BiTES - The Scoop on Good Eats (November 2015) by BiTES - The Scoop on Good Eats

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inside BUFFET BOUNTY p14

Tuck into spiced up Indian feasts

DESTINATION: TAMPINES p18

delve into mixed emot about thieons F&B scene p.10

Mebeterain barfe hot Caeat p.8 s

Happy Deepavali!

+ m Joy, o r f s e not ger, Fear, An ust and Disgadness S drinMore bar ks an new d i n issu this s e! p.22

Every cuisine to suit your craving

SUPERMARKET SLEUTH p20 Whip up your own instant Indian meals

LAST BiTES p24

Can you name that Indian dessert?

For $15 a year, you get to enjoy

w e l c o m e

Where to find your B i TES ?

Cover image Dreamstime

DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE at www.bites.com.sg PICK US UP! Free at over 100 venues Cafes & restaurants Alfresco Gusto • Black Angus Steakhouse • Bonta Italian Restaurant & Bar (District 10) • Brussels Sprouts - Big Splash • Brussels Sprouts - Robertson Quay • Brussels Sprouts - Sentosa Cove • California Pizza Kitchen - Forum • Chijmes • Dean & DeLuca - Orchard Central • 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 CAFÉ COFFEE (all outlets) • Emicakes @ Kovan • EN Grill and Bar • Farisya's Kitchen • Ginkhao Restaurant • Ginza Lion Beer Hall • IPPIN • Joe & Dough (Kallang) • Kakis Bistro and Bar • Kinsa Sushi HillV2 • Medzs Millenia Walk • Milagro Spanish Restaurant • Ootoya Japanese Restaurant • Oriole Coffee + Bar • Outback Steakhouse • Oyster Bar & Grill Wharf • Pu3 Restaurant • Ramen Champion • Picotin Express - East Coast • Picotin Express Sentosa Cove • Potato Head Folk • Roti Mum • Selfish Gene Cafe • Spinelli (all outlets) • Starbucks (all outlets) • SQUE Rotisserie & Alehouse • tcc - The Connoisseur Concerto (all boutiques) • The Rustic Bistro • The Marmalade Pantry ION • Yellow Submarine (Toa Payoh) • ZEN Japanese Cuisine • 31 Bar Kitchen Car showrooms Chevrolet • Citroen • Honda • Hyundai • Infiniti • Kia • Mazda • Nissan • Opel

Singapore • Subaru • Toyota Singapore Cooking Schools Cookyn Inc • My Private Pantry • The Eureka Cooking Lab Country & Private Clubs British Club • China Club • Ee Hoe Hean Millionaire Club • Hollandse Club • Jurong Country Club • Keppel Club • Laguna National Golf & Country Club • NUSS - Kent Ridge Guild House • NUSS - Bukit Timah Guild House • NUSS - Suntec City Guild House • Orchid Country Club • Raffles Marina • Seletar Country Club • Sentosa Golf Club • Serangoon Gardens Country Club • Singapore Chinese Swimming Club • Singapore Cricket Club • Singapore Island Country Club • Tanah Merah Country Club • The American Club • The Swiss Club • Tower Club Hotels Albert Court Village Hotel • Amara Singapore • Bay Hotel • Carlton City Hotel • Changi Village Hotel • Concorde Hotel Singapore • Copthorne King’s Hotel Singapore • Dorsett 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 • Mandarin Orchard • Moon Hotel • Nostalgia Hotel • Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay • Orchard Hotel Singapore • Pan Pacific Orchard • ParkRoyal on Kitchener Road • Park Hotel Alexandra • Peninsula Excelsior Hotel • Ramada and Days Singapore at Zhongshan Park • Riverview Hotel Singapore • Studio M Hotel Singapore • The Club Hotel • The Elizabeth Hotel • The Quincy Hotel •

The Scarlet Hotel • Village Hotel Bugis • Wangz • York Hotel MallS Orchard Central • Parkway Parade (Pedestrian Crossing) • SVC@ION Orchard• The Grandstand National Tourism Offices Australia Tourism • Japan National Tourism Organization • Korean Tourism Organization OTHERS Pet Lovers Centre Petrol Kiosks Caltex • ExxonMobil • Shell • SPC Salon Jean Yip Hairdressing schools •Temasek Polytechnic supermarkets Four Seasons Gourmet Market-MBLM • Four Seasons Organic Market-Great WorldCity • Four Seasons Organic Market-Parkway Parade • Meidi-Ya Singapore • Rochester Market • PasarBella 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 • Lavender • Orchard Road • Pasir Ris • Raffles Place • Serangoon • Tampines • Tiong Bahru • Woodlands • Yishun

Publisher Cecilia Goh Editor June Lee Contributing Editor Joyce Huang Staff Writer Meredith Woo Editorial Intern Sharon Salim Contributor Raymond Tan Senior Designers Benjamin Soh, Lynne Wong Design Intern Yong Cheng Wei Head of Business Development (Food Division) Carlos Loh Business Director Ashad Shah Senior Business Manager Francisca Wong Business Manager Cherin Ong

Assistant Business Manager Stephanie Tan Publishing Admin Manager (Admin & Circulation) Siti Haneymah Consultant Digital Manager Eugene Koh Web Developer Jun Evangelista Accounts Manager Linda Ng Group Publisher Ho Sum Kwong Group Managing Editor Adeline Wong Group Creative Director Thng Wee Nee 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

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Copyright by the Publisher. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the Publisher is strictly prohibited. Views and opinions expressed in B i t e s are not neccessarily those of the Publisher and the Editors. Although every reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of the information provided in this publication, neither the Publisher, editors and their employees and agents can be held liable for any error and omission, nor any action taken based on the views expressed or information provided within this publication. You should always seek your own professional advice. All prices are in Singapore dollars unless otherwise stated and exclude miscellaneous taxes.

c a l e n dA r :

n o v e m b e r sunday 1

monday 2

tuesday 3 peranakan festival

4-8 NOV | 10AM-9PM | EMPRESS LAWN Check out cultural performances, plays, exhibitions and a bazaar at the inaugural edition of this festival. www.peranakanfest.com

8 TAMPINES SLEEP WALK

$39 | 7.30AM-12PM | TAMPINES RETAIL PARK Put on your best PJs while celebrating TRP’s 9th anniversary in a sleep-related fun walk. Post walk activity: fun carnival (free). www.trpsleepwalk.com. sg/raceinfo

9 GINGERBREAD HOUSE WORKSHOP

10 DEEPAVALI

$60 | 9 & 26 NOV | 10.30am-12.30pm/1.303.30pm/4.30-6.30pm | #01-10, Geylang Lor 23 One Sims Lane Get into the festive mood early by assembling your own gingerbread house. www.phoonhuat.com

2 01 5

wednesday thursday friday saturday 4 5 SHERMAY LEE’S COOKING SCHOOL POP-UP

$120 | TILL 7 NOV | 6-10PM | VIVOCITY Kickstart the month with four hours of free flow beer (all six selections on tap), food including grilled sausages and roasted pork knuckles, and drinking competitions. www.the-chop-house.com. Tel: 6376 9262

18 DRU CHEN TRIO

25 THE PARTY MEAL CLASS

$148 | THE GODOWN, 44 ZION ROAD Clessidra’s hands-on culinary classes help you to whip up traditional Italian recipes in the comfort of your home. Comes with recipe book. www.thegodownstore. com. Tel: 6333 8966

TILL 29 NOV | ESPLANADE Indian Festival of Arts presents six locally produced works featuring local artists, arts groups and the Indian diaspora that represents the dynamic Indian arts scene. www.esplanade.com

coming up in decemBER

Santa run for wishes

11-12 Dec: Zouk Out 25 Dec: Christmas

TILL 15 NOV | F1 PIT BUILDING With 85 galleries representing 600 artists from across Southeast Asia and Europe, this art fair also offers coffee cupping sessions by Common Man Coffee Roasters and small bites from Harry’s. www.affordableartfair.com. Tel: 6220 5682

Happy Deepavali to all our Hindu readers! Check out p14, p20 and p24 for buffets, DIY meals and sweets to celebrate the day, B I T E S style.

20 TILL 23 NOV | EXPO CONVENTION CENTRE One of the largest food events locally, there are over 100 exhibitors showcasing familiar products and new fares. www. asiapacificfoodexpo. org.sg

THANKSGIVING A federal holiday for Americans, but here we celebrate by eating!

14 PROJECT HAPPY FEET

$52 | 5.30PM| PALAWAN BEACH Join Singapore’s only non-competitive walk in slippers as Chefs For A Cause sees 20 local chefs cooking up a storm: bak chor mee, kong bak burgers and kaya ice cream. www. projecthappyfeet.org

ASIA PACIFIC FOOD EXPO

FREE | 9PM | THE POWDER ROOM Charlie Lim and Eun Taek Kim will impress us with drums and bass while Dru Chen continues with snappy falsetto and hollering belts. www.theblackswan.com. sg. Tel: 8181 3305

22 KALAA UTSAVAM

$149 | ONE FARRER HOTEL & SPA Featuring heirloom recipes including udang pedas nanas, ayam pedas, ngoh hiang and achar, “My Peranakan Grandma’s cuisine” will change your nagging perception of complicated Peranakan cooking. mabelinechan@onefarrer.com. Tel: 6705 7890

THE CHOP HOUSE’S DRINKFEST

AFFORDABLE ART FAIR

21 SKETCHERS SUNDOWN FESTIVAL

4PM | MARINA PROMENADE F1 PIT AREA Catch acts by artistes such as Thailand’s Potato and Singapore’s Caracal. Expect a day of good music and mouthwatering local delights. www.sundownfestival.sg

28 SANTA RUN FOR WISHES

$80 | 5-11PM | SENTOSA Celebrate Christmas by giving—all proceeds of this run go to MakeA-Wish Foundation Singapore. Runners gain access to Universal Studios Singapore (7.30-11pm). www.santarunforwishes. sg. Tel: 6334 9474

Maka

# m a k a n o n b i t e s

on BiTES GUESS AND WIN!

Each month, we’ll feature a fresh makan place—whether it’s a new outlet of a familiar brand, revamped concept or completely new entrant—for you to guess what/where it is. Correct answers will be entered in a draw to win a dining experience with us!

NOV: 5 readers stand to win DINNER FOR 2

Its name means ‘house of dreams’ in Japanese, and this special restaurant has been serving food and sake in the Mohamed Sultan area since 2006. Some of their signature dishes include the Unagi Special Maki, Hotate Mayo Yaki and Wafu Steak, enjoyed in the serene ambience of the traditional space. Give us your best guess between 1-15 Nov to dine at the restaurant on 7 Dec, 7pm! For full details and to enter, visit www.bites.com.sg/ makanonbites

BiTES reserves the right to publicise winners’ names and pictures. By entering the contest, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publish publicity photos and video in any format without limitation. Participants to ensure they can dine on 7 December at 7pm. More on www.bites.com.sg/makanonbites

ES: Makan on BjiT bangkok am n Road Where: 101 Thomso 307591 e or ap ing 7S #02-06/0 Tel: 6353 5638 15 When: 6 October 20 e: What we at n Cakes • Lemongrass Prawi) ra (goong pun tak an Chicken • Marinated Pandw bai toey) Skewers (gai ha hicken, Beef • Mixed Grill of C & Prawns uid Short Ribs, Sq (yang ruam) yle Stewed • Northern Thai Stind (gaeng Pork with Tamar hang le moo) up (sen lek neua) • Beef Noodle So asted Pork, • Spaghetti with Ro rk Crackling Asian Herbs & Po (spaghetti moo krob) with Pork Rice • Thai Olive Fried liab) m na ad ph (khao ed with Ice • Red Rubies Servkrob) Cream (tap tim otta • Durian Panna C fruit Crumble ck Ja & le • Pineapp

The B i T E S team had a wonderful night mingling with our five Makan on BiTES winners and their plus ones. A couple who are expecting their second child were thrilled to note that the restaurant has a kids play area with fun toys, colouring materials and even tablets; and complimentary children's meals with paying adults. We enjoyed the crisp and bouncy lemongrass prawn cakes, and the mixed grill paired with piquant sauces. Chef Wilawan, who has

been with the restaurant for over a decade, later shared with the eager dining party the components of the addictive brown glaze: blue ginger, assam, garlic and onions. The Bangkok Jam team also surprised us with Thai milk tea and bandung popsicles, off-the-menu items made Scan the QR code for a with a machine hand-carried slice of from the Land of the Smiles. the action.

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NEW ON THE MENU

Jack’s Place rises to the occasion again with a daily lunch deal (11am-3pm) that includes wholemeal garlic bread, soup of the day, day’s dessert and coffee/tea from just $13.80 to $19.90. Each outlet showcases its own daily specials. At Great World City, tuck into N.Z. Sirloin Steak with shimeiji mushroom and teriyaki sauce ($15.50) on Mondays, or grilled boneless chicken with cheese and ebi fry, accompanied by macaroni and mesclun salad ($13.80) on Fridays. They use only 100% grass-fed chilled beef from N.Z., making for the best value around in our books. www.jacksplace.com jack’s place

Since February, Wildfire Burgers + Bar has carved its way into the hearts of diners with grain-fed and dry-aged beef burgers. And they’re now courting chicken lovers with a new menu: Sticky Nam Prik Pao Fried Chicken ($13) puts a saccharine-spicy spin on the dish, while Sichuan Pepper Fried Chicken ($13) is a zesty rendition that features generous, mouth-numbing spice. For a touch of citrusy flavour, opt for the Yuzu Kosho Fried Chicken ($13). They’ve also unveiled the Black Ebi Burger ($23) that sandwiches a breaded prawn patty, butterhead lettuce, sliced tomatoes, grilled pumpkin and a dollop of squid ink aioli between

Churro 101

fresh openings

Those Seoul-searching for Churro 101 will find answers at Bugis+. Opened in 2011 by Iris Choi who studied at Le Cordon Bleu, Australia, the South Korean cafe counts members from K-pop groups Girls’ Generation (SNSD), F(x), Miss A and Girls’ Day as its fans. We like the churro options of plain ($3.30), sugar ($3.50) and cinnamon ($3.50). Filled churro flavours include milk custard ($4.50), milk chocolate ($4.50) and sweet cream cheese ($4.70). Dark choc fans, have your churros coated in a layer of the luscious confection ($5.40). Sets with ice cream and coffee available (from $5.90). #04-01 Bugis+, 201 Victoria Street

burger king

charcoal black brioche buns, the latter undoubtedly the burger’s highlight. 26 Evans Road. Tel: 6734 2080 The heat is building at Burger King. Their new hotheaded Angry Burgers are packed with Thai Sriracha sauce and spicy Angry Onions. Don’t be cowed by the Angry Beef, which features a classic flame-grilled WHOPPER patty; neither should you feel foul at the sight of the Angry Tendercrisp Chicken. To cool off, get the Angry value meal ($8.65, also includes medium fries and small Coke) that finishes off with a Biscuit Sundae in lychee, strawberry, chocolate and caramel. Available till early Dec. www.burgerking.com.sg Young but quaint, with more than a pinch of good taste—Sprigs introduces an all-new menu with a contemporary direction. We started with delish roasted veal carpaccio ($2, egg confit, capers, tonnato sauce) and flame-torched Hokkaido scallop ($22)—fresh and flavourful. Other comforting favourites include soft and tender Chilean seabass ($40) and New Zealand rack of lamb ($38). Ending the meal on a true European note, we tried the featured dessert cheese from Switzerland, tete de moine cheese, served in delicate rosette shavings on toast. The cheese was pungent but a perfect complement to the sides of quince paste and walnuts. #01-01, 12 Purvis Street. Tel: 6338 5844

If you can’t head out to buy a cake, let it come to you. ISO 22000 certified Cakesonline. Cakesonline.sg sg offers classics such as Spectaculoos cheesecake ($58), lime meringue tart ($65) and an eggless blackforest cake ($58). Try out the selfie option: upload your photo, choose a flavour and let the bakers do the rest. You can also add on birthday gifts, greeting cards, flowers, balloons and soft toys. Order three working days in advance for stock selections. Full customisation available. We’ve seen chef Bjorn Shen’s Bird Bird making its pop-up rounds at farmers’ markets and festivals. His chicken-focused eatery with Thai flavours will soon be roosting permanently at Ann Siang Hill from this month. We heard they’ll be dishing out piquant grilled chicken, som tum with crispy chicken skin (yay), salted egg and fermented rice vermicelli. 18 Ann Siang Hill The easties can finally rejoice, as Joyden Treasures from Joyden Concepts welcomes its largest outlet at Leisure Park Kallang. Firm believers of all things handmade, the owners have given their all in perfecting family recipes and traditional dishes a la grandma’s

sprigs

To commemorate 12 years in Singapore, Din Tai Fung has introduced new dishes, one for every successful year here, to its flagship in Paragon, Orchard. The selection process spanned a year of R&D, taste tests, focus groups and lab tests to determine product stability. Highlights suitable for vegetarians include deep-fried handmade tofu with water chestnuts & mushrooms ($8.60) and steamed assorted mushroom dumplings infused with truffle oil ($11.30/16.80). The Paragon outlet recently underwent renovations in July and can now seat over 200 guests over an area of 8,500 sq ft. #B1-03 Paragon, 290 Orchard Road. Tel: 6836 8336

comfort food. We absolutely love the piping hot doubleboiled seafood soup steamed in old cucumber ($14)— expect a delish dumpling after enjoying the clear broth. Another favourite is the jumbo prawns in traditional dark sauce ($26); you can even eat white rice on its own with the sauce and homemade sambal. Tantalise your tastebuds with the perfect combination of crispy fragrant duck with lotus-shaped buns ($58) and sweet chilli, coupled with fresh slices of papaya pickles. End the hearty meal with traditional yam puree ($16) or soft and fluffy malagao ($4.20). #02-42 Leisure Park Kallang, 5 Stadium Walk. Tel: 6446 8488

joyden treasures

ADVERTORIAL

Affordable gourmet

You'll love stretching your dollar at these great gourmet findsƒFrench food made accessible in town and Japanese cuisine that's so good you'll want to eat it every day in the heartlands. A chilled bottle of Somersby apple or pear cider adds to the ideal meal scenario.

BRIDGE Restaurant & Bar

Drawing inspiration from the sidewalk cafés of Paris, BRIDGE was created as a warm inviting space to enjoy quality fine dining cuisine at reasonable prices. Ingredients are perfectly paired to create dishes like the pan-seared foie gras with citrus, candied hazelnut and balsamic reduction, so you can be sure that its drinks offerings are also well-chosen. A Somersby apple cider with its crisp flavours is refreshing and gives a nice buzz to the New Zealand Blue Cod, served with crispy scales and accompanied with Spanish seaweed and yuzu bouillon. Or just go straight to dessert with your cider and Deconstructed Cheesecake—the lemon cream cheese, ice cream and secret raspberry parfait heart is a faultless match. Tue-Thu 3-11pm, Fri 3pm-1am, Sat 11am-1am, Sun 11am-5pm. 31 Seah Street. Tel: 6333 4453, www.dineatbridge.com.sg

Kinsa Sushi

Kinsa Sushi lives up to its promise to serve fine fare without breaking the bank. Where else would you find the signature Wagyu Don and freshest seafood sashimi at heartland prices? The restaurant is ideal for families as well as couples to share items such as grilled stingray fin and edamame to whet the appetite. A sparkling and light Somersby apple cider doesn’t overwhelm the delicate flavours of the cuisine, before you move on to grilled, tempura and sushi dishes. Seafood lovers have hot and cold options such as the seafood pot in miso base as well as salmon on rice, while beef lovers can opt for hot plate, in a tataki, and in the best Wagyu Don in the West. Mon-Thu 11.30am-3pm,5-10pm; Fri-Sun 11.30am-10pm. #02-02 HillV2, 4 Hillview Rise. Tel: 6710 7278, www.kinsasushi.com

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A hairy good time

Wàn Hé Lóu understands the complexities of da zha xie well. The hairy crabs ($26.90/150-170g crustacean, buy three get one free while stocks last) are steamed to preserve its fresh flavour, sealing the richness of its creamy roe and meat within. After you’ve wrangled out all the goodness with the help of their “hairy crab scissors”, sip on specially concocted ginger tea to balance your body’s chi. #01-01, 65 Maude Road (off Jalan Besar). Tel: 6294 8057 crystal jade palace

If you’re dining at Crystal Jade Palace, look out for the steamed hairy crab xiao long bao ($6 per piece) at lunch, which is filled with lovely crab stock. For the best value, go for the seven-course hairy crab set menu ($118 each), which presents whole steamed crab (175-199g per piece), as well as specialities such as braised abalone with sautéed assorted vegetables and glutinous rice dumpling in ginger soup for dessert. Till 30 Nov. #04-19 Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Road. Tel: 6735 2388

Back on the scene

The same great Coeur de Lion cheeses that you’ve enjoyed are now rebranded under the Ile de France label. The products include creamy Camembert from Normandy, and unique blue-veined Roquefort cheese that’s ripened in natural cellars for a richer taste. Brie lovers will find convenient sizes of their fave cheese: the tranches de brie delivers all the creaminess of the cheese in thin, individual slices, while mini brie comes in ideal snacking packets. Available at Fairprice Finest and Cold Storage supermarkets. Enjoy soupy lunch staple yong tau foo at Koo Kee Restaurant's new Ang Mo Kio outlet. Classics include the Koo Kee set meal ($6), laksa yong tau foo ($4.50) and chee cheong fun with spicy sauce or mushroom in homemade sauce ($2.80/2pcs). The restaurant has been dishing out this Hakka fave since 1954, when it was just a zinc-and-wood mobile kiosk under a tree next to the Majestic Theatre. Daily 7.30am-11pm. #01-2361, 529 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10. Tel: 6452 1827 Welcome back, Kaffir & Lime! After a major makeover, the restaurant, which has been segmented into two, can now comfortably accommodate groups, couples and business meetings. Be sure to admire the overhead decor—a "wave" made from 3,000 hanging pieces of orange aluminium. New menu highlights include the crispy soft shell crab with battered morning glory ($12.90) served with K&L special dip. The morning

glory is coated with a secret mix of curry powder, tom yum paste and other ingredients before it is fried till golden. A returning favourite is the Chiang Mai chicken wings, sprinkled with crisp basil leaves and garlic flakes. Do try debuting mocktails Kaffir spicy mango sparkle and lime & blood orange cooler ($6.90 each). #B145/46 The Paragon, 290 Orchard Road. Tel: 6836 8417

Koo Kee restaurant

Delicious spaces

Rooftop destination Sky Garden at Suntec City is the latest place to dine and unwind. The landscaped garden space with views across the civic district and the Fountain of Wealth, is now home to 13 new dining establishments across different cuisines. From the IndoChine group is Arn Nan and Saint Ma, an al fresco bar bistro and chic Euro-Asian restaurant. There’s also Dallas contemporary restaurant serving its famous baby back ribs, Sumiya—Singapore’s first irori genshiyaki for grilled treats over charcoal flame, and the revamped Kuishin Bo premium buffet restaurant with over 100 dishes. Within Sky Garden is Eat at Seven, a collection of seven of Japan’s top food specialist concepts, many venturing overseas for the first time. Of these, we were impressed with NikuNoHi, which serves up A5 Kuroge wagyu and 23 kinds of beef parts, seared in front of you. North Wing of Suntec City, situated between Towers 1 and 5, 3 Temasek Boulevard.

Sky garden, suntec city

Laurent’s café by laurent bernard

beef dry-aging facility. Fans of Ehime prefecture’s citrus products and seafood will find a special showcase of items like mikans, tai (sea bream) and natural sea salt harvested from its coast. The 34,000 sq ft area also comprises eight new-to-market F&B concepts: Gyuu+ (yakiniku), Umi+Vino (premium seafood wine bar), Senmi Sushi, Tsukeru (shabu-shabu), Burosu Honten (gyoza and ramen), Kohi-Koji (cafe and bakery), Takujo (fine dining) and a Ready-to-Eat section for your takeaway needs. #01-18 Marina Square, 6 Raffles Boulevard

Visit the basement of Robinsons The Heeren and you’ll find new additions Marks & Spencer Food Hall and Laurent’s Café by Laurent Bernard. The former is a 1,483 sq ft shop-in-shop space that houses over 1,000 food products including prepared frozen meals and groceries. Find also a coffee-to-go station using M&S’ house blend coffee ($4.90) and a bakery. Chocolate lovers will revel in the 1,460 sq ft space that Laurent’s Café by Laurent Bernard Chocolatier affords. In addition to the gourmet confections, diners can enjoy savoury items such as farmers’ breakfast ($23) and crispy duck leg confit ($26). B1 Robinsons The Heeren, 260 Orchard Road. Tel: 6735 8838 The space that was once the Marina Square steps is now a new wing which houses key tenant Emporium Shokuhin. Within, you’ll find 22 tanks of live seafood offerings such as Boston lobster, Alaskan king crab and oysters from France. The gourmet grocer also sells premium cuts of A5 Miyazaki beef at its deli and has a

emporium shokuhin

ADVERTORIAL

lucky 13

ThaiExpress turns 13 with a bang! Celebrate their anniversary with five new dishes and the comeback of their Orange Card for more privileges. Love ThaiExpress? So do we! Since 2002, ThaiExpress has steadily grown from its pioneer outlet in Holland Village to a restaurant chain spanning over 30 restaurants in China, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore. To celebrate winning the Most Influential Brand Award under Thai segment, and being nominated as a finalist for Epicurean Star Awards Asian Casual Chain 2015, they have treats galore in store for fans. There are five new stars on ThaiExpress' menu that you need to meet (and eat). Try the prawn cake donuts served with Thai sweet chilli dip ($8.90), a shapely twist on the usual starter. Fans of som tum mamuang, whet your appetite further with crispy tuna flakes with Thai mango salad ($9.50). For mains, it's a tough pick between the chicken thigh pasta in curry sauce topped with crispy noodle ($14.90), and the seafood chilli paste fried rice ($12.90). It's best to dine with a fellow Thai food-loving friend and share everything, right down to the fresh coconut pancakes topped with coconut ice cream and drizzled with salted caramel sauce ($8.50). www.thaiexpress.com.sg www.facebook.com/ThaiExpressSG

LUCKY ORANGE! Purchase the refreshed

Orange Card at $15 and receive pre-loaded dining vouchers worth more than $30 and a 5% cash rebate on nett spending (for next visit). If you activate your card by 14 Dec, be in the running for a lucky draw—you might win an all-inclusive package at Anantara Chiang Rai Golden Triangle Elephant Boot Camp and Resort. Look out for more exciting members’ specials in 2016!

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Cafe H t Seat

In this column, we pick a notable personality to go cafe-hopping with us. This November, we get hairy with Faz Ismail, who founded gentlemen’s barber DeepCuts Barber's after inadvertently falling in love with the profession. By Meredith Woo, Photography by Benjamin Soh Faz Ismail is watching you. Actually, just your hair: “I can tell how much a person takes pride in his or herself, just by how much they pay attention to their hair. Even a simple comb-through speaks volumes.” When we met him, the unassuming dude in his trademark newsboy cap was chilling outside Strangers’ Reunion. The cafe was his suggestion, chosen due to his busy schedule— it’s just a few units away from his 1.5-year-old attic barbershop in the fringe-hipster Kampong Bahru locale. “Singapore men need to look on point. Even if you’re just going downstairs, you never know if you’re gonna meet the founder of Facebook or even your soulmate. Life is unexpected. Plus, if you look good, you feel good,” the 23-year-old tells us, over coffee. Formerly a “science nerd” who was on track to becoming a chemical engineer, the Singapore Polytechnic graduate learnt his trade simply by getting his hair cut—and observing. After serving the nation, he gave up his place in the Singapore Institute of Technology. “My parents were sceptical at first, but I knew I didn’t want to work in Jurong Island etc. I told myself, I have obsessive compulsive disorder (he’s a neat freak and perfectionist) and I know a lot about hair. I also like classic styles and the brand of music I listen to is mixed with Elvis Presley.” DeepCuts Barber's started on the front stoop of a Yishun house on 12 October 2013. His first customer

Strangers’ Reunion on a chill Friday evening

humble and soft-spoken, yet wise beyond his years and passionate in a “still waters run deep” kind of way. Thanks to part-time stints in retail while schooling, Faz’s experience instilled in him a business philosophy of “not about the sales, but the people”. He believes in honesty, trust, and unpretentious “deep conversation when you get a haircut”, hence the name. “We treat everyone as a friend, as family. A true barber will ask you about your life.” These intimate sessions with clients have even seen some opening up till tears flow freely. Was he ever scared? “I’ve had that feeling before. You just have to pull through.” As the only entrepreneur in his family, Faz recently inspired his older cousin to start a diving business. “Sleepless nights, early mornings; you have to go through this kind of life before you can achieve whatever you want.”

@fazisml’s comfort food was his best friend. Faz recalls how the police would come and take down his name and number: “And they would come back for their haircut. I swear, that’s what happened.” After six months, Faz, who had by then amassed a crew of three guys, decided to rent two unused chairs in a neighbourhood-style barbershop. “In our first month, the rental was $500. The next, it was doubled.” In this instance, he felt the shop owner wanted to capitalise on their hard-earned good business and make a quick buck. He’s also had detractors implying he can’t survive in the industry early in his career. This spurred the move to his current unit, an attic space he chanced upon and instantly fell in love with. DeepCuts Barber's re-opened on 12 June last year, on Faz’s 22nd birthday. Our nosh arrives. “Without coffee I’ll feel a bit ‘dead’,” our newfound barber friend confesses. He’s exact with what his choice of beverage (an iced mocha) embodies: chill (iced); free and easy, happy, and ‘blending’ easily with people (chocolate, as “who will resist it, man?”); and driven (coffee, because “you wanna drive your day”). We feel really comfortable chatting with Faz in Strangers’ Reunion (an apt location). He’s personable,

@bitessg meets @fazisml

What We Ordered:

Faz had: Iced mocha ($6.90) and waffles with macerated strawberries and Greek yoghurt ($12.90): “First time trying this here. I love sweet pancakes and waffles.” Meredith & Benjamin had: Magic ($5.50 each) and truffle fries ($14.90): “Balanced coffees and thinly-cut potatoes that were perfectly crisp and aromatic.”

#HAIR

#HOBBIES

LEVEL UP: Took an advanced course in Rotterdam from @schorembarbier. “It felt so surreal to be there. The course was only four days but my senior barber and I dropped by every day for a week to keep watching and learning.” FAVE STYLE: Executive contour (pictured on a Dutch client, a Schorem regular). Still short and SFW (safe for work) without looking ‘ah beng’. Grows out nicely. CLIENTELE: A mix of locals, international peeps based here and on holiday/business. A regular female customer too. SECURITY: “Barbering is a life skill. It’s the safest profession because every day, somebody needs a haircut.”

THE DEEP: Holds an Open Water diving cert. “When you’re in the sea, it’s serene. You don’t hear anything; you’re in your own world, and everything is blue.” COOKING: “I’ve been watching Jamie Oliver’s shows since I was in secondary school. He’s passionate, and I like such people because it drives me even more. I recently cooked pasta with portobello mushrooms. If I make aglio olio, I add in chilli padi for that kick.” CAFE-HOPPING: “I only go when my girlfriend brings me. She’s the one who keeps a checklist ‘cause she knows I love coffee and conversations.”

Healthy BiTES

The #SGhaze situation doesn’t look so good, so we turned to Ricola’s new Natural Relief range ($3.75/ box) in honey-lemon (voice maintenance) and Swiss cherry flavours (alleviates cough and throat irritation). The soothing herb lozenges feature a core filled with syrup that contains natural menthol as its key ingredient. Of course there’s its proprietary 13-herb blend that has over 70 years of history. Available at supermarkets and pharmacies. We’re always looking for healthier carb treats, so Sunshine’s Extra Fine Sprouted White Bread, the first sprouted whole-grain version on the shelves, hits the spot. With all the softness of white bread (perfect for toasty grilled cheese sandwiches!) yet containing 16g of whole grains per serving, it’s versatile enough for all your regular white bread cravings. From most supermarkets. Whether you’re shooting for that beach body, bulking up at the gym or wanting that glow for your skin, #eatyourgoals at YOLO (You Only Live Once). In close consultation with an in-house nutritionist, founder Alexis Bauduin (who also came in third in The Apprentice Asia with Tony Fernandes) creates balanced dishes such as ‘health-kicked’ chicken rice that boasts a fresh, authentic chilli ($10.90, from Perform), falafel wrap with Israeli salad ($9.90, from Glow) and beef steak nam jim with cashews, Asian greens and brown basmati rice

($13.90, from Build). They also have snacks, smoothies and a menu for the gluten/dairy/wheat intolerant. #01-01 to 04 Icon Village, 12 Gopeng Street. Tel: 6221 3029

yolo

At MexOut’s second outlet in MBFC, this is the lunch drill: choose a filling (grilled chicken, pulled pork, grilled steak, vegetarian), pick your style (burrito, tacos, salad bowl, burrito bowl), then decide on your salsa (mango pineapple, fire roasted, salsa picante) and if you want cheese or sour cream (items from $8.90). Breakfast (8-11am) offerings include spiced rice pudding and guacamole on toast. At night, go Tapas Mexicanas with stuffed jalapenos, pulled pork empanadas and other finger foods (3 for $21, 5 for $30, 6 for $35). There are sangria juggies and Corona on the menu too. Mon-Fri 8am-9pm. #02-05 Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3, 12 Marina Boulevard mexout

With an experienced sushi chef running the kitchen, you can be sure Aloha Poké does its fish well. Inspired by the Hawaiian appetiser, poké (poh-kay) also means “to slice or cut” in the language. Choose from three sizes: Lil’ Swell ($11.90/1 scoop), Standard Nalu ($15.90/2 scoops) and Big Kahuna ($19.90/3 scoops). Current protein options are ahi tuna (yellowfin) and salmon in original sauce, wasabi mayo or spicy, as well as tofu in a homemade sesame sauce. These go on top of white and/or brown rice, and are topped with addons like dried grapes and chia seeds. 92 Amoy Street. Tel: 6221 6565

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0 0 #1odie fofeels

ve into l e d e W ixed bout our mio ns a emot&B scene. the F andy list o This h ght tr u o r b is Ange you byLee), (Juneess and Sadn haron Joy (S ), and Fear Salim isgust and Dedith Woo) (M e r

ANGER

Admit it, you blow your top at the food scene too. We share what makes us mad!

Everything also ban. Shisha, pig's blood cubes, and of course chewing gum. Our strict laws make it hard to enjoy certain things—over-protective much? Diners who misuse the terms allergy and glutenfree to jump on dining fads. You’re making it hard for chefs to cater to actual sufferers, as they have to cater to your non-health threatening neuroses. Are you still on the Atkins? 'Cause diets are so 2000. Just eat what you really want instead of forcing your misery on others. Why do hawkers have to keep their prices unrealistically low when the prices of everything else are going up? Who wants to be a hawker liddat? Come on, give our local farmers a break. It was reported that 62 farms in Lim Chu Kang will be forced to move out as early as 2017 because of expiring leases. If we want more healthy, organic, locally produced and secure food sources, we need to help them keep their space in land-scarce Singapore. People who make police reports on chickens in public. Seriously. What’s wrong with raising chickens? The confusing new liquor laws that had to be clarified a few times. Basically, since January, the public can’t purchase alcohol for take-away or consume them in public places from 10.30pm-7am daily. That could affect events, concerts, your BBQ pit party, and more. This one’s for staff and diners alike: don’t give in to bad hygiene please! Don’t wash your shoes

#2 #3 #4 #5

#6 #7 #8

Honey Lee is the founder of HEAT Branding with a fearless love of food, fun, and corgis Ritz Carlton and Smudge Lee. As she eats out more than anyone else we know, here are some valid points from the usually sunshine-y diner, at our behest.

in the vegetable sink and don’t let your kids poop in public either. “Service without a smile. Simple things such as saying sorry when you find a hair in the food or misplace an order or clearing your dishes Speaking before you’re finished; serving with pride goes a long way and defines the whole of which, dining experience.” there’s no room for rudeness too. “No such thing as a free glass of water. I don’t count my pennies when it Respect goes both comes to dining out and I dine out at least 5-6 times a week. Given that I ways (see #98-100). am already ordering a bottle of wine and probably a coffee or tea thereafter, isn’t it only courtesy to offer a glass of water (from the tap)?” We paid $20 for “Being a foodie mother of two (corgis), it’s truly stressful and sad a single Scotch quail when you can’t take your furkids out to nosh. I get that you need egg at brunch. There’s separate areas for dogs and I also get that they need to be leashed. Can we overpriced food, and find a happy medium where they are allowed on premises and perhaps there’s RIDICULOUS. even given a bowl of water? One final request—it’s time someone sets up a proper outlet that’s both pooch and palate friendly. Over hipsterised If anyone needs a guinea pig, you know where to coffee that’s gone find me.” overboard in artisanal yadda yadda. Just give me a cuppa, any cuppa. Bad food blogger behaviour: not bothering to be educated on what you’re eating, hogging the table to take photos till food is cold, writing ‘reviews’ that are full of pictures and no descriptions, blackmailing for free meals, and so much more. Give a thought to seafood sustainability: overfishing means 90 percent of global Why do curated Instagram food pictures fish are over-exploited, meaning that if situations look so uniformly blah? continue, by 2050 there could be no seafood left. Badly organised events that give the industry a bad name. We’re thinking of you, Palm oil. If you’re really angry about the Café Fest. haze, you need to be aware of why it happens and why palm oil plantations are proliferating Food waste: a growing problem in in order to feed our appetite for junk food (including Singapore. Did you know we waste about chocolate, chips and instant noodles), groceries, make116kg of food per person every year? The number is up and bodycare, and more. going up alarmingly.

#10

#18 #19 #20

#11 #12

#13 #14 #15

#16 #17

SADNESS

Restaurants that we will miss

#21 #22 #23

After 30 years serving borscht, shashliks and baked Alaska with a Hainanese flair, Shashlik calls it a day—the staff are retiring. Guy Savoy (2010-2014) brought fine dining to MBS, but could not compete in the tough F&B scene. Zhen Zhou Dao was fronted by TV actor Moses Lim and daughter—the porridge and tze char restaurant closed due to rising rentals and lack of manpower. Do you remember Frolick? Frozen yoghurt, way before Llao Llao. Opened here in 1968 and closed in 2003, A&W will ALWAYS have a special place in our hearts. Curly fries, Coney dog, root beer float! Despite the “Save IndoChine Waterfront” campaign, it sadly made way in June 2014 for a revamp along the Singapore River. Banquet Halal Foodcourt shrunk from 46 to 14 outlets

#24 #25

#26 #27

by 2012. In 2013, the brand threw in the towel. Crocodile Kingdom was a firm believer of the goodness of crocodile meat; turns out that diners didn’t warm to the reptile. 100% vegetarian restaurant Cera comes from the ancient herbivorous dinosaur triceratops; sadly extinct since last year. Both fronted by chef Shen Tan, Wok & Barrel and Ujong wound down way too soon—we will always remember their nasi lemak. Foodies in the know loved FoodBar DaDa, a narrow tapas restaurant conveniently slipped among the bigger bars at Robertson Quay. We still miss its edginess and seasonal tapas menu. The Prawn Star took over the pretty Duxton space vacated by 13-year-old BROTH but closed down itself within a year. Though Boon Lay Raja restaurant was reportedly sold for around $15 million, the business closed (the 75-year-old owner retired).

#28 #29 #30 #31 #32 #33

Food director of nces and d n a r e in vid d entra Iv y Woo, a well-versed in the -list includes: s is is , News PR food scene. Her m e ery oto for a v exits of th g to visit G

be c a u s e I meanin a real pit y n ’s e It e . b it d to a h d “I got roun but never long time rong m friends.” way on Ju s tucked a mments fro a o w c t e n v ra ra u r le a sta always he t reasonab panese Re p p a nya k i a “Hill Top Ja te d e o v o a g h d I id, so ey serve e I wa s a k c Hill and th in s re e n th nt had bee ere.” ch e restaura e spent th lassic Fren m ti prices. Th ily m fa f favourite c o y s e m ri f utiful o o a m e e e n b s uc h a n wa s o d lie n precious m a Ju t e in ic a rv is “ Le S h food, se hef Julien . Top notc ood n e s s C g k n a h restaurants T . many years s it after so is m ll ti s I . location otts 27.” ba c k a t S c

# 34 # 35 # 36

Goodbye, red garoupa in Nyonya sauce. After a 10-year run, Canele patisserie closed its last outlet at Shaw House, after being one of the first to peddle high-end French pastries. Bidding adieu last year, fine dining Au Jardin at the idyllic Singapore Botanic Gardens had a beautiful ambience.

#37

#38

#39

Teochew City Seafood Restaurant closed its doors after more than 25 years in business—severely affected after Robinsons left The Centrepoint. Awww, no. While The French Stall was one of the first food businesses selling affordable French fare since 2000, chef owner Xavier Le Henaff plans to "move on” by mid 2016.

#40

JOY

This year’s openings that can’t help but make us happy!

We looked for joy, and we found her! Joy Kwek, mum of two, currently lives in Hong Kong, so we find out what tops this Singaporean's joy meter. This banker is an avid home cook and durian fiend.

#41 #42 #43

“I love the concept of Farm to Table so I can't wait to try Open Farm Community the next time I'm back!” www.fb.com/farmtotablecafesg, www.openfarmcommunity.com My fit fix: “I do 30 air squats in the bathroom before a big meal—meaning I can eat more desserts #guiltfree.” A must-eat: “Every time I am back in Singapore I must have my creamy, frozen Mao Shan Wang. My other weakness is chocolate—luckily Adora makes milk chocolate calcium supplements so that I have an excuse for my daily dose!” www.adora.com.au

#44 #45 #46 #47 #48 #49 #50

Serving the iconic honey toast that has dazzled us since its soft launch in April, Dazzling Café needs no further introduction. www.fb.com/dazzlingcafesg Density Frozen Custard, first of its kind in Singapore serving a softer style ice cream has us converted. www.fb.com/densityfrozencustard Meaning ‘thank you’ in Croatian, Hvala Waffle Bar appreciates you for coming down for waffles on sticks and vanilla soft serves. www.fb.com/HvalaWaffleBar Yay for the French wave. After 25 years building a reputation for handmade vintage biscuits, chocolates and sweets, La Cure Gourmande has landed in Singapore. www.curegourmande.com With the Korean fried chicken craze not subsiding anytime soon, Ssiksin Chicken opened at Nex, competing with other powerhouses including 4 Fingers and Chir Chir. www.fb.com/SsiksinChicken Sum Yi Tai (meaning “Third Wife” in Cantonese), is the ultimate gastrobar dressed in the HK/Cantonese experience. www.sumyitai.com Tarte by Cheryl Koh is where this Les Amis baker makes all of her best sublime, though pricey, treats. www.tarte.com.sg

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#51 #52 #53 #54 #55

The popular Butchers Club Burger, which made Hong Kong and Bali belly happy—is finally here in Singapore. Juicy bacon cheeseburgers, here we come! www.thebutchers.club/burger-singapore Good gracious! Bread Street Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay brings us British indulgence including traditional fish ‘n chips and shepherd’s pie. www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com With Singapore jumping onto the bingsu bandwagon, Nunsaram’s perfectly located at Orchard Central for more icy bowls of sweetness. www.fb.com/nunsaramsg Our favourite apparel and snack store MUJI surprised us this September, with Café&Meal MUJI serving up healthy deli sets, beverages and desserts. www.cafemeal.muji.com/sg Clinton St. Baking Co. (“New York’s #1 Breakfast Spot”) made its way from NYC to Singapore—best for pancakes with warm maple butter and fried chicken on waffles. www.clintonstreetbaking.sg

FEAR #68

#56 #57 #58 #59 #60

London Fat Duck serves up roasted goodness, along with other comfort food including dim sum and wanton noodles. www.londonfatduck.com.sg Come to Lepark at an alternative social space with street tapas like salted egg yolk cheese with nachos, otah bomb and craft beers, along with good music. www.lepark.co Fat Cat Ice Cream Bar has successfully crafted frozen delights in ways a cat can be described: sophisticated, mysterious, adventurous, curious, playful. www.fatcat.sg Craving Chatuchak’s coconut ice cream? Save on the flight since we have it at Pong. www.fb.com/pong.gelato Oysters from France, dry-aged beef, live crustaceans, products from Ehime prefecture and eight F&B outlets can be found at 34,000sq ft Emporium Shokuhin. Japan just got closer. www.emporiumshokuhin.com.sg

#67

Burn calories by running far, far away from certain foods— scary for some, yums for others

#61

BBQ crocodile ribs ($25.90 from Table @ Pip’s): These are sous vide and baked till tender, with a texture in-between that of fish and chicken. Bored of the usual shirako (codfish sperm)? Try male pufferfish (fugu) secretions instead ($110, FUKU). Imperial Restaurant at Riverview Hotel Singapore is known to serve deer penis soup ($35, order in advance), said to enhance virility. Pig's fallopian tubes or Famous Pig's Intestines as Old Mother Hen Seafood Restaurant calls it. The soft and juicy exotic item is stir-fried with onions, garlic, ginger and dark soy sauce (about $10/plate). Cholesterol busting pig's brains are likened to spongy tofu or beancurd. Try it at Day 'N' Night Herbal Soup at Admiralty Place. Order in advance. 5th Quarter serves a mean salt and pepper ox tripe ($10), that part of the ox's stomach which resembles a net-like weave (or honeycomb).

#62 #63 #64 #65

#66

Also at 5th Quarter, dine on sweetbreads, or meat from the pancreas and thymus gland. This makes an appearance in their pork collar, radishes and praline ($32) dish. Boudin noir. That's the French term for blood sausage, which contains pig's blood and pork; order it from the Rillette Bar. Chicken breast milkshakes might sound gross, but fitness buffs would be well-acquainted with it. Running Man’s Kim Jong Kook drinks a blended concoction of boiled chicken breast, milk or soya milk, paprika and honey. Feast on fist-sized braised tuna eye with salsa verde ($48) from Lollapalooza for an upsized dose of gooey, pungent collagen goodness. At Sandaime Bunji, beef tongue dishes include gyutan steak ($36.80), toro tan ($18/ two skewers), and gyutan croquette ($7.90/two pieces). Don't be chicken, eat the poultry hearts at Carne & Caipirinha, served Brazilian churrascaria style. The next time you have nasi padang, try paru, or beef lungs. It's beefy but not gamey, with a nice chew. Hasma/hashima looks like a cloudy cotton woollike jelly in Chinese dessert soups. Did you know it’s actually frogs’ fallopian tubes?

#69 #70 #71

#72 #73 #74

Jill S Sara PRaisra, publicist, Jill famed man (shh) bayn food phobias—for her from T e anas. She an including Disgruntl d chef D this monhth ed C anie adventuro (congrats guy hef are getting lmSia freaks he us appetite, to s!). Her beau ha arried r out? s say the le ast. So wan hat

#7 5 #7 6 # 77

Durian. “ H as th e void de an asphy xiating s out the h m ck till I se usks.” Oo e a family ell. I hang out at p s , we h m ember th e a r Da n Live octo pus (or s iel loves the stuff rowing annakji, though. Eobu). tentacles dotted w “It looks like an a $50 from Sojap N li it eun e n h ea d South Ko h mini su wit cti re the sides a, the [chopped] on cups. When w h squirmy bits were e had it in of our mo still m uths Fried and if we didn't chew oving and stuck to /or caram fast enou elise gh.” nois less than es. Their tiny leg d insects. “Freak s a nd ug appeti ly colour y buzzing are no lo sing.” Ed’s note: are e nger allo wed in S dible insects ingapore .

#78 #79

The silky soft smelly tofu at Mini Star (HK) Fermented Beancurd emits a potent odour reminiscent of sewers to some. Taratara Bistrot offers Cuisse de Lapin a la Moutarde, or braised rabbit leg in scented mustard & tarragon sauce

($39). The white meat is actually high in protein and B vitamins, yet low in calories, cholesterol, fat, and sodium. Mmm... pork chips. Oh wait, that crackle you hear is actually crispy spiced pig's ears ($16) from Moosehead Kitchen - Bar.

#80

DISGUST ...at unsavoury behaviour. Here are diner examples in Singapore we could do without.

Greed/Wastefulness

#81 #82 #83 Violence/Drunkenness #84 # 85 Gross/Unhygienic # 86 #87

Hogging seats—worse if during peak meal times. Did you know hoarding napkins and sauce sachets from fast food outlets is considered criminal misappropriation? That’s a fine or jail term. Buffet goers who pile their plates resulting in food wastage.

A woman was arrested for throwing a calculator and a bag of food at wait staff when told to pay for food wastage at a buffet. Beer servers at over 500 coffeeshops and hawker centres were recently trained to spot and handle drunk, rowdy customers. Spotted: a woman allowing her child to pee in an eatery’s sink. How about those messy eaters who leave bones and spat-out food all over the table?

# 88 Demanding/Impatient #89 #90 #91 #92 Rude #93 #94 Oblivious #95 #96 #97

Leaving used tissues on/under plates and on tables in the hawker centre is deemed littering. If caught, you might be fined $200. Some people are so calculative, they measure their food (pizzas, six-inch subs) and complain if slightly inaccurate. If you’ve worked the buffet line before (eggs/waffle station), some enthusiastic guests will “teach” you how to cook. Every five minutes: “Where is my order?” The same steak or coffee keeps getting sent back because it’s not the desired doneness/not hot enough. Never throw your cash or card when paying.

A blogger posted a photo on Facebook with the caption: "I just poured food on the table. Worse than dog food." He got flamed, of course.

Put that phone away while walking! Do you want piping hot soup sloshed on you? Stop being overly picky. While choosing that perfect bun or fruit, you might squash or break others. Hey! You cut the queue. We saw you.

Michelle Tay, Associate General Secretary (Partnerships), Singapore Kindness Movement, shares gentle pointers to encourage good behaviour all around.

#98

“Maybe we're so absorbed in conversation or distracted by our mobile devices, sometimes we forget our basic manners—saying please, thank you and smiling at the person serving us. Good service is a two-way street. Be understanding if the server made a mistake and offer your feedback graciously. “ “It takes all of a minute to clean up our tables and return our trays to the cleaning point at hawker centres. Just by practising a little consideration, dining out can be a fuss-free and pleasant experience for all of us.” “Being in a restaurant setting is an opportunity to teach the right etiquette to young children. On the other hand, let's not be too quick to judge parents who are finding it difficult to control their children, as empathy and understanding can serve as encouragement to them.”

#99 #100

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 Deepavali, we bring you our top Indian picks, including buffets for the actual weekend. For students at SOTA, there is a budget-friendly range of under-$50 joints. More at www.bites.com.sg

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

bayview tandoor

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

17 Buffets Indian

Annalakshmi [ ] #01-04 Central Square, 20 Havelock Road. Tel: 6339 9993 Since 1986, this hospitable vegetarian buffet offers something no other establishment does: a pay what you want policy. Set up by the Temple of Fine Arts and staffed by volunteers from all walks of life, they dole out a wide selection of home-cooked dishes such as fragrant potato curry, mock mutton and paneer (Mon, 11am-3pm; Tue-Sun 11am-3pm, 6-10pm). If not knowing what to pay stresses you out, we suggest you budget about $15 for moderate appetites.

rise

Bayview Tandoor #02-01 Singapore Flyer, 30 Raffles Avenue. Tel: 6333 5191 Get a view of Singapore’s skyline with your buffet as diners here can opt to bundle in a Singapore Flyer ride after. Should you choose to just dine, the lunch buffet ($19 nett, daily 11.30am-3pm; $24 nett, daily 6.3010.30pm) offers chicken tikka and chilli fish. Bokhara Biryani & Kebab [ ] #01-02 Fortuna Hotel Building, 2 Owen Road. Tel: 8399 7795 Specialising in authentic dum biryani and tandoori kebabs, the dinner buffet ($22 nett; daily 7-10pm) also serves up other aromatic dishes such as mutton keema, Goan fish gravy and yellow daal. The dishes are prepared with the chefs’ own spice mixes, as they shy away from using ready-made spices, MSG and preservatives. Delhi Restaurant 64 Race Course Road. Tel: 6296 4585 An all-you-can-eat a la carte buffet lunch ($15++, MonFri 11.30am-4pm) has got us excited over at Delhi, a North Indian Mughlai restaurant started in 1988 by a couple. At the modest but scrumptous spread, dishes includes fish methi, butter chicken and malai kebab, alongside naans, tandoor roti and different kinds of rice/ pulao/biryani.

delhi restaurant

pind balluchi BAR & grill

KEBABS ‘N CURRIES #07-00 Mustafa Centre, 171 Syed Alwi Road. Tel: 6419 0749 Head to Mustafa Centre’s rooftop hangout for an Indian lunch buffet ($20 nett, daily 12-3pm) that spans a hearty 11 dishes. Fill up on a rotating line-up of dishes such as South Indian chicken biryani, paneer tikka, crispy fried chicken, mutton rogan josh, brinjal gravy and chilli gobi, with fresh fruit and a sweet pudding to end. Aside from the food, we love the friendly service and spacious layout here (with a lovely dome-like ceiling).

Pind Balluchi Bar & Grill #01-15 Clarke Quay, 3B River Valley Road. Tel: 6337 7350 Every Thursday, Pind Balluchi lays out a tempting 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. Rise Marina Bay Sands Hotel, 10 Bayfront Avenue. Tel: 6688 5525 Well-known for being lavish, RISE serves four themed dining nights (breakfast $49 nett, lunch $62 nett, dinner $85 nett) every week, besides their favourites including the sushi and sashimi bar, a live tandoori station (fish, lamb, sometimes salmon), desserts and pastries. The Indian buffet section has a changing menu—but look out for their vegetarian, mixed meat and seafood dishes including garam masala, chicken kebab and daal.

riverwalk Tandoor

Riverwalk Tandoor #B1-38 The Riverwalk, 20 Upper Circular Rd. Tel: 6536 0875 Starting out as a catering business, Riverwalk Tandoor has been churning out Indian delicacies since 1998. Located conveniently in central Singapore, their mouthwatering buffet ($19.60 nett, lunch daily 11.30am2.30-pm; $22.60 lunch Sat-Sun; $24.60 dinner Sat-Sun) draws a wide range of youngsters as well as families for traditional delights such as mutton rogan josh, aloo gobi (spiced potatoes and cauliflower) and navratan korma (mixed curry vegetables). Freshly baked naans land on your table when you arrive. Shahi Maharani #03-21B Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road. Tel: 6235 8840 Savour classics from their royal kitchen on 10 November (dinner $70++; adult, $$52++; child, 6.30-10.30pm) for a scrumptuous Deepavali spread including a live tawa station, bengali fish curry, a live chaat station and desserts like homemade burfis, gulab jamun and jalebis. Feast like a maharaja any day of the week (lunch at $50++, 12-2.30pm, look out for 1-for-1 deals). In addition to the usual kebabs, curries and breads, there are chaat, as well as ample vegetarian and dessert stations to satisfy everyone.

Tandoor

straitskitchen

Table by Rang Mahal Lobby Level Naumi Hotel, 41 Seah Street. Tel: 6403 6005 Choose from starters, vegetarian and non-vegetarian options (lunch $58++, Mon-Fri, Sun 12-2.30pm): samosas and paneer tikka, or lamb curry, chicken, Bombay fish and prawn malai. Starters include mixed salads, little Indian pancakes and chaat while desserts range from chocolate mousse to coconut ice cream. Ice-cold Tiger beer on draft, soft drinks and lassi complete the experience. Menu changes daily. Tandoor Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre, 11 Cavenagh Road. Tel: 6733 8333 Expect a dazzling Diwali celebration with a buffet spread from 8-15 November (lunch $48++, dinner $58++; both inclusive of a glass of chai mojito)— featuring chicken kali mirch curry, tender chicken coated in aromatic pepper and flavourful thick masala, bindhi jaipuri or crispy okra dusted with savoury spices and fish amritsari tikka, battered fish spiced with authentic Indian flavours. tiffin room

shahi maharani

sitara restaurant

Sitara Restaurant [ ] 291 Serangoon Road. Tel: 6291 3211 Started in 1997, this restaurant’s name refers to the morning star in Hindi. At this iconic corner restaurant, pick from over 17 dishes at the value buffet ($17 nett, daily 11.45am- 3pm; $21 nett, daily 6.45-10pm), including freshly baked naans, rotis and a live chapati station (only dinner). Those who love Indian breads will have their fill here, and to go with the carbs, a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries. StraitsKitchen [ ] Grand Hyatt Hotel Singapore, 10 Scotts Road. Tel: 6738 1234 Enjoy a special lunch and dinner buffet from 6-11 November (lunch $54++; adult, $28++; child, 12-2.30pm, dinner $68++; adult, $38++; child, 6.30-10.30pm), apart from their existing Chinese, Malay and Peranakan dishes—with South and North Indian chaats (appetisers), breads including dum briyani, dips and curries and traditional desserts. Chef’s recommendations from this spread: paneer beetroot chatt (homemade cottage cheese with beetroot and herbs), ragar patties (a popular Indian snack freshly made at the theatre kitchen) and Bengali machi curry (Bengali style fish curry), with tender bone-in mutton and spices.

the mango tree indian coastal restaurant

Tiffin Room Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road. Tel: 6412 1816 Running from 7-10 November for lunch and dinner (lunch $68++; adult, $35++; child, dinner $78++; adult, $40++; child) Tiffin Room pays homage to its colourful North Indian roots with a special buffet menu. For a start, diners can try the pani puri aur chat (fried bread filled with tamarind and mint) and botti kebab aur warki parantha (fork-tender lamb). Other highlights include achari fish tikka (black cod) and dahl ke kebab (yoghurt and lentil-based patty) for vegetarians. End the meal on a sweet note with treats from the dessert spread such as jalebi (wheat fritter in saffron sugar syrup) and gazar halwa (carrot pudding).

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I’M KIM Korean BBQ Probably THE SOTA buffet hangout. Since its opening last September, students have been packing the place for its unbeatable prices (from $14++ for Mon-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm) and specialities such as Volcano chicken (really spicy), Irresistible chicken wings (sweetish) and soju ‘bombs’ (additional $25++ for one round). Other items include bacon, sweet potatoes, tteokbokki, chicken ginseng soup and Melona ice cream (from $2). #01-04/05/06/07 School of The Arts, 1 Zubir Said Drive. Tel: 6238 7218

NETT

Heya, School of the Arts Singapore students! This all-you-can-eat list spanning ultra-casual to restaurant fare was made with you in mind.

Ban Heng @ The Cathay Their a la carte buffet ($22.80++, Mon-Fri 11am2.30pm; $26.80++ Mon-Fri 6-9.30pm; $28.80++, Sat-Sun, eve of & PH 11am-2.30pm and 6-9.30pm; all min. four adults to dine, additional $2++ for Chinese tea, pickles and towels) includes one-time servings of braised baby abalone with mushroom, deep-fried Soon Hock, and fried clay fish with black pepper. Eat your fill of 36 other dishes like drunken chicken, fried prawns with crispy oats, and black truffle oil Yunnan ham fried rice. #02-01 The Cathay, 2 Handy Road. Tel: 6732 7888 / 6732 6623

Irodori Japanese Restaurant Tucked away in POMO is the second outlet of Irodori Japanese Restaurant, which means “colourful” in nihongo. The seven-year-old brand’s buffet spread ($36.80++; daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10pm) includes a healthy dose of fish oils: maguro and hamachi (yellow tail) sashimi, sushi moriawase, grilled items, tempura and assorted hand rolls with free-flow green tea. #01-14/15 POMO, 1 Selegie Road. Tel: 6337 7230

irodori japanese restaurant

Straits Cafe

ban heng @ the cathay

The Mango Tree Indian Coastal Restaurant #03-11 I12 Katong, 112 East Coast Road. Tel: 6604 9661 Inspired by his trip to India, CK Chin morphed from construction manager to restaurateur to set up the original Mango Tree by the sea in 2001. In 2012, the restaurant moved to a mall but hasn’t lost its charm. The lunch buffet (11.30am-2.30pm; $19++, Mon-Fri; $24++, Sat-Sun and PH) gives a taste of coastal Indian cuisine, think vegetable briyani, chicken tikka along with tomato soup, made-to-order naans and a variety of fish, mutton and chicken curries. The Song of India 33 Scotts Road. Tel: 6836 0055 Be transported to colonial India in this black and white bungalow turned Indian restaurant. Chef Manjunath Mural from Channel NewsAsia’s reality cooking show The Perfect Meal will impress diners at the gourmet lunch buffet spread (Mon-Sat 12pm-3pm, $29.90++), with Indian delicacies such as biryani, fish curry, naan and kebabs to satisfy any craving.

Oinkata Don’t be a slow porker. Trot your way to this self-service mookata buffet perfect for night owls or eagle-eyed discount hunters (Mon-Sat 5pm-5am, Sun 4-10.30pm). Better to arrive in a drove: $20.90 nett/pax for solo eaters, $38 nett for a pair, and $72.80 nett for a quartet. Supper’s an even better deal ($16 nett, Mon-Sat 2.305am). Feast on chikuwa, bacon, sesame chicken, fresh prawns, dory fish, mussels and even oysters with freeflow cordial drinks and ice cream (addition $2 for freeflow Thai milk tea). #01-01 Prinsep Place, 50 Prinsep Street. Tel: 8500 0104/8499 0249

Set up a date (from $42++, Mon-Sat 12-2.30pm) here for casual elegance as you zoom in on the laksa and prata live stations. The international buffet also includes snow crab, oysters, sashimi, and a carving item on rotation (beef, lamb, chicken or fish). Durian fans, you’re in luck. Visit the durian counter for soft, rich, velvety durian pengat, durian pancakes and other King of Fruits desserts. Level 1 Rendezvous Grand Hotel Singapore, 9 Bras Basah Road. Tel: 6335 1771

the song of india

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.

Yantra

Yantra 163 Tanglin Road, #01-28/33 Tanglin Mall, Tel: 6836 3088 Head for the fine dining lunch buffets (Mon-Thu $25++, Fri-Sat $30++), served up in chafers full of dum biryani and dal makhani, using inventive recipes and modern

buffet r ev iew Colony,

The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singap

ore

8 Oct, 12.30pm $58++ (Mon-Sat 12-2.30pm

Food Voyage

Will travel for food. With that mantra in mind, the B ITES team journeys through the eight conservatory kitchens at the newly-opened Colony, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore.

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First impressions: Calming. Shades of tan and camel (i.e. light brown). Soft music of English, Mandarin and Malay songs play lightly in the background. At lunch, it’s plenty bright thanks to mother-of-pearl skylights Meredith and ample windows (this woo used to be a restaurant called Greenhouse after all). There’s lots of cute stuff inspired by Singapore’s British colonial past to look at, such as old weathered maps, and framed photographs and postcards written in fountainpen calligraphy (not really vintage).

and a muffin base in four different flavours (think coconut raisin with pandan coconut kaya). Oh, and they have glutenfree bread and pats of Isigny Ste-Mère butter. Not so hawt: Probably one of the few buffets where we ignored the seafood on ice because everything else was calling our name. That said, the items are fresh with an adequate selection to choose from. We also wished the desserts were all labelled—easier to pick our fave flavours when budgeting precious tummy room. Final say: Almost got our desserts first due to the station’s strategic location, but have to tahan lah. There’s so much food on display, we’ll have to return again and again to manage to try everything. Nothing to dislike about this buffet; food quality is above average. Excellent for casual gatherings or even business lunches. Ambience is amazing.

the tandoor

Top PICKs 1: crisp and juicy beerbattered cod made to order with a smile

Reservation tip? The booth seats for two are cosy, spacious and give a sense of privacy. Food stations: Outwardly, you’ll only see a few live stations, but there are eight conservatory kitchens hidden around the corners. You’ll first encounter The Patisserie, which lines up a decadent cavalry of cakes, desserts in a tea cup (but of course), assorted Nyonya kuehs, house-made artisan tea chocolates and ice cream. Move to The Ice Bar for your fix of crustaceans, freshly shucked oysters (dinner), sushi, sashimi, salads and charcuterie (cold cuts, cheeses from France). On your left, a doorway leads into a room filled with aromas from The Grill & Rotisserie, where you’ll find hanging shao la (Asian roast meats), beef wellington and grilled satay. Don’t miss The Fruit Stall for whole fruits (they have blackberries and nectarines) and freshly cold-pressed fruit juices, with green juices on request. Remember the East India Company? To us, that part of history takes shape at The Tandoor, which serves up authentic Indian meats, idli, roti cooked in a traditional tandoor oven and seafood, with chutneys and other spice-filled dips. The Wok serves tze char fare like Singapore chilli crab (dinner) and seafood fried rice with XO sauce; while The Steam Basket offers Asian hand-pulled noodles, soups, homemade lobster balls and dim sum. Finally, you’ll find The Bakery tucked in an alcove. Try The Upper Crust, a reference to the noblesse oblige who could well afford the luxury for a spot of tea and crumpets at that time. It’s the marriage of a cookie crust

Top picks 2:

crepe suzette with ice cream (ours is gula Melaka).

the ice bar

Other than lunch, the restaurant also has breakfast ($45++, daily 6.30-10.30am), dinner ($78++, SunThu; $88++, Fri-Sat; 6.30-10.30pm), Champagne afternoon tea (non-buffet, $49++, Mon-Sat 3.305.30pm), and vintage Champagne brunch ($188++, Sun 12-3.30pm).

Top picks 3: mee rebus with thick

Level 3 The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, 7 Raffles Avenue. Tel: 6434 5288

and aromatic gravy

d i n i n g

Tampines new town Residents of “Tempinis”—did you know this name derives from the Malay word for the Riau ironwood trees that were harvested for timbre? As the first regional town centre and largest residential area on this sunny island, Tampines has your essential needs covered: three urbanised shopping malls, the largest retail park (Giant, IKEA, Courts), two cinemas, several garden parks, affordable neighbourhood food gems and of course, plenty of HDB flats. By Sharon Salim, Photography by Yong Cheng Wei

Zaini, or "Mr Performer", who goes the extra mile by dancing while directing traffic, has been a staff at Century Square for five years. He told AsiaOne in an interview, “Because I’m happy at work, I’m not tired. It's good to be happy with your job and smile and wave at people." Despite working long hours, Zaini knows how to groove through life

toast@ work

Century Square (2 Tampines Central 5)

OVERVIEW Within walking distance from Tampines MRT and Tampines 1, Century Square has a direct linkway to Tampines Mall. Inside this six-storey shopping mall are fashion stores like blogshop KissJane (#01-13), Pretty Fit (#01-05) and The Underground (#01-04); plus dining options such as Ayam Penyet President (#B1-27), Japanese noodle shop Men Men Don Don (#B1-06) and Prata Wala (#B1-K21). Many nearby residents come to catch the latest blockbusters at Shaw cinema—boasting a state of the art sound system and larger-than-normal seats, exclusive to Century Cineplex. Toast@Work (#03-12 to 20/29) Serves local delights at its best—quality kaya and butter toast ($1.80), traditional iced kopi ($1.60) and tea, mee siam, a bee hoon set with egg, ngo hiang and luncheon meat ($2.90) and prata (plain for $1.20). If you are having one of those I-need-breakfast-for-dinner kind of days, this is the place. Tel: 6781 3114

BUBBLE TEA (BLK 826A) Students, housewives, and office folk alike love this drink. Not a fan of pearls? Try their shakes (banana milk shake, $1.70; chocolate banana milk shake, $2.20) or popular Oreo ice blended options or simple choices like grass jelly milk tea ($1.50) and organic soy blended ($1.70). I-tea opened beside it (Blk 828A)—starting from $1.50, it offers a large range of bubble tea flavours including signature green tea

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ALT-YARD (Tampines West Community Club, 5 Tampines Ave 3) A cafe by the same folks behind Penny University (Katong), Alt-Yard edges out its sister by offering fresh churros (original/ondeh-ondeh); seven pieces for $3.80, and churros ice cream at $5.30. Also popular for cupcakes; flavours include salted caramel, salted egg yolk mooncake, Horlicks and Nutella red velvet. Grab a hot cup of espresso ($3.50) or long black ($4.50). Non-coffee drinkers can opt for hot cereal milk ($3.50), chai steamer ($5.50) or simply chocolate ($5). Tue-Sun 1-9.30pm. Tel: 9008 9314 Papa John’s Singapore [ ] Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, this is the world's third-largest pizza delivery company. Their traditional hand-tossed pizza features a soft crust, perfect for dipping in their buttery garlic sauce! Pizza flavours include cheese, Mexican Ole, margherita and chicken sausage ($18). Families love the popular Hawaiian, Garden Fresh and BBQ Chicken ($19)—available for dine-in and takeaway. #01-279, Blk 801, Tampines Avenue 4 Tel: 6262 6262

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macchiato and honey lemon ai-yu and Q ball grass jelly ($3.50). Tel: 9383 4183

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TAMPINES STREET 81

SOI THAI KITCHEN (BLK 824) Alumni and current Temasek Polytechnic students will tell you that this is their regular value-for-money lunch hang-out. Fragrant pineapple rice ($6), spicy pad thai ($6), basil pork/ chicken with rice and egg ($6) and Thai style kang kong ($7) are just some of their favourites. Down the spiciness with authentic Thai iced tea ($3) or lemongrass tea ($3). End the meal on a sweet note with refreshing red ruby ($3). Daily 11am-2.30pm, 6-10pm. Tel: 6784 2421

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bubble tea

OVERVIEW Usual patrons from nearby schools include students from St. Hilda’s secondary school and Temasek Polytechnic. Expect fresh market buys, fried hokkien prawn mee, breakfast coffee shops aplenty—patrons come as early as 7am to queue for nasi lemak, chwee kueh and many other delish dishes on weekends.

Punggol Nasi Padang (#B1-22/23) Signature dishes here include ayam panggang ($5.80), mee soto ($4), mee rebus ($4), masala thosai and egg prata ($2). Pick your favourite decadent add-ons—these include rendang, begedil, fried omelette and soup. Too early for dinner? Swing by to settle your snack time cravings with murtabak and a cup of hot teh tarik ($1.50). Daily 10am-10pm. Tel: 6260 8011

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GET TO KNOW

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Tampines 1 (10 Tampines Central 1)

spaghetti ($16.80). Our pick: teriyaki chicken pasta— flavourful with the perfect blend of bacon, leek, mushroom, seaweed and pan-seared chicken with Nippon sauce. Sun, Mon-Thu 11.30am-9.45pm, Fri & Sat 11.30am-10.15pm. Tel: 6634 5518.

OVERVIEW The first suburban mall with a dedicated swimming pool, it also has a wildlife-themed rooftop water playground for children. Tenants include popular brands like Forever New, Sephora, MUJI, Daiso, Awfully Chocolate and 4Fingers. Beauty shops are aplenty here—from aesthetic clinics (Beauty Language, Body Perfect), to wig boutiques (Fortune Wigs).

Sake Inn (#B1-17) Catering to the increasing demand for Japanese sake, Sake Inn offers the best deals for a wide range of tipples: Mei Jiu, iichiko, Sapporo beer, healthy vinegar, Tamanohikari sake and other beverages imported directly from Japan. Featured sakes include Ozeki sake ($56), Daishinshu ($73) and Kanjuku ($30). Daily 11am-9.30pm. Tel: 6783 3931.

Miam Miam (#B1-05) This French cafe with a Japanese twist dishes out quintessential French toast ($15.80) and Miam Miam

Tampines Mall (4 Tampines Central 5)

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OVERVIEW Tampines Mall is one of the leading suburban malls locally. Located next to Tampines MRT station and bus interchange, it provides a varied mix of shopping including newly-opened H&M (#03-24/25), Timberland (#01-15), Victoria’s Secret (#01-10/11) and dining options such as Itacho Sushi, Paris Baguette and Long John Silver’s for residents residing in the high-density residential area of Tampines.

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Tampines Round Market and Food Centre (Blk 137 Tampines Street 11)

OVERVIEW The BiTES team arrived at 9.30am when snaking queues were already forming at popular stalls: Chai Chee pork porridge (#01-39) sells pork, chicken, cuttlefish porridge ($3); Tiong Bahru fried fish ball (#01-38) offers fried fish balls, prawn meat balls, chilli fish balls (from $1); Rajarani Thosai (#01-33) has thosai, putu mayam; famous Hai Chang fish steamboat (#0103) and all-popular Xin Yun kway chap (open only Fri-Sun). The market is closed on Mondays. Yummy Sarawak Kolo Mee (#01-45) With bright yellow signage and media pictures plastered on the board, this stall grabbed our attention. Fifteen dishes range from Sarawak Sibu QQ spaghetti ($3) to Penang bee hoon ($3). We had a taste of their signature kolo mee set ($4) and it was love at first bite. The dumpling meat was generous, tender and soft; springy noodles dipped in chilli is a must.

Sushi Roll-Out (#B1-K11) Mountains and waves on the logo represent ingredients from land and sea. Sushi rolls infused with local flavour come in three categories: deluxe ($3.90), signature ($4.90) and premium ($5.90). Best-sellers include Electric Tuna (unagi with kabayaki sauce and spring onions), Emperor of the Sea (salmon sashimi with ebiko, avocado and wasabi sauce) and The Quacks (black pepper smoked duck with hoisin sauce). Tel: 6900 4372 Old Street Bak Kut Teh (#B1-K17) Replacing Ah Loy Thai’s space, is Old Street, good for both its dry and soup versions of bak kut teh, made using a healthier and non-oily special recipe. We love the thick, unctuous specialty Dry Bak Kut Teh ($6.50), along with additional rice or mee sua soup. Other dishes on the menu include pork ribs soup ($5.50), braised chicken feet ($3.50), kai lan ($5) and tau kee ($3.50). Refill your bowls with broth as you slurp away in bliss, dipping youtiao ($1) into the soup.

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Koo Kee Yong Tau Fu (Kopitiam #04-28) Indulge in popular homemade yong tau foo, with specialty dry noodles and minced meat by local brand Gao Ji Food. Their Koo Kee set meal ($5.90) is a must-try, and the set comes with a plate of veggies topped with special sauce. Other dishes include laksa yong tao foo ($4.50) and hotplate spicy mee tai mak ($4.90) Tel: 6260 2969

Lao Lee Pig’s Viscera Pork Rib’s Prawn Noodle (#01-43) Sporting the longest queue, this place gets it right. Order a bowl of piping hot pork ribs prawn noodle soup ($3.50), pig’s viscera noodle ($3.50), handmade meat ball noodle soup ($3) and get recharged to face the day. Worth the wait. House of Dessert (#01-12) At $1.50 a bowl, comforting hot desserts like bubur terigu, bubur pulut hitam, sweet potato soup and white fungus longan soup hit the spot. After our hearty breakfast, we needed something cooling and opted for the cold watermelon ball. Fresh chunks of watermelon, topped with sweet corn and not-too-sweet icy coconut syrup. One word— bliss. Closed Mon & Thu.

house of dessert

Tok Ayah Nasi Padang Muslim Corner (#01-36) Side by side with another Muslim stall, Kayat Nasi Padang (#01-37); both have their own fiercely-loyal fans in tow. This one sells mee rebus ($2.50), lontong ($2.50) and mee soto ($3). We couldn’t resist getting our own plate of lontong goodness here ($2.50). Veggies are fresh and crunchy, topped with a dollop of chilli and crunchy bits of shallots.

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DIY instant indian Whip up a three-course meal in minutes? #ChallengeAccepted. We trawl through the extensive range of ready-made meals available out there to create our gourmet take on vegetarian fare By Meredith Woo, Photography Benjamin Soh B i T E S paid for our own groceries at Mustafa Centre

Ashoka Patra $2.50/ serves 2

Transfer contents into bowl and microwave for 1-2min. Stir and serve.

MTR Masala Rice $1.90/ serves 2

Transfer contents into bowl and microwave for 1-2min.

Ever Kulfi $5.90/4pcs

Bolly Bites Mock Mutton Masala $7/serves 3

Place uncovered tray in microwave for 4min. Remove and stir. Continue heating for a further 2min.

mint leaves

Remove wrapper, cut to size.

rose petals (GARNISH ONLY)

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mint leaves mixed nuts

Tips • • • • •

Always use microwave-safe utensils. You don’t want to burn yourself. Time taken to heat individual dishes might differ, depending on the type of microwave you’re using Frozen items might have ice crystals. It’s okay. Continue to heat and stir until desired consistency. With the exception of the kulfi, all items weren’t pre-portioned. Unless very hungry, don’t try this alone. Instead of decimating a rose, choose to buy loose petals. We bought our rose petals from the nearby City Square Mall, at Far East Flora (min. $2 nets you a substantial quantity).

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Sip on this Sweet, satisfying and smart—new drinks on our supermarket shelves

What’s cold

We turn to F&N NutriTea’s Chrysanthemum with Wolfberry ($1.40-2.05) for that familiar home-brewed taste. With 25 percent less sugar, this version is an office fave for its ‘cooling’ properties, especially if you’re having a sore throat or fever. We particularly like the traditional touch of naturally sweet wolfberry, which also provides antioxidants and vitamins (yay).

Hello, ALO! Fresh to our market is a best-selling aloe vera juice from the U.S., available in five flavours ($2.95, Fairprice Finest). With a natural, healthy outlook that’s gluten and fat-free, this detoxifier can be enjoyed in its original taste with honey, mangosteen and mango, pomegranate and cranberry, watermelon and peach, and our personal favourite—pomelo, grapefruit and lemon.

Heaven & Earth’s Mango Tea and Apple Tea ($1.15, Redmart.com) are its latest flavours. The mango tea is subtly infused with a hint of chamomile to enhance its thirst-quenching qualities, while the apple tea boasts a whiff of lemongrass that energises the senses. Like the rest of the brand’s range of green and Western brews, these two new flavours are wellbalanced for repeat sips.

Interestingly enough, Ribena Pineapple & Passionfruit ($1.80) is the brand’s first nonblackcurrant drink. The new fun flavour, in a 500ml bottle, balances sweet, tart and tropical notes from the combination of fruit juices for a hearty dose of the day’s vitamin C requirement. Keep it well chilled and handy for picnics, outings and more.

Ocean Spray Cran-Grape ($1.40 for 295ml, $5 for 1.5L) makes it easier to get your dose of vitamin C as well as compounds from cranberry that can help suppress bacteria that cause stomach ulcers. Don’t stop there though. Like the Classic Cranberry flavour, this grape-y version is perfect for turning into a seltzer by adding soda, or acting as a mixer with spirits.

What’s hot OWL Kopitiam Roast & Ground ($4.95-5.90) makes it easier to enjoy kopitiam beverages at home and—what’s even better—to share with friends overseas. Fresh ground coffee, made from Arabica and Robusta that have been traditionally caramelised and charcoal roasted, are enclosed in convenient filter bags in individual sachets. There are five flavours to choose from, including Kopi-O (with sugar), Kopi-O Gao (our fave), Kopi Siew Dai (reduced sugar), Kopi-C Kosong (no sugar) and the regular Kopi (with milk and sugar).

Gryphon Singapura Spice ($21.45, www. gryphontea.com) presents green tea with a surprise twist—the fragrant curry leaf, inspired by Singapore’s 50th birthday. This feisty organic green tea, contained in a silk tea sachet, harmonises the distinctive leaf with sweeter flavours like peppermint, lemongrass, mango, pineapple and lemon, ending with just a touch of spiciness to give it a Singaporean kick. While you can easily pair the tea with chilli crab, Malay fried chicken and salted egg yolk prawns, it also stands on its own as an aromatic brew.

Bottled envy It’s time for festive celebrations, and we’ve got our eye on these distinctive, limited edition spirits with designs to lust after By June lee and raymond tan Belvedere 007 SPECTRE What’s new? The name is Bond, James Bond. In conjunction with the newest 007 movie Spectre, Belvedere has launched this collector’s edition featuring the iconic gun barrel and 007 gun logo. For fans of the vodka martini, famously shaken not stirred, there’s a recipe on the back of the bottle. Taste: One of the first ‘luxury’ vodkas, Belvedere is made from Polish Dankowskie Rye and blended with its own water source, for a soft, sweet and smooth vodka. Plays well with: Vermouth, of course. But purists will tell you that a real martini is stirred, not shaken. Bond’s anti-establishment version results in a more chilled drink. Bar hangout: Available from Cold Storage ($81.50, 70cl) while the special edition (1.75L, prices vary) will be at selected nightclubs. Six bottles of the Silver Saber 1.75L bottle ($380) are available through Moët Hennessy Diageo Singapore at 6838 9822. Chivas Regal 12 Year Old What's new? Aesthetic flourishes that lend the bottle a contemporary touch. The new Chivas Regal 12 Year Old bottle retains its generous round shape, while the signatures of founders James and John Chivas have also been added to the design of the outer carton. Select areas of the outer carton have also been embossed and debossed to add a textured element to the packaging. Taste: The smooth blend boasts notes of barley malt, hazelnut, honeyed apple and caramel, and a nose of herbs, honey and fruit, together with a light, spicy, lingering finish. Plays well with: To accentuate the honeyed apple tasting note, pair with other sweet fruits like passion fruit, pear, or melon. The hazelnut note goes best with other nuts like almonds and walnuts, as well as coconut. Bar hangout: Balaclava, #01-434 Suntec City Mall North Wing, 3 Temasek Boulevard. Tel: 6336 0050

Martell La French Touch Limited Edition What’s new? Martell’s 300th anniversary continues to roll out exciting revamps, such as this cutting edge bottle designed by EDM DJ Etienne de Crecy. Glowing UV effects of the striking bottle are part of Martell’s Club Neon Party series, launching 5 Nov at a secret location in Singapore. Taste: New to cognac? You’ll enjoy this characteristically soft, mellow blend of eaux-devie from the four main areas of the Cognac AO C region. There are notes of raisin, plum, crystallised fruits and nuttiness, together with a bit of woodiness. Now you know: VSOP stands for Very Superior Old Pale. Plays well with: Best drunk on its own, or with ice. Of course, party-goers will prefer a mixer like soda or lemonade to keep the night going. Bar hangout: Club Neon concepts will be held at selected bars including Zouk, The Pump Room, 1-Altitude, Planet and Shanghai Dolly till 31 Jan 2016.

Heineken Cities of the World 2015 What’s new: Los Angeles, Madrid, Mexico City, Seoul, Tokyo and Singapore are the cities being celebrated in a sleek, tall can format for the first time. The continuing campaign highlights patriotic pride for your city through parties, carnivals and more across the year. Taste: Classic dry European lager, slightly bitter in finish. Plays well with: The fridge. Chill well, and drink up straight from the can. Or use in any cocktail recipe that calls for a lager. Pick-up: 12-can pack with Heineken branded speakers ($38.80) from Cold Storage

BAR WATCH

MeatLiquor SIN’s anti-brunch event lets you party in the day for the first time. Eats, Beats and Treats ($90) features burgers and sides, including some specials such as Mac 'N Cheese bites and parma chicken burger that are off the Singapore menu, alongside copious alcohol such as slushies, sherbets, beer and Prosecco, and option of topping up for Champagne (extra $30). Expect a lively, rowdy affair as the DJ keeps the beat rocking and everyone leaves with a Baddy Bag. Book early as you can for the next sessions on 14 Nov and 12 Dec, 1-5pm. 99 Duxton Road. Tel: 6221 5343

Meatliquor

For a vibrant atmosphere, an exhaustive selection of beers and live sports games, make sure to put a visit to The Bucket List Bar on your, ahem, bucket list. The unpretentious sports bar, which was previously Bumbo Rum Club, serves seven draft beers, including London Pride ($9/half pint), San Miguel ($8/half pint), and the refreshing Hoegaarden Rosée ($9/half pint). More than 50 international craft beers are on the menu, ranging from the crisp, clear Asahi Super Dry ($10/bottle) to Belgium-brewed OWA ($14/bottle). A limited range of shots (starts from $6), wines and house spirits are also available. 83 Club Street. Tel: 6690 7563

the bucket list bar

Pistachio Burfi ( )

Served cold, this northern Indian sweet is referred to as snow and ice in Hindi. Usually made from condensed milk and sugar, its flavour is further enhanced by ground nuts or fruit and spices.

These roly-poly sweets are made of flour (chickpea/wheat semolina/ ground coconut), minced dough, sugar and cooked in ghee. A symbol of good luck since the Chola Empireâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; used at festivals, weddings, births, or religious offerings at Hindu temples.

Bombay Halwa/ Karachi Halwa ( ) These gelatinous cubes are made with cornflour, sugar, ghee, cardamom and garnished with nuts (usually cashews).

Gulab Jamun ( )

These tanned orbs are prepared from kneaded milk solids, or khoya, then deep-fried and left to sit in an aromatic syrup.

Milk Kova/ Palkova ( )

Also known as eggless milk fudge. Traditionally made by constantly stirring a pan of whole milk till it starts to curd, then adding sugar.

Bathusa/ Badusha (

All revealed!

)

This deep-fried flour doughnut is soft and flaky with a beautiful golden colour. It's made from maida, ghee, sugar, thick curd; fried and soaked in warm sugar syrup flavoured with cardamom.

(A) Jangiri

Jalebi is made with maida (refined wheat) flour, giving it a crisper texture; the batter is also fermented for that slight tang. Glossier, more haphazardly shaped than jangiri, and brown/golden instead of orange-red.

Laddoo ( )

(B) Jalebi/Zulbia

)

Jalebi/ Zulbia (

(D) Laddoo

Best identified by its warm sunset colour and gooey chew. Made from a flour of urad dal (white lentils), jangiri is prepared by piping the batter into hot ghee and fried till crispy. P.S. Its North Indian twin is known as imarti.

(E) Bombay Halwa/ Karachi Halwa

)

(F) Gulab Jamun

Jangiri (

(G) Bathusa/Badusha

Indian sweets are a complex and diverse bunch, with recipes calling for reducing, FRYING and even fermenting. Think you know them all? Match 'em up here. By Meredith Woo

(H) Milk Kova/Palkova

What maketh a mithai?Â

last

BiTES purchased our own vegetarian mithai (Indian sweets) from Ananda Bhavan Restaurant, 95 Syed Alwi Road.