Friday, July 22, 2016

Barashi-Tei @ Middle Road - Homely Japanese Restaurant, Reasonable Priced Food

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Barely a few months old, Barashi-Tei at Middle Road is already making friends with their regulars.  Its setup is very simple and homely, similar to those along Mohammad Sultan Road.

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 Sashimi Salad 3/5

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Avocado Salmon Salad 3.5/5

For starters, we had 2 salads.  Sashimi salad ($13.80) is always a refreshing start but the combination of smoky aburi salmon and buttery avocado of the Avocado Salmon Salad ($13.80) makes the latter more satisfying.

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Wasabi Ebi and Kuruma Ebi 3/5

For some small bites, we had Wasabi Ebi ($7.80) which is deep fried and Kuruma Ebi ($7.80) which is pan fried. The Ebi were fresh and bouncy, which were quite tasty even on their own. The dressings were a little too thick and saucy for me. 

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Sake Jyu 3/5

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Chirashi 3.8/5

We had 2 dons - Salmon and Chirashi ($23.00). The Sake Jyu ($16.80) left me dissatisfied with its thin salmon slices. On the other hand, the Chirashi saved the day with its chunkier sashimi and I enjoyed every bit of the melt-in-your-mouth sensation and buttery texture of the fresh sashimi.

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Dragon Maki 3/5

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Spicy Salmon Maki 2.8/5

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We tried 3 of their maki which don't differ much in taste. All 3 of them used fried ebi as the key ingredient and same sauce for dressing. Between Dragon ($8.80) and Spicy Salmon ($12.80), you may just opt for one, depending whether you prefer avocado or salmon. The fried ebi was well done with succulent shrimp centre and paired well with both avocado and aburi salmon. The spicy dressing makes the dishes interesting but can be a little overwhelming when there is too much of it. As for Rice Paper Ebi Maki ($12.80) which is created for customers who are afraid of carbs, didn't work for me at all. The thin rice paper fails to hold the dry ingredients together and one might be better off eating each ingredient separately. 

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Sirloin Steak Foie Gras 3.8/5

Their Sirloin Steak Foie Gras ($19.80) is quite notable. I thought the presentation could be improved, as it certainly tastes better than it looks.

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Sanma Shioyaki 3.8/5

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Ika Teriyaki 3/5

Some dishes great for sharing over beers and sakaes would be Sanma Shioyaki ($6.80) and Ika Teriyaki ($13.80). From my understanding, sanma is one of the most well-known seasonal fish representing autumn in Japanese cuisine. Perhaps it is the novelty of eating it, I enjoyed savouring it bit by bit. The Ika was kind of tough, I was expecting to be softer and chewier.

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Gindara Nabe 4/5

I can imagine having their Gindara Nabe ($24.00) on a cold rainy evening. The broth, together with all the wholesome ingredients offer the comfort that I need after a long day. It definitely helps to clear my palate for the dessert.

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Strawberry Mousse 2.8/5

We ended the evening with their strawberry mousse.  Not anything fancy but good enough to sweeten my evening.

The quality of Barashi-Tei is really quite impressive and definitely wins those chain Japanese restaurants in malls that charge exorbitant prices for pathetic amounts. What are being offered seem authentic too, which is not a surprise given that the chef was trained under a veteran Japanese chef for 10 years. For a fuss-free dining experience and affordable Japanese cuisine, Barashi-Tei is a good option if you are in the vicinity. 

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.


Barashi-Tei
Elias Building
266 Middle Road
Singapore 188991
Tel: +65 84215228
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Rochor (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Rochor MRT staton. Take Exit A. Walk down Prinsep Street towards Middle Road. Turn right onto Middle Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee @ Bukit Batok Street 31 - Famous Bak Chor Mee Stall Opens In The West

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Recently I got to know that a popular Bak Chor Mee has opened in the West at Bukit Batok, so I made my way down to Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee to check it personally. Apparently this is the famous stall that used to be at Hong Lim Food Centre which started in 1945. When the founder passed on, his elder son and 4th son took over the stall. The elder son will mend the stall on Fridays to Mondays while the 4th son will take over on Tuesdays to Thursdays.

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According to social media postings by Jon Cher, the son of Mr Kow's 4th son, we got to know that his father was kicked out from the Hong Lim Food Centre. His father subsequently rent a stall at Old Airport Food Centre before the landlord sold it away. After taking two years break, his father has made a come back at the new stall in bukit batok.

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Bak Chor Mee Dry 3/5

From the appearance of the bowl of noodles, I thought I have found a gem. Unfortunately I was disappointed. The flavour did not live up to the appearance. The Bak Chor Mee Dry ($4/$5/$6) although comes with a lot of ingredients, it lacked the vinegar kick I was looking for. Afterwards, we feedback to the stall owner and he told us he has to reduce the vinegar as the new neighbourhood does not like it. Hence in your next visit, you probably has to tell the stall owner you want more vinegar, just like Hong Lim Food Centre days.

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Kway Teow Soup 3.8/5

The Kway Teow Soup ($4/$5/$6) was much better. The soup has a subtle flavour from the sole fish which gave justice to the generous bowl of ingredients accompanying it. It brought live to the bowl of noodles.

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We ordered the $4 portion and the bowl of noodle already is brimming with ingredients. Imagine if you order the bigger portion. I am not sure is it because the stall owner has taken a two years' break and he needed a bit more time to get back to his rhythm.


Ah Kow Mushroom Minced Pork Mee
Blk 359 Bukit Batok Street 31
Singapore 650359
Nearest MRT: Bukit Gombak (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon: 8am - 2pm
Wed-Sun: 8am - 8pm
(Closed on Tue)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bukit Gomak MRT station. Take Exit C. Cross the road. Turn right onto Bukit Batok West. Walk down the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]