lol sorry I can’t help it...

2 weeks after 1) the most dismal meal at Garibaldi & 2) a very excellent meal at Cugini, I came to check out Mietta’s after Contrarian’s review so I can kinda compare across the board.

Shall cut to the chase and zoom into the food. I concur with Con. the penne vodka is good with fresh crunchy prawns, translucent onions, can’t-taste-the-chili, parmesan shavings & vodka. Serving is very very generous, no duds about that. Too big in fact (now I’m complaining). Tiger prawns were big but legitimately so lol. Orthodoxly priced too, 5 huge crustaceans for $6. You can do penne vodka 2 ways: $26 with 5 big prawns or $20 without. I suggest you do the prawns coz it can get really boring eating just onions & rose sauce in a most unexciting pasta shape – penne anyone??

And to answer my own burning question I asked Con: Can I/ am I suppose to taste the vodka after the cooking process? I don’t think I did. But there really is a certain mellow sweetness in the sauce which augments the taste factor tremendously & this X-factor enhances the flavors of this dish which other sauces without the vodka element definitely can’t deliver.

I also tried the scallops with caviar starter & I must say the scallops were very well seared with minimal seasonings so the natural sweetness of the scallops can come through. Mine were perfectly cooked, still juicy & tender unlike WAY’s, his was overcooked according to him. 3 thumbs up for my scallops. I just had 4 overly poncy (scallop with bacon & tau cheo anyone?) but sadly abysmal scallops at Garibaldi so I’m quite stoked to eat good scallops at Mietta’s. Bread is just a normal white bread roll, not housemade but I ate one too many coz really it’s damn moreish, very warm, soft & fluffy like pillow. I like.

Dessert menu is very predictable comprising usual suspects like tiramisù & chocolate fondant. I tried the chocolate fondant & tiramisu. Fondant was just ok. The lava was quite in abundance but I find it too cakey. Gave feedback & Chef Dennis has agreed to make his fondant with less flour in future. Tiramisu fared a lot better. It was very good in fact presented in a classic Venetian Italian tradition, just scooped and laid on the plate with lots of grated dark chocolate. It’s good I say coz he doesn’t stint on the mascarpone cheese like many places do (& replace with lotsa whipping cream eew), rich with cheese & ladyfinger sponge amply & freshly soaked. It just needs a dash more marsala and this will be a tiramisù made in heaven.

The menu partially halal contains no pork meaning there’s no prosciutto (yes no parma ham) or porcine in other forms. According to Chef D., Mietta’s located in the Muslim area but they’re serving alcohol in the restaurant so Angelo wants to keep a balance between a no-pork menu and serving alcohol. He’s still quite adamant on keeping it that way but Chef D.’s trying to persuade his boss to allow some pork in his new menu. I just find it queer that there’s no parma ham or cold cuts to be found in an Italian restaurant no?

For those jumping into their pants & planning a meal at Mietta’s soon, I say wait till April. The menu’s pretty small & experimental now & it’s still in the midst of being tweaked. When wef April, Chef D. will dole out a newer (hopefully better) & more extensive menu which of coz still includes signatures like penne vodka, foie gras risotto, barramundi & with new additions like “homemade pastas, young spring lamb & foie gras terrine” (I quote). Hugo’s bar on the 2nd level will also be opened then & I figure it would be a cool place to chill.

Last words here: Look more for Michelangelo’s food rather than Zambuca’s food here, or rather Chef D.’s take on Angelo’s cuisine. In other words, just very typical rustic Italian, no foams & bubbles or fancy schmacy presentation. Don’t go with too high your expectations, you’d be pleasantly surprised with a rewarding meal.

ps: No more ratings to be given by me if ever I write a review coz for some reason or another, some unknown anal enemy of mine had apparently went to dig out my old reviews & clicked on NO to every single one even it’s just a factual one which of coz starts the snowballing effect. & like Ian, I admit a little part of me dies when I see a “NO” on my review. Can CLICK NO?? on my TWELVE+ONE (go see you can laugh) factual closure statement one hur man... what’s there to agree or disagree on that one geez?! So I’ll just say whatever I feel like saying & all of you can just go read in between my lines & decide if any place is worth checking or not.

Want to know why then read on....

About one year ago on 27 Feb 2008 (Friday), we had the 1st HGW makan gathering at Da Mario (that was also the fateful day Mas Selamat escaped does anyone even remember geez) where some 16? yao gui (greedy) people met for the 1st time (& they say the rest is history mua haha) for a meal of innumerable pizzas, black truffle pasta aka mee kia lol & lots of tiramisus. :) And that was the day WE WERE ALL SUPPOSED to eat blackforest cake from Pine Garden’s but due to some miscommunication not on my part, we didn’t get to eat cake. Sobs.

Now fast forward to 3rd March 2009, yes I know I’m one year late, I finally got to try Pine Garden’s blackforest cake and I must say this is one darn tasty blackforest. Ok I may be biased coz I really <3 <3 <3 blackforest but I finally can understand why this cake has found itself many fans 1st in AMK now in Jurong haha. For a real deal of $2.40 a slice, I can’t ask for anything more than a tri-layered chocolate cake laced with Kirsch with alternating delicious whipped cream studded with macerated pitted morello cherries. The sides are decorated with shavings of chocolate then a real plump brandy-soaked cherry tops the cake. My only gripe is that there is really very very negligible kirsch in the sponge layers and cherries though there really is coz I asked.

But I can’t complain really coz it’s really VFM. Priced at only $2.40 per slice/ $23 per ½ kg/ $33 per kg), this cake is already very good to satisfy a blackforest craving. I highly recommend this cake for all blackforest cake lovers. Where to find another such yummy cake nowadays for only $2.40??

Another cake I tried is a love or hate thing but it’s love for me as I’m currently in a coconut craze hahaha. The Cocotero ($2.40 per slice) is as described: a coconut custard pudding with julienne of young fresh coconut strips layered in between classic vanilla sponge. This cake is special coz instead of desiccated coconut used in most Western creations, fresh coconut strips are embedded in the 2 layers of slight saltish coconut puddings, then more tops it. The coconut pudding reminds me of the coconut layer in kueh talam, just slightly firmer like agar.

Now what I thought outstanding are the sponge layers & cream in both cakes. The chiffon sponge is perfectly moist & soft so it doesn’t weigh you down. The fresh cream in the blackforest is really fresh & light. And I really appreciate it that for such exceptional quality, I paid less than $5 for 2 cakes.

Ok... why this title? So the story is: the person *ahem* designated to collect cake on the Da Mario gathering didn’t do so on that fateful Friday but only collected it from the shop 4 days later on the following Monday. Then he distributed that cake to his colleagues to eat. And according to him, there wasn’t a line for the toilet after mua hahaha. They didn’t get the runs even when the cake was 4 days old! Power cake I must say!

Ok can somebody tell me am I the only one who finds the muffins really mediocre if not bad? I bought one coconut muffin and it really sucks. Dry and hard and there wasn't even any coconut in the muffin save for that few measly strips coco-decor on the mushroom top. The muffin is not "pang" enough get my point? And Don't get me started on the quality of butter used... fail.

So it's only $1.10, but I'd rather pay 3X more for a Cedele muffin that is really cramful of berries, choco chips & delicious crumble & good quality butter.

Next...

Satowa’s really a gem of a find. I figure the reason why no one has written about this place and many others at China Square is coz the poor working folks in this area are simply too busy to even read HGW! For something special Japanese other than the usual sushi and sashimi, I would urge you Japanese food lovers to try Satowa for her wholesome Hokkaido fare. Food is good, portions very generous, void of msg and cooked with that special home-cooked touch. The food may not be have the sophistication and finesse of Nogawa or Tatsuya and the likes, but the food will make you go wow once you’ve appreciated the beauty and actually taste them to understand the reason I’m singing praises of this new found hideout of mine.

I’ve tried the 4-course lunch sets and they certainly give you the best bang for your buck all for a mere $20+ (no GST). The zensai (appetizer) is always a wholesome threesome. There’s a kombu no tsukudani, kelp simmered in soy sauce & sugar, a warm and smooth chawanmushi loaded with shimeji mushroom, prawn and edamame beans; the third a fried potato ball stuffed with minced chicken and mushroom. 2nd course is a bouquet of salad leaves topped with a generous scoop of housemade potato salad and finished off with eggy bits.

There’re about 6 choices of main courses to choose from, of special mention is the Yorkshire Pork Tonkatsu or Hitokuchi-Katsu Set. The bite sized cutlets are really scrumptious, pork tenderloin medallions tender and juicy with that extra crunch and spurting juices. I like the seafood curry too. It comes brimming full of fresh prawns, scallops and calamari in a curry stew painstakingly cooked with TLC.

The ala carte order of Corn Korokke ($11.50) is a MUST-TRY coz it’s crazily lip-smackingly moreish! 2 halved Japanese-style corn croquettes come scorching hot and creamlicious sweet corn oozes out when I bite into them. Awww... sww...eeet!

Accompanying miso soup comes chockfull of salmon and vegetables like daikon and carrots and you know it’s not instant miso coz the soup ain’t at all salty. Dessert is a scoop of palate-cleansing sherbet. Flavor changes daily and my recent visit I got mango and mind you, dessert is not watermelon.

Now who says there’s a dearth of good food places in town? There’re so many hidden gems here at China Square to be unearthed. Botan is one. Now it’s time to check out Satowa for really good lunch sets.

Those who have tasted former Raffles Grill chef Jean-Charles Dubois’ cooking would know his forte is in rustic and honest down-to-earth French food. It’s about using the best seasonal ingredients to cook simple food really well & not about breaking new culinary grounds like at Jaan or Blu where you sometimes you eat food you don’t understand. Now Chef Jean-Charles Dubois is Chef-owner here at The French Kitchen, his new venture with Saint Pierre’s Emmanual Stroobant & Roxan Villareal of San Marco (closing in March). I was there recently for degustation & found his food is still the awesome wholesome French that it used to be at Raffles Grill.

TFK is located at where the old Les Saisons is at Central Mall but now the entrance is shifted to a more visible side just opposite the carpark & not facing the toilet hahaha. And my meal was just splendid. You know you’re on your way to a good meal when you’re served that something effortfully extra other than EVOO or butter for your bread. You get treated with a ramekin of pork rillettes And whipped thyme butter for your bread slices. Your forsaken bread gets replaced midway with hot toasty ones when the old gets cold. How’s that for fine dining etiquette always so evident in any restaurant under the Saint Pierre umbrella.

I started my 5 +1 course degustation ($88++) with a Saint Jacques en Amuse Bouche. The freshest of scallop seared till crusty on the outside while still preserving a moist and slightly pinkish hue innards can’t get any better below a delicious splotch of hazelnut cream & parmesan crisp atop a puddle of aromatic black truffle coulis. Next is a signature here at The French Kitchen, the Terrine de Cochon et Foie Gras, kurobuta pork cheek and duck liver terrine is a hunk of ridiculously delicious layered pork-duck duo. Each meat really carried its own flavor; 2 pork cheek layers tender & savory sandwiching a stratum of duck liver of such buttery creaminess. The terrine is rich but ever so flavorful with every morsel.

3rd course and is indubitably the best one and best lobster bisque I’ve tasted. Bisque de Homard, traditional lobster bisque with tiger prawn beignet and leek custard is touted as Dubois’ family recipe was really flavorsome, stock thick with lobster goodness and prawn fresh & still succulent from the fryer. Seriously all I wanted to do was to tuck-into-the-lobster-bisque right away but I had to be patient and waited as Chef Dubois graciously poured his pride and joy onto the green leek custard. The wobbly custard was also unbelievably wonderful.

Then there was the Le Trou D’Angers, a poached pear angevine granité served as an interlude course to tone things down after the intense flavor of the terrine and bisque. Included in the degustation was either cod or Dubois’ signature venison saddle for main but I wasn’t really keen on those so I requested to have the classic bistro style Bœuf bourguignon as a substitute. There’s nothing fancy pancy about this rustic dish for it’s really hard to beat the great French classic bourguignon of braised beef short rib. My beef rib was stewed to a nice soft consistency and the beef broth garnished with pearl onions, earthy mushroom, baby potatoes and sweet carrot mousseline. The beef jus is second to none it begged for more bread to be mopped up.

Dessert again didn’t appealed to me so once again my request for change was acceded immediately. I had the Tomme de Savoie which WAY raved about in his recent review on ST (yes I had a salad for dessert...). Tomme de Savoie is a variety of Tomme cheese from Savoie in the French Alps. Here in his Kitchen, Chef Dubois chose to melt it into a fondue-like consistency and personally came over to drizzle the velouté over thin slivers of Bayonne ham & sweet corn kernels. The sweet corn is an excellent foil to the mildly salty cheese, the latter somewhat sweet with a fudgy taste and a citrus hint. I also found a favorite in the delicately flavored Bayonne ham.

I like the vibes about this place, casual yet smart and not at all hoity-toity. Service is excellent, the staff are young but not raw and takes own initiative. All my requests are acceded swiftly with no dithering and at no point in time you hear a “err...wait, I go ask my manager”. I like it most my food are all served on warm plates!

Besides ala carte & degustation, there’s a set lunch going for ($36++), choice of kurobuta pork & duck terrine or lobster bisque for starters, cod or Black Angus ribeye or crispy duck for mains and dessert of dark chocolate crème brûlée or lemon granite. Sunday is also a corkage-free day.

I believe dessert & cake lovers would have read about the feature on Pâtisserie Glacé’s Mont-Blanc in the Sunday Times lifestyle section’s Yummy treats under $10. I’d never believe the rave and glowing reviews (you people know about those dodgy & suspicious reviews the latest one at Sembawang SC I don’t need to spell out which one) about Pâtisserie Glacé’s cakes on hgw till I finally dragged my feet here to this seedy location in Chinatown yesterday (yes SC finally I came & ate) to try the cakes myself. And really all the good reviews were true. Tree-s@’s review & pictures was the last straw actually!

Pâtisserie Glacé is able to win over so many Jap expats despite being located in such an inconvenient location reason easily because the owner’s wifey & both Chef+wifey are Japanese. You know how close the Jap community are amongst themselves in Singapore. Once word gets out & if the food is good, people travel. Mr Tan the owner is a very humble person and he was very nice to share with me on why their cakes are so popular simply because they were created to suit the palates of the Jap expats and Asian’s tastes which only means light and not overwhelming with different flavors and textures like those you find in Western patisseries, places like Canele etc. His formula is simple, to create cakes that would evoke the taste of home – Japan which explains it coz he was uprooted from Japan. The Japs love his cakes coz they taste of home and I love his cakes coz they taste really great! Plus they’re really worth it for the price you pay, almost ½ of what you pay at those frou frou patisseries out there, and there’s no svc charge or gst although you get the best svc here very typical of Jap hospitality.

And so I was there yesterday so I had to milk the best out of my visit. Had 3 cakes at a go omg yes I ate 3 cakes for lunch hahaha. :) I chose their best seller Strawberry Hill ($5), Strawberry Soufflé ($5) & the new La France ($4.80) & they were indeed very good. Strawberry Hill is like a strawberry shortcake reinvented with a delicate sponge layer, fresh cream, sweet custard and on a buttery frangipane (almond paste) tart base. Mr Tan told me almond flour is used in some of their cakes which improves their texture and is most apparent in the Strawberry Hill.

Strawberry Soufflé is their interpretation of the ever-popular Japanese light cheesecake with a layer of luscious fresh crème in between. The soft cream cheese has a hint of lemon and is naturally cottony in texture atop rests the most delicious fresh cream and the whole baby is beautifully topped with fresh strawberries. I think this one is easily my favorite. And what's best is that fresh sweet strawberries are used, none of those sour ones or strawberry fillings you find at Phoon Huat.

My last cake hahaha omg I’m so greedy is La France, their take on the classic French pear tart. Instead of almond frangipane filling, Chef Yamashita replaces it with a crème brûlée layer on a fragrant buttery & crispy sweet tart dough (pâte sablée) cushioning juicy and delicious pear slices. I thought the tart base was really good but I gave feedback to Mr Tan that this pastry would be a notch even better if the crème brûlée layer is more wobbly like custard in egg tart. But nonetheless this tart is still really very very good. I’m so coming back for the Mont-Blanc (though I don’t fancy chestnuts), the rin rin cheese tarts (look damn good chilled like ice cream haha), Sacher-Torte & Strawberry Shortcake wherever the location is...

And good news but not confirmed, the pâtisserie has plans to shift to a more accessible location in town once they find a good one. But all’s not finalized yet so in the meantime, you may just want to check them out at Chinatown Plaza which isn’t that hard to find actually. I walked from Tanjong Pagar MRT, probably about only a 7min walk pass Pasta Brava & Craig Place. Otherwise it’s just across the road from Keong Saik Road.

omg I just realised my review is on their website lol. hahaha. :D

So I finally finally came here... after being tempted by Ee’s pasta (see her review) yes I’m a sucker for beautiful presentation. But anyhows, the restaurant offers an all-encompassing buffet lunch of antipasti, salads, cold cuts, primo or “first course” (pastas), secondo or “second course” (fish/ meat) and desserts, all for $36++. Otherwise a cleverer choice would be to opt for the business lunch for which on top of the buffet spread, you can choose one main course, either pasta or fish/meat (ranges from $18-$40 as ala carte) from the ala carte menu for just $42++, which of coz was what I did.

Besides the cold antipasti, there’s also a cured meats counter with parma ham (prosciutto crudo or raw ham), prosciutto cotto (cooked ham), coppa ham and beef salami, & roast beef from the carving counter. The cured ham were good but the beef was too tough. Mains from the buffet were just middling. Grouper in cream sauce was a tad overcooked and both ravioli were quite underdone. Roast chicken & beef stew were alright.

What won me over was my chosen main of Pappardelle con Granchio, Spinachi e salsa di Aragosta, homemade pappardelle pasta with crab & spinach, served with lobster sauce ($26 quoted in ala carte menu). There was lots of succulent crab meat buried within the al dente pasta. Lobster sauce tasted light, clean and wasn’t fishy at all. The freshly picked crabmeat and cherry tomatoes added sweetness with bountiful well poached spinach and chopped parsley sprinkled over the heap to add to its tastiness.

Dessert selection was quite reserved but the rich chocolate truffle cake & voluptuous milk chocolate mousse were really droolicious. The cheesecakes are also worth a mention here particularly the plain New York cheesecake which was especially lip-smacking luscious; rich yet not over cloyingly so.

On the whole I had a pleasant dining experience. What I thought sadly missing was the cheese table which the Italians are so proud of. I know I would love the cheeses as an addition (not alternative) to desserts lol. But I was well chuffed and well stuffed at the end of the meal so why am I complaining haha. Food was fab with professional and friendly service to boot. Chef Carlo also came by to ensure I enjoyed my meal. I have no complaints, only praises for this restaurant. This underrated Italian stalwart deserves many more return visits to fully uncover its classical repertoire.

Ok so this is meant to be a sharing portal where everyone shares their good eats. But sometimes you’re selfish you just want to keep your favorite place a secret shhh.... which was why I was so hesitant to write a review for 789 till dang! Ian revealed my secret haha. :) My fault for telling him to go actually! but since now he has let the cat out the bag I shall then do my part to reinforce his review that 789 is really the best restaurant find of the year end 2008 and 2009, till now that is.

So when I heard this original Sevenatenine from Kuala Lumpur is Chef Emmanuel Stroobant’s latest food venture, I knew I must go coz I disclaim I’ve always been his ardent supporter since the Saint Pierre days hehe. 7atenine is the latest lifestyle destination, a fashionable spot in Singapore for those who hanker for a slice of good taste. Poseur yes but many notches better than many ick wannabes.

At lunch, the restaurant promises the best deal you’d never find elsewhere. For just $37++, indulge in 20 & more unlimited tapas specially chosen by Chef Florent, or until you wave the white flag. Otherwise let Chef know your own favorites from the tapas menu. You can also drink your fill of juices, soft drinks, coffee/ tea, alcohol not included hahaha. I disclaim again my 10 tapas I tried are chosen by yours truly from the menu coz Chef Florent recognized me from Saint Pierre. Heya I’m ice I get my privileges so I won’t be sure if your requests will be met hee... :)

I counted there’re close to 50 tapas but I could only manage 10 this time. I’m telling you, each tapa in the lunch unlimited comes in a full serving ala carte portion and not as a mini degustation morsel, so 10 tapas is already a big feat. Prices quoted here are ala carte prices are for dinner & should you be so silly not to opt for the lunch unlimited.

Here goes, in order of my preference from savories to the sweets.

1. organic beef sashimi ($14) - organic beef sashimi with shavings of olive oil marinated Spanish onions, manchego cheese & pasila chili powder
Omgawd I’m totally obsessed with this lol. This is Chef’s Florent’s favorite dish so he insisted that I must must have it. I had my reservations at first coz I’m not big on beef but this is DA BOMB orgasmically AMAZING! I was soooo glad I tried it! The Spanish onions were so full of flavor; the manchego cheese and chili all melding together just so gorgeously. This beef is better than any Wagyu with truffle! Better than Matsusaka even! Omgawd I’m so having 3 plates of this all for myself next time!

2. crab sandwich ($18) - Japanese king crab with tarragon infused celeriac remoulade on toasted brioche
If the beef sashimi is amazing, this crab sandwich comes a close 2nd. The crab leg was jazzed up by a generous smattering of fleur de sel which added that extra crunch. Underneath the crustacean was a salad of julienned strips of celeriac blanched till crisp-tender and tossed with a tangy remoulade sauce, a mustard-accented mayo.

3. scallop ($15) - baked live Hokkaido scallop with xo butter & corn tempura
I love love love scallops and I love corn tempura even more. This lone scallop with its roe and all is already an explosion of juiciness and sweetness, but when paired with a duo of corn tempura cake, the result is too delicious to be true. Hehe I can’t decide if I like the crab sandwich or scallop more. Damn I need another scallop. Haha Ian you didn’t get this. :P

4. tomato salad ($7) - Japanese cherry tomato salad with wild herb and Spanish extra virgin olive oil
It’s a simple tomato salad, but these little cherubic and nectarous tomatoes have so much potential it’s such a waste to call this a salad. It has a light clean finishing taste. Everyone will love this.

5. wasabi cod ($14) - garlic scented black cod brandade croquette with wasabi dressing
Another 7atenine signature is the wasabi cod. The garlic scented black cod brandade croquettes marry the fish and potato into 5 spherical delights. This fish ball is the mother of all fish balls. The balls come piping hot and they are super tasty with the wasabi mayo dip. Eat with caution lest you might just scald your tongue if you’re not careful.

6. ocean trout ($14) - papillote of ocean trout fillet with chorizo, mussel & tomato
I can’t see past ocean trout in any menu and not order it. Trout is like salmon but has a cleaner and lighter flavor. The fish was cooked perfectly, still pink at the innards and delicious in its own broth made even more delectable by the luscious tomatoes. Gosh I even ate the mussels. If you see my profile, I hate mussels. I don’t eat mussels but mussels taste so good here!

7. udon carbonara ($10) – udon noodles with miso-scented cream reduction and Spanish ham
Part of what makes the dish so appealing is the sauce: miso and cream. A refreshing change from your usual carbonara.

8. chocolate ($15) - single estate chocolate degustation
Now I was already very full mind you. But I’m ice desserts I must have! Chef sent out his single estate chocolate degustation first. This single estate chocolate degustation is a tri-layer chocolate cake which comes accompanied by a quenelle of luscious vanilla bean ice cream and a doodle of salted caramel for me to lick lol.

9. churros ($8) - crispy churros dredged in icing sugar with vanilla sauce & chocolate dip
It’s hard to find churros in our country, and even harder to find good churros in our country. And this was damnit good I can’t stop digging into the cone and there was so much of it! Good quality chocolate dip is used and the crème anglaise is made of vanilla beans. Use your fingers for this one. The churros will taste even better.

10. café latte trifle ($8) - trifle of espresso jelly, almond crumble, coffee ice cream & milk foam
Hang on in there. I still can take it! My last dessert haha. There’s a lot of stuff happening in this trifle. This trifle is like a café latte deconstructed. There’s coffee in the jelly, crunchy cocoa pops and a foamy canopy & coffee meringue, in between everything there’s coffee ice cream. My only protest is that it’s too big a dessert to be even called one!

I wish I can keep this place as my little secret coz I really love it here but I’m nice so I’m letting you in on this. Of coz there’s a whole gamut of alcohol to imbibe but as you can see, I was more excited about the food hahaha.

It’s easy to name a restaurant with a beautiful setting, good service and stunning ambience. But honestly, when the food they deliver all wow you, you know you’ve hit the jackpot. These stuff taste real and taste good. The fusion is no confusion, the fusion actually works. Dishes are bold, flavorsome and very delicious. I can taste Saint Pierre in all the creations. Those who have been to Saint Pierre before will know exactly what I mean.

I need to come back here a few times over to cover all the 50 tapas. And if there’s one dish I must eat over and over again, it would definitely be the awesome beef sashimi. I could nosh on a few plates of this every time. Just awesome!

Now if you’d do your math, the total cost of the 10 dishes I had (you can eat a lot more than this), they amount to $123++ already, drinks not included yet, while I paid only $37++ and was happily fed. I swear this is really good, certainly beats wasting your life and money away at mediocre substandard buffets or middling 3-course set lunches at characterless restaurants.

I don't care my ratings are super high I'm thinking of 10/10 for everything but there are bound to be people who will disagree... so aga aga adjust abit lower haha. :) Damn why am I even telling you about this place...

After reading CG’s review on Robert’s Lontong, I shall reinforce her review by writing coz this lontong is really nice! It’s my favorite. This lontong ($2) is quite different from the lemak Malay kind, this one is Chinese style, not too rich so you can slurp down everything, gravy and all without feeling too jeelat or guilty unless you’re like me add extra egg (50 cents) so 1 ½ eggs in total haha. :)

There’s no kerisik (toasted coconut added on Malay style lontong) here but the coconut gravy cooked with dried chili, various spices and dried shrimp is really darn good. I love love love the vege here. Soft & nua cabbages, french beans and tau kwa which spurts lontong gravy when you bite into it. The steamed lontong (I noticed the owner preparing them herself) is nice and soft and tasted fresh. I don’t normally eat chili but the homemade sambal is damn good coz it ain’t too spicy and after I mix it into the gravy, just leave me in my happy corner and I’ll slurp slurp slurp all till finish...

Like CG said, you can request for a mix of their famous mee siam and the lontong. The regulars also usually ask for a bigger portion for $2.50/3. BEWARE though! The queue is crazy in the mornings and it’s the longest queue at Whampoa FC. All tables around and behind, everywhere, everybody will be eating the lontong and mee siam in the orange plate. This food centre is essentially a breakfast FC and this stall is extremely popular with the residents around here.

I don’t live around, not anywhere near even, but I go there to queue for lontong. ‘Nuff said.

But eat this on every other day!

I was on this wanton mee phase at one time so I tried so many wanton mees back to back and I’m telling you this has got to be the best WTM ever. While many may complain about the small servings and long queue, I say it’s really worth it coz Kok Kee’s WTM is really special and nowhere else serves wanton noodles with that special sauce of theirs.

For $3.50/ $4.50, you get springy noodles bathed in a shiok mix of soy sauce and a special home made gravy. The owner will mix the usual oriental sauces into the noodles, drains it out again then ladles her secret stock over. The char siew here ain’t great so I always ask for no char siew but I get 5 juicy wantons instead. (usual order comes with 3 wantons and char siew)

And because the noodles may not fill you up, please please do yourself a favor & order their shui gao tong ($3.50). The 5 big dumplings are very juicy and generously loaded with mince pork and sweet shrimp. The accompanying soup has a strong robust taste of ikan bilis & soy beans. It’s really very tasty and not “kee-tasting” like Hua Kee Hougang at Old Airport Road. (That one’s really horrid.)

My title says not on Wed & Thurs coz this stall is closed every 3 weeks on Wed & Thur. Which Wed & Thurs you ti-kam ti-kam coz unless you’re their regular you won’t know lol. So to play it safe, go on other days. Just be prepare to queue but I say it’s worth your wait. Stall opens at 12.30pm no earlier but you can “hang around” and faster chope your place at the queue when auntie starts selling. This stall is much better than Fei Fei. Yeah that one no need to queue but after ordering, your noodles take forever to come & it’s nothing to shout about. The only consolation going Joo Chiat to eat at Fei Fei is that you can hop over to Kim Choo next door and buy nyonya kueh hahaha. :P