Zai Shun Curry Fish Head @ Jurong East Street 24 - Michelin Bib Gourmand Awardee 2017

The second edition of Michelin Guide 2017, Bib Gourmand winners have been announced on 22 June 2017. Among the 38 eateries that has been listed in the 2017 Michelin Bib Gourmand is Zai Shun Curry Fish Head at Yuhua Village, Jurong East Street 24. Great to know that the Michelin inspectors have ventured into the far West of Singapore to seek out good food.

Curry Fish Head 3.5/5

Before the award, Zai Shun Curry Fish Head is already well known to the locals for their steamed fish and medley of cooked dishes to go with a bowl of pipping hot porridge or steamed rice. Try to avoid the lunch crowd as the coffeeshop is always packed and it may take sometime to find a seat.

Curry Fish Head 3.5/5

Making my trip down to the newly awarded bib gourmand awardee, I just have to order their Curry Fish Head. The curry gravy is the tangy assam type which is indeed very appetizing and goes well with the rice. The fish head we had was huge, meaty and fresh. Unfortunately the fish meat failed to absorb the essence of the curry. I suspect they just steamed the fish head and drenched the curry gravy over instead of cooking the whole fish head together with the curry.

Steamed Red Garoupa Hong Kong Style 4.5/5

I can't help noticing almost every table at the coffeeshop orders their different styles and types of steamed fish. It is a tell tale signs that they are more popular with the steamed fish. Hence we placed an extra order of fish and had their Steamed Red Garoupa Hong Kong Style. Great that we ordered it because this is indeed cooked to perfection in a flavourful soya sauce. During my visit, I noticed other fishes such as promfret, song fish head etc.

Actually Zai Shun is also know to offer some exotic fish on their menu such as the expensive Empura which can cost up to a few thousand dollars in restaurant but at Zai Shun, you can have it from $200 onwards.

Bitter Gourd with Fried Egg 4.5/5

We asked the stall to recommend a vegetable dish and they suggested the Bitter Gourd with Fried Egg. It was a hearty dish that surprised me. The bitter gourd was not overcooked, crunchy and not bitter at all. The highlight is the fried egg which still retained a fluffy and moist texture.

Minced Meat with Salted Egg 3/5

Lastly we had the Minced Meat with Salted Egg. It was firm and meaty but I thought the taste can be more robust and the salted egg flavour was lacking.

Actually I find Zai Shun Curry Fish Head rather interesting. It is like a 3-in-1 eatery offering Teochew porridge, mix vegetable rice (cai fan) and cze char dishes. The highlight for me at Zai Shun is not their curry fish head but their steamed fish.


Zai Shun Curry Fish Head
Blk 253 Jurong East Street 24
#01-205
Singapore 600253
Tel: +65 65608594
Nearest MRT: Chinese Garden (EW Line), Jurong East (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Thu-Tue: 7am - 3pm
(Closed on Wed)

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinese Garden. Take Exit C. Walk to traffic junction of Boon Lay Way and Jurong Town Hall Road. Cross the traffic junction and turn left onto Jurong Town Hall Road. Continue on Jurong Town Hall Road to the next junction of Jurong East Ave 1 and Jurong Town Hall Road. Cross the traffic junction and walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Jurong East MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Jurong East bus interchange (Stop ID 28009). Take bus number 160 or 506. Alight 7 stops later. Cross the overhead bridge and walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Jurong East MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Jurong East bus interchange (Stop ID 28009). Take bus number 66. Alight 7 stops later. Cross the overhead bridge and walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

White Rose Cafe @ York Hotel - Wok Hei Specialties & Treasured Flavours Of Singapore

For a limited period from 1 October to 15 December 2016, White Rose Cafe at York Hotel has introduced 4 local wok hei noodle dishes specially curated by Executive Chef Charlie Tham. The 4 wok hei specialties are reasonable priced at $15 each.

Crispy Egg Noodle 4/5

The Crispy Egg Noodle is a local favourite as well as mine too. The textural enjoyment of the crispy noodle is complemented by the special double boiled stock from Chef Tham's treasured recipe. It is further topped with fresh prawns, sliced fish and vegetable for a satisying meal.

Wok Fried Crispy Bee Hoon with Sliced Beef 3.5/5

A dish not common available on the menu is the Wok Fried Crispy Bee Hoon with Sliced Beef. The bee hoon is pan fried until slightly brown and crispy. It is further paired with strips of premium striploin beef and dressed in a velvety egg gravy.

Traditional Hokkien Mee 4/5

A Traditional Hokkien Mee cooked with pork liver, pork shoulder, squid, clams and most important infused with the aromatic of the pork lard. Add some fresh red cut chilli for some extra zing on top of the slurping goodness.

White Bee Hoon 4/5

Recently White Bee Hoon has been getting popular in Singapore. Chef Tham has wok charred the rice vermicelli for some wok hei smokiness. This is further cooked together with egg, garlic, succulent slices of pork belly and fresh prawns. This is dressed in a flavourful stock made from chicken and pork bone, lightly thickened with fish sauce and oyster sauce.

Curry Fish Head 4/5

Aside the 4 wok hei specialties, White Rose Cafe offers Treasured Flavours of Singapore which features Singapore iconic dishes. Available during the a la carte lunch buffet on Mondays to Fridays, diners can feast on unlimited orders of over 25 selections of these iconic dishes.

Diners will get to have a serving of the signature Fish Head Curry (half portion for 2 to 3 pax, while for 4 to 7 pax) to go with the unlimited serving of steamed fragrant rice. The fish head curry is prepared accordingly to the well guarded recipe from Soon Heng Restaurant dating from 1970s, touted as the creator of the Singaporean Chinese style fish head curry. The red snapper fish head is first steamed and then cooked in a mildly spiced assam or tamarind based curry sauce together with tomatoes lady fingers, sliced onions and fresh chillies. The fish is cooked perfectly, firm and moist with a delectable sweetness of the flesh.

Chicken Masala 3.5/5

The Chicken Masala is cooked in homemade masala spice blend of various spices such as cinnamon cardamom, cloves and fennel seeds. An enjoyable dish with the tender chicken coated with the aromatic spices.

Black Ink Sotong 4.8/5

A childhood favourite of mine, the Black Ink Sotong is first poached and then simmered until tender. It has a hint of spiciness that comes from the belachan that is cooked together with the squid ink. This is definitely my favourite dish here.

Chendol 4/5

Wok Hei Specialties 
Date: Daily 1 October to 15 December 2016)
Time: 12pm to 1030pm
Price: $15 per dish

Treasured Flavours of Singapore
A La Carte Lunch Buffet
Date: Mon to Fri
Time: 12pm to 230pm
Price: $29 per adult $15 per child (exclude Penang Hawkers' Fare)

Note: This is an invited tasting.


White Rose Cafe
York Hotel
21 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228516
Tel: +65 68301156
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
All day dining: 6am - 1am

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Scotts Road towards Goodwood Park Hotel. At Goodwood Park, turn right and walk to the end of the carpark. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

CATO @ South Bridge Road - Modern Asian Cuisine with a Holistic Range of Craft Beers and Spirits

CATO is the newest restaurant and bar that has recently become the new resident of the historical building where the first OCBC Bank was located. CATO offers modern Asian cuisine, with a holistic range of over 60 small batched craft beers and spirits from around the world.

Crispy Squid 4/5

Our dinner at Cato started with some small plates. We started with the popular Crispy Squid ($12) which comes in a sweet and salty Thai style glaze. The delectable nip is very addictive, goes well with the beers and spirits.

Prawn and Spinach Wanton 3/5

The Prawn and Spinach Wanton ($10) looks like blooming flower on the plate. The golden baked wanton parcels are stuffed with prawns, spinach and mushrooms. While the crackling wanton skin is outstanding, the stuffing did not manage to excite my taste buds. In addition, the wanton parcel is quite hard to handle and eat.

KFC Korean Fried Chicken 4/5

With the number of Korean restaurants opening around Singapore selling the popular fried chicken, the rendition of the KFC Korean Fried Chicken ($16) at Cato is as good or even better than a few places. It also comes with a sweet and mildly spicy gochujang dipping.

Mentaiko Mac & Cheese 3.5/5

My high expectation of the Mentaiko Mac & Cheese ($15) turned disappointment as I could not traced any mentaiko in the multi layers of flavours. Saying so the Southern comfort is quite enjoyable with the creamy cheese, aburi salmon cubes and tteok (korean rice cake).

Mini Braised Beef Sandwiches 3/5

The flavoursome beef is braised in black bean sauce and served in between bread. The Mini Braised Beef Sandwiches ($16) will comfort the hungry stomach, for a substantial bite.

Sizzling Hotplate Octopus 4.2/5

One of my favourite small plates is the Sizzling Hotplate Octopus ($18). The flavour is straight forward and robust amid the sun dried tomatoes and roasted new potatoes. The grilled octopus was also cooked to a nice tender texture.

Twice Cooked Iberico Pork Cheek 4/5

Moving on the big plates, the Twice Cooked Iberico Pork Cheek ($30) surprised me with the tender pork cheek slices which have been grilled and steamed, this is hold together by the rice wine mustard sauce.

Bangkok Lobster Risotto 4/5

The Bangkok Lobster Risotto ($32) comes with sous vide lobster, tom yum flavoured risotto, seasoned vegetables and lobster butter. It is a very beautiful dish with rich robust and cheesy flavour. The risotto was also cooked al dente with an enjoyable bite to it. However I probably got myself lost in Bangkok as I was not able to taste any tom yum.

Tea Smoked Chicken with Spicy Japanese Noodles 3.8/5

The Tea Smoked Chicken with Spicy Japanese Noodles ($20) comes with Chinese tea smoked chicken, soba, ghost chilli dressing, pearl tomatoes, garden greens and sweet potato chips. The tender chicken was the highlight, well infused with the tea fragrant. However the soba was kind of bland and all I can taste is the spiciness from the ghost chilli dressing.

Pineapple Pork Curry with Baked Rice 4/5

The Pineapple Pork Curry with Baked Rice ($26) is from the recipe book of Grandma Maureen. The traditional Eurasian pineapple curry comes with slow cooked pork belly and baked rice, served in a pineapple and topped with a melted cheese. The curry was some what new and unique to my taste buds. Initially I thought I tasted salted fish or anchovy in the curry gravy but it is actually belacan after checking with the kitchen.

Seared Barramundi Fillet with Homemade Curry 4.5/5

What blow the house down has to be the Seared Barramundi Fillet with Homemade Curry ($28). The pan seared barramundi is served in a traditional Indian fish curry, grilled okra and eggplants. It even comes with sliced bread to soak up the delicious Indian fish curry. This is like a deconstructed modernise fish head curry. A must try!

Valrhona Chocolate and Pistachio Cake 3/5

There is only one dessert item on the menu and that is the Valrhona Chocolate and Pistachio Cake ($12). The decadent chocolate fondant cake served with a scoop of ice cream and fresh pomegranate. A decent chocolate cake with moist interior but the missing pistachio puzzled me. It also need to consider changing their ice cream supplier.

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PROMOTION - COMPLIMENTARY TAPAS OF THE DAY

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For one month period, 18 April 2016 to 18 May 2016. When you walk in to CATO, let the person at the entrance know and quote "CATO Online" to receive a complimentary Tapas of the Day. The promotion is brought to you by the kind folks at CATO.


[CLOSED]
CATO
237 South Bridge Road
Singapore 058786
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 5pm - 12midnight
Sat: 6pm - 1am
(Closed on Sun and Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk straight down Pagoda Street to South Bridge Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

5 Little Monkeys Cafe @ PICO Creative Centre

When I heard about the 5 Little Monkeys Cafe, my first thought is that it is another hipster cafe serving the usual mircowave heat up food and supplier sourced cakes and pastries. I am glad that my curiosity just like the monkeys, brought me to the cafe located on the eleventh floor of an office building in Lavender. Taking up the whole floor on the eleventh level, the cafe is huge and spacious, with a great unblock city view.

Gourmet Hamburger 3.5/5

The menu at 5 Little Monkeys Cafe is quite extensive, offering items from Western Delights to Peranakan cuisine. We started with the Gourmet Hamburger ($11.80) with fries and salad from the Western Delights menu. It was quite a good burger which was moist and juicy. There are other western fares such as pizzas, sandwiches and wraps on the menu too.

Kueh Pie Tee 3/5

For some small bites, we had the Kueh Pie Tee ($3.8 for 3pc / $6 for 5pc). I felt that the pie tee cups was a bit too thick in textures, not allowing me to appreciate the spicy and sweet mixture of thinly sliced vegetables and prawn.

Sambal Prawn with Petai 4/5

The surprise discovery at 5 Little Monkeys Cafe is their Peranakan dishes. The Sambal Prawn with Petai ($6.50) comes with a good spicy kick, well coated around the sweetness of the crunchy prawns.

Beef Rendang 4.2/5

The scrumptious Beef Rendang ($10,80) was one of my favourite among the dishes I tried. The succulent beef cooked in a rich and aromatic rempah is bursting with the robust flavour with every bite of it.

Chap Chye 4/5

There are many interpretation of the Chap Chye ($5) and I would say the version by Chef Goh is unlike what I have eaten before. The mixed vegetable stew is cooked to a crunchy instead of softness. It also is not as sweet as most chap chye elsewhere.

Fish Maw Soup 3.8/5

I really appreciate the effort of the chef in the Fish Maw Soup ($10.80). He made the effort to stuffed the fish maw with minced chicken meat. The soup was clear with mild sweetness of the cabbage. Chef also added a dash of Chinese wine to bring up the flavour.

Assam Fish Head Curry 4.5/5

The highlight of the night has to be the Assam Fish Head Curry ($35). I could not resist ordering a plate of rice to soak up the delicious curry that has a mix of spiciness, tanginess and creaminess. The huge fish head is good to serve 3 to 4 pax. As only limited quantities is available each day, it is best to pre-order it. Do also allow 20-30 minutes of waiting time.

I personally think 5 Little Monkeys Cafe is a hidden gem serving good Peranakan cuisine, especially the Assam Fish Head Curry. Furthermore, who would expect to find a cafe on the eleventh floor of an office building. I am glad that my curiosity brought me to discover this little gem in Lavender.


5 Little Monkeys Cafe
PICO Creative Centre
20 Kallang Avenue
#11-00
Singapore 339411
Tel: +65 85339168
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Lavender (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 930am - 6pm
Fri: 930am - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Lavender MRT station.Take Exit B. Walk to junction of Lavender Street and Kallang Road. Cross the road and continue on Kallang Road. Walk to destination. Journey times about 10 minutes. [Map]

Muthu's Curry @ Race Course Road (Little India)

Muthu's Curry, a renowned name in Singapore for it's Northern and Southern Indian cuisine, celebrates its 46 anniversary this year with a limited edition, heritage menu that pays homage to Chettinad in South India. This is the birthplace of the brand's late founder Mr Ayyakkannu. Named The Mannuvasanai Menu ($32++) which is good for two pax is available Monday to Friday, 15 June to 31 October 2015, only at Race Course Road flagship restaurant.

Vendaikkai and Mochai Mandi 4.5/5

The Mannuvasanai Menu comes with 5 dishes and rice. One of the dishes is Vendaikkai and Mochai Mandi, a combination of cannellini (white kidney beans) and lady's finger. The dish is more tangy than spicy which I enjoyed a lot. I could not help going back for more servicing.

Vazhathandu Kootu 4/5 and Vazhakkai Varruval 4/5

Using banana as a savory dish? Not one but we have two in the Vazhathandu Kootu and Vazhakkai Varruval. Vazhathandu Kootu is made from banana shoots that is rich in potassium and suppose to be good for the bladder. Vazhakkai Varruval is unripened banana marinated in turmeric, chilli powder, cumin, fennel and coriander, lightly battered and shallow fried. Very interesting to know they are other ways of enjoying this yellow coloured fruit.

Vanjaram Meen Kulambu 4.2/5

Next in the spread is the Vanjaram Meen Kulambu, thick cut mackerel fillet cooked in a medley of spices giving it a piquant enjoyment that lingers in the mouth.

Milagu Varutha Kozhi 4.2/5

Cooked to a nice tender is the traditional chicken dish, Milagu Varutha Kozhi. Peppery and spicy, with the heat of masala tingling on the lips.

Curry Fish Head 4.5/5

A must try at Muthu's Curry is the Curry Fish Head, known as the pioneer of creating the uniquely Singapore style Curry Fish Head. The fish head is cooked in an array of aromatic spices and the fish is still soft and moist. The fact that this dish is still on the menu for the past 24 years shows how this dish is being celebrated as an iconic Singapore dish.

Besides celebrating its 46th birthday with a new limited heritage menu, the restaurant also undergone a renovation welcoming diners to a space that is reminiscent of a typical Chettinad-style home, complete with original artefacts from as far back as the early 1900s.


Muthu's Curry
138 Race Course Road
#01-01
Singapore 218591
Tel: +65 63921722
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/muthuscurry
Website: http://www.muthuscurry.com/
Nearest MRT: Farrer Park (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1030am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Farrer Park MRT station. Take Exit F. Walk down Race Course Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Yu Cun Curry Fish Head (渔村砂煲咖喱鱼头) @ Upper Paya Lebar Road

If you having been travelling along Paya Lebar Road, you will notice the eye catching signage of a new restaurant located along the row of shop houses. Yu Cun (渔村砂煲咖喱鱼头) is opened by the owner Ah Guan, who has been in the food industry for many years. He started in a young age work at 长城菜饭 before starting his own zi char stall. I understand he owns a couple of zi char stalls around the island but opening Yu Cun Curry Fish Head is a dream as well as a new challenge for him in restaurant business.

Curry Fish Head 3.8/5

Being a curry fish head lover himself, Ah Guan decided to feature the Curry Fish Head ($24 small/ $26 big) as the restaurant's signature dish. The restaurant uses sea bream for its curry fish head. There is actually an additional charge of $2 to add vegetables. You can also have a choice of spiciness upon ordering. I tried the original version which is rather gentle in its spiciness. I personally prefer it to be spicier. Nevertheless, it will be suitable for families with children who can't really take too spicy stuff.

Pork Ribs with Ginger 4/5

Besides the curry fish head, Yu Cun Curry Fish Head offers quite a variety of cooked dishes on their menu. A memorable dish I tried is the Pork Ribs with Ginger ($7.80). Well infused with the marinade, the pork ribs were flavourful and tender.

Chicken with Radish 3/5

The Chicken with Radish ($10.80) caught my eye when I was browsing through the menu. I thought this is something not commonly found elsewhere so I ordered it to try. It is an interesting combination of flavours but was lacked down by the cooking of the chicken. It was too dry.

Rice Wine Chicken 3/5

Another chicken dish on the menu is the Rice Wine Chicken ($10.80). The used of rice wine has lifted the flavours and gave the dish a nice aroma. However once again, the chicken is on the dry side for me. Probably a fatter chicken or use the half/whole chicken to make it into a more elegant dish while retaining the moist would be a better choice.

Steamed Pork with Angel Gourd 3/5

Another dish I noticed on the menu is the steamed pork with a whole piece of bittergourd. Unfortunately it was not available during my visit, hence we settled for the Steamed Pork with Angel Gourd ($7.80) instead. It was pretty pedestrian, not much to shout about.

Fried Soft Shell Crab 4/5

It never came across my mind to order the Fried Soft Shell Crab ($12.80) in a Chinese restaurant. I usually had it in Japanese or Thai cuisine. The soft shell crab here is surprisingly quite good. It is different from the rest I have tried. The difference is in their batter. I tasted somewhat like prawn paste chicken batter. I think I also tasted five spices being added.

Overall the food at Yu Cun Curry Fish Head is decent. As they are newly opened, there are still grounds of improvement. Having spoken to Ah Guan, the owner. I can sense the passion in him for his food. I hope time is on their side as I really want them to succeed. I just feel that they need to get out from the shadow of their zi char days and make a bolder leap in the food for their new venture


Yu Cun Curry Fish Head (渔村砂煲咖喱鱼头)
147 Upper Paya Lebar Road
Singapore 534849
Tel: +65 62860491
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yucunfishhead
Nearest MRT: Tai Seng (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tai Seng MRT station. Take Exit A. Continue straight along Upper Paya Lebar Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]