Tres Sombreros @ Upper East Coast Road - New Mexican Eatery On Upper East Coast Road Serving Vibrant Mexican Feast

Opened late last year along Upper East Coast Road, Tres Sombreros is a vibrant Mexican restaurant offering various Mexican dishes, from tacos and burritos to chimichangas and quesadillas, as well as Mexican coffee and cocktails. The restaurant is spacious, with colourful murals and decorations, perfect for a casual dinner or a festive celebration.

Sangria 4.2/5, Virgin Mojito 4/5

We started off the meal with their signature Margaritas, cocktails or mocktails. I had a huge glass of their signature Sangria ($18), which is available in a jug for sharing, and a Virgin Mojito ($8), a refreshing beverage for the flavour-intense mains later on.

Nachos 3.8/5

The Nachos ($18) come with crispy corn chips, topped with a myriad of ingredients such as cheese, black olives, black olives, Jalapeno, sour cream, tomatoes, guacamole, and salsa sauce. If you're with a group of friends, you may also upgrade to the Ultimate Nachos with a choice of lamb or beef, which is fit for 3 to 4 pax.

Grilled Fish 3.5/5, Spicy Chipotle Shrimp 4/5

For the tacos, we opted for the Grilled Fish ($10) and Spicy Chipotle Shrimp ($10). Our favourite is Spicy Chipotle, and I enjoyed the juicy shrimp wrapped in the warm flour tortilla. Other options include the Pollo Asado (chicken), Birria Quesa (beef) and Carnitas (pork).

Birria Sliders 3.8/5

The Birria Sliders ($16) are pulled beef sliders served with Birria consomme to dunk it in. The meat is very soft and tender, with the Birria consomme adding more beefy flavours to the sliders.

Quesadilla 4.2/5

The Quesadilla ($19) comes packed with melted cheese and spiced lamb meat in a soft tortilla skin. These little pockets of spice and cheesiness are easy to pick up and dip into the salsa sauce.

Chimichanga 4/5

The Chimichanga ($26) consists of a fried crispy flour tortilla stuffed with chicken, cheese, black beans, and jalapeños. It is then topped with sour cream and pico de gallo. It also comes with sides of homemade salsa verde and guacamole. The portion size is huge, suitable for sharing between 2 pax.

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.


Tres Sombreros
77 Upper East Coast Road
#01-02
Singapore 455218
Tel: +65 86463571
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Nearest MRT: Bedok (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 10am - 2pm, 5pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bedok MRT station. Walk to Bedok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 84009). Take bus number 16. Alight 5 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh @ Craig Road - Chef Gaggan Opens First Oversea Outpost In Singapore

Chef Gaggan Anand's Bangkok-based casual offshoot restaurant, Ms Maria & Mr Singh, opened its first overseas outlet at Craig Road, Singapore. The menu features tapas and small plates marrying Mexican and Indian flavours and traditions.

Mixed Chips with Four Dips 3.5/5

We started with some appetisers and snacks, beginning with the Mixed Chips with Four Dips. The colourful fried chips comprise sweet purple potato, sweet orange potato, yam, and yellow corn tortilla. Seasoned with salt, you can have it on its own or go with the four different dipping sauces - Pickled Mango, Chilli Cheese Sauce, Guacachutney, and Pickled Baby Corn.

Spicy Crunchy Okra 4/5

The Spicy Crunchy Okra ($12) is a popular Indian snack known as 'Bhindi'. An addictive and crispy snack coated with beautiful aromatic Indian spices.

Papdi Chaat 4.2/5

Get an explosion of flavours from the Papdi Chaat ($18) in one bite, which is made of chaat masala and yoghurt. The snack combines a traditional Indian street snack and Chef Gaggan's signature dish - Yogurt Explosion.

Cold Curry Ceviche 4.5/5

The Cold Curry Ceviche ($20) is inspired by Gaggan's classic Cold Curry, Scallops dish. It challenges the norm that curry has to be served hot and cooked. The interpretation is served cold and raw. Recommend giving it a good mix before eating.

Truffle Quesadilla 4/5

Quesadilla, an iconic staple of Mexican cuisine found worldwide, is given an elevated take incorporating influence from India, adding paneer to the quesadilla. In addition, black truffle paste is added to the Truffle Quesadilla ($28) for that extra earthy oomph to enjoy.

Hate Veggies Love Peanut Mole 3/5

Another staple in Mexican cuisine is the mole sauce, comprising chocolate, spices, fruits, nuts, chilli peppers and over 60 different ingredients. Charred cauliflower and crispy fried lotus root rested on top of the Hate Veggies Love Peanut Mole ($14).

Maria Singh Fish Tacos 4.5/5

Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh Shots 

A twist of the classic Baja Fish Taco is the Maria Singh Fish Tacos ($18), using two different styles of marinades representing Ms Maria and Mr Singh favourite ingredients. Instead of tortilla shell, it is replaced with Perilla leaf to hold the barramundi fish. Besides that, two special Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh Shots ($16) are designed to go along with the tacos.

Patrani Fish Tamal 4.5/5

With limited daily portions, the Patrani Fish Tamal ($30) is another inspiration from one of Gaggan's classic dishes - Fish Paturi. It incorporates influences from both the Indian and Mexican cultures. It reminds me of our local sambal stingray.

Biryani - Surf & Turf 4.2/5

A staple dish but given a new variation for Singapore is the Biryani - Surf & Turf ($28). Usually, it comes with a type of meat, but this has a mix of seafood (prawns and scallops) and meat (beef tongue).

Gaggan's Crab Curry 4.8/5

We had Gaggan's Crab Curry ($32) and Chicken Tikka Masala ($18) to go with the rice. The crab curry is a signature dish of Chef Gaggan that has been a staple in several pop-ups. The stirred-fried crab meat's sweetness is showcased beautifully in the creamy Southern Indian curry.

Chicken Tikka Masala 4.5/5

The chicken tikka masala is spicier than the crab curry, a classic British cuisine popularised by British cooks from India living in Great Britain. The tender chicken is marinated in tikka masala and cooked in a creamy, tomato-based curry.

Mango Yuzu Snowball 4.2/5

Singaporean may be familiar with the Mango Yuzu Snowball ($24), a dessert featured in MasterChef Singapore. The Alphonso mango mousse comes with a yuzu base paired with white chocolate snow and chopped mangoes. A light and refreshing dessert to wrap up the meal.

Avocado Falooda 4.2/5

Lastly, we had the Avocado Falooda ($16). Falooda is a traditional Indian cold dessert made by mixing vermicelli, and rose syrup with milk, often served with ice cream. Ms. Maria & Mr Singh's interpretation comes with vanilla ice cream, avocado mousse, coconut jelly, lemon foam, and basil seeds..

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Ms. Maria & Mr. Singh
43 Craig Road
Singapore 089691
Tel: +65 96544351
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line), Outram Park (EW, NE, TE Line), Maxwell (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Wed-Thu: 6pm - 1030pm
Fri-Sun: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Mon, Tue)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Walk to Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road. Walk to Craig Road. Turn left and walk down Craig Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk to Duxton Plain Park. Turn right and walk to Neil Road. Cross the road using the underpass. Take the staircase and walk to Craig Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

3) Aloght at Maxwell MRT station. Take Exit 3. Walk down Neil Road. Cross the road at the junction of Craig Road and Neil Road. Turn left onto Craig Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

SENS Dining @ Holland Village - New Menu With Innovative Add-ons Plus A Hidden Bar Concept

Known for its contemporary Japanese cuisine, SENS Dining at Holland Village has recently launched a new menu, offering innovative new dishes and sets for sharing. In addition, to deliver an even more unique experience, SENS Dining has also incorporated a Japanese whisky and cocktail bar concept - Bar Nikai.

Yagura Ketsuga Sushi Box 4.5/5

Available in limited sets daily, Yagura Ketsuga Sushi Box ($88) allows you to create your own handrolls using the beautiful ingredients provided - a combination of fish and seafood, beautifully arranged in a tower modelled after an ancient Japanese fortress. The first tier of the box (the roof of the tower) holds the pieces of crispy seaweeds; the second tier is loaded with uni, negitoro, ikura and avocado, while the last tier is a chirashi of scallops, salmon, tuna and Hamachi atop sushi rice. It is a tasty and fun way to present and enjoy the food.

Sushi Tacos 4.5/5

Its all-new Sushi Tacos fit perfectly into its Bar Nikai concept. The taco shell is made of ebi senbei prawn crackers, available in five flavours: Ebi with Tobiko ($8), Tsubugai Shellfish ($8), Salmon Mentai ($12.50), Negitoro ($13.20) and Hotate Uni ($25.80). As the ingredients for the sushis were pretty mouth-filling and buttery, the extra crunch and slight savouriness from the taco shell complement the texture and flavour exceptionally well.

Hokkaido Treasure Don 4.5/5

Hokkaido Treasure Don ($48.80) highlights the freshness of the ingredients. Revamped with additional ingredients, the oyster is a rare treat from a don.

Aburi Sugoi Maki 4/5

A crowd-pleaser is the Aburi Sugoi Maki ($18.50) - Seared Avocado Salmon maki roll with Century Egg sauce and Flying Fish roe. What makes this special is the use of century egg sauce. The maki was good, but the century egg sauce was less distinctive than I had expected.

Wagyu Sukiyaki Set 4.5/5

The Wagyu Sukiyaki Set ($39.50) is my all-time favourite with its extremely comforting broth. The broth's recipe has been tweaked to make it even more flavourful.

Kurobuta Rosu Katsu 4/5

Kurobuta Rosu Katsu ($19.80) features an aged Kurobuta pork cutlet. The pork has been aged for a richer flavour. The katsu wasn't as moist as I had wanted, but I still enjoyed its clean taste and crusty texture.

Bar Nikai curates a wide array of rare Japanese whiskies and Sakes from independent breweries. In addition, the cocktail menu features Japanese culinary-inspired drinks.

Enjoy 1-for-1 tacos for the entire month of November 2022. You get the options of Tsubugai Taco, Negitoro Taco or Salmon Mentai Taco. The free taco will be of the same flavour and exclusively for dine-in. Best to go with a drink or two from the bar!

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.


SENS Dining
243 Holland Avenue
Singapore 278977
Tel: +65 62625618
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Nearest MRT: Holland Village (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sun: 1130am - 3pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction:
Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Mio Fine Foods ( 美桜 ) @ Neil Road - A Sanctuary Awaits You With Artisanal Fine Japanese Cuisine

Mio Fine Foods ( 美桜 ) is the latest restaurant to be opened along Neil Road. The restaurant offers traditional yet artisanal fine Japanese cuisine. The restaurant is designed with the concept of Kanso, bringing the Japanese Zen philosophy that emphasises simplicity to its space. Stepping into the restaurant felt like stepping into an indoor garden.

Premium Sashimi Moriwase 4.5/5

The Premium Sashimi Moriwase ($80) features the freshest catch comprising Nama Uni, Akami, Hamachi, Salmon Belly, Nama Hotate, Ikura, Toro and Mekajiki. A great selection of sashimi to kick start the dinner.

Hotate Uni Truffle Somen 4/5

We had the Hotate Uni Truffle Somen ($38) and Hotate Salmon Zaru Soba ($29) from the cold noodle selection. The Hotate Uni Truffle Somen comes with fresh Hokkaido scallops, sea urchins, and truffle salsa on top of the Japanese white noodles. I enjoyed the smooth and silky somen that soaked up the delicious sauce.

Hotate Salmon Zaru Soba 3.8/5

Compared to the somen, the Hotate Salmon Zaru Soba is lighter in flavour, and the buckwheat noodle has a firmer bite in texture. Complementing the cold soba are torched Hokkaido scallops, torched salmon, tobiko, and sous vide egg yolk in Japanese dressing.

Potato Nesuto Tempura 4/5

Great for sharing is the Potato Nesuto Tempura ($16), whereby hand shred potatoes are stacked into a tower, scented with truffle and showered with parmesan cheese. Best having it with the accompanying kaffir lime aioli, which is very addictive.

Nori Taco 4.2/5

A great bite is the Nori Taco ($14 for 2 pc) which comes in three flavours - Assorted Sashimi, Soft Shell Crab (+$2 each) and Negitoro Uni (+$8 each). All nori tacos are served with avocado puree and sushi rice on top of your choice of flavours. I love the crispy nori taco shell that holds everything together for delightful textural enjoyment.

Smokey Corn 5/5

A must-have is the Smokey Corn ($16). The grilled pearl white corn rubbed with teriyaki mayonnaise is super sweet! It is further dusted with Parmesan cheese and shichimi to enhance the sweetness. I highly recommend this is the first dish to order as it needs 10-15 minutes of waiting time.

Wagyu Sando 4.5/5

At Mio, there is even a wagyu section in the menu. Using only premium A5 Japanese Wagyu, guests can look forward to a variety of dishes such as wagyu uni rice bowl, wagyu tataki, and wagyu teppanyaki. Of course, not to forget the crowd's favourite Wagyu Sando ($40). The tender and juicy breaded A5 Japan Wagyu is sandwiched between toasted Japanese shokupan bread, served with lotus chips.

Goma Goma 3.5/5

We have two desserts on the menu, starting with the Goma Goma ($15). The moist and spongy black sesame cake is served with housemade black sesame ice cream and speculoos crumbles for texture.

Daigaku Imo 3/5

The other dessert is the Daigaku Imo ($13). Candied Japanese sweet potato is served with vanilla bean ice cream and black sesame. The sweet potato is on the tough side, I am ok, but some may not like it.

Overall, I find the savoury items are stronger than the sweets. I also noticed there are more female than male customers at the restaurant. Not sure if it has to do with the restaurant's food or interior design.
Note: This is an invited tasting.


Mio Fine Food
82 Neil Road
Singapore 088843
Tel: +65 62912330
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW, NE, TE Line), Maxwell (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 930pm
Fri: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Sat: 12pm - 4pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Sun: 12pm - 4pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit 4. Cut through Duxton Plain Park to Keong Saik Road. Turn left onto Keong Saik Road and walk towards Neil Road. Turn left on Neil Road and walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Maxwell MRT station. Take Exit 3. Cross the road. Turn right and walk down Neil Road. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Knock Knock Cafe @ Kallang - Floral-Themed Cafe Serving Asian-inspired Pasta, Burgers And Instagrammable Bear Lattes

Knock Knock Cafe is a quaint cafe decked in flower-filled walls in Kallang. The cafe serves up Asian-inspired Pasta and Burgers, and picture-worthy lattes. The cafe is a spin-off of the Knock Knock livestream app, created to connect creators with their fans and followers. In the same spirit, the cafe aims to be a space for people to gather over good food and service in a work-friendly environment.

Iced Bear Latte 4/5

Insta-worthy and adorable is the Iced Bear Latte ($6.50). It comes in 4 different flavours - caramel, lavender, mocha and chocolate. I went for Mocha which has a nice balance of roasted coffee notes and creamy cocoa flavours.

Golden Prawn Tacos 4.2/5

We started with some light bites in the Golden Prawn Tacos ($13 for 2pc). The deep-fried crunchy prawns are served in a soft toasted tortilla, laced with an addictive salted egg sauce and finished with tobiko bits. Other choices include Chilli Krab Tacos and Beef Steak Tacos.

Otak-Otak Burger 4/5

The cafe is known for its Asian-inspired pasta and burgers, so we have to try them. We had the Otak-Otak Burger ($17). The homemade batang fish patty is marinated with a medley of aromatic spices, coated with bread crumbs and deep-fried for a crispy golden exterior. The delectable patty is sandwiched between soft fluffy buns, served with fries and a sambal mayo dip. Other burgers available on the menu are Ultimate Wagyu Beef Burger, Krispy Buttermilk Chicken Burger and Mad for Mentaiko Fish & Chips.

Hae Bee Hiam Aglio Olio 4.5/5

The Hae Bee Hiam Aglio Olio ($17) is loaded with umami-rich hae bee hiam (spicy dried shrimp) on olio and topped with crunchy tiger prawns. The incorporation of spicy dried shrimp works for me. It complements the al dente pasta excellently.

Ondeh Ondeh Tiramisu 4/5

For dessert, we had the Ondeh Ondeh Tiramisu ($12). It comes in layers of pandan and gula melaka, topped with toasted coconut flakes. Each mouthful reminds me of the traditional kueh's characteristic flavours.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Knock Knock Cafe
101 Geylang Road
Singapore 389211
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Kallang (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Kallang MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk to junction Geylang Lorong 1 and Sims Ave. Cross the road and walk down Geylang Lorong 1 towards Geylang Road. Turn left onto Geylang Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]