Food Republic @ I12 Katong

Great news to the Easterners! For the first time ever, Food Republic brings the best of local fare to the eastern part of Singapore. The new Food Republic at level 4 of I12 Katong Mall comes with an unique integrated open dining food concept that allows patrons to see the chefs at work. What excites me more is neither the decor nor concept but a history journey of the Singapore food scene, housed under one roof at Food Republic I12 Katong.

Yong Soon You Tiao $0.90 pc 4.5/5

[Yong Soon You Tiao]. The You Tiao (Fried Dough Sticks, 油条) at Yong Soon is freshly fried at the stall daily. The tender and fluffy inner dough with its crispy crust is best eaten hot. In my own opinion, best eaten by dipping it into warm soya bean drink or coffee. Besides You Tiao, the stall also sells Butterfly fritters and Xian Jian Bing. The Xian Jian Bing comes with exciting flavours such as coffee, pandan, red and green bean. Muslim friends will be glad to know that these dough fritters are Halal certified.

History: Started by Mr Low's grandfather over 20 years ago, he continued the trade and picked up the skill of making these savoury treats.

Thye Hong Fried Hokkien Mee ($6.80) 4/5

[Thye Hong Fried Hokkien Mee]. The Fried Hokkien Mee at Thye Hong is the wet version served on Opel leaves specially imported from Malaysia and Indonesia. The silky rice noodles were further enhanced with the subtle woody fragrance from the leaf. You can also savour other local delicacies such as Char Kway Teow and Fried Oyster Omelette here.

History: With over 40 years of history, Thye Hong was hand-picked by Singapore Tourism Board to showcase his Char Kway Teow as one of our nation's most celebrated local specialties at the Culinary Institute of America in California.

Fu Lin Tofu Yuen - 7 pc set with noodle $6.80 4.5/5

[Fu Lin Tofu Yuen]. This is not your normal Yong Tau Fu stall. The traditional Hakka Yong Tau Fu is cooked crispy upon order and served with their specially made minced chicken mushroom sauce and chilli. Do order their speciality, the minced chicken mushroom gravy noodles to go with the delicious plate of Yong Tau Fu. This unique combination of eating noodles and Yong Tau Fu is something new to me that I have not experienced elsewhere.

History: With 18 years of history, Fu Lin Tofu Yuen started in 1994 in the East Coast area to provide a different kind of Hakka Yong Tau Fu experience.

Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodle - Mee Pok Dry $4.50 4/5

[Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodle]. The highlight of the Teochew Fishball Noodle definitely is the soft, bouncy ping pong ball sized yellowtail fishballs. The fishballs are made twice daily and kept chilled in cold water but never frozen.  Li Xin also make their own chilli sauce and crispy lard pieces. We had the dry mee pok noodles which came with a mix of tomatoey sweetness and spiciness.

History: Started in 1968, owner Eddie Lim, son of founder Lim Lee Seng has used the same recipe to make this traditional delicious fare.

Huat Huat BBQ Chicken Wings $1.30 min 3pc 4/5

Huat Huat BBQ Chicken Wing. The freshly barbecued golden brown Chicken Wings were succulent  and juicy. If you are a chilli lover, try the chicken wings with their chilli sauce. I guaranteed it will give you that extra kick.

History: Huat Huat BBQ Chicken Wing has over 20 years of history.

Cho Kee Noodle - Fried Dumpling Spinach Noodle $7 4.5/5

[Cho Kee Noodle]. Being a noodle lover, I gave my thumbs up for their springy handmade noodle. The thing that probably catch everyone's attention is the different colour of noodles offered by Cho Kee. To cater for modern tastes, these noodles have been specially and uniquely created from spinach, carrot and seaweed. Most of the ingredients such as noodles, char siew, dumplings and chilli are prepared at their central kitchen to ensure high level of quality.

History: Cho Kee Noodle started selling wanton noodles at Old Airport Road in 1965 to support the family. It started from a humble push cart to the present.

Ah Yip Herbal Soup - Herbal Duck Drumstick Soup Noodle $13.50 4/5

[Ah Yip Herbal Soup]. The Herbal Duck Drumstick Soup Noodle came with a generous piece of drumstick with the duck meat falling off the bone with ease. To my pleasant surprise, the more than 10 hours prepared herbal soup wasn't too overpowering with herbal taste. The herbal soup was light and tasty, sealed with the healthy benefits.

History: Established in 1993, Ah Yip Herbal Soup was set up because of a simple wish to help keep people healthy. The founder, Mr Cheng Keng Yip was a physician for more than 10 years and knows that drinking herbal soups is an effective and easy way to good health. Based on his expertise and knowledge in Chinese herbs, he specially created a range of herbal soups that capitalizes on the efficacy of herbs without comprising on the taste of the soups.

Indian Express - Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan $9 4/5

[Indian Express]. Even established Indian restaurant, The Song of India has ventured into the food court scene with the opening of India Express. The Butter Chicken has an unique tangy taste compared to others. Indian Express's version seems to use more tomato puree. Drown in the bowl of heavenly gravy, the Tandoori chicken was tender and flavourful.  Eaten with the soft and fluffy Garlic Naan, I can appreciate the mouth watering flavours from the used of authentic herbs and spices.

History: Established as one of the iconic restaurants of Singapore garnering numerous awards for innovative cuisine and exceptional ambience, The Song of India is now brought closer to the hearts of Indian food lovers with the opening of Indian Express at Food Republic I12 Katong.

Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice - Chicken Rice with Dumpling Set $6.50 4/5

[Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice]. Voted Best Hawker at AsiaOne People's Choice Awards 2010, the Wee Nam Kee is famed for its succulent steamed and roasted chicken rice. The jelly like skin, the tender meat with the nicely cooked rice together made it a delicious and hearty meal.

History: Wee Nam Kee has been a family owned business for two decades. Since 1989, two generations of Wees proudly preserved the heritage and recipes refined over the years. The restaurant was invited by the Prime Minister's Office to participate at its Singapore Day in Shanghai.

Pepper Lunch - Pepper Steak $15.90 3.5/5

[Pepper Lunch]. How cool is it to cook your own meal the way you like at Pepper Lunch? Not only that, Pepper Lunch at I12 Katong Food Republic offers the full restaurant menu!

History: Founded in Japan in 1994, Pepper Lunch has grown to more than 160 branches in Japan, Singpapore, Taiwan, Korea and Beijing.

Formosa Delights - Dao Xiao Mian (Beef) $6 4/5

Being a cosmopolitan country who enjoys the variety of food across different cultures and cuisines, patrons at I12 Katong Food Republic can also find a variety of popular international fare at the food court.

[Formosa Delights]. Da Xiao Mian directly translated is Knife Shaved Noodle. The noodles are handmade and cooked upon order. With the open concept kitchen, one can watch the chef prepared the dish with sliced white dough flying through the air into a boiling pot. I kinda like the texture of the noodle with its uneven surface giving it a chewy bite. Complementing the noodles is the tasty herbal soup

Bangkok Gem - Pad Thai with Prawns $6 3.5/5

[Bangkok Gem]. One needs not travel far abroad to savour on Thai food with a gem right at the heart of I12 Katong Food Republic. The stall woks up a variety of Thai cuisine that willl surely give you a lip smacking good time.

Ju Shin Jung Korean Cuisine - Mixed Vegetable Rice in Hot Stone $7.80 4/5

[Ju Shin Jung Korean Cuisine]. Started as a simple family business in Korea, Seoul, the owners chose Singapore as their first venture to bring authentic Korean food to the world. With 3 restaurants in Singapore, Ju Shin Jung at I12 Katong Food Republic is their first express counter. What more can I say, restaurant quality authentic Korean cuisine at affordable price available at food court.

Fragrant Hot Pot - Hot Pot $21.90 Triple Set 3.5/5

[Fragrant Hot Pot, 飘香麻辣香锅]. Originated from Beijing, this is probably the first at food court. Picked from a dazzling array of fresh meats, seafood and vegetables and the chef will stir-fried them in their special Ma La sauce made from over 20 different herbs and spices. Most of us at the table could not manage the level of numbness (麻) and spiciness (辣).

Dapur Padang - Nasi Kuning Set $6.90 4.2/5

[Dapur Padang]. Dapur Padang loosely translated as Padang Kitchen offers traditional Indonesian cusines. Standing tall and pround like the Nasi Kuning (yellow rice) in the picture, the authentic flavours and used of natural ingredients definitely stands out. I can taste the heart and dedication to serve the very best of Padang cuisine in the food they prepared.

Ice Shop - Chendol $2.40 4/5

[Ice Shop]. The drink stall at I12 Katong Food Republic comes in 3 section. Juice Bar, Hot & Cold and Ice Shop. The Ice Shop offers over 15 cold and 5 hot dessert selections. We tried the Chendol which is served in a tall glass. The balance of sweetness made this dessert the perfect ending for a wonderful feast.

I would like to thank Food Republic and OMY.SG for the invitation and hospitality.


Food Republic I12 Katong Mall
112 East Coast Road
#04-01
Singapore 428802
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foodrepublicsingapore
Website: http://foodrepublic.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Dakota (CC line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thurs & PH: 10am - 10pm
Fri-Sat & Eve of PH: 10am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Dakota MRT station. Take exit A. Walk to bus stop at Blk 99 Old Airport Road (Stop ID 81181). Take Bus 16. Alight 5 stops later. Cross the road and walk to 112 Katong. Journey time about 10 minutes.

2) Alight at Dakota MRT station. Take exit A. Walk to bus stop at Blk 99 Old Airport Road (Stop ID 81181). Take Bus 10 or 32. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to 112 Katong. Journey time about 15 minutes.

Pondok Rasa @ Beach Road

Pondok Rasa is 2 Indonesian words put together meaning humble cottage of flavours. The 4 month's old restaurant located at Marrison Hotel along Beach Road prides itself in offering authentic Medan food, with traditional home style recipes handed down over generations and exotic local spices imported directly from Medan (North East coast North Sumatra, Indonesia).

Nasi Tim Ayam (Stewed Chicken Rice) 4/5

At a glance, the Nasi Tim Ayam looks like the Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice. The fragrant rice is topped with a stewed mix of chicken, button mushroom, black fungus, shitake mushroom. If you are a fan for Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice, you will love the Nasi Tim Ayam at Pondok Rasa.

Grilled Chicken Set 4.2/5

The sumptuous Grilled Chicken Set comes with a huge grilled chicken drumstick accompied with Tofu, Tempeh and Vegetables sides. The grilled chicken although a bit charred on the skin tasted fabulous with the tender and moist chicken meat. The freshly made Sambal Balacan provided that extra kick to excite your taste buds. A must try dish.

Kari/Curry Chicken with Rice 3.5/5

Living in a diverse Singapore society, I have tried many different varieties of curry. The Kari/Curry Chicken at Pondok Rasa is rather different in my own option. Maybe I am more used to the thick, heavy and creamy types of curry gravy that is commonly found in Singapore, I find the curry here kind of bland and watery.

Soto Medan (Prawn) with Rice 3.5/5

The Soto Medan came with a beautiful greenish gravy with fresh prawns swimming inside. Like the Kari/Curry Chicken's gravy, I prefer something more thick, heavy and creamy.

Pecel (Vegetables in Peanut Sauce) 3.5/5

This is another uniquely Indonesian dish. Pecel which is vegetables in peanut sauce. The vegetables were long beans, bean sprouts, tapioca leaves, cucumbers and round cabbages. In addition, tofu, tempeh, emping and prawn crackers were added. I have mentioned in previous posts that I don't fancy this dish as I personally find the combination weird.

Indonesia Fried Rice 4.2/5

The simple and plain looking Indonesia Fried Rice is defintely the surprise of the day. The fragrant fried rice was very flavourful. Definitely something I will go back for.

Mi Sop Ayam (Chicken Noodle Soup) 3.8/5

The Mi Sop Ayam has a light and refreshing soup that is served with a mix of yellow noodle and vermicelli. Shredded chicken, carrort, spring onion, fried shallot completed the dish. For customers that like it to be spicy, they can add their signature dark coloured freshly made chilli into the soup. The restaurant does sell the chilli in bottled form but you need to pre-order a day in advance as they are freshly made to order.

Es Cendol (Ice Chendol) 3/5

The lack of sweetness for such a traditional dessert was the disappointment for the Es Cendol (Ice Chendol). Presentation has lot of rooms for improvement too. It will look more appertizing if it was served in crushed ice form instead of having a few ice cubes swimming in the bowl.

Sekoteng 3.8/5

The Sekoteng at Pondok Rasa reminds me of the Chinese dessert Cheng Teng. It was sweet and refreshing with ingredients like corn kernel, dried orange skin and slasih. Likewise, presentation can be improved if it was served with crushed ice.

Pisang Bumbu (Banana Fritter & Peanut Sauce) 4/5

The Pisang Bumbu is the owner's favourite childhood food and the Chef has recreated the dish with a little twist. The Banana Fritter is served in a peanut sauce which is the exactly the way the owner likes to eat it in his childhood days. Is this a dessert dish with the sweetness from the banana and savoury from the peanut sauce? Nevertheless, the fish and chips looks alike banana fritter without the peanut sauce is already a winner.

Cold and Hot Kolak Pisang 4.2/5

I find the Kolak Pisang similar to our local dessert Bo Bo Cha Cha. It has the same ingredients such as sweet cocont soup, tapioca and sweet potato. In addition, it can be served either cold or hot. The different is corn kernel and banana are added to the Kolak Pisang.


Pondok Rasa
Marrision Hotel
103 Beach Road
#01-02
Singapore S189704
Website: http://www.pondokrasa.sg
Nearest MRT: Bugis (EW Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 230pm, 530pm - 9pm
Sat: 11am - 9pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
Alight at Bugis MRT station: Take Exit C. At Bugis Junction Shopping Mall, crossed North Bridge Road. Walk to Tan Quee Lan Street. Walk down to the end of Tan Quee Lan Street towards Marrison Hotel. Journey time about 5 minutes.

Bumbu Restaurant @ Kandahar Street

I get to know of this restaurant after watching a TV shows on buffet places. It was a Saturday and I was with my friend's family going around Singapore taking pictures of the life-size elephant exhibit of the Elephant Parade Singapore 2011 and I suggested Bumbu Restaurant for dinner.

Walking into the 2 storey pre-war house is like stepping back into a bygone era. The restaurant is decorated with antique furniture and artifacts everywhere as if it is a antique museum.

The Indo Thai restaurant offers both ala carte and buffet on their menu. We went for the buffet which cost $16.80+ per adult and $8.40+ for children under 10 years old. There were about 23 mains and 16 desserts/drinks on the buffet menu.

Tahu Telor 4.2/5

Unlike the usual Tahu Telor that is served in one big piece, the Tahu (Tofu) here came in small pieces. It looked mediocre but it was really very good. The Tahu was very soft and smooth.

Seafood Fried Egg Salad

What a weird combination of Seafood and Fried Egg as a salad dish. The Seafood Fried Egg Salad was served in a lime sauce with a tad of spiciness that married both the seafood and fried egg into a delightful salad.

Gado Gado

Gado Gado is a typical Indonesia dish whereby vegetables are served in peanut sauce. I don't fancy the dish because I find it weird to eat vegetable in peanut sauce. Nevertheless, the peanut sauce itself was really nutty and flavourful.

Steam Fish Spicy Lime Sauce 4/5

The Steam Fish Spicy Lime Sauce was simple, fresh and nice. The boneless fish slices were not too spicy for the kids and they enjoyed it.

Fried Fish Slice House Chilli 3.5/5

I find the Fried Fish Slice House Chilli was rather pedestrian. The house chilli did not manage to wow me.

Sweet Sour Chicken 4/5

Bumbu supposed to be a Indo Thai restaurant and I really not sure why the Sweet Sour Chicken dish is on the menu although they substitute pork with chicken since it is a Halal restaurant.

Stir Fry Prawn with Egg 4.2/5

The Stir Fry Prawn with Egg has a nice fluffy and creamy texture. It was the kids favourite dish.

Sambal Kangkong 4.2/5

I think Sambal Kangkong is my favourite vegetable dish. I realized I usually order it when I dine outside. The belacan chilli infused with the kangkong was really shiok. It was not overcooked with a tad of crunchiness that I like.

Black Pepper Beef 3.5/5

I was a bit disappinted with the Black Pepper Beef. The beef was a bit rubbery which did not justify for the flavourful black pepper sauce.

Cold Tofu with Preserved Egg 4.5/5

You don't often get to find Cold Tofu with Preserved Egg served at restaurant. I remembered the first time I tried this dish in Taiwan and I fell in love with it. The cold tofu was tasteless but paired with preserved egg, salted egg and sauce, it just turned into a very beautiful dish.

Mini Spring Roll 4/5

The Mini Spring Roll surprised all of us. The restaurant used Otak for the spring roll's filling! It is an interesting and unique combination. The spring roll was fried perfectly with a nice colouring and the skin was very crispy.

You may realized I did not post any dessert pictures. We were so full that we could not eat anymore desserts!


Bumbu Restaurant
44 Kandahar Street
Website: http://www.bumbu.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Bugis (EW Line, DT Line), Nicoll Highway (CC Line)

Opening hours:
Daily : 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Nicoll Highway MRT station. Take exit towards The concourse. Follow the overhead walkway all the way to Keypoint. Turn right into Jalan Sultan Road. Turn left into Pahang Street. Turn right into Kandahar Road. Journey time about 15 minutes.

2) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take exit B. Cut across Raffles Hospital. Turn left onto North Bridge Road. Walk towards Masjid Sultan Mosque.Turn right into Kandahar Street. Journey time about 10 minutes.

The Moluccas Room @ Marina Bay Sands

The Moluccas Room is an Indonesian fine dining restaurant which Chef Alicia Tivey marriage both French and Indonesian cuisine bringing Indonesian cuisine to another new level. After reading several food tasting reviews of this place, I brought my partner to The Moluccas Room for her birthday.

Four different types of sambal (Shallots, Ginger, Chopped Chilli and Garlic) greeted us on our table. The floor manager introduced us that the sambal was to be eaten with the chips. My favourite was the Shallots Sambal.

After placing our orders, we were served the Amus Bouche which was curry chicken on top of a cracker. The pleasant surprise of the flavour from the curry chicken gave a hint the style and approach of the chef's cooking.

Amus Bouche 4.5/5

Next we had their Signature Sate. There were 7 different type of Sate on their menu. We went for the Sate Ayam Madura which is an Eastern Java delicacy of grilled chicken tenders served with creamy roasted peanut sauce. The meat was really tasty and flavourful without the sauce.

Sate Ayam Madura 4.5/5

For appertiser we had Kepiting Soka Acar Kuning. The crispy soft shell crab with sweet and sour turmeric spice infused vegetables and pineapple pickle was a delight to the palate.

Kepiting Soka Acar Kuning 4.2/5

For my main course, I had Angus Steak Rendang, a tender beef steak tenderloin topped with an extremely flavourful Javanese style rendang curry sauce. The rendang sauce was kind of mild but having said that it did not overshadow the piece of premium beef. The Angus Steak was so good that I can eat it without any sauce.

Angus Steak Rendang 4.5/5

There were many good reviews for their Confit Sakura Ayam Tuturage, a light citrusy confit chicken curry from the Northern Sulawesi so I asked my partner to order it. We were lost for words to describe the sauce. It was very good. The chicken was also very tender.

Confit Sakura Ayam Tuturaga 4.8/5

The Moluccas Room
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
2 Bayfront Avenue
#01-81
Singapore 018972
Website: http://www.themoluccasroom.com
Nearest MRT: Promenade (CC Line, DT Line), Bayfront (CC Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 3pm, 630pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Promenade MRT station. Take exit towards Temasek Avenue. Walk to bus stop opposite Ritz Carlton Hotel (Stop ID 02171). Take bus no. 97, 106, 133, 502 or 518. Alight 1 stop later. Journey time about 5 mins.

2) Alight at Bayfront MRT station. Exit Station. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 mins.