BiTES - The Scoop on Good Eats (July 2014)

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It's our first issue!

Food, fun and fabulous deals inside

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Win!

10 sets of prizes worth $45 with #bestbitessg

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DEALS!

â—† 1-for-1 hotel buffets â—† Free desserts

o t a n i l e l n e t w e i B tyhou can eats

inside Destination: Jurong p.20 Eat, play and shop at Jurong East's new and old hotspots

Buffet Bounty p.14

Uncover Sunday hotel brunches under $50, our pick of 10 Ramadan buffets, and more spreads than you can eat this month

Supermarket Sleuth

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Quickie bar bites with just a few pantry staples + best pairing beers

crab feasts on p6, p14 and p24 Indulge in delicacies with exclusive savings at participating Creative Eateries restaurants AMEXNETWORK.COM.SG/CREATIVEEATERIES

AMX1083 Selects_BITES Cover 250x31.indd 1

6/18/14 10:10 AM

ADVERTORIAL

TIME TO SAVOUR Kronenbourg Make time for the best things in life, even if that means leaving office early

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It’s 5pm, the liquid hour when the sun dips lower and the stars begin to appear. The question is: What are you still doing in the office?

For those who work too hard, there’s never enough time to savour the simple pleasures of life.

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But wait: are you enjoying your beer the right way? Here’re some tips on how to best savour a Kronenbourg: » Ensure that your beer is chilled to the correct temperature, at between 3-5°C (serve it colder if you’re sitting outdoors in tropical weather) » The French cobalt-blue bottle is easy to grip if you want to drink directly from the bottle » Alternatively, pour your

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w e l c o m e

Welcome to the first issue of BiTES—the food tabloid with the scoop on good eats!

Like our readers, we think about food all the time. Where to eat, what to eat, and how much to spend on it. With this publication, we want to put the best of Singapore’s everyday good eats on one plate, to celebrate our favourite foodie finds and make them more accessible.

BiTES' focus is on value-for-money finds in Singapore’s casual dining scene: cafés, bistros, restaurants, bars, hotels, hawkers, food courts, tze chars, kopitiams, convenience stores and supermarkets all offer an immense variety to satisfy our enormous foodie passion.

In this and every issue, you’ll find conversations, whether with bloggers, hawkers, restaurateurs or diners, sounding off about what’s good to eat. Discover carefully curated destination features, because we will travel places just to fulfill our cravings. Equally important is what you eat at home, so we’ve charted supermarket shortcuts for cooking, or simply throwing ingredients together, alongside great kitchen appliances that catch our eye. All this is alongside an in-depth buffet coverage with trusted recommendations, food and drinks news, and other entertaining sections that cover—what else—more food. To top it off, our first cover story wants to know: Are You A Foodie?

BiTES would not be complete without special deals and tie-ups with our great partners—because when paired with good eats, there’s nothing like a good deal to sweeten the meal.

So go ahead and indulge, we hope to see you back for seconds next month!

#bestbitessg Here are our best shots.

Now we want YOU to show us your best food selfie for a chance to win 10 sets of prizes worth $45 Cherin

H um giant Y an vs ork puddin shire it 's a ti g– e

June Penny

Love, The BiTES team

Publisher Cecilia Goh Editor June Lee Staff Writer Meredith Woo Editorial Intern Joel Lim Designer Benjamin Soh Contributing Senior Designers Loh Wai Sum, Lynne Wong Contributors Ang Wei Ming, Lim An-ling, Sara Aman Business Directors Ashad Shah, Carlos Loh, Penny Ho Business Manager Cherin Ong Events & Marketing Executive Charlene Tan Publishing Admin Manager (Admin & Circulation) Siti Haneymah

Senior Digital Media Manager Eugene Koh Accounts Manager Christina Tan Company Director Yen Wong

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SHOW US YOUR BEST BiTES CONTEST

Bites is published 12 times a year and distributed free at various locations by Magazines Integrated.

85 Playfair Road, #04-02 Tong Yuan Building, Singapore 368000 Tel: +65 6848 6884 Fax: +65 6748 3453 Website: www.bites.com.sg Advertising enquiries: 6848 6882 bites.editorial@magsint.com bites.advertise@magsint.com bites.marketing@magsint.com

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Group Publisher Ho Sum Kwong Group Managing Editor Adeline Wong Group Creative Director Thng Wee Nee

Bring us with you! BITE INTO US ONLINE www.bites.com.sg

ich is WhMeredith be t ter? s h MeTwarreoebecadttekeit r Wothoan one!

Terms & Conditions BiTES reserves the right to publicise the participants' names and pictures in print and online. Winners must be 18 years old and above. Only winners will be notified. The judges' decision is final and no correspondence on the decision will be entertained. Management reserves the right to withdraw or replace the prize offers at any time.

Post a BiTES food selfie of yourself or with your friends from 1 July-15 August 2014. Follow @bitessg on Instagram OR like our Facebook page BitesSingapore and post your food selfie using the tag #bestbitessg. The BiTES team will pick the 10 most mouthwatering pictures to win prizes comprising 6-pack Kronenbourg 1664 lager and a restaurant voucher. Full information on www.bites.com.sg

c a l e n dA r :

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wednesday thursday friday 2 4 Market of Artists And Designers Durian (MAAD) Fiesta Pyjamas

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Load up on the King of fruits at Coffee Lounge’s dessert buffet. Mega durian profiteroles, ice cream, mini donuts, trifle and mousse cakes are calling. $34.80.

Find Uncle Ringo stalls, mini flea market, food and drinks at this charity run’s carnival. Help them raise $250,000 to benefit 400 needy children and families. tyarunandraisin.com

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Till 13 Jul | Goodwood Park Hotel

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7 Masak Masak: My Childhood

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Till 3 Aug, Daily 10am6pm | National Museum

Since it’s a Youth Day holiday, here’s a nostalgic event to keep the kids busy. Iconic playgrounds, retro games to rival the iPad, and other fun activities. www.nationalmuseum. sg

13 Bastille Day brunch at Balzac Brasserie 11am-3pm

Usher in Le Quatorze Juillet with a semi-buffet at this chic French bistro: free-flow roasted tomato soup, freshly-shucked Fine de Claire oysters, and homemade pate of Kurobuta pork and foie gras. $98. www. balzacbrasserie.com

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To avoid a faux pas in a French restaurant on their national day, flip to Last BiTES (page 34) for a quick walkthrough on French food names.

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Go MAAD here: oneof-a-kind trinkets, live bands, booze and food. www.maad.sg

10 Resorts World Sentosa Durian Fest 2014

10 Jul 7-8.30pm; 13 Jul 4.30-6pm, 7-8.30pm |

15 Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar French Bastille Day

Every first Fri of the month | 5pm-12am | Red Dot Design Museum

Till 27 Jul

This sprawling night market brims with Muslim street food such as tauhu telor and putu piring.

Grab a Ramly burger while shopping for baju. www.facebook.com/ 2014RamadhanBazaar

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Singapore Food Festival – A Walk Down Memory Lane 11-20 Jul

Braise—uh, we mean brace—yourselves for: a BBQ at Sentosa's Palawan Beach with sand sculpted tables, Chinese Dialect Heritage 23 Feast, ION Orchard Food Trail, and food truck Nyonya Mobile. www. singaporefoodfestival.com

Meet familiar friends Zhu Jiao, D24, Ang Kar and Mao Shan Wang, as well as durian desserts and seasonal fruits. $68; rwsinvites.rwsentosa. com.

11 Nanta

saturday Run & Raisin’ 2014

7am-5pm | Silver Garden, Gardens by the Bay

10-13 Jul | Thu-Sat 8pm; Sat-Sun 2.30pm | Resorts World Sentosa

12 Baker’s Oven Pattisieries: free tasting

Vigorous, entertaining and messy. This cooking comedy is a non-verbal visual fest where knives and cabbage go flying, while woks are literally fired up on stage. $51.

Pop by to sample cheesecake, pastries, breads, cookies and pizzas at this Halalcertified bakery factory. www.bakersoven.com.sg

17 Suvai 2014

Every 2nd Sat of The month | 9am-3pm

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17-20 Jul | Serangoon Road

An Indian food festival not to be missed. Culinary heavyweights convene for an international chef competition, masterclasses, a flying prata show, and of course, food. $18; www.suvai.sg

24 Sales & Marketing Night

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#EatDrinkArt Till 5 Sep | Mad Nest

It’s their third birthday, and they’re celebrating by transmuting mystery ingredients into extraordinary art with 14 invited artists. All proceeds will go to charity—hoorah! www.madnest.sg

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Every Thu TILL 1 JAN 2015 | Wine Bar, Zouk

Time to stop chasing clients and throw back one-for-one drinks all night. Just present your business card and relax.

You’ve earned it.

27 Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction

Till 28 Jul | ArtScience Museum

Visit these boney friends before they’re gone, and package in a good meal too. From $21; www.marinabaysands packages.com

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Image courtesy of adam shah the halal food blog

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Hari Raya Puasa

Selamat Hari Raya to all our Muslim readers! Check out our Halal buffet picks (page 18).

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31 Loof: Beat The Clock Mon-Fri 5-8pm

A happy hour deal to end. Drinks cost as much as the hour. At 5pm, pay only $5 for housepour spirits, house wines and draft beers or splurge $10 for cocktail of the month. www.loof.com.sg

coming up in august Singapore Night Festival Singapore Garden Festival Hungry Ghost Festival— Getai performances

Indulge in delicacies with exclusive savings

AMEXNETWORK.COM.SG/CREATIVEEATERIES

Dine with your American Express® Card and enjoy fantastic savings from 1 July until 30 September 2014.

50% savings on à la carte food bill when 2 diners order a main course each

33% savings on à la carte food bill when 3 diners order a main course each

20% savings

on à la carte food bill when 4-10 diners order a main course each

Choice of main course must be selected from the respective categories of each participating restaurant:

Fremantle Seafood Market Categories: Premium Fish & Chips, items from The Fish Market, Lobsters, Seafood Pasta & Risotto and Pizzas

Patara Fine Thai Cuisine Categories: Meat & Poultry, Seafood, Curries and Vegetarian mains Tanglin Mall #03-14, Tel: 6737 0818

Vineyard @ HortPark Categories: À la carte mains HortPark #02-02, Tel: 6479 7977

Clarke Quay #01-05/06, Tel: 6337 1838

Tajimaya Yakiniku Categories: À la carte items only including Japanese beef, Wagyu beef, US Angus beef, Kurobuta pork, Seafood à la carte and Others (Lamb shoulder, Lamb rack, Duck meat and Chicken). Minimum of 2 pork or beef orders per table.

Xi Men Ding

Shabuya & Shochu Bar Categories: Beef sets, Seafood sets, Pork sets and Others (Surf & Turf, Chicken and Lamb)

Categories: Signature sides, steamed fish of the day, Seafood, Poultry & Meat and Tofu

VivoCity #01-102/103, Tel: 6377 0070

VivoCity #01-51A, Tel: 6376 8018

VivoCity #01-102/103, Tel: 6377 0070

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pantone 144 U

Managed by: For more dining privileges, visit amexnetwork.com.sg

Terms and conditions: Privileges are valid from 1 July to 30 September 2014, unless otherwise stated. Discounts are applicable for total à la carte food bill only, excluding beverages, taxes and service charge, unless otherwise stated. The discount (20%, 33% and 50%) is only applicable for parties of two (2) to ten (10) people dining in the restaurant with a minimum order of one (1) main course per person, except Tajimaya Yakiniku where a minimum of two (2) pork or beef orders are needed per table. Diners are advised to check with the service staff at the participating outlets on what constitutes a main course before placing their orders. The merchant may deny a discount if correct information was provided but not heeded. Diners from the same party may not split bills even if they request for separate tables. Definition of a party is a group of two (2) or more persons dining at one (1) table or more tables. Privileges are limited to one (1) redemption per visit, per Card, per bill, per table, per party and per occasion, and when there is a request for separate tables this will be considered as one (1) party. Party size is limited to ten (10) persons, after which discounts will not apply. Only children aged seven (7) and above will be counted as one diner. Meal periods, menus, prices, change of concept and operating hours can change during the promotion period.

Offers are available when payment is made with the American Express Card, including American Express Corporate Cards and American Express Cards issued in Singapore by DBS Bank Limited, United Overseas Bank Limited, Citibank Singapore Limited and EZ-Link Pte Ltd. Offers are not applicable on eve of Public Holidays, Public Holidays and special occasions. Prices listed may be subject to service charge and prevailing government taxes where applicable. Offers cannot be exchanged for cash or used in conjunction with other promotional programmes, offers, discount cards, vouchers or VIP privileges, unless otherwise stated. Merchants’ terms and conditions apply - please check with respective restaurants for complete details.

American Express acts solely as a payment provider and is not responsible or liable in the event that such services, activities or benefits are not provided or fulfilled by the merchant. Card Members acknowledge that any disputes in relation to the above are to be directed solely to the merchant providing such services, activities or benefits. American Express International, Inc. is not responsible for the endorsement of any service or product featured. Merchants are solely responsible for the fulfilment of all offers. American Express International, Inc. and the business establishments reserve the right to change the terms and conditions at any time without prior notice. All information is correct at the time of print. Visit amexnetwork.com.sg for more details.

American Express International Inc., Incorporated with Limited Liability in the State of Delaware, USA with a place of business at 10 Marina Boulevard #15-00, Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 2, Singapore 018983. ® Registered Trademark of American Express Company. Copyright © 2014 American Express Company. All rights reserved.

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Strut through Orchard’s newest mall

Bar watch

The perfect chill out spots for after-work drinks.

The space between 313 Somerset and Orchard Central is now a shopping destination focusing on fashion and food.

Last month, models strutted and posed on orchardgateway‘s 60-metre lighted runway. The new mall’s been making waves with brands such as American sportswear Under Armour (#B1-05), cult British label Religion (#01-03) and Sects Shop (#04-14)

by Depression label designers Kenny Lim and Andrew Loh. It’s also a hot spot for new eateries and restaurants with a hotel and library in the works.

Shin-Sapporo Ramen’s fourth outlet (#B204A/05) dishes out exclusive bowls of sake ramen ($15.80) and duck ramen, with its signature broth and Hakata-style noodles. Their lava chocolate cake is pretty good too. Daily 11am-10pm. Tel: 6702 4906 Seat yourself in Japanese chain Saizeriya (#B2-11/11A) for Italian-style food on the cheap. Get carbonara spaghetti for $5.90 or Margherita pizza for $7.90. Even if you have only $5 in your pocket, order the chicken bolognese spaghetti for $3.90 (there's no GST or service charge). Daily 11am-10pm. Tel: 6834 4877 Fans of 12 Cupcakes, pop inside Daniel Ong and Jaime Teo’s latest concept, Dulce & Sucre (#B1-01).

You'll find tarts (apple crumble, lemon, sea salt caramel), loaves (triple chocolate, cranberry pistachio), puddings, crunchies, whoopies, parfaits and granola cups (from $3 to $6). Daily 10am-10pm. Tel: 6509 1255 Shin-sapporo ramen

Spoonful of sugar

New cakes, fresh cafes, bespoke creations, cupcake decoration classes and a different kind of doughnut to satisfy your sweet tooth.

With a motto like ‘don’t cake cake!’ (a pun on a Hokkien slang), aBite gets confused customers walking into their white premises to ask if the cakes are for sale (the answer is yes). Specialising in crafting custom confectionary, they used to run their business from

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Comestivel desserts Spanish doughnuts

cyberspace—we found the cheesecake airy, fluffy and very agreeable. #01-277, 46 Owen Road. Tel: 8499 3463 In Portuguese, comestível is tagged onto a word to describe it as edible. At Muslim-owned cafe Comestivel Desserts, this 'edible-lity' comes in the form of tarts (Milo, Smore's, tiramisu), cheesecakes (Nutella, peanut butter jelly), melt-in-your-mouth pavlovas (banoffee, gula melaka) and cakes. #B1-11/12 Siglap Centre, 55 Siglap Road. Tel: 9859 6214 The BreadTalk team is cake serious. New signatures are Salted Caramel Surprise ($28.80/$36.80), with gula melaka, genoise sponge layers, Chantilly cream, caramel sea salt and walnuts; Chocolate Fudge Soufflé ($32.80/$42.80), 55 percent cocoa with orange zest, encased in chocolate almond glaze; and Oreo Cheese ($35.80), chockfull of crushed cookies.

Little House of Dreams owner Audrey Lee's bakery cafe's grown in size (now a 40-seater) and in strength. Venture in for meticulously frosted Baby Cakes (4.5-inch diameter) in chocolate salted caramel ($30) and rainbow ($35), to cake jars ($6) and moist cupcakes ($3.50 regular; $2.20 petite). Hone your baking skills through their workshops ($80-$120 for a three-hour session); or stun wedding guests with a bespoke dessert table (from $950). #B1-27D/E The Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street. Tel: 6222 2972 For a different kind of sweet treat, make your way to Spanish Doughnuts from Australia. They offer churros, from freshly fried plain fluted sticks served with a variety of dips or fillings ($6.90/$9.90 for Original Hot Churros, $9.90 for Choco Churritos), to chilled premium churros ($4.30 each) that come in creme brulee, hazelnut and other flavours. You can also grab a Spanish chorizo ($4.90), or hotdog, along with a latte (from $4.20). #0551/52 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road.

Recharge with drinks, good music and bar fare at prices that won’t break the bank at Outpost Bar & Bistro.

Giant swings dot the al fresco area where you can relax and nurse your drink of choice. Inspired by George R.R. Martin’s books, Ice and Fire ($20) is a potent two-part drink guaranteed to set your taste buds alight by being both ice cold and flaming at the same time. Try their carbonara ($17) if you are peckish—al dente pasta tossed in a creamy bacon infused sauce. The cosy interior plays host to musical acts, from Mando-pop groups to open mic nights, showcasing local talents. On Wednesdays, Outpost offers $4 shots all night for ladies in addition to their musical line-up. #01-11 St. James Power Station, 3 Sentosa Gateway. Tel: 9069 1109 Clawing its way into the bustling Tanjong Pagar bar scene is The Shavencat. You'll find European-inspired dishes such as poutine topped with foie gras and red wine jus ($18), a 14-member Taiwanese Mandopop and dance act Hot Shock after 10.30pm, while latenight drinkers get complimentary soup after 2am. On Wednesday, enjoy their take on ladies night, the aptly named “I’m Purrfect!” where a 1.5L bottle of PerrierJouet Grand Brut goes to the best-dressed female. #01-01, 21 Tanjong Pagar Road. Tel: 6224 3383 If you prefer small acoustic acts to a large live band, head to Bendemeer to chill out at The People’s Company. Look out for special events such as their recent Sake Night Party ($55) which featured 12 different kinds of sake, a Japanese buffet, live music and karaoke. It’s karaoke night on Mondays, and on Wednesdays, students get a good deal. You might also chance upon their all-night Happy Hour. #01-05 Luzerne, 70 Bendemeer Road. Tel: 6293 9298

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The Shavencat

#HASHTAG Happenings

What’s trending on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. (P.S. Like us! @bitessg on Instagram and BitesSingapore on Facebook) #thepelicandeck Pelican Seafood Bar & Grill is testing their social media reach. Dine on the al fresco The Pelican Deck and Instagram any item from the Quick Serve Lunch Menu (Mon-Sat 12pm-3pm) with #thepelicandeck and a check in. On your next visit you can redeem the 1-for-1 deal. What's for lunch?

Head chef Isaac Tan recommends New England lobster roll ($35) and The Pelican fish and chips ($26). Till 11 July. #01-01 One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Road.

Tel: 6438 0400 #100DaysLatteArt McCafé’s baristas, led by master trainer Hilmi Mohamed, has been sharing swans, cute 3-D cats and starfish on social media. es bite advert 17.06.14AW.pdf

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If you’ve always wanted to be a barista, they’ll teach you—for free. Sign up for Youth Coffee Appreciation Workshops on 6 and 13 Sep, with two more sessions in December. Ages 1635. Registration 18 Aug-1 Sep via promotions@ sg.mcd.com

#CelebratePleasure with #MagnumSG For its 25th birthday, Magnum launched the limited silver edition with Marc de Champagne and its final instalment of the Pleasure Store at Customs House Terrace (daily 12pm-10.30pm, till 23 July). At the pop-up café, celebrate the ice cream brand's Silver Jubilee ($19), make your own Magnum ($7) or go Over the Moon ($11), which is a cocktail of Magnum, silver flakes and rum.

till October that will translate your butter blocks (4 points each) or spreadable butter tub (5 points) into Star Points which can be redeemed for: mittens (13 points), whisk (22 points), pots set (120 points), baker's kit (170 points). www.scsdairy.com #dreamdrivesg with #pezzopizzasg #itstimetodream. Three slices of Pezzo’s World Cup pizza ($4.50 per slice, $24.90 for a full pan), an Oreo cookie crumble creation with layers of banana dusted with icing sugar and cheese, will score you a scratch and win card for instant goodies or food worth up to $18,000. Test your soccer psychic skills and predict the winning team of the 2014 FIFA World Cup for a chance to drive or ride in a Maserati GranTurismo Coupe or Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder in collaboration with Dream Drive. Till 13 July. More details at pezzo.com.sg

#createwithSCS If you want more people to admire your bakes, snap a photo and hashtag #createwithSCS and @scsdairysg on Instagram. SCS is also running a rewards programme

3:51 PM

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b i t e s Japanese yuca root pillars drizzled with blueberry coulis, a mini stack of oriental white water snowflake greens and a savoury-sweet cherry tomato jelly, or guo dong. Cream of pumpkin soup ($5.80) is an eye-catching orange with a sampanlike pod of peas floating atop the swirls of soy milk. Then there's Sufood's Star Pizza ($12.80), a hexagram filled with oyster mushrooms, cream cheese and mustard sauce with a generous topping of salted seaweed. The 140-seater Italian-inspired casual concept features over 200 ingredients (rosella fruit, anyone?) and eightcourse set menus at $25++. If you're vegan or lacto-ovo, they'll also cater to your dietary needs and the menu has icons so you can quickly identify which dish has milk, onions, eggs, garlic or chilli. With this much variety, not even meat lovers can say no. #02-19 Raffles City, 252 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6333 5338

carvers & co

plaza brasserie

1 sufood

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From meats to greens

New kid on the East Coast block Carvers & Co is serious about its meats. Chef and sometimes Pilates trainer Sarah Lin makes a mean porchetta with crackling and apple chutney ($30), a lightly charred wagyu steak with caramelised onions and garlic confit ($40/$75/$150 portions) and a hearty rosemary, sage and thyme roasted turkey ($30). Her inspirations?

Italian mamas while on sabbatical in southern Italy's lush countryside, and shifu chef Damian D'Silva whom she worked with to open Immigrants Gastrobar. For a different kind of brew, Carvers & Co serves De Molen's Hamer & Sikkel and Op & Top—perfect after a session at Thunder Rock School, which is just a floor above.

Now could you share the paprika bacon chips ($6) please? 43 East Coast Road. Tel: 6348 0448 The vegetarian dishes at Sufood are almost too pretty to eat. Take for example, the Taiwan restaurant chain's signature appetiser ($5.80): a petite trio of

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sleeves and tuck into hearty grills, beers and of course, seafood. It has introduced a rotating menu of 12 new premium Sri Lankan crab dishes ($7.20-9.20 per 100g), comprising crab congee, crab kaffir lime, Mumtaz crab in mild cashew nut and tomato coulis, and crab tau cheo (yellow fermented bean sauce). Don’t hesitate: crab salted egg is hands down the most finger-lickin’ and savoury of the lot, with ample gravy coating the deliciously plump crab flesh. Level 4 Traders Hotel, 1A Cuscaden Road. Tel: 6831 4373

3Fried rice face-off

Two new dishes are available for a limited time at Madam Kwan’s: otak-otak fried rice and petai fried rice ($13.90 each). The former is a fusion of two cuisines, featuring chunks of smooth and springy fish paste grilled in banana leaves while the acquired taste of mildly bitter petai, or ‘stink bean’ stands out in the latter.

Both dishes are available till 31 July.

While you’re there, Madam’s Curry or Assam Fish Head ($49)—red snapper is used here; grouper across the causeway—is excellent for sharing, along with generous portions of Banana Fritters with Ice Cream ($8.90) and Cendol ($5.90) served with homemade gula Melaka. #01-155 VivoCity, 1 Harbourfront Walk.

Tel: 6271 9989

2 Ah hoi's kitchen

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What the crab!

Plaza Brasserie’s Ultimate Crab Feast ($65++) is serving up 27 crab dishes on the buffet table for dinner. Of these, 14 are whole crabs including chilli crab, butter crab, steamed crab with medicinal herb dang gui, and claypot ‘crab’ kut teh, which is steeped in a pork broth with crab shells and bak kut teh spices. If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, go for the crabmeat dishes: spicy salad, masala, and tartlets. Our best pick: sweetsavoury marmite crab, with a sheen of caramelised maltose on its shell. Till 27 July. Level 1 Parkroyal on Beach Road, 7500 Beach Road. Tel: 6505 5710.

Ah Hoi’s Kitchen is no hoity-toity hotel affair; the casual open-air restaurant beckons customers to roll up their

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Be my guest

Sake set with four cups You can afford to bring a bottle of Japanese sake with this stylish but affordable set. Other colours and designs are available to match your host’s home. $23 from iwannagohome!, #01-35/36 Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade. Tel: 6737 8858

We’ve faced that ‘what to gift’ dilemma when invited to a colleague’s apartment or newlyweds’ housewarming. A bottle of red wine might be the safe solution, but why settle for the usual when you can make an impression? These stylish yet wallet-friendly picks cater to a myriad of personalities—from quirky to proper. Best of all, they are all under $100.

By Meredith Woo, Contributing photographer Sara Aman

Remodelista: A Manual for the Considered Home by Julie Carlson The book that all home owners will love. Inside: great design ideas and insights from kitchen to bedroom that needn’t be expensive. $60.46 from Books Kinokuniya Singapore, #0309/10/15 Ngee Ann City, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, 391 Orchard Road.

Tel: 6737 5021

Bread box with chopping board Be thoughtful with this two-in-one gift. Your host gets a lightweight metal bread box with wooden lid that doubles up as a chopping board. $59 from Egg3, #01-10/11/12, 33 Erskine Road. Tel: 6536 6977

Cake pedestal This sleek stoneware centrepiece accommodates luscious cakes up to 30cm in diameter. Pop the matte black beauty into the dishwasher after a round of dessert. $34.95 from CB2, Peranakan Place Complex, 178A Orchard Road. Tel: 6732 5333

Twining's After Dinner Mint Steep this premium tea from London after the plates have been cleared. Part of the Prestige Signature Blend Collection, it's a light caffeinefree and refreshing palate cleanser with a hint of lemongrass. $94.16 from Café Mocha, Marina Mandarin, 6 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6845 1066

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Marble Paddle Server and Three-Piece Farmhouse Cast Iron Cheese Knife Set Cheese aficionados will swoon. The artisanal paddle oozes rustic charm, matched by the set of uniquely sculptured knives to suit cheddar and Parmesan or soft Brie and creamy goat cheese. $26.95 (paddle) and $49.95 (knives) from Crate and Barrel, #04-21/22 and #03-25 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn. Tel: 6634 4222

VIÑA SPOTS tumblers from Schott Zwiesel These'll jazz up any drink with their red, blue, green, grey, purple and amber hues. Pick a colour that might best suit your host, or get all six. $14 each, from Zwiesel Kristallglas Boutique, 40 Club Street. Tel: 6324 2931

Inverted vase/candle light holder Turn expectations topsy-turvy with this multi-purpose vase and candle holder. Flowers go in to brighten the day, while candlewicks glow to illuminate the night. $41 from BI&L Collections, #01-01, 12 & 13 Mohamed Sultan Road. Tel: 6235 0933

Three hanging glass vases Have a bouquet of flowers at the ready so your host can instantly brighten up his or her living room. $19.90 (small), $23.90 (medium) from Nook and Cranny Living, www. nookandcranny.com.sg

Tine K Home soaps No suds about it, everyone needs to wash their hands. Even more so with natural soaps from Portugal in refreshing scents like green fig, mandarin and white tea, and ginger. $38 (liquid handsoap), $ 19.90 (bar soap) from Dreamweave & other stories, #01-34 Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6333 1669

Morrocan Tadelakt containers These marrakesh vessels will elicit the most chit-chat from fellow guests. Get these plaster pots in lime, blue and purple in three different sizes. $25 (small), $50 (medium), $60 (large) from Modern Eclectic Living, #01-14 Cendex Centre, 120 Lower Delta Road. Tel: 6273 2204

Sardines snack forks No one will have a bone to pick with these designer party players. They come in a sardine-style tin with a lift-off lid and these stainless steel forks are great for olives, canapĂŠs and cheese. $32 (set of six) from Molecule, #02-33A Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade. Tel: 6733 2732

Speak up snack plates Let these ceramic creations by Balvi do the talking with their compliments. $39 (set of two) from Molecule, #02-33A Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade. Tel: 6733 2732

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Are you a foodie?

A recently opened restaurant made its splash by breaking the Guinness World Records for most number of pizzas made in 12 hours—3,574 pizzas. Between January and November 2013, a staggering 575 restaurants opened, translating to 52 new restaurants a month. That’s not counting the casual hawker, kopitiam or food court stalls that make up everyday dining options. Singapore is a food-obsessed city, meriting celebrity chef restaurants by Joël Robuchon, Wolfgang Puck and Daniel Boulud, and regular stopovers by TV hosts Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern and Alvin Leung.

If nothing in the above paragraph appeals to you, then you are probably not a “foodie”—a sometimes sardonic term referring to people who are ardently interested in food and drink, not out of hunger but for the purpose of seeking and enjoying food experiences.

Birth of the foodie The modern term has been around for over 30 years, first

Food, food and all things good. We kick off BiTES’ inaugural issue with a discussion of what it means to be a foodie in Singapore, how to identify your foodie tribe, and the foodie trends of the past few years.

By June Lee, Illustrations by Lim An-ling

used in publication by New York magazine food critic Gael Greene in 1980 and by Paul Levy and Ann Barr in an 1982 article on Harper’s & Queen (which later led to the published The Official Foodie Handbook in 1984).

Levy went on to offer his thoughts on the term in a Guardian blog in 2007: “It separated out those who ate their lamb overcooked and grey from those whose choice of cheese was goats... and it applied to shopping as well as to eating, to domestic cooks and eaters as well as to those who worked in, profited from or ate in restaurants; to foodstuffs, to brands, to reading matter; and above all, to women as well as to men.”

Although Singapore doesn’t have much farm land, having to import most of its food produce, it seems that it always had an unquenchable appetite for all kinds of food. This could be attributed to the city’s multicultural melting pot, where East-meets-West in every way imaginable. Malays intermarried with Chinese, giving birth to Peranakans and their amalgamation of Malay cooking

applied to Chinese ingredients, while Indians, Eurasians and Americans all left their mark on dining habits. You would not lack for a roast turkey during Thanksgiving, nor taco and artisanal tequila during Cinco de Mayo, while debal and fish head curries are available all year round.

Globalisation, for many Singaporeans, means that we can eat anything we fancy. We crave Russian, Venezuelan, Turkish and yet want ever more exotic and niche food, as seen on Food Network and Asian Food Channel. Perhaps one of the fallouts from this constant modernising outlook is the hotly debated issue of our own disappearing humble hawker food culture. Although, like most of the issues when it comes to our food, it’s all talk but no wok— the foodies just want to eat, and not cook for a living. So while the government and appointed industrial bodies jabber away about productivity, wages and training, we foodies unite around the peculiar habits of ours: taking photos of food, searching for the next hip bistro, and propagating the next food trend.

Charting five years A quick (and subjective) look at what trends were hot from the kitchen.

2010

2014 (so far) A liquid revolution of artisanal cocktail bars and hipster mixologists that began with Nektar and 28 Hong Kong and shows no sign of slowing down ROLL CALL: One-Ninety Bar by Javier de las Muelas, Bar L’Aiglon, Mars Bar, Manhattan, Anti:dote, Sugarhall, Potato Head Folk

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2013

All things Mexican and South American led the continuing Latin fever ROLL CALL: Pistola, Mex Out, El Rocho’s, Muchachos, Lower East Side Taqueria, Hombre Cantina, Guzman y Gomez

2012 Hola

, Spanish fever, which kicked off with Esquina and Sabio (both 2011) and a mushrooming of tapas bars and Spanish chefs across the island ROLL CALL: Binomio, Catalunya, Kaixo (closed), Foodbar Dada, Salt Tapas & Bar, Sabio by the Sea, Ola Cocina del Mar

2011

Third-wave coffee (and hipster cafes) finally came to the mainstream, led by the likes of 40 Hands (2010) and Papa Palheta (2009) artisanal java ROLL CALL: Jimmy Monkey Café & Bar, Jewel Café, Smitten Coffee and Tea Bar, Nylon Coffee Roasters, Toby’s Estate, The Orange Thimble

Rise of the celebrity brand-name chef restaurants with the launch of Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa integrated resorts ROLL CALL: Santi (closed), Guy Savoy (closed) CUT, DB Bistro, Osteria Mozza, Hide Yamamoto, Waku Ghin and Sky on 57 at Marina Bay Sands; and Joel Robuchon, Kunio Tokuoka (closed), Chinois (closed) and Osia at Resorts World Sentosa

Discover your foodie tribe

Who are your fellow soul (food) mates? Find out in this handy guide to the eight most common foodie tribes around you.

Hipster foodie

Hawker foodie

Who?: The most derided group of the lot, often 20-somethings camera-toting trend-followers that are seen as more intent on posting pictures than actually enjoying food while it's hot Loves: Waffles (currently), movies about food and wine, and Instagram Seen at: The newest cafes in town, reading Lucky Peach, and gushing about the new Chef movie

Kiasu foodie

Who?: Don’t be mistaken; these people love food AND deals—it’s an addictive combination for them, when they save money on their eats Loves: All kinds of food deals, and is adventurous when it comes to trying new deals Seen at: Closing time at bakeries for $1 deals, queuing for free samples, and scouring coupon sites for 50 percent off

Who?: True blue Singaporeans who want to preserve the genuine hawker heritage that they remember from yore—when hawkers made everything from scratch Loves: Kopi with a square of butter, accompanied by a box from the most obscure ang ku kueh stall in Singapore Seen at: Any hawker stall, dutifully updating Makansutra forums and bemoaning the closure of Lavender Food Square

Check out our buffet bounty on page 14!

Buffet foodie

Who?: A peculiar subset of kiasu foodie that merits its own category, buffet lovers are those who frequent buffets for its wide range of variety and perceived “value for money” Loves: The thrill of loading up on premium items such as cold seafood, and reading food blogs to find out about specific buffet highlights

Seen at: Buffet restaurants at all times, from weekday lunches to family gatherings

World Traveller foodie

Tai tai foodie

Who?: This foodie went somewhere once, and will forever tell you about eating Kobe beef in Kobe, or getting lost in “that market that Anthony Bourdain visited in Barcelona” Loves: ‘Authentic’ food cooked by native chefs and ‘authentic’ experiences Seen at: Customs getting their samjang sauce confiscated, or at various dinner parties boring other guests

Who?: High society climbers who ‘collect’ experiences at celebrity restaurants to keep up with the Joneses Loves: Brand-name restaurants, chefs, and dining guides Seen at: Beautifully dressed and coiffed for every gastro event and restaurant opening, but doesn’t eat much for fear of gaining weight

Vegetarian/pescetarian/ ovo-lacto hypernated foodie

Who?: This fussy (ok, principled) strain of foodie may or may not actually be allergic to gluten (or even know what gluten is), but has strong convictions or health conditions leading to a particular diet—whatever the case, there’s more for the rest of us Loves: Yoga, anything gluten-free, meat-free, cruelty-free, calorie-free, and so on Seen at: Various trendy eateries which serve soy ‘cheese’cake and fish baked in paper

Farm-to-plate foodie

Who?: Having watched too much River Cottage, these greenies are eco-conscious and want to know the provenance of their foodstuff (cue the renaissance in urban farming) Loves: Cooking at home, garnishing dishes with freshly plucked herbs from their back garden, or hunting for ingredients at Singapore’s “farmers’ markets” Seen at: Gourmet food stores, small farms in Lim Chu Kang, and debating the merits of red vs yellow quinoa

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Foodie confessions We gathered fanatics from different tribes to find out what they think. image courtesy of: maggi

K.F. Seetoh

No introduction needed to our original hawker champion who started local street food guide Makansutra in 1996.

What does being a foodie mean to you?

People call me a critic but I'm more of a food culturalist; I see a culture, people, places, opportunities in life. Food is not rocket science but for many years, nobody addressed the potentials and continuity.

This food tree of Singapore is not fruiting.

So I'm trying to make sure it fruits well so that everyone can cherrypick its opportunities.

What are Singapore’s foodies like?

We have a culture of foodies, of people

Bella Koh

Bella Koh is a star Instagrammer at @catslavery with 30,000 fans. She juggles multiple roles as co-founder of Flea & Trees and food stylist at The Cat Kitchen.

Why is it a big deal to be a foodie these days?

I don’t see it as a big deal—it’s a very personal thing to love food, often shared with the people we love. It’s more a big deal to marketers and brands because there’s money to be made where eyeballs (and stomachs) follow, but at the end of the day, we’re just acting on a very basic, human urge.

What do you consider good food?

It’s nothing to do with price. For example in Hong Kong: humble noodles drenched in sweet onion gravy, topped with curry fish balls and soy-soaked mushrooms at Chopsticks Kee compared to Korean

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that are their own experts.

You say “good”, they say “no lah, my one better”. Look— the government, industries, corporates, they're all into food. Food is in our DNA. You met Anthony Bourdain on his first trip to Singapore, what kind of foodie is he?

He's very much like me; he sees 360° around a flavour, not just the 'hoh jiak, bo hoh jiak' (good to eat, not good to eat). He sees our street food culture as an experience; he could open a hawker centre in New York.

What else have you yet to learn about food?

This is why I started the World Street Food Congress in 2013—I realised there was a lot of noise, but no action. I wanted to gather the thinkers of food, culture, food anthropologists, celebrities and business people for a dialogue. Over 30 hawkers from Mexico to Portland to India were also invited. I'm doing it again next April.

fried cauliflowers with a seared yellowtail salad at Yardbird. One exudes finesse, the other comfort. Foodies live like tyrants, demanding to have whatever they want, whenever they want. And any food that serves this purpose is good food.

You have a mostly vegan diet. How goes it?

I switched to a vegan diet five years ago after reading the book Skinny Bitch, due to being unable to accept the cruelty of factory farming and also work stress. I eventually left my job to live healthier, happier and slower. I'm now pescatarian and part-time vegan. The challenges are the pros! I’ve been forced to research, experiment and of course cook my own food. I started my Instagram account to document and share recipes and ideas.

You want people to…

Don’t knock mock! Give vegan mock meats a try—Tiong Bahru has one of the best.

Carlin Lee

Lecturer and part-time blogger Carlin Lee has enjoyed close to 100 different buffets around Singapore—and counting.

How did you start going to buffets?

My family are big eaters and it’s also a huge family, so buffets offer variety, value, and quality. My alltime favourite genre would be Chinese steamboat.

How much would you pay for a buffet?

The smallest amount is around $12, purchased from discount websites such as Groupon, while the largest amount is at The Line at Shangri-La Hotel—at least $60.

Victoria Milner

Search online for the term “Singapore foodie” and you’ll find—a non Singaporean.

Melbourne native Victoria Milner has been blogging at SingaporeFoodie.com since 2011, when she moved here with her husband.

How did you start Singapore Foodie?

I knew it would be a good search engine term when I found out that “Singapore Foodie” hadn’t been registered.

Unfortunately, the foodie term today has a bit of a bad sheen. Prior, there were already

Do Singaporeans really have a buffet strategy?

Yes. It really depends on the individual.

Strategy 1 Stuff yourself with all the expensive stuff first Strategy 2 Desserts first (I cannot remember the name of the food blogger who does that) Strategy 3 Avoid food that make you full fast (e.g. rice, noodles, starch) What do you think about the STOMP video of the lady who wasted food at a buffet?

Because the food wastage sign is too often seen in buffets and no action is usually taken by the restaurants, consumers assume that it is okay to waste food. And when it really happens, people (like the lady in the video) are taken aback and makes a fuss about it. Unless all restaurants actually penalise consumers for wastage, this will happen again.

Recommend your top three buffet restaurants.

Goodwood Park Hotel’s porridge and durian buffet (seasonal), and Crystal Jade’s buffet restaurants.

people who are genuinely interested in their food, where it comes from, and plan their trips around it (I’m one of them).

Part of it now relates to commercialism.

Everyone wants to get into being a foodie and make money out of it, and that dilutes the value of putting your opinion out there as a blogger. I try to offer something different to that as I don’t charge for reviews.

Instead of foodie, you’d call yourself…

A Food Lover; and I don't use the term 'love' lightly. But that's what differentiates a serious foodie from a wannabe. Although I'm interested in many other elements, if the food doesn't have love, then most often you won't go back.

Name some of your foodie food lover hobbies.

Taking lots of pictures and going to Tiong Bahru Market. On my list: visiting farms in Lim Chu Kang, a Peranakan cooking course, and thinking about how to encourage ground-level farmer’s markets.

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Ever wished you had a reliable buffet resource available to guide you to the best all-you-can-eat spots? Buffet Bounty is your go-to resource on buffets for all budgets, tastes and locations. This month, we zoom in on the choice hotel buffets along Singapore’s most popular shopping belt, grill a blogger over dinner, uncover 5 buffets under $50 and suss out where to enjoy a value Ramadan buffet with friends and family. Log on to www. bites.com.sg for these buffets and more!

Bites guide:

Coffee Lounge

Think local delights with a fusion twist at Open House (from $28++). Come for its mainstays—pizzas (teriyaki, Margherita, Hawaiian), sandwiches, dim sum, claypot favourites and roast meat with noodles or rice; and be pleasantly surprised by its monthly Asian themes that see special menu items added to the spread. The open concept restaurant also boasts four live cooking stations with chefs churning out à la minute orders.

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One dines free with every two paying adults for All-you-can-eat lunch, high tea and dinner with complimentary parking from 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 9pm. Applicable from Mondays to Fridays Spices Café

Price guide (nett) $ wallet-friendly (below $50) $$ just can’t resist a splurge ($50-100) $$$ a special occasion ($100-150) $$$$ indulgence galore (above $150)

Open House Grand Park Orchard Level 4, 270 Orchard Road. Tel: 6603 8855

Certified halal Does not serve pork or lard Kid-friendly facilities

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Fave hotel buffets in Orchard Road [$] Cafebiz Traders Hotel, Singapore Lobby Level, 1A Cuscaden Road. Tel: 6831 4374 Get ready for the work week with Cafebiz’s Sunday Buffet Dinner (Sun 6.30-10pm, $33++ till end July).

The international spread is a melting pot of flavours, spanning exotic Asian, international and local cuisines with seafood on ice. Located behind Tanglin Mall, it’s a little far from the main shopping belt, but those who’ve been speak fondly of their experience.

Coffee Lounge Goodwood Park Hotel Lobby Level, 22 Scotts Road. Tel: 6730 1746 Think piping hot Taiwan porridge with over 29 dishes to choose from. Comfort food favourites like braised pork belly with dark soy sauce, chilled beancurd in Japanese

Spices Café Concorde Hotel Singapore Lobby Level 3, 100 Orchard Road. Tel: 6739 8370

soy sauce and pork floss and steamed sea bass with crispy bean paste feature in this à la carte buffet (daily 12pm-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm, $39++, minimum 2 to dine), with unlimited access to the dessert table. $49.80++ till 13 July with durian dessert buffet.

Crystal Café Orchard Grand Court Level 1, 131 Killiney Road. Tel: 6830 2020 Here’s another venue to check out if you love Taiwan porridge. Nestled behind the SingTel building is Crystal Café, which has daily lunch and dinner buffets at walletfriendly prices (from $13.80++). When you’re done with the savouries such as braised pig trotters and chicken feet, tuck into their hot dessert, assorted pastries and freshly-cut fruits.

Head to Spices Cafe for their weekday Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch (Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm, $32++).

Enjoy the moreish aromas of Peranakan cuisine, with favourites like bakwan kepiting (pork and crab meatballs in soup), ayam buah keluak (chicken cooked with an Indonesian black nut) and loh kai yik—a hard-to-find Hakka dish made with almost every part of the pig.

White Rose Café York Hotel Singapore Lobby Level, 21 Mount Elizabeth. Tel: 6830 1156 At White Rose Cafe, there’s much to eat during Sunday tea (Sun 3-5pm, $28.80++). Slurp your fill from the noodle station, where chefs whip up Singapore laksa, pork ribs and prawn noodle soup and other favourites as your stomach rumbles. Then fill your plate with dim sum, baked macaroni with escargot, sushi and durian puffs. Don’t forget to ‘take a dip’ in the chocolate fondue fountain.

In partnership with

10 at claymore

buffets (Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm, $49.50++): Monday’s spices and herbs (Indian and Malay cuisine), Tuesday bodes authentic Thai, go Japanese on Wednesdays, Thursdays mean Mediterranean, and of course there’s their ever-popular sumptuous Friday seafood buffet.

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One dines free with every two diners for International Sunday Brunch

Jiang-Nan Chun Four Seasons Hotel Singapore Level 2, 190 Orchard Boulevard. Tel: 6831 7220.

[$$] 10 at Claymore Pan Pacific Orchard Lobby Level, 10 Claymore Road. Tel: 6831 6686 Relish 10 at Claymore's seasonal Plates of Pleasure (from $59++). The à la carte buffet means you can sample their premium meats—in ideal bite-sized portions. Believe us, it’s hard not to crave their signature Blackmore full blood Wagyu beef tenderloin and Famous Peddler’s Char Kway Teow.

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One child dines for free with every two paying adults for buffet lunch, buffet dinner, Gourmet High Tea and Sunday Brunch.

Carousel [ ] Royal Plaza on Scotts Lobby Level, 25 Scotts Road. Tel: 6589 7799 This award-winning buffet restaurant serves everything from seafood, roasts and desserts, which are all prepared in its Halal-certified kitchens (from $49++).

Tuck into slipper lobster, leg of lamb and choose from its three-counter dessert spread while you dine comfortably in one of its four tastefully designed sections: The Living Room, The State Rooms, The Verandah and The Terrace.

Checkers Brasserie Hilton Singapore Lobby Level, 581 Orchard Road. Tel: 6730 3390 What’s interesting here is its weekday themed lunch

Kick off the weekend feasting with a variety of dim sum as well as signature items by Chinese executive chef Alan Chan, steamed or wok-fried upon order.

Choose to add Veuve Clicquot Brut NV or Rosé, house red or white wine to your Oriental Weekend Brunch (Sat 11.30am-2.30pm; Sun 11am-1pm, 1.303pm, from $78++) which includes one serving of braised bird’s nest or sea treasure soup and freeflow juice. Then move to wholesome delicacies like double-boiled abalone soup with chicken and ginseng, and refreshing desserts like chilled herbal jelly.

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One dines free with every two paying adults for 5-course Set Lunch

L’Espresso Goodwood Park Hotel G/F, 22 Scotts Road. Tel: 6730 1743 We know English afternoon tea is usually served with what else—a spot of tea. L’Espresso (Mon-Thu 2- 5.30pm; Fri-Sun, PH 12-2.30pm, 3-5.30pm, $68++) turns the elegant enjoyment up a notch by offering a glass of Laurent-Perrier champagne along with tea time delights like dainty sandwiches, salads, savouries, pastries, desserts, chocolate fountain and of course, traditional English scones.

Marriott Café Singapore Marriott Hotel Lobby Level, 320 Orchard Road. Tel: 6831 4605

Orchard Café Orchard Hotel Singapore Lobby Level, 442 Orchard Road. Tel: 6739 6565 Lovers of Straits cuisine, rejoice at the Peranakan spread (from $48++). Expect steamed black cod otah, sambal stingray in banana leaves and kueh pie tee garnished with buah keluak here. Feast on signature Ah Huat Kong Bak Pao, as well as claypot dishes like slow-cooked beef cheek rendang, babi pongteh, and spicy ikan kuah lada. Leave room for dessert: chempedak crepes.

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One child dines free with every two paying adults

Pete’s Place Grand Hyatt Singapore Basement Level, Grand Wing, 10 Scotts Road.

Tel: 6732 1234 At this Italian establishment, you'll be spoilt for choice at Sunday brunch (11.30am-2.30pm, $82++). Picture the ocean: freshly shucked seasonal oysters with mignonette dressing, Canadian lobsters, scallops and crabs. Then dive into the antipasti, pizzas by the slice, mains, pasta and much more, while washing everything down with free-flowing prosecco—perfetto.

Pool Grill Singapore Marriott Hotel Level 5, 320 Orchard Road. Tel: 6831 4605 Laze by the water and imbibe to your heart's content at Pool Grill. Food is à la carte, but don't let that stop you from ordering some starters with your drinks. Try the Boston lobster cocktail, crepes with Grand Marnier and vanilla bean ice cream, and garlic & rosemary roasted kipfler potatoes. The wine and beer buffet has a time limit of two hours ($45++), but that’ll keep you from being sloshed before dinner time.

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 12% off total food bill for HSBC Premier MasterCard® and HSBC Visa Infinite Cards ◆ 10% off total food bill for all other HSBC Cards Pete’s Place

Enjoy international and local cuisine (lunch from $55++) with stations serving oysters, chilli crab and premium dishes like crispy pork saddle with pancetta prune and mixed herbs, and slow roasted prime ribs.

Then indulge your sweet tooth with a helping (or two) of their signature sticky date pudding or take a breather at the extensive salad bar, set against a backdrop of live plants.

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One child dines free with every two paying adults for main course or buffet from Sunday to Thursday

Swissôtel Merchant Court

One dines free

with every three diners for buffet lunch, high-tea and dinner.

Offer valid till 31 July 2014. Terms and conditions apply, visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more details.

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Blogger Hot Seat Every month, BiTES grills a blogger. We kick off with Miss Tam Chiak, one of Singapore’s most established bloggers who first started as a newspaper food writer, to find out if she is really tam chiak (greedy) and what she really thinks of Marriott Café’s dinner buffet.

WHO: Maureen Ow (www.misstamchiak.com) Blogging for: Seven years. Sees blogging as a hobby and not fulltime job, so doesn’t charge for

per person, daily 6-10pm)

Time of visit: 27 May, 7pm marriott cafÉ

reviews. Her advertising revenue is managed by Nuffnang.

Blog's birthday wish: To write more overseas food stories and to try out a short stint in a restaurant or hotel for that insider experience.

Most tam chiak (greedy) moment in 2014: “On my solo trip to Melbourne in March, I visited up to six cafés for cappuccinos in a day, on top of lunch and dinner.”

Ultimate comfort food: Black carrot cake from Song Zhou at Bedok Interchange Food Centre.

Most memorable meal and why? Tamashii Robataya (#02-01, 12 North Canal Road) for the fantastic ambience, the omakase, the set lunches under $20, and the creative Singaporean chef who is very good with the grill. “Having so many places to eat at, I don’t really make repeat visits. But I went back to Tamashii at least five times!”

Favourite hangout: Currently, One Man Coffee (215R Upper Thomson Road).

Strategy: Start with seafood on ice, some sashimi. Next, savouries.

“I went in a clockwise direction for milder Asian food then moved on to western dishes.” Dessert is last.

DIDN’T EAT: Salads. “90 percent of my tummy belongs to savoury, cooked food. My boyfriend says ‘wah very rugi (a loss)’ when I eat buffet.”

Second helpings of: Their signature sticky date pudding.

Best dish: The pasta live station.

Maybe not: Cottage pie. “There was too much mashed potato and too little meat. It was also not flavourful enough.”

Highlight: “Ang mo chef slicing the sio bak is very unique!” (She’s referring to executive sous chef Matthew van der Zwan; he’s Dutch but born and raised in Australia.)

Before you go: “Have some green tea for digestion.” Marriott Café serves a premium selection of Ronnefeldt teas (as part of the buffet).

Verdict: “There’s a lot to eat! I shouldn’t have worn this tight dress that’s cinched at the waist.”

How many BiTES? Taste: 3.5/5 Value for money: 3/5

baked pastries and scones. On their menu: Wagyu roast beef on thyme bread with English mustard, avruga caviar, Yorkshire pudding, laksa flan with baby shrimp and macchio tiramisu. We would opt for the first seating.

StraitsKitchen [ ] Grand Hyatt Singapore Lobby Level, 10 Scotts Road. Tel: 6732 1234 With a smorgasbord of popular local hawker fare, StraitsKitchen is a great place to bring visiting friends (from $45++). The marketplace setting is a Singapore showcase of Hainanese chicken rice, beef rendang, crabs and even the pungent king of fruits— homemade durian ice cream. Its theatre kitchens also offer a visual treat, with much prata-flipping and satay grilling action.

The Dining Room Sheraton Towers Singapore Level 1, 39 Scotts Road. Tel: 6839 5621

Tea Lounge Regent Singapore Lobby Level, 1 Cuscaden Road. Tel: 6725 3245 With a relaxed library-like ambience, it's a good place to unwind at the Weekend High Tea Buffet (Sat-Sun 12nn-2.30pm, 3pm-5.30pm, $52++) which offers a selection of premium teas, finger sandwiches, freshly

THE BUFFET: International dinner buffet Marriott Café ($68++

StraitsKitchen

Although famed for its "Women Only Wednesday" dinner, we like The Dining Room's inclusive family day Sundays (7-10pm, $58++). Bring the whole jingbang to dinner and relax with the sound of the cascading waterfalls in the background while you savour dishes like wok-fried blue crab with salted egg, slow-roasted ribeye, signature laksa, and seafood on ice.

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One child dines free with every two paying adults

In partnership with

the rose veranda

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cheese mussels, fried carrot cake and a generous pulot hitam dessert. A short five-minute walk to Raffles City, Coleman’s Cafe is your best budget buffet bet for the area (Sat-Sun, PH 12-4pm, $38++). Level 5 Peninsula.

Excelsior Hotel Singapore, 5 Coleman Street. Tel: 6416 1132

SUNDAY BUFFETS

Fern Tree Café

under $50 NETT

Surprise your loved ones with brunch, lunch or tunch at one of these affordable international hotel buffets—each under $50 nett.

21 on Rajah [ The Rose Veranda Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore Mezzanine Level, Tower Wing, 22 Orange Grove Road.

Tel: 6213 4486 At The Rose Veranda, the setting is lavish and elegant, the chairs are comfy, and each seating is at least three hours long (Mon-Fri 11.30am-6pm; Sat-Sun, PH 11.30am-2.30pm, 3-6pm, $45++). Choose from 164 premium tea blends and sip from silver teacups while savouring international and local offerings. Perfect for that languid afternoon catch up with your girlfriends.

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 10% off total bill

The Dining Room

]

The Dining Room

For eggs done à la minute and a kids’ activity corner Sunday brunch (12-3pm, $38++) is a hearty feast of seafood on ice, with their signature slow braised lamb shank and beef meatballs, a live carvery station, local 21 on Rajah delights and eggs done à la minute. When we visited, they were serving laksa that might give Katong’s a run for its money. For dessert, load up on waffles, kuehs and cakes. Then take a break from the buffet table by posing for photos with their resident art deco statue 吉 (ji), or Fortune in Chinese, which it resembles; while keeping little ones entertained at the supervised kids’ activity corner. Lobby Level Days Hotel Singapore at Zhongshan Park, 1 Jalan Rajah Road. Tel: 6808 6847 HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off total bill

Coleman’s Cafe Modest budget spread at City Hall We spotted a number of older folks here, probably due to its Senior Citizen’s price ($28++, age 60 and above). There's the usual seafood on ice and local favourites like durian pengat and Singapore rojak, but what caught our attention were oxtail, a cheese corner COLEMAN’S and sandwich counter.

CAFE In the chafers were also

For a peaceful weekend near the Singapore River For a quiet respite from snaking buffet lines, pop into Fern Tree Café with your folks (Fri-Sun 12pm-2.30pm, $38++) and spend a Sunday afternoon savouring Asian dishes and East-meets-West creations, like the seafood laksa pasta. Don’t miss out on grilled salmon fillet with pesto cream, beef shepherd's pie, freshly shucked oysters and cold cuts. Pay a visit to the “chicken rice stall” styled station which doles out roast duck and pork which you can pair with plum sauce. For dessert, there are assorted 'shaky jellies', pecan pie, homemade soy bean and red bean with sago. Lobby Level Hotel Miramar Singapore, 401 Havelock Road.

Tel: 6631 3021

Katong Kitchen [

]

A spread to rival the food choices around Katong The area is famed for good food—the de facto 328 Katong Laksa, Eng's Noodles House, Puteri Mas Durian Puffs, Penny University—so why settle for a hotel buffet?

We were impressed with the spread here, from sticky date pudding, gong gong (pearl conch or sea snail), spanner crab and English beef stew to international salads (daily 12-2.30pm, $38++). The 101-seater restaurant is often packed with diners savouring the flavours of Nonya, Macanese, Asian, local and western cuisines, so reservations are in order. Level 4 Village Hotel Katong, 25 Marine Parade Road. Tel: 6551 2141

Zenden Restaurant Comfort food with attentive service At first glance, you’ll find the spread modest (daily 12-2.30pm, $36++).

However, each dish is delicious and redolent of hearty soulful flavours. On the afternoon of our visit, we tucked into seafood on ice, lamb with mint sauce, moreish har lu (Cantonese dry-fried) prawns and blueberry pastry. Housed in the trendy Gallery Hotel, the restaurant can go through over 100kg of fish in just a weekend.

They also do 1-for-1 tie-ups with credit cards and a deal site, so this is an affordable gem if you’re in the area. Level 4 The Gallery Hotel, 1 Nanson Road. Tel: 6849 8699

Fullerton Hotel Singapore

One child dines free

with every two paying adults for Buffet Dinner and Saturday Singapore Local High Tea. Offer valid till 31 July 2014. Terms and conditions apply, visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more details.

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Ramadan buffets

The holy month of Ramadan runs till 27 July this year, when Muslims fast during the daylight hours. We've picked out a slurping selection of buffets to buka puasa (break fast) at with family and friends.

and Middle Eastern dishes from the hotel’s Halalcertified central kitchen. Males and females have separate prayer areas at the side of the café, and dates are served at each table. Tuck into food from live stations and salad, appetiser and dessert stalls where you’ll find everything from Egyptian breads to roast lamb. Till 27 July. Dinner: Sun-Thu 6-10pm, Fri-Sat, PH 6-10.30pm, $60++. Level 2 Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road. Tel: 6431 6156

Bokhara Biryani & Kebab This Halal Indian and Mughlai buffet eatery is small but has gained quite a following when it comes to authentic dum biryani and kebabs, both à la carte add-ons.

Find them opposite Serangoon Plaza, which houses a Mustafa branch. Dinner: daily 7-10pm, $18.90. #01-02 Fortuna Hotel Building, 2 Owen Road. Tel: 8399 7795.

Bumbu Restaurant Take three other friends to dine at this spacious new Farrer outlet, which offers an à la carte buffet menu for a minimum party of four. Tuck into the rich flavours of ThaiIndonesian cuisine: tahu telor, tom kha chicken soup, century egg salad and beef rendang are dishes to order out of a generous 23. Dinner: daily 6-10pm, $18.80+. #02-101, Block 4 Queen's Road. Tel: 6479 4075

1 Market by Chef Wan For limited edition global Ramadan specials, make a beeline for Malaysian celebrity chef Wan's 500-seater Halal-certified buffet arena. Specials include Moroccan chicken tajine, Siam laksa, Portuguese fish ball curry and Turkish imam bayildi (stuffed eggplant). As an added bonus, a group of four dines for the price of three. Till 27 July. Dinner: daily 6-10pm, Mon-Thu $38.80++, Fri-Sun, eve of PH, PH $42.80++. #04-45/49 Plaza Singapura Atrium, 68 Orchard Road. Tel: 6341 9159

Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant This longstanding halal Indonesian buffet restaurant has been around since 1985. You'll find a mix of comfort traditional fare (gado-gado, soto ayam soup, spicy ayam mesak merah) and fusion offerings like butter prawns

AquaMarine Relax in the al fresco area after making your rounds for their perennial Singapore chilli crab, rogan josh and seafood au gratin, before sweetening the deal with delish desserts. All their food stations, including the central kitchen, are certified Halal. Dinner: daily 6.3010pm, Sun-Thu $70++; Fri-Sat $80++. Level 4 Marina Mandarin Singapore, 6 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6845 1111

Asian Market Café

accented by curry leaves. Dinner: daily 6-10.30pm, $55++. Level 3 Furama RiverFront Singapore, 405 Havelock Road. Tel: 6333 8898 HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 1-for1 buffet

Royal Kublai Khan Steamboat Buffet & Seafood Restaurant For a Halal hotpot meal that's worthy of warlord Genghis Khan, this Mongolian BBQ buffet restaurant boasts a soup base brewed from an army of 60 plants and spices. They have sambal lala, black pepper crab and salted egg lotus roots. There's free Wi-Fi too. $23.50 nett. #01-56 Burlington Square, 175 Bencoolen Street.

Tel: 6836 2389

Sakura Charcoal Grill and Shabu Shabu There are a few Sakura outlets on our little red dot, but our definite vote is for the one at Punggol. Apart from the huge spread (over 200 items) that includes seafood, meats, yong tau foo, green and various dipping sauces, we love that the Halal buffet restaurant provides a free shuttle service from Sengkang MRT station, and has a prayer room on site. Dinner: daily 5-10.30pm, MonThu $28.80+; Fri-Sun, Eve of PH, PH $31.80+. Marina Country Club, 600 Punggol Seventeenth Avenue.

Tel: 6385 8197

Seoul Garden Head to this Korean-styled BBQ buffet's latest outlet in the west for all-you-can-eat sizzling meat on the grill while hanging out with your kawan-kawan. Free flow marinated meats, vegetables and beverages await.

Dinner: Mon-Thu 5-10.30pm, $24.99++; Fri-Sun, Eve of PH, PH 4-10.30pm, $27.99++. Prices exclude free-flow soup base. #B1-45/46 Jurong Point, 63 Jurong West Central 3. Tel: 6686 3448

Tiffany Café & Restaurant

AQUAMARINE

Iftar specials here encompass local Malay favourites

50% OFF

From its Malay kitchens come an array of international offerings for Ramadan. Diners pile up on the buffet restaurant's sashimi and desserts, especially the durian pengat. Iced peach and lemon teas are free-flow.

Dinner: daily 6-10.30pm, $58.80++. Level 2 Furama City Centre Singapore, 60 Eu Tong Sen Street.

Tel: 6531 5366

a Swensen's Underwater Adventure Kid's Meal with min. S$60 nett spend.

Offer valid till 31 July 2014. Visit www.swensens.com.sg for full list of Swensen's outlets. Terms and conditions apply, visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more details.

In partnership with

Window on the Park Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre Level 2, 11 Cavenagh Road. Tel: 6733 8333 At 29 years old, Window on the Park might qualify as one of the most seasoned buffet restaurants in town.

Cosy up with the weekday dinner selection (from $59++) of seafood, Asian and international specialities like chilli crab, Singapore laksa and crème brûlée as you contemplate your next shopping stop. The spruced up hotel was formerly known as Holiday Inn Parkview Singapore.

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 30% off total buffet bill

Brasserie Les Saveurs

[$$$] Basilico [ ] Regent Singapore Level 2, 1 Cuscaden Road. Tel: 6725 3232 The 202-seater focuses on seasonal and authentic Italian cuisine. Highlights include a rotisserie, espresso bar, walk-in wine cellar and al fresco dining at the terrace overlooking the pool. At Basilico’s popular Sunday lunch (Sun 12pm-3pm, $92++), wander round the live cooking stations, nibble in the cheese room which has at least 15 varieties, and revel in the heady aroma of the foie gras bar. There’s also a kids room for your tots.

Brasserie Les Saveurs The St. Regis Singapore Lobby Level, 29 Tanglin Road. Tel: 6506 6860

Triple Three Mandarin Orchard Singapore Level 5, 333 Orchard Road. Tel: 6831 6288 There’s a different themed buffet every day at this Japanese-inspired international restaurant. Three all-you-can-eat dishes feature on its Kagoshima Wagyu Beef Night (Wed-Thu 6.30-10pm, $88++), for that midweek bovine craving. This is in addition to its selection of sashimi and sushi, seafood on ice, premium roast section and delectable desserts. mezza9

the line

[$$$$]

Spend a Saturday evening with three pleasures at The St. Regis Connoisseur Dinner Dance (Sat 7.30-10.30pm, $93++). First, the romantic ambience that will charm any date; second, the cuisine, which is contemporary French and encompasses delectable appetisers, main courses, desserts and gourmet cheeses. Third, learn from resident instructors and take over the dance floor.

mezza9 Grand Hyatt Singapore Mezzanine Level, 10 Scotts Road. Tel: 6732 1234 This 400-seater restaurant is massive. Sit anywhere you want and order from any of its nine dining experiences: grill for slow roasted black angus prime sirloin, steam basket, deli counter, wok, seafood, Thai, sushi, yakitori, patisserie counter for homemade gelato and martini bar which has a wide selection of tipples to choose from. mezza9’s Sunday Champagne Brunch (Sun 11.30am3pm, $138++) offers free flow Perrier Jouët Grand Brut champagne, premium red and white wines, beers, mojitos and Bloody Marys.

The Line Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore Lobby Level, Tower Wing, 22 Orange Grove Road.

Tel: 6213 4275 Go big at The Line with its 16 theatre kitchens that feature a wide array of dishes. Seafood lovers, don’t miss out on their special Marine Harvest buffet (Tue and Thu 6-10.30pm, $92++) where lines form at the crustacean bar. Alaskan king crab, Boston lobsters and chilli crabs await; along with free flow house wine, Archipelago Xiang beer, soft drinks and chilled juices.

HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 10% off total bill

Offers are valid till 31 July 2014, unless otherwise stated. Offers are not valid in conjunction with other promotions, privileges and vouchers. Merchant terms and conditions apply; please refer to the merchant for details. For more details visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining.

10% OFF

with minimum spend of S$35 on delivery.

Offer valid till 30 September 2014. Visit www.kfcdelivery.com.sg or call 6222 6111 to place your orders. Terms and conditions apply, visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more details.

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Journey to the wild west

Before the 1960s, Jurong was a mangrove swamp—where crocodiles plied the waters. Up till the 1980s, it was an industrial outpost where gradually, more people called home. Today, its east side—more commonly known as Jurong East—is a bustling hub, evidenced by the addition of an MRT platform in May 2011 to ease congestion, and malls comparable to Orchard Road's. It can only get busier, with plans for more MRT lines, recreation and even Genting Singapore’s 550-room hotel (opening 2015) in the pipeline. Thus, like jerongs (Malay for shark, from which ‘jurong’ is thought to derive), the BiTES team descended upon the west to eat our way through the new and old.

By Meredith Woo, Food photography by Benjamin Soh

JCube

(2 Jurong East Central 1) JCube—boogie on the ice rink.

eat at taipei (#03-03) A few eateries fringe JCube's 60m by 30m Olympic-size ice skating rink, but this Taiwanese street food chain offers the best views. Snack on Tainan Coffin Toast ($9.90), Shilin Night Market fried fresh milk ($5.90), and Keelung braised mee sua with pork knuckles ($9.90) as you watch wipe-outs or graceful twirls on ice. The spacious eatery also offers bento boxes (from $13.90), set meals like San Bei chicken with basil ($17.90) and cold delights like aiyu ice jelly ($5.90). If the expanse of ice gets too chilly to bear, thaw out with a steaming bowl of Jiu Fen taro balls ($4.50), Taiwanese milk tea ($3) or a nourishing Taichung Night Market ginger duck soup ($5.90). Daily 12nn-10pm.

Tel: 6684 3032

Westgate Mall (3 Gateway Drive)

Westgate—a green courtyard with live stage acts Westgate Wonderland (Level 4) Designed by the same folks behind Universal Studios Singapore’s Revenge of The Mummy roller-coaster ride, what’s heart-stopping about this fantasy garden is not its huge treehouse, but the snaking queues.

Weather permitting, everyone’s allowed into this popular 11,000-sq-ft outdoor playground, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

Daily 10am-10pm.

SYNC Korean Fusion Bistro powered by Samsung (#03-01) Yes, this fusion bistro is the tech giant’s foray into food. Serving Korean-Western fare, it comes equipped with an al fresco bar and a gadget experience corner for the whole family. Samsung fans, this eatery is part of a 6,027-square-foot standalone triplex store—the biggest and a first in Singapore. Sun-Thu 11am-11pm; Fri-Sat 11am-12mn.

Tel: 6369 9913 ISETAN SUPERMARKET (#B2-01) The Westgate branch of this Japanese supermarket is really spacious—a boon for shoppers who attend the many events and fairs held here. You'll find a lot of produce and brands from Japan, even more so during special events when suppliers are flown in.

Sun-Thu 10am-9.30pm; Fri-Sat 10am-10pm.

Tel: 6896 7777 TSUKADA NOJO (#03-04) These self-proclaimed Japanese poultry farmers have opened their namesake restaurant in Westgate. Bijin Nabe, or beauty pot, is loaded with collagen from special Jitokko chickens from their farm, 1,000km south from Tokyo. Watch the congealed pudding-like stock melt into a delicious soup before filling the pot with vegetables and meatballs. Daily 10am-10pm.

Tel: 6465 9356

Neoprint machines (Level 4) Before the advent of the selfie, 1990s teens used to make a beeline for these photo-sticker booths. It might feel cheesy, with pre-recorded schoolgirl voices yammering instructions in Japanese, but just do it, for old time’s sake. Daily 10am-10pm SV GUITARS (#04-04) If you’ve no smooth moves to let loose on ice, cultivate your musical talent with a myriad of six-stringed wooden bodies or pick up some pedals that’ll make your guitar warble. Yes, they're the same folks from Peninsula Shopping Centre who carry brands like Gibson, Ibanez, EST Guitars, Bare Knuckle and JHS. Daily 11.30am-9.30pm. Tel: 6684 5310 SKATESPORTS (#03-13) Tired of the queues to The Rink’s skates loan counter? If you go often enough, you might want to consider getting your own gear.

SkateSports stocks brands like BAUER and Jackson; and for the uniced kind, Mission, MCP and Micro, and skateboards from Penny and Karnage. Kit out here, then return for their maintenance services, as they’re conveniently located near the rink.

Daily 10am-10pm. Tel: 6684 4096

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JURONG EAST CENTRAL SNIP AVENUE (#01-335, 135 Jurong gateway road) Exit JCube and you’ll enter the beginning of Jurong East Central. From lelong sales like $2 slippers to $1 bread, there’s also a bargain haircut from salon chain Snip Avenue. If the hot weather or your long fringe is bothering you, step in for a $3.80 trim. Mon-Sat 10am8.30pm; Sun & PH 10am-8pm.

Tel: 6569 1600

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Image courtesy of capitamalls asia limited

Imm

(2 jurong east street 21)

IMM—land of 55 outlet stores and family-oriented restaurants Saboten (#01-19) Once when there were just deep-fried cutlets, there are now choices of teppanyaki, shabu shabu, mentai and sashimi. We’re talking about Saboten’s IMM menu, which offers 18 new items. Daily 11am-10pm. Tel: 6898 3432 Outlet stores With 55 outlet stores in IMM, ranging from brands like Adidas (#01-123), Coach (#01-104/104A), Picket&Rail (#03-26) and The Travel Store (#02-39), it’s time for some serious shopping. Make use of the free shuttle buses back to the MRT area.

7 INCH SQUARE PIZZA (#01-K07) The mathematical name caught our attention initially, but what's charming about this food kiosk is its modest beginnings in Ju Seng Huat Coffeeshop at 6 St George's Road. You won't find it at other malls, but chances are, NTU or SMU undergrads might know about its other outlets. Daily 11am-9pm imm

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Jem n l ay

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(50 Jurong Gateway Road)

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Jem—a mall with 215 stores and its own app

Jem app With all the international brands like Muji, Sephora, Apple via EpiCentre, Shu Uemura and Victoria’s Secret, you might need this app’s useful in-mall navigation function. We’re also quite floored by its ability to remember where you parked (especially after all that shopping), notify you of new deals and help you accumulate loyalty points. It even has an e-Concierge service at your e-beck and call. www.jem.sg/jem-app.php

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THREE HOURS OF FREE PARKING This is why IMM’s carpark is always full. If you manage to snag a spot, three hours is enough for a round of retail therapy, a hearty meal and a spot of grocery shopping.

After your daily allotment of free entry or after the magic number of three, charges of $1.07 per hour and 30 cents per 15 minutes kick in.

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JEM

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DID YOU KNOW?

The Jurong Regional Library (21 Jurong East Central 1) is the largest public library in Singapore. Launched in 1988, it was expanded in 2004 to four storeys and a total floor space of 12,020sqm. It has a unique teens library, created and run by teenagers with a collection appealing to teens, cool music and even a graffiti wall.

Cathay Cineplex (#05-04) Cinephiles flock to the IMAX theatre in JCube, and Cathay Cineplex’s extra-large wall-to-wall cinema screen in Jem. There’s Dolby Atmos sound technology and Ultima couple seats—and kudos to recyclable ticket stubs and food containers.

Tel: 6337 8181 THE SOUP SPOON (#02-05) For a soup-focused meal that's fulfilling and wholesome, come by for staples like velvety mushroom stroganoff, roasted pumpkin and meatless minestrone. Regulars will also be aware of their seasonal chef specials. Health buffs will appreciate the nutritional information on display, including gluten-free and vegetarian options. SunThu 10.30am-10pm; Fri-Sat, PH 10.30am-10.30pm.

Tel: 6694 2114 ZERO2SIX (#04-47) Stop over if you have tiny tots who love to get their hands on (or sink their teeth into) anything.

The mum-owner believes that children between 0-6 years old should play with only quality toys which are safe, educational, innovative and environmentally friendly.

Daily 10am-10pm. Tel: 6339 0877

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Jurong East Swimming Complex (21 Jurong East St 31)

Deeper into Jurong East:

From just $1.50 on weekdays, enjoy access to spiralling water slides, a lazy river, and even a wave pool. It’s a water theme park without all the bells and whistles. Tue-Sun 8am-9.30pm Image courtesy of SPORT SINGAPORE

With two markets in the Yuhua area with similar names, it’s quite easy to mix them up. Yuhua Market & Hawker Centre is a convenient stop after a swim, and a sheltered walk from the MRT station. It’s also Singapore’s first hawker centre to offer healthier food options at no extra cost. Then there’s Yuhua Village Market & Food Centre, a smaller affair that was upgraded in August 2006. Keep a look out for HDB blocks with the unmistakable quadrant-shaped windows to know you’re at the right place. In between the two markets, you’ll come across ENAQ Restaurant, a 24hour pit stop for Malay comfort food.

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Yuhua Market & Hawker Centre

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(347 Jurong East Avenue 1)

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Swimwear shops Browse through affordable swimwear from the stalls at the outer ring of the market side. You’re never too early; these open from 7am.

Joo Siah Bak Koot Teh (#01-220/221) Owner Ryan Chua runs the stall with his parents, and they come as early as 6am to prepare braised pork trotters ($5/$7) which have no vinegar. The premium loin ribs soup ($7) is so precious, it’s sold only in the morning (no takeaways). The distinct, peppery soup that doesn't leave you thirsty.

Tue-Sat 8.30am-7pm; Sun 8.30am4pm

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Lai Heng Handmade Teochew Kueh (#01-218) Watch the stallholders mould and stuff the handmade kueh. Pay just 10 cents more and request to have your soon kueh pan-fried ($0.70) for that extra morning oomph. This stall has been around since 1984. Daily 6.30am-2pm

San Jiang Aquarium

This old school shop is a firm favourite among fish enthusiasts. Guppies ($2 for 3 males; females 50 cents each), angelfish ($1/$1.50) and neon-coloured tetra ($1 for 5) dart in the tanks; and if you’re lucky you might see a discus (from $10) with her baby.

We love the retro vibe here. #01-1211, 349 Jurong East Avenue 1. Mon-Fri 9.30am-7pm; Sat-Sun 9.30am-5pm. Tel: 6425 5993

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Richie’s Crispy Puff

Think large, crispy curry puffs available round the clock. These halal snacks are also available as a set meal, complete with soft-boiled eggs and drink ($2.80). Choose the popular curry chicken puff, or get adventurous with lemon tuna fish or durian puff (all $1.30 each, two for $2.40). #011201, 349 Jurong East Avenue 1. Tel: 6345 5225. Open 24 hours.

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ENAQ Restaurant

(303 Jurong East Street 32)

Roti prata is a versatile staple for breakfast, lunch, dinner and of course, supper. If you like it crisp and perfectly done, ENAQ’s rendition of the kosong ($1) is what you are looking for. Those with a sweet tooth might also want to try their Prata Bomb ($1.70), or Milky Gems ($2), with a filling of condensed milk and colourful M&Ms. We only wish the curry could be richer. Open 24 hours.

Yuhua Village Market & Food Centre (254 Jurong East Street 24)

Biscuit and coffee stall (#01-71) Pass by the many stalls displaying meat, fish and vegetables in the morning, and you’ll find a 30-year-old stall selling biscuits and sweet bean cakes from our parents’ time. There is also a row of tarnished biscuit tins, holding coffee beans which will be ground fresh for you, upon request. Tue-Sun 7am to 3pm Hup Hong Chicken Rice (#01-51) Chicken rice here is only $2.50 with smooth meat and fragrant oily rice. Hup Hong sees long queues during lunch time, and some westies will tell you it’s the best chicken rice in their area.

Tue-Sun 10.30am-6pm.

Xiang Ji Cooked Food (#01-53) Strictly open in mornings. Porridge lovers willingly brave the queue at this self-service stall for a traditional bowl of piping hot pork or century egg congee, topped with dough sticks.

Daily 6-11am Fei Fei Roasted Noodle (#01-28) This popular wanton mee stall with its signature roasted meat ($3) is a must-try, and enjoys snaking queues at lunch time. At press time, the stallholder uncle had just returned from a two month hiatus after an eye operation and business is as busy as ever. Wed-Mon 8.30am-1.30pm

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Zai Shun Curry Fish Head

(253 Jurong East Street 24)

The neighbourhood institution for fish. Formerly called First Cooked Food Point, the stall and coffeeshop now share the same name. They specialise in Teochew porridge, and steamed whole fish (market price). Psst: They are also known for the rare and pricey empurau fish from Sarawak, which is subject to availability. Thu-Tue 7am to 3pm.

Tel: 6560 8594

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Jurong's dean of seafood What crabby adventures await in sleepy Toh Guan estate? We dig into Dean’s Café where tanks of live crabs, fish and lobsters await.

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Photography by Benjamin Soh

6PM: WE NEED FOOD!~ HUNGRY! When orders come in, woks are fired up, and up to four chefs work in tandem. The show kitchen is transformed into a 3x3m2 flurry of activity.

! ! ! i h s i o mes here co our food!

Live seafood is handpicked directly from distributors at the nearby Jurong Fishery Port, or via direct imports through chefs' contacts. Weekends guarantee the freshest finds, as tanks are replenished Fridays to Sundays.

fresh!

Pumpkin ribs have a hint of salted egg—great find.

The bamboo clams are freshly The meat is tender and not steamed withfatty; young garlic, and the overly and the golden duck ispumpkin crisp yet stillwith juicy.hints Ask for sauce of a saucersalted of their tasty belacan chilli. egg keeps you coming back for more.

mmMM...

We really liked this dish—it's An addictive combination of the usual cai po (salted radish) omelette and hor fun within.

However, it could do with a bit more wok hei.

The heavy, fresh crab in the braised crab bee hoon boasts a rather sweet flesh and plenty of roe. pity the bee hoon gravy was overly starchy and lacking in richness.

Dean's Cafe, 267A Toh Guan Road. Daily 4-11pm

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It's all in a day's work for BiTES' WOK & Talk team, as we leave Jurong East with full bellies, stuffed shopping bags...and a stowaway?

The bill

The score

THE VerdicT

4 pax: $115 ➔ Crab with bee hoon $48 (1kg) ➔ Cai po hor fun $9 (medium) ➔ Crispy duck $18 (Half) ➔ Bamboo clams $16 ($8 per clam) ➔ Pumpkin spare ribs $10 (small) ➔ Frog legs $14 (2 frogs)

➔ Food ➔ Ambience ➔ Value for money

➔ Neighbourhood hideaway with unique cai po horfun and reasonably priced live seafood

Have a favourite hawker hunt? Talk to us at [bites.editorial@magsint.com] *BiTES dined incognito and paid for our own meaL

s u p e r m a r k e t

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Sneaky shortcuts to bar bites

Whether you need light or substantial snacks for your next party, we’ve put together ingredients with minimal cooking involved to impress your mates.

By Joel Lim and Meredith Woo, Photography by Sara Aman Special thanks to Chef Ang Wei Ming and Kommune Bistro

Cut the tops off peppers and set aside

Roughly chop sweet peppers Bagel bics

Chicken thigh

Crush bagel chips (or bread crumbs)

Sweet Peppers $7.60 from FairPrice

Brown beef in a pan and add bagel bits Stuff the cooked mixture into the peppers

Minced beef

Cut peppers and onions into bite sized chunks

Onion

Stuffed peppers

Dice chicken thighs and pan- fry with peppers

Mushrooms Roll the cooked chicken in a tortilla wrap and pan-fry till golden

Skewer peppers and onions together with mushooms and grill in oven or pan

tortilla Wrap

Vegetable skewers

Beemster cheese ($10.90 from cold storage) Grate cheese over stuffed peppers and bake till golden

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chicken wrap

Pair with:

Pair with:

Pair with:

Tiger radler ($4.70) The light and lemony Radler pairs well with the stuffed peppers, contrasting with the sweetness of the peppers and savoury stuffing.

Kronenbourg Blanc ($4.55) Elegant yet refreshing due to its citrus notes, this wheat beer with coriander spices makes a brilliant companion for the skewers’ grilled flavours.

HOEGAaRDEN ($4.75) Cloudy, original Belgian wheat beer that has an earthy aftertaste, refreshing the palate for more bites of the chicken wrap.

Mince bacon and fry till crispy Dice and render the bacon fat

Sour cream

Bacon

Minced beef

$3.50/250g from Foodie Market Place

Add in minced beef and fry it off in a good sized pot

Beemster cheese

Grill thumb sized slices of bacon till crispy

Chives

Fruit paste

Red kidney beans

Combine the bits of bacon, chopped chives and grated cheese into the sour cream

Bagel bics

Spead fruit paste on each bagel chip (or slice of baguette)

Pair with:

diced tomatoes

Somersby pear cider ($4.70) This sweet, fruity and refreshing cider means that it’s a versatile drink going well with any salty snack (and creamy dip of course!)

Add red kidney beans and diced tomatoes Beemster cheese

Sour cream

Paprika

Simple chilli con carne

Season with paprika or fresh chilli to taste

Chef Ming Ang has been with Kommune since its pre-opening in April. One of his specialty items is the ever-popular candied bacon, shared in the recipe below.

Layer grated cheese and bacon on bagel and top with a small dollop of sour cream

Canapés

Candied Bacon Rashers Ingredients 8-10 slices streaky bacon rashers 1/2 cup coarsely ground peanuts 1/2 cup light brown sugar

Pair with: Guinness Stout ($3.95) The creamy, chocolatey notes of this dry stout goes well with stronger meats, standing up well to the tangy tomato and savoury beef.

Pair with: Kronenbourg 1664 lager ($4.75) A light and crisp lager is a great pairing with dishes that have a range of tastes— such as this canapé.

1. Place bacon on baking sheet lined with parchment, bake at 210°C for 4 minutes. Remove and tilt to pour out rendered fat into a bowl.

2. Mix sugar and nuts into the bowl of bacon fat, and spread mixture evenly on bacon.

3. Place bacon back on baking tray and continue baking till crisp, around 3 minutes (note that cooking times may vary due to different oven builds).

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Best sips under $40 online The wine range between $30 and $40 yields plenty of ripe, impressive picks, especially when you sniff out online deals on wine e-stores. There are pros and cons to shopping online— though prices are generally more friendly, you’ll miss out on in-store tastings and getting face-to-face professional wine advice. Don’t know where to start? We've picked out a few fave online stores and play sommelier to match the power tipples to the occasion.

By June Lee

www.winedirections.com This wine distributor specialises in boutique New Zealand and Australian wines at pocket friendly prices. Barossa Shiraz can cellar many years and reach into four-digit prices. This ripe entrylevel Shiraz from family-owned Small Gully in Greenock, Barossa Valley, “over delivers for the price”, notes Wine Directions’ director Arjen Blom.

Small Gully The Formula Robert’s Shiraz 2009 $35 ➽ Origin: Adelaide Plains Grape: Shiraz Occasion: Break it out for a BBQ or over a lamb dinner, as it contains complementary spicy berry and white pepper notes. Drink now or within three years.

*Delivery charge: $15 with minimum 6 bottles for delivery, free delivery for above 12 bottles, or self-collect from #01-02 Extra Space Building, 301 Boon Keng Road.

ewineasia.com ewineasia is possibly Singapore’s largest fine wine and spirits e-store.

The huge wine directory helps you shop by producer, grape, style, vintage and price, but it can be daunting to go through hundreds of wine. We’ve singled out a supple Rioja from Spain with a 90-point Parker rating, and a structured Sauvignon Blanc from a French winemaker in Australia.

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• Dominique Portet Fontaine Sauvignon Blanc 2013 $37 ➽ Origin: Yarra Valley Grape: Sauvignon Blanc Occasion: Floral and balanced, this delicate Sauvignon Blanc with crisp citrus notes is a classic with fish dishes or just to drink on its own. Be sure to serve chilled to at least 9°C. • Bodegas Palacios Remondo La Vendimia 2011 $37.50 ➽ Origin: Rioja Grape: Garnacha, Tempranillo Occasion: This tinto, or red Spanish wine, has summery flavours of cherry and jammy red fruit, and would be great with light curries or beef stews, or even to make a luxe sangria.

*Delivery charge: $15 for orders under $200, and free for orders $200 and above

www.wineconnection.com.sg You’ve probably wined and dined at one of their many accessible outlets (50 around Southeast Asia), but their online store offers even more steals, with steep monthly discounts that means picking up a bottle from as low as $17. They carry a wide range of New and Old World, with clearly

marked bestsellers. We’ve gone for a ready-to-drink Bordeaux, and a 94-point James Halliday pick for Chardonnay lovers.

ChAteau Cote Puyblanquet 2011 $39.90 ➽ Origin: Saint-Emilion Grape: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon Occasion: This Gold Medal Bordeaux 2012 awardee is bouncy and vibrant, and exudes a bouquet of blackcurrant, oak and vanilla. Pair confidently with Frenchstyle venison or duck.

Tightrope Walker Chardonnay 2012 $34.90 ➽ Origin: Yarra Valley Grape: Chardonnay Occasion: Winemaker Adrian Sparks is the Chardonnay wizard, producing this new complex and nutty tipple from the stony soils of Yarra.

Think buttered roast chicken, or shellfish cream pasta to match.

*Delivery charge: $20 for orders between $100-299, and free for above $300 (additional charges apply for Sentosa addresses).

www.ewinegallery.com If you enjoy browsing at the boutique Wine Gallery outlets, you’ll find even more choices from their online shopping site, where regular deals can be found. They offer wholesale prices and one of the lowest delivery charges in town on over 1,000 wine labels.

Luis Canas Barrel Fermented Rioja Blanco 2013 $36 ➽ Origin: Rioja Grape: Viura, Malvasia

Occasion: This white Rioja is made from fruit from old vines, and will give great enjoyment on its own or paired with risotto, white meat, and even cheese and nuts.

*Delivery charge: $10 for orders under $150, and free for above $150

www.cornerstonewines.com Fancy getting the same prices as trade professionals? Family owned Hock Tong Bee is a regional wine and spirits distributor offering wholesale prices on their website. They personally picked out two bestsellers for us: the Mount Monster Shiraz with a slew of accolades, and a brand-name Chateaneuf-du-Pape with 90 points from Robert Parker.

Xavier Cote du Rhone 2010 $39.60 ➽ Origin: Rhone Grape: Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah Occasion: This classic Chateaneuf-duPape dark fruit blend is silky with a ripe, medium body. As it shows good balance and acids, match it with something decadent—steak and mushroom.

Mount Monster Shiraz 2012 $37.45 ➽ Origin: Padthaway Valley Grape: Shiraz Occasion: We just can’t get enough of Barossa Shiraz, so here’s another mouth-filling option with cassis and spice, rounded off with soft tannins.

* Delivery charge: $30 + GST for orders under $750, and free for above $750

2012 SH

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CSPC: 932784700 ALLERGENS: Mi

www.mtmonst

Morambro Creek W Phone: +61 (0)8 87

k i t c h e n

p l a y g r o u n d

Snap solutions From an upsized airfryer to a breakfast maker, these fuss-free gadgets will make your cooking easier and cleaning simpler.

By Meredith Woo

Naturai Ice Cream Maker NICM1000i Icy treats are 20 to 40 minutes away with this portable machine that doesn't require salt or ice. Simply freeze the bowl, add your favourite ingredients to the aluminium container and start churning. The one-litre capacity comes in two colours: green and white-grey.

Nordic Ware Burger Bites Grill Pan and Press Sliders are a snap with this non-stick coated pan which can make seven mini burgers at a go. Grill and sear patties on your stovetop with the matching mini hand press. Its heavy cast aluminium body ensures that heat is evenly distributed all around for fussfree bar bites.

$73.55 from ToTT Store, #01-01A Sime Darby Centre, 896 Dunearn Road.

Tel: 6219 7077

NESCAFE Dolce Gusto MINI ME Automatic System Here’s another beverage machine to add to your list. We say beverage, because it can make tea latte, Milo ($10.90 for a box of eight servings) and even cold drinks. Small and compact, it delivers up to 15 bar pump pressure and comes in three shades: Black & Anthracite, Red & Artic-Grey and Artic-Grey & White.

$199 from OG People’s Park, 100 Upper Cross Street. Tel: 6535 8888

$99 from Live Kitchen by mayer, #02-25 Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade. Tel: 6838 4079

Tefal Toast N’ Egg TT5500 This time-saving breakfast making machine is a toaster, half-boiled and poached egg steamer and meat warmer all rolled into one. Make thick toast with the wide toaster slots, or muffins, croissants and bagels while you heat up your bacon or ham. Cleaning’s also a breeze with its crumb tray and removable parts.

$69.90 from Courts Megastore, 50 Tampines North Drive 2. Tel: 1800 222 6868 Aztech LollieEgg Roll Maker Literally cook eggs on a stick in this automated machine by a home-grown company. You'll know your vertical omelette is done once the column rises from the chamber. It's also built for portability (less than 1kg), travel (autopower adjustment control), is easy to clean with a non-stick coating and is safe for children to use with its CoolTouch aluminium body.

$39.90 from Giant Hyper, #01-01 Grand Stand, 200 Turf Club Road.

Tel: 6462 2102

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Philips Jamie Oliver Blender HR2172 This blender will make even Wolverine envious.

Armed with a titanium coated five-star blade, it can pulverise ice, nuts and meat into submission.

Other features: a duo speed option and pulse setting, a high quality glass jar and removable blade unit for easy cleaning, and exclusive recipes from the Naked Chef himself.

$128 from BEST Denki, #02-33B/D Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade. Tel: 6732 8122

Philips Avance AirFryer XL HD9240 This supersized home fryer boasts a 1.2kg capacity that feeds five people and cooks 30 percent faster than its predecessor. It has also gone digital, letting you have precise temperature and timer control. It also goes the extra mile to grill, roast, bake and gratinate (to cook till a crust or crisp surface forms).

$539 from BEST Denki Singapore, #B101/43/44 Bedok Mall, 311 New Upper Changi Road. Tel: 6844 9604

Tupperware Turbo Chopper There is no need to whip out your bulky electric blender when all you need to do is blitz a handful of herbs and spices. This manual food processer with its anti-rust blades capable of 288 cuts in 15 seconds will make short work of most ingredients.

Not to mention it comes in a wide array of cool colours, sure to light up any counter top.

$57 from Tupperware Brands Singapore, G/F 85 Defu Lane 10. Tel: 6285 3988

Zyliss Avocado Tool It can halve, pit, scoop, slice and mash the fruit—at twice the usual speed. If your hands are wet, fear not. This handy tool’s ergonomic handle is non-slip and soft to touch.

$11.95 from ToTT Store, #01-01A Sime Darby Centre, 896 Dunearn Road. Tel: 6219 7077

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1-for-1 buffet lunch (normal price $49.50++) Mondays to Fridays. SAVINGS: 50% Hilton Singapore–Checkers Brasserie 581 Orchard Road Singapore 238883 Tel: 6730 3390 Terms & Conditions

Valid: 1-31 July 2014. Reservation is required and is subjected to availability. To place your reservations, please call 6737 2233. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website) to enjoy this offer. Maximum of 3 coupons can be used, per table, per card. Offer is not valid in conjunction with other offers, discounts, coupons and promotions. Payment must be made via a HSBC credit or debit card. BITES

1-for-1 buffet lunch and dinner mondays to fridays. savings:50% InterContinental Singapore–The Olive Tree 80 Middle Road Singapore 188966 Tel: 6825 1008 Terms & Conditions

Valid: 1-31 July 2014. To place your reservations, please call 6825 1008 or email to intercontinental.dining@ihg.com. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website) to enjoy this offer. Offer is not valid in conjunction with other offers, discounts, coupons and promotions. Payment must be made via a HSBC credit or debit card. BITES

30% off food items mondays to fridays.

6-10pm. savings: 30% Outpost Bar & Bistro

3 Sentosa Gateway, St. James Power Station, #01-11, Singapore 098544 Tel: 9069 1109 Terms & Conditions Valid: 1-31 July 2014. Offer does not apply to alcoholic drinks and cannot be used in combination with

other promotions. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES

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Complimentary steamed yam cake and mango sago set with purchase of every main dish, Savings: $3.90 Hong Kong Sheng Kee Dessert Refer to www.shengkeedessert.com for list of outlets

Terms & Conditions Valid: 1-31 July 2014. Cannot be used in combination with other offers, discounts, coupons and promotions.

Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). Valid at all 16 outlets in Singapore. BITES

1-for-1 cocktails (normal price $14++ each) all night long. Savings: 50% PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road–Club 5 181 Kitchener Road Singapore 208533 Tel: 6428 3150

Terms & Conditions Valid: 1-31 July 2014. Not applicable to signature cocktails. Offer is not valid with other promotions,

discounts and other vouchers. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES

1-for-1 buffet lunch (normal price $47++) mondays to fridays. savings: 50% Traders Hotel, Singapore–Cafebiz 1A Cuscaden Road, Singapore 249716 Tel: 6831 4374 Terms & Conditions

Valid: 1-31 July 2014, excluding 28 July. Advance booking required via www.tradersdining.com.sg. Cannot be used in combination with other offers, discounts, coupons and promotions. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES

Scan here to check out the deals online at www.bites.com.sg

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suchi odori

the winery

Enjoy Singapore's best bite-sized sushi as experienced Japanese itamaes work at the counter. Order a party pack for your next gathering, and don't forget the sake! #01-04 Hanten Building, 54B Otoro Avenue. Tel: 6789 1111

Our standalone triplex in the middle of an industrial estate is fully stocked with hundreds of vintages from around the world.

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es

it

French (tongue) twist

b last

The great Fren ch bistro secret: tasty en tre côte (on-trey-coa t) is beef steak from "be twee n the ribs"

Something we do unwittingly: Butcher foreign names. Never get “that look” again with our handy guide on french food names Sure, we know that poulet (poo-lay) means chicken and we’ve eaten fancy Parisian macarons (not to be confused with macaroons)–but are we saying them right? Check out these nine terms we’ve singled out in honour of France’s Bastille Day, which falls on 14 July.

Bon appetit!

Maybe kouign amann (Queen a-mahn) is an Arabic pot?

Nope—think a round, flaky pastry with caramelised sugar

’re oo), you h s ( x u ho w ou sa y c . A light, hollo h y n e h W g to.. ed wit referrin ich ca n be fill wh pa stry la voured crea m f

There’s no “t” sound in ragout (rah-goo) —a flavourful stew, usually with meat

Tell mum you’re off to the boulangerie (boo-lah-zheree)—that is, a bakery In case you were too polite to ask: sous vide (soo veed) is cooking with a vacuum-sealed plastic pouch in a waterbath 34

Not eggs for brunch again?

Why not try a charcuterie (shar-koo-tuhrree) board of cooked cold meats instead

You’ll meet this fella at most French restaurants: coquilles SaintJacques (ko-kee sah-zhahk) are scallops served in their shells

t g, ha ve n’ n o r w it e n sa ying h-k a h-roh) is a n d e b e ’v u o Y ron (ma k ie sa n dwich a n a c a M ? o you d a iry co with ma ca roon s e s a b d n ed a lmo e con fus k ies or biscuits) b o t t o n u n d co o (lit tle ro