BiTES - The Scoop on Good Eats (August 2014) by BiTES - The Scoop on Good Eats

ee r f s

it'

bites a u g u s t

2 0 14

m . s g t e s .c o w w w. b i

MCI

(P)

#bestbitessg

Join to win prizes!

T h e s c o o p o n

g o o d

e at s

DEALS!

2014 187/03/

◆ 50% off sashimi ◆ Complimentary waffles and more

w a h k e e revolu r h t tio

inside DESTINATION: KATONG p.20

Nostalgia and good food go hand in hand in the proud Peranakan precinct

n BUFFET BOUNTY p.14

10 dim sum hotspots not to miss, 5 under $50, plus Asian delights galore

SMART BUYS p.8

et p rk + a Ma io kK + Pe

All things local to jazz up your home and as gifts

p2 4 2 ➽ p r im +p k a j a o ir wi er r n a n i es with ind on loc al foo d slang p32

supermarket sleuth p.26 The kopi and kaya taste test

w e l c o m e

Where to find your BiTES? DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE at www.bites.com.sg PICK US UP! Free at over 100 venues

Cafes & restaurants & Sons • Alfresco Gusto • Bishamon • Bonta Italian Restaurant & Bar (District 10) • Brussel Sprouts - Big Splash • Brussel Sprouts - Robertson Quay • Brussel Sprouts - Sentosa Cove • Daikokuya • Delifrance Cafe - Cold Storage Jelita • Delifrance Cafe - Gateway West • Delifrance Cafe - Gleneagles Hospital • Delifrance Cafe Harbourfront Centre • Delifrance Cafe - KK Women's and Children's Hospital • Delifrance Cafe - Lot One Shoppers' Mall • Delifrance Cafe - Mount Elizabeth Hospital • Delifrance Cafe Rendezvous Gallery • Delifrance Cafe - Singapore Post Centre • Delifrance Cafe - Thomson Medical Centre • Delifrance Cafe - UE Square • dr CAFE COFFEE (all outlets) • Egg & Berries Changi City Point • Egg & Berries Westgate • Emicakes @ Kovan • EN Grill and Bar • Medzs Millenia Walk • Medzs Orchard Central • Outpost Bar & Bistro • Ramen Champion • Picotin Express East Coast • Picotin Express - Sentosa Cove • Roti Mum • Yantra • Brunetti • Spinelli (all outlets) • Starbucks (all outlets) • SQUE • tcc - Sarika Connoisseur Cafe (all outlets) • Tsubohachi • ZEN Japanese Cuisine Car showrooms Chevrolet • Citroen • Honda • Hyundai • Infiniti • Kia • Mazda • Mitsubishi • Nissan • Opel Singapore • Subaru • Suzuki •

Toyota Singapore • Volkswagen Cooking Schools Cookyn Inc • My Private Pantry • The Eureka Cooking Lab Country & Private Clubs Jurong Country Club • Keppel Club • Laguna National Golf & Country Club • Orchid Country Clubs • Raffles Marina • Republic of Singapore Yacht Club • Seletar Country Club • Serangoon Gardens Country Club • Singapore Chinese Swimming Club • Singapore Island Country Club • Tanah Merah Country Club Hotels Albert Court Village Hotel • Amara Singapore • Bay Hotel • Carlton City Hotel • Changi Village Hotel • Concorde Hotel Singapore • Copthorne King’s Hotel Singapore • Furama City Centre • Furama RiverFront • Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel Singapore • Hilton Singapore • Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium • Hotel Miramar • Hotel Re! • ibis Hotel Singapore • Intercontinental Singapore • Link Hotel • Mandarin Orchard • Moon Hotel • Nostalgia Hotel • Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay • Orchard Hotel Singapore • Pan Pacific Orchard • Park Royal on Kitchener Road • Peninsula Excelsior Hotel • Ramada and Days Singapore at Zhongshan Park • Riverview Hotel Singapore

@robincjq

• Studio M Hotel Singapore • The Club Hotel • The Elizabeth Hotel • The Quincy Hotel • The Scarlet Hotel • Traders Hotel • Village Hotel Bugis • Wangz • York Hotel Mall Orchard Central National Tourism Offices Australia Tourism • Japan National Tourism Organization • Korean Tourism Organization Petrol Kiosks Caltex • Shell • SPC

#bestbitessg contest runs till 15 August

Salon Jean Yip Hairdressing University National University of Singapore

Your pictures of food, drink and silly smiles have kept us chuckling away in the office. If you haven’t sent us your food selfie, it’s not too late! Take a picture of yourself or your friends with something edible, and post your food selfie using the hashtag #bestbitessg on our Facebook (BitesSingapore) or Instagram (bitessg). The BiTES team will pick the 10 most mouthwatering pictures to win prizes comprising a 6-pack Kronenbourg 1664 lager and a restaurant voucher. Full information on www.bites.com.sg

Also hand-distributed at: OUTSIDE MRT Stations Ang Mo Kio • Bedok • Bishan • Boon Lay • Bugis • City Hall • Clementi • Dhoby Ghaut • Eunos • HarbourFront • Holland Village • Jurong East • Labrador Park • Lavender • Marina Bay • Orchard Road • Pasir Ris • Raffles Place • Serangoon • Somerset • Tanjong Pagar • Tampines • Telok Blangah • Tiong Bahru • Toa Payoh • Woodlands • Yishun

@lancetaey @diora

Others Parkway Parade (Pedestrian Crossing) • Katong V

Cover image Claypot rice with five-spice pork from Ujong at Raffles Hotel

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 Contributor Shawn Tan Regional Business Director Carlos Loh Business Directors Penny Ho, Ashad Shah 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

@yinglebells

Group Publisher Ho Sum Kwong Group Managing Editor Adeline Wong Group Creative Director Thng Wee Nee Bites is published 12 times a year by Magazines Integrated Pte Ltd 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

@wlee76

bites.editorial@magsint.com bites.advertise@magsint.com bites.marketing@magsint.com Distributed by Region Periodicals Distributor. Printed by Times Printers Company Reg No: 200918015G MCI (P) 187/03/2014

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

Keep the food selfies coming!

@bitessg

@4u_n8

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.

c a l e n dA r :

a u g u s t sunday

monday

tuesday

2 014

wednesday thursday friday 1 Films At The Fort Till 10 Aug | Fort Canning Park

3 Celebrate Nurses Day

Till 31 Aug | Concorde Hotel Singapore

Salute our nurses all month as one nurse dines free with every 2 paying guests at the Singapore Flavours Buffet and more. singapore. concordehotelsresorts. com

10 Balik Pulau: Stories from Singapore's Islands

NTUC Income Kite Festival

Bochinche brings together the 3 essential elements of a great night out—drinks, food and music. Deals include $39 for 1 carafe of Argentinean house wine and Provoleta cheese.

Singapore International Festival of Arts

Fabrika, Klapsons | 8-10.30pm

Get your night started early at Fabrika; for just $38 nett you get free flow of draught beers and housepours from 8-10.30pm.

National Day

28 Pesta Raya

16 Singapore Garden Festival

16-24 Aug 2014 | Gardens by the Bay

Take in the sights and smells of the themed gardens and floral arrangements, and work up an appetite for satay and noodles in the area.

23 Creatory

Flavours from around Asia converge here, from our very own mouthwatering chilli crab to Japanese homemade sweet treats!

From food and drinks to art, architecture and music, local creative consultancy Ate Group gathers 40 talents for a weekend jam like no other. www.creatory.sg

23-24 Aug, 11am till late | TASTY PLAZA, 37 MacTaggart Road

28-31 Aug | Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay |

Selamat Hari Raya to one and all! Delve into the culture and arts of the Malay Archipelago at this annual showcase, with ticketed and free performances from traditional and contemporary artists. www.pestaraya.com/ 2014

31 COMEX 2014

Catch getai performances all around the island through August. Drop by this one and head down to the hawker centre at 85 Redhill Lane for local grub after.

22 Food of Asia 2014

22-24 Aug | Hall 6B Singapore EXPO | 11am9pm

Enjoy performances from professional kiters, an art kites exhibition and street artists such as live statues, magicians and acrobats alongside food stalls.

Consumer electronics galore! Our tip: Go on the last day to take advantage of last minute price reductions. www. comexshow.com.sg

Thirsty Tuesdays

23-24 Aug | The Promontory @ Marina Bay | 4-8pm

28-31 Aug | Levels 4&6, Suntec Convention Centre

14 FIJI Water Lime Truck Pop-Up The Lime Truck comes to Singapore, serving up their famed tacos and tostadas. Follow @FIJI WaterSG on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to learn the truck’s location.

This annual festival to celebrate the performing arts returns. Look out for The Chorus; Oedipus, a K-pop inspired rendition of the Greek tragedy.

From 7.30pm| Blk 80 Redhill close

Happy National Day, whether you’re at the float or in the comfort of your own living room. Haven’t had enough fireworks? Check out our viewing tips online at www.bites. com.sg

15-16 Aug | Location to be revealed

12 Aug-21 Sep

Every alternate Wednesday of the month | Bochinche

every monday | UE square and the star vista outlets | 5pm till closing

Drink away your Monday blues at District 10. Enjoy $6 half pint beer, prosecco, housepour spirits, white & red wines and exotic gin tonics. www.district10.com.sg

6 Beat Packing District

crazy mondays @ district 10

Till 10 Aug | National Museum of Singapore

Still in a patriotic mood? Not many know that Singapore actually consists of 70 small islands. Come rediscover these little known isles via photos and retelling of inhabitants’ stories.

Critically acclaimed movies paired with equally celebrated gourmet food provided by Jones The Grocer and My Private Chef. Tickets from SISTIC.

saturday 2 Hungry Ghost Getai

coming up in september

8 Sep: Mid-Autumn Festival 12-14 Sep: Epicurean Market at MBS 19-21 Sep: F1 Singapore Grand Prix

Singapore Night Festival 22-23, 29-30 Aug; 7pm-2am

The Singapore Night Festival returns with performances and installations around Bugis and Bras Basah; new is a Festival Village at Cathay Green with food & flea stalls. www.brasbasahbugis.sg/BBBPortal

d e a l s

o f

t h e

m o n t h

Complimentary waffle with ice cream (worth $4,90) with every main course ordered. Eggs & Berries

#02-06 Westgate or Changi City Point #01-37/38 Terms & Conditions

Valid: 1 – 31 August 2014. Prices are subjected to 10% service charge and 7% GST. Not valid with any other discounts, promotions, vouchers and privileges. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES

Complimentary wings (worth $5) with every $20 spent.Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am4.30pm. kommune

50% off Sushi & Sashimi. TUESdays to Thursdays from 6pm-11pm EN JAPANESE DINING BAR

#01-01 Alocassia Apartments, 383 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 259727 Tel: 6235 0080 Terms & Conditions

Valid: 1 – 31 August 2014. Advance booking required. Cannot be used in combination with other offers, discounts, coupons and promotions. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES

Special price of $3.50 for either Isle Macchiato (U.P From $5.20) or Isle Frappe (U.P From $5.70). McCafé

3 Seng Poh Road #01-01, Singapore 168891 Tel: 6438 4380

Valid at all McCafé outlets in Singapore except Resorts World Sentosa. Please refer to www.mcdonalds.com.sg/locate-us for list of outlets

Terms & Conditions

Complimentary dessert (worth $4.90) with every main course. Choice of: Lychee Rose Macaroon / Strawberry Shortcake / Strawberry Eclaire

25% off weekday 2-course set lunch (usual price $22+) or 3-course set dinner (usual price $32+)

Valid: 1-31 August 2014. Closed on Mondays. Offer is not valid with other promotions, discounts and other vouchers. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES

MEDZS

#B2-01-03 Orchard Central, or #01-46 Millenia Walk Terms & Conditions

Valid: 1 – 31 August 2014. While stocks last. Cannot be used in combination with other offers, discounts, coupons and promotions. Present coupon (original BiTES publication or printed from website). BITES

flavours At Zhongshan Park 16 Ah Hood Road Singapore 329982 Tel: 6808 6846 Terms & Conditions

Valid: 1 – 31 August 2014. Valid for up to 8 persons per table/bill/reservation. Offer is valid for dine-in only. Lunch: Monday to Friday, 12.00pm to 2.30pm. Dinner: Monday to Thursday, 6pm to 10.30pm. 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

n e w s

b i t e s

DO THE KALLANG WAVE

The sports-focused mall offers much to eat for the gym rat. Even retail brands H&M and Forever 21 have sports apparel for the gym bunnies and buff daddies. There‘s much ado at the newly-opened Kallang Wave (1 Stadium Place): a lucky draw (win up to $1,880), a fun vote for ‘fashionista’ or ‘foodie’, atrium events and credit cards redemptions. Check out sports brands (New Balance #01-79, Runner‘s Edge #01-63), groceries in the spacious FairPrice Xtra (#01-29) and dine, of course.

Boston Lobster Laksa with Angel Hair Italian Noodles

loyal customers. The newly refurbished restaurant’s signature cereal prawns ($22/34/46) are so crispy even the shells can be eaten. While they do have the ubiquitous chilli crab, consider the unique Joyden‘s signature creamy crab (market price). It sits in a sauce of sweet pumpkin puree, fragrant curry leaves, chilli padi and black pepper. #01-11 West Coast Recreation Centre, 12 West Coast Walk. Tel: 6779 5355 From the kitchens of Picotin Express come the lip-smacking seafood laksa pizza ($22)—smothered with a spicy laksa paste and topped with squid, prawns, crab meat, tau pok, chilli and mozzarella cheese. The moreish Singaporean flavour is further enhanced by crisp fried laksa leaves, coconut milk and aromatic spices. Act fast; only available on 9 Aug at 1 Figaro Street, Opera Estate (Tel: 6445 5590) and #01-06 Quayside Isle, 31 Ocean Way (Tel: 6438 4747). Extra Virgin Pizza ups the seafood ante with their timely Red Hot Chilli Crabbers ($29). Extra chunky pieces of fresh crabmeat and sliced spring onion adorn the hot pizzas that come out sizzling from the oven. The sauce itself is lightly sweet and spiced, so you can still add on some slow heat from housemade chilli oil. Available till 31 August (unless they run out earlier) at #01-04 Tower 1 Asia Square and #01-14 United Square. Tel: 6247 5757 lau pa sat

issho’s Buta Kushiyaki

“Issho” means “to gather” and at issho izakaya (#01-13/K5) you will find a gathering of traditional izakaya dishes and drinks: Japanese beer, sake, shochu and cocktails specially concocted and named with a sports theme. The buta shabu salad ($12.80)—crunchy fresh vegetables and thinly-sliced pork belly, tossed in goma sauce is a healthy bite after working out (or really intense shopping). Poulet (#01-17) marks its 10th outlet by rolling out a new menu. Their signature juicy roast chicken now comes in Poulet Diane ($17.90) option, soused in traditional brown gravy enriched with bacon and mushroom. Three flavours of Pissaladiere ($11.90-13.90) are a boon for dairy-intolerant diners, as these openfaced French ‘pizzas’ offer a tart-like crust sans cheese. And finally, don’t miss the halibut en papillote ($17.90), with a fillet gently cooked in white wine sauce.

Poulet Diane

picotin express

NATIONAL NOSH

Dishes that form the cornerstone of our culinary culture with a twist. Tuck into iconic dishes at Azur or Lobby Lounge (1-17 Aug): flavoursome Boston lobster laksa with angel hair ($28); king crab Hokkien noodles in claypot with sea asparagus and crispy pork belly ($32); and satay marinated Australian rib eye ($35). Have a Tiger Radler on the house with every à la carte order. Weekend dinners at Azur bode a special Bounty of the Ocean Buffet Feast ($68; 22-24, 29-31 Aug). Let them know if you’re an August baby; they have a birthday promotion too. Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, 75 Airport Boulevard. Tel: 6823 5354 (Azur) / 6823 5367 (Lobby Lounge) Support young bakers Muhammad Salehan, Charmaine Chua and Seri Syafawani Hidayat from ITE College West by trying their winning creation at McCafé. Their teh tarik cheesecake ($5.15) is a swirl of milk tea on a biscuit base reminiscent of cream crackers. Get a limited edition coconut flavoured Isle Frappe or Isle Macchiato ($5.70 iced, $5.50 hot) to go with the luscious slice (till 1 Oct). www.mcdonalds.com.sg Family-run Joyden Seafood has been at West Coast Recreation Centre since it began 10 years ago as West Coast Seafood. Though offered a location in central Singapore, they chose to stay put due to their

FOOD COURTS WITH A DIFFERENCE

Variety is the spice of life, and these airconditioned atriums now span cuisines from Costa Rica to Thailand, with handmade goodies on the menu. The iconic Lau Pa Sat Festival Market is back after eight months of an intensive $4 million renovation and restoration. There are fewer food stalls now (54, down from 90) but that makes for more seats (2,500, up by 460), space for 14 mini restaurants, eight four-metre fans for breezy mealtimes, and an internal walkway for an easier food ‘commute’. The 32-metre-high clock tower has been restored with a mounted Jacquemart (moving figurine) along with the bells and chimes every 15 minutes. It‘s modelled after early Singapore’s Chinese street vendors. Returning stalls include Lakeview Char Kway Teow, Anjappar Indian Cuisine, and Sunny Viet Vietnamese Cuisine. New faces include Mama Cita‘s Costa Rican, Heaven‘s Heritage Putu Mayam, and Japanese Yakitori and Teppan. You‘ll also find mini restaurants Mugiho Bakers, Lutong Pinoy, and Wendy’s Fast Food Restaurant. Open 24 hours. 18 Raffles Quay

#HASHTAGS & APP-ENINGS

What’s surfacing on social media and online. (P.S. Like us! @bitessg on Instagram and BitesSingapore on Facebook)

Laughing Cow products for a lucky draw chance. As part of the Parisian brand‘s ‘Travel around the World’ campaign to celebrate its many milestones, limited edition toasters, strollers and sure-win stickers are also up for grabs. Till 30 Sep. www.natradfood.com/promo.html

#heinekensg #starserve Fancy winning a staycation in a five-star hotel? Be part of the Heineken Star Serve Scouts team by hashtagging a photo of your perfectly chilled Heineken pint with Star Serve standards. Till 31 Aug.

#SuperMuffin Pacific Marketplace challenges you to a #SuperMuffin likeoff. Earn 20 ‘Likes’ on your Facebook selfie and get your savoury treat (from $5) on the house. Unlike its sweet chums, the muffin batter is infused with a mellow, slightly salty fine gruyere cheese flavour. We liked Minotaur (French-style braised oxtail), and Ms Piggy (char siew and salted egg). Till 14 Aug. www.pacificmarketplace.com.sg

#thelaughingcow Laugh your way to Paris with this cheesy snack. We mean it. Purchase $8 of The

@whalencloud Rap on the blue door for $5 cake slices (carrot cake, pineapple upside down cake); coffee (from

#JuliesLINEcookies Julie’s has partnered with South Korean chat app LINE for limited edition Oat 25 cookies in strawberry and chocolate ($9.95 for two tins, available at major FairPrice outlets). The most creative selfies stand to win cutesy Brown and Coney plush toys. Till 31 Aug. fb.com/juliesbiscuits

their travels) is on a tipping basis, served with a side of gem biscuits. Their charming be@rbrick interior’s done up by wynk;collaborative, punctuated by blue theatre seats, brick walls and plants. Opening hours posted on 3 4 Niven Road Instagram. 48⁄ Try your hand at running a coffeeshop in Little India, Chinatown and Geylang Serai, pouring ‘Michael Jacksons’ (see p32), thosai with a side of sugar or curry, and making sure the you tiao doesn’t burn while pacifying the parking auntie with free kopi-O. Welcome to time management game Kopi Tiam by Afzanizam Zahari. fb.com/KopiTiamGame How do you make a good deal even sweeter? Enter Sugar, a location-based app which helps locate new experiences and wrangle good deals from the merchant. ‘Skim’ to bring down the price (once a day only), share it for an even sweeter offer, and in Singapore kiasu style, use the deal before it’s gone. www.wewantsugar.com

n e w s

b i t e s

food republic’S Hot & Cold Grass Jelly Series

court with 13 stalls offering over 200 dishes. You‘ll find offshoots of Sin Ming‘s peppery Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh, Old Airport Road‘s fried kway teow and carrot cake, and Newton Hawker Centre‘s peanut gravy party-in-the-mouth satay bee hoon. There‘s also Changi Village’s nasi lemak, appetising Thai food and an Indian spice fest from Kampong Cafe, with local beverages and desserts to prolong that next chendol craving.

KHUN MEE THAI’s Ba Mee With lava Egg

GO HAUTE

Level up your palate at affordable prices.

medzs’ Braised Tiger Prawns in Superior Pumpkin Broth

Meanwhile, there’s a spanking new food court at Shaw House. The Food Republic in the basement is a retro black-white-grey with glazed bezel tiles and a wagon brimming with fruits. The food atrium houses 18 food stalls and four mini restaurants. You’ll find popular chain restaurant from Dalian, China, Bu Er Xin Handmade Bao; Saladicious with its made-to-order signature classic duck with plum dressing; Sumire Yakitori-Tei from Tokyo; and Wen Wen Handmade Yong Tau Foo which offers mee rebus gravy and various pancake items. #B1-01 Shaw House, 1 Scotts Road At Millennia Walk, MEDZS adds a new Asian kitchen to their already staggering line-up of cuisines. For a light snack, order crispy fish skin with superior broth ($7.90); you’ll finish an entire portion before you know it. Go local with wok-fried chilli flower crab with golden mantou ($23.90); an infallible combination of fresh crab, sweet-spicy sauce and bread. Don’t miss the beers (a variety that rivals some pubs) and liqueur available. #01-46 Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6337 7507 Singaporeans based abroad can get their comfort food fix while visiting tourists can head home with a happy belly—right up to the hour before boarding their flight. Enter the new Singapore Food Street at Changi Airport‘s Terminal 3 Departure Transit Mall—a food

Go on an international culinary journey at the #EpicureanMarket 2014 (12-14 Sep). Rub shoulders with celebrity chefs Nancy Silverton (Osteria and Pizzeria Mozza), David Thompson (Long Chim), Justin Quek (Sky on 57), and Tetsuya Wakuda (Waku Ghin); and masterclasses and wine tasting sessions. There‘ll also be samplings (some are free) of the top restaurants‘ signature dishes and eclectic cocktails from mixologists. A three-day pass ($23) from SISTIC nets you a pair of Schott Zwiesel wine glasses (worth $37). You‘ll also stand a chance to win a two-night stay at Marina Bay Sands or dinner at CUT by Wolfgang Puck (buy before 24 Aug). www.marinabaysands.com/epicurean-market. html E’spuma Lab makes use of the espuma (foam) and sous vide (cooking in a water bath) techniques to create dishes with a unique texture and flavour. It’s used to great effect in their airy, light potato foam with chicken curry ($6.80). Their durian fritters ($3.80 for 5 pcs) are a steal, they employ the espuma technique to create a batter that is both light and crispy without all that grease; swaddling a creamy and fragrant durian centre. #01-20/21 Pomo Mall, 1 Selegie Road. Tel: 8222 1113

OODLES OF NOODLES

Carbs that are worth every calorie. Ten-ichi Udon has opened in nex’s Shokutsu 10. Decide between chilled dipping sauces or flavourful hot soups and the type of noodle. Try their speciality yuzu wasabi udon ($6.50)—thick udon noodles infused with small amounts of citrus with a smooth texture. The chilled sauce balances the zest with a mild hit of wasabi and a dash of mustard seeds for that extra punch. To complete your meal, pick from their wide variety of tempura dishes. #B1-02 nex, 23 Serangoon Central. Tel: 6634 4786 To better reach the working crowd, NANAMI UDON has opened at One Raffles Place. They serve up both cold and hot udon paired with light and crisp tempura. Their chilled goma sake udon is a worthy mention with its refreshing taste coupled with savoury-sweet goma (sesame) sauce, topped with crunchy strips of cold Japanese cucumber and crispy salmon. It’s a comforting meal at any time of the day in the heart of Singapore’s business district. #B1-24/25 One Raffles Place. Tel: 6438 4896

Khun Mee Thai serves up a delicious bowl of ba mee, complete with egg noodles, dumplings, charshu, lava egg and topping of crabmeat ($8.80). It’s run by passionate Khun Aum (Thawanrat Kaewthammakhun), a Thai-Chinese Teochew married to a Singaporean. She shadowed her favourite Bangkok street food vendors for recipes. Also on the menu: kha moo, braised pork leg in Thai-Chinese style ($7.80); moo yor salad, Thai sausages with spicy glass noodles ($5.80); durian with sticky rice ($5.80); fried chicken cartilage ($4.80); and an off-the-menu green papaya salad with Thai salted egg. #02-32/34 Bedok Point, 799 New Upper Changi Road. Tel: 6445 9932 Noodle Stories by TungLok stays true to its name with unique handmade noodles brimming with goodness. The toothsome, broad and long pappardellelike Shaanxi Biang Biang Noodles ($10.80) uses an ancient recipe, while Zhajiang Noodles ($8) boasts the more familiar thin strands of wheat noodles with addictive soybean and pork dressing. Dumplings (from $6) made to order daily also pass muster, filled with pork, shrimp or chives in the northern Chinese style. #07-14/15 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road. Tel: 6509 1878

TEN-ICHI UDON’S Cold Yuzu Wasabi Udon

cocktail for the ladies, Entice Me, offered at $12 instead of $18. 33 Erskine Road. Tel: 6511 3333 Located between the Cathay and Plaza Singapura, Blackbird Bistro and Bar serves up affordable bar bites, which look like something out of a gourmet restaurant. Try their balsamic tuna ($12), generous slices of seared tuna, accompanied by piquant mango salsa and balsamic glaze. Get their speciality cocktail Blackbird’s Nest ($19), an in-house concoction of fen jiu (a Chinese wine), bird’s nest and red dates. A refreshing drink that has a flavour reminiscent of caramel and molasses, with a slight hint of Chinese herbs. #01-01A The Luxe, 6 Handy Road. Tel: 6337 344

Blackbird’s Nest

Crispy Pork Belly

2HEALTHY EATS

Only 25 calories per serving? We’re sold! Korean frozen yogurt brand YogurBerry has less dairy fat (one-third as compared to ice cream), is made from natural fruit sugars (aka crystalline fructose) and is certified with the GI (Glycemic Index) 19 logo. This means it’s officially healthier and your body can break down the sugar. Find them at these Food Junction outlets: National University of Singapore (NUS), Great World City and Bugis Junction.

Coca de Cebolla con Pimientos

1 Breeze’s Graciously Scarlet

Yogurberry

my little tapas bar

BAR WATCH

From the chef duo behind My Little Spanish Place comes My Little Tapas Bar, an intimate snack bar serving a portfolio of Spanish favourites as well as lesser-known tapas selections. Notable grub are the Coca de Cebolla con Pimientos ($16)—thin crispy flatbread topped with caramelised onions, roasted peppers, anchovies and manchego cheese—and bacon-wrapped dates at $14, which is best paired with a classic glass of Sangria Tinta ($12 per glass). 42 Club Street. Tel: 6223 8048 Scarlet Hotel Singapore’s exclusive rooftop bar Breeze offers an improved food menu and signature cocktails under its famous gazebo. The traditional slider gets a luscious Asian update ($14), in which French croquettes made with sweet chunks of crab meat are glazed with a tongue-tingling chilli sauce and served in a crispy Chinese bun. Drop by on Wednesday nights, with an exclusive

‘Meat’ the protein version of a salad. The Daily Cut offers protein bowls ($12/$15/$18) with your choice of chicken thigh, sirloin steak, turkey breast, salmon fillet and vegetarian option tofu. Add on a nutrient-dense side: sous vide egg, avocado, edamame beans or fresh mozzarella. Don’t worry; they have (healthy) carbs too. Co-owner Jonathan Yang explains: “the word ‘cut’ is usually associated with meats, like ‘a cut of ham’; it’s also because in workout terms, to get ‘cut’ or to be “cutting” means to get rid of fat.” #B1-31 One Raffles Place

3MOONING ABOUT

Baked Mooncake with 8 Treasure Mala and Jamón Ibérico

Mandarin Orchard Singapore debuts their baked mooncake with 8-treasure mala and jamon Iberico ($64 for 4 pcs). Also new is the baked mooncake with azuki red bean paste and pine nuts ($57 for 4 pcs). Snowskin lovers, there are three new offerings for you to savour: mini snow skin yam and yam puree, mini snow skin Japanese yuzu cheese mooncake, and mini snow skin green tea paste with azuki red bean mooncake ($58 for an assorted box of 8pcs). Level 1 Mandarin Orchard’s Deli Counter, 333 Orchard Road. Tel: 6831 6320

s m a r t

b u y s

u n d e r

$ 10 0

Own with pride Wear your love for Potong ice cream on your sleeve—literally. From fabricating laksa tees to a book of Singlish sonnets, Singapore crafters are taking heritage into their own hands and channelling local inspirations into unique products. We single out star Singapura buys this month to #supportlocal! By Meredith Woo

GOOD CITIZEN IPHONE 5 CASE Remember school days spent poring over Good Citizen textbooks? Then you’ll covet this collaboration between Goodstuph Originals and New York based woodcarvers GOODWOOD which proclaims your pledge of allegiance. Available in carved wood (The Committed Patriot) and popular black (The Understated Overachiever). $32 from Tyrwhitt General Company, 150A Tyrwhitt Road. Tel: 8444 5589

PLAYGROUND MINI MAGNETS The Little Dröm Store brings retro playgrounds to your fridge or whiteboard. Meet the dragon of Toa Payoh, elephant of Pasir Ris and pelican of Dover (demolished)— colourful mosaic sculptures turned into mini magnets that children of the 70s and 80s remember fondly. $22 from Shinnpark, #01-43 The Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen Street. Tel: 6534 7624

HAPPY RABBIT COFFEE CUP Remembering grandpa's habitual savouring of java from his favourite coffee cup. That was the inspiration behind pop artist Jahan Loh's Happy Rabbit which is designed to bring back the time when having a kopi "merely meant a little indulgence to soothe a hard day's work". $30 from Zha Huo Dian (The Corner Shop), #03-16 Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Road. Tel: 6235 7614

“KEEP CLAM AND ENJOY YOUR LAKSA” TEE Meet Melvin Lee, English teacher by day and Bombastique Tees designer by night, whose t-shirts bear witty slogans. This keeper features wordplay on the “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster, students’ confusion over ‘clam’ and ‘calm’, as well as the Singaporean obsession with hum (clams) in their laksa. $25 from Bombastique Tees, www. bombastiquetees.com SONNETS FROM THE SINGLISH Classic poetry fans, here’s a local spin on the archaic 13th century style. Delve into Joshua Ip's collection of 44 poems on love, language and the pursuit of laugher, loosely translated from Singlish. To be read out loud in a Singaporean accent of your choice: ah beng, auntie Lucy or sarong party girl? $16 from Books Actually, 9 Yong Siak Street. Tel: 6222 9195

MY HEART BADGE Now you can literally wear your heart (for the nation) on your sleeve. Designer Casey Chen has been designing for 20 years and hopes this symbol will become as iconic as the “I Heart NY” design. A champion of all things local, he makes taxi tops into lamps and crème crackers packaging into cushions. Also check out his 2013 book of Singlish tales, The Three Little Pigs Lah. $2.50 each, $18.00 for 10 badges, from The Farm Store, www. farmstore.sg

POTONG ICE CREAM PIN Don’t you just love wearable Potong (‘cut’ in Malay) ice cream? Pin this mini darling (red bean, yam, durian, corn or cendol) onto your blouse, tote bag or just about anywhere else. Each hand-moulded stick of joy is made of oven-baked polymer clay by local makers wheniwasfour. $15.90 each from www.wheniwasfour.com

TAKE FLIGHT NECKLACE Wear this to watch the fireworks on National Day, or any occasion. A black version and customisable colours are available too. “If you can dream it, we can print it!” say TINKR cofounders Freda and Xiaohui. Their strength lies in 3D printing: bespoke items, art collectibles, figurines and typography art. $35 from TINKR, tinkr.sg

Photo courtesy of National Heritage Board

FIVE STONES This game with origins during the Trojan War (1184 BC) is also called Knucklebones and Jacks—variations which may require a rubber ball. You'll need good hand-eye-coordination to see you through an eight-step series of throws and catches. (Video of gameplay by Soh Jun Hao here: youtu. be/qSKqx4Obhg4). $3.50 from Munch Munch, #B2-03 Chinatown Point, 133 New Bridge Road. Tel: 9638 5714

CHILLI CRAB RECIPE APRON If you love chilli crab and you love to cook, this collab between MUSEUM LABEL and local designers Winston Chai and Donn Koh is for you. Other than protecting against splashes, a seemingly upside-down recipe is printed for your easy reference. Food for thought: the dish was created in a makeshift stall along the Kallang River in the 1950s. $25 from The Museum Label Shop, National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Road. Tel: 6336 6387

HOSAYWOOD DVD America has Hollywood, India has Bollywood and Singapore has Hosaywood. Experience Singapore through homegrown filmmaker Jacen Tan’s short films Tak Giu (Kick Ball), Zo Gang (Go Work), Kwa Giu (Watch Football) and Zo Peng (Go Army). It's so relevant; you can't help but say "Hosay!" (great!) when you watch scenes of the legendary Kallang Roar. $16.50 from Objectifs Films. Tel: 6293 9782. www. objectifsfilms.com

KUEH COMPENDIUM POSTER Can you tell kueh salat from kueh dadar? How about Indonesian kueh lapis from rainbow cake (also kueh lapis)? You'll find the answers and more in architecture undergraduate Lee Xin Li's poster, which started off as a proposal for a Peranakan restaurant and took on a life of its own. $60 (no frame) from Naiise, naiise.com SINGAPOREAN QUIRK 101 POSTCARD On 9 Aug, we celebrate Singapore’s 49th year of independence and embrace our eccentricities. A special edition postcard by Jacqueline Goh and studio dog Sumo of The Fingersmith Letterpress sums this up perfectly: "Singaporean quirk 101: As one united people, we stand in line for the best of food." $4 from Etsy, www.etsy.com/people/ Fingersmithpress

c o v e r

s t o r y

The hawker revolution

FancY hawker centres are all fine and dandy, but what’s really missing is soul food. We talk to the real heroes— veteran and new-age hawkers—to find out what they THINK ABOUT sustainING hawker cuisine. By June Lee, Additional interviews Meredith Woo

A new Bedok hawker centre preparing to open in October will provide customers with the option of paying with NETS contactless cards, while free wi-fi makes it easier to upload a selfie over kopi and kaya toast. The news comes even as Lavender Food Square is slated to be torn down to make way for an office building, and Longhouse was sold to a developer in April. In Penang, the Malaysian government proposed to ban foreign cooks in hawker stalls, ostensibly to preserve the authentic taste of its key asset—Penang’s world-famous street food as cooked by its locals. Singaporeans love their hawker cuisine, as seen in Weber Shandwick’s Food Forward Trends Report 2014 (www.webershandwick.asia/foodforward), with 81% of respondents eating most frequently at hawker stalls and 86% confident that hawker food is here to stay. We idealise our hawker cuisine as it has traditionally been of high quality and taste at cheap prices for specialised, individually prepared dishes. Hawkers, such as the Tan sisters interviewed here, would typically spend hours hand-making their ingredients, before more gruelling

Who: The Tan sisters Where: Hua Bee Restaurant, #01-19 Block 78 Moh Guan Terrace Serves: Dry mee pok ($3) with a clear soup of fish balls, fried fish cake slices and her giao (Teochew fish dumplings), topped with homemade chilli and black vinegar. This stall’s been around since the 1940s, when it was originally run by the Tan sisters’ father. Last year, the coffeeshop was bought over by restaurateur Loh Lik Peng (Keong Saik Snacks, Cocotte) and part of it has become yakitori bar Bincho. In a welcomed move, the stallfront has been conserved, down to its weathered signboard and retro coffeeshop chairs and tables. The Mandarin-speaking sisters,

hours in front of a hot stove cooking and serving their dishes. Today, as older hawkers retire and fewer hawkers step up to the plate, we bemoan the loss of such dishes cooked with dedication. Factors such as out-of-control rising rentals, high food costs and F&B competition—along with changing consumer taste and habits—have contributed to the decline of the “artisanal hawker” (to borrow chef Shen Tan’s words, see her interview on next page). So, what’s the future like for our hawker cuisine? There have been no new hawker centres built since 1987, but the government has committed to building 10 new ones in the next decade. To fill these new stalls, we need more of everything—more hawkers, more diners, more appreciation for the genre, and most of all, more room to innovate and grow a uniquely Singaporean food

who are in their 50s, were persuaded to continue cooking their famous mee pok, which set the scene in Eric Khoo’s film Mee Pok Man. The elder Tan has been dishing out bowls of noodles from her 20s, while the younger Tan started helping out due to a manpower shortage. How have hawkers changed? The younger generation lacks the experience and thus flavours have changed. Prices have also increased, it’s an upward trend. The business model now is to keep prices low so more bowls can be sold to maximise earning power. If you don’t do that, it’s like a ‘slap on your bottom’. How did you end up specialising in mee pok?

culture that we can be proud of. BiTES gives a big thank you to our hawkers who shared their stories, and for continuing to feed us with food from their heart.

Our father started the noodle stall; we just followed in his footsteps. In recent years, we stopped making things from scratch due to the high cost and manpower issues. We now get our fishballs, fishcakes, etc from a factory as it’s cheaper and easier. We used to head to the fishery port at 5am to buy fish, return to our stall to make the fishballs, etc. It was longer hours and harder work. We won’t go back to making it from scratch. Have your customer profiles changed? We still have our regulars, but now there’s an additional younger crowd and tourists who read about us in the media. When we were featured in a Hong Kong magazine, we had an influx of HK tourists.

We’d also offer a wider menu to gain more customers. Perhaps installing air-conditioners would be good so our patrons are more comfortable.

If you could change anything, what would it be? We’d want to improve the quality of our food by using better ingredients, but we’ll still stick to the traditional taste.

Have we lost our heritage? Yes, food joints are more Westernised. The younger generation is less accustomed to hot working conditions and being on their feet for long periods. It’d be good if the government can groom this new generation. Even our children are not willing to continue after us. Kopitiams like ours are now a rarity.

Daniel Suren, 27, has been helping out at his mum's stall (Heavens Indian Curry, #01-15 Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre) since he was a wee tot, while his dad has been running a teh tarik stall for over 30 years. In Nov 2012, opportunity knocked for him to have his own stall at the now defunct outlet at Bedok Marketplace. True to the spirit of preserving food heritage and putting freshly made putu mayam back on our little red dot, he travelled to India for research and to buy the moulds. As for

the appams, he grinds raw rice and ferments it, then makes each batch of dough by hand daily. How long has your family been cooking? My mother started in 1995; she’s 52. I expanded from my mum's business and currently have five outlets, with the help of three investor partners. What are the differences between hawker centres

centre? For entrepreneurs, whether short or long term, a hawker centre is great. For me, it served as a bridge to interact with the market and expose the business. I opened in May and closed the stall in July to relocate to bigger premises in a couple months. As I add more business-to-business customers, I need to scale up to meet demand.

today and before the 1980s? The most glaring would be in prices and taste. Both have been inversely proportional with prices going up, and taste of food going down. However, there are good differences, such as better hygiene, efficient cleaning, water and gas services. Business was also more brisk before: hawker food was a staple as restaurants were few and far in between. How about being a hawker now and before? Before, it would be easier to actually get people to work. Nowadays, not many people want to be associated with

Who: Casey Ong Where: Newton Roast, formerly at #01-51 Newton Circus Food Centre. Reopening soon, look for updates on www.newton.sg Serves: KO Pork Knuckles ($39.90, about 500g of hind knuckle) and Six-Pack Pork Belly ($33.90, about 500g) with sauces of wasabi, mustard and sambal belachan on the side. Newton Roast, named for the scientist Isaac Newton rather than the hawker centre, specialises in one thing: roast pork. Casey Ong, in his early 40s, formerly a mechanical engineer and IT consultant, personally created and tweaked his recipe for two years, and finally saw the opportunity to enter the F&B sector. This entrepreneur's is peppered with jargon and questions like, “What perimeters can I change to increase the quantum in outcome?” He tells us about applying corporate world lessons to the “so-called simple” food business. Why did you choose a hawker

Isn’t it expensive to rent a hawker stall? Monthly rental is about $5,500 for 9 sqm, which allows me flexible opening hours and the ability to test consumption patterns. It was also flexible to enter and leave. It never crossed my mind to rent in a food court, as I would not have the same visibility and it would not be

convenient for my customers to drop by and pick up their orders. Why did you become a food entrepreneur? To be in the F&B industry, the question is, what do I need to validate in the concept? The thinking has to be different, by systemising production and the delivery. In anything you do, you need to scale and create IP (intellectual property).

the 'hawker' trade though technically we don't 'hawk' anymore. It's more of a properly run business with relevant paperwork needed, unlike those days where if you had a makeshift table, a few chairs, a working stove and a handy recipe, you could become a hawker.

I built upon them and insisted on only freshly made food in all our outlets. I always believe cooking is a labour of love. And every customer should be able to taste and feel that through our food. Do you feel we are losing our "hawker heritage"? Definitely. There was a time where most food would be at worst decent tasting. Nowadays, to get a fairly good char kway teow or mee goreng, you better do your research before stepping out.

How did you end up specialising in your dish, and why do you still make things from scratch? My mother started modifying recipes in 1995 when she felt that the flavours Who: Daniel Suren in traditional Where: Heavens Heritage, stall 5 Lau dishes such Pa Sat Festival Market (newest outlet) as thosai and Serves: Freshly-made putu mayam (2 for $2.60), a Tamil steamed dish known appam were as 'string hoppers' made of rice flour. not enough. Princess appam ($3.50) is another regal Eventually delight; egg, butter and cheese on a we had our traditional South Indian pancake. own unique recipes and

Immanuel Tee is a chef with a (French) food mission. He spent stints training under top chefs at fine dining restaurants JAAN, Guy Savoy and Keystone, and since June this year, has chosen to open his own business. Sous vide and espuma techniques feature in the tight menu: tender sous vide chicken; airy potato foam made with a siphon gun; and onsen egg cooked with a thermo circulator. What made you choose a hawker business concept? I wanted to start something small; a business that is owned by myself. And most important is to introduce French cuisine to more people who have never tried it. How has the reception been? People accept the food and also price; the products we get are

Who: Immanuel Tee Where: Immanuel French Kitchen, #01-40 Block 119, Bukit Merah Lane 1. Tel: 9297 3285, www.facebook.com/ immanuelfrenchkitchen Serves: French food, “good ingredients, well made” with innovation, care and attention to detail, such as in the duck confit ($14.90), sauteed frog ($12.60) and Burgundy escargot ($11.90). mostly imported from France. What would you change about being a hawker? I would like to change people's perspective and encourage them to be one. It actually has a lot of potential and the starting capital is affordable compared to opening a restaurant. Do you feel we are losing our "hawker heritage"? Yes, because less Singaporeans are going into the hawker business and in future it will be harder for us to eat our own local delicacies if no one is going to step up and cook.

c o v e r

s t o r y

From hawker to Chain reaction hotel Shen Tan started Madam Tan’s Nasi Lemak as a food stall at Maxwell Market in 2009. At the time, the self-taught cook in her mid-30s had chucked her secure job and steady paycheck for the uncertain life of a hawker. The stall led to Mod-Sin bistro, Wok & Barrel (20112013), and most recently to Ujong, an upmarket modern Singaporean cuisine restaurant at the Raffles Hotel that serves her signature nasi lemak with beef rendang ($19.90) and bar chor mee pasta ($25.90) alongside new twists on local dishes.

Aston Soon is his name, but you may recognise the brand of his food outlets instead. With 14 Astons Express stalls in hawker centres and food courts, 13 standalone Astons Specialties and 1 Astons Steak & Salad restaurant, the simple Western food stall that Soon started in 2005 has seen exponential growth in less than 10 years. The humble restaurateur began as a “waiter, broiler-cook, dishwasher, everything” at Ponderosa, as he told The Straits Times, rising up to become restaurant manager. In his early 30s, Soon borrowed $35,000

What were your plans in 2009? To learn how to run a food business which required the least amount of capital. A hawker stall requires relatively little capital investment as compared to a restaurant. But at the back of my mind,

I was thinking of how that hawker stall could be expanded on with multiple locations i.e. Madam Tan's Nasi Lemak stalls all over Singapore! That is why right from the beginning, there was always a strong brand presence for Madam Tan's Nasi Lemak. I created a logo, had a web presence and created some signature dishes. What was the hardest part about starting the food stall? Learning to cook for hundreds of people a day in a small space (9 sqm). Finding out where to buy supplies wholesale. Washing hundreds of oily melamine plates. Pricing. The list is endless. I also doubted my ability to cook and just about everything under the sun. Then Wok & Barrel came along. How are the challenges different for restauranteurs and hawkers? Finding good service staff was the hardest part of The Wok & Barrel. With a hawker stall, you only need to produce the food, there really isn't a service element. I also had not run a restaurant before and quite often had to jump between the kitchen and front of house if someone didn't turn up for work. You

also have a fixed seating capacity with a restaurant as opposed to a hawker centre. We had to turn people away at times at The Wok & Barrel because we only had 40 seats. Have we lost our "hawker heritage"; how do you define this term? I don't think that we are losing our hawker heritage but I do think that we are losing traditional dishes like Fuzhou oyster pancake, rickshaw noodles and ngoh hiang liver sausages. Increasingly due to labour constraints and economies of scale, we are losing the artisanal 'handmade' element of hawker food. You tiao, fishball, chilli sauces and carrot cake are now made in factories and shipped out to hawker stalls to be sold. Is the route you've taken—bringing traditional Singaporean dishes into a haute space—one way of "saving" these dishes? Hahaha; I don't think of myself as a 'saviour' of hawker food! There are great initiatives under way that I believe will carry on this great tradition of Singaporean dishes by KF Seetoh, AtSunrice and others. Sylvia Tan, the author, is also a great chronicler of our hawker heritage through her cookbooks and I believe it through such work that we can preserve our food culture and innovate new dishes.

to set up a one-man stall in a kopitiam in East Coast Road, and before long created a buzz around his good value steaks. Within a year, he shifted into his own shopfront, and the brand kept growing from there. Part of his success has been the good relations with his suppliers, allowing him to serve beef from New Zealand, Australia and the U.S. at prices as low as $12.90 for sirloin. With one foot of his business still in hawker stalls, Soon is very much a heartlander who enjoys wanton mee and other trueblue local cuisine. Back in 2005, did you think that you would start a branded F&B chain? At the start, never did it cross my mind to own a chain of Astons today. My focus was mainly on the basic fundamentals of

a food operator, which concerns overall guest satisfaction. What was the hardest part about starting the food stall? At the beginning, it was really tough mentally and physically. I was always filled with anxiety on a daily basis because I was (and still am) dealing with perishables. If business was slow for a few days in a row, I would have huge losses. If business was good, I would be concerned whether I had enough to cater to every guest. In short, my projection back then had to be as accurate as possible. Physically, due to a very tight budget, a lot of tasks had to be undertaken by myself: from cooking, closing and cleaning, purchase, paperwork, and more. Basically, a lot of multitasking. How are the challenges different for restaurant image courtesy owners and of Astons hawker stall owners? The hard part of running the business today is manpower. The difficulties in running a restaurant and a hawker stall are quite identical. It is very difficult to hire locals and have them commit to their job. What do you think Singaporeans are looking for when they eat in a restaurant versus a hawker stall? In both, anyone will have the basic expectations of good food, reasonable pricing, comfortable and clean environment and good service. But for hawker stalls, diners tend to be more forgiving. How often do you dine at a hawker stall these days, and what do you think has changed most? I love to eat at hawker stalls and I do it very frequently. The most noticeable differences I see today comparing back to 2005 is that many stalls are short of manpower. Cleaning services are also very short handed. Some stalls have closed down due to manpower issues and many hawkers are struggling for someone to take over as their age is catching up.

b u f f e t

b o u n t y

Wish 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 pick out choice hotel buffets offering Asian delights and National Day specials, wrangle confessions from a blogger over dinner, uncover 5 luxe Indian buffets under $50 and suss out where to enjoy a value dim sum buffet with friends and family. Log on to www.bites.com.sg for these buffets and more!

Bites guide:

open house

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

ASIAN [$] Bayview Café Bayview Hotel Singapore Level 1, 30 Bencoolen Street. Tel: 6550 9516 Tuck into Asian homecooked specialities such as saucy har lok shrimp, steamed fish with salted vegetables, Hainanese lamb stew and sayor lodeh before moving onto the DIY noodle station. There you’ll find familiar favourites such as mee siam, mee rebus, laksa and prawn noodles. End your buffet (from $16.80++) with desserts, ice cream, fruits and free-flow coffee or tea.

Open House Grand Park Orchard Level 4, 270 Orchard Road. Tel: 6603 8855 Think local delights with a fusion twist at Open House’s all-you-can-eat high tea ($28++, daily 3.30-5.30pm). Come for perennial favourites: assorted satay, spicy chicken wings, muar chee, dim sum, popiah and more.

PERANAKAN/PENANG/ LOCAL [$] Feast@East Buffet Restaurant Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel Level 3, 50 East Coast Road. Tel: 6340 5665 Lap up Katong’s rich heritage at this buffet which offers a selection of international, local and Peranakan favourites. Signatures are the Singapore laksa and durian paste, available every day. Other specialities are the ayam buah keluak, yong tau foo and other regional fare (Thai salad, beef rendang, shepard’s pie, Penang laksa). For an added dose of nostalgia, help yourself to haw flakes and preserved ginger.

Flavours at zhongshan park Ramada Singapore Level 1, 16 Ah Hood Road. Tel: 6808 6846

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

top southeast asian hotel buffets around singapore

favourites and regional dishes from the hotel’s Halalcertified central kitchen (from $45++). Tuck into food from live stations and salad, appetiser and dessert stalls where you’ll find everything from spicy chicken with coconut salad to mutton rendang.

The open concept restaurant also boasts four live cooking stations with chefs churning out a la minute orders. Come during their all-you-can-eat Singapore Food Fiesta (from $32++, 4-10 Aug) for chilli or sambal crayfish, Singapore laksa, wood-fired chicken satay pizza. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off total bill

Start with Friday evening’s Straits Signatures ($40++)— have multiple servings of signature beer marinated roasted pork belly before you challenge the sotong lemak chilli padi. For dinner on Saturday, it’s a spread of seafood with Bibik’s Catch ($48++) and Afternoon with Bibik ($32++ Sat-Sun, PH 1-5pm), a Peranakan and dim sum high tea buffet with free-flow teh tarik, bandung and soy milk in retro serving containers. From 9 Aug, look out for the DIY Ah Hood Burger Stall section. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off total bill

Saltwater Café

STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar Bay Hotel Singapore Level 1, 50 Telok Blangah Road. Tel: 6818 6681 Let executive chef Ricky Lim take you on a regional culinary expedition with his Roulette of Flavours Buffet ($32++, Sat-Sun 12pm-4pm). Dishes from the compact line-up rotate around Vietnamese, Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian and Singaporean flavours such as sate lilit, ayam lemak with chilli padi and duck in red curry. Plus: kids under six dine for free with every paying adult.

[$$] Asian Market Café [ ] Fairmont Singapore Level 2, 80 Bras Basah Road. Tel: 6431 6156 Pan-Asian delights here encompass local Malay

flavours

In partnership with

spices cafe

White Rose CafÉ York Hotel Singapore Lobby Level, 21 Mount Elizabeth. Tel: 6830 1156

Princess Terrace Café Copthorne King’s Hotel Singapore Lobby Level, 403 Havelock Road. Tel: 6318 3168

At White Rose Café, there’s much to eat during Sunday tea ($28.80++, Sun 3-5pm). Slurp your fill from the noodle station, where chefs whip up Singapore laksa, pork ribs and prawn noodle soup. Then fill your plate with dim sum, baked macaroni with escargot, sushi and durian puffs. Look out also for their thrice yearly Penang hawker buffet—next one’s on 5 Sep.

Regulars swear by the food and the soups here. Experience Penang with chef Lim Por Tit and his culinary team. Uncover cucumber and lady’s finger, grilled hardtail stuffed with chilli, wok-fried slipper lobster, sambal prawns, curry noodles, fried tang hoon and more from the chafers of aromatic dishes on display. Buffet is available daily, for lunch and dinner (from $43.80++).

Zaffron Oasia Hotel Singapore Level 1, 8 Sinaran Drive. Tel: 6664 0348

saltwater cafÉ Changi Village Hotel Lobby Level, 1 Netheravon Road. Tel: 6379 7018 Tuck into their daily Kampong Buffet Lunch (12pm2.30pm, $38++) which features delectable Asian delicacies such as lor mee, pig’s tail soup with lotus roots and peanuts, biryani and a selection of desserts. Highlights are the outdoor teh tarik station where you can watch tea being ‘pulled’, and feast on freshly grilled satay.

Tuck into a high tea spread ($29++, Sat-Sun, PH 3-5pm) at this saffron-inspired restaurant which features delectable Asian delicacies such as fried carrot cake, dim sum, a laksa station, lor mee, freshly squeezed fruit juices, waffles, a live crêpe with ice cream station and a whole array of desserts.

[$$] straitskitchen

INDONESIAN [$$]

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, sayur lodeh, beef or mutton rendang) and fusion offerings like butter prawns accented by curry leaves (from $45++). HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off total food bill ◆ 1-for-1 buffet (valid till 30 November 2014)

Go local with the weekday Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch ($32++, Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm). 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.

At Town Restaurant’s Singapore High Tea Delights ($34++, Sat 12pm-3.30pm; $49++ on National Day), popular local dishes vie for your attention: freshly-made prata, kueh pie tee, DIY rojak and spicy Town laksa, mutton soup and satay. When it’s time for dessert, busy yourself with their pandan chiffon cake, chendol and tau suan. Order to go their signature Hainanese chicken rice ($25++)—the fragrant rice is scented with pandan leaves and lemongrass. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 20% off Dinner bill for HSBC Premier MasterCard® and HSBC Visa Infinite Cards and 15% off Dinner bill for all other HSBC Cards

With a smorgasbord of popular local hawker fare, Straits Kitchen 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.

Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant [ ] Furama RiverFront Singapore Level 3, 405 Havelock Road. Tel: 6739 6463

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

Town Restaurant The Fullerton Hotel Singapore Lobby Level, 1 Fullerton Square. Tel: 6877 8128

StraitsKitchen [ ] Grand Hyatt Singapore Lobby Level, 10 Scotts Road. Tel: 6732 1234

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. Enjoy a $4.90 National Day buffet (every third diner, 1-17 Aug. Usual price from $48++) for the restaurant’s top 10 local favourites—live action style, roti prata in 49 flavours and fresh durian.

TEOCHEW/TAIWAN PORRIDGE [$] Coffee Lounge Goodwood Park Hotel Lobby Level, 22 Scotts Road. Tel: 6730 1746 Think piping hot Taiwan porridge with about 30 dishes to choose from. Three new dishes are now available: home-style tofu, stir-fried kai lan with flat fish and shredded bamboo shoots in chilli oil. Comfort food favourites like braised pork belly with dark soy sauce and chilled beancurd in Japanese soya sauce and pork floss feature in this à la carte buffet ($39++, daily 12pm2.30pm, 6-10.30pm, minimum 2 to dine), with unlimited access to the dessert table.

Bakerzin

Exclusively for HSBC credit and debit cardholders:

15% + 10% off mooncake purchases Valid till 24 August 2014. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more details.

b u f f e t

b o u n t y

Blogger Hot Seat This month we grill Adrian Seet, founder and editor of consumer lifestyle blog SUPERADRIANME and ex-corporate marketer. He comments on food, wrinkles and the Friday evening buffet at Flavours at Zhongshan Park.

Flavours at Zhongshan Park

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.

Orchid Café [ ] Orchid Hotel Level 3, 1 Tras Link. Tel: 6818 6818 Nothing beats having a simple but satisfying supper of warm Teochew porridge ($19.90++). You’ll find about 14 main dishes and a choice of condiments at this humble but filling buffet: pig’s trotters, salted egg, mixed vegetables, stir-fried meats, kungpao chicken and even European fare like soup and pasta salad. Children will love the homely antiquated cafe as there’s lots of room for them to move about and baby high chairs and kids’ cutlery are available upon request.

that’s why they’re beautiful.” Confessions: “I am a very simple person, contrary to popular belief. But I do have a weakness for champagne and whisky. Single malts only!”

WHO: Adrian Eugene Seet (www. superadrianme. com) Blogging for: Over four years. Blog’s name was a spinoff from cousin Karen Seah’s online reality TV show, SUPERMODELME.tv, which he helped with and was thrown into the deep end of social media a year prior. Ultimate comfort food: Instant noodles. “Just make a soup, throw all that powder in, fish cake and fish balls. Fry up a runny egg to go along.” Don’t offer him: Truffles (it has a “cloth-never-drysmell”) and capsicum because he’s allergic. SUPER moment: “In May, I was very fortunate to be the only one from Singapore to attend the launch of Etihad Airways’ new A380 product in Abu Dhabi—a three-room suite with a personal butler.” On photography and wrinkles: “I love to take photos of people—see all their lines, freckles, the naturalness of people. They don’t like me to shoot them because all their flaws can be seen, but

Quality Café [ ] Quality Hotel Marlow G/F, 201 Balestier Road. Tel: 6233 6363 Tuck into a gastronomical Asian buffet spread (from $12.80++ for supper) at this restaurant, known for its smooth congee and signature laksa station. Its kitchen

THE BUFFET:

Straits Signatures at Flavours at Zhongshan Park ($40++ per person, Fri 6-10.30pm) Time of visit: 27 June, 7.30pm

Strategy: “I’m a very ‘old fogey’ kind of guy, so I prefer Asian comfort food, hot dishes, soup, rojak, lighter stuff like tofu, vegetables, seafood. Buffet is wasted on me as I only pick the things I like to eat. I’m usually very conservative with my food choices.” Didn’t eat: The selection of Potong ice cream, because “I generally don’t like cold food”. Second helpings of: He pio (fish maw) soup, Nonya lamb and laksa station. “Tonight there’s fish maw soup. Yay! Lamb’s soft and not gamey. Laksa has quail’s egg, but no see hum (cockles).” Not super: Steamed rice. “I am very particular about rice. It’s the deciding factor after the food. I like my rice soft-soft, a little bit sticky, steaming and fragrant.” How many BiTES? Taste: 3/5 Value for money: 3/5

quality cafÉ

In partnership with

The Perfect Meal will impress diners at the gourmet lunch buffet spread (Mon-Sat 12pm3pm, $29.90++, Sun 12pm-3pm, $39++), with Indian delicacies such as biryani, fish carry, naan and kebabs to satisfy any craving. 33 Scotts Road. Tel: 6836 0055

Indian Buffets under $50 NETT

Yantra

Luxe Indian buffets for a taste of the high life.

The Song of India

the song of india

Be transported to colonial India In this black and white bungalow turned Indian restaurant, chef Manjunath Mural from Channel NewsAsia’s reality cooking show

uses Halal-certified food suppliers, and avoids pork and lard. Flavour your comforting bowl of sweet potato porridge with Szechuan beancurd, braised duck, Taiwan-style kung pow chicken, preserved eggs and other savoury goodies.

VEGETARIAN [$] Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant [ Quality Hotel Marlow Level 2, 201 Balestier Road. Tel: 6254 0091

]

Even meat lovers will consider a return visit. Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant has the honour of being the first of its kind in a hotel here. Enjoy the Taiwanese restaurant’s steamboat buffet (from $18.80++, Mon-Thu) with home-style brewed soup bases in spicy Szechuan and Chinese herbal and over 70 items to choose from including dim sum; or their Asian buffet ($18.80++, Fri-Sun, PH) with over 100 attractive and unique dishes, also with dim sum. Eggless whole cakes ($35 for 1kg) can also be ordered five days in advance for celebratory occasions.

buffet (6-9pm, $40++) that draws on their expertise in age-old Indian recipes. Naan, basmati pulao and parathas are the ideal accompaniment for tandoor-grilled chicken achari, seekh kebabs, paneer tikka, and curries such as adraki aloo. Diners also enjoy a free glass of Indian Sula wine to go with the spicy and rich dishes. #01-15 Clarke Quay, 3B River Valley Road. Tel: 6337 7350

yantra

A unique take on Indian cuisine Head for the well-priced lunch buffets (Mon-Thu $25++, Fri-Sat $30++), serving up chafers full of dum biryani and dal makhani, using inventive recipes and modern flavours to add a new dimension to traditional dishes. Part of the fun is in watching skilled chefs in the open kitchen whipping up breads and making use of four large custom-made tandoors. 163 Tanglin Road, #01-28/33 Tanglin Mall, Tel: 6836 3088 HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 15% off total bill (valid till 30 September 2014)

Pind Balluchi Bar & Grill A culinary journey across India Every Thursday, Pind Balluchi lays out a tempting

ASIAN FOCUSED [$] Spice Brasserie PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road, Singapore Lobby Level, 181 Kitchener Road. Tel: 6428 3160

Shahi Maharani Be treated to a royal Moghul feast Feast like a maharaja any day of the week (lunch 12noon-2.30pm, dinner 6.30-10.30pm) at only $36++. In addition to the usual kebabs, curries and breads, there are chaat, as well as ample vegetarian and dessert stations to satisfy everyone. #03-21B Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6235 8840

Table by Rang Mahal Free-flow beer and kebabs At this casual sister outlet of fine dining restaurant Rang Mahal, Sundays offer free-flow kebabs and beer (Sun 12noon-3pm, $38++). Choose from vegetarian and non-vegetarian options: samosas and paneer tikka, or lamb, chicken and fish. Ice-cold Tiger beer on draft, soft drinks and lassi complete the experience. Lobby Level Naumi Hotel, 41 Seah Street. Tel: 6403 6005

spice brasserie

For lunch, tuck into Spice Brasserie’s claypot delights which span local Singaporean and Asian. You’ll find Teochew porridge and specialties such as char kuay teow and carrot cake which are prepared a la minute (from $38++, daily 12noon-2.30pm). HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ 1-for-1 buffet (Monday to Thursday) ◆ 1 dines free with every two paying adults (Friday to Sunday) ◆ Offers are valid till 31 September 2014.

Straits Cafe Rendezvous Hotel Singapore Level 1, 9 Bras Basah Road. Tel: 6335 1771 Set up a date here for casual elegance as you zoom in on as laksa, durian pengat and DIY popiah, broaden your scope with a slew of international dishes, savour

Hua Ting, Orchard Hotel

Exclusively for HSBC credit and debit cardholders:

20% off Millennium Mooncake purchases Valid till 15 August 2014. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for more details.

b u f f e t

b o u n t y

Dim Sum Buffets

Weekdays $19.80++ (adult), $13.80++ (child). Weekends $22.80++ (adult), $16.80++ (child). #02-602, Blk 181 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh. Tel: 6363 1717

Can’t get enough of yum cha? These trusty restaurants will deliver your dose of paus, dumplings and other heart-touching treats.

Szechuan Court

Ban Heng @ HarbourFront Centre Take in the views of Resorts World Sentosa as you tuck into the multitude of a la carte fried and steamed dim sum. Bask in the elegance of 21 grand chandeliers suspended 10 feet high as you slowly make your way through their extensive menu. Min 4 pax. Daily lunch 11.30am-2.30pm. Weekdays $17.80++ (adult), $12.80++ (child); weekend $21.80++ (adult), $13.80++ (child). #04-01 HarbourFront Centre, 1 Maritime Square. Tel: 6278 0288 / 6278 1354

hai tien lo

min jiang

JuChunYuan This Singapore outpost of the famed Fuzhou restaurant also whips up a well priced dim sum buffet. Chomp your way through steamer after steamer of char siew bao in traditional pastry and steamed spare ribs, and be pleasantly surprised that the restaurant absorbs service charge. Weekday lunch 11.30am-3pm; $19.80+ (adult), $11.80+ (child). Weekend lunch 10am-3pm; $24+ (adult), $16+ (child). #01-01 Far East Square, 130 Amoy Street. Tel: 6536 2655

Min Jiang Established since 1982, Min Jiang has been delighting dinners with their expertise in preparing Chinese delicacies. Every weekend they serve up dim sum on (stationary) traditional trolleys. Work up an appetite over siew mai with abalone slices and the giant xiao long bao by the pool. Sat-Sun high tea: 3-5.30pm; $32.80++ (adult), $16.40++(child). Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road. Tel: 6730 1704

Hai Tien Lo This 28-year-old restaurant may have moved down from the 37th floor, but its food is just as good. Save space in your belly for their deep-fried soft shell crab with pepper sauce and eggplant in supreme stock, which are master chef Lai Tong Ping’s signature creations. Weekday $48++ (adult), $28++ (child); weekend brunch $64++ (adult), $38++ (child). Level Three Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Boulevard. Tel: 6336 8111

Jade Dishes are well-proportioned for variety at this highend restaurant. Try double-boiled soup braised bird’s nest with truffle egg white in superior broth; and golden ‘mantou’ stuffed with spicy crab meat (both limited to a single portion per diner). Sat-Sun 11am-12.45pm; 1.15-3pm. $38++ (adult), $19++ (child). Fullerton Hotel, 1 Fullerton Square. Tel: 6877 8188

Peach Garden Noodle House @ WHITESANDS Aside from the over 30 varieties of dim sum to choose from, they are offering 15% off lunch and 10% off dinner for those who come in a minimum group of 4 adult diners. One of the rare spots if you are craving a big dim sum dinner. Reservations required. Weekday lunch 10.30am-12.30pm, 1-3pm; $20.80++ (adult), $14.80++ (child). Weekend Lunch $23.80++, Child $18.80++. Weekday and Weekend Dinner 5-7pm, 7.30-9.30pm; $33.80++ (adult), $23.80++ (child). #03-11/13 White Sands, 1 Pasir Ris Central Street 3. Tel: 6585 3833

This upmarket family favourite can also boast to serve seafood from sustainable sources. Recommended are their more unique creations, such as sautéed frog’s leg with dried chilli and peanut and deep-fried beancurd topped with cereal. Weekend 12noon-2:15pm; $48++ (adult), $24++ (child). 3/F Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road. Tel: 6431 6156

TungLok Seafood The group opened their first restaurant in Singapore almost 30 years ago, specialising in Cantonese cusine. Take advantage of the fresh seafood the restaurant is known for by looking out for dishes such as the royal shrimp dumplings, and sauteéd fish slices with spring onions and ginger. Min 4 pax. Sat 11.30am-3pm; Sun 10am-3pm; $22.80++ (adult), $16.80++ (child). The Arena Country Club, 511 Upper Jurong Road. Tel: 6262 6996

Yum Cha Restaurant Growing into a veritable institution for dim sum since they set up shop in Chinatown, they have opened two more outlets in Changi and Serangoon to cater to their growing fan base. From a selection of almost 60 types to choose from, dig in to the skillfully prepared spinach prawn dumpling and sweet crystal custard dumplings. Weekdays 3-6pm; $21.80++ (adult), $16.80++ (child). #02-01, 20 Trengganu Street. Tel: 6372 1717 yum cha

Swatow Seafood Although famous for their Teochew cuisine, they also offer delectable Hong Kong dim sum which is expertly handmade. Have second helpings of their Teochew style crystal dumplings and siew bee. High tea: 3-5pm.

Exclusively for HSBC credit and debit cardholders:

20% off Gusto Italiano Events

In partnership with

checkers brasserie

and international cuisine at this restaurant, coupled with views of the Singapore River should you dine al fresco along its banks. For dinner from 8-24 Aug, Straits Chinese flavours are paired with ocean offerings ($65++) for a heightened dining experience. Tuck into babi pongteh, black pepper slipper lobster, buah keluak, Nyonya satay ayam, oatmeal crab, Hong Kong kailian with abalone sauce and durian pengat. HSBC CARDHOLDERS ENJOY: ◆ One dines free with every three paying adult buffet diners for Lunch, High Tea & Dinner

LIME PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore Level 1, 3 Upper Pickering Street. Tel: 6809 8899

seafood at their oyster counter and catch the action at the live prata station. We recommend Sunday for a leisurely brunch ($48++) for that much-needed catch-up with your mates or girlfriends.

Sun’s Café Hotel Grand Pacific Singapore Level 1, 101 Victoria Street. Tel: 6431 1824

Resident Nonya chef Nancy Teo brings to the buffet table over 30 years of experience (from $45++, till 31 Aug) which shows in her handling of the Peranakan live kitchen. She also cooks with herbs grown by the hotel. Brimming with flavours are her traditional and aromatic ayam buah keluak, babi pong teh, udang masak nanas and pong tau hu, which you can pair with LIME’s international and regional signatures: lamb shank at their carving station, a cheese counter and sashimi.

Plate Carlton City Hotel Singapore Level 3, 1 Gopeng Street. Tel: 6632 8922 To end a hectic work week, head to the Seafood and Wok Friday Buffet Dinner ($62++, Fri 6.30-10pm, till 26 Sep) where you can feast on the best of the land and the ocean. Tuck into creamy or chilli Boston lobster (one lobster for every two adult diners), seafood on ice, hawker comfort food, meat from the carving station and treats from the dessert counter. Tag on $22++ for free-flow beer and house pour wines if you’re still feeling the heat.

There’s a buffet for almost any time of the day at Sun’s Café (from $29.90++). They have daily breakfast, lunch (Mon-Fri), tunch (Sat-Sun, PH) and dinner (Fri-Sat). Sample western, Asian and Singapore delights with a different theme every month. With their signature crayfish laksa, hokkien noodles and Hainanese chicken rice on the menu, we can’t stop ourselves from chopeing seats.

[$$]

Window on the Park Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre Level 2, 11 Cavenagh Road. Tel: 6733 8333

Checkers Brasserie Hilton Singapore Lobby Level, 581 Orchard Road. Tel: 6730 3390

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 buffet bill

What’s interesting here is its weekday themed lunch 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: ◆ 10% off total food bill ◆ One dines free with every two paying adults for Friday Seafood Buffet (valid till 31 October 2014)

Ellenborough Market Café Swissôtel Merchant Court, Singapore Level 1, 20 Merchant Road. Tel: 6239 1848

plate

Ellenborough Market Café

You’ll find a good mix of Peranakan, local delicacies

Offer is valid till 10 October 2014. Visit www.hsbc.com.sg/dining for event details. Terms and conditions apply.

Offers are valid till 31 December 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.

ITALIAN GOURMET Garibaldi

indulgence

d e s t i n a t i o n

d i n i n g

From coast to coast

Mention Katong and you’ll instantly think of laksa, Peranakan architecture and bibiks in sarong kebaya. Add an extinct species of sea turtle to that list—it's how the colourful district got its name. Conserved terrace houses on raised ground infer Katong’s proximity to the coast before land was reclaimed up to East Coast Park; while the Eurasian Community House, temples, churches and a mosque at the close-by Malay enclave Geylang Serai mark its melting pot heritance. The BiTES team traversed the stretch of East Coast Road to bring you our favourite finds. By Meredith Woo, Food Photography by Benjamin Soh

KATONG SHOPPING CENTRE

(865 MOUNTBATTEN ROAD)

Katong Shopping Centre—Singapore’s first air-conditioned mall Delicious Boneless Chicken Rice (#B1-85/87) Contrary to its name, don’t expect to get deboned cuts of chicken unless you ask. A single serving of roasted chicken rice will snag you a sizeable portion of smooth meat topped with crispy fried garlic and a free bowl of vegetable soup. Help yourself to free-flow achar and add a braised egg for a total of $5. Tue-Sun 10.30am-8pm

delicious boneless chicken rice

Dona Manis Cake Shop (#B1-93) “Auntie, what does the name mean?” “It’s the name of a small banana kueh.” They no longer sell that item, but banana still features prominently in their much-raved about banana pie ($2.20), sans cinnamon. For over 20 years, the unassuming old-school bakery has been churning out delicious mini chocolate tarts ($0.80), egg tarts ($2.40 for two), raisin scones ($1.30), strawberry cakes ($3) and one-bite rum balls ($1). Mon-Sat 10am-6.30pm. Tel: 6440 7688 Teo Heng KTV Karaoke Studio (#01-75 to 82/90/92) Sing your heart out at this family KTV joint with your pals. No one's judging you when rates are as low as $4.50 an hour. $18 will get you the privacy of a small room with three of your chums for three hours (Happy Hour: Mon-Thu 12pm-7pm). Additional charges for food and drinks. Mon-Fri 1pm-1am; Sat, eve of PH 12pm-2am; Sun 12pm-1am. Tel: 6345 6513 / 6440 2794

dona manis cake shop

Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple

Rey Im Cosmetics House (#01-36/38) From ceiling to floor, toiletries pack the shelves at Rey Im. You can find almost anything: Pureen liquid cleanser ($6.50, 750ml) for baby's cleaning needs, Dettol ($9), Febreeze ($5.90), spirulina supplements ($85), Keratase professional shampoo ($64, one litre) and macadamia natural oil ($25, 300ml). Daily 12pm-8pm. Tel: 6345 4850 katong shopping centre

lower east side

328 ka la

japan home katong V

azzura

KATONG V

(30 EAST COAST ROAD) east manhattan

Katong V—a mall and hotel (Village Hotel Katong) combi

(from $5.80) such as the refreshing lemon meringue chiffon also sit pretty in the display fridge. Tel: 9639 4179

Azzura Gelati (#01-01/02) Enjoy Australian gelato hand-scooped (from $4), served creatively ($8.90 for Honey Bee) or on a waffle (plain $6, half-priced on Thu). Popular picks vanilla bean, blossom nougat, chocolate truffle and buttered peanut come in a one-litre take-home tub for $18.90. The spacious café also serves gourmet coffee made with Rubra beans from Perth, craft beers (Badger Tanglefoot $14) and fun merch your kids will love. Tel: 6348 1477

Japan Home (#01-10) Pop in here for snacks like Snickers Minis ($1.50) and Super Lemon ($3.80) to $2 items like raincoats and baby wipes in this household retail chain store. For your home, consider a 3+1 drawer set ($9, U.P. $12.90), a bamboo storage box (from $6.90) or a non-stick pan ($15.90 for 26cm). Tel: 6348 0954

East Manhattan (#01-04) Go for their freshly baked artisanal loaves (from $3.90) and sourdough bread ($6.80), which stay moist even after a few days. Choice picks from creative bakerowner John Wee: charcoal apricot, turmeric rosemary and matcha tomato. A selection of tarts and cakes

KKKL Travel & Tours (#02-13) Coaches to Malacca (from $23) and Kuala Lumpur (from $30) depart daily. Tag on a KL city tour ($40) to visit sights such as King’s Palace, National Monument, National Mosque, Independence Square, KL City Gallery, Chocolate Gallery, Petronas Twin Towers, Royal Selangor Pewter and a local products shop in a whirlwind 3.5 hours. Alternatively, grab a 4D2N Laguna Redang snorkelling package (from $359). Tel: 6348 6909

marine parade

road

Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple (19 Ceylon RD)

yong huat

Yong Huat (AlibabaR the Hawker Bar, 125/127 E. Coast RD) They started out in 1949 selling Teochew fishball noodles, but now dish out a variety of chow mian, from Hokkien prawn mee ($4/5/6) to char kuay teow ($4/5/6). Regulars will order the ‘special’, which is their fried mee suah ($4/6/8), a haven of wok hei, prawns and crispy pork lard. Nurse a beer or a side of buffalo wings ($7.90) from the other stalls while you’re at it.

EAST COAST ROAD Santa Grand Hotel East Coast (171 E. Coast RD) Admire the solid three-seater chair with mother-of-pearl inlays, Peranakan stools and crockery in the hotel lobby. Opt for a staycation (from $170. Tel: 6344 6866) to enjoy warmly furnished rooms with fleur-de-lis insignia, beautiful triptychs, and relax in the rooftop pool or Jacuzzi. For food, there’s PeraMakan (#01-02/03), run by true-blue Nonya chef-owner Kathryn Poh Neo. Find rare dish nasi ulam, or herb rice salad here ($18, order two days in advance. Tel: 6346 4202).

fowlie road

Simply Eden (164 E. Coast RD) The emphasis is on freshness and natural flavours: 6 Colours Rainbow salad ($8.90), grilled mushroom and vegetable sandwich ($8.90), and savoury tarts (from $4.90). Each blueberry and tea leaf is home-dried, while food wastage is kept to a minimum—they have a 'Buy 2 get 1 free' deal on same-price value items after 7.30pm daily and offer a partial refund for returned takeaway ware. Tel: 6345 6411

santa grand hotel

joo chi o at r

Conserved Terrace Houses (150 E. Coast RD) The local-meets-Western single-storey terrace houses in pastel shades were built on raised ground to guard against the rising tides. They were once beachfront homes.

8 atong aksa

le petit paradis

alibabar

santa grand hotel

east coast road

r ox y s

ply sim n e ed

I12 Katong

Le Petit Paradis (95 E. Coast RD) Formerly at AlibabaR the Hawker Bar, they now have their own place. It’s run by At-Sunrise GlobalChef Academy graduate chef Enoch Teo, 24. You’ll find affordable French cuisine here: foie gras ($14), sous vide lamb shoulder ($18.50), seafood bouillabaisse ($23) and duck leg confit ($16.50). On weekends, drop by for brunch (11am-3pm). Tel: 6447 0710 328 Katong Laksa (51 E. Coast RD) What’s Katong without its namesake? There’s much dispute over the original Katong laksa (purportedly the one at Roxy Square I) but this is certainly the most prominent. Japanese tourists were spotted slurping the milky broth ($4.50/$5.50/6.50) and snacking on otah ($1.20) in air-conditioned comfort. Qiu Rong Ban Mian (#B1-14 Roxy Square II Food Court, 50 E. Coast RD) To find this ‘hidden’ food court, look for a flight of stairs labelled ‘Parkway Parade Steamboat Food Court’. Many come for the steamboat, but we’re interested in the 14-year-old ban mian stall, run by a husband-and-wife team from Fuzhou. Order the crisp and fragrant guotie ($4.50 for 8 pcs) to eat with your generous bowl of ban mian ($3) or their daily soup: ABC ($3), red wine chicken ($3.50). Props to Shaun Lim of Azzura for the tip! Lower East Side Taqueria (19 E. Coast RD) Get feisty with their chilli (imported habañeros, poblanos and jalapeños), which comes in three intensities. Slather it onto your open-faced tilapia taco ($12/28), cumin and grilled chicken burrito ($13), and charcoal grilled beef ($28). Quell the fires with horchata ($5), a sweet traditional Mexican rice drink, before you chug down some Mac’s Great White ($14 a pint, $8.50 half pint) or the bar’s boutique tequila, mezcal and rum sourced from Mexico (tasting prices from $28). Tel: 6348 1302

katong plaz a

e ac rr s te u s e ho

q ua r e

Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple (19 Ceylon RD) Duck into Ceylon Road to marvel at one of Singapore's oldest (since the 1850s) and tallest (21m) Indian temples. It started with the discovery of a statue of Lord Vinayagar (the Elephant God) by a pond with a Chempaka (Senpaga in Tamil) tree nearby. During World War II, a bomb hit the temple and in 2003 it was marked as a historic site by the National Heritage Board. Do follow certain guidelines before entering: www.senpaga.org.sg

I12 KATONG

(112 EAST COAST ROAD) I12 Katong—Katong’s movie central

-18C (#B1-27) Get your froyo fix here. -18C’s frozen yogurt creations (from $3.80) are made with 100 percent natural ingredients from Europe and Australia. They also sell froyo cakes ($5.30 a slice, $28 for 500g), and taiyaki ($3). Regulars can't get enough of their original and mango flavours. Tel: 6636 0112 Captain Leo (#B1-16/24) Say aye-aye to the self-proclaimed fried rice maestro who’ll also serve you witty taglines: “You’ll never find this in Italy” and “Good food makes you wanna dance!” On the local menu: cereal fried rice ($7.90), a twist on tze char favourite cereal prawns or go international with Italian fried rice ($11.90), true to their slogan. Tel: 6636 3932

gr and e r m e rcu te l o r ox y h

I12 Katong captain leo

ion to general direct rk east coast pa

The Mango Tree Indian Coastal Restaurant (#03-11) After former construction manager CK Chin and his wife, Reeny Kosman set sail to the Indian coastal region of Goa over 13 years ago, they brought the flavours back to Singapore. Discover rasam ($5.90), a peppery and light tamarind soup to whet your appetite, squid molaga ($9.90), their signature garlic crab ($36) and mango naan ($4.80), and homemade kulfi ($6.50), or Indian ice cream. There's also buffet lunch (from $19) and vegetarian dishes. Tel: 6604 9661 Free shuttle services and valet parking Hop on their free shuttle from Paya Lebar MRT station (exit A, along Eunos Road 8. Daily 10.30am-8.15pm) or make use of the free valet parking service on weekends (drop-off: next to taxi stand; pick-up: B2 carpark. Fri 6-10pm; Sat-Sun, PH 11am-9pm).

d e s t i n a t i o n

d i n i n g

Crossroads of history

Joo Chiat Road was named after wealthy philanthropist Chew Joo Chiat, also known as ‘King of Katong’ after he bought most of the land there. It started as a dirt track in the 1920s but gradually became home to multicultural communities and is now a residential conservation area. It’s a quieter stretch than its perpendicular pal East Coast Road and if you follow it, you’ll end up at Marine Parade (south) or Geylang Serai (north). Looking for the heart of Katong? It beats at the busy intersection of Joo Chiat Road and East Coast Road. am n an s

an er s r Pus e a w e- h o Pr h o p S

o ko oo iat rh Ch bou ost o P Jo eighice N ol P

n se

a ic ed l m al h

an nmd e u d oo tr f en c

o n a n r o a d

pre-war peranakan shophouses

nam san

JOO CHIAT ROAD Sinpopo Brand (458 Joo Chiat Road) Step into 70s Singapore, when TV was in its infancy and vintage Shanghai posters, music records and popular street snack ais bor ($3.90) reigned. Named after a now defunct notorious nightclub, it dishes out Fake Bird’s Nest ($2.90), Sng Muay Pop ($3.90) and gula Melaka soft jelly ($4.90). For savouries, there’s lo gai yik ($8.90), or stewed chicken wing rice, and John Eh Roti ($6.90). We liked the bygone era ambience more than the food. Tel: 6345 5034 Ann Tin Tong (Hing Kee) Medical Hall (320 Joo Chiat Road) It’s a retro medical hall in every sense. The original owner is over 90 years old while made-to-order cupboards were carved by a master craftsman almost 100 years ago. They once had a spacious unit with double doors across the road but now make do with a small shoplot. Curious passers-by make enquiries and buy ready-to-drink luo han guo ($2) instead of brewing their own (from $0.60 for a fruit).

DID YOU KNOW?

Tau kwa pau is a fast disappearing Nonya-Teochew dish of fried stuffed beancurd. There used to be two stalls at the busy junction of Joo Chiat Road and East Coast Road but they have since moved. You’ll find Sheng Cheng Tau Kwa Pau, once where Brotzeit is now, at the Peranakan Village Food Centre (369 Tanjong Katong Road). Mary’s Corner went from Alibabar to Dunman Food Centre but we heard they’re now without a home. If you’ve found them, please let us know: bites.editorial@magsint.com

Nam San (261 Joo Chiat Road) Fancy some mackerel otah ($1.10) at 3am? Nam San’s open 24 hours and they also have prawn ($1.20), sotong ($1.20), fish head ($1.20), Nonya ($0.90), white fish ($1.20, non-spicy) and raw versions perfect for a barbecue. Free delivery for orders $120 and above. Tel: 6345 5542 Pre-war Peranakan Shophouses (Koon Seng Road) End your tour of Joo Chiat Road with exquisite architecture. These colourful pre-war shophouses with ornate designs line both sides of Koon Seng Road. They're typically narrow (four to six metres) but deep, due to the spans of timber available at that time.

ROAD TONG TENG

lau hong ser rojak

EV ERI

ROAD

te li n g ro ad

l al

r pa

dunman road char siew wan ton mee

jo o

Who: Pang Weng Hong, 61, stall owner On Katong’s gentrification: “I started helping my dad at Yong Huat (read more on p.21) since I was 16 years old. I12 Katong was a market which has since relocated to Marine Parade and AlibabaR the Hawker Bar was a humble corner coffeeshop. It was taken over by an operator in 2012 and I was initially resistant to the changes but decided to stay put instead of retiring.” He's the only original stallholder there.

c h t ia r o ad

e li

t ia it y Ch un o m Jo om b C lu C

Dunman Food Centre

n a

(271 Onan Road)

n r o a d

Dunman Road Char Siew Wan Ton Mee (#02-19) If you enjoy the wanton mee at Eng’s Noodles House (287 Tanjong Katong Road), you’ll find the one here familiar, down to its eye-wateringly spicy chilli. Here’s the goss: Eng’s started in Dunman Food Centre, and his former helper opened Dunman Road Char Siew Wan Ton Mee. Which do you prefer? Fri-Wed 10am8.30pm

n po po d ji as T M to r MR o n ba ti Le c a re y di Pa l nd a r a n e li d n G e ha tio K a st

Dunman Duck Rice (#01-10) It's not just braised duck on rice ($3/3.50/4), there's porridge too ($2.50). The well-marinated duck is tender and the accompanying herbal soup satisfying. Pick up a duck to go ($17 for half, $34 whole) or try their kway chap ($0.50). Sat-Thu 11am-9pm 2 I1 TONG KA

Lau Hong Ser Rojak (#02-14) Expect to see long queues for this rojak stall which uses a thick and fragrant hae gor (prawn paste) from Penang and homemade chilli ($2/3/4). Be patient: the uncle toasts dough fritters over a small charcoal fire and grinds and toasts the heap of peanuts himself. Call in advance so you can swing by to pick up your order an hour later. Mon-Sat 4.38pm-1.38am. Tel: 6346 6519

w o k

t a l k

Bridge to breakfast

For a taste of nostalgia, venture to 30-year-old Pek Kio Market & Food Centre—its name refers to a white bridge that once spanned Kampong Java Canal

Photography by Shawn Tan

pek kio!!!

9am breakfast call—which one first?

!!!

Pin wei Hong Kong Style CHEE CHEONG FUN (#0125): Get the abalone version ($16.80) if you want to splurge.

GOOD SPICE CARROT CAKE (#0120): Dishing out eggy carrot cake for over a decade with old tools Skip the large chwee kueh with shrimp cai po (#01-28), order up handmade kuehs (#01-49) and 'MICHAEL JACKSON' (#01-21). The star was the crispy pancake (#0132)—crushed peanuts cascaded out with every noisy bite. XIN HENG KEE CHICKEN RICE (#01-14): Succulent roast chicken, lightly crispy roast pork and lean char siew.

soya bean + chin chow = michael jackson

More on ‘Michael Jackson’ on Last BiTES p32.

Pek Kio Market & Food Centre, 41A Cambridge Road (Owen Road)

MISSED

Satisfied. Shiok.

Sleep. MISSED

Kedongdong drink (a sweet-sour tropical fruit) was out of stock ($2.50 from #01-27) WHEN WE WERE THERE.

Tong Siew (#01-23) with Teochew ohr neng (plain oyster omelette) was not open for breakfast

The bill The total (4 pax): $26.60 ➔ #01-25 PIN WEI HONG KONG STYLE CHEE CHEONG FUN: scallop $4.50, prawn $4, char siew $3 ➔ #01-20 GOOD SPICE CARROT CAKE: black $1.50, white $1.50 ➔ #01-14 XIN HENG KEE CHICKEN RICE: 3-in-1 roast meat rice $4 ➔ #01-21 MIN HIANG: soy bean milk $0.60, chin chow $0.60, ‘Michael Jackson’ $0.60 ➔ #01-32 YEAN HENG: crispy peanut pancake $0.60 ➔ #01-49 INDO-ASIAN DELIGHTS: onde-onde $0.50, ang ku kueh $0.70, kueh dadar $0.70 ➔ #01-28 PEK KIO HANDMADE CHWEE KUEH: big chwee kueh $1.30

The score

THE VerdicT

➔ Food ➔ Ambience ➔ Value for money

➔ True-blue Singaporean flavours, especially in the smooth chee cheong fun, carrot cake, heaping 3-in-1 roast meat plate and peanut pancake.

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

s l e u t h

Most wanted list No local breakfast is complete without kopi and slices of perfectly crisp kaya toast. We prowl our supermarkets to bring you a selection of the tastiest brands. By Joel Lim

e d i t o r s ' p i c k

The Contender: Fong Yit XO Kaya— Less Sugar ($3.70) Taste Test: Well-balanced and thick, this local brand lives up to its “XO” quality claim. Despite having less sugar, it was just as satisfying. Verdict: Hits all the right notes

Kaya

The Contender: Golden Lantern Kaya, Pandan Flavour ($2.15) Taste Test: The aroma is an alluring whiff of coconut and pandan, but unfortunately the taste does not meet expectations. Overly eggy and artificial for our liking. Verdict: If you’re not too fussy

The Contender: Sunshine Nonya Kaya ($2.20) Taste Test: Thick and chunky with strong vanilla and pandan flavours, this custard-like condiment can hold its own in any confection of your choosing. Verdict: Best for baking

The Contender: Kaya House ($4) Taste Test: Although this kaya did not have the most appealing texture, it had one of the most aromatic coconut notes against a background of maple syrup and molasses. Verdict: Rich coconut and caramel flavours

The Contender: Habhal's Kaya ($3.15) Taste Test: A sweet almost caramel-like jam, with a slick oily texture; has enough sugar to substitute your can of Red Bull in the morning. Verdict: That sugar rush you need in the mornings

The Contender: Top One Nonya Kaya ($1.80) Taste Test: This smooth jam offers moderate sweetness and a velvety smooth texture, which leads to easy spreading on toast. A great way to start your day. Verdict: Value buy

Bites purchased and paid for our Groceries: kaya at SHeng Siong (excetp Fong yit from fairprice) and Kopi From GIANT

Nyonya or Hainanese? Those of the Nyonya variety have larger amounts of pandan, lending aroma and flavour as well as a greenish tint. The Hainanese version tends to be of a brown hue due to a deeper caramelisation of the sugars used in the jam.

Kopi

The unmistakeable flavour of local coffee owes its origins to the unique roasting process the Robusta or Liberica beans go through. How unique? The beans are usually roasted with butter or margarine (in the old days, lard is also used) while sometimes sugar or corn is added.

e d i t o r s ' p i c k

The Contender: Ah Huat Kopi O Kosong ($4.35) Taste Test: Packs a lighter bodied roast, featuring a good balance of acidity, giving this cuppa a palate cleansing property. Good with food as it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overwhelm flavours. Verdict: For less of a caffeinated jolt Note: This was the only kopi O kosong in our taste test.

The Contender: Aik Cheong 2 in 1 Kopi ($4.95) Taste Test: Smells initially like wet earth but the taste is pleasant, a light coffee that leaves a faint taste of butter. The bean seems have gone through a darker roast. Verdict: It's sure to perk you right up after a sip

The Contender: Owl Kopitiam Roast Kopi O ($4.35) Taste Test: A nice nutty, toasted almond aroma beckons us to take more sips of this addictive brew. At 30 sachets, also one of the best value bags. Verdict: An all rounded morning pick me up

The Contender: Gold Roast Kopi O ($4.35) Taste Test: A pleasant fragrance of freshly popped sweet popcorn and roasted nuts that develops into a strong, rounded flavour on the palate in this mildly sweet kopi. Verdict: Makes a sweet start to your day

The Contender: Super Kopi O 2 in 1 ($4.55) Taste Test: The first thing that hits you is a strong smell of roasted corn, and its flavour is reflective of the aroma you getâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a slightly acidic drink with a lingering bitter aftertaste of charcoal. Verdict: For lovers of old school coffee who like their kopi scorched

e d i t o r s ' p i c k

The Contender: Goldkili Kopi O less sugar ($3.70) Taste Test: Lively and all rounded brew in which we can taste the addition of cane sugar, with all the aroma and flavour you expect from a good kopi. Verdict: Mid day energy boost

t h e

d r i n k

t a n k

Wine pairings for hawker dining Salute Singapore’s national dishes with our pick of versatile, spice-friendly wine suggestions. By Joel Lim

Chicken rice Hainanese chicken rice gets its name from the dish's creation by Hainanese immigrants in Southeast Asia. This local obsession features rice cooked in chicken stock, garlic and ginger, topped with roasted, white or braised chicken and a tricky-to-match garlic chilli.

Laksa A Peranakan dish which has a creamy coconut based curry noodle soup, filled with dried shrimp, cockles and prawns. Singapore's variation of this dish, known as Katong Laksa, sees the thick rice noodles cut into shorter lengths, perfect for eating with just a spoon.

Wolf Bass Yellow Label Merlot 2012 NV Ricossa Moscato D'Asti Luis Felipe Edwards Carmenere 2011 Cold Storage, www.coldstorage.com.sg Silly Goose Sauvignon Blanc 2013 Selbach Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 2011 NV Valdo Oro Puro Prosecco Superiore Di Valdobbiadene DOCG Wine Connection, www.wineconnection.com.sg Damien Laureau Savennieres Les Genets 2010 Eric Texier Opale 2012 KOT Selections, www.kotselections.com

Damien Laureau Savennieres Les Genets 2010 $56 ➽ Origin: Loire Valley Grape: Chenin Blanc A sprightly white with acidity to complement the starch and umami of the rice, vibrant floral note to accentuate the protein and a body sufficiently rich to support both drink and dish.

NV Ricossa Moscato D'Asti $28.95 ➽ Origin: Piedmont Grape: Muscat Perfumed with floral aromas and hints of ripe melons, pear and nectar with a light and earthy finish. The refreshing and sparkling nature of this wine makes it a perfect foil for spicy foods and rich desserts.

Wolf Bass Yellow Label Merlot 2012 $37.25 ➽ Origin: Barossa Valley Grape: Merlot This medium bodied wine brims with notes of plums, dark cherries, chocolate, and a hint of vanilla, all the while exuding subtle herbal notes, making it an excellent pairing for chicken rice.

NV Valdo Oro Puro Prosecco Superiore Di Valdobbiadene DOCG $36 ➽ Origin: Veneto Grape: Glera On the nose, the scent of apples, pears and spring flowers jostle to the forefront, leaving a tropical finish. Yields a crisp acidity, attractive dryness, and excellent persistence.

Eric Texier Opale 2012 $40 ➽ Origin: Rhone Grape: Viognier An off-dry, light-bodied wine perfumed with a touch of citrus zest, bursting with the flavours of plump nectarines and pear, closing with hints of honey.

Silly Goose Sauvignon Blanc 2013 $40 ➽ Origin: McLaren Vale Grape: Sauvignon Blanc A crisp and frisky tipple opens sweet, followed by a citrus centre, a passionfruit finish and lengthy residual fruitiness, leading to a lively and refreshing wine.

Selbach Zeltinger Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett 2011 $35 ➽ Origin: Mosel Grape: Riesling This silky wine buzzes with the acidity of lemons and orange segments, accompanied by green herbs such as thyme and rosemary, with a lingering zesty finish.

Luis Felipe Edwards Carmenere 2011 $33.10

➽ Origin: Central Valley Grape: Carmenere This luscious Chilean wine is fruit-forward both on the nose and palate. The initial hit of plums and blackberries is met with notes of vanilla and spices in the background.

Nasi lemak A direct translation of nasi lemak is 'fat rice', used to describe the richness of the grain which is at the heart of any good version. Coconut milk gives this Malay dish its flavour and fragrance. Just as important is the sambal, a potent mixture of chillies and shrimp paste.

Indian rojak Literally meaning 'mixture' in Malay, rojak aptly describes a dish with a myriad of ingredients. The Indian iteration uses dough fritters, bean sprouts, hard boiled eggs, cuttlefish, cucumber and bean curd tossed in a spicy-sweet peanut sauce.

buy a b i t e s classifieds ad Share your food news, promotions and products with a dedicated foodie audience of over 20,000! ed e ifimpl s as xa Cl d e a

ed e ifimpl s as xa Cl d e a

Yes, I’m interested to advertise. (Please select the advertising package)

Single space classifieds (70mm x 85mm) S$500 for 1 issue S$1,200 for 3 issues Company Name _______________________________________ Product or Brand _______________________________________ Address _______________________________________ Telephone _______________________________________ Website _______________________________________ Contact number _____________(office) _____________ (mobile) Payment details Cheque/bank draft – made payable to MAGAZINES INTEGRATED PTE LTD

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. Buy direct or from our website at www.thewinery.com 347 Grand Brut Street. Tel: 6789 2222

Bank/Cheque No _______________________________________ Signature _______________________________________ Image or logo to be provided by client in soft copy *Our sales representative will get in touch with you once the reply slip and payment is received. * For enquires, email to bites.advertise@magsint.com or call 6848 6884.

Hooked is designed for anglers who want to improve their fishing skills and be kept up to date with the latest fishing news. In each issue, we’ll cover technical know-how in sections like Expert Opinions and Techniques. Our resident anglers will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about local fishing spots in the section HOOKED Team Go Fishing, while The List and Buyers’ Guide sections will feature tackle and other fishing-related gear. On top of that, The Sun Sea Surf section will cover boating and travel news. There’s all this and more in HOOKED! ISSUE 8 JUN-AUG 2014 S$6.00 | RM$12.00

#FLASHYOURCATCH Every two months we give you the opportunity to show off your

ISSUE 7 JUNE - AUGUST 2014 MICA (P) 131/05/2014 KDN PPS 1808/10/2013 (025521)

prized catches. Two winners will be rewarded for their efforts. FLASH YOUR CATCH TO WIN COLUMBIA GEAR

AMAZONIAN MONSTERS CAUGHT IN THAILAND! FANCY RENTING A FLOATING ‘ISLAND’ WORTH S$6 MILLION?

THE PERFECT FISH FINDER

CHECK OUT OUR BUYERS’ GUIDE

www.hooked-magazine.com

SAVE OUR FISHES FOR THE NEXT GENERATION Kelvin Ng, Marine Stewardship Council

Visit us at:

Like us on:

Available in :

www.hooked-magazine.com

www.facebook.com/ hookedmagazine

For iOS devices

Scan now to submit your catch!

k i t c h e n

p l a y g r o u n d

The daily grind Use these appliances and dinnerware to save time and effort, and before you know it, they’ll be a part of your cooking repeRtoire. By Joel Lim

Joyoung Soy Milk Maker DJ13C- D08SG(S) This refreshed model comes with an additional 'Double Thick' function, grinding down the beans into ultra-fine particles which impart more nutrients, greater taste and fragrance. It is also more than just a soy milk maker—it has the function to create porridge as well. With its tubeless heating system, heat is distributed to allow for even cooking and reduced chance of burning at the base.

$288 from Mustafa Centre, 145 Syed Alwi Road. Tel: 6295 5855

Cookut Ceramic Knives This French brand’s unique ceramic blades are made of zirconium oxide, a material which can be sharpened to a razor sharp edge. Why ceramic? The blade actually helps prevent oxidisation of fruits and vegetables when being sliced. A good choice for new cooks and regular cooks alike for its lightweight handling.

From $33 from Robinsons, www.robinsons.com.sg Rowenta Mini Tower Fan With the weather being as hot as it is here, the gentle respite granted by this tower fan is a welcome relief. Weighing in at 2.3kg, it is lightweight and portable, so you can take it anywhere there is a plug. Whether you are slaving over a stove, doing the ironing or going about mopping and sweeping the house, this mini tower fan will quite literally help make any chore a breeze.

$49 (U.P. $61.90) from all Harvey Norman stores till 31 August

Corelle Snapware Corelle and Snapware’s new 3-in-1 dinnerware is so named as you can take the container from fridge to oven to table. The triple-layered Vitrelle glass, Corelle’s hallmark, is lightweight yet resistant to breaking, chipping and cracking; while Snapware provides an airtight storage system with maximum security so that whatever you need to keep stays fresh for as long as possible.

$23-$40 from Tangs Orchard, 310 Orchard Road. Tel: 6737 5500

Naturai blender-p12 This high speed, 2L multi-function blender sporting a sleek design is simple to use. With a one dial auto function key, the blender is programmed for a wide variety of ingredients, one of which is a “Phyto-Rich Vegetable” setting, designed to extract the phytonutrients from fresh fruits and vegetables. Blades are made of durable Japanese high carbon stainless steel which make short work of nuts or ice.

$729 (U.P. $1,288) from Mayer Marketing showroom, #02-25 Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade. Tel: 6838 4079

Rapido Handheld Vacuum Cleaner - ZB6106WD This hand-held device embodies everything you need in a vacuum cleaner. Powered by lithium batteries, it is lighter and has an extended battery life. With wheels at the front, it gracefully rolls over most surfaces with ease and does not catch onto fabrics. The ergonomic handle means a good and comfortable grip as you glide it along picking up spills and crumbs both wet and dry. It comes with a pull-out nozzle for those hard to reach places.

$129 from major electrical stores and Electrolux authorised dealers.

Cookut Garden Knife Block This knife block doubles as a decorative flower vase, featuring bamboo sticks which are used to hold the knives in place. This method of storing the knives means that there is no abrasion to cause knife edges to blunt unlike a regular knife block. It can fit most knives from your kitchen drawer (up to 18cm), keeping them sharp and within easy reach.

Tefal Multi Moulinette This will become an indispensable part of your kitchen toolbox. Small and compact, it makes mincing and chopping a walk in the park. Throw in your onions, garlic and gingerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this appliance will find a permanent home on your counter top. Its leak-free bowl and safety seal lid mean it must be locked in order to operate, preventing any accidental spillage.

$78 from Robinsons, www.robinsons.com.sg

Thermos THV-series carafes This new range of containers is 24 percent lighter than previous models and comes in three sizes: 1L, 1.5L and 2L. A leak-proof top means no spills, even when toppled. One-handed pouring is a snap, with a lever action designed for that purpose. Also, the mouth opening (7cm) is wide enough to reach in with most brushes for a thorough clean.

$49 (U.P. $69) from all Harvey Norman stores till 31 August

From $59 at Takashimaya, 391 Orchard Road. Tel: 6738 1111 Bite - Rochester Market.pdf

24/7/14

11:37 pm

Shop for groceries online at

www.rochestermarket.sg

Free

home delivery with purchases above $150. Terms & conditions apply.

Download the mobile app

Brought to you by

Rochester Mall #02-16/24 Tel: 6684 6734

Say what say?

We know our kopi-okosongs from our tehc-gaos, but how about lesser-known foodie Singlish-isms? Celebrate National Day by ordering these items like a pro.

Prata plaster means: Egg prata with the egg cooked ‘outside’ instead of mixed in. Because it looks like an applied band-aid.

s: i mea n t n e m e ut Cl tea (b it n o m e y L you sa a y f i y l n S o fa st). rea lly n ta i for o k im mo k k ie n fla ir. Ho a d de d

last

Michael Jackson means: Soya bean drink mixed with grass jelly. Why? Well, it’s black and white, just like one of MJ’s songs.

Liu de hua means: A bottle of water. Only makes sense to fans of Hong Kong crooner Andy Lau, whose Chinese name it is. The reference is probably due to his hit song

忘情水

(wang qing shui).

Ta k k iu mea n s: Milo. Ta k k iu or ‘k ick ba ll’ in Hok k ie n is a refere n ce t o t he footba ll pla yer on the Milo ca n.

S k y ju Good old ice mea n s: (free) pla in wa ter. Don’ ta p or ta cha rge 2 0 ce n ts, nyhow ok a y.

Ang mo kio means: Tomato, best understood by your neighbourhood market auntie. ‘Ang’ is red.

Open to Trade & Public

r La

s ge

ic Ded

ated Japan ese

ho se

N’ s

16 - 18 October 2014 Suntec Singapore www.oishii-world.com

• Discover the versatility of Japanese ingredients • Source for the finest seasonal produce

• Indulge in prefectural specialities • Savour classic and innovative Japanese food

Celebrate Japanese Cuisine & Culture

Visit www.oishii-world.com for more information. Organised by

Managed by

Held in

Admission

16 & 17 October – open to trade only

Supported by

Online pre-registration by 10 October: Free Onsite registration: $20 per pax

18 October – open to public

OishiiJapan

$4 per pax. Free admission for children 12 years and below.