Xiabu Xiabu @ Lazada One (Bras Basah Road) - Stress-free Dining Experience With Individual Hotpots And Bubble Tea

Chinese hotpot chain Xiabu Xiabu has recently opened its first overseas outpost in Singapore in Lazada One. With over one thousand outlets across China, Xiabu Xiabu is known for its personal hotpots serving delicious soups at affordable prices. You can also enjoy your favourite bubble tea from Tea Mi Tea and hotpot within the same premises.

Each customer is to choose one personal hotpot set; sharing a hot pot comes with a surcharge. Each set comes with a dual hotpot (Mushroom Soup Base + the choice of another soup base), vegetable platter, unlimited condiments at the buffet-style condiments bar, ice slushie bar, and tea (choice of either Da Hong Pao Tea or Aged Pu Er Tea). The dual hotpot is created for Xiabu Xiabu's first overseas outlet to cater to our preference. Unlike some mushroom soups with a very weak consistency and taste rather one dimensional, Xiabu Xiabu's carries depths of flavours from a combination of King Trumpet mushrooms, white button mushrooms, and Blaze mushrooms.

USDA Shortplate

Australian Oyster Blade

The choices for the hotpot set are Popular Beef Set ($28/$32), Classic Pork Collar Set ($28), Signature Chicken Set ($28), Beef and Seafood Set ($38) and Vegetarian Set ($25). The Beef set is a hot favourite, with three types of cuts (140g each) to choose from - USDA Shortplate, Australian Oyster Blade or Australian Thin Beef Flank. We went for USDA Shortplate and Australian Oyster Blade for their fattier cuts.

Stew Pork Tripe and Chicken Soup Base

We chose the much-raved Stew Pork Tripe and Chicken Soup Base (+ $2) and Golden Sauerkraut Soup Base. Enriched with Oatly milk and barley, this peppery pork tripe soup has a milky consistency that is deeply satisfying. It is slightly on the saltier side, but its creaminess goes very well with the thinly shaved meats, vegetables, and especially the noodles that soak up the milky broth.

Golden Sauerkraut Soup Base

The Golden Sauerkraut Soup Base was highly appetising with its tangy profile, created from a combination of sour vegetables, marinated mustard greens, golden apple, and rosemary. It's perfect if your dining companion has a rich soup base such as the stew pork tripe or other options such as Nanyang Curry Soup Base (+$2) and Hot and Spicy in Sichuan Style Soup Base (+$2).

Vegetable platter

The design of the hotpot set is thoughtful. It has a good assortment of ingredients to jazz up the hotpot for one person. The Vegetable Platter includes black fungus, greens, tofu, mushroom, meatball, mussels and a big lovely chunk of yam which is a bonus to me.

Prawn Paste 2.8/5

Lu Rou Fan 3/5

The rest of the meats, such as the Belgian Pork Collar, Chicken and Seafood, are also available on the ala carte menu, alongside other ingredients such as Prawn Paste ($10), Fuzhou Fishballs, Assorted Mushrooms etc. You can even have Lu Rou Fan ($2.50), but there was no braised egg which was disappointing. The Prawn Paste came frozen in the shape of a leaf and tasted average.

At the condiments counter, one of the highlights is the free flow of noodles - Udon, Spinach Noodles, Carrot Noodles, Prince Instant Noodle, and Bean Vermicelli. The various condiments include Xiabu Xiabu Sesame Dipping Sauce, their signature dipping sauce made from finely ground groundnuts blended with white sesame for an extra creamy texture.

Each set comes with Da Hong Pao Tea or Aged Pu Erh Tea, provided by Tea Me Tea. You can also top up for a choice of your favourite bubble teas.

Dessert

The most fun part of the entire Xiabu Xiabu experience is the Dessert station, where you can make your own Shaved Ice. I miss those I had in Taiwan. Here I had all my favourite toppings laid out in front of me - plump red beans, chunky yam paste, silky beancurd, brown sugar syrup, and less commonly seen topping such as watermelon jelly, cucumber jelly and chewy oatmeal. Nothing was overly sweetened.

Photos and words 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. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Xiabu Xiabu
Lazada One
51 Bras Basah Road
#01-03/04
Singapore 189554
Tel: +65 85965752
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Nearest MRT: Bras Basah (CC Line), Bencoolen (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

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

2) Alight at Bencoolen MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Unilever Buffet Restaurant @ Halcyon 2 - Seafood BBQ Buffet In Jalan Pemimpin

Unilever Buffet opened its doors starting mid-January 2023, offering diners a seafood and BBQ buffet in Jalan Pemimpin. It is $53.90 per adult, while children between 5 to 12 years old are at $23.90 per pax on weekdays and $27.90 per pax on weekends. They are running a 50% promo from now till April 2023, with more details on their Facebook page.

Fresh Food Section

There are oysters, salmon sashimi, chirashi, prawns, mussels and scallops in the fresh food section, while the snow crab legs are provided in limited portions per pax. Though we appreciated the creaminess of the oysters, the freshness among the rest of the other items could have been better.

BBQ Section

BBQ is the highlight of the buffet here. They use smoke-free automatic grillers, which helps to reduce the possibility of lingering BBQ smells on your belongings after the meal.

The selection includes fish, pork, chicken and beef, all available in 10 types of marination. The marinations are black pepper, Thai, German, sambal, Japanese, Korean, lemongrass, garlic, mala, and kimchi. A range of condiment dips is also available to pair with the eats. Unfortunately, we did find some of the marinations too salty, while the flavours we preferred more were the black pepper and German style.

Cooked Food Section

For cooked food during our time of visit, there was a spread of 6 dishes - chilli crabs, sweet and sour fish, pork trotters, fried rice, fried noodles and vegetables with mushrooms. They were generous with the chilli crabs, but the overall quality of the spread could be improved.

Dessert Section

Free Flow Bubble Tea

Lastly, for beverages, there is free flow bubble tea, alongside calamansi, blueberry and orange juices, while desserts were a mixture of bakes, such as eclair, cream puffs and swiss rolls.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Unilever Buffet Restaurant
Halcyon 2
47 Jalan Pemimpin
#01-02
Singapore 577200
Tel: +65 98707673
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Nearest MRT: Marymount MRT (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 4pm to 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Marymount MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road,  walk down Jalan Pemimpin. Turn left after Tailee building. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

SOD Cafe @ Upper Thomson Road - Opens Second Outlet At Upper Thomson With Bubble Tea And All-Day Cafe Brunch

After their first outlet within Ci Yuan Community Centre in Hougang, SOD cafe has recently launched their second outlet in the bustling enclave of Upper Thomson. Besides being more accessible, the new space has experienced a new facelift with chic design and vibrant settings. Their menu has also expanded to include more outlet-exclusive items.

Taro Milk Tea 4/5, Tan Milk Tea 4/5

Having started as a bubble tea shop originally, you can expect the same boba tea options at SOD Cafe's second outlet here. Their Taro Milk Tea ($4.70) has a pleasant taro fragrance, while the Tan Milk Tea ($4.70) has a subtle charcoal oolong flavour to the smooth milk tea base. We added black pearls as well, and they were sufficiently soft and chewy, providing a great bite to the drinks.

Sourdough Big Breakfast 4/5

SOD offers an all-day brunch with a selection of breakfast essentials. We went with the Sourdough Big Breakfast ($15.90), which comes in a satisfying platter of scrambled eggs, ham, sausages, bacon, baked beans, garden greens, and crispy sourdough bread.

Waffles with Scrambled Eggs & Candied Bacon 3.5/5

The Waffles with Scrambled Eggs & Candied Bacon ($12.90) features perfectly cooked soft scrambled eggs and crispy bacon. However, we felt that the waffles were done overly brittle and a tad too dry, lacking the expected fluffiness.

French Toast with Salted Caramel Bananas 3.8/5

The French Toast with Salted Caramel Bananas ($12.90) is a pleasant salty-sweet combination of soft and fluffy brioche toast slices. However, we wished there would be some maple syrup provided, as the caramel sauce was on a slightly excessive side.

Sweet Potato Fries 4/5

The Sweet Potato Fries ($7.90) comes in a generous portion of well-done sweet potato strips, mostly fluffy and retains a thin layer of crispiness around it.

Photos and words 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.


SOD Cafe
183 Longhaus
183 Upper Thomson Road
#01-05
Singapore 574332
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Nearest MRT: Marymount (CC Line), Upper Thomson (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am – 9pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Marymount MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to junction of Marymount Lane and Thomson Road. Cross the road and turn right. Walk down Thomson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Upper Thomson MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk down Upper Thomson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Pratunam PLUS @ Bugis+ - Delicious & Crazy Affordable Thai Street Food From Just $6.90

Pratunam PLUS at Bugis+ is Soi Thai Soi Nice's new flagship outlet that boasts an exclusively more extensive menu, with items that will not be available at the existing outlets at ARC and Westgate. Dressed in a bright and bold colour palette, Pratunam Plus wants you to have a fun and exciting dining experience of tucking into its offerings of Thai street food tagged with pocket-friendly prices. Expect exclusive items such as Thai-style Grilled Skewers, coupled with Thai Milk Bubble Teas or even beers if you are in the mood.

Assorted Skewers 3.5/5

The offering of a wide range of skewers set Pratunam PLUS apart from other Thai eateries. Starting from $1.20 onwards, let the entire skewers menu tempts you with exotic items such as Thai street staples - Chicken Heart, Chicken Liver, Chicken Gizzard, and even Small Intestines are all priced at $1.60 per stick. The less adventurous me chose Enoki Mushroom Pork Belly Slices from the Ham or Pork Belly Series ($1.80 per stick), which didn't disappoint with its nicely charred pork belly and juicy mushroom. I also tried the Pork Skewer and Basil Pork ($1.80 each) which were a tad too dry, whereas the non-meat skewers such as Lady's Fingers, Shitake Mushrooms and Oyster Mushrooms, were a lot more delectable.

Butterfly Pea Bubble Tea

Amp up the fun factor with its range of Bubble Teas!

Premium Tom Yum Mama 4/5

Under Noodles, fans of Tom Yum Mama will be delighted with its Premium Tom Yum Mama ($12.90). Served with gooey melted cheese slab and a glistening runny egg, this humble Thai instant noodles brimmed with flavours and hearty ingredients, such as squid, prawns and ham, including its signature handmade Thai Minced Pork Ball.

Runny Omelette Prawn Fried Rice 4.5/5

A must-try Rice dish is its Runny Omelette Prawn Fried Rice ($8.90). The luscious omelette blanket was amazingly soft and tender, draping over fried rice that was skillfully done with a hint of wok hei. The prawns were sweet and crunchy, which stood out even more against the velvety egg and savoury rice. The piquant and fiery green chilli sauce served at the side lent an extra kick of flavour.

Tom Yum Seafood Soup 4.5/5

I love the Tom Yum Seafood Soup too. The portion was generous with loads of mushrooms, prawns, fish and squid, and its flavours were balanced and on point. It was fiery and heady with herbs and spices, yet it wasn't too oily and rich compared to most of the red versions that I have tired.

Fragrant Fried Pork Belly 3.8/5

Vermicelli Salad 3/5

Mango Salad 3.8/5

For Sides, the options are aplenty but you won't go wrong with its Fragrant Fried Pork Belly ($6.90). You may want to balance these chunks of fatty goodness with some of the classic Thai salads - Mango Salad and Vermicelli Salad.

Pratunam PLUS delivers punchy food with flavours without being overly assertive, and the young and vibrant atmosphere may lure you back for more.

Photos and words 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. Note: This is an invited tasting. 


Pratunam PLUS
Bugis+
201 Victoria Street
#04-09
Singapore 188067
Tel: +65 65094790
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Nearest MRT: Bugis (DT Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 1130am - 930pm
Fri-Sat: 1130am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit C. Cross Victoria Street. Walk to Bugis+. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

Milksha Singapore @ Suntec City Mall - Popular Taiwan Bubble Tea Chain Launches Its First Southeast Asian Outlet In Singapore

Hailing from Tainan, Taiwan, Milksha 迷客夏 (also known as “Milkshop” in Taiwan) officially opens its first franchised Southeast Asian outlet at Suntec City on 22 June 2019, 11am. With over 230 outlets in Taiwan, 20 in China and two in Hong Kong, it is no doubt a popular bubble milk tea brand in Taiwan, and voted no. 1 by Taiwan university students.

Milksha uses 100% natural fresh milk and other natural ingredients such as sugar from sugar cane for their products, with no preservatives, chemical ingredients or artificial colourings. Another factor that sets Milksha apart is their signature honey pearls which are freshly cooked in Tainan, quick-freeze to maintain its texture and taste consistency, before being air-flown directly to Singapore and steeped in honey. To ensure freshness, the honey pearls are prepared in batched every two hours.

The brand rolls out 4 series: Fresh Milk Series, Fresh Milk Tea Latte Series, Premium Tea Series and Special Concoctions. The five signatures that will be sold here include Azuki Matcha Milk, Fresh Taro Milk, Valrhona 100% Cocoa Milk, Refreshing Orange Green Tea and Earl Grey Latte with Honey Pearl. Toppings will include honey pearls, grass jelly and pudding.

Fresh Taro Milk 4.2/5

Made using taro specially imported from Dajia 大甲 in Taiwan, hand-mashed and blended with fresh milk, the Fresh Taro Milk ($5.60) is a favourite, where you can taste the freshness of the real taro used, and soft bits of taro pulp in the drink.

Azuki Matcha Milk 4/5

With matcha powder specially imported from century-old brand Izumo Tousuien, and sweet azuki beans, the Azuki Matcha Milk ($5.60) has a well-balanced bittersweet flavour, with the soft azuki beans adding a nice bite and a subtle sweetness to the drink.

Brown Sugar Milk with Honey Pearls 4/5

The Brown Sugar Milk with Honey Pearls ($5.60) offers a special twist to the usual brown sugar milk beverages. The earthy, caramelised flavour of the brown sugar and creamy fresh milk paired well with the subtle fragrant floral sweetness of the chewy honey pearls.

Valrhona 100% Cocoa Milk 3.8/5

The Valrhona 100% Cocoa Milk ($4.80) uses premium Valrhona cocoa from France. It was, however, lacklustre as compared to the rest of the drinks. With the creaminess of fresh milk overshadowing the hints of cocoa, every sip boasts a dark bitter taste, yet we felt that the chocolate-flavour was not richly intense enough to make an impression.

Photos and words 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.


Milksha Singapore
Suntec City Mall
3 Temasek Boulevard
Tower 3, #02-375/376
Singapore 038983
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Nearest MRT: Promenade (CC Line, DT Line), Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am – 10pm

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

2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]