Dulukala Peranakan Restaurant @ Beauty World Centre

With the opening of the Downtown Line 2, many restaurants in the vicinity is now more accessible especially parking is not that convenient in the area. Dulukala Peranakan Restaurant located on the top floor of Beauty World Centre is one the restaurants I have wanted to check it out for a while. I finally fulfilled it last weekend, making my way down for dinner.

Nonya Chap Chye 4/5

The Nonya style stewed mix vegetables, Nonya Chap Chye ($10.90) is cooked to a delectable softness. Slightly on the sweet side but it goes well with the plate of rice. The other worthy note is the portion is quite big compared to other Perankan restaurants I have visited.

Beef Rendang 3/5

The Beef Rendang ($12.90) was really a pity. The beef cooked in mix of spices and coconut milk is tender and robust in flavours. If not that the kitchen was a bit heavy on the salt, I would have rate this highly.

Omelette with Chinchalok 3.5/5

Egg omelette is quite a common dish but this is my first time seeing Omelette with Chinchalok ($9.90) on the menu. The fluffy egg omelette comes with chinchalok or preserved shrimp can be quite salty if there is too much of it. Hence it must be eaten with moderation together with the omelette.

Chendol 4/5

Wrapping up the dinner is the bowl of Chendol ($3.50). The shaven ice dessert in coconut milk, gula melaka and pandan jelly is the perfect ending to the Peranakan meal.

Usually the serving for Peranakan food is quite small and expensive. At Dulukala, I find the portion and pricing are quite reasonable. Although my dinner experience was not that great, but I still can taste the potential in the dishes. If not for the saltiness in the dishes, I would have enjoyed it more. I probably will come back again to give them a second chance. Hopefully it will be a better experience.


Beauty World Centre
144 Upper Bukit Timah Road
#04-04
Singapore
Tel: +65 64652036
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Beauty World Centre (DT Line)

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

Direction: 
1) Alight at Beauty World Centre MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 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]

Kampong Chicken Rice Chicken House @ Lorong Kilat (Upper Bukit Timah)

Having visited Kampong Chicken Rice Chicken House at Upper Thomson Road, I am glad to know that they have another outlet at Lorong Kilat, Upper Bukit Timah. With the outlet nearer to home, I do not need to travel all the way to upper thomson road to satisfy my chicken rice craving,

Poached Chicken 4/5

As the chicken house uses kampong chicken for their chicken rice, the meat is leaner and there is no jelly like skin. Even though it is leaner, it is still quite tender and sweeter in taste. I also like the fact that the chicken is not drown by the sauce, masking the appreciation of the natural sweetness of the chicken.

Rice 3/5

The chicken rice itself was moist and not oily but it was lacking of the aroma of a good plate of chicken rice which I would be preferred. However, I thought the chilli and garlic sauce is one the best I have tried.

While the rice at Chicken House is nothing to rave about, the poached chicken itself is quite good. It did surprise me that it is not as lean as most kampong chicken.


Kampong Chicken Rice Chicken House
Kilat Court
17 Lorong Kilat
#01-01
Singapore 598139
Nearest MRT: Beauty World (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am - 830pm

Directon: 
1) Alight at Beauty World MRT station. Take Exit B. Cut through the car park on the left and walk towards Jalan Seh Chuan. Walk down Jalan Seh Chuan. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes.[Map]

HamBaoBao @ Beauty World Food Centre

Located on level 4 of a old food centre at Beauty World Centre is a humble little stall runs by a young couple in their twenties selling their own interpretation of hamburgers. Their stall, HamBaoBao is the directly translation of the English work in Chinese hanyu pinyin. Currently the stall sells only 5 types of burgers only with adds on such as fries, cheese, bacon and additional patty.

Crispy Pork Belly 3/5

What made HamBaoBao interesting is their Asian inspired burgers such as the Crispy Pork Belly ($5). The first thing I noticed was how light the bun and burger was. The pork belly was well marinated with the cucumber providing the needed balance. Initially I thought the crispy bits of the pork belly skin is a nice touch to the burger but it turned out otherwise for me. It thrown the balance off with its bitterness and it was hard to eat with the crispy bits falling everyone.

Ayam Buah Keluak 4.2/5

While the crispy pork belly burger did not quite impress me, the Ayam Buah Keluak Burger ($5) was the opposite. I was totally blown away in their interpretation on the signature peranakan dish into a burger. The minced chicken patty infused with the buah keluak, homemade chilli paste and chap chye, all work harmoniously for this delicious and unique burger. I also add on $1 for the fries which was rather pedestrian.

Based on the two burgers I tried, I would say I am really impressed with the Ayam Bua Keluak Burger. Great to see young hawkers giving up their corporate jobs to work long hours in the food centre. Not only that, this young couple has probably started an new era of hawker food with their creativity and innovation of modernising traditional Asian ingredients into their interpretation of the western burgers.


HamBaoBao
Beauty World Food Centre
144 Upper Bukit Timah
#04-49
Singapore 588177
Facebook
Nearest Station: Beauty World (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 12pm - 8pm
(Closed on Mon and even week of Tues)

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

Kaffles @ Upper Bukit Timah Road

Kaffles is the latest after-supper dessert venue started by two friends Kimberley and Kenny. The concept is more like a pop up selling the favourite combination of waffle and ice cream. Currently Kaffles is co-sharing the space at The Stirling, Upper Bukit Timah area, operating only on every Saturday from 6pm to 1am.

The classic at Kaffles has to be their Klassic Kaffles ($8.20) with an inverted ice cream cone stacked on top of buttermilk waffles.and drizzled with maple syrup. It comes with choices of ice cream (apple pie, earl grey, coconut, chocolate, salted caramel and vanilla). Another favourite of mine is the Nutella Kinder Bueno Kaffles ($11.20) with premium vanilla ice cream.

If you like something with a crunch, then the Speculoos Cookie Crunch Kaffles ($11.20) with buttermilk waffle and vanilla ice cream will be a delightful choice. It is topped with cookie crumbs for that extra crunch.

The signature at Kaffles has to be their Thai Milk Tea Kaffles ($12.20). The Thai milk tea infused waffles are cakey, doughy and comes with a light crispy texture.This is their best seller since the first day of opening.

With the craze of coconut ice cream, Kaffles also created the Koko Kaffles ($11.20) with buttermilk waffles, coconut ice cream and red ruby, drizzled with gula melaka.

Do remember that Kaffles is only open on Saturday from 6pm to 1am. So if you are craving for some after-supper dessert, Kaffles will be a good choice to satisfy your sweet tooth.


[CLOSED]
Kaffles
15 Cheong Chin Nam Road
Singapore 599739
Nearest MRT: Beauty World (DT Line)

Opening Hours
Sat Only: 6pm - 1am

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

Top 1 Home Made Noodle @ Beauty World Food Centre

Moving to the West has given me the opportunity to discover many delicious food in the area. My friend, Amanda Tan has recommended me Top 1 Home Made Noodle at Beauty World Food Centre for the longest time but I only manage to find time recently to visit the stall. The stall is extremely busy during my visit, I have to wait for a good half an hour for my order. The stall has adopted the use of a queuing system, just like in the hospital or clinic.

Homemade Yu Mian Soup with Big Prawn 4/5

Homemade Yu Mian Soup with Big Prawn 4/5

First I had the Homemade Yu Mian Soup with Big Prawns ($6). I took a sip of the soup first and was hit by a rich and intense bowl of flavourful soup base. The home made noodle was also cooked to a nice bite. It is really a bowl of slurping goodness. Besides the big prawns, the bowl of noodles also comes with minced pork, mushroom, ikan bilis and vegetables.

Spicy Mala Ban Mian with Big Prawn 4.5/5

Highly recommend by my friend is the Spicy Mala Ban Mian with Big Prawn ($6). I am not sure what is the concoction of the chilli sauce, but it definitely packs a punch and made me break into a sweat. If you are up to the spicy challenge, this is a best try. Compared to the you main, I like the ban main more for its wider base of textural enjoyment. It also seems to hold itself better in the soup base, soft but still retain a bite to it.

Spicy Mala Ban Mian with Big Prawn 4.5/5

I am glad that there is a good bowl of ban mian near my place. During my visit, I noticed a lot of people ordering the dry version tossed in a black sauce. It really seems quite delicious. I definitely will be back to check that out.


Top 1 Home Made Noodle
Beauty World Food Centre
144 Upper Bukit Timah Road
Level 4, #04-44
Singapore 588177
Tel: +65 84488450
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Beauty World (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Thu-Mon: 9am - 830pm
(Closed on Tue and Wed)

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

East Manhattan Bakery Cafe @ Lorong Kilat (Upper Bukit Timah)

East Manhattan Bakery Cafe at Lorong Kilat, around Upper Bukit Timah is opened by owner/chef John Wee. Ditching his suit as a general manager in the corporate world, in exchange for a chef robe. He spent almost a year in Manhattan, New York City learning the fine art of classic American baking before returning to Singapore to setup East Manhattan Bakery in Katong V Mall. East Manhattan Bakery in Katong V Mall sells freshly baked artisanal bread, tarts and cakes for takeaway while the new venture at Lorong Kilat comprises of an all day menu and drinks in addition to the freshly bakes.

Manhattan All Day Breakfast 3.8/5

An upside at East Manhattan Bakery Cafe is the availability of freshly bakes. The Manhattan All Day Breakfast ($16.80) is served on spinach rosemary sourdough, salmon and poached egg with a sausage and greens. While the eggs were a bit over, it still comes across as a hearty breakfast plate to start the day.

Mac & Cheese with Smoked Salmon 3.5/5

Mac & Cheese with Smoked Salmon 3.5/5

I have mixed feeling towards the Mac & Cheese with Smoked Salmon ($14.80). I actually find the salmon more for decorative than complementing the dish. What I enjoyed is the fact that the whole execution is not too creamy with the delightful crispy bites of cheese accompanying it.

Basil Chicken Quinoa 3.5/5

To be frank there are many cafes or rather too many cafes in Singapore. To get a slice of the pie, one needs to be different. Servicing a niche market, East Manhattan Bakery Cafe offers a gluten free menu for the more health conscious diners. The Basil Chicken Quinoa ($16.80) was a hearty dish on the menu with tender and juicy chicken. The whole execution was a bit flat or one dimension, a little zest would be helpful to pep up the enjoyment.

Besides the various freshly baked artisanal bread at the cafe, not to be missed is the selection of housemade cakes and tarts. Among the many cakes and tarts I tried, a couple of them stood out. I like the Banoffe Pie ($6.90) that has a toasty aroma of nuts and cookies. Another favourite is the Chocolate Hazelunt Tart ($6.50). Although the base lacked the buttery taste, I like the crunchy hazelnut topping.

Overall, East Manhattan Bakery Cafe is a decent option for diners who prefer a healthy choice of gluten free meal. In my option, the bread, cakes and tarts fare much better than the mains.


East Manhattan Bakery Cafe
19 Lorong Kilat
#01-03
Singapore 598120
Tel: +65 96394179
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Beauty World (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Thu: 10am - 9pm
Fri: 10am - 10pm
Sat: 9am - 10pm
Sun: 9am - 7pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Beauty World MRT station. Take Exit B. Cut through the car park on the left and walk towards Jalan Seh Chuan. Walk down Jalan Seh Chuan. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Stirling Bar & Grill @ Upper Bukit Timah

Relocating to the West Coast means I need to find more places in the west to satisfy my hungry stomach. This week, my hunger brought me to Stirling Bar & Grill along Upper Bukit Timah Road. I heard that there is a grill master in the kitchen and I could not wait to find out more about his specialty, grilling.

We started with some drinks while waiting for our dinner to be served.

Cream of Tomato Soup 4.2/5

Soon our Cream of Tomato Soup ($5) was served. Love the balance from the sweet tomato puree with hints of tanginess boiled in a cream and vegetable broth. Dinner seemed promising starting on a sweet note.

Grilled Watermelon 3/5

Grilled Watermelon ($12) is a starter that is not commonly served in restaurant. I like the concept of using the fruity sweetness of the watermelon to complement the saltiness of the parma ham. Unfortunately I felt that the watermelon was not sweet enough with the taste inclined towards the salty side.

Crispy King Salmon 4/5

We actually sent the pan seared Crispy King Salmon ($23) back to the kitchen because we felt that it was a bit too pink to our liking. When we met the chef and owner after the dinner, we were told that this is how they cooked and served it. I thought it was a bit on the border line. Nevertheless, the whole dish itself was very enjoyable. The creamy dill and leak sauce was a winner complementing the delicious king salmon.

Charcoal Grilled Ribeye 4.5/5

Next up is the highlight that showcases the chef's skill. I had the Charcoal Grilled Ribeye 300g ($38), topped with avocado butter and served with sauteed mix vegetable and truffle fries. The beautiful piece of steak is slow charcoal grilled before finished off with high intense heat. The piece of ribeye was not only juicy but extremely flavourful. This is one of the best grilled steak I have eaten for a while. Furthermore the price point is very affordable for the delicious piece of beef.

Classic Crepes 4/5

Wrapping up the dinner we tried the Classic Crepes with Lemon Zest ($6). There is also a choice of nutella. It was a beautiful finishing to the dinner with the thin and slightly crisp on the exterior crepe with zesty lemon stuffed in between.

Overall the food at Stirling Bar & Grill is good and reasonable priced. The charcoal grilled steak is definitely the highlight of my dinner experience here.


Stirling Bar & Grill
15 Cheong Chin Nam Road
Singapore 599739
Tel: +65 64699096
Facebook
Website 
Nearest MRT: Beauty World (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun: 1130am - 2pm, 6pm - 12midnight
Fri-Sat: 1130am - 2pm, 6pm - 1am

Direction:
1) Alight at Beauty World MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk straight to Cheong Chin Nam Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Leng Kee @ Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre

Fried Oyster used to be sold on tricycle with a 3 foot cast iron skillet rested above a makeshift wood fired stove which was fashioned out of an old oil drum. Since street hawkers were being moved to hawker centers in the early 1970 as part of the government's street hawkers resettlement program.

Fried Oyster 4.5/5

I seldom venture to the west side of Singapore for my food exploration but thanks to the Singapore Favourite Food 2013 Food Trail I got to visit Leng Kee hawker stall at Bukit Timah Market. The Fried Oyster ($4, $5, $6, $8) batter mixture of oyster juice and flour was fried to a nice crisp, garnished with cilantro and served with big juicy oyster. A good plate of fried oyster must accompanied with a good dipping sauce and Leng Kee did not disappoint with the sambal chilli and calamansi juice dip.

Satay 4.2/5

Besides the delicious fried oyster, the stall also sells delectable satay and chicken wings. The satay was nicely grilled to a nice smoky flavour paired with the peanut pineapple dipping sauce. The chicken wings were also beautifully marinated and flavourful.

Chicken Wings 4.2/5

If you stay around the vicinity of Bukit Timah and you are looking for your local food fix, I would recommend Leng Kee. The 3 in 1 stall will sure to satisfy your craving with its delicious hawker fare.


Leng Kee
Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre
51 Upper Bukit Timah Road
Stall 144
Singapore 588215
Nearest MRT: Beauty World (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 3pm to 11pm

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

Joo Seng Teochew Porridge @ Bukit Timah

This is one of my favourite teochew porridge restaurants in Singapore. I like to eat here because the porridge is not those watery type. I preferred those teochew porridge with a lot of rice grains. You can even ask for a bowl of teochew porridge less the rice water. Besides that, I like the varieties and sauces served here.

Bean Sauce

I ordered 7 dishes and I enjoyed each and single dish. It cost me $33, quite worth it considered I ordered promfret, duck meat and the clam today.

My Order (7 dishes)

Braised Duck 4/5

Beancurd Skin 4/5

Fish Cake 4.2/5

Steamed Promfret 4/5

Minced Meat 4.2/5

Cabbage 3.8/5

Clam (La La) 4/5

To get here, alight at Beauty World MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Cheong Chin Nam Road. Walk to destination. Journey time is about 3 minutes.


Joo Seng Teochew Porridge
14 Cheong Chin Nam Road
(opp Bukit Timah Shopping Centre)
Nearest MRT: Beauty World DT Line