SEN Restaurant and Bar @ Geylang Road

After the discovery of Saigon Vietnamese Delicacy at Geyland Road, I met up with Chenyze and Bee Bee to check out another Vietnamese restaurant just across the road in SEN Restaurant and Bar. Chenyze has been telling me about this place and I was looking forward to find more from her recommendation.

Grilled Shrimp Surimi 4/5

We started off with the Grilled Shrimp Surimi ($7.90). Hailing from Hue region, the grilled shrimp surimi is wrapped around a sugarcane stick. A yummy starter to kick start the lunch. One can actually suck on the sugarcane stick to cleanse the palate.

Grilled Pork Rice Vermicelli Dry 4/5

For Vietnamese noodle dish, patrons usually go for the Pho but Vietnamese dry rice vermicelli is also quite popular too. The Grilled Pork Rice Vermicelli Dry ($12.90) comes with a mixture of fried spring rolls, fresh vegetables, grilled pork with rice vermicelli. To eat, pour the sauce and mix well to enjoy the smooth and silky rice vermicelli in a mix of sweet, sour and spicy.

Special Mixed Beef Noodle 4.2/5

A must try at SEN restaurant is their Special Mixed Beef Noodle ($14.90). Served with rice noodle in a robust beef broth and brewed with the finest Vietnamese spices. The Pho Bo is served with tender sliced beef, beef balls, beef brisket and a side garnish of Asian basil, long parsley, bean sprouts, lime, chilli sauce and black bean sauce. The noodle was smooth and silky, the broth was robust and tasty, it was a great bowl of pho that is both comforting and hearty.

Vietnamese Sandwiches 3/5

Vietnamese Sandwich or Banh Mi is another staple Vietnamese cuisine. Three different types of banh mi are served here. Chicken ($7.90), Mixed Ham ($7.90) and BBQ Pork ($8.20). The French influenced baguette sandwich is completed with fries and salad which is quite an substantial meal. While I applauded the flavourful and well marinated bbq pork, the baguette was a let down for me. It was hopefully for something that is more toasty and filled with more salads.

Tofu Pasted Duck Soup 4/5

The Tofu Pasted Duck Soup ($12.90) caught my attention as it is something unique. A family recipe inherited by the chef from her grandfather, this is a rare dish even in Vietnam. The duck was cooked to a nice tender soft. The soup with homemade tofu paste served with silky rice vermicelli has a complex flavour that is somewhat rich, sweet and comes with hint of sourness that is very delectable.

Overall I have enjoyed the food at SEN restaurant. The restaurant is pretty hard to be spotted from the outside due to its dark exterior. However once you step inside, a warm and pretty interior welcomes. SEN restaurant also has pretty decent lunch set offer at $14.90 that comes with 2 courses and a drink.


SEN Restaurant and Bar
704 Geylang Road
Singapore 389620
Tel: +65 68415653
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SenBarRestaurant
Website: http://www.sen.com.sg
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 12midnight
Sat-Sun: 12pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
Alight at Paya Lebar MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk towards the junction of Paya Lebar Road and Geylang Road. Cross the road at the junction and turn right onto Geylang Road Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

So Pho @ JEM

I got to know about So Pho when it opened an outlet at Nex Shopping Mall. I did know that they have another outlet at JEM in the West until my recent visit. The Vietnamese restaurant occupies quite a big space at the basement of JEM. The spacious place with its causal ambience and affordable pricing will be a welcome choice for shoppers at JEM.

Mixed Appertiser 4/5

The Mixed Appertiser ($10.80) consists of prawn cake, summer roll and fried spring roll. A good starter to whet up the appetite allowing one to try a bit of everything. I am not quite a fan of summer roll or Vietnamese roll because I usually find them too bland for my liking. However the execution of the Vietnamese roll here was quite good and flavourful.

Vietnamese Drip Coffee with Condense Milk 4/5

I got myself a cup of Vietnamese Drip Coffee with Condense Milk ($3.80) for my daily needed caffeine dosage. The coffee is on the sweet side due to the condense milk, you can request to have just black coffee too.

Cha Ca La Vong 3.5/5

Apparently this is quite a famous Hanoi street food known as Cha Ca La Vong ($10.80). It is fish fillet with lemongrass and dill served in a hotplate with rice vermicelli. I am not too sure how to eat this. I just take a bit of everything and ate them together like a wrap. It was nice but missing the wow factor for me. Saying that, this is the first time I am introduced to this Vietnamese dish.

Ga Bam Xuc Banh Da 3.8/5

Another interesting dish I tried is the Sesame Rice Crackers served with Basil Leaves Chicken ($10.80). To enjoy the dish, cracked a piece of the rice cracker and topped with some minced chicken. I felt that the rice cracker and minced chicken somewhat did not complement each other to make it a complete dish.

Pho Dac Biet 4.5/5

The Mixed Vietnamese Pho ($9.80) at So Pho is definitely one of the better ones I had in Singapore. The soup scented with cinnamon star anise, ginger and spices is robust and rich. The noodle is also silky smooth. Together with the slice beef, brisket and beef balls, the bowl of noodle soup is packed with beautiful flavours. This is one dish I will order again.

Overall I think So Pho offers pretty good Vietnamese food at wallet friendly prices. What is interesting in So Pho is that they have other interesting items in the menu that is not commonly offer at other Vietnamese eateries. Vietnamese cuisine is not just about their spring rolls and pho but beyond that.


So Pho
JEM
50 Jurong Gateway Road
#B1-08
Singapore 608549
Tel: +65 63390938
Nearest MRT: Jurong East (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Jurong East MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes [Map]

Saigon Vietnamese Delicacy @ Geylang Road

I felt like I was going to a blind date when I went to check out Saigon Vietnamese Delicacy located near Geylang Lorong 39 with Ian and Philip. It was not because of the boys but the fact I have no idea how my dinner experience will turned out. The internet has not been very helpful as there were basically no reviews about the food here. Will I discover a gem or just a waste of my calories? A big blue signage of the restaurant welcomes my arrival. Stepping into the restaurant it felt as if time has stalled in the 80s. The decor is very simple with white wall tiles, ceiling fans, wooden table and chairs.

Sour Spicy Mango Salad 3.8/5

After some recommendation by the owner, we started with the Sour Spicy Mango Salad ($4.50). The shredded mango was served chilled with topping of peanuts and dried shrimps. The salad has a good mix of tanginess and sweetness with the delectable crunch to it. Compare to the Thai mango salad, this is more subtle in flavours. I am not sure whether it is common for keropoks (prawn crackers) to be served in a Vietnamese salad dish but I am not complaining about it.

Fried Spring Rolls, Cha Gio 4.2/5

Next we have the Fried Spring Rolls, Cha Gio ($4.50). Instantly we noticed the spring roll skin is different from those we normally get elsewhere. The spring roll skin was crispy and has a chewy texture that was very enjoyable. I also enjoyed the fact that the spring roll is stuffed with ground meat instead of vegetable.

Seafood Spring Rolls, Goi Cuon 3.5/5

After getting excited over the fried spring roll, we made an extra order for the Seafood Spring Roll, Goi Guon ($2.80) We wanted to confirm that this humble eatery is the real thing. At a glance, we can see how thin the rice paper wrapped the fresh roll of rice vermicelli, prawn and vegetable. It was served with a spicy nutty dipping sauce that helped to accentuate the flavours.

Vietnamese Shaking Beef with Rice 3/5

This dish has an interesting name, Vietnamese Shaking Beef with Rice ($6.50). I asked the owner why the name "shaking". He replied that it was because of the cooking action of tossing the wok hence the name. The beef was very tender but the sauce was a bit too sweet and acquire for our liking.

Vietnamese Crab & Tomato Soup 4.5/5

When we mentioned Vietnamese cuisine, the first thought probably will be Pho or Vietnamese Roll. Lately I have started to appreciate the rice vermicelli soup which is not as popular with Singaporean. At Saigon Vietnamese Delicacy, you can try the Vietnamese Crab & Tomato Soup ($6). The restaurant gets their rice vermicelli from Vietnam directly. The quality was pretty obvious, it was not clumpy and the texture was silky. The tangy broth of fish sauce and tomato is further elevated with a few squeeze of the lime and some chopped red chilli. This is my favourite dish for the night.

Vietnamese Rice Noodles with BBQ Pork & Vegetables 4/5

The Vietnamese Rice Noodles with BBQ Pork & Vegetables ($5.80) basically is a dry version of enjoying the rice noodles. The flavourful BBQ pork was well marinated with a nice hint of smokey flavour. The bowl of rice noodles also comes with pieces of the fried spring rolls with ate earlier. To enjoy the rice noodles, poured the sauce spicy sweet sauce into bowl and give it a good toss.

Vietnamese Pancake, Banh Xeo 4/5

I was told that this is one of their most popular dish, Vietnamese Pancake, Banh Xeo ($7). The huge pancake was served with fresh lettuce. My photo did not do justice to the texture of the egg omelette. The egg omelette was as thin as a sheet of paper with a delectable crisp to it. Inside the pancake, there are bean sprouts and prawns. To savour the dish, have a bite of everything and wrapped it with the lettuce. It was quite an interesting and fun dish.

As the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover. To my earlier question, will I discover a gem or just a waste of my calories? I have discovered a hidden gem. The food here may not be of fine dining quality but it is cooked with passion keeping it as authentic as possible. Like my friend Ian puts it, the food remembers him of his Vietnam trip to the village. That says a lot about the food here.


[CLOSED]
Saigon Vietnamese Delicacy
749 Geylang Road (Near Lorong 39)
Singapore 389655
Tel: +65 96804363
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaigonVietnamDelicacy
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1pm - 4am

Direction:
1) Alight at Paya Lebar MRT station. Take Exit D. Walk towards the junction of Paya Lebar Road and Geylang Road. Turn right at junction. Continue onto Geylang Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

NamNam Noodle Bar @ Wheelock Place

Following the opening of NamNam Noodle Bar at the basement of Raffles City Shopping Centre on 15 October 2012, the casual restaurant spin off from the Les Amis Group's Annam Vietnamese Cuisine opened its 2nd outlet at the basement of Wheelock Place in November 2012. The casual Vietnamese noodle bar features 11 bowls of Vietnamese noodles lifted from the streets of different regions in Vietnam. Apart from noodles, NamNam Noodle Bar serves the French inspired baguettes also known as Banh Mi.

Lime Soda 3.8/5

Upon settling down we ordered our beverages. We had the Lime Soda ($3) which was served in a nostalgic metal mug.

Pho Wagyu Beef Slices 4/5

Since this is a Vietnamese noodle bar, we have to try their Pho. Currently there are 5 different bowls of Pho available in their menu. I odered the Pho Wagyu Beer Slices ($16.90) which is the most expensive in the menu. Came with slices of beautiful Wagyu beef that was cooked by the delicious broth. The intense broth was boiled for at least 24 hours. The rice noodle was also firm and smooth. My girlfriend felt that the soup was a bit sour but I liked the soury from the lime and the fish sauce.

Mouse Tail Noodle Soup 4/5

I was not aware that Vietnamese has mouse tail noodle in their cuisine. The noodle is similar to our chinese Mee Tai Mak and I always thought only the Chinese eats that. The Mouse Tail Noodle Soup ($9.90) apparently Vietnamese breakfast or supper staple. The bowl of mouse tail noodle soup came with fish balls and slices of pig leg meat. The soup was not as intense compared to the Pho soup. It was lighter and has a hint of garlic taste.

Fried Prawn & Pork Roll 4/5

The Fried Prawn & Pork Roll ($4.90) was deep fried to a nice crisp with a nice balanced of flavours in the filling.

Caramelised 5 Spice Pork Belly, Pork Pate Banh Mi 3.8/5

My first Banh Mi was actually in Melbourne and I fell in love with it. I was looking forward to have it in Singapore but none has excited my palate. The Caramelised 5 Spice Pork Belly, Pork Mate Banh Mi ($5.90) at NamNam Noodle Bar came close but the baguette was not as crisp and the proportion of the fluffy part is too much.

Vanilla Pudding, Palm Sugar Caramel 3.5/5

I will call this the Vietnamese creme burlee, the Vanilla Pudding, Palm Sugar Caramel ($3.90). The dessert was extremely sweet and definitely one for the sweet tooth.

Chilled 3 Colour Dessert 4/5

The Chilled 3 Colour Dessert ($3.90) once again resembles another dessert, Red Ruby. A simple but yet flavourfully balanced dessert with chestnut, chendol, mung beans and corns.

The gentle on the the wallet Vietnamese bistro serves affordable Vietnamese street food with no service charge with all prices included GST. NamNam Noodle Bar also has great dining deals on weekdays. The Good Morning Vietnamnam Breakfast Set ($5.90) includes a Banh Mi and a drink while the 3 course Lunch Set ($9.90) includes a choice of chicken/beef Pho, 2 southern rolls and a drink.


NamNam Noodle Bar
Wheelock Place
501 Orchard Road
#B2-02
Singapore 238880
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/namnamnoodlebar/
Website: http://namnamnoodlebar.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheelock Place via ION. NamNam Noodle Bar is located at the end of the walkway beside the escalator at the basement of Wheelock Place. Journey time about 5 minutes.

Wrap & Roll @ The Star Vista

If you have been to Vietnam, you would probably heard of Wrap & Roll and dine there. I used to travel quite a bit to Ho Chi Minh City a couple of years back and I have enjoyed the food at Wrap & Roll which brings to the table authentic Vietnamese cuisine at a relax comtempoary ambience.

A couple of weeks back, I was checking out the new Star Vista Mall at Buona Vista and I was deciding where to have lunch when I chanced upon Wrap & Roll. I am glad someone has brought the restaurant to Singapore. Without a doubt, my lunch was decided.

Pho Beef in Steamed Rice Paper Roll and Minced Pork in Steamed Rice Paper Roll 4.2/5

Vietnamese cuisine is all about fresh vegetables & herbs, rice paper roll and fish sauce. After 2 years of research before they opened their first restaurant Feb 2006 in Vietnam, Wrap & Roll not only brings the 4 key elements of Vietnamese cuisine to the table but also the different styles of North, Central and South Vietnamese cuisines.

The rolls are the star of Wrap & Roll. The Singapore outlet seems to have lesser varieties compared to the Vietnam restaurants. Anyway, I tried the Taste of Hanoi (North Vietnam) rolls ($9.90). I preferred the fresh vegetables and herbs of the Pho Beef in Steamed Rice Paper Roll to the Minced Pork in Steamed Rice Paper Roll. The latter with the minced pork stuffing and pork floss on top resembles those Chee Cheong Fan we have for dim sum.

Grilled Pork Chop Rice with Salted Egg Pudding 3.8/5

My partner was famished so she ordered the Grilled Pork Chop Rice with Salted Egg Pudding ($12.90). The grilled pork was beautifully marinated and was very flavourful. Unfortunately it was a bit too dry to our likings. However we loved the salted egg pudding. It is similar to the Chinese's meatball and there is also chye poh in it.

Vietnamese Fish Noodle Soup 4.2/5

I was looking for something light as I had a heavy breakfast so I ordered the Vietnamese Fish Noodle Soup ($15.90). I called it the Vietnamese Yong Tau Foo. There were ingredients stuffed with fish pastes, fish balls, fish slices and vegetables in it. The Vietnamese rice vermicelli was firm and silky which was very delectable with the light and refreshing soup.

Here is a video of Wrap and Roll which I found online that will tell you more about the restaurant.


Wrap & Roll
The Star Vista
1 Vista Exchange Green
#B1-11
Singapore 138617
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wrap.roll.sg
Website: http://www.wrap-roll.com.sg/
Nearest MRT: Buona Vista (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 10am - 10pm
Fri-Sat: 10am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Buona Vista MRT station. Take exit A or C. Follow the shelved walkway and walk to Star Vista. Journey time about 5 minutes.

Pho 99 Vietnamese Delights @ Amoy Street

Pho 99 is a little Vietnamese restaurant tucked at the corner of Amoy Street just opposite Amoy Street Food Centre. Pho 99 serves authentic Vietnamese cuisine and you can also find Trung Nguyen Vietnamese drip coffee here.

The hot and steamy Pho with sliced beef and meatballs were as good as what I had in Vietnam. It also came with a side  plate of basil, sawtooth like herb, lime and chopped chilli which you can add to your likings.

Pho with Sliced Beef and Meatballs 4.2/5

Bun Thit Nuong is a simple and popular noodle dish in Vietnam. It consists of cold rice vermicelli mixed with fresh vegetables and topped with grilled/bbq pork chop. It is served in Nuoc Cham sauce a type of Vietnamese dipping sauce made mainly from fish sauce. My first impression of the noodle dish is Vietnamese rice roll unwrapped version. It tasted pretty good with the different textures. It is light, low fat, healthy and cool.

Bun Thit Nuong 4/5

To get here, alight at Tanjong Pagar and walk about 10 minutes to Amoy Street.



Pho 99 Vietnamese Delights
57/58 Amoy Street
Telok Ayer Conservation Area
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10am - 9pm
Sat-Sun: 10am - 8pm

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Melbourne Trip November 2010

I was back in Melbourne for 2 weeks in November. The office has moved to Chinatown area and there are a lot of good food there. One of the unforgettable food experience during this trip was the Vietnamese Beef Pho I ate at Mekong Restaurant at 241 Swanston Street.

The restaurant is quite popular and it was very crowded. I was surprised to find such good authentic Pho in Melbourne. It was as good as the Pho 2000 which I had in Ho Chi Minh City. The bean sprouts and basil was served separately from the bowl of beef Pho. You squeeze the lemon over the bean sprouts and basil, add the portion of your likings into the hot steamy soup and eat together with the Pho.

Lemon, Bean Sprouts and Basil

Beef Pho 4.5/5