised Chicken Feet

Besides the wanton mee and curry chicken noodle, they also offer dumpling noodle and chicken feet noodle on the menu.

Island-wide delivery is available at Shi De Fu. You can order at https://form.jotform.com/shidefu/shi-de-fu.


Shi De Fu Wanton Mee
Geylang Bahru Food Centre
Blk 69 Geylang Bahru
#01-65
Singapore 330069
Nearest MRT: Geylang Bahru (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Sat-Tue: 7am - 2pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Geylang Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

"Savour the Past, Taste the Future" at The Singapore Food Festival 2016, taking place from 15 to 31 July 2016

The annual Singapore Food Festival 2016 is back again for the 23rd year, happening from 15 to 31 July 2016. The theme for this year's event will be "Savour the Past, Taste the Future", and it's the biggest Singapore Food Festival to date. This year's event will features a stunning line up of 18 gastronomic experiences at various locations across the island. Singaporeans and visitors will be able to savour Singapore's food heritage and discover modern Singaporean cuisine around the island during the festive period.

Together with a few foodie friends, we went on an exclusive tour to give us a glimpse of some of the events that will take place during the Singapore Food Festival. Our first stop was Open Stoves by Timbre+, where the resident chefs at the gastro-park have collaborated with guest chefs to develop new and innovative dishes that will be available for purchase during the festival.

One such dish is the Cebu Bellychon Curry Noodles with Salted Vegetables and Lime created by Chefs Christian Calledo of Iskina Cebu Singapore and Bjorn Shen of Artichoke and Bird Bird. We got to interact with the chefs themselves during the tour to understand their inspiration behind the dish. We even got to prepare the dish ourselves and savour the delicious creation, igniting a fiery start to the tour.

Open Stoves by Timbre+ will be taking place on 23 and 24 July 2016, 12pm till late. Other new innovative dishes you can look forward to at the event include the Prata Taco with Stewed Tripe and the Prata Taco with BBQ Pork Collar made by Chefs Jeremy Cheok of Dusk by Stake and Tan Huang Ming of Park Bench Deli. It will also features activities like cooking demos, bands jamming, a pop-up barbeque blowout etc. Find out more at http://www.timbreplus.sg/open-stoves

Our second stop is at Restaurant Labyrinth where we had a fun session plating our own dish or rather the dishes curated by International celebrity Chef Susur Lee, Senior Executive Chef Ken Ling of Tunglok Heen and Chef-Owner Han Liguang of Restaurant Labyrinth for STREAT 2016 taking place at Clifford Square, 15 to 16 July 2016, from 5pm to 1030pm.

The chefs have re-interpreted and created new expressions of Singapore's iconic street food, presenting it in an exclusive five-course, six-hands dinner menu. We were given a glimpse into some of these modern interpretation of our signature street food such as the Singapore Satay, Chilli Crab and Oyster Omelette Pie Tee.

A stellar selection of hawkers and chefs will also join the trio, setting up stalls alongside the pop-up restaurant at Clifford Square in celebration of our dining scene. Some of the curated medley of Singaporean food establishments which includes Candlenut, The Disgruntled Chef, Char, Casuarina Curry Restaurant and more.

STREAT 2016 will be taking place on 15 and 16 July 2016, 5pm to 1030pm. STREAT will showcase how food in Singapore has evolved over the year with an all-star cast of hawkers and chefs convening in one location in celebration of our dining scene. Find out more at http://www.singaporefoodfestival.com

Our last stop is at  Chinatown Food Street at Smith Street where The 50 Cents Fest by Select Group will be held. The food street will be transformed with street hawkers, lively music from a bygone era, buskers and costumed entertainers. The event taking place on 30 and 31 July 2016 will bring back many nostalgic dishes during the festival.

Look out for street hawkers such as the rojak on bicycle as you dine along the shophouse-lined streets of Singapore. Most of the dishes will be sold at only 50 cents and not more than $2 each in denomination of 50 cents.

Bringing back memories of our parents' childhood, we even learn how to make the ice ball. A popular dessert during our parents' time. During the event, public can get to purchase the ice ball to cool off from the humid weather for only 50 cents.


Relive the good old days at the The 50 Cents Fest! happening on 30 July (3pm - 11pm) and 31 July (11am - 11pm) where public can feast on more than 30 iconic hawker dishes, with many priced at 50 cents each. Some of the dishes includes Sweet Noodles, Kok Kok Mee, UFO (Fried Oyster Cake), Mee Teh and more. Find out more at http://www.chinatownfoodstreet.sg/the-50-cents-fest

SNAP & WIN
Take your best flatlay image of your favourite SFF dishes and share it on instagram with the hashtags #SFFflatlay & #SingaporeFoodFestival and tag @Visit_Singapore to win delicious prizes! Full T&C here: http://bit.ly/29MRBLw

Brizo @ Park Hotel Clarke Quay

Brizo at Park Hotel Clarke Quay celebrates the nation 50th birthday with Taste of Singapura, available every Wednesday to Sunday evening, showcasing a spread of nostalgic Singapore seafood and local dinner buffet from 1 July to 30 September 2015. Diners will also get a complimentary appetizer platter of Kueh Pie Tee, Otah Otah, Epok Epok and Indian Samosa.

Chicken, Beef and Lamb Satay

Besides the complimentary platter, an extensive selection of mouth watering local appetizers such as Gado Gado, Deep Fried Ngoh Hiang, Shrimp Wanton, Kong Bak Pau and Satay with condiments are also available.

Roti Prata

The cultural melting pot of Singapore encompasses cuisines from different races. One of my favourite local dishes is the Roti Prata from the Indians and this is also available among the Taste of Singapura buffet spread.

Singapore-style Curry Prawn Noodle

At the DIY noodle station, three types of noodles, namely Prawn Laksa, Tom Yam Seafood Noodle and Singapore-style Curry Prawn Noodle are featured on a rotation basis.

Singapore-style Chilli Crab

Seafood Selections

Brizo is a seafood themed restaurant and hence it is no surprise to see an ocean of seafood along the buffet spread.From the signature Singapore-style Chilli Crab, Wok Fried La La in Bean Paste, Kam Heong Sotong, Butter Prawn with Curry Leaves, Salted Egg CrayFish, Fish Head Curry, the choices are like a bottomless ocean.

Dessert lovers can look forward to a spread of Durian Pengat, Nonya Kueh, Kueh Lapis, Chilled Pumpkin with Sago & Gula Melaka and Orh Nee.

Winning A Staycation
Diners at Taste of Singapura buffet may take a photo of themselves with their family and friends, upload it on their facebook or instagram account with the hashtag #BrizoQualityTime to win a weekend staycation at Park Hotel Clarke Quay's contemporary guestroom. A total of three staycations worth $1100 will be given away by early October for the best photos submitted.

In addition, diners who upload thir photos instantly while enjoying Taste of Singapura will get everyone on their table a complimentary glass of non-alcoholic beverage from the restaurant upon flashing the uploaded photo of the restaurant's associates.

Taste of Singapura Dinner Buffet
Adult: $58++ (Wed-Thu), $68++ (Fri-Sun)
Child: $29++ (Wed-Thu), $34++ (Fri-Sun)


Brizo
Park Hotel Clarke Quay
1 Unity Street
Singapore 237983
Tel: +65 65938888
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parkhotelgroup
Website: http://www.parkhotelgroup.com/clarkequay/default-en.html
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 6am - 1030am, 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to the end UE Square Shopping Mall. Journey time about 8 minutes.  [Map]

PappaRich @ Suntec City Mall

The popular Malaysian restaurant, PappaRich has finally set foot on the shore of Singapore. Within a short period of time, PappaRich has opened 4 restaurants in Singapore at Star Vista, Marine Parade, Suntec City Mall and Westgate with a fifth restaurant to be opened in middle 2014 at OneKM Mall, Tanjong Katong. Now the well-loved Malaysian restaurant chain has planted its footprints around Singapore delivering their delicious and authentic Malaysian delights in a comfortable setting to Singapore diners. My first taste of PappaRich was at their very first oversea expansion in Melbourne and since then they have not looked back. expanding into Singapore, Brunei and China with outlets in Indonesia, India and the United States soon to open.

Hainanese Steamed Bread 4.2/5

The Hainanese Steamed Bread ($3.90) is served with PappaRich's freshly homemade kaya. The extremely soft steamed bread is made from a traditional recipe. The original maker behind the recipe of the bread came from Hainan province. He worked in Malaya for a British bakery in the 1930s before he setup his own bakery in 1946. We now can ensure these pillow soft steamed bread at PappaRich because they bought the bread factory so that they could make the bread exclusively for their customers. The steamed bread also goes very well with the Half Boiled Egg ($2.90) that is cooked in a special temperature controlled water bath, giving it a semi runny consistence.

Super Rich Combo 4.5/5

This is really value for money. Inspired by a trip to the East Coast of Malaysia to get a taste of the best Nasi Kandar, the founder created this super combo dish. The Super Rich Combo ($16.90) is served with aromatic premium basmati rice, fried chicken drumstick, braised beef, sweet & spicy squid, potato, hard boiled egg, lady finger, papadum and sambal. To ensure PappaRich serves only the best crispy fried chicken, they even gone all the way to specially hired a famed chef who is known for cooking a very popular crispy fried chicken to work for them, dedicated solely in making this delicious crispy fried chicken.

Char Kuay Teow 4/5

You may want to just stop by PappaRich if you are craving for a plate of Penang Char Kuay Teow. The Char Kuay Teow ($9.90) uses flat noodles directly imported from Ipoh weekly. Wok fried together with prawns, cockles and beansprouts, this delectable plate of wok fried flat noodles will definitely satisfied your craving.

Vegetarian Curry Mutton 4/5

Besides servicing delicious Malaysia delights, PappaRich also offers some vegetarian items on their menu such as the Nasi Lemak with Vegetarian Curry Mutton, Nasi Rich with Vegetarian Curry Mutton and Vegetarian Nasi Lemak. We got a bowl of the Vegetarian Curry Mutton ($5.90) which is beautiful cooked in a medley of spices. I never knew vegetarian dish can also tasted so good.

Assam Laksa 3.8/5

The Assam Laksa ($10.90) was probably the weakest link of the dinner. Served with thick rice noodles, Ikan Kembung, shredded pineapple, lettuce, red chilli, cucumber, onion, lemon grass, shrimp paste and mint leave in a fish based tamarind broth, it was missing that tangy shiokness.

Curry Laksa 4.2/5

If you do not enjoy the sourness of the assam laksa, I would recommend the more lemak Curry Laksa ($9.90). The mouth watering bowl of noodles in spicy coconut curry gravy comes with chicken, cockles, tofu puffs and foo chok. I had this in PappaRich Melbourne and I like the version in Singapore more because the gravy is more spicy.

Wan Tan Hor 4.8/5

This is definitely the surprise dish for the night that knocked me out of my chair. More commonly found in Zi Char stall, I didn't know PappaRich offers the Wan Tan Hor ($10.90) in the menu. Packed with wok hei flavour and covered in a delish egg gravy, this is one dish that I will come back for.

Chendol 4/5

Using freshly made chendol and gula melaka from Malacca, the Chendol ($3.90) is the perfect sweet ending for a delicious dinner.

The food at PappaRich definitely did not disappoint me. I am glad that they have managed to maintain their quality given that it is a chain restaurant with an ambitious expansion plan. They have also managed to keep the pricing very reasonable and affordable while not cutting back on the quantity. Given a choice, I would prefer to dine at PappaRich compared to another Malaysia brand that has also recently opened an outlet in Singapore.


PappaRich
Suntec City Mall
3 Temasek Boulevard
#02-386
Singapore 038983
Tel: +65 65323323
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PappaRichSg
Website: http://www.papparich.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Suntec City Mall. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]