Monday, May 2, 2022

Pang's Hakka Noodles @ Sprout Hub (Henderson Road) - Traditional Hakka Food By Ex-Antoinette Chef

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I have known Chef Pang back in the dates at Antoinette. After the closing of Antoinette, he has moved on to open Pang's Hakka Noodles, from a restaurateur to being a hawker. I recently paid a visit to his stall at Sprout Hub at Henderson Road.

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Hakka Noodles with Scholar Soup 4.2/5

I had the Hakka Noodles with Scholar Soup ($5.50) which comes with a bowl of soup on the side that consists of radish, fishball, pig's liver, minced pork and pork slices. The tale has it that Hakka mothers during the ancient Qing Dynasty dish cooked the dish for their children taking the imperial exam. It even comes with three cuts of pork, symbolising the top three places in the imperial exam. The highlight to me is the noodle texture that has a delightful bite tossed in a homemade minced pork sauce, and crispy pork lards.

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Hakka Red Wine Chicken Noodle Soup with Egg 4/5

On the menu, a traditional Hakka dish is the Hakka Red Wine Chicken Noodle Soup with Egg ($8). The red wine broth is not as strong, making it more drinkable. On top of the soft and silky mee sua, the bowl of slurping goodness comes with black fungus, tau kwa, tau kee, egg and chicken.

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Hakka Fried Wings 4/5

To complete the meal, you can add on the Hakka Fried Wings ($4 for 2pc) marinated in fermented red beancurd. What sets the chicken wings apart is that extra crunch that is extremely crispy.

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Hakka Braised Pork Rice 3.8/5

Chef Pang has also recently launched the Hakka Braised Pork Rice ($7), which comes with braised pork belly, braised tau kwa, braised egg and salted vegetable. The braised sauce is on the sweeter side, which is tasty when mixed with the fluffy white rice. I only wish the braised meat could be fatter.

I am glad to see Chef Pang holding the torch for traditional Hakka food. It is a cuisine that is not commonly available nowadays. Furthermore, the tasty food is reasonably priced, allowing more people to try traditional Hakka cuisine.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


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Pang's Hakka Noodles
Sprout Hub
102 Henderson Road
Singapore 159562
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Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line), Redhill (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon, Wed-Fri: 9am - 3pm
Sat: 11am - 4pm
Sun: 9am - 4pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Redhill MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Redhill MRT station (Stop ID 10209). Take bus number 132 or 145. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 14 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Tiong Bahru MRT station (Stop ID 10161). Take bus number 16 or 851. Alight 3 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Sunday, May 1, 2022

Tanglin Cookhouse @ Tanglin Mall - Modern Colonial-style Restaurant Offering Western and Asian Inspired Dishes

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Tanglin Cookhouse at Tanglin Mall is a modern colonial-style restaurant serving Western and Asian-inspired dishes that best represent the dynamics between British culture and local flavours.

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Here in the evening, you get to start with some tippers from the bar. We had Gin and Tonic - Berries Wonders with Widges London Dry Gin ($20) and a Moonshot Martini with Boutique-y Gin Company Moonshot Gin ($20) under the Special Gin Cocktails list. I recommend the latter, which allures with floral notes.

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Vine Tomato Salad with Fresh Burrata Cheese 3/5

We started the dinner with Vine Tomato Salad with Fresh Burrata Cheese ($25.90). The salad was covered with an abundance of puffed kombu quinoa and a generous handful of pine nuts. The pairing of pillowy burrata with crunchy elements set this salad apart from the usual.

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Tanglin Scotch Egg 2.8/5

Next, we had the much loved Tanglin Scotch Egg ($16.90), served with Purple cabbage slaw and pickled mustard seeds. Both the slaw and tangy mustard seeds cut the richness of the meat, but I find its gaminess a tad too much.

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Salmon Wellington 4.5/5

We had Salmon Wellington ($26.90) and Grandmother's Roasted Chicken ($25.90) for the main. My favourite was the former. I loved the warm smell of the dill when it was served, and slicing the buttery puff into half unveiled an incredibly moist slab of salmon fillet. It was plain delicious with the side of lemon dill beurre blanc.

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Grandmother's Roasted Chicken 3.8/5

The latter features a 1/2 spatchcock chicken with onion gravy and Yorkshire pudding. The chicken was tender with very nicely roasted skin, adding to its flavour. The onion gravy was superb, complementing the meat exceptionally well. However, the Yorkshire pudding was slightly burnt, and the green peas were somehow cloyingly sweet.

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Sticky Date Pudding 3/5

For a sweet ending, the warm Sticky Date Pudding ($14) was comforting with English toffee sauce, with added nutella soil for texture. What's different about Tanglin Cookhouse's pudding is that it is served with papadam and coconut ice cream to give a savoury, tropical vibe. I enjoy the sweet-savoury play on this classic typical dessert. However, the pudding itself can be 'stickier', and the papadam was a bit limp when we had it, which affected the overall experience of this dish.

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Eton Mess Trifle 3/5

We also had Eton Mess Trifle, a rather romantic dessert made by layering basil macerated strawberries, meringue and vanilla chantilly cream. The tangy strawberries brought the trifle a refreshing and herbaceous burst of acidity. However, less sweet would have been better.

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.


Tanglin Cookhouse
Tanglin Mall
163 Tanglin Road
#01-106
Singapore 247933
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Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard Boulevard (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 9am – 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard Boulevard MRT station. Take Exit 1. Walk straight down Grange Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]