Hwa Seafood @ Tagore Lane (Upper Thomson Road)

At the quiet stretch of Upper Thomson Road where Tagore industrial is located, the former 3M building facing the road has been replaced by the new building 9@Tagore. The new building has an open air food court that housed a Zi Char stall, Hwa Seafood. If I am not wrong, this is the same Hwa Seafood Restaurant that is formerly located at Novena Ville.

Seaweed Soup 3.5/5

Dinner began with a bowl of piping hot Seaweed Soup. I wasn't expecting the soup to be loaded with many other ingredients such as fish slices, fish cake, eggs and tofu. It was more like a bowl of seafood soup than seaweed soup. Nevertheless I welcomed the generosity.

Claypot Brinjal with Salted Fish 4/5

The Claypot Brinjal with Salted Fish was pretty well executed. I enjoyed the fact that the brinjal was not overcooked and became too mushy. It still has a bit of crunch to it. Brinjal itself was quite bland but the melange of minced meat and salted fish added flavours and textures to the whole dish.

Bittergourd Beef 3.5/5

I thought the combination of Bittergourd and Beef was something different from the usual bittergourd and pork ribs. The beef which was stir fried with bittergourd in a black bean sauce was actually quite tender and delectable.

Cereal Prawns 4/5

Hwa Seafood probably served one of the best Cereal Prawns I ever had. The fresh and succulent prawns paired with the fragrant cereal was simply a match in heaven.

If this is Hwa Seafood that has moved from Novena Ville, I felt quite sad that it has relocated to a Zi Char stall in a food court from an air conditioned restaurant. The new location is also not that accessible or near to any MRT station. I can see that business has since took a hit, it was not as crowded as before. I hope they will manage to see through the bad times and the crowd will be streaming back.


Hwa Seafood
9@Tagore
9 Tagore Lane
Singapore 787472
Nearest MRT: Marymount (CC Line), Ang Mo Kio (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
TBA

Direction:
1) Alight at Marymount MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Upper Thomson Road towards SPC Petrol Kiosk direction. Take bus number 167 or 980 across the road (Stop ID B53021). Alight 10 stops later. Walk to destination across the road. Journey time about 25 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Ang Mo Kio MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus interchange (Stop ID B54009). Take bus number 138 or 169. Alight 10 stops later. Walk to destination across the road. Journey time about 25 minutes. [Map]

Lee's Taiwanese @ JEM

Lee's Taiwanese has opened its second outlet at the recently opened JEM (Jurong East Mall) at Jurong East. Started by the owner Fiona Lee who has been away from her hometown for over 20 years, she strives to bring the genuine taste of Taiwan street fare to Singapore. To achieve these, many of the ingredients and sauces with imported directly from Taiwan to ensure the flavours are not compromised.

Pig Intestines & Meat Ball Mee Sua 3.8/5

It was a love and hate affair for the bowl of Pig Intestines & Meat Ball Mee Sua ($10). While the imported mee sua was smooth and remembered me of the texture I had back in Taiwan, the intestines still had that smelly taste for me. It tasted as it was not cleaned properly which was a disappointment. If you prefer strong flavours, you can request to add more chilli, vinegar and garlic.

Century Egg Tofu 4/5

I was introduced to Century Egg Tofu ($3.80) during my first trip to Taiwan many years back. Since then, I have fallen in love with the dish and I just can't find a place in Singapore that can duplicate the same taste I have enjoyed in Taiwan. Thanks to Lee's Taiwanese, my craving for the dish can be finally satisfied.

Pork Belly Rice 4.2/5

The Pork Belly Rice ($12) is definitely value for money with the sumptuous ingredients. It took me back when I saw the huge slices of pork belly. The braised pork belly was so tender that it simply melted in the mouth

Salt & Pepper Chicken 4.2/5

Like popping popcorns, I just can't stopping going back for more of the Salt & Pepper Chicken ($6.90). Lightly battered and fried to a nice crisp on the outside but still succulent inside, the salt and pepper seasoning further enhanced the whole enjoyment of the snack.

I am glad that there is Lee's Taiwanese in Singapore as I need not fly all the way to Taiwan to savour in their delicious street fare. Complete your dining experience at Lee's Taiwanese with either the deluxe set ($15.80) or premium set ($18.80) that comes with a choice of main, appetizer and drink. Premium set will have more selections for the main, appetizer and drink compared to deluxe set.


Lee's Taiwanese
50 Jurong Gateway Road
#03-05/06
Singapore 608549
Tel: +65 66941588
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Leestaiwanese
Website: http://www.leestaiwanese.com/
Nearest MRT: Jurong East (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Jurong East MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Flavours at Zhongshan Park @ Ramada Singapore

With a new Executive Chef Melvin Lim on board and a bigger selection of Straits Chinese delights, I looked forward to my second visit to Flavours at Zhongshan Park since I last dine here back in July 2013. The new menu consists of a larger selection of Straits Chinese cuisine while maintaining a carefully selected mix of international and western favourites, providing customers with more dining options.

Not to be missed is the condiments freshly prepared by the kitchen at Flavours. The different chilli sauces were so good that we actually suggested to the restaurant to sell them.

Clear Oriental Oxtail Soup 3.5/5

Whetting the appetite, we started with a hearty hot piping Clear Oriental Oxtail Soup ($13.90) of slow cooked oxtail infused with herbs and spices.

Braised Beef Cheek Rendang 4.5/5

I still remembered how tender the Braised Beef Cheek Rendang ($24.90) was when I tried it the last time. Once again the beef cheek rendang did not disappoint me. Cooked in a homemade spice paste with lemongrass infusion, the premium beef cheek cut simply melted in the mouth.

Tamarind Prawn 4/5

Looks the the chef has made some changes to the menu. Previously the tiger prawn was cooked in a chilli crab type gravy but now it is done in a tamarind gravy with pineapple and ginger bud. The new version of Tarmarind Prawn was just as good. It has a more refreshing and fruity finish. If the prawns have been more crunchy it would have been perfect.

Slipper Lobster with Chilli 4/5

Another chance is the slipper lobster dish. Instead of black bean paste, the Slipper Lobster is stir fried in a thick, savour paste of tomatoes and chilli. The succulent slipper lobster with the delectable gravy is served with fried mantou.

Ayam Buah Keluak 4.2/5

The Ayam Buah Keluak ($19.90) has also underwent some fine tuning too. The kuluak nuts are now mixed with minced chicken to give it more textures. The chicken was also braised to a nice folk tender absorbing all the beautiful flavours.

Dessert 3.5/5

For dessert, we have the Durian Pengat with Pandan Jelly, Pandan Tiramisu and Sago Gula Melaka. Noteworthy is the Pandan Tiramisu ($13.90) which has only 15 portions available each day for freshness reason. The mascarpone is infused with homemade pandan essence resulting in a dessert wafts with aromas of pandan leaves and gula melaka that was smooth, rich and yet light on the palate.


Flavours at Zhongshan Park
Ramada Singapore
16 Ah Hood Road
Level 1
Singapore 329982
Tel: +65 68086846
Website: http://www.flavoursatzhongshanpark.com
Nearest MRT: Novena (NS Line), Toa Payoh (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 6am - 1030am (breakfast), 12pm - 230pm (lunch), 6pm - 1030pm (dinner)
Weekends, Eve of PH and PH: 6am - 11am (breakfast), 12pm - 3pm (lunch), 6pm - 11pm (dinner)

Direction:
1) Alight at Novena MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to the shuttle bus service pick up point at Velocity @ Novena Square. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Novena MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Irrawaddy Road. Walk towards Ren Ci Community Hospital direction along Irrawaddy Road. Turn onto Shan Road and walk to the end. At the end of the Shan Road, cross Balestier Road to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Toa Payoh bus interchange (Stop ID 52009). Take bus number 139 or 145. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

4) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Toa Payoh MRT station along Toa Payoh Lorong 2 (Stop ID 52189). Take bus 56, 105 or 153. Alight 1 stop later. Cross the canal. Cut through the cluster of HDB flats and carpark towards block 103 onto Ah Hood Road. Continue on Ah Hood Road to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Tonny Restaurant @ Geylang Lorong 3

I was back at Tonny Restaurant for dinner after I last visited the place in March 2013 for Makansutra Dinner. Thanks to this monthly makan session I got to know my restaurants that I probably may not know or did not have the opportunity to visit.

Braised Fish Noodles 4.5/5

If you have the opportunity to visit Tonny Restaurant, you must try the Braised Fish Noodles. After trying the fish noodles in my previous visit, I have been craving for it since. I was glad that the fish noodles was still as good as the last time I have tried it.

Stir Fried French Beans 4/5

To go with the fish noodles, I ordered a plate of the Stir Fried French Beans. The french bean was stir fried with garlic and dried shrimps. It was excellently done, fragrant and crunchy.

Kampong Chicken 3/5

For something that I have not tried before, I ordered the Kampong Chicken. While the kampong chicken was poached to a nice tender. there was not much meat. I preferred my chicken to my fatter and more meaty.

Having visit the restaurant twice, I have not been disappointed with the food. In fact I am already looking forward to my next visit to the restaurant.


Tony Restaurant
8-10 Geylang Lorong 3
Singapore 388861
Tel:+65 67486618
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonnychanrestaurant
Website: http://www.tonnyrestaurant.sg/
Nearest MRT: Kallang (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Kallang MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk down Sims Ave. At the traffic junction of Sims Ave and Geylang Lorong 3, turn right into Geylang Lorong 3. Journey time about 5 minutes.

Brothers Rojak @ Clementi Avenue 3

Many people may I have asked you where is the best Rojak in Singapore? If you asked me, my favourite Rojak stall is Brothers Rojak at Clementi Avenue 3. The corner stall at Block 449  coffeeshop is not foreign to many who loves a plate of the so called Chinese salad of fruit and vegetable. It is quite common to see a snaking long queue at the stall waiting to tuck into the savoury delights.

The rojak is priced at $3 to $8 with the selection of add on such as Tau Pok, Youtiao or Cuttlefish.

Rojak 4.2/5

I have the Rojak ($5) which has a good mix of tau pok, youtiao, cucumber, pineapple and jicama topped with roasted peanuts and some finely cut bunga kantan (pink ginger bud). The tau pok and youtiao were given a quick toast to give it a good crispiness before being cut and tossed in a savoury shrimp paste sauce.

Rojak 4.2/5

Brothers Rojak does not come with a lot of ingredients unless you chose to add more ingredients at a little cost. What stood out with Brothers Rojak is their sauce. The savoury sauce has a nice tangy zest that accentuated the natural flavours of each ingredient in the mixture.

Rojak 4.2/5

Compared to the other rojak stalls, Brothers rojak is considered the wetter version. After finishing the ingredients, there was still a pool of the delicious brown gravy. It was then that I regret not ordering extra tau pok and youtiao to soak up that delish gravy.


Brothers Rojak
Blk 449 Clementi Avenue 3
#01-211
Singapore 120449
Nearest MRT: Clementi (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 11am - 930pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction
1) Alight at Clementi MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight towards CityVibe and continue straight to block 450. Walk to the end of block 450 and right to the carpark at the back. Cut across the carpark to block 449 which is opposite blk 450. The coffeeshop is located at the corner of block 449. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

PODI @ Raffles City Shopping Centre

Today marks the official opening of PODI at the basement of Raffles City Shopping Centre by The Bakery Depot Pte Ltd, the same company that brought us Cedele, Toss & Turns and P.L.T Sandwiches. PODI which stands for Pure, Offbeat, Delicious and Infusions offers all day breakfast and grills on the menu.

The restaurant has a casual and relax ambience offering a dine in section as well as a quick service/retail counter for takeaway. If you love a cup of coffee, you will not be disappointed. PODI offers freshly grinded and roasted coffee beans from Smitten as well as various flower tea.

Shoestring Fries 3/5

For some light snacks, the Shoestring Fries with Seaweed Nori / Truffle Oil will be a good choice. I thought the Shoestring Fries with Seaweed Nori was more of a gimmick lacking in flavour. Given a choice, I would spend my money on the Shoestring Fries with Truffle Oil

Baked Egg Pot 3.5/5

Breakfast definitely can't do without eggs, at least for me. The Baked Egg Pot definitely looks very appertizing with baked runny eggs and chorizo in a tomato based sauce. The menu mentioned that there is goat cheese in the dish but it was definitely missing for me. Flavours wise the dish was still good but it could have been better if the goat cheese flavour was stronger.

Duck Berry Waffle 3/5

It sounds quite bizzare to put a savoury and sweet dish together. The Duck Berry Waffle comes with a waffle topped with duck confit served with egg, blueberry compote and maple syrup vinaigrette. I have a bit of everything together but the combination did not have that wow factor. As a dish, I was puzzled with the concept. Individually the duck confit was flavourful and tender. The waffle was also fluffy and delectable with the beautiful blueberry compote. My comfort was that I got both main and dessert on a plate.

Stuffed French Toast 3.5/5

The Stuffed French Toast is made with spinach brioche with eggs and stuffed with smoked ham and brie cheese, served with garden greens and maple syrup on the side. Nicely toasted the french toast sandwich hit the right spot for me with the cheesy brie. My only request is to add spinach in between the 2 slices of toast. That will complete the whole enjoyment.

Beetroot Carpaccio 4/5

I actually quite like the Beetroot Carpaccio. The beetroot was beautiful seasoned, hardly can taste that earthy taste of it.

Prawn and Crab Spinach Salad 4.2/5

Surprisingly the Prawn and Crab Spinach Salad was the best dish for me. A clean and refreshing plate of greens with baby spinach, grilled prawns and crab meat. The zesty peppermint and lemon vinaigrette was the star that brought the whole dish together, whetting up the appetite.

Chicken Pot 3.5/5

Chicken thigh simmered in a pastry pot with potato and seasonal vegetables served with toast. It was an interesting cooking technique where the Chicken Pot was sealed around with pastry to lock the heat inside. The chicken thigh was cooked perfectly, moist and tender. Although I spotted rosemary in the pot, the herby flavour was non existence.

Argentina Sirloin Steak 2.8/5

When I have a hard time cutting into the Argentina Sirloin Steak, I knew it was going to be an disappointment even before biting into it. At least the chimichurri and mustard cream sauce managed to redeem some credits to the dish.

Spicy Prawn Konbu Pasta 3/5

Suitable for the local palate is the Spicy Prawn Konbu Pasta. The hearty aglio olio pasta was tossed with spicy prawns, konbu ad prawn oil. Spicy and bursting with flavours, the only complain was its too oily.

King Prawn with Herb Butter 2.8/5

The King Prawn was baked in garlic, butter, cheese, herb, orange peel and finished off on the grill. It was a nice smokey aroma when served. Unfortunately the texture was mushy which spoilt the enjoyment.

Whoopie Pie 2.8/5

The Whoopie Pie is made up of 2 cake like cookies with a creamy, orange earl grey flavoured filling. I did not enjoy it, I thought it was quite one dimensional and there was no excitement in it. The filling had a lot of the orange zest but the earl grey flavour was definitely non existence.

Mexican Spiced Hat 3.5/5

The Mexican Spiced Hat comes with Nigella spiced meringue thins with 2 scoops of ice cream. A pretty decent dessert to end the night on a sweet note.

The all day breakfast and grill is not ready a new concept, missing a pull factor for me. Food wise, there are still rooms for improvement given that it's only their pre-launch when I tried their food.


PODI
Raffles City Shopping Centre
#B1-45
Singapore 179103
Tel: +65 63365648
Website: http://www.podifood.com
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

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

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT Station. Take Exit A. Walk to basement of Raffles City Shopping Centre. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Old Geylang @ Geylang Lorong 23

Nestled along the stretch of Geylang Road, the huge compound of Old Geylang housed a 3-in-1 concept of Old Punggol International Seafood Restaurant, Turtle House as well as a durian stall. What a steal for food lover as you can savour the delectable food from all the 3 establishments at one venue.

It was quite unfortunate that during my visit, the durian season was over. The stall only has those Thailand durian breed so we gave it a miss.

Peking Duck

I have my fellow food blogger friends, Celes (Celestialdelish), Samantha (BondingTool) and Tony (JohorKaki) joining me in the sumptuous dinner.

Peking Duck 4/5

The beautiful Peking Duck ($20 half/ $38 whole) has its crackling skin thinly sliced and wrapped in a delectable crepe like skin. Paired with  spring onion and cucumber plus a bit of the homemade sweet sauce, this is an excellent starter to kick start the dinner.

Stir Fried Shredded Duck Noodles 4/5

Adding another $10, the chef took the rest of the duck and wok up a plate of Stir Fried Shredded Duck Noodles. I wasn't expecting much from the simple presentation but I was taken away by how fragrant it tasted. I also like the fact that their version was more peppery giving it a nice aroma.

Herbal Turtle Soup 4/5

One of the item I was looking forward to try is the nourishing Herbal Turtle Soup ($20/$40/$60) service in a claypot. I was very privileged to have Mr Ong the founder of Turtle House with me for dinner. He has came out from retirement to help his children oversee the reborn of Turtle House under the brand of Old Geylang in a new dining concept. There was so much stories and knowledge he shared with us over dinner. I have learnt so much from him about food especially ingredients such as turtle and crocodile.

Back to the food, the Turtle Soup has a nice herbal flavour but not overpowering. Add a bit of rice wine to enchance the flavour. By the way, do you know which is the most delicacy part of the turtle? It's the turtle feet! I tried one and I liked it. It had a crunchy gelatinous texture some what like eating black fungus.

Braised Crocodile Tail with Mushroom 4/5

Mr Ong is not only an expert with Turtle. He is also an expert with crocodile. I was told that he has to teach the the farm where they get the supply how to slaughter and portion the crocodile tail. Each crocodile tail can serve about 3-4 portions. The Braised Crocodile Tail with Mushroom ($12 per person) was my first but definitely would not be my last. There is nothing to scare or worry about the exotic meat. The braised crocodile tail was braised to a texture that felt like eating Dong Po Rou.

Steamed Boston Lobster with Garlic 4.2/5

In my own opinion the best way to appreciate the Boston Lobster (seasonal price) was to steam it with garlic. The flesh was cooked to a nice succulent allowing one to enjoy the natural sweetness of the lobster. If you prefer other preparation styles, the kitchen can do it too.

Crispy Roasted Pork and Roasted Char Siew 4/5

The kitchen at Old Geylang does their own Hong Kong style roasted meat. The Crispy Roasted Pork ($8 per portion) and Roasted Char Siew ($8 per portion) was nicely executed. I preferred the roasted pork over the char siew as I disliked the fact the char siew was too fatty.

Deep Fried Soon Hock 4/5

The Soon Hock (seasonal price) was deep fried to a nice golden brown crisp. The moist fish paired with the special homemade brown sauce was a great dish.

Chilli Crab 4.5/5

Forget about the other Chilli Crab served at other restaurants. You just have to try the Chilli Crab ($52 per kg) offered at Old Geylang. The special gravy has a good balance of spiciness and sweetness in a sumptuous mix of eggs and crab roes. It was understand that the red dates and dried shrimps have been added to the gravy to gave it that unique taste.

Salted Egg Oyster 4.2/5

It was quite excited when I knew I was having Salted Egg Oyster. The Salted Egg Oyster ($8 each) was lightly battered and topped with salted egg sauce. I like the combination but the oyster that day was a bit too small to showcase the potential of the dish. Checked with the restaurant and its confirmed that the size of the oyster was not ideal. Usually it is much bigger.

Chilled Beancurd 4.2/5

Wrapping up the feast was a bowl of delicate Chilled Beancurd. It was actually quite a welcome dessert which was light, refreshing and smooth after the heavy meal.

Word is that the huge compound maybe adding a new Western fare concept to the umbrella arm of Old Geylang. I like the concept of Old Geylang of housing hierachy brands allowing foodies to be able to enjoy the delectable food of this traditional brands. The spacious restaurant has plenty of parking lots at the back of the building. To get to the carpark, access via Sim Ave onto Geylang Lorong 23. Turn right to the carpark after the new Singapore Badminton Hall. The restaurant also offers valet parking for patrons.


Old Geylang
1 Geylang Lorong 23
Highpoint Block 6
Singapore 38352
Tel: +65 68446041
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Old-Geylang/525332554158513
Website: www.oldgeylang.com.sg
Nearest MRT: Aljunied (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 2am

Direction:
1) Alight at Aljunied MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk to bus stop along Aljunied Road (Stop ID 81089). Take bus number 62, 63, 80, 100 or 158. Alight one stop later. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.

2) Alight at Aljunied MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right and walk to Aljunied Road. Turn left and and continue down Aljunied Road until the traffic junction of Aljunied Road and Geylang Road. Cross the junction and walk towards New Cathay Hotel. Continue straight and walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes.