Dancing Fish Signature @ TANGS Singapore - Malay-Indo Restaurant From Kuala Lumpur Opens 2nd Outlet In Singapore

Dancing Fish,  a multi-awarded Malay-Indo cuisine restaurant from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia has opened its 2nd restaurant in Singapore. The latest outlet, Dancing Fish Signature is located on level 4 of TANGS Singapore. With a couple of my friends, we dropped by the new restaurant for lunch and I left impressed with the quality as well as the soul put into each dish.

Chicken Satay 4.5/5

We started with the Chicken Satay ($12). The chicken strips are marinated before being charcoal grilled. This is probably one of the best satay I have eaten, lightly charred on the outside while it is tender and moist inside. This is served together with satay peanut sauce on the side which complements the chicken satay excellently.

Tahu Telur 4/5

Next is Tahu Telur ($12) which has been stacked into a tower and deep fried in a flossy egg mixture for a fragrant finish. It comes with a tangy special sambal tahu sauce that once again paired with the tahu telor beautifully.

Gulai Pucuk Paku 4.2/5

A rare dish on the menu is the Gulai Pucuk Paku ($13). This is a type of wild vegetable, young jungle fern shoots. The greens are cooked in a curry like sauce consists of turmeric, coconut milk and spices. The jungle fern shoots have a subtle sweetness with a nice crunchy texture, which is very pleasant for consumption.

Buntut Belado Enak 4.5/5

I remembered I have the best buntut belado in Jakarta and now I have found one in Singapore too. At Dancing Fish Signature, the Buntut Belado Enak ($36) uses Australian oxtail. The oxtail is marinated and braised in aromatic herbs and spices before barbecuing over charcoal, intensifying that rich bitter sweet flavour. I also like the addition of pickled chilli to cut through the richness.

Udang Masak Lemak Chilli Padi Nenas 3.5/5

The Udang Masak Lemak Chilli Padi Nenas ($33 for 4pc) is a classic Malacca Nyonya prawn curry with a twist. The 4 huge tiger prawns are slow cooked in a light and tangy spiced curry which consists of tumeric, spices, herbs and pineapples. The curry sauce is very appetising, goes really well with a plate of steamed rice. It would be a lovely dish if the tiger prawns were fresher. Some diners may also find the dish expensive for just 4 prawns.

Bebek Goreng Bali 4.5/5

My favourite dish at Dancing Fish is the Bebek Goreng Bali ($26). The duck is marinated in a mix of Balinese herbs and spices for a day. It is then fried till the skin is crispy and the inside still tender. Diners have 3 choices of homemade chilli sauce, namely Sambal Matah, Chilli Vinaigrette ($26) and Sambal Hijau. I have my duck with the tangy chilli vinaigrette which goes really well with the crispy duck, elevating the whole enjoyment.

Dancing Fish with Sambal Dabu-dabu 4/5

A signature item is the Dancing Fish with Dabu-dabu ($37). Dabu-dabu is a traditional salsa sauce from Manado, Indonesia. If I am not wrong, the chef has added some ketchup manis into the chilli sauce so it is not as spicy as I thought it would be. In fact the sweet-spicy concoction of the sauce complements the deep fried fish excellently. Besides the dabu-dabu, diners can also opt for either mango kerabu, belimbing salad or sambal cobel merah.

Mango Lolo 3/5

Cendol $10

For dessert, we tried the Mango Lolo ($12) and Cendol ($10). It is a light and refreshing dessert that is perfect with all the savoury dishes and spices.

Sweet Potato with Coconut Scrappings, Palm Sugar and Vanilla Ice Cream 3/5

A modern take of the dessert is the pretty presentation of the Sweet Potato with Coconut Scrappings, Palm Sugar and Vanilla Ice Cream ($10). The warm and cold contrast is pleasing to the palate. I like the sweetness of the sweet potato but the finishing is on the dry side.

Overall I have enjoyed my lunch at Dancing Fish Signature. I can taste the soul in the cooking, ensuring the best is bring to the table. In addition, I am impressed of the different sauces that has been made from scratch. They are thoughtfully paired with each dish. I understand the restaurant has more than 10 different types of sambals and sauces to date.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Dancing Fish Signature
Tangs at Tang Plaza
310 Orchard Road
Level 4
Singapore 238864
Tel: +65 63391048
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Monkey Warung @ Capitol Piazza - Balinese Style Pork Ribs Restaurant Replacing Naughty Nuri's

Naughty Nuri's has left. If you are a die-hard fan of their ribs, you might be comforted to know that you could still go back to the same spot at Capitol Piazza for your fork tender, fall-off-the-bones pork ribs, and get your fingers smeared with that sweet, smoky brown sauce again. Monkey Warung, an Indonesian grill house, has taken over just weeks ago. The Balinese style pork ribs has been saved from exiting our shore, now joined by popular Indonesian dishes such as Ayam Penyat, Tahu Telor, Pepes squid etc.

Tahu Telor 3/5

Tahu Telor ($10) is a simple Indonesian snack favoured by Indonesians and locals alike. Simple ingredients but takes skills to master that vertical egg tofu. While mine seemed to look like a collapsed dome, the egg was still quite fluffy in the center with crispy edges. There could be more tofu to beef up the portion, afterall it's $10 a plate. The owner readily admitted that more work has to be done to get all the dishes right, we shall see about that.

If you notice, most dishes come with a saucer of their Sambal Teras, a character that has gained an unexpectedly high demand from the crowd, to the extend that the owner decided to simply serve it along with most of the dishes, even the Tahu Telor. As making the chilli paste is a time consuming and labourous task, any additional request will be at $2 each.

Cumi Bakar Jimbaran 3.5/5

Plated with a touch of finesse is the Cumi Bakar Jimbaran ($17) from the Jimbaran Grill section. The squid is firm to bite, slightly sweeten by the sauce with a hint of smokiness from the grill. Defintely a great sharing starter or even as a bar-bite.

Legendary Ribs 4.2/5

The Legendary Ribs (1/2 rack $20) finally made its appearance. The length of the ribs is indeed quite an eye opener. The meat was almost loose hanging, and came away with just a gentle touch. The sweet and smoky sauce is finger licking good - the best way to eat it is with hands! I love the green lime that is served together. A dash of the acidity cuts the richness of the meat and gives the sauce a citrusy lift.

Nasi Goreng 3/5

If you are by yourself and just want something simple, there are also day-to-day dishes such as Nasi Goreng, Soto Ayam, Indo Mie. The Nasi Goreng comes with Chicken Satay. The satay was too dry, but the glaze of peanut sauce is pretty good.

Goreng Pisang 3.5/5

Nothing fancy for dessert but I was really contented with the Goreng Pisang. The batter is thin, airy and crispy. I just wish I could have a scoop of coconut ice cream over it, instead of just desiccated coconut.

Isn't it rare to find a place that offers both Indonesian grill and Balinese style pork ribs? There is a promotion going on right now, with beers, wine, Prosecco going at $5, alongside with some bar bites too.

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.


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Monkey Warung
Capitol Galleria
15 Stamford Road
#01-84
Singapore 178906
Tel: +65 63847966
Facebook
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit D. Go to ground level. Walk over to Capitol Galleria. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Coffee Lounge @ Goodwood Park Hotel Singapore - Design Your Own Local Degustation Set Menu With Mao Shan Wang Dessert Buffet

For a limited period from 14 October 2017 to 17 November 2017, The Coffee Lounge at Goodwood Park Hotel Singapore presents the Dessert Buffet with Mao Shan Wang Specialities promotion together with its Local Degustation Set Menu which will be available during lunch and dinner. The dessert buffet features Mao Shan Wang durian pastries on top of its usual delectable dessert buffet spread.

Tahu Telor 4.2/5

The Design Your Own Local Degustation Set Menu comes in 3 courses ($50) and 4 courses ($54) which includes the Dessert Buffet with Mao Shan Wang Specialities.

Pork Satay with Pineapple Peanut Sauce 4.2/5

For the starters of the local degustation menu, we tried both the Tahu Telur and Pork Satay with Pineapple Peanut Sauce. If you a big eater, I would recommend the tahu telur over the pork satay. For photo seek, I actually borrowed another 2 more skewers from my friend's plate. Putting that aside, both dishes actually tasted good. I enjoyed the light and fluffy beancurd tower complemented by the spice kicap manis sauce. I was also delighted that the kitchen made the effort to pair the succulent pork satay with pineapple in their peanut sauce.

Nasi Briyani 3.5/5

Nasi Lemak 4/5

For the Rice item, we tried the Nasi Briyani and Nasi Lemak. I think it is a good showcase of the local cuisine. The nasi briyani comes with with chicken rendang, achar and pappadum. I would prefer the nasi lemak more for its fragrant coconut rice and the shiok homemade sambal.

Hokkien Black Noodles 3/5

Xing Zhou Bee Hoon 4.2/5

Last but not least for the Noodle items, we had the Hokkien Black Noodles and Xing Zhou Bee Hoon. The flavourful hokkien black noodles comes with squid, prawns, sliced pork and crispy pork lard. However, the gravy was on the salty side during our visit. What surprises me is the unassuming xing zhou bee hoon which is pack with wok flavour. Simple but comforting.

Mao Shan Wang Eclair 4.5/5

After having the local signature dishes, don't forget to head over to the dessert spread that includes a delectable dessert buffet of cakes, pastries, hot and cold dessert soups, nonya kueh, fruits, ice cream and most important, Mao Shan Wang durian pastries.

Mao Shan Wang Mochi 4/5

Durian lovers can look forward to a tempting range of durian creations such as the Mao Shan Wang Mochi, Mao Shan Wang Waffles and Ice Cream, Mao Shan Wang Sticky Rice, Mao Shan Wang Crumble Tart, Mao Shan Wang Creme Brulee, Mao Shan Wang Eclair, Mao Shan Wang Toast and Mao Shan Wang Pandan Cake.

Mao Shan Wang Crumble Tart 4.2/5

Among the selections of durian pastries, my favourites were Mao Shan Wang Pandan Cake, Mao Shan Wang Eclair and Mao Shan Wang Crumble Tart.

Noted: This is an invited tasting


Coffee Lounge
Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road
Singapore 228221
Tel: +65 67301746
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Design Your Own Local Degustation Menu
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down Scotts Road to destination. Journey time about 12 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]

Pagi Sore Indonesian Restaurant @ Tagore Lane (Upper Thomson Road)

Pagi Sore Indonesian Restaurant is an household name servicing authentic Indonesian cuisine since 1989. Established by Ms Liyana Kwan in 1989 as an Nasi Padang concept eating house, it has expanded over the years into an la carte restaurant using a fusion of Chinese cooking techniques with authentic Indonesian flavours. Fans of Pagi Sore will rejoice to know that they have recently opened a third outlet at Tagore Lane, inside an industrial estate, located in the roof top of Entrepreneur Centre, an industrial building.

The first unique thing I noticed at Pagi Sore is the rice. Most Indonesian restaurant will go around servicing rice in a basket but at Pagi Sore it is served wrapped in banana leaf.. Not only containing the warm of the rice but also give it a nice aroma.

Stir Fried Long Beans with Belacan Chilli 4/5

To go with the rice, we order a couple of dishes from the a la carte menu starting with the Stir Fried Long Beans with Belacan Chilli ($8.80/$9.90). Cooked to a nice crunchy bite plus the heat from the belacan, this is a spicy kick start to the dinner in a good way.

Tahu Telor 3.5/5

A towering Tahu Telor ($10.20) topped with shredded carrots greeted us next. The crispy and fluffy fried beancurd and eggs when eaten with the nutty sweet sauce, whetted up the appetite.

Ayam Bali 4/5

Smokey, sweet and tender is the Ayam Bali ($5.80/$14.80). Grilled to a nice charred edge with sweetness from the kecap manis, this is quite addictive to just stop at one.

Wok Fried Butter Prawn with Spices 4/5

The aroma from the butter and spices filled the air when the Wok Fried Butter Prawn with Spices ($23.50) was brought to the table. It was so good that you can eat the whole thing together with the shells.

Ikan Otah Kukus 4.2/5

One of the must try dish at Pagi Sore has to be the Ikan Otah Kukus. This is so special and unique. A whole leather jacket fish is steamed in sweet potato leaf with a new blend of spicy paste and coconut milk. What is even more interesting is that the fish is boneless!

To be frank, never would I expect to find a restaurant in the roof top of an industrial building. It is sort of a hidden gem. The place is spacious and windy, especially at night. There is also ample parking lots. Although the address is Tagore Lane, I would recommend going via Tagore Road which is nearer.


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Pagi Sore Indonesian Restaurant
Entrepreneur Centre
50 Tagore Lane
#05-07
Singapore 787494
Tel: +65 65112942
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pagisore
Website: http://www.pagi-sore.com/index.html
Nearest MRT: Ang Mo Kio (NS Line), Marymount (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Marymount MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Upper Thomson Road towards SPC Petrol Kiosk direction. Take bus number 167 or 980 across the road (Stop ID B53021). Alight 10 stops later. Cross the road to Tagore Road. Walk along the road to destination. Journey time about 25 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Ang Mo Kio MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus interchange (Stop ID B54009). Take bus number 138 or 169. Alight 10 stops later.Cross the road to Tagore Road. Walk along the road to destination. Journey time about 25 minutes. [Map]