Gullible Travels

翠華 Tsui Wah (Clarke Quay)

POSTED ON Saturday, August 25, 2018 AT 3:22 PM \ leave a comment (0)

this is somewhat of an institution in Hong Kong, probably one of the most popular Cha Chan Teng chains that went super commercial when it decided to go for IPO and list its shares in 2012. today, it has decided to take the brand international, and recently opened a South-East Asian outlet, and in Singapore no less. Perhaps to the hype and popularity it deserved, Tsui Wah opened its doors at Clarke Quay in June.

the queues to enter the store has been long since its opening, in fact, there were a couple of humourous cases of clueless fans who started queuing outside the refurbishment site before it was slated to open. despite its long opening hours, perhaps the best time to visit this Hong Kong cafe would be in the mid-afternoons. the fit-out inside carries their authentic look and there is that buzz around the place that gives it the distinctly local "busy" feel.

For those who may be unfamiliar with this brand, you can think of it like the Hong Kong cafes that you are familiar with back home. Just that Tsui Wah has developed almost cult status in Hong Kong. their signature dish is the Crispy buns with condensed milk, often going well with traditional local milk tea. the toasted bun topped with butter and condensed milk has the right mix of crispy texture with sweet taste, however in the air-conditioning of this outlet, the bread hardens a tad too quickly. you are encouraged to finish this as quickly as you can to do it justice. the milk tea / coffee cups are a signature of the brand as well, and we are glad that they have brought the full works over.

we tried some mains including this King prawns in XO sauce with tossed noodles. this was really an enjoyable one for me, because i really like the tangy Hong Kong gong zai noodles. they also made the noodles in a harder texture which is the way i'd like to have my noodles and the XO prawns came in pretty generous servings. another interesting dish was the Western styled fried rice which was essentially tomato fried rice with sausages, tomatoes and cabbage. the dish was extremely flavourful and its not often that you find good tomato fried rice here anyway.

overall, Tsui Wah's first outlet in Singapore mirrors the menu of their Hong Kong stores to a great extent. The classic pork chop buns, pork cartilage noodles, almond milk drinks and yuan yangs are all there. the delivery of the concept and the food quality is pretty much the real McCoy, and whatever reviews out there about the food being hits and misses, is also reflective of the brand's global situation post IPO. we enjoyed the authentic experience and would certainly look forward to try other dishes on their menu next time.

翠華 Tsui Wah (Clarke Quay)
3A River Valley Rd
#01-03 Clarke Quay
Singapore 179020

Opening Hours
Daily: 11 am to 1.30 am

Hong Kong delicacies of great quality, at great value..

Labels: #chachanteng, #clarkequay, #condensedmilkbun, #hongkongcafe, #hongkongcuisine, #tsuiwah, #tsuiwahsingapore

Percolate Coffee

POSTED ON Saturday, August 11, 2018 AT 12:43 PM \ leave a comment (0)

Heartland cafes are pretty much the norm these days and finding a brunch spot in public housing estates shouldn't really come as a surprise anymore. nonetheless, we found a place in Bedok North that not only has a fairly long history (indicating that it withstood the tests of time), but also carries a pretty uniquely curated menu to top off their craft coffees. it is no wonder that despite its humble location and small footprint that it's still rated one of the top cafes in Eastern Singapore.

Percolate Coffee is located at the foot of a public housing block in Bedok North. it's exterior sports a clean-cut and simple facade with a cosy interior that probably only seats about 25 people. The store enjoys a good following almost every day of the week and it's also one of the few east-side cafes that are open on Mondays! the menu innovates from time to time, although each version seems to be very much bespoke with focus on healthy ingredients. The coffees are also a strong-sell here making them a pretty complete cafe proposition.

We started with a serving of this Unagi Soba, which is essentially grilled eel with buckwheat Soba, served with Japanese fishcake, cherry tomatoes and edamame in a flavourful soba broth. this dish was actually really enjoyable, a strong tasting soup base, generous portion of Unagi and a surprisingly filling meal. its no wonder that this dish was labelled "something awesome" on their menu.

adding a healthy twist to a local favourite, we also tried their Chicken Rice Couscous, served with smoked chicken breast, goji berries and lotus seeds, complete with a distinctly familiar chicken-rice flavoured couscous grains and the signature garlic chilli sauce. there are indeed healthier ways to enjoy one of Singapore's most popular hawker fares, with their distinct taste captured as well. we would really give our main selections the thumbs up.

the aroma of coffee lingers throughout the shop and would probably be too good to miss. this Mocha had a rich chocolate taste to go with their strong expresso taste. however, the talking point to try would be their Thai Coco Black or black thai coffee served inside a real coconut husk. very Instagram worthy and good, strong americano coffee to cap off a wonderful meal. we may not be regulars to the East, but would certainly recommend everyone to give Percolate Coffee a try if you drop by Bedok.

Percolate Coffee
136 Bedok North Ave 3 #01-152
Singapore 460136

Opening Hours
Mondays to Fridays: 10.30 am to 9.30 pm
Saturdays & Sundays: 9.00 am to 9.30 pm

curators of exceptional coffees and other fine artisanal goods..

Labels: #artisanalcoffee, #bedoknorth, #brunchcafe, #brunchfood, #coffeeplace, #healthyfood, #percolatecoffee, #unagisoba