Secret Recipe

Secret Recipe
Website: http://www.secretrecipe.com.sg/Default.asp

Secret Recipe has cheesecake, cheesecake and more cheesecakes. They have outlets at Holland Grove Road, Plaza Singapura, East Coast, Suntec City, Vivo City, etc. (check their website for more details).

I like their cheesecake for not having that heavy cheese taste (unlike some places which I shall not name). It’s light and yet cheesy enough so that I can take 2 slices at any one time. A slice of cheesecake will cost you around S$5 per slice and a whole cake goes for S$45.

Personally, I only ate once at a Secret Recipe at Marina Square here. I always get my fix in the City Square (City Square, MB-02, Level B1, JB City Square, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, Johor Bahru, tel: 07-2248110, Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm daily) coz it’ll cost me RM5.50 per slice there. Instant 50% discount.

Oh, did I mention that you must try their chicken cornish (RM6.80) too? The spicy one tastes a bit like our curry puff but with more chicken bits. To fill yourself up, you can have a chicken cornish and a slice of cheesecake for a grand price of RM12.30 (excluding taxes and service charges)!

Secret Recipe is well known for their cheesecake and cakes, which means you should never try their main courses, e.g. western food or something. I did try once and well, I’ll stick to their cheesecake.

Tong Heng Confectionary

Tong Heng Confectionary

• 285 South Bridge Road
  Tel: 6223 0398
  Opening Hours: 9.30am to 10pm
• #B1-10 Jurong Point Shopping Centre
  Tel: 6794 6292
  Opening Hours: 10am to 10pm

They are famous for their lao po bing (wives’ cakes), custard tarts and other traditional pastries.

Personally, I only go for their custard tarts which come in a diamond shape rather than the usual round ones. I love it for its crispy shell and the smooth custard inside the shell. Needless to say, their custard tarts sell out fast, so it’s advisable to go early before they run out.

Original Pillow Cake/Brownies

Original Pillow Cake/Brownies
Far East Square #01-01
(In front of Lingzhi Restaurant)
Tel: 9684 2389 (Ms Tina Lau)
Operating Hours: From 11am until the cakes are sold out (usually by 1pm); closed on Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays

You don’t even need to take a bite to realise why these sponge cakes are called pillow cakes. Shaped like loaves of bread, these fluffy cakes are amazingly soft and springy to the touch. They’re tasty too - soft and with just a hint of sweetness so you can eat as much of it as you like without feeling jelak (cloying in Malay).

The pillow cakes (S$4.20 per loaf; comes in 2 flavours - original vanilla and mocha) were originally sold at the now-defunct OA Bakery at People’s Park. Now, they can be found at a non-descript pushcart stall at Far East Square located outside the Ling Zhi Vegetarian Restaurant.

They also have brownies/cookies which comes in a pack of 2 for S$1.60. But it’s their pillow cakes which are sold out fast each day. Go early!

Chewy Junior

Chewy Junior
Blk 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza #01-18
(Next to Chocolat N’ Spice)
Tel: 6222 8867

The shop sells a kind of little puff (something similar to that papa puff), with a topping on the top. There are 10 types of topping to choose from (see Chewy Junior Menu). They also have an additional flavor:- CJ Almond Cookies Crunch (@ S$1.00 each).

Prices range from S$0.80 for the chewy original to S$1.00 for the rest of the flavors. Buy 6 @ S$5.00 (save S$1.00) or buy 9 @ $7.50 (save S$1.50).

I had the kaya flavored one last Saturday. The kaya topping is not bad but the vanilla filling in the puff is way too little compared to Beard Papa. You barely got to taste the vanilla filling until mid-way through the puff and it’s really little. Overall, a good snack to have but I won’t go for it again and again and again.

Provence

Provence

• 17A Lorong Liput, Holland Village
  Tel: 6467 6966
  Website: http://www.provence.com.sg/
  Opening Hours: 9.30am to 8.30pm, Mon to Fri; 8.30am to 8.30pm, Sat & Sun
• Petit Provence
  #B1-29 Central Shopping Centre
  6 Eu Tong Sen Street
  Tel: 6534 9029
  Website: http://www.provence.com.sg/petit/index.html
  Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm daily

It may be called Provence, but its European breads are given a Japanese twist. Owned by qualified Japanese baker Yoshiaki Matsumoto, 36, the bakery employs seven Japanese and local bakers in its kitchen behind. It uses high-quality wheat imported from France, and every loaf is measured, mixed, kneaded and finished by hand.

The Petite Provence at Central Shopping Centre has less variety - just cream & choco wasant and petit chocolat chocolat. Just 50 cents each and you can finish a single one in 2 bites.

The Provence at Holland Village has walnut raisins, chocolate twist, koshi an pan, milk bun, light pound cake, cheese bun, cream cheese seasame, walnut cream cheese and chocol & cream wassant.

Our advice is to call ahead and reserve the buns/wassant and collect it later. Else be prepared to have them tell you “Sorry, we ran out!”.

Rich and Good Cake Shop

Rich and Good Cake Shop
24 Kandahar Street
Tel: 6294 3324

THIS shop isn’t in the heartlands, but it’s still not where you’d expect to get such delicious durian swiss rolls made with real D24 durians. Customers come from the far ends of the island to buy them. They have also have other flavors like strawberry, pandan (see picture above), etc.

The bakery is now in its 16th year of business. Owner Lily Liu, 63, plans to pass on the shop to her children, in true heartlander fashion.

Cost is from S$10-S$12 for a box of 2 swiss rolls.

Cake Avenue

Cake Avenue
33 Lorong Kilat #01-01
Kilat Centre
Tel: 6877 9008
Website: http://www.cakeavenue.com/
Opening Hours: 11am to 8pm, Mon to Sat; 11am to 6pm, Sun; closed on last Monday of each month

What caught my eye about this cake shop is their beautiful cupcakes. They are so beautiful that you really don’t feel like eating them. I’ve put some of the pictures above, so you can see for yourself.

Prices range from S$15.00 for 6 pieces of vanilla flavoured cupcakes to S$25.00 for 10 pieces of assorted flavours, right up to S$40.00 for 9 pieces. You can find the prices and designs on their website.

They also sell the usual cakes, cheesecakes, wedding cakes and even first month give aways.

Baked Ideas

Baked Ideas
Website: http://halfbaked-ideas.com/

I know what you’re thinking. You’re just cupcaked out. Cannot look at another one, much less eat it. Maybe this one will revive your appetite.

This dark beauty from Baked Ideas, an Internet baking business, has everything going for it – soft fluffy cake and a yummy chocolate ganache topping crowned with a velvety raspberry. The cake isn’t too sweet, which is a good thing since the ganache is unabashedly so. But there is just enough, so it isn’t terribly cloying.

Two women are the brains behind the business – Karen Huang, 33, who runs a graphic design business, and Joanna Ong, 35, who works in the finance industry.

Aside from cupcakes, they also offer a chocolate cake called, quite endearingly, the Plain Jane Chocolate Loaf Cake. I found it too sweet, but the soft, crumbly texture was good. There is also a decorate-it-yourself Gingerbread Man kit, which comes with unadorned cookies and little pots of icing. Perfect for kids’ parties.

The cupcakes go for S$25-S$35. The Plain Jane Chocolate Loaf Cake (see above picture) goes for S$40 per pack of 5. They have other bakes like Raspberry Chocolate Pavlova/Pavlova with Mixed Berries and Creme Anglais (S$40 each), Cranberry and Pistacho Biscotti (S$25 for 320g) and Biscotti di Prato (S$20 for 320g).

Delivery service has been suspended until further notice. You can pick up your order from either Chip Bee Gardens or Sixth Avenue when it’s ready. Details will be given to you upon confirmation of your order.

To place your order, call either please call Karen (9747 2908) or Joanna (9749 3454).

C-Cup

C-Cup
Tel: 9229 6109
Website: www.c-cup.biz
Opening Hours: Last order is at 5pm, Mon to Fri; closed on Monday
Please note that C-Cup will not be taking any more order until 2 Oct 2007.

Ad-man-by-day, Mervyn Chan’s cups overfloweth. He and his partner, David Logie, fill their decadent desserts with maraschino cherries, mandarin slices and Belgian waffle crusts. These are covered in whorls of butter cream that will send your self-control crumbling and make you look horribly undignified as you lick up the crumbs from the wrappers.

The cupcakes cost S$3 for 2.5 inch and S$6 for 4 inch except for C-Cup signature which costs S$7 for 4 inch.

To place an order for the cupcakes, click here.

• Minimum order of $30. Excluding delivery charge of $10 to single location (free for orders above $80).
• Minimum order quantity of two cupcakes per flavour, excluding CCÛP Signature (see 1st picture above).
• Orders to be placed at least three (3) working days prior to delivery.

Hot Fuchsia

Hot Fuchsia
Tel: 9662 9065 (Beng Li Sher, Chef de patisserie)
Website: www.hotfuchsia.com

Hot Fuchsia is a “boutique” caterer & event planner in Singapore specializing in unique and delicious culinary creations and effecting memorable events. Delight in a myriad of tasty canapés and hors d’oeuvres, sumptuous dishes or pleasure yourself with their wicked looking chocolate pastries and cakes. Enjoy a wide range of delicacies designed to whet, excite, and arouse your taste buds.

Their catering team has a variety of skills, allowing us to offer an array of services in addition to their catering, including customized specialty cakes and desserts, gourmet dinners cooked to order at private homes or party sites, delivered heat-and-serve meals and floral decoration.

Whether you’re planning an intimate dinner for six, a cocktail party, a kid’s party or an elaborate celebration for 200, contact them now and find out what other gastronomical enticements await you…

Pateli's Crave

Pateli’s Crave
Blk 637 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6
Tel: 8163 7852
Opening Hours: 9.30am to 7pm, Mon to Sat; closed on Sundays and Public Holidays
Website: www.pateliscrave.com

Heaven forbid you lose that svelte figure. Fortunately, you can stuff your face and still maintain your waistline with the incredibly light, fluffy Holy Muffins and cupcakes from this store. Elizabeth uses corn oil instead of butter so they’re healthier and still pretty palatable. The cupcakes taste better without the icing, though, which lacks richness and is too greasy.

You can also have your photos printed on the cupcake (see 1st picture above). They also do wedding-cupcake-in-a-box (see last picture above), which is great for your guests to bring home instead of the usual ho-hum presents.

Cupcakes start from S$2.50 onwards, depending on the designs.

Nasi Lemak

Blk 6 Tanjong Pagar Plaza #02-40
Opening Hours: 6am to 2pm; closed on Sundays & Public Holidays

One of the tastiest nasi lemak I’ve ever tasted can be found in this stall at Tanjong Pagar. It’s managed by an old couple. For S$2, you can get the fragrant nasi lemak rice, egg, otah, chicken wing & kuning. Plus a delicious dolop of chilli.

Ellenborough Market Cafe

Level 1, Swissotel Merchant Court Hotel
20 Merchant Road
Tel: 6337 2288
Opening Hours: 7am to 10.30am (breakfast), Noon to 2.30pm (lunch) & 6.30pm to 10.30pm (dinner)
Website:http://www.swissotel.com/singapore-merchantcourt/z963/dining_01.html

Located on level one, this cafe is reminiscent of a traditional eatery in the early days of Singapore. Enjoy a delectable selection of all-time local favourites and international cuisine. The Ellenborough Market Cafe is synonymous with Peranakan cuisine - a cuisine so unique, one can only sample it in this part of the world. Choose to dine indoors, surrounded by old-world charm, or dine al fresco-style by the riverside promenade.

Must try items at this buffet is definitely the durian pengat (a sweet concoction of durian mousse) and their slipper lobster in black bean sauce. Don’t forget to try the kueh pie tee (bite sized “top hats” filled with turnip, egg, and prawn with sweet chili sauce (optional)) which is freshly made on the spot (meaning they put the ingredients into the kueh pie tee on the spot; not cook the ingredients on the spot).

Price is:-

1. Lunch: $26.90+++(adult) and $17.90(child)
2. Dinner: $32.90+++(adult) and $19.90+++(child) (weekdays)
3. Dinner: $33.90+++(adult) and $20.90+++(child) (weekends)
4. Please click here to see the cafe’s latest promotion.

• If you pay using UOB credit card, you get one free with every 3 paying adults (valid for buffet dinner from Monday to Thursday only) and one free with every 3 paying adults (valid for buffet breakfast and lunch from Monday to Sunday).
• If you pay using HSBC credit card, you get 15% off food bill. Valid until 31 December 2007.

Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant

Level 3, Quality Hotel
201 Balestier Road
Tel: 6254 0090
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 3pm (lunch) & 6pm to 10pm (dinner)
Website: http://www.qualityhotel.com.sg/index.html#top

Indulge in a lavish banquet that features an attractive spread of dishes, mostly handmade, for its buffet lunches and dinners. Savour the flavours of the wide range of Taiwanese vegetarian cuisine, which amazingly, remains creative and unique despite its variety. Make a pit stop at their “Dian Xin” Corner and revel in a sumptuous spread of “Dianxin” in Hong Kong, Taiwanese and Japanese styles. Don’t miss their weekend “eat-all-you-can” buffet lunches and dinners comprising of over 100 delicious varieties of cooked food. For those who prefer the homely aroma of wholesome soups, they would appreciate the painstakingly prepared stewed herbal soups. A bonus is that food is prepared avoiding deep frying methods, perfect for the health-conscious.

There is also an ice-cream station to which you can help yourself to unlimited servings. Free-flow beverages are also self-service. Available are a variety of soda, hot coffee, tea, and Chinese tea.

For a non-vegetarian like me, I truly enjoyed the cuisine that they served here. It's so tasty you wouldn't believe it's vegetarian. Personally, I really love their dianxin. A die-die must try would be their soup in puff pastry. Be fast... once the bowls of soup leave the kitchen, they disappear in a blink of an eye. Oh, you should also try their Japanese handroll. Yummy!

Thasevi Food

237 & 239 Jalan Kayu
Opening Hours: 24 hours; closed on last Tuesdays of the month and on Fridays for prayers from noon to 2.30pm

If you want crispy and THE roti prata, this is the place to go to. It’s the original Jalan Kayu roti prata since the 1960s and the one and only in Singapore, it insists. The crispy and cheese prata are good even when eaten on their own. Ask for the more delicious mutton or chicken curry rather than the one that normally comes with the prata. The stall also has tissue prata, which is extremely crispy, and prata with ice-cream and garlic. Expect to pay S$0.60 for a plain prata and S$1.20 for one with egg.

For the benefit of those who don’t know what roti prata is, it is composed of dough containing copious amounts of fat, egg, flour and water. The form of fat used is usually ghee (clarified butter). The entire mixture is kneaded thoroughly, flattened, oiled and folded repeatedly. It is then allowed to proof and rise, and the process is repeated. The final round of preparation consists of flattening the dough ball, coating it with oil and then cooking on a flat iron skillet with a lot of oil. The ideal roti is flat, fluffy on the inside but crispy and flaky on the outside.

Colbar Eating House

9A Whitchurch Road, Wessex Estate
Tel: 6779-4859Opening hours: 11am-10pm; closed on Mondays

Some call it run-down, while others appreciate its quaint laidback charm. Undoubtedly, Colbar is unlike any cookie-cutter food establishment you’ll find anywhere. A haven for beatniks and beer-chugging expats, this rickety shed in the middle of idyllic Wessex Estate is no frills and (no A/C). What it does have, is a rich history and a decent menu comprising Western and Asian fare.

Colbar closed its doors in 2003 to make way for a highway extension. Thanks to the petitions of Colbar regulars and the subsequent intervention of the Jurong Town Council (JTC), who wanted to preserve its colourful history, Colbar was replicated and relocated just a stone’s throw away from the old site. Built brick by brick and copied to close exact, Colbar reopened its doors last year looking no different from what it used to be.

For the food connoisseur, do not expect a gourmet meal here. The grub features lots of fry-ups like deep fat-fried chips, bangers and mash, burgers, fish and chips, omelettes and pork chops mostly below SGD 10, while steaks can go up to SGD 22.

What draws people to this secluded part of Singapore is the quiet open space away from prying eyes and reprieve from traffic. Time stands still here. Weekend family functions and rugby post-match luncheons are common sight here, while evenings see a gathering of white-collar workers, art buffs and couples who enjoy a tete-a-tete in the foyer overlooking the surrounding greenery.

Note: This review was extracted from Uniquely Singapore’s website.

Eng Seng Restaurant

241 Joo Chiat Place
Opening Hours: 5pm to 10pm, closed on Wednesdays

This is THE place to go if you want to eat pepper crabs. But you’ll queue up for more than an hour and some, for a table at this coffeeshop off Joo Chiat Road. Well known with East Coast denizens, Eng Seng attracts even locals from far-flung corners of Singapore with its signature Black Pepper Crabs. Call it crazy, but the 50 crab fiends who queue up to feed here every night can’t be all wrong, can they? Well Eng Seng die-hards swear the wait is well worth it. Bring along a couple of friends to stave off the waiting time, and before long you’ll be tucking into a well-deserved crab dinner.

Pasta Express

#02-42 Hong Lim Market and Food Centre
Tel: 9666 0417 (Chef Weldon Sim/Sean Sim)
Website: http://www.sbestfood.com/pastaexpress.htm

One of the few pasta stalls in hawker centres, Pasta Express sells a variety of pasta such as Spaghetti Marinara (mixed seafood in tomato sauce spaghetti), Fettuccine Carbonara (streaky bacon in cream and egg sauce fettuccine), Penne Arrabiata (spicy tomato sauce spaghetti), as well as western delights like Fish and Chips and Chicken Cutlet. Check their website for the full menu and prices.

The stall has been featured in local newspaper ‘Lian He Zao Bao’ as well as Channel U’s ‘Belly Belly Good’ programme.

Personally, I love the chicken cutlet (priced at S$4.50) and Spaghetti Pomodoro (priced at only S$3)! Check the website given above for more food items and prices.
I have never seen Chef Weldon Sim without his trademark cap but if you do, take a picture so I can post it here. It’ll be a gem!

Jade Room Restaurant - Tropical Peking Style Steamboat Buffet

#02-01 Hotel Royal
36 Newton Road
Tel: 6251 8135, 6254 8587, 6254 8603
Opening Hours: 11.30am to 3pm; 6.30pm to 11pm
Website: http://www.jaderoom.com.sg/profile.htm

Diners can choose from 32 items, including sea cucumber, fresh prawns and peking dumpling, which they then cook steamboat style. The dipping sauce in particular stands out. For those who want more, 10 cooked dishes are also available.

Prices are unbelievably good value for money:-

1. Lunch: $13.80+++(adult) and $9+++(child) (weekdays)
2. Lunch: $16.80+++(adult) and $9+++(child) (weekends, eves and public holidays)
3. Dinner: $18.80+++(adult) and $12+++(child) (weekdays)
4. Dinner: $19.80+++(adult) and $12+++(child) (weekends, eves and public holidays)

• If you pay using UOB Credit Card, you get 10% off a-la-carte menu.

Pine Garden's Cake

Block 529 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, #01-2329
Tel: 6457 6159
Opening Hours: 8.30am to 9.30am daily
Website: http://www.pgcake.com/

Pulut hitam, or black glutinous rice, is usually made into a pudding with rich coconut cream drizzled on top.

Pine Garden’s Cake in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 has turned it into a Pulut Hitam Cake. Soft vanilla sponge cake dotted with black rice is sandwiched with pulut hitam mousse. The cake is topped with the luscious black rice pudding, which manages to stay on the cake instead of sliding right off it.

It’s quite a feat and the result is a light and yummy cake that is a refreshing take on an old-time dessert.

Just as good is Cocotero, with an ever so slightly salty coconut custard pudding sandwiched between vanilla sponge. It’s like a cross between a classic Nonya kueh and a heavier version of a chiffon cake. The custard is shot through with strips of young coconut that add some texture and there’s more sprinkled on top. People who are put off by desiccated coconut, relax. This is quite different. Fresh young coconut just can’t be beat.

A 500g cake costs $24, and a 1kg one is $35. Call the above number at least 2 days in advance to order.

Note: This review was extracted from ST Foodies Club.

Spizza

Delivery hotline: 6377 7773
Website: http://www.spizza.sg/index.asp

They have 6 outlets in Singapore, so check their website for the nearest outlet if you want to dine in. Else, just call the delivery hotline. Minimum order is S$30. Deliveries are subject to delivery fees and GST in some cases (the operator will advise you of this). Delivery hours are from 11am to 2.30pm and from 6pm to 10pm daily.

There are 23 mouth-watering pizzas all named after Italian women, 9 scrumptious desserts named after famous female opera characters and 12 equally tantalizing starters named after the emperors of Rome. All pizzas are wood-baked, so you can get that fragrant woody taste in every bite of your pizza. All pizzas are also thin-crusted.

Medium pizzas ($15) generally serve 2-3, while large pizzas ($18) can satisfy 4 average diners.

I’ve tried their Adriano pizza (smoked salmon with onion rings and capers) and hmmm….. hmmm…. hmm….. I’m a convert now and I will only fall back on Pizza Hut only in case of emergency.

• If you pay using HSBC Credit Card, you get 15% off your bill. Valid till 31 December 2007.
• If you pay using OCBC Credit Card, you get 15% off your total bill with a min. spending of S$50. Valid till 30 September 2007.

Urban Pooch Cafe

530 Balestier Road #01-07, Monville Mansion
Tel: 6252 5046
Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm daily, closed on Mondays
Website: http://www.urbanpooch.com.sg/U_Pooch_Menu.html

Situated at a secluded corner of Balestier Road, is an airy local doggie paradise that any puppy worth its whiskers would love to visit. Featuring a playroom, gourmet fare, a small canine art collection and friendly humans dying to make a fuss of you, what more could a pooch ask for?

Conceived after repeated refused entries into restaurants, owner Raye Tan decided that enough was enough. Together with friends, they promptly set up an establishment that would welcome dog owners. Including a separate doggie menu that had been assiduously concocted after much research and consultations with local vets, owners can even order up some special treats like the hugely popular Blueberry cake ($2.50) for their doggie companions, much to standing ovations of approving yelps and growls.

The human fare is pretty decent too, with the lusciously fresh and crunchy signature Urban Pooch salad ($6.50) and the bountiful selection of their Sampling Plate ($6.50).For a more filling meal, diners would be well-advised to tuck into the Teriyaki Chicken Steak on Rice ($10.80) and the BBQ Pork Chops ($12.80), wholesome meals with equally wonderful flavors.

Other animals are definitely welcome here, but as owner of this doggy dominated café, Raye Tan describes the other non-canine customers as “…cat comes in cage, cat stays in cage, cat leaves in cage…” Highly deserving of a big paws up, Urban Pooch is a must-visit for any diner, dog-lover or pooch alike.

Note: This review was extracted from somewhere (I lost the link before I could copy it down).

Au Petit Salut

40C Harding Road (near Dempsey Road)
Tel: 6475 1976
Website: http://www.aupetitsalut.com/home/

I had the pleasure of dining here for lunch one fine day and the memory of its Burgundy snails remained with me till this day.

The set lunch is only S$25+++ per person (no sharing please)! For that amount you pay, you can pick an entree, main course, dessert (creme brulee is highly recommended) and regular coffee or tea. Excellent value for money for the kind of quality that we are served.

Go for the set lunch whenever you can coz the set dinner will cost you S$75+++ per person and for that price, you get an additional entree and better main course and desserts. But seriously, would you want to?

Their menu is listed on their website together with the prices (just like the restaurants in Paris where they display their menus prominently outside for diners to decide if they want to eat there or not).

18 Lorong Mambong, Holland Village
Tel: 6467 3662

The largest Vietnamese restaurant chain in North America with a customer base that captures the insatiable appetites of customers well beyond the Vietnamese has its Singapore outlet housed in the bohemian enclave of Holland Village . Pho Hoa is the place to go for a bowl of hot and tasty Vietnamese national soup commonly known as “Pho” (pronounced fuh). And since “Hoa” means “harmony” in Vietnamese, its name also exemplifies the way the restaurant chain markets itself: a friendly family style restaurant where one can enjoy an affordable and nutritious meal.

Pho Hoa offers a substantially uniform menu consisting of Vietnamese beef noodle soups. Principal entrée items include various grilled meats with rice or vermicelli and starters, in the form of spring and fried rolls, supplement the menu. There are also helpful images of the food for the uninitiated and they serve to both illustrate the items on the menu as well as educate guests on the various beef parts available as choices.

Knowing your meat is useful when you order their Adventurer’s Choice ($11.00). A potent mixture of various beef parts such as brisket, flank, and tendon amongst others, boiled in tasty hot soup, how could you even miss it? With four different combinations available, order your favourite parts and savour them with vermicelli in hot steaming soup. However, the noodles could be thinner and smoother and the flavour of the soup thicker, which is truly regrettable as pho is what we often identify Vietnamese cuisine with.

Ignore the jerky start and try out their Cha Gio ($2.95), which is a fried minced chicken and vegetable roll. Do remember to dip the roll into the sauce before you take that satisfying bite into its crispy skin. On the other hand, the Goi Cuon ($3.95) is quite a disappointment. Rolled with shrimp, chicken, salad and rice vermicelli, the vegetables seem a tad not fresh and even with the sauce, the taste remains limp.

The Com Ga Nuong ($8.00) and the Bun Ga Nuong ($9.95) refers to the Grilled Chicken and Grilled Beef respectively. They turned out to be the pillars of Pho Hoa as both were just scrumptious enough to lift spirits. Tender and succulent, and served with the usual combo of rice or vermicelli and a generous portion of vegetables, pho can well take a backseat in our minds for now!

Also deserving of compliments is their Banh Mi/ Pho Bo Kho ($8.00), Carrot Beef Stew served with Bread or Noodles. Chunks of juicy beef and carrots bathed in rich gravy will impress the discerning diner. Enticing to the palate and delightfully different from the soupy pho, it is a totally inviting item.

A highlight in their desserts selection is the Vietnamese version of our “Chendol”, the Che Ba Mau ($4.00), also known as the three colours drink. Besides being pleasing to the eye for its attractive colours, it also rejuvenates your senses with its sweet and refreshing taste. Made with coconut milk, sweet corn, and red bean amongst other ingredients, it simply is just irresistible!

Recommended:

1. Pho Noodle Soup with Beefsteak
2. Summer Roll & Fried Roll
3. Vermicelli Bowl

• If you pay using your HSBC Credit Card, you get 50% off first drink with any purchase of main course. Valid till 31 December 2007.

Note: This review was extracted from Street Directory.

Tiong Shian Porridge

265 New Bridge Road, Ann Kway Building
Tel: 6221 1596 / 6222 3911
Opening Hours: 7am to 2.30am, closed on alternate Mondays
Website: http://www.sbestfood.com/tiongshian.htm

In case you don’t know what is Tiong Shian porridge, I’ll mention that it’s the famous Chinatown porridge at the coffeeshop near the main road, and it’s very near the Chinatown food centre. Now do I hear a “orh, that one har?” Hehehe… oh yes, it’s that one lor. Now you know.

They have all kinds of porridge and since I’m not the kind to take frog porridge, I usually go for century egg (S$3.20 a bowl) or chicken porridge (S$2.70 a bowl). I also like their fried hoon chang (S$5 a plate).

My pet peeve about this place is having to find a seat. People and more people are everywhere and not a seat in sight for me. But since they’re open till very late (or very early in the morning), I guess you can wait and wait until someone finished his/her food and you finally get your seat.

Annalakshmi Vegetarian Restaurant

133, New Bridge Road #B1-02
Chinatown Point, Podium A
Tel: 6339 9993
Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm, Tue to Sun; 6pm to 10pm, Monday; closed on Monday mornings
Website: http://www.annalakshmi.com.sg/index.htm

Ok, this is an Indian vegetarian restaurant but before you dismiss it as another Indian restaurant, read again. In this restaurant, their motto is “Eat what you want and give as you feel”. This means that you can eat as much as you want (provided you finish every morsel that you order otherwise you sin?) and you pay whatever amount you feel. For e.g. you finish 10 plates of food and you feel like you should pay only S$1 (shame on you if you do that), you can be sure that you won’t be hounded by the police.

So if you feel like having Indian vegetarian food, why not pop into this restaurant and experience dining in a different way?

They also have an outlet at Amoy Street with slightly different opening hours. Check their website for details.

Mellben Seafood

#01-1222 Block 232 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3
Tel: 6285 6762

This shop is famous for their crab bee hoon / noodle soup. The dish is very much like fish head bee hoon except that it’s crab they use instead of fish. The crabs will set you back about S$40 per kg.

They have spun off a branch in Ang Mo Kio Block 233 (opposite the current one) called Uncle Leong’s Seafood (apparently opened by a disciple but not as good as this one). Again, don’t be deterred by the long queue.

Note: Thanks to KP for the recommendation!

Kueh Pie Tee From Red Lips Food

• Blk 3017, Bedok North St. 5, Gourmet East Kitchen, #06-32, Singapore 486121 Tel: 6448 1048 Fax: 6448 8439
• Email addy: contact@redlipsfoods.com
• Blk 429, Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, #11-2576, Singapore 560429 Tel: 6456 5928 Fax: 6552 3257
• Email addy: rochkoh@yahoo.com
• Website: http://www.redlipsfoods.com/products.htm

If you are having a party or just want to have kueh pie tee, go order the kueh pie tee from Red Lips. They have a party pack which offers an all-in-one, ready to eat package of Kueh Pie Tees complete with traditional peranakan vegetable filling, their famous “Got Kick” chilli sauce and parsley topping.

If you just want to have the Kueh Pie Tee cups, you can get them from their distributors stated

here.

Their KPT cups come in 2 sizes:- mini or normal. For ideas on fillings other than the traditional vegetable filling, you can also go here.

Price list for their Kueh Pie Tee Cups:

• Normal-size: 30 Cups - S$6.00
• Normal-size: 50 Cups - S$9.00
• Mini-size: 50 mini Cups - S$7.50
• Mini-size: 80 mini Cups - S$11.00