Springleaf Prata @ Jalan Tua Kong - The Ultimate Prata Alfredo

I have the honour to work with Springleaf Prata back in 2014 for the Ultimate Hawker Fest. Springleaf has been creating new innovative prata items every year since 2012 and introduced them into their menu. When I got words that it has created a new prata for 2017, I made my way down to their newest outlet at Jalan Tua Kong to check out their newest creation - Prata Alfredo!

Prata Alfredo 4/5

The all new Prata Alfredo ($9.90) comes with rosemary smoked chicken, fresh button mushroom, mozzarella cheese and creamy alfredo sauce, all stuffed into the prata. This is your ultimate creamy and cheesy prata with delectable mushroom and smoked chicken pieces encased in a crispy exterior, yet fluffy interior prata. For that instinct, it felt like I was having a cheesy toast. The latest creation definitely brings a new excitement to the traditional prata with an enjoyable western influences.

Plaster Blaster 4.2/5

I can't visit Springleaf Prata without trying the Plaster Blaster which we collaborated with Springleaf Prata to create for the Ultimate Hawker Fest back in 2014. Actually this is the version 2 because it has replaced the original masala hollandaise sauce with normal hollandaise sauce. Don't be despair as the restaurant still serves the original version, you just need to inform the staff that you prefer the masala hollandaise sauce over your crispy prata with turkey ham and poached egg.

Red Bean Prata 4.2/5

Not known to many is Springleaf's Red Bean Prata. The extremely thin tissue-like prata with sweet red bean paste may seen unassuming but this is a surprise favourite on the menu for me. The first time I had it, I thought it tasted like our Chinese pancake.

Umami 50 4.5/5 and Salted Egg Prawn Prata 4/5

Not to be missed is their Umami 50 and Salted Egg Prawn Prata creations for 2015 and 2016 respectively. The Umami 50 was created for Singapore's 50th birthday to signify 50 years of deliciousness in Singapore. The Umami 50 is also known as your heart attack prata as it is wrapped with chicken luncheon meat, chicken floss, mayonnaise, condensed milk, cheese and egg. I was initially sceptical but I was sold once I have a bite of it.

The other highlight is the Salted Egg Prawn Prata, driving on the bandwagon of the salted egg yolk trend in 2016. The combination of salted egg yolk sauce, cheese, egg and prawn is a new for prata with hint of curry aroma. The prata is packed with savoury richness that hits me like tank, complemented by the crunchy prawns in it.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Springleaf Prata
57B Jalan Tua Kong
Singapore 457253
Tel: +65 66362935
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Website
Nearest MRT: Bedok (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 8am - 12midnight

Direction: 
1) Alight at Bedok MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Bedok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 84009). Take bus number 40 or 401. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to Elite Park Ave. Turn right onto Elite Park Ave and walk to Jalan Tua Kong. Turn left onto Jalan Tua Kong. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Window on the Park @ Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre - Southeast Asian Gastronomic Extravaganza With Boston Lobster Weekend

Window on the Park at Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre has launched a Boston Lobster Weekend, in addition to its buffet which is themed the Southeast Asian Gastronomic Extravaganza. The spread showcases the warm and robust flavours of dishes from Southeast Asia and our local fare, paying homage to the region’s rich culinary heritage.

Only making an appearance on weekends, the Boston Lobster will be a treat to your precious once-a-week indulgence. Each diner will get a pan-seared Boston Lobster done ala minute, alongside with the buffet spread.

Succulent, firm and sweet, you know that the meat is done right when it can be easily lifted off from its shell. Other lobster dishes are added to the range of delicacies as well, such as Black Pepper Lobster Claws and Baby Lobsters.

Prata with Fish Curry 3.5/5, Sambal Ikan Tenggiri 3/5, Mutton Curry 3.5.5

Indeed, Southeast Asia cuisine is a lot about flavours and spices. If you love curries and spices, you may probably enjoy most of the dishes here, such as the Prata with Fish Curry, Sambal Ikan Tenggiri, Mutton Curry etc.

Laksa 4/5

Despite the aura around the Boston Lobster and seafood, the Local dishes still shine. The Laksa here is still one of the finest, perhaps not the ingredients but the Laksa gravy itself. I have tasted Laksa with really premium ingredients before but the gravy often disappoints.

Kueh Pai Tee 3.5/5, Rojak 3.5/5

The DIY Kueh Pai Tee is finger licking good too. All thanks to the succulent shrimp, creamy mashed egg and crunchy shreds of tapioca which has just the right flavour. The same goes to the DIY Rojak. The prawn paste is the key to making a professional serving of Rojak. I was quite surprised by how moreish my self-made rojak is.

Durian Pengat 4.2/5

For desserts, simply head for the bowl of Durian Pengat sitting in its exclusive fridge. My favourite part is biting into bits of the durian flesh. I still prefer eating durian straight from the seed but this is probably the closest and most satisfying way that you could get to a durian. Of course if durian is not for you, there are other sweet treats around, such as mini cakes, egg tarts and ice cream.

Southeast Asian Gastronomic Extravaganza, 1 FOR 1 
Promotion Period: Now to 30 Nov 2017
Mon-Thu
Lunch: $65++, Dinner: $80++
Fri-Sun (Boston Lobster weekend)
Lunch: 70++, Dinner: $96++
*Child 6-12 years old: $22++ per child

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.


Window on the Park
Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre
Level 2
11 Cavenagh Road
Singapore 229616
Tel: +65 67338333
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk to traffic junction of Orchard Road and Koek Road. Cross the road. Walk down Koek Road to Karmat Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Rahmath Cheese Prata @ Toa Payoh Lorong 4 - A Yummy Find In Toa Payoh

Joining a Toa Payoh makan food trail earlier this year conducted by Misstamchiak, brought to my discovery of another good prata stall - Rahmath Cheese Prata. The stall is run by Mr Ali, who used to operate in Ang Mo Kio before relocating to the current place at Toa Payoh Lorong 4. He sells a total of 13 different types of prata, from savoury to sweet.

We ordered both the Plain and Egg Prata which is freshly cooked upon. I disliked having prata that has already been pre-cooked which is cold and stale.

Plain Prata 4.5/5

A minimum order of 2 is required for the Plain Prata ($1.80 for 2pc). The prata had a nice buttery aroma which is fluffy, doughy and slight crispiness on the exterior. It is the type of prata texture that I enjoy, not those that is overly crispy.

Egg Prata 4.5/5

The Egg Prata ($1.50) is as good too. The egg gave the prata an additional layer of texture and bite. Not forgetting the curry, dip into it for a complete enjoyment of these fried flatbread.

Even though the stall is opened until 4pm, it is available up to 130pm. After that the stall sells mee goreng. So if you want to try their prata, be early.


Rahmath Cheese Prata
Block 74 Market & Food Centre
Blk 74 Toa Payoh Lorong 4
#01-08
Singapore 310074
Nearest MRT: Toa Payoh (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 6am - 4pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit A or C. Walk towards Toa Payoh Library. Continue onwards to the main road (Toa Payoh Lorong 4). Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time 8 minutes. [Map]

Master Prata @ Bukit Purmei - Very Crispy Prata Indeed But It Did Not Wow Me

Once again, social media comes to our rescue when finding places to eat near our home for the weekend. After seeing several social media posting about the crispy prata from Master Prata, my wife and I made a trip down to Bukit Purmei to check it out.

Prata Kosong 3/5

It is understand that the stall owner still make his own dough, following the recipe that his dad who used to work in Jalan Kayu making pratas has passed down to him. Many has also raved that this is the Thasevi style crispy prata, bring back fond memories.

Egg Prata 3/5

I ordered both the Kosong Prata ($1/pc) and Egg Prata ($1.70/pc) to try. I supported the review that the kosong prata is indeed very crispy. It exterior of the pan fried dough simply shattered when u tried to tear it apart with a slightly fluffy interior dough. Saying that, while my wife and I enjoyed the crispy texture, we did not like the strong margarine taste that comes with the prata.

A bonus at Master Prata is the choice of chicken, mutton and fish curry to go with their prata. Among the trio we tried, we preferred the fish curry more than the rest. We also felt that the chicken curry was sort of powdery which was quite unpleasant for the palate.

By the way, there is another prata place at Alexandra which is also called Master Prata. Do note that they are not affiliate to the stall at block 109 Bukit Purmei.


Master Prata
Blk 109 Bukit Purmei Road
#01-157
Singapore 090109
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Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line), Harbourfront (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 7am - 915pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Tiong Bahru Plaza (Stop ID 10161). Take bus number 123. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Harbourfront MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Harbourfront MRT station (Stop ID 14129). Take bus number 123. Alight 5 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Casuarina Curry @ Macpherson Road - Ondeh Ondeh Prata, A New Way To Appreciate Prata

Casuarina Curry is a household name in Singapore known for its prata, murtabak, roti john, thosai and briyani, offering a variety of South and North Indian cuisine. Recently the business expanded with 2 more branches at Sixth Avenue and Macpherson Road, on top of their flagship outlet at Casuarina.

Teh Tarik 4/5

I specially head down to their Macpherson outlet to try out their new invitation, Ondeh Ondeh Prata. Before that let's have the a cup of the Teh Tarik ($1.20) and their Plaiin Prata ($1.20 each).

Plain Prata 3/5

Unfortunately my Plain Prata was stale, the restaurant did not serve me a freshly made one. It also has a strong taste of margarine. This is definitely not the standard I have done.

Ondeh Ondeh Prata 4.5/5

The highlight and the reason why I am here is the Ondeh Ondeh Prata ($4.90). What exactly is it? It is actually made up of crispy tissue prata, folded into a parcel. In it, there are pandan jelly cubes, a scoop of coconut ice cream, shredded coconut and gula melaka to be drizzled over it before eating.

Initially I was a bit skeptical but after trying it, I enjoyed it a lot. The combination in terms of flavours and textures work harmoniously. It has brought prata appreciation to a new level, stepping away from the tradition. It is not about spreading some chocolate syrup over the prata and maybe adding a few slices of banana. This is an execution that is worthy to call it a real dessert prata dish.


Casuarina Curry
187 Macpherson Road
Singapore 348545
Tel: +65 62859001
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Bong Keng (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10am - 12midnight
Sat-Sun: 8am - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Boon Keng MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Boon Keng MRT station (Stop ID 60121). Take bus number 64, 65 and 66. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Kwee Zeen @ Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa

Located in Sentosa Island of Singapore, with a great greeny surrounding and seaview is Kwee Zeen (pronounce as Cuisine), the Pan Asian Dining restaurant of the newly opened luxury hotel, Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa. The beautiful and elegant hotel has blended the historical architectural accents of the colonial buildings with its contemporary interiors and lush landscape, making in an endearing sanctuary for their guests.

Together with a group of foodies, we went down to Kwee Zeen on a Sunday for its Magnifique Sunday Champagne Brunch, offering a wide range of fine quality dishes paired with premium Taittinger Champagne. A total of 16 different ateliers is located around the restaurant, delighting diners in a sumptuous buffet feast.    

The selection of Oysters caught my attention when I walked passed the Seafood on Ice section. They have four different types of oysters from Irish, France, New Zealand and Canada.

A very nice touch by the restaurant is that they will bring a three tier seafood tray to the table. Guests can actually relax and soak into the casual atmosphere, enjoying the brunch while enjoying the beautiful sea view.

The seafood on ice section is really impressive with the 4 different types of crustaceans. There are Mud Crabs, Tourteax Crab, Boston Lobster, Brown Crab, Dungeness Crab and Flower Crab. My favourite is the Dungeness crab which has a lot of eggs and roes inside the shell.

Smoked salmon is rather common on buffet spread but Marinated Coffee Salmon definitely is something new and delicious for me.

Fresh sashimi and sushi are also available among the buffet spread.

At the Alfresco area, the noodle and live seafood station will delight guest that is looking for some Asian flavours. Noticed the wok in the background of the picture, love how the chef wok fried the Sambal Mussels a la minute.  You can also order your stir fried noodles here.

Just beside the noodle and live seafood section is the Indian food section. Do not miss this section. Their roti prata and curry is pretty good too.

From the cooked food section, I tried some of the dishes such as the Beef Rendang, Sambal Long Beans and Braised Pig Trotter. I wasn't having much expectation of these dishes but they surprise me in the execution. The kitchen must have a chef that knows his Asian dishes well.

Another appreciation I like about the Sunday Champagne Brunch at Sofitel Sentosa is that the chefs will actually periodically go around the tables with the different offerings from the buffet spread, bringing the food right to the guest's table. This is probably the very first hotel in Singapore to do this. The chef bringing the dim sum baskets around the tables has the deepest impression for me. I thought that is a good idea and it brings some local flavours, not the food but the whole experience into the Sunday brunch, just like how it is done in traditional dim sum house.

What got everyone excited at the end of the Sunday brunch is the handcrafted truffles. The sweet delights come with varies flavours in it and everyone was popping one after another truffles, to find out what mysterious flavours have the pastry chef comes up with.

Magnifique Sunday Champagne Brunch
Date: Every Sunday
Time: 1230pm - 330pm
Price:
$168++ per adult with free flow of Tattinger Champagne, wine and non-alcoholic drinks
$138++ per adult with free flow of soft drinks and juices
$58++ per child (5 to 11 years old) with free flow of soft drinks and juices


Kwee Zeen
Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa
Sentosa Island
2 Bukit Manis
Singapore 099891
Tel; +65 67088366
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Harbour Front (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at HarbourFront MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk to pick up point at Exit D. Wait for the complimentary shuttle bus service. The shuttle service is available every 30 minutes of the hour. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

Sin Ming Roti Prata @ Sin Ming Road (Upper Thomson Road)

Roti prata is another popular local dish that can be eaten around the clock. For me roti prata is usually eaten for breakfast or supper. Of the many roti prata stalls around the island, one of the more popular one is Sin Ming Roti Prata.

Plain and Egg Roti Prata 4.2/5

My usual order is always a Plain and Egg Roti Prata to go with the curry sauce. The prata here is the fluffy type with a slight crispiness on the exterior where you get to enjoy chewing the dough. The accompanying curry gravy has a nice aroma of spices too.

Coin Prata 3.5/5

Coin Prata 3.5/5

Not commonly sold at other roti prata stalls is the Coin Prata. The round shaped coin prata is thicker and crispier. Unless you enjoy the chewiness of the dough, sort of like eating bread, then you would probably like it.

Beehoon Goreng 3/5

The stall does not only sell roti prata. It also sells a variety of other rice and cooked dishes. On top of the roti prata and coin prata, I also ordered an extra plate of BeeHoon Goreng with a fried egg to try. It was nice but did not wow me.

Overall I would recommend going back for their roti prata. For the coin prata, it is rather subjective. It depends whether you like a more doughy and chewy texture.


Sin Ming Roti Prata
Jin Fa Kopitiam
Blk 24 Sin Ming Road
#01-51
Singapore 570024
Tel: +65 64533893
Nearest MRT: Upper Thomson (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 6am - 7pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Upper Thomson MRT station. Take Exit 3. Walk to Jalan Todak Road. Turn left onto Jalan Todak Road. Walk to the end and continue on Sin Ming Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]