Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm (农光行鳄鱼场) @ Neo Tiew Crescent (Kranji)

Earlier this month, I have the privilege to join the Singapore Chefs Association to visit to Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm (农光行鳄鱼场) at Neo Tiew Crescent, Kranji I felt like a kid going on an excursion again. The farm covers an area of around 12 football fields and breed around 14000 saltwater crocodiles.

Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm is the only crocodile farm in Singapore and comes with a full suite faculty for the full life cycle of the lifespan. The farm has its own breeding pond, incubator, pens, slaughter house, tannery and R&D.

Above is one of the breeding ponds at Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm. After mating, the female crocodile will swim to the pens around the circumference of the pond to lay the eggs.

This is the nest of the crocodile with the female crocodile will laid their eggs. Each laid is about 60 eggs.

This is my first time I seen the inside of the egg. It has a huge egg yolk and it is rather rubbery inside.

Actually when the female crocodiles laid their eggs, the staff will collect them from the pen and bring it to the incubator. The temperature controlled incubator will allow the eggs to be developed and hatched into little baby crocodile in a safe environment that is sheltered from being prey in the natural environment and weather.

One purpose of crocodile farming is the skin which is used for making handbags and wallets.

Many of you may not know that crocodile meat is actually quite palatable if you know how to prepare it. In addition, it is low fat, low cholesterol and high protein. After the tour around the farm, we were treated to crocodile feast such as Crocodile Satay, Crocodile Meat Patty and Crocodile Spare Ribs.

I would like to extend my appreciation to Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm, The Seafood Company, Singapore Chefs Association and Tony Tee for the opportunity to learn more about crocodile farming in Singapore.


Long Kuan Hung Crocodile Farm
321 Neo Tiew Crescent
Singapore 718914

Truly Curry Rice (真咖喱饭) @ Telok Blangah Drive Food Centre

I am back at Truly Curry Rice once again since my last visit. This time with a few more foodie friends to check out their newly introduced breakfast Stewed Pork Beehoon Set. It is great to see the two young hawkers, Joel and Deniece still carries that fire and passion in them.

Stewed Pork Bee Hoon 4.2/5

The Stewed Pork Bee Hoon ($1) is definitely value for money. The plate of white bee hoon may look kind of plain but it is really well cooked. It was not oily and the texture still retained the springiness in it. For a dollar, I think the flavours were there. If I am picky, the stewed pork and fried shallots flavours can be richer.

Chap Chye 4.2/5

If you find having the stewed pork bee hoon alone is boring, Truly Curry Rice offers the Stewed Pork Bee Hoon Set ($2) that comes with a selection of two sides.

Bitter Gourd 4/5

For a selection of vegetables, there are the Chap Chye, Bitter Gourd, Sambal Brinjal and Sambal Long Beans. I enjoyed the Chap Chye which is cooked to a delectable softness and sweetness.

Sambal Brinjal 4/5

Sambal Long Bean 4/5

A worthy mention is the different chilli prepared from scratch at the stall. If you like spicy stuff, then the sambal brinjal and long beans are a good choice cooked to a nice crunch.

Stir Fried Potato 4.2/5

Something new on the array of selections is the Stir Fried Potato. This home cooked dish is simple but yet so comforting.

Sambal Squid 3.5/5

The Sambal Squid unfortunately was a tad tough and overcooked during my visit. However the chilli spiciness has a real kick to it.

Braised Pork Belly 3/5

Pork Chop 4/5

For meat, there are the Braised Pork Belly and Pork Chop. The braised pork belly is tender and melted in the mouth. However it is pale in flavour. On the other hand, the pork chop was deep fried to a nice crisp and succulent.

I am glad that after more than a year, the two young hawkers has continued to work hard, starting the day at 1am painstakingly preparing the food from scratch and serving it to their customer in an affordable price.


[MOVED]
Truly Curry Rice
Telok Blangah Drive Food Centre
79 Telok Blangah Drive
#01-29
Singapore 100079
Nearest MRT: Telok Blangah (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630am - 3pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Blangah MRT station. Take Exit A. Take the overhead bridge to the other side of the road. Cut across block 45 to Telok Blangah Drive. At Telok Blangah Drive, turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

The Fabulous Baker Boy @ River Valley Road

I have heard good words of the cakes at The Fabulous Baker Boy, opened by theater star turned chef, Juwanda Hassim. Besides the fabulous cakes and brunch, The Fabulous Baker Boy has introduced a new dinner ala carte menu to give patrons more variety and value to their dollars.

Scottish Smoked Salmon Salad 3/5

The dinner at The Fabulous Baker Boy started with the Scottish Smoked Salmon Salad ($16/$20). Slices of smoked salmon lie on a bed of mesclun salad, topped with capers and thin onion silvers. I did like the tangy zest of the refreshing calamansi vinaigrette that removed the earthy taste of the greens.

Wild Mushroom Salad 2.5/5

Another salad dish on the menu is the Wild Mushroom Salad ($14/$18). Drizzled with aged balsamic dressing, the salad comes with sauteed wild mushrooms glazed over with thyme butter and a sunny side up egg. I only hope there were more mushrooms as they were missing from the plate.

Almond Encrusted Salmon with a Mango Hollandaise 3/5

A classic dish is the Almond Encrusted Salmon with Mango Hollandaise ($22). A decent baked salmon dish with crusty top, served with buttery mashed potatoes and creamed spinach.

Fish Burger 3/5

Some fine tuning is required for the Fish Burger ($14.50). While the execution managed to retain the juicy dory fillet underneath the crispy batter coat, the burger needs a much better boost in flavour. Another disappointment is the lacklustre fries. It was so bad that it was left untouched.

Fried Chicken & Waffles 3/5

Finally there is a dish on the new dining menu that managed to wow me but momentary. The Fried Chicken & Waffles ($21) comes with deep fried butter milk chicken served on waffles and golden syrup accompanied with a servicing of pear and cabbage slaw. It comes with a choice of either original or spicy. Unfortunately the southern american staple is not the most tender and juicy chicken I have eaten. But the worst part is the waffle. It is as hard as a brick. Seriously they need to do something about it.

Duck Confit 3.5/5

A far better rendition goes to the Duck Confit ($21) where the whole leg of duck is cooked to juicy tenderness paired with cranberry plum compote and mash. The skin however could have been more crispy.

Steak Frite 3/5

Lastly we tried the Steak Frite ($25) on the mains menu. The piece of New Zealand grass fed sirloin was rather flat in flavour dressed with mushrooms and caramelised onions. The fries was the other disappointment just like the those from the fish burger.

Saving the best to the last, this was so truth for the dining experience at The Fabulous Baker Boy. Indeed their famed cakes made some form of rendition to the not so interesting diner menu. Juwanda even created a new cake, Pam Dor to honor his good friend, muse and inspiration, the talented Pamela Oei. Among the few cakes I tried, my favourite went to Nutty Monkey and new diva cake, Pam Dor.

Sad to say, the dinner menu still has a lot of work to be done. It was too pedestrian and in a way old school that did not deliver a wow factor. In this competitive food industry, there are many good cafes out there servicing much better and more creative dishes on their menu. Judging from the dinner menu, The Fabulous Baker Boy will have a tough time attracting the crowd especially when they are spoilt of choices. Saying that, their cakes and brunch are still up to the mark.


The Fabulous Baker Boy
The Foothills
70 River Valley Road
#01-15
Singapore 179037
Tel: +65 66948336
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thefabbakerboy
Website: http://www.thefabulousbakerboy.com/
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Thu: 11am - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 11am - 11pm
Sun: 11am - 5pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit C, F or G. Walk along the river toward Riverside Point direction. Cross the bridge to the other end of the river. Turn left and walk towards Liang Court. Cross the road to the park. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) 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 2 stops later. Cross the road to the park. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

BOCA @ Bukit Pasoh Road

Occupying the space of defunct Oca Grassa, is a new Portuguese Restaurant BOCA set up by a group of Portuguese friends working and living in Singapore. Opened its door in January 2015, the restaurant aims to bring the genuine taste of home to the table which took them a good 2 year to conceptualized.

Starting the dinner is a basket of warm house made bread served with olives and extra virgin olive oil imported from Portugal.

Flamed Chorizo 3/5

A feast to the eyes is the Flamed Chorizo ($36) which is flambeed tableside. The plump sausage made with pork, wine, garlic, salt and paprika is imported all the way from Portugal. I find the chorizo a bit on the tough side.

Cod Fritters 4/5

A staple in Portugal is the bacalhau  (dried and salted cod). The ingredient is dated back to the 15th century in which Portuguese fishermen would sail north to fish for cod. They would butterfly, dry and salt the cod to preserve the meat on the long journey back. The Cod Fritters ($15) which I had is made of this treasured ingredient together with potatoes and parsley served with a piquant pickled mayonnaise on the side. This is a delightful starter with its crispy exterior and flavourful innard.

Octopus Salad 4/5

Octopus if not cooked probably would turned out rubbery. Lucky this is not the case at BOCA with the Octopus Salad ($24). The octopus is blanched quickly several times to achieve the tender texture. It is then thinly sliced and dressed with crunchy capsicums, crispy garlic, red onions, cilantro, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and smoky paprika to complete the orchestra of flavours singing in one tune.

Braz Codfish 4.5/5

The Braz Codfish ($28) is another dish on the menu that features the bacalhau. The cod is mixed with crispy deep fried shredded potatoes, caramelised onions and a beaten egg. Each spoonful bite of the mixture is layers of flavours and textures. A total new and enjoyable experience of authentic Portuguese cuisine.

Coffee Steak 4.2/5

The scent of coffee aroma filled the room when the Coffee Steak ($48) is served. This is one steak that you can really taste the sweet bitterness of the coffee. The 220g Australian tenderloin is dressed in a espresso mustard sauce, cream and a dash of cognac. The steak is generously paired with a delicious rice that has been cooked with almonds, garlic, onions, herbs and butter.

Shrimp Porridge 4.8/5

The real deal at BOCA has to be the Shrimp Porridge ($28) that is mind blowing. The so called porridge has no rice at all. It is actually made using aged homemade bread, immersing it in bacahau or shrimp stock to obtain the rich intense flavour. After that, it is simmered and stirred over a low flame until the bread turned into a porridge consistency. An egg yolk is added to give the dish a velvety finishing.

Cognac Chocolate Mousse 3/5 and Floating Island 4/5

Ending the delightful meal is the Cognac Chocolate Mousse ($13) and Floating Island ($15) for dessert. The Cognac Chocolate Mousse is made of valrhona chocolate mousse topped with tangy cognac macerated red berries, lemon cream and crunchy hazelnut praline. The Floating Island which I preferred among the two, is a slightly sweetened vanilla custard dusted with cinnamon, layered with passion fruit coulis, fragrant shredded basil, egg white quenelle and crowned with a sugar nest.

Authentic Portuguese Egg Tarts 4.5/5

Only twenty pieces is made each day is the Authentic Portuguese Egg Tarts ($4.50/pc). The creamy caramel egg custard together with the flaky puff pastry, dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar is the surprise highlight of the night. This is one of the best egg tarts I have eaten so far. I only wish they can make more and I can takeaway these beautiful delights to share with my friends.

Overall I have enjoyed my first experience of authentic Portuguese food. Some of the items really surprised me with the used ingredients and how they are put together. In a way, I have never tried anything similar until now. I strongly recommend trying the shrimp porridge, egg tart, braz codfish and coffee steak.


BOCA
6 Bukit Basoh Road
Singapore 089820
Tel: +65 62210132
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boca-Singapore/424998484314105
Website: http://boca-restaurant.sg/
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 6pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Turn left onto Teo Hong Road. At the end of Teo Hong Road turn left and continue on Bukit Pasoh Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5. [Map]

Ah Boy Chicken Rice @ Choa Chu Kang Crescent

Words have gotten around the foodie circle that there was a very good chicken rice stall located all the way at some ulu place called Choa Chu Kang Crescent. Even celebrity chef, Eric Teo mentioned in his facebook that this is one of the best chicken rice in Singapore. Even the stall gets the stamp of approval from the Food Intelligence Network (FIN) agents. The more I need to go down to Ah Boy Chicken Rice located in V6 Food Court at Choa Chu Kang Crescent to try the chicken rice for myself.

Chicken Rice 4.5/5

I ordered a plate of half chicken so I can get to try the various parts to determine the cooking skill. I would gladly said that the chicken was cooked to perfection. The jelly-like skin, the soft and juicy meat. Nothing much I can pick on. The light drizzle of the soy sauce did not over shadow the flavour of the chicken but give it a slight lift in flavours.

I enjoying eating innards, especially chicken liver. It was properly cleaned so it did not have that gamy taste.

The rice itself was fluffy and loose, which also comes with a nice aroma probably from the use of chicken oil. The chilli sauce I found it a bit watery but does have a sharp finishing.

The great thing about Ah Boy Chicken Rice is the chicken rice comes with a good bowl of soup. During my visit, I had the chicken leg soup. I can taste the natural sweetness from the hours of boiling the ingredients. A welcoming gesture to wash down the greasiness. The soup served each day is subject to changes.

Indeed after trying Ah Boy Chicken Rice, I agreed on the stamp of approvals from the foodies kaki. No wonder it is one of chef Eric Teo's favourite chicken rice stall. This is definitely a hidden gem unearthed by the food lovers and sharing it with the masses. Thanks for discovering the stall and allowing me to share it with my readers.


Ah Boy Chicken Rice 
V6 Food Court
Blk 678A Choa Chu Kang Crescent
Singapore 681678
Nearest MRT: Yew Tee (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 730am - 8pm
(Closed on Alt Thu)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Yew Tee MRT station: Take Exit B. Walk along the MRT track towards junction of Choa Chu Kang Drive and Choa Chu Kang North. Turn left onto Choa Chu Kang North. Continue on Choa Chu Kang North. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Moosehead Kitchen-Bar @ Telok Ayer Street

The visit to Moosehead Kitchen-Bar last year was so memorable that it was on my recommendation list whenever my friends asked me where to eat. When I was told that I am going back to check out the new menu, I was eagerly looking forward another mind blowing dining experience as well as meeting Glen Ballis, the chef partner, culinary consultant as well as the father of Daniel Ballis (father-and son partnership) who is in town.

Dinner at Moosehead Kitchen-Bar started with the Meze Board ($19). On the board is marinated olives with orange zest, crunchy feta with raw honey and black sesame and tzatziki with warm bread. Among the trio, my favourite is the tzatziki made from a mixture of greek yoghurt, garlic, cucumber, mint and parsley. The refreshing tzatziki dip goes very well with the warm bread. So good that I can't stop going back for more.

Deviled Egg 4/5

A special edition only for the Easter weekend is the Deviled Egg ($8). I thought it has a nice Christmas feel with the ricotta filling, tomato chutney and chives.

Pork Scratchings 4.8/5

Last year I had the crispy spiced pork ears, this year Moosehead has up its game with the Pork Scratchings with Beef Tartare ($6/pc) dressed with yuzu mayo. The hand cut beef is in Dijon mustard, gherkin, capers, tabasco, ketchup, olive oil, salt, pepper and topped with Japanese chilli spice and spring onion. It may sounds like two individual components but surprisingly both of them married well together.

Seared Watermelon, Feta, Cress 4/5

A very colourful and refreshing is the Seared Watermelon with Feta and Watercress ($12). The watermelon is flash pan seared with olive oil and salt to lock in the sweetness. The used of Chinese watercress further cement the chef's well travelled culinary knowledge and the used of locally sourced ingredients from Tekka market.

Avocado, Roast Pear, Caramelized Fig, Goat Cheese, Spinach Leaves 4/5

A interesting some what fruit salad dish is the Avocado, roast pear, caramelized fig, goat cheese and spinach leaves ($16). For me the star is the sweet lemon dressing that gel the whole dish together.

Shredded Cabbage 4.5/5

It is amazing how such a simple Shredded Cabbage ($8) can be so flavourful, simply using ponzu, percorino cheese and truffle to elevated the whole dimension of the dish.

Marinated Scallops, Orange Emulsion, Seaweed, Frozen Apple 4.5/5

Packed with rich flavour is the Marinated Scallops, Orange Emulsion, Seaweed, Frozen Apple ($19). The scallops is marinated in yuzu, mizkan, mirin and red onions. The scallop swimming in a pool of delicious gravy of orange emulsion, shaved frozen apple, red and green seaweed.

Roast beetroot, pomegranate, toasted almonds, ricotta 4.2/5

Another very creativity dish on the new menu is the Roast beetroot, pomegranate, toasted almonds, ricotta ($12). I could never imagine how smartly the chef has once again used the simplest ingredients and made it into a beautiful dish. You just got to try to understand what exactly I meant.

Roast Carrots 4.2/5

Yet another unique pairing of Roast Carrots, Apricot Puree, Persimmon, Pistachio ($14). The carrots freshly brought from the market is blanched in salted water, rolled in olive oil and salt before being charred in charcoal oven.The main ingredient is then further accompanied with apricot puree, permission, crushed pistachio, rosemary and honey mustard dressing. Eating vegetable is never the same again with all these different components working harmoniously together.

Roasted  Cauliflower 4.2/5

The smoky Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic Miso, Leek Confit, Creme Fraiche ($14) is another creation that demonstrates the culinary smartness of the chefs in using simple ingredients and elevating it to a whole new level.

Flank Steak 4.5/5

To be frank, after a series of vegetables and fruit dishes, I was delighted to have the charcoal grilled Flank Steak ($29). Grilled to perfection with a reddish interior, the beautiful piece of cut comes with a nice texture bite.

Pear, Saffron Custard, cream, yuzu candied nuts 3.5/5

I am not a big fan of saffron so this did not manage to excite me. Nevertheless, I did try the dish in which the saffron was not too overpowering for me. The crunchy roasted nashi pears eaten together with yuzu candied pistachio and almonds and cream is like a party in the mouth

Strawberries and Cream 4.8/5

Do remember to save your stomach for the Strawberries and Cream ($12). This is perfect to wrap up the evening with the yummy bowl of strawberry, cream (creme fraiche), house made sorbet and grated chocolate. The used of cream fraiche and grated chocolate helps to balance the sourish of the sorbet. I guaranteed you, you probably do not wish to share it with anyone.

Once again Moosehead Kitchen-Bar has impressed me with their new creations. I really find them smart in the sense of using the simplest ingredients to create it into such a modern and delicious dishes. Even vegetarian will be delight with their latest creations such as the roasted cauliflower, roasted carrots, roasted beetroot, shredded cabbage and seared watermelon.


Moosehead Kitchen - Bar
110 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068579
Tel: +65 66368055
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MooseheadKitchenBar
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Sat: 6pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Aligh at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Telok Ayer Street. Journey time about 1 minutes. [Map]