Canopy, located within lush gardens of Aramsa Spa in Bishan Park is positioned as an Australia style café that provides the perfect getaway for families, couples and pet lovers alike.

The new outdoor Canopy Bar also provides a unique setting for one to lounge and enjoy a mug of beer, or glass of wine with friends and loved ones.

HFB was served first the Trio of Hot Prawns Cocktail ($16.00 for usual serving), Smoked Pepper Duck ($16.00 for usual serving) and Eggs Benedict ($12.00 for usual serving).

The only thing that HFB could remember on the prawns was the accompanied Avocado and Mango, nothing memorable to say the least. At least the eggs was decent with a runny yolk, but he did find the Hollandaise sauce slightly salty. The skin of the smoked duck was nicely seared and retained that nibble of fats, giving it a juicy bite.

Next up, we were served a series of mains to share. The Grilled Pork Rack ($25.00) wow HFB with its serving size. One would get a perfect thick piece of meat for a good bite. However, what would make it more awesome if Kurobuta Pork was used instead – the juicy layer of fats would definitely enhance and ensured a more luscious finish. Alas, it was not to be and HFB did find their meat a tad dry for his liking.

HFB do not usually order fish for his mains (only on this instance), and the Red Snapper Fillet ($26.00) didn’t do anything that would change that. It was another decent dish that didn’t register an impression. Enough said.

“Twirl it round a fork and slurp it up” – at least that’s what their menu suggest one to do it when you order their Crabmeat Aglio Olio ($19.00). However, HFB would advise against it – this dish was clearly thumbs down for him. Close to saying it wasn’t fresh; the crabmeat didn’t have that clean, bright taste of the sea. Pasta wasn’t as al dente as he loved it to be.

Canopy also served vegetarian menu from the Green Room Café next door, where one can also have a healthy obsession for quality ingredients with playful exuberance on their table. They strived to change the way one view vegetarian cuisine forever, and HFB applauded that they did. Their Curry “Lamb” Pie ($14.00) made of mushroom and carrot filling served with Vine Tomato Sauce really did tasted like lamb – so much so that one of the participants commented that it was something she never quite tasted before even though she was a vegetarian for 12 years! The curry was flavoursome and nicely spiced. Bravo!

The WOW dish of the day was their Gnocchi, made of Pumpkin, Spinach served with Parmesan Cheese and Semi Dried Tomato. HFB never really liked gnocchi as the starch fills him up quickly. Usually made from ordinary wheat flour, potato, bread crumbs, or similar ingredients, their version however dominantly used pumpkin, that gives it a more sweet tasting flavour and a less starchy finished. Paired it with the semi dried tomato, and the sweet and savoury combination works harmoniously. This dish was addictive!

The brunch was wrapped up with desserts of Homemade Sticky Date Pudding and Old Fashion Apple Crumble ($10.00 each).

While the former tasted delightful with the butterscotch sauce and a pretty warm and moist texture, the latter paled in comparison with its slightly dry finishing and lacklustre taste.

You can view all the photos here.

Spruce is about simplicity and quality of raw products – or at least that’s what it strive to achieve from their food offerings.

Helmed by owner Chef Travis Masiero, who is an American, his cuisine is said to pay homage to his humble American roots, influenced by the smell of Mediterranean, North Africa and continental Europe.

Stepped past the entrance and one would be greeted by the casual yet sophisticated ambience in the heart of Orchard Road (Tanglin Road, Phoenix Park to be exact).

While Spruce is opened 7 days a week from morning till night, HFB was there for dinner. We were ushered to the private dining area which sits approximately 10 to 12 pax – nicely suited for business lunches or dinner.

While waiting for the others, we ordered the Hand Cut Chips with Sage ($5.00) to fill our growling tummies.

Thick and crisply fried, it was straightforward comfort food. Simply addictive! We also had another side of Creamy Macaroni and Cheese ($7.00), which HFB thought while aesthetically boring, it was decent enough.

Interestingly enough, their menu has a section titled “To share or not” – which offers simple solid dishes to go around. Order was made for 3 of them including – Three Dips with Assorted Toast and Crisp ($16.00), Warm Spruce Olives with Fennel, Thyme and Orange Rind ($12.00) along with Ahi Tuna Tartar with Toasted Ciabatta and Avocado ($21.00).

HFB is not a fan of olive, thus wasn’t able to comment on it, but the dips and the tuna tartar is a must order if you have a table big enough to share! The dips were packed with awesome flavours and goes really well with the toast and the tuna tartar was really good – very fresh and goes well on its own or with the bread, but best when one tried it with the avocado. HFB did and it was divine!

For the main, HFB opted for the Prawn Pasta with Zucchini and Parmigiano Cheese ($22.00), and all excitement looking forward to sample the dish was gone the moment it was served up. It was probably his fault that he didn’t enquire beforehand, but he certainly wasn’t expecting a bowl of orecchetti pasta served up in a bowl looking like a serving of breakfast cereal with a table spoon. Secondly, He was half anticipating a couple of huge-ass king prawns looking all juicy and ready to be chomped, but alas it wasn’t meant to be – the prawns although plentiful, were halved and thus lacked bite. Gone in a flash (how long does one need to down a bowl of cereal honestly) – HFB wasn’t feeling quite satisfy with his main to be honest (he prefers to “interact” with his food more) and ended up waiting for the rest to finish their mains before we moved on to dessert. What a pity!

Warm Ginger Date Pudding with Chocolate Toffee Sauce ($12.00) was the dessert for the night. With a tint of ginger that doesn’t put many off, the combination with the ice cream was good. And by right coupled it with the sauce should send it up higher by a few notches, but regrettably the toffee sauce was too sweet for consumption.

The sweetness simply overwhelmed the whole dish, and when feedback, Chef Travis mentioned that desserts are meant to be sweet and that’s how they eat it America – anybody care to shed some light into this?

You can view all the photos here.

Mentioned about Imperial Cuisine, and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall probably would be the first dish that comes to your mind – but thanks to Beijing Gong, one will be educated with the ‘real’ imperial dishes based on recipes once used in China’s imperial kitchen (FYI, the Royal Family do not consumed good food everyday).

Take a step into the restaurant, and one will find it sparsely decorated with original paintings and calligraphy art.

The place sits an estimate 30 pax, with a private room for another 10. The dinner (priced at $28, $38 and $48 per pax pending on the selection of the soup) started with the cold appetisers which could change daily.

Visually, the Fermented Fried Mung Beans didn’t look too appetising, but taste wise; it was clean, simple and light on the palate, with a slight “beany” (for a lack of a better word) taste – whoever thought this was one of the dishes that Empress Cixi is actually fond of!

Long Beans with Sesame Paste and Garlic was another simple dish made tasty. Cooked to a nice texture, however, HFB thought the sesame paste was slightly domineering.

Who could figure these Carrots were thinly sliced by hands? Lightly stir-fried, one could literally ‘taste’ the deftly techniques by the chef – the 刀功 (knife skill) gave the usually plain carrot an extra crunchy edge in terms of texture.

HFB found the Thin Sliced Pork Knuckle superbly executed. There was hardly a trance of oily aftertaste when one consumed this dish (the chef painstakingly steamed this dish numerous times, removing the layer of oil after each instance) and it disintegrated almost instantaneously upon touching one’s mouth.

The Cabbage with Mustard was more of a love-hate affair. One either appreciate it, or don’t – unfortunately in this case, it was too peculiar for HFB – the sourness was too overpowering, although he would credit it as an excellent dish to open up one’s palate for the hot dishes that are coming up next.

The Deep Fried Lotus Root with Chives was really enjoyable. The crunchy consistency coupled with the savoury chives (another love-hate ingredient) was a delight and if one enjoys 锅贴 (Chinese Pan-fried Dumplings), one will definitely love this!

The next dish was the exotic Fish Lip with Shredded Sea Cucumber and Bamboo Shoots in Premium Soup (Dry Cured Chinese Bacon and Old Mother Hen). Squeamishly as it sounded, the fish lips were actually thinly shredded in the soup, and looked pretty much like the sea cucumber, except it had a bit more bite and a slight fishy hint.

One of the non-authentic dishes that catered more to the enjoyment of our locals, the Deep Fried Sea-Prawns coated with Sweet and Sour Sauce was the crowd favourite. Nicely battered and immensely flavoured, the prawns were really fresh and retained that crunchy bite! Paired with the deep-fried thinly sliced veggies (hand-cut again), it provided a nice break from the lighter dishes earlier on.

Another flavoursome dish was the Braised Beef Brisket. It was intense and the meat was really tender, with slight fibrous bite. Delicious!

HFB loves Tofu, and their version was brilliant. The tofu was braised till it was soft and silky, and which its skin soaked up the flavours from the gravy. One could also taste the freshness of the tofu, and HFB loved it that the gravy was light on the palate and complemented the tofu really well.

土豆丝 or Thinly Sliced Potato was probably the “cheapest” dish to be featured that evening – how much could potato possibly cost? However lightly stirred fried, this dish turned up to be a real gem, the dark house for the evening, and perhaps even the most under-rated dish one could ever try. Again, one was savouring the exquisite 刀功 of the chef. The dish was so enticing after one mouthful, that pretty soon; everyone was helping themselves to seconds for this dish. The firm, crunchy texture of the potato provided that alluring factor – this dish is amazingly addictive!

And if one think such fare is too exotic for you during lunch time, Beijing Gong is currently offering a $10 lunch menu that consists of Chinese Dumplings and a bowl of Noodles (HFB tried the Braised Beef version). To be honest, HFB is not a big fan of Chinese noodles, but the beef was remarkably tender and the soup was intensely flavoured.

However, what he enjoyed most was the dumplings that exploded with broth when he took a nibble at the dumpling skin, which was done just right – not too thick, yet firm enough not to break when one picked it up with chopsticks.

To end of the night, we were introduced to Empress Dowager favourite dessert – the Imperial Yogurt. To be honest, HFB still couldn’t quite figure out why she even liked this dish – perhaps that’s why he remained a commoner. The smooth curd was slightly sour, but mostly tasteless and left a dry aftertaste on the palate.

You can view all the photos here.

Stand, order, and eat – sushi that is, where the seafood are flown in from Japan everyday. This Japanese dining concept by Standing Sushi Bar is geared towards the fast-paced environment of Shenton Way, where professional desire quality food at a snap of their fingers.

However, come dinner time, out comes the high chairs and the shop is turned over for “by reservation only” Omakase dinner ($50 per pax) – where dinners leave the selection of the evening’s menu to the chef and expect him to be innovative and surprising in them – which usually also includes the day’s best offerings.

First up, Japanese Sea Snails that was served chill. HFB absolutely digs shell food and this dish was excellent in many ways. The cold temperature succeeded in drawing out the natural sweetness and the firm chewy texture of the flesh. He could probably finished dozens easily.

The Hokkaido King Crab Leg with Home-made Miso was yet another simple but outstanding dish. The crab eluded a natural “sea flavour” that was appetising and the miso sauce was robust with flavour. The only drawback was that the sauce tended to overwhelm the natural taste of the crab.

Sashimi Moriwase consisted of Maguro (Tuna), Sake (Salmon), Mekajiki (Swordfish), Hamachi (Yellow Tail) and Hotate (Scallop). Fresh and came with good thickness – there was really nothing bad to pinpoint on. Worthy mention goes to the Hamachi Belly that was all natural Omega 3 goodness!

By now, HFB wasn’t surprised that the Karubi Beef Tataki with Bonito Flakes and Spring Onions was well executed. The marbling was great and the meat was succulent. The bonito flakes also provided a nice salty touch to the dish.

Served chilled as a palate cleanser, the Egg Plant with Light Soya Sauce came with a hint of Grated Ginger. Unless one is a fan of egg plant, it probably would be too squashy for you. Otherwise, HFB thought it did a good job in clearing the palates.

HFB loved soup and the Steamed Hotate Soup with Tofu didn’t disappoint. However, if one expected the scallop to taste as good, you will be disappointed since its essences were all captured nicely in the clear soup.

A sushi bar ain’t worthy to be addressed as one if there weren’t sushi offerings during the Omakase. Trio of Maguro, Hirame (Flat Fish) and Anago (Boiled Salt-water Eel) were presented and they were nothing short of excellence in terms of freshness. The boiled eel was remarkably exquisite and was only prevailed by that of HFB Tsukiji’s Sushi Dai experience.

Matcha Ice-cream with Green Tea Cake Roll and Red Bean Paste was the last order of the evening. The red bean paste was enjoyable, although one can probably grab the cake and ice-cream off the shelves of some reputable Japanese supermarket.

They say good things come in small packages and the evening's pleasant surprise was the offering of 3 complimentary thick cubes of Otoro, or Tuna Belly that was what's left for the day. WOOT!

Overall, it was an unexpectedly enjoyable dinner. HFB was really filled by the end of the meal, and the personalise touch of Chef Roy explaining each and every dish sums up the lovely evening. Next up, braving the Shenton Way lunch crowd for the REAL standing sushi experience!

You can view all the photos here.

Did you know? When The Cathay Restaurant first opened in 1940, it served European fare and not Chinese cuisine. Its fame reached new heights when it re-opened in 1951 to serve mainly Cantonese and Shanghainese cuisine.

The restaurant was close in 1964, but re-opened once again on 27 January 2007, as the choice venue for exquisite Chinese food set amidst an ambience of understated elegance. It is now located at the level 2 of The Cathay, with a capacity of 200.

HFB was greeted with a saucer of Deep-fried Silver Cod as a complimentary snack. Crispy with a hint of spiciness, it was a really addictive to nibble on.

Dinner proper was started with the introduction of Cathay Twin Combination – Baked Sea Perch done Japanese-style with Egg White, and Smoked Duck Roll ($14.80++). While the former was well-executed – nicely baked and full-bodied with flavour, the latter paled in comparison – it was lacklustre and uninspiring.

The highlight of the evening surely belonged to the acclaimed Double-boiled Shark’s Bone Cartilage with Bamboo Pith plus Shark's Fin in Spaghetti Squash ($28.00++). Painstakingly boiled for 8 hours to a milky white, the hearty soup came with big chunks of shark fins along with natural goodness of nutrients that are critical for bone and joint health (think glucosamine-like compounds). And if you thought that was all, feel free to shred the side of the hollowed spaghetti squash, which gave one strands of the fruit that resembled the Italian pasta. This soup alone is filling enough for a meal – so a portion to share might be ideal for two.

Next up, the Baked King Prawn with Minced Meat done “Portuguese Style” ($12.80++) – and true to its cooking technique, the dish was characterised by its rich, filling and full-flavoured taste. However, HFB felt that the prawn was over-baked, thus the texture of its flesh was slightly dry.

The scallop was of substantial size from the Braised Stuff Fresh Scallop with Prawn Paste in Crabmeat Sauce ($10.80++), and came coupled with a nice silky crab meat sauce. His only gripe was the prawn paste that tasted quite funky – which sparklette quite adequately described it as “those pseudo prawn/lobster balls you find at steamboat restaurants.” HFB agreed.

The staple for the evening was XO Fried Rice ($8.00++) that came with generous servings of Scallops, Prawns, French Beans, Bean Sprouts and a dash of Ebiko, or Prawn Roe. The rice was thoroughly fried resulting in each grain being nicely coated with the XO sauce. HFB would prefer a stronger “Wok Hei” flavour, but otherwise still a respectable dish.

An exquisite dessert, the Chilled Pumpkin Puree with Yam Ice Cream came in a Young Coconut shell ($6.00++). Nicely chilled with thick puree, HFB also thought the pumpkin and yam combined well.

You can view all the photos here.

A 50 seater brasserie sitting on the second storey of The Bellini Grande in Clarke Quay, B Restaurant, located at the former Crazy Horse, serves modern European cuisine daily.

With a dimly-lit, intimate interior with lush velvety furnishings the place looked suitably remarkable and alluring.

Helmed by the flair of Executive Chef Jeffrie Siew (formerly from the now defunct Corduroy & Finch), one thing that the establishment struck me was the service of the wait staffs. It was pretty obvious that they were well-trained – conscientious yet unimposing in a good way.

HFB found the complimentary bread elaborate, yes indeed, as it was an intricate roll of Foccacia stuffed with slivers of Zucchini, and topped with Parmesan Cheese and Wild Herbs. It helps that it was also served warm. Bravo!

Our shared appetisers consisted of one Salad of Seared Peppered Indonesian Yellow Fin Tuna Loin a la “nicoise” ($19.00), which HFB thought was nicely done – “clean” to the palate, with a hint of tanginess from the pepper.

The other being the Beef Carpaccio, Marinated Vegetables, Cucumber Spaghetti and Mini Greens ($18.00), nicely adored with spots of balsamic vinaigrette reduction at the side. The meat was really fresh and nicely sliced – but can’t they serve it in bigger slices? Anyhow, it also helped that HFB’s favourite rocket salad came with it.

HFB also had to himself, a serving of B Signature Cordon Bleu Crabmeat Soup with Tarragon ($14.00). Topped with a Sour Cream Foam, this was the highlight of the evening – probably one of the best soups that HFB had ever tasted! The fully flavoured bisque came with abundance of prized crabmeat that made the soup really appetising. In a blink of an eye, HFB generous bowl of soup was emptied. A quick check also revealed that everyone who ordered the soup mopped up theirs too! This is definitely a MUST TRY.

His main was that of Soy Glazed Fillet Atlantic Black Cod, Sauté Potatoes and Chardonnay Sauce, coupled with a Lasagne of Carrots, Eggplant, Tomatoes, Zucchini and Asparagus ($28.00). A little oxymoronic if HFB may sound, but the initial taste of the fish was fresh and smooth, yet rich and buttery on the aftertaste – everything good rolled into one at the same time. As of most cod fish dishes that leaned towards heavy on the palate, in this instance, the soy glazing helped to lighten it – thus making the dish pleasurable even towards the end. HFB hardly ordered a fish dish for main, but he was glad he did that night.

Since there were 7 of us at the dinner table, it wasn’t surprising that all 7 desserts found in the menu were fired away! French Cheeses with Grapes, Figs Compote & Biscuits ($18.00), would be an ideal dish to go with your wine, but unfortunately, HFB didn’t managed to sample any of it that evening.

Pineapple Raviolis, Pineapple Confit and Pineapple Sorbet ($12.00) – the fried pineapple ravioli was something interesting, however, HFB was misled that it was filled with Mango – turned out my portion was “stained” with the accompanied mango sauce, which he thought overwhelmed the dessert a little.

Another out of the ordinary dessert – B Signature Chocolate Chilli Tart & Butterscotch Almond Ice Cream ($12.00), came with a spicy smack at the end of it, which unfortunately HFB didn’t appreciate it.

A savoury plus sweet dessert, the Goat’s Cheese Brûlée, Fig Paste & Rosemary Ice Cream ($12.00) was another interesting concept. Nicely caramelised at the top with a tint of creamy goat’s cheese flavouring, it did just enough to separate itself from the boring norm.

Warm Sticky Dates Toffee Pudding & Toffee Ice Cream ($12.00) was a lovely marrying of hot and cold along with nicely executed texture of the pudding. It also helps that the euphoric sugar rush gave one great comfort!

Hot Liquid Chocolate Coulant with Passion Fruit Sorbet & Mango Sauce ($12.00) came with a lovely molten chocolate lava interior. Although it wasn’t bad, it was regrettably forgettable.

And for the fickle-minded, the restaurant even offered a B Brassiere Dessert Sampler ($15.00) where you can savour each and every dessert mentioned above.

Overall, taking into consideration all aspects – price, service, food and ambience, HFB strongly felt that B restaurant is seriously undervalued. Highly recommended for couples who are looking for a good place to dine at decent prices with great ambience and service – this place is probably the “Find of The Year” for HFB!

You can view all the photos here.

Located at the poolside and rooftop garden level of Traders Hotel along Cuscaden Road, Ah Hoi’s Kitchen is widely decorated with dining accolades displayed proudly on its wall. Take a step into the restaurant and you are greeted with a casual, relaxed atmosphere – high ceiling fans, warm lighting and full glass panels.

The dinner was underway with the Crispy Fried Homemade Beancurd ($6.00) coupled with Wasabi-mayo. Salted Egg Yolk along with Seafood and added crunchiness of the Water Chestnut – What’s not to love about this? Love it!

The Doubled-boiled Duck with Black Dates and Peanut Soup ($8.00) reminded HFB of the typical type of soup that granny will boil during family dinner. Traditionally using Pork Ribs or Chicken, the chef decided to replace it with duck instead for an enhanced taste. The dates, wolfberries and peanut lend sweetness and natural goodness to the soup and the doubled-boiled technique ensures the essences of the ingredients are not loss during the process. HFB is a big fan of this warm hearty soup.

HFB has absolutely no idea who “Ah Loong” is from the Ah Loong Paper Bag Chicken ($8.00) dish that the restaurant named after. And the only reference he had to this dish was from the Union Farm Eating House along Clementi Road some time back. He can’t say which is better, however, despite the limited reminiscence, Ah Hoi’s version is definitely less oily, and the meat more tendered.

What’s neither French nor long, but green and crunchy? Kenya Bean Stir-fried with Crispy Silver Fish ($8.00) of course. It’s really crisp, with a lingering sweetness within, and comes with an addictive bite. The silver fish also provided that extra crunch and saltiness in tandem. This dish really stood out that evening despite its humble ingredients.

At $72.00 per serving, customers are guaranteed a jumbo sized Sri Lankan Chilli Crab with Deep Fried Chinese Mantou. Estimated to weigh around 1.5kg thereabouts, the flesh of crustacean was firm with a slight sweet aftertaste – much expected from the Sri Lankan crabs as compared to the Indonesian counterparts. HFB didn’t like the fact that the sauce was starchy – but having said that, the sauce was still appetising enough to go with the mantou – although HFB still much preferred the mantou from Seafood Paradise.

HungryGoWhere (HGW) Fried Rice - This was a $1 joint promotion between HGW and Ah Hois Kitchen. Truth to be told, you can’t complain much about anything that fills your tummy at $1 nowadays, even if the dish doesn’t come with seafood. Loved that the bean sprouts were crunchy! Heh.

Supposedly their signatured dish, the Seafood Black Pepper Kway Teow ($15.00) came with nice Wok Hei flavour along with a unique robust taste from the black pepper. It was certainly an interesting dish coupled with plentiful ingredients, but HFB did find the dish slightly too salty for the palate. He would prefer the pepper flavour to take centre stage instead of the salt.

The dinner drew to a close with the Chilled Mango Sago with Pomelo ($6.00). HFB like it for that the sweetness level was just nice for his palate – not overly sweet. The paste was rich in mango and a good balance of sago and pomelo.

You can view all the photos here.

If one was there for lunch, chances were they were in for 7atenine’s “Lunch Unlimited” offering @ $37++ per pax – where there’s no menu in sight, and diners are subjected to unlimited elements of surprises and heighten anticipation by the chef.

First up, we had the Tomato and Thyme on Parmesan Biscuit – this was one of the two dishes that we did not complete. Uninspiring.

Another dish that looked better than it tasted, the pairing of Thai Asparagus Rolls with Wasabi just didn’t make the grade for HFB in this instance. The veggie was slightly tough too.

Sadly, the Homemade Ravioli with Parmesan Cheese and Ebi Bisque was flavoursome in a bad way - the cheese totally overwhelmed this dish i.e. the prawn flavoured broth waned in comparison.

To be honest, HFB certainly didn’t expect to spot the Maguro Sushi with Roe at his table. It wasn’t bad, but it certainly didn’t impressed. Perhaps the whole Japanese dish served in a western restaurant concept didn’t resonated well with him.

However, if there was any reason why HFB would be back at this establishment, the Beef Roll with Parmesan and Wild Herbs alone would sufficed as the answer. Served atop a piece of hot rock, one gets to enjoy the very bottom of the beef cooked, the middle portion medium rare, and the top raw. The play on the texture was amazing, the meat was succulent and the parmesan complemented the dish. We certainly did request for repeated servings of this dish.

The Crispy Pork Belly with Apple Puree was another brilliant dish. Nicely crisp on the exterior, the sweet and savoury combination also flourished. Marvellous!

The Jerusalem Artichoke Puree with Foam was flavourful despite its lacklustre appearance. HFB enjoyed this!

However, none can be said about the Cucumber Gazpacho with Crouton. It didn’t work well for HFB - acting as a palate cleanser, he found it too “green” for his liking.

The Caesar Salad was another one of the "ordinary" dishes that day - nothing quite wrong, yet nothing striking.

Another reorder we had was the Seared Scallops with Avocado Mousse and Red Grapefruit. The scallops were really sweet, luscious and nicely seared. HFB though craved the scallops to be bigger.

The Crab Salad Wrapped with Onion was the other dish that was left unfinished. Although in its defence, HFB had to say he enjoyed this dish pretty much. His guess was one probably need to enjoy onions to appreciate this dish. He surely did.

The Tuna Tartare with Miso Jelly was a dish of hits and misses. While he truly enjoyed the tuna, HFB felt that the miso jelly didn’t quite make the grade – its texture was chewy and the assortments of veggies within just didn’t quite gel.

Simply called the 7atenine Burger, the beef patties were really yummy and goes really well with the salsa coupled within. Only irk was that the bread was a tad oily.

One of their signatured dishes, the Udon Carbonara with Miso Scented Cream Reduction and Serrano Ham was in replacement of the beef roll, when we wanted for a third serving. Luckily for us, the Lolita of Spicc, Katharina, was gracious enough, as it was unavailable for the day’s lunch unlimited offering, to offer us a chance to savour her favourite dish. It was really a pleasant twist and in truth palatable, although HFB thought the noodles were slightly overcooked – al dente would have been much better welcomed.

Once we were done with the carbs, we signalled for the desserts to be served. The Cranberry Pastille with Chocolate Praline looked unimpressive yet it tasted oh so good. Simple yet packed a punch!

The Vanilla Mousse with Mango Ice-cream was really fruity and HFB thought it was a nice way to end the meal, along with Assorted Biscuits which went really well with our cup of coffee.

Overall, it was an out of the ordinary dining experience and although there were some misses with the dishes, there were others that makes a revisit a possibility.

You can view all the photos here.

Probably riding on the hype of the popular Little Nonya TV series comes Jia Chuan Steamboat – a unique Nonya influenced Tom Yum steamboat recipe of chef, Mdm Elsie Lim. With her own brand of Peranakan-Chinese familiarity, the spice quotient of the Thai inspired broth is up with an extra serving of home-made nonya paste – made with up to 10 types of herbs and spices – for that extra punch!

For the non-fiery taste buds, one can also opt for the homemade Chicken Broth, or the Fish Broth that is slowed cooked for flavours using Flounder Fish, Ikan Bilis, and other homemade ingredients. You can even throw in Fried Red Snapper Fish Head and Fried Taco for that added fish head steamboat ‘experience’.

HFB sampled both the Tom Yum and Fish broth, and thought that the former was interesting but not awe-inspiring. Perhaps HFB was not used to it, but the broth was slightly too sweet for him, yet at the same time there existed a bitterness aftertaste from the Turmeric due to the constant boiling. The fish broth though was more familiar in taste due to the ikan bilis, and thus more welcoming and better appreciated. Highlights of the steamboat are the selection of homemade specialties such as meatballs (pork or chicken) made with Crabmeat, Prawns, Chestnut, Bamboo Shoots, etc.

But the one the really stood out was the Sotong Balls with Prawns – the sotong taste was evident and palatable.

The Pork Dumplings with Prawns also did not disappoint. It was hearty with a wholesome bite.

And what’s Chinese steamboat without pork, in the form of Pork Belly Slices. The greasy strips of fat gave the meat that added marbling texture. Succulent!

HFB was also asked to comment on the Beef Glue and Beef Ball that the establishment was trying to introduce to their menu.

While the former was essentially minced beef and nothing noteworthy, the beef balls are a shoo-in for their new menu. Chestnuts added to it also gave it an added crunch.

Another point to note include their tasty sweet chilli, reminiscent to that from Coca Steamboat. The sambal though is really spicy and not for the faint-hearted.

And do look out for their lighted signboard when you are driving into the area as the "cafe" or air-conditioned coffeeshop is easily miss.

Buddy Value Meal (2pax) is valued for $25 and comes with a choice of ONE meat (Beef, Chicken or Pork) and Steamboat Party Value Meal (3 to 5 pax) is valued at $48 and comes with a choice of TWO meat. No service charge and GST.

You can view the all photos here.

Where can you find a quirky indie café, great comfort food at value-for-money price, relaxing corner to chill-out with your friends and at the same time give back to the society? The answer is Food for Thought, a social enterprise café that endeavours to generate profits to support and serve the community we live in.

Conveniently located opposite National Library, the café has been helmed by our own local boy, David Heng, who graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney, and used to work in Le St Julien, under the tutorage of Chef de Cuisine Julien Bompard.

Watermelon Mint & Lychee Sage Freeze ($4.00 each) was the initial order of the evening. HFB can’t think of any good reasons why one wouldn’t love these drinks. Simply revitalising!

Our appetiser falls under the “Premium Salad” category of Honey Mustard Smoked Duck Salad ($12.90). HFB simply dig the smoked duck. The thin layer of fats gave it a nice marbling chew and the meat is tender and succulent. The dish is also well complemented with orange slices. Can I also add that the serving is pretty generous?

What’s best to pair with a premium salad? It’s none other than a “Premium Sandwich” of Cuban Ham & Pork Steak ($10.90) – made of Grilled Gamon Ham, Hand-shred Slow-roasted Tender Pork Shoulder, topped with a sliced of Grilled Pineapple. Sandwiched within home-baked Foccacia Bread, drizzled with creamy mustard dressing and homemade barbecue sauce, this is definitely one of the better sandwiches that HFB has polished off. My only nitpick is that the mixture of over zealous dressing and sauce, coupled with the meat’s natural juices, cause the bread to turn soggy a little.

What’s a meal without its dessert? The Butterscotch Peach Crumble ($7.90) is created with bubbling homemade butterscotch sauce, filled with Peaches, Raisins and Roasted Almond Slices. Topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, HFB thought that the combination was a little too generous for it’s own good. Being a hot dessert, the ice cream tends to melt quickly into a mess. Perhaps a better option is to serve the ice cream on the side.

The Vanilla Caramel Crème Brulee was nothing extraordinary to say the least – the custard was smooth with a hint of caramel goodness all right, but the caramelised crust was disappointingly too thick for HFB. However, using fine icing sugar should eliminate the problem.

You can view the all photos here.