Brownice @ Sin Ming Centre (Upper Thomson)

I have heard of Brownice so much that I was actually looking forward to visit the place when Luke suggested going there for dessert after our lunch meet up. I am glad that Luke is back in Singapore again after leaving for Penang for a short while. Yes, Luke is back in the Singapore blog sphere documenting his hunt of the best vegetarian food. Brownice makes dairy free, vegan ice cream from organic brown rice milk, fruits and nuts. The healthier and low fat choice is as yummy as the other ice parlours around the island.

Tofu Crumble Pizza 3/5

Besides ice cream, Brownice also has other items such as pizza and waffles on the menu. I tried the Tofu Crumble Pizza ($11.80) which is a thin crust pizza topped with tofu and vegan nut cheese. The flavours stood out for me especially the vegan nut cheese. However I felt the pizza base was stale, probably oven from some instant dough. Saying that, I also noticed that Brownice has posted on the facebook that they have improved the pizza quality and indeed looks better than my visit. I look forward in trying their improved recipe as well as the different new flavours they have introduced such as the Fish Curry, Middle Eastern Hummus and English Breakfast etc.

Waffles 3/5 with 2 Scoop of Ice Cream 4/5

The Waffles ($3.50) is freshly made and drizzled with organic chocolate fudge. The waffle itself was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I had 2 scoops of ice cream ($5.90) to go with the waffles and I went for the Peanut Butter Caramel and Dark Chocolate. The ice cream surprisingly is really creamy and flavourful. The dark chocolate was my favourite for its intense rich chocolate flavour.

Mudpie 4.2/5

The Mudpie ($9.80) made with smooth French and hazelnut chocolate ice cream, served on a bed of brown rice crisps and topped with dark chocolate ganache and caramelised sea salted almond is a must try if you are into chocolate. Chocolatey and nutty, these combination is simply heaven. However I thought it was a bit pricey for the portion that is served.

Even thought the ice creams at Brownice is diary free, you would not really taste the different as it still comes with that creamy and smooth texture. Moreover the selections of flavours are extensive with interesting flavours such as Banana Oats, Lemongrass Tea Sorbet, Pumpkin Coconut, just to name a few. The best is that even lactose intolerant people can now enjoy these ice creams!


Brownice
Sin Ming Centre
8 Sin Ming Road
#01-03
Singapore 575628
Tel: +65 64566431
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrowniceIceCream
Website: http://www.brownice.com/
Nearest MRT: Upper Thomson (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1pm - 11pm
Sat-Sun: 12pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Upper Thomson MRT station. Take Exit 3. Walk to Jalan Todak Road. Turn left onto Jalan Todak. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Chabuton @ 313 Somerset

And yet another ramen chain from Japan has landed on our shore. Chabuton is the brainchild of the first ramen chef to ever receive a Michelin star. The prestigious ramen chain from Japan has finally opens its first outlet in 313 Somerset, Singapore. The Chabuton chain currently has 9 outlets in Japan and 14 outlets in Thailand.

Miso Char Siew Ramen 4.2/5

I ordered the Miso Char Siew Ramen ($15.90) which the pork bone soup is flavoured with Uki-kouji miso topped with char siew and Japanese leek. A different at Chabuton is customer gets to choose how they want their ramen and broth to be prepared. Customer has the choice of customizing their texture of the noodle, the amount of oil and salt level. I had the normal levels and it was ideal for me. The saltiness of the miso broth and the delectable bite from the springy noodles made it a slurping good bowl of ramen. I also like the generous slice of the char siew.

Tonkotsu Ramen 4/5

The signature at Chabuton is their Tonkotsu Ramen ($8.30/$11.90) that comes in a rich and creamy pork bone soup topped with char siew and Japanese leek. Compared to other tonkotsu broths I have tried, the version at Chabuton was not as rich and salty. Nevertheless it was still a good hearty and comforting bowl of ramen.

Shio Char Siew Ramen 3.5/5

For those that prefer a light broth base ramen, the Shio Char Siew Ramen ($15.40) will be a good choice. The salt flavoured pork bone soup ramen topped with extra char siew and Japanese leek tasted somewhat like a bowl of Chinese noodle. The soup is not as rich and intense compared to the tonkotsu and miso.

Shoyu Zaru Ramen 3/5

Beside a hot bowl of ramen, Chabuton offers Shoyu Zaru Ramen ($10.50/11.90) which is cold ramen served with Japanese soy sauce soup. The cold noodle has a more chewy texture. To eat, dip the noodles into the soy sauce soup. I thought the soup tasted similar to our beef noodle soup. An interesting way to enjoy the ramen.

Ika Karaage 3/5

On top of the different ramens, Chabuton also offers a decent selection of side dishes on the menu. The Ika Karaage or Fried Squid ($5) would go well with a glass of beer. Although fried to a nice crisp and not oily, I thought the dish was mediocre.

Kaki Fry 3.8/5

I actually quite enjoyed the Kaki Fry or Fried Oyster ($6). The light batter gave the exterior a crumbly crisp while the juiciness of the fresh oyster was retained inside.

Hitokuchi Gyoza 2.8/5

The Hitokuchi Gyoza ($5) was a disappointment for me. The odd shape gyoza somehow lost that satisfying proportion of dumpling skin to the pork filling ration. In short, the experience felt as if there were too little fillings in the gyoza.

Soup Gyoza 4/5

The Soup Gyoza ($5) on the other hand fares better than the Hitokuch Gyoza. I could taste the sweetness of the pork stuffing wrapped in a smooth and soft dumpling skin.

Char Siew Don 3/5

The Char Siew Don ($4) was a good alternative to the ramen if you needed something more filling. While it is enjoyable, I thought the char siew was sliced too thin and the rice was short of the vinegar seasoning.

Overall I think the ramen at Chabuton is pretty good. I preferred the miso to tonkatsu ramen even though the later is their signature. If you do not like that very rich and salty tonkatsu broth, then this bowl of ramen will be good for you.


Chabuton
313 Somerset
313 Orchard Road
#B2-01
Singapore 238895
Tel: +65 66368335
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chabutonsg
Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
1130am - 10pm

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