928 Laksa @ Yishun Central - My Number One Laksa In Singapore

Yishun is probably one of those neighbourhoods that I seldom venture for my food hunt. Having worked in the area for several years, I also have some favourites in the area. One of them is laksa from 928 Laksa in Yishun Central. It's one of my favourite laksa places in Singapore.

What makes the bowl of laksa stand out here is the thick and creamy broth. Unlike most places, the broth was rich with coconut milk. What we describe locally as very lemak, packed with deep-fried shrimp fragrant. For an even more enjoyable taste profile, I would recommend adding the sambal chilli

Besides getting to choose the type of noodles for the bowl of laksa, one will find an abundance of ingredients in the bowl. There are fish cakes, tau pok, crab stick, egg and cockles in it.

I am not sure how long 928 Laksa has been around, but it definitely has been a long time. I remembered having it regularly back in early 2000 when I was working in the vicinity. There is always a long queue at the stall, so be prepared to queue up for more than 20 minutes if you want to savour the delicious bowl of laksa.


928 Laksa
Blk 928 Yishun Central 1
#01-155
Singapore 760928
Tel: +65 97319586
Nearest MRT: Yishun (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 830am - 7pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Yishun MRT station. Take Exit E. Cut through the building. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

The Summerhouse @ Seletar Airport - A New Garden Dome Dining Concept

In a blink of an eye, The Summerhouse has opened for a year at seletar airport with its integrated multi dining concept which houses the Dining Room, Wildseed Cafe and Wildseed Garden Bar. A new addition to the Summerhouse is the air conditioned Garden Dome in the edible garden which has also blossomed after a year.

There are a total of three domes at the Summerhouse with individual theme - Bohemian, Scandinavian and Lounge. Each dome can accommodate up to a 8 diners. An ideal magical concept for private party or romantic dinner. I heard that it is extremely popular during Valentine's Day and even for marriage proposal. The dome has to be pre-book with Wildseed Garden Bar with a minimum spending of $300.

Chia Seed Cracker 3.8/5

The Chia Seed Cracker ($14) at first glance looks like thin crispy bak kwa. It is actually made from boiling a mixture of brown rice, chia seeds and sesame seeds, mashed, spread into a thin layer and baked for another 40 minutes to achieve the crispiness. It is paired with Australian avocado, ikura, truffle pecorino, chive and an sous vide egg yolk.

Moroccan Eggplant 4/5

Grilled Rye Bread 4.5/5

Next we had the Moroccan Eggplant ($14) which comes with mild goat cheese, leek ash, coriander oil, croutons. Don't worry if you don't like eggplant, as it don't get that mushy texture here. The stewed eggplant has been marinated with parsley, coriander, smoked parprika, preserved lemon, chilli padi, salt, vinegar and garlic. I felt that it goes very well with the Grilled Rye Bread ($5) which has been toasted and spread with buttermilk on top.

Live Prawn San Choy Bau 4/5

As it was Chinese New Year period during my visit, I also tried some of the Chinese New Year items such as the Live Prawn San Choy Bau ($8 each). The succulent prawn is grilled and glazed with butter, served in a lettuce leaf filled with avocado, pomegrante, pine nuts, coriander, crispy noodles and a citrus dressing. I enjoyed the combination of texture and flavours. However I thought it would be more practical to remove the shell of the prawn's tail.

Farmer's Yusheng 3/5

In conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration, the Summerhouse has introduced its own version of yusheng - Farmer's Yusheng ($68/$88/$108). The colourful plate of resembles the garden, consisting of fermented carrot, butterhead lettuce, pickled beetroot, mushroom soil, mixed nuts, kohlrabbi, seaweed, citrus cured salmon, smoked sea bass, sesame seeds, pok chui, edible flowers, and dressed in passionfruit hollandaise sauce together with sesame and chive oil. It is a unique take of the traditional yusheng. While it is pretty, taste wise can be acquire for some.

Smoked Butter Poached Red Snapper Fillet 4.8/5

One of my favourite dishes is the Smoked Butter Poached Red Snapper ($42). The snapper fillet is first sous vide and torched before removing the skin. The result is moist and juicy. This is dressed in a seaweed beurre blanc which brought the dish to life.

Charcoal Grilled Slipper Lobster 4.2/5

A very pretty dish on the menu is the Charcoal Grilled Slipper Lobster ($16 each). The slipper lobster is first sous vide and then grilled in an Inka oven. At table side, the chef will torch a variety of handpicked herbs from edible garden to infuse the slipper lobster with the aromatics. Personally I am not a big fan of chicory or I would have given it a higher rating.

Pickled and Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder 3.5/5

The Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder ($34) is slow braised in red wine for 12 hours. I could taste the richness through the long hours of cooking but the texture can be more tender. The highlight for me is actually the accompany Kumquat Chutney which helps to cut through the rich flavour.

Smoked Potato Puree 4.5/5

One can complete the mains with sides such as Smoked Potato Puree ($14) and Green and Purple Sweet Potato Leaves ($14). The potato is smoked with apple wood chips first before mixing it with housemade butter. Besides the airy and smooth texture, the highlight is the beef stock that is added into the potato puree. The marriage elevated the whole flavour to the next level.

Green and Purple Sweet Potato Leaves 3/5

I have never come across any restaurant using sweet potato leaves as a salad dish. The Summerhouse is the first for me. In my opinion, the Green and Purple Sweet Potato Leaves ($14) lacks crunch and flavour to be served as a salad dish. The saving grace is the creme fraiche which has been blended with anchovy paste and bacon bits, giving the pile of leaves the needed zest and bite.

Wood-fired Free Range French Poulet 4.5/5

I am glad to be reunited with An Xi Chicken again in the Wood-fired Free Range French Poulet ($28) at The Summerhouse. Having used the chicken for Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 event back then, I know how different the chicken tastes compare to the normal broiler. An Xi chicken has a sweeter natural taste. It is already good on its own, with the wood-fire giving it a coat of aroma on top of the sweetness.

Balinese Chocolate Ice Cream 4.5/5

The Balinese Chocolate Ice Cream ($14) consists of a freshly baked chocolate cookie at the base with vanilla custard and a scoop of chocolate ice cream made using Baliness cocoa. This is dusted with hazelnut praline powder. Simple but messy, the play of the warm cookie with the cold ice cream works wonderfully together.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Summerhouse
Seletar Airport
3 Park Lane
Singapore 798387
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Punggol (NE Line), Yishun (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Dining Room
Sat, Sun & PH: 12pm - 3pm
Wed-Sun, Eve of PH & PH: 6pm - 10pm

Wildseed Cafe
Daily: 9am - 5pm

Wildseed Bar
Sun-Thu: 5pm - 11pm
Fri-Sat, Eve of PH: 5pm - 1am

Direction: 
1) Alight at Punggol MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Punggol Bus Interchange (Stop ID 65009). Take bus number 117. Alight 6 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Yishun MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to Yishun Bus Interchange (Stop ID 59009). Take bus number 103. Alight 16 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 45 minutes. [Map]

Pizza Maru @ Northpoint City – Korea’s Largest Pizza Chain Makes Debut With Their Popular Pizzas And Korean Fried Chicken

The world's largest Korean pizza chain, Pizza Maru arrives at our shores, offering an impressive selection of their popular Korean pizzas, fried chicken and more. With 530 franchises sprouting around the country, as well as existing branches in the United States, Hong Kong and China, Pizza Maru launches its first Singapore outlet at Northpoint City, the latest shopping-residential development in Yishun where crowds have been steadily thronging the area.

Their immense popularity is due to the patented well-being pizza doughs, healthy ingredients and special flavours. Their green-tea wellbeing pizza dough, which is fermented for more than 48 hours with micro-algae chlorella, as well as 12 kinds of natural grains including rye, black rice, barley and oats, making each slice of their pizza a delightfully nutrient-packed one. The quality over at the Singapore franchise is maintained as authentic and consistent as possible with flour and most of the ingredients directly imported from Korea as well.

Real BBQ Chicago 4.5/5

Under the Chicago Pizza category, we had the Real BBQ Chicago ($26.80/regular 9”) which features a special thick puffy pizza crust made using fibre-rich, antioxidant-packed black rice dough and stuffed with cream cheese mousse. The pizza is further layered with double mozzarella cheese, string cheese before topping with chicken chunks, roasted onion, mushrooms, tomato, potato, honey, and sprinkled with almond flakes, icing sugar and BBQ sauce. The black rice dough boasts a pillowy soft texture with an addictive chewy bite to it and a cream cheese surprise within. The copious amounts of different cheeses present in the pizza resulted in a pizza slice with so much cheese stretch when a piece is pulled out. While the generous amount of tender and juicy chicken chunks, together with the multiple complements added to the pizza contributed a great medley of rich flavours and textures that elevated the dish to a sublime calibre. Their Black Rice dough pizzas are definitely something not be missed if you’re dining at Pizza Maru.

Mango Ocean 4.2/5

The Mango Ocean ($19.80/regular 9”; $23.80/large 12”) is under the Premium Pizza category which features a pizza crust made using green tea dough. The pizza is layered with mozzarella cheese, before being topped with fresh seafood including the juicy shrimps, scallops, squids, and other complements of mushrooms, mango, broccoli, black olive, pilaf and spicy buldak sauce. The green tea dough boasts a soft chewy texture with very subtle hints of the green tea flavour which was overwhelmed by the generous blanket of mozzarella cheese and spicy buldak sauce. We were told that the green tea dough used focuses more on the well-being benefits it provides rather than the prominence of the green tea taste itself. Although mango is not a usual choice for pizzas, the freshness and juiciness of the sweet mango cubes added complement the assortment of savoury seafood well, rendering an execution excellence with a perfect sweet-savoury balance and additional spicy notes from the spicy buldak sauce.

Supa Hot Dak Ganjeong 4/5

The highlight of Pizza Maru does not just end with their selection of pizzas. They are also lauded for their Korean fried chicken as well. The Supa Hot Dak Gangjeong ($16.80/6pcs; $29.80/12pcs) features juicy chicken and an extremely crispy skin with a robust spicy flavour from the coating of the hot sauce. It comes with a choice of level 1 or 2 spiciness. So if you’re up for a heat challenge, go for the level 2. (Note: Picture is not representative and only displays a sampling portion of the dish.)

Honey Butter Coat 4.2/5

For the non-spicy version, go for their Honey Butter Coat ($16.80/6pcs; $29.80/12pcs) which features the consistently well-executed crunchy juicy chicken with generous amounts of fragrant honey butter powder, constituting a sweet-savoury combination that works perfectly. (Note: Picture is not representative and only displays a sampling portion of the dish.)

Onion Tartar 4.2/5

The Onion Tartar ($16.80/6pcs; $29.80/12pcs) features its undeniably crispy juicy chicken. It comes with dollops of aromatic onion tartar sauce and onion strips on top which provides an additional crunch. (Note: Picture is not representative and only displays a sampling portion of the dish.)

Spam Tower 4/5

A deconstructed approach to the usual bibimbap rice bowls, the Spam Tower ($12.80) comes in a bibimbap tower of chicken spam slice, generous amounts of fried kimchi, bell pepper, onion, cabbage, mushroom, egg and seaweed on a bed of fragrant rice, before being sprinkled with heaps of potato crisps, parmesan cheese and drizzled with siracha sauce. The crispy potato crisps complement the tenderness of the chicken spam, softness of the well-seasoned fried kimchi and crunchiness of the other complements perfectly, as sharp spicy accents of the siracha sauce kick in between the medley of ingredients. The Spam Tower embodies the korean style with finesse, blending the well-thought interplay of flavour and textural variations within the dish immaculately.

Nok Cha Latte 4.2/5

The Nok Cha Latte ($6.90) comes in a glass of milky matcha latte perfumed with a rich matcha taste which has a good bitter-sweet balance that I really enjoyed. The two dango balls on a stick sitting atop the drink has a soft chewy mochi-like texture, albeit rather tasteless.

Nok Cha Waffle Ice Cream 4/5

The Nok Cha Waffle Ice Cream ($11.90) features matcha flavoured waffles with a fluffy interior and slightly crispy exterior. A distinct matcha taste with a bitter undertone, the waffles also came with azuki beans and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. However, a choice of the matcha flavoured ice cream would be a better option to further accentuate the green tea flavour of the dessert.

The latest entrant from Korea, Pizza Maru is set to take Singapore by storm with their award-winning pizzas and fried chicken. With the first outlet already seeing long lines of diners at meal times, there are plans going well under way to launch more outlets somewhere with a more central location this year. Note: Pizza Maru is pork-free, lard-free and is currently applying for Halal certification.

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.


Pizza Maru
Northpoint City (South Wing)
1 Northpoint Drive
#B1-192/193
Singapore 768019
Tel: +65 62544307
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Yishun (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 930pm

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

The Summerhouse Dining Room @ Seletar Airport - A New Afternoon Respite At The Summerhouse

The Summerhouse Dining Room has launched a new weekday lunch and weekend brunch menus. The new menus comprises of nature-inspired dishes of familiar flavours using unrivalled freshness of ingredients sourced from local farmers and producers.

Burrata Rocket Salad

A light starter for the lunch is the Burrata Rocket Salad ($20). Fresh burrata rested on a bed of rockets and dressed in house blended rocket peso sauce. I enjoyed the marinated dried tomatoes which lent the sweetness to the dish. The toasted sourdough completed the plate of freshness.

Yellow 4.2/5

The Yellow ($14) consists of crispy sweet potato coated with mimolette cheese, fermented carrots and pickled pumpkin. Bring the different flavours together is the earl grey and passionfruit vinegrette. The harmony of the sweet roots and rejuvenating zest from the pickled sides works harmoniously on the palate.

Miso Shiitake Linguine 4/5

The Smmerhouse Dining room handmade their own linguine for the Miso Shiitake Linguine ($22). It is cooked in a miso cream together with braised shiitake mushroom, grilled sweet corn and spring onion. It is then topped with a sous-vide poached egg and fried sakura ebi. I could not really taste the miso in the pasta, hence the creaminess felt more like have a carbonara. However I did like the addition of fried sakura ebi which provided the extra crunch and flavous.

Pulled Pork Scrambled Egg Burger 4/5

The Pulled Pork Scrambled Egg Burger ($19) is probably the weirdest combination I have ever eaten for a burger. Sandwiched between the cream cheese bun, you can find pulled pork, scrambled egg, mimolette cheese, bacon, rocket and avocado with sambal belacan, mustard and barbecue sauce. It is like putting a big breakfast into a burger. I am not a fan of the sambal belacan in burger but my friend thought otherwise. The burger may seen outrageous but it actually tasted quite delicious.

Eggs Benedict Modernist 3.5/5

Egg benedict given a modern twist, that is exactly what the Eggs Benedict Modernist ($22) is. It comes with two fried breaded egg yolks, sous-vide egg, egg white bacon custard, black forest ham, chive hollandaise and toasted broiche. I am not too sure but I didn't feel quite satisfy with such a delicate plate for brunch. Don't get me wrong, I do applaud the effort and skill into the dish, and its delicious too. However I just want something comforting and hearty for brunch.

French Toast 4/5

I personally felt that I was having 2 desserts for 1 pricing in the French Toast ($14). The toast is soaked in egg with cinnamon and brown sugar is pan fried with butter. It was soft, fluffy and buttery. The caramelized banana and raspberry yuzu sorbet sitting on top of the french toast, reminds me of my childhood favourite banana split ice cream. That is why I mentioned that it felt like having 2 desserts.

Balinese Chocolate Ice Cream 4.5/5

Last but not least we had the Balinese Chocolate Ice Cream ($12) which consists of a freshly baked chocolate cookie at the base with vanilla custard and a scoop of chocolate ice cream made using Baliness cocoa. This is dusted with hazelnut praline powder. The dish may looks simple, it may also looks a little messy but it just works wonderfully together. I can have this anytime of the day.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Summerhouse Dining Room
Seletar Airport
3 Park Lane
Singapore 798387
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Punggol (NE Line), Yishun (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 3pm
Fri-Sun, Eve of PH & PH: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Punggol MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Punggol Bus Interchange (Stop ID 65009). Take bus number 117. Alight 6 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Yishun MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to Yishun Bus Interchange (Stop ID 59009). Take bus number 103. Alight 16 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 45 minutes. [Map]

Wildseed Cafe By The Summerhouse @ Seletar Airport - Take A Flight to The English Countryside

In recent months, the former Seletar Airbase or better known as Seletar Airport has been transformed into a F&B and lifestyle destination. The black and white colonial bungalows, together with the lush greenery, felt as if one is being transported to the English countryside. Occupying the former home of the Royal Air Force's Tech Wing Command, is the site of The Summerhouse.

The Summerhouse is an integrated multi-concept destination comprising The Summerhouse Dining Room and Balcony Bar located on the upper storey; and Wildseed, a cafe, patisserie and bar on the ground level.

Pork & Krauts 4/5

From the sandwich menu, we started with the Pork & Krauts ($15). It is a pulled pork sandwich with cabbage, cucumber salad, nuts, and yoghurt sauce. Initially I thought the sandwich may be too meaty but it turned out the cucumber and cabbage not only lend a crunchy touch, they give it a refreshing balance.

The Morocano 4/5

The other sandwich we tried is the The Morocano ($18). The braised beef brisket is paired with eggplant stew, feta cheese and sauteed pak choi, hummus and sesame. The combination of ingredients is rather refreshing, with the flavours coming together as one yummy sandwich.

Independent Uruguay 4.5/5

Among the three sandwiches we tried, the favourite is the Independent Uruguay ($15). It is a vegetarian sandwich with herbal falafel, carrot pesto, feta cheese, pickled beetroot, Kranji lettuce and yoghurt sauce. The star has to be the falafel which is perfumed by the different herbs and spices.

Super Thin Curly Fries 4/5

Mentioned earlier, Wildseed is not just a cafe, it also comes with a bar. Complementing the cocktails and drinks is the bar snack menu. A crowd favourite is the Super Thin Curly Fries ($11/$17) that comes with ketchup and/or soy sauce seaweed mayonnaise dip. These thin curly fries are very dangerous. Unknowingly, I probably have eaten half of it in a short time span.

Deep Fried Hollandaise Balls 4/5

Instead of cheese balls, the snack bar has these addictive Deep Fried Hollandaise Balls ($12/$18). It did not occur to me that you can actually transformed a sauce into a snack. The hollandaise sauce was given a gelatine coat and deep fried. It is crispy on the exterior and saucy inside.

Pancake 4/5

It is amazing that Chef Florian Rider makes his own butter which is used to pair with the Pancake. The fluffy pancake is drizzled with maple syrup and topped with grilled corn kernels. I like the addition of the corn kernels, giving it an extra crunch for a delightful finish.

Kaya Toast 4.8/5

The highlight at Wildseed Cafe has to be the Kaya Toast. The interpretation of the local breakfast is out of this world. Who would have thought of stuffing a 62.5 degrees sous vide egg into sour dough bread with kaya, butter, coconut and gula melaka. You need to try it yourself to understand how good this is.

Pea Flower Coconut Muffin 3.8/5

If you have a sweet tooth, then you will be delighted to know that the cakes at Wildseed Cafe are created by 1-Group Pastry Chef Jasmin Chew drawing inspiration from the edible cafe. The Pea Flower Coconut Muffin ($6.50) with its gula melaka coconut filling, reminded me of a giant ondeh ondeh but more cakey.

Honey Lemon Rosemary Tart 4.2/5

For me I adore the Honey Lemon Rosemary Tart ($6.50) more. The execution was well balanced with the scent of rosemary crowning the beautiful flavours.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Wildseed Cafe 
The Summerhouse
Seletar Airport
3 Park Lane
Singapore 798387
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Punggol (NE Line), Yishun (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 10am - 7pm
Sat-Sun: 9am - 7pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Punggol MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to Punggol Bus Interchange (Stop ID 65009). Take bus number 117. Alight 6 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Yishun MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to Yishun Bus Interchange (Stop ID 59009). Take bus number 103. Alight 16 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 45 minutes. [Map]