Nature’s Nutrition @ Far East Square - Specialty Quinoa Bowls And Housemade Kombucha

Nature’s Nutrition has recently opened their second food service outlet at Far East Square serving quinoa bowls and housemade kombucha. If you are into superfood, Nature's Nutrition may be a brand that you are familiar with - A flagship brand by Nature 2000 Pte Ltd, a Singapore grown food distribution business specialising in organic superfoods and healthy packaged food, you will find their presence in major supermarkets, department stores, online platforms and organic shops. Instead of letting the packaged food stay cold on the shelf, they hope to connect with you by allowing you to experience the packaged food the company distributes.

Focusing on organic quinoa which they distribute, there are 4 types of Quinoa Bowls to choose from - Cajun Chicken ($8.90), Spicy Roasted Chicken Tikka ($9.40), Portobello Mushroom with Cheese ($9.40 ) and Baked Salmon Quinoa Bowl ($10.90), along with one base, 2 fixed toppings and 2 variable toppings. Add-ons options are available as well.

Instead of having to add on dried fruits and nuts mixture, their specialty base is already wholesome with organic quinoa, dried fruits, chia seeds, brown rice and pumpkin seeds. The fixed toppings are roasted pumpkin, which are really yummy, and romaine lettuce.

Spicy Roasted Chicken Tikka 4/5, Portobello Mushroom with Cheese 3.8/5

Our Spicy Roasted Chicken Tikka Bowl came with add on Portobello Mushroom with Cheese (+$3.00). Together with 2 variable toppings - miso butter corn and spicy broccoli, it was one big hefty bowl! The Chicken Tikka is popular for a reason - tender, juicy and moist, it was kind of unexpected coming from such concept. I would recommend pairing it with the yogurt dressing. The portobello mushroom was grilled to the right doneness. Nothing really could fail with melty cheese I guess. I didn't like the spicy broccoli at all, which soaked my grains with chilli oil.

Baked Salmon 3.8/5

We had the Baked Salmon Quinoa Bowl as well, along with marinated cherry tomatoes and soft chunks of honey glazed carrots. The salmon was quite moist and tender too. But what I really appreciate is that all toppings have been treated one way or another and not served cold, which makes any bowl warm and hearty.

Kombucha

And with just $3 more, you can enjoy a bottle of their house-brewed Kombucha made from their own organic tea series - Original Kombucha ($4.90 ala carte/$3 with bowl), Hibiscus Cinnamon Kombucha and Lemongrass & Ginger Kombucha. This pricing is by far one of the more affordable ones around. While all are equally refreshing, my personal favourite is the Lemongrass and Ginger. Other than homemade, rarely I get to enjoy a lemongrass drink without the presence of sugar.

After experiencing their quinoa bowls and kombucha made from their own packaged organic quinoa and organic tea series, and you are intrigued by them, they are available right on the spot for purchase!

Words and photos 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.


Nature’s Nutrition
Far East Square
137 Amoy Street
#01-04
Singapore 049965
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours
Mon - Fri: 10am - 6pm
(Closed on Sat-Sun)

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

Palette Restaurant & Bar @ Capitol Piazza

BreadTalk Group has done it again with a new dining concept called Palette Restaurant & Bar that housed together 10 different brands from Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. The new restaurant borrows a mixture of dining concepts of a food court, marche and a full service restaurant. Stepping into the dining hall, diner is handed an ipad where they can order from the ten brands at their comfort from their table and the food will be served to them when it is ready. Payment is at the cashier before exiting the dining hall.

BBQ Chicken Wings 4.2/5

Dinner at Palette started with some light bites from Huat Huat BBQ Chicken Wings ($12 for half a dozen/ $21 for one dozen), a brand for 14 years. The chicken wings are grilled to a nice exterior crispiness with a subtle sweetness. Most important the pairing chilli sauce goes very well with the chicken wings and very addictive.

Sate Ayam Madura 3.5/5

I am glad to find one of my favourite Indonesian restaurants, IndoChilli at Palette. From IndoChilli, we tried both the Sate Ayam Madura ($8.80 for 5pc) and Tahu Telor ($9.80). The sate was tender but lacked the charred aroma. I suspected is due to the used of electric grill instead of charcoal grill. Nevertheless the creamy nutty sauce for the sate consistency is there and good.

Tahu Telor 4/5

The Tahu Telor ($9.80) as far as I can remember, it still taste as good as I had the last time. I am delighted to see that IndoChilli still add those white beansprout head to the dish giving the sauce a hint of spiciness and crunch.

Fish Cake 4.2/5

Ah Koong Restaurant from Johor Bahru, Malaysia has an impressive story. Started in 1987 with only 5 men, it has expanded to 5 restaurants and a manufacturing facility with over 100 workers. This is their sixth outlet and also their first outlet outside Malaysia. Their preservative free fishballs and fishcake are handmade from ikan parang fish paste.

Fishball Noodle Dry 3.5/5

Beside the Fish Cake ($4.90), Ah Koong also sells Fishball Noodle ($7.90) and I got to try the dry version tossed in a black sauce which complement quite well with the thick yellow noodles. The bowl of noodle comes with bouncy fishballs sliced fishcake, minced pork and fried shallots.

Fried Hokkien Crayfish Mee 2.8/5

The luxury Fried Hokkien Crayfish Mee ($15) from Yong Xin Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle was a disappointment for me. Unfortunately the noodles did not get to absorb the flavour of the beautiful stock. It felt like the person behind the wok did not do a good job. Diners can also find Char Kway Tiao ($9) and Oyster Omelette ($11) on their menu.

Noodles with Abalone 4/5

Ah Yat Seafood Kitchen is another brand at Palette that most Singaporean will be familiar with. With a huge selection from wholesome set meats, roast meats, dim sum, congee, noodles, rice dishes and live seafood, Ah Yat offers something for everyone. I tried the Noodles with Abalone ($18) using Ah Yat's proprietary abalone sauce, a top secret recipe that was created over 40 years ago. The sauce not only complement the plump and juicy abalone but the noodles too.

Premium Pork Ribs Soup 3.5/5

While Balestier in Singapore does house a couple of popular Bak Kut Teh restaurants, I doubt I have heard of Balestier Bak Kut Teh. Nevertheless, it is still good to have a bowl of Premium Pork Ribs Soup ($9.50) in the air conditioned mall with its hot and peppery soup base warming the body.

Braised Beef Brisket Noodles Dry 3.5/5

Hok Kee Authentic Hong Kong Noodle & Congee is a Hong Kong brand with over 60 years of heritage starting from a mobile food vendor in Yuen Long, Hong Kong. While the sauce and noodles of the Braised Beef Brisket Noodles Dry ($9) tasted average, the melted in the mouth beef brisket itself was good.

Wonton Soup 4/5

Hok Kee also specializes in wonton. The Wonton Soup ($8) comes with silky smooth wonton stuffed with bite sized parcel of fresh shrimp, lean pork, pork fat and flat fish.

Champagne Pork Ribs 4/5

Little Nanyang at Palette is a new brand in the Singapore scene debuting in Food Republic Hong Kong in March 2013 servicing Southeast Asian cuisine. In Singapore, it will be enticing Singaporean's palate with a selection of zi char dishes such as the Champagne Pork Ribs ($10.80). Actually I could not really taste any champagne but the pork coated in a sweet sauce is cooked to fork tender.

Hainanese Chicken Rice Set 3.8/5

On top of the selection of zi char dishes, Little Nanyang sells the popular Hainanese Chicken Rice Set ($10,90) too. All the components of a chicken rice, from the chicken to sauces are well executed except for the rice. It lacked the fluffiness and aroma of a good plate of chicken rice.

Chandi Murg Tikka 3/5

Being a cultural melting pot, Palette has Delhi 6 offering North-West Indian cuisine to cater for the rest of the community. Due to some restriction in the kitchen, they can only use electric tandoors which may explain why the Chandi Murg Tikka ($13) ensconced in a garlic and cashew nut cream sauce is not as good as some that I have tried elsewhere.

Sunset Gula Melaka Banana Parfait & Butterscotch 4/5

Golden Chilled Mango Soup with Mango & Citrus Fruits 4.2/5

Dinner is not complete without some drinks and/or desserts from 90 Gastro Bar. Besides the extensive range of wines, beers and hard liquor, 90 Gastro Bar also offers a twist to some old school desserts such as the Sunset Gula Melaka Banana Parfait & Butterscotch ($8) and Golden Chilled Mango Soup with Mango & Citrus Fruits ($8). The golden chilled mango soup with mango and citrus fruits stood out for me with the blend of mango ice cream, mango puree and coconut milk, giving it a airier and frothier texture than the traditional version.

Overall I find that the new concept has its hits and misses. The new concept reminds me about a group of foodies who feels that hawker food needs to be priced more expensive and also have air conditioning to preserve the hawker heritage. Palette Restaurant & Bar seems to fit their idea. We will see whether the new concept by BreadTalk Group is the direction to go.


Palette Restaurant & Bar
Capitol Piazza
13 Stamford Road
#B1-20/27
Singapore 178905
Tel: +65 63843359
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 1030pm

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

Copper Chimney @ Syed Alwi Road (Little India)

Many of you may not be foreign to Copper Chimney which has been around for 10 years at Syed Alwi Road, Little India. The restaurant recently has gotten a fresh new interior and revamped its menu offering Chinese Indian and North Indian cuisine under the new leadership of CEO Vikram Natarajan, who took over the reins two and a half years ago.

Salt and Pepper Babycorn (Dry) 4.2/5

Dinner at Copper Chimney started with some light bites. The first dish, Salt and Pepper Babycorn, Dry ($9) already got me excited and looking forward to find out more about Chinese Indian or Chindian cuisine. The babycorn is lightly battered, fried to a crunchy bite. It is then stir fried in garlic, peppers, and soya sauce. The taste is very similar to XO sauce. This is an addictive dish.

Chilli Paneer (Dry) 4/5

When the Chilli Paneer, Dry ($10.50) was served, the first instant that came to our mind is chai tow kway. The cottage cheese cubes coated with the chilli sauce is another delectable bite which I can find a familiar taste to Chinese cooking.

Malai Chicken Tikka 4.2/5

Next we had the Malai Chicken Tikka ($12) which impressed us with the well marinated and tender inner fillet of the poultry. The owner shared with us the importance of the marination and the used of hung yogurt, garlic and ginger etc for the flavourful chicken.

Szechwan Fried Rice 3.5/5

Szechwan Noodles 3/5

The owner shared with us that he has grown up with Chindian cuisine and the popularity of it, usually in the form of street food vendors have spread to even metro cities like Mumbai. Copper Chimney probably is the only India restaurant in Singapore offering Chindian cuisine. We tried the Szechwan Fried Rice ($11) and Szechwan Noodles ($11) on the menu. Yes it is spelled as Szechwan not Szechuan. I definitely can taste the similarity of the dishes to Chinese cuisine. However compared to Chinese cuisine I think it is still lacking that wok hei aroma. The spicy level can also up a notch since the dishes are named after the state in China known for its hot and spicy dishes. Nevertheless, both are still hearty dishes, especially using basmati rice's long grain for fried rice.

Gobi Manchurian (Wet) 4/5

Gobi Manchurian, Wet ($9) is another Chindian dish that adopts the Chinese cooking technique and seasonings. The lightly battered cauliflower is fried to a crunchy bite. We went for the wet version as the Indians like to eat the rice with the gravy. There is also the dry version if you want to try.

Veg Jaipuri 4.2/5

I simply adore this rich and creamy Vegetable Jaipri ($10) with an array of vegetables. This vegetarian dish is so addictive that I kept going back for more.

Mutton Roqanjosh 4/5

Butter Chicken 4.5/5

The next two dishes, Mutton Roqanjosh ($12) and Butter Chicken ($11.50) are best to eat with some Rumali and Naan. The mutton is cooked to a nice beautiful fork tender while the spices infused gravy is just too good not to wipe them clean with the Rumali and Naan. The butter chicken was also outstanding. It was not overly sweet. The smooth and creamy gravy with the tender chicken has a perfect match made in heaven..

Lychee Kulfi 4.8/5

If you have the chance to visit Copper Chimney, I would recommend you to have the Lychee Kulfi ($7). The frozen dairy dessert infused with Lychee, tasted just like ice cream, is so refreshing. They have other flavours such as Pistachio and Rose too.

Sizzling Brownie & Ice Cream 3/5

The Sizzling Brownie and Ice Cream ($7.50) definitely caught a lot of attention when the chocolate syrup is poured over the brownie filling the whole restaurant with the beautiful chocolate aroma. The restaurant even got a few orders from the other guests after seeing what we had.

Overall I find the Northern Indian food at Copper Chimney is outstanding. The Chindian cuisine adds an interesting offering to the menu. I personally felt some of the Chindian dishes need bit more fine tuningto win the palate of the Chinese.

Copper Chimney

100 Syed Alwi Road

Singapore 207676

Tel: +65 62948891

Facebook

Website

Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:

Sun-Thur: 1130am - 12midnight

Fri-Sat: 1130am - 1am

Direction: 

1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk to the traffic junction of Kitchener Road, Rangoon Road and Serangoon Road. Cross the road and walk down Serangoon Road towards Mustafa. Turn left onto Syed Alwi Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Fix Cafe @ HomeTeamNS - JOM Clubhouse

The folks behind Grub at Bishan Park has opened Fix Cafe at HomeTeamNS - JOM Clubhouse. The open concept cafe comes with a workshop look with furniture made from stained wooden plank,  paint buckets and metal pipes. The halal cafe offers a selection of starters, mains and pastries that will delight your taste buds.

3 Cheese Penne Gratin 4/5

As there was quite a big group of us, we managed to try quite a variety of items offered at Fix Cafe. Starting with the 3 Cheese Penne Gratin ($10), we thought this was well executed and balanced. The cheese was not overpowering but instead complemented the penne.

Crispy Soy Chicken Drumlets 3.8/5

The Crispy Soy Chicken Drumlets ($7) will be a delightful snack bite with it's flavourful marination on top of the crumby skin.

Chicken Tikka and Achar Naanwich 3/5

Beef & Kimchi Naanwich 3/5

Giving the tradition naan a new refreshing spin is the Chicken Tikka & Achar Naanwich ($10) and Beef & Kimchi Naanwich ($10). I really like the concept and how well the unique combinations of flavours worked together in harmony. Unfortunately the dish was lacked down by the lackluster naan. If the cafe has the space and equipment to freshly made these naan, I am sure it will get a high score of approval from my humble palate.

Brunch FIX 3.5/5

If you are the all day breakfast person, then the Brunch FIX ($12) would be a welcoming dish for you. On the plate, there are toasted brioche, scrambled eggs, turkey ham, sauteed mushroom and greens. The scrambled eggs were a bit runny for me but I am not too fussy about it. However the highlight on the plate has to be the toasted brioche. The bread was extremely soft and fluffy. It is too good to be missed.

Latte 4/5

Actually this is quite new to me, I have never known there is such thing as Halal coffee beans until my visit to Fix Cafe. The Latte ($4.5) was pretty good with a nice aroma and not too acidic.

Donuts 3.5/5

If you not too hungry and just want a small bite, the mini Donuts ($7) with a choice of Salted Egg or Lemon Custard dip is quite interesting. I thought the salted egg dip was a bit of gimmick lacking in the salted egg flavour I was expecting. The lemon custard dip will be a better choice.

Twice Baked Sourcream Cheesecake 3.8/5

Cacao Barry Chocolate Truffle Cake 4/5

Strawberry Pistachio Rose Tart 4/5

Passionfruit, Mango & Coconut Chiffon Cake 4.5/5

I am not sure it is a good thing or not but the cakes and pastries at Fix Cafe fares better than the mains and starters. Among the various cakes and pastries I tried, my favourite has to be the Butterscotch Arabica Choux and Passionfruit, Mango & Coconut Chiffon Cake. Starting with the Passionfruit, Mango & Coconut Chiffon Cake ($7) which is a light and soft. Cut through the different layers of chiffon cake to have a bit of everything. It was like magical with all the different subtle flavours coming together delighting every sense of the taste buds.

Butterscotch Arabica Choux 4.5/5

For those that prefers something richer and more robust, the Butterscotch Arabica Choux ($6) is not to be missed. Cut right through the choux to reveal the surprise salted caramel filling inside. This is da bomb if you are into sweet pastry.

Although the location can be a bit out of the way, the cafe seems to have found the winning formuale attracting crowds from around the island. I have seen been back to Fix cafe on several occasions and the cafe has been packed. The folks from Grub has also recently opened another outlet, Grub Noodle Bar which is also receiving great reviews from many foodies.


Fix Cafe
HomeTeamNS - JOM Clubhouse
31 Ah Hood Road
Singapore 329979
Tel: +65 62561484
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FIXsg
Website: http://fix-cafe.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Toa Payoh (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 930am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to HDB Hub. Continue walking to Orange Tee building. Cross the road at the overhead bridge further down the road. Turn right at Toa Payoh Swimming Complex. Cut across the park and take across the expressway using the overhead bridge. Cross the canal and walk to destination. Journey time about 20 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange (Stop ID 52009). Take bus number 139. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

3) 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 walking until the end of Ah Hood Road. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

D'Bell @ North Canal Road

Indian cuisine does not always come in big pots and pans, or heavily greased with butter. D'Bell at North Canal Road serves modern Indian inspired dishes meant to be shared, even over your favourite cocktails, if you preferred. Cook without butter, light but rich on the palate, you can now enjoy Indian dishes without filling the guilt.

Papadum Cones 4/5

First we had Papadum Cones ($5.80) which is crispy papadums shaped into cones and filled with a refreshing vegetable relish to tease our appetite. I could taste the cumin in almost every bite just the way I like it to be and it was extremely crispy.

D'Bell Kofta Kebab 4.2/5

Next served on the table was the D'Bell Kofta Kebab ($18), beef croquette filled with cheddar cheese, prunes and dusted with semolina. The prunes teased out the taste of the beef which was quite an interesting combination. With the cheese in between and the mini naan at the side, it sort of reminded me of a burger? Beef, cheese and bread? Richer in taste among the starters, it is best to have it last. It would also serve a good companion to wines and cocktails.

Tandoori Fish Nazaka 3.8/5

The Tandorri Fish Nazaka ($22) comes in cubes of butterfish cooked over a charcoal flame. It is not heavily seasoned which is exactly how I like it. However the texture was not as tender and moist as I would like it to be.

Masala Aloo Tikki 4.5/5

The Masala Aloo Tikki ($10) instead of being overshadowed by its meaty counterparts, the crispy potato cake filled with green peas masala and coated with tamarind fruit chutney and minty yogurt sauce delighted me the most. The combustion of flavours and textures really took me by surprise. Bits of savoury, sweetness, sour is extremely yummy, not to forget the crispy topping.

Chilli Cheese Naan 4/5 and Kashmiri Naan 4.5/5

For the mains, of course we must have the quintessential naans to go with the different curries and Dal. We have the Chilli Cheese Naan ($8) and Kashmiri Naan ($8) which were freshly baked from the tandoor. Both type of naans were soft and fluffy but I much prefer Kashmiri with the curries. I simply love the combination of sweet and savory. I felt the curry did not really go well with chilli cheese naan. It was kind of overwhelming and did not do the curries justice with both flavours fighting against each other.

Goan Prawn Masala 4/5

Chicken Tikka Masala 4.2/5

Mutton Rogan Josh 4.5/5

For the curries, we had the Goan Prawn Masala ($22), Chicken Tikka Masala ($18) and Mutton Rogan Josh ($20). The prawns were succulent, the chicken was tender and the mutton simply melted in the mouth. They were all very well executed and flavourful. Perfect match for the delightful naans.

Amritsari Dal 4.2/5

The Amritasari Dal ($12) which is simmered overnight on charcoal flame in authentic village style was grainy and chunky. Along with the curries and dal, we were served 3 different dips. The Fruit Chutney, Mint and Pickles have their own distinct taste and characters. The sweetness of the fruit chutney complemented the chilli naan very well. The pickles cut the creaminess of the curries by adding some tanginess to it. It was so good that I even asked for a second helping.

Mango Kulfi 4/5

For a sweet closure, we had the Mango Kulfi ($7.50), a Indian ice cream prepared with Alphonso mango. Not quite sure how to describe it but the consensus was it tasted like a frozen mango lassi. A very enjoyable dessert to cleanse the palate after all the curries and spices.

Overall, I did not go home with a heavy stomach but with a pleasant taste and spices lingering in my mouth. The 2 storey Indian restaurant besides the dining area on the ground floor,  has a bar on the 2nd floor which is very conducive for corporate events or even private celebrations. If you are looking for somewhere to chill, you may want to give this a try.

Written 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. 


[CLOSED]
D'Bell
43 North Canal Road
Singapore 059299
Tel: +65 65364046
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DBellSingapore
Website: http://www.dbell.sg/
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 11pm
Fri: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 12midnight
Sat: 6pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards the traffic junction of North Bridge Road and North Canal Road. Cross the road and turn right onto North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]