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Burpz Cafe & Bakery
i guess the F&B players have over time found that setting up an all-day-breakfast place in a conservation shophouse is getting competitive and rather concentrated. the next wave of game-changers take it to another level, bringing brunch to the HDB heartlands! a welcome change for the consumers as well, more parking choices (without the tight challenge of parallel parking). Burpz Cafe & Bakery opened in Ang Mo Kio this year to that effect..
located under a HDB block, this quaint little cafe is making its rounds on social media and it's no wonder why. the set-up is simple, the menu provides ample variety served up with a unique twist, and there's a good selection of coffees, ciders and beers for chill-out time. i guess a weekend kids menu qualifies this place as family friendly too. we visited the place on a weekday evening and found the hospitality to be great. 
i'm not saying this because they gave us something free. but nonetheless, we casually asked about their apple tarts whilst making payment for our orders and were duly served with some on the house. these budding bakers are certainly mixing it up well, and certainly can take pride that their cakes, bread, and tarts make good take-out options for the heartlanders to go with their morning coffee after a dinner meal here. endearing well to the neighbourhood. 
the brunch proper is no slouch either. just check out this serving of the Burpz egg benedict, served with lotsa greens, avocado sauce and fresh salmon. the carbonara we tried also came with a good twist, beyond the typical cream sauce with an egg yolk that you'd expect from the japanese pasta stores; there are rich chunks of ham and traditional carbonara sauce in this one. other dishes to try here include their luncheon meat fries, lamb shank in Guinness and the mushroom escargot. 
in all, this makes a nice after-work chill out spot with some decent and interesting food to go with. haven't managed to try their coffee, which is an important part of being a cafe and will come back on that. the setting was great and the staff were hospitable. we've read some reviews on poor food-quality during weekend peaks due to their small set-up but we certainly didn't find any of that on weekdays. Brunch to the heartlands is still definitely a great idea! 
Burpz Cafe & Bakery Blk 603 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5 #01-2661 Singapore 560603 Opening Hours Tuesdays & Wednesdays - 3 pm to 9.30 pm Thursdays & Fridays - 11.30 am to 9.30 pm Saturday & Sunday - 10.30 am to 9.30 pm (closed on Mondays) Staff discounts for nearby factories and Nanyang Poly students Hai Di Lao Hotpot
there's a new rage in town that is redefining the way we enjoy our Sichuan-styled steamboat experience. i'm pretty sure many locals have heard of it and this new-kid-on-the-block which hails from Sichuan China is taking Singapore by storm. Opening its first outlet at Clarke Quay to huge success, Hai Di Lao Hotpot has recently opened a second outlet at 313 Somerset, replacing its previous anchor, HMV.
the Hai Di Lao experience prides itself on service from the get-go. instead of having to stand in line and queue to enter the restaurant (as with most popular food joints here), customers wait for their turn seated around these tables, served with tea and comfort. upon entering, each table virtually has a dedicated service crew to address your needs, and they certainly pay attention to every detail. 
we happened to whip out our mobile phones and place them on the table. noticing this, the service staff quickly offered us these little zip-lock plastic wraps. it protects your phone from the grease, and for most smartphones, still enables you to continue using the phone through the plastic. pretty neat! 
of course, we were there for eating and so the dining selections took center-stage. patrons are allowed to select a dual soup base (we chose chicken soup and sichuan spicy) that were contained in a very spacious induction-heated hotpot. the seafood and meat selections were wide, and we enjoyed the tofu pudding, tender chicken, black-pork slices, specialty fishballs and cuttlefish. 
the trick to the whole dining experience is that Hai Di Lao makes you feel well taken care of by progressively looking after your needs. when they noticed that we had to hold our ladle in the soup to prevent the noodles/dish from separating, they promptly (and pleasantly) offered us this hook-handle! 
showmanship also played a large part of their game as we noticed almost every table asking for this noodle-pulling "performance". the la mian was delicious also, in case you were wondering, very spongy and prepared with the right amount of egg. at this point, we'd like to remind everyone though, that this is not a steamboat buffet, you're charged for each ingredient you order and while we tried to go for variety by ordering half-portions, we felt that the quantities provided were a tad small.. 
not to mention, the condiments and desserts found along these counters were chargeable. nothing much unless you are a fan of sichuan sauces, but we loved their soya-beancurd pudding. in all, Hai Di Lao is a unique steamboat experience that emphasizes on service excellence. no qualms about the food, albeit their smaller portions, but ultimately, i believe that patrons are paying a premium for the degree of attention that other steamboat places will never give you.. 
Hai Di Lao Hotpot 313 Orchard Road, 313@Somerset Level 4 Singapore 238895 Opening Hours 10 am to 10 pm (daily) One pot, endless smiles.. Chin Huat Live Seafood
i've always wondered how a seafood restaurant can build such a strong following without owning a restaurant chain or being located along East Coast Park. more so if it's located within a quiet public housing estate without any visibility from any road. Chin Huat Live Seafood is tucked in a quiet corner of Sunset Way, but it has been around for the longest time and garners a faithful following from across the island..
i remember first coming here during the university days when our professor brought us to celebrate the winning of our first international championship. i recall we ordered some really expensive stuff that day, including the Canadian geoduck sashimi, peking duck and steamed grouper. it has been a good 6 to 7 years since i last visited this place, but the impression that stuck with me was that this harmless-looking HDB seafood restaurant was more than it meets the eye.. 
we came for our recent visit with a better perspective on what Chin Huat is all about. and almost certainly, we ordered their specialty crab. actually, their signature would be the crab bee hoon, but this time around, we went for their chilli crab which was done fresh, with a really spicy kick. typically, the dish is best accompanied with deep fried buns i.e. mantou; this place serves some really huge-ass mantou, so we ordered one per person only. 
other dishes we had included their cereal prawns, and the crispy roast chicken. the cereal prawns were so well-fried that if you're not as conscious about your cholesterol, you could practically swallow the whole thing (shell included). the roast chicken was so tasty that you'd hardly need to dip it into the salt that accompanies this dish. 
Sotong in white pepper and salt, another one of their signature dishes. this one came out a little too dry and flat-tasting for our liking. we learnt with some sadness that they no longer do salted-egg sotong on their menu anymore. for dessert to top-off, Chin Huat is famous for either their durian pudding or mango sago. No fish or australian lobster on the night, but a hearty meal all round. from the full-house weekend crowd, it can be observed that Chin Huat is a popular place for birthday celebrations and family gatherings. and with the full range of live seafood selection at your fingertips, this is really one seafood restaurant that goes toe-to-toe with the big boys. 
Chin Huat Live Seafood Blk 105 Clementi St 12 #01-30, Sunset Way Singapore 120105 Opening Hours 11.30 am to 2.30 pm; 5.00 pm to 10.30 pm (daily) Check out the gigantic live grouper that will greet you at the store.. Eminent Frog Porridge
the chilly weather conditions this couple of days calls for some warm local comfort. if you brave the insane traffic at Geylang, there'd be a variety of gems to bring you that kind of respite. we had some craving for frog leg porridge, of which, Eminent Frog Porridge at Lorong 19 is largely popular..
since its humble beginnings from the main road fronting shophouse, the strong demand for their frog leg has encouraged them to take over the adjacent space to provide much more seating area (carparking remains a challenge though). we like Eminent because their portions are generous and the gravy is flavourful. 
many patrons come here for the Gong Bao version of the claypot frog leg. this is essentially dried chilli in braised gravy which gives the frog legs a spicy kick. there was a buy 2 get 1 free offer for $16 so the claypot finally came with 3 frog servings, very hearty.. only little peeve was that the pot of porridge was too little for 4 persons, had to order two pots. 
for those who don't really take spicy food, the spring onion and ginger version is equally tasty. in fact, i personally felt that this gravy goes very well with the plain porridge that came in a separate claypot. the thing about their frogs was that the meat was springy and juicy; while the thick gravy accompanied the warm porridge very well. 
the eatery offers other side dishes that were not bad also. we were recommended this salted-egg yolk sotong, very crispy and well-fried. thought the other dishes that we had were average, tried the coffee pork-ribs as well, coffee aroma was not very distinct. nonetheless, everyone comes here mainly for their frog legs, and to us, this stall certainly gives you that value-for-money. 
Eminent Frog Porridge 323 Geylang Road (Lorong 19) Singapore 389359 Opening Hours 5 pm to 3.30 am daily tried the "no-where-else-available" garlic and white pepper frog leg? Supply & Demand
following a very successful joint at the Esplande by the Bay, chef and partner Samdy Kan has caught on the orchard bandwagon to set up shop at Orchard Gateway. while the outlet at Esplande has a more chill out concept (with a rooftop bar to boot), Supply & Demand at Orchard Gateway has a spunkier vibe to it..
the restaurant is brightly lit, fitted-out with greenery, wooden tables and chairs, as well as old-school classroom chalkboards. the "al-fresco" area is actually within the mall, outdoor seating within the air-conditioned comfort. keeping to Supply & Demand traditions, the focus is still italian pizzas and pastas, but throwing in the brunch element as well.. 
i do notice that our buddies do like to kick-off with homemade bread with olive oil and vinegar. over here, this would be served up in a mess-tin and comes in an assortment of breads (they happy only). and the bread was baked fresh and good. 
what caught our eye was the coffee menu, which explains the difference between the different types of caffeine fixes that one might have. got picture is always easier to visualise. coffee is probably not their strongest suit, and we found both the cappuccino and hazelnut latte a tad too sweet. 
on to the mains and we went for the specialty pizzas. all of them came in thin crust which was crispy yet fluffy with the right amount of toppings. we tried the Proscuitto de Parma, which was a parma ham pizza with lots of rockets. it was a good and popular choice of pizza. the next time we visit, we'd like to try their Carte Blanche servings, where your choice of grilled meat will come in two special sides of the chef's choice - its a surprise. 
for the weekend brunch junkies, Supply & Demand has whipped up some all-day breakfast creations with a slight italian twist. the Polenta con Salsiccia above comes with poached eggs on a polenta cake with pork sausage. not your pastry-styled polenta cake but a savoury one breaded and fried (like fried tofu), drizzled with hollandaise sauce. we also tried the Smoked Salmon Benedetto which was essentially salmon wrapped over a poached egg on bread. very creative interpretation of eggs benedict. in all, we feel that their brunch menu was interesting yet appetising. the outlet at orchard gateway is still largely undiscovered and that gave us the weekend getaway feel that we could hardly find at other brunch joints nowadays. the place does fill up for lunch and dinner, but the whole setup is spacious and casual enough to make you feel at ease. this is one place we are certainly coming back for. 
Supply & Demand 277 & 218 Orchard Road Orchard Gateway #02-13/14 and #02-K3 Singapore 238858/238851 Opening Hours 11:30 am to 10:30 pm (daily) They left their dressings on the side, so that you can adjust the intensity yourself.. Langkawi Eats
we took a short getaway to the coastal resorts of Langkawi last weekend. everything on the island was very absolutely leisurely and slow-paced, perfect for chillax and doing nothing. tourism isn't that rampant over there yet, and you could still find some pretty decent eats for very attractive prices..The Loaf 
this cafe and bakery overlooking the stylish Telaga Habour is the first of many outlets owned apparently by former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Telaga Habour is essentially a yacht berth (similar to Keppel Bay) and serves as the ideal setting for brunch or a slow afternoon lunch. the menu covers a good spread of all-day-breakfast and all-time local favourites such as laksa. the bread are freshly baked and there are samples for tasting before you select your favourite ones. We loved their croissant and their black-beauty chocolate buns.. The Loaf Telaga Habour Park Langkawi C9 Perdana Quay Pantai Kok, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant 
The entire island of Langkawi prides itself for its seafood. one of the most popular ones would be Orkid Ria in Pantai Cenang. over here, you pretty much get to pick most of your own seafood live or at the least from a fresh frozen selection. the crabs, prawn and fish we ordered tasted very fresh and it is no wonder why this place is popular with many asian tourists and locals. you will see a stark contrast in terms of patronage between Orkid Ria and the rest of the seafood restaurants along Cenang beach, probably means something.. Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant Lot 1225, Pantai Cenang, Mukim Kedawang, 07100 Langkawi, Kedah Restoran Langkawi Sunshine 
we got to Kuah town late and pretty much stumbled around to search for dinner. we found this restaurant operated by a cantonese speaking crew. they have the standard coffee-shop fare at very reasonable prices. we had claypot tofu, sambal kang kong, fuyong egg omelette and all, but the highlight probably came from their recommendation - pig paws (trotters) that was roasted to tender perfection. probably something to look out for if you're here.. (don't forget to check out the duty-free store across the street - very cheap drinks) Restoran Langkawi Sunshine Jalan Pandak Mayah 6 Kuah, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah D'Khas Cafe 
also located along Pantai Cenang, this place serves a variety of everything. from western dishes, to local food and a blend of thai cuisine.. beers to boot. you'd soon find that this is the more convenient and better lunch options down the stretch. we decided to try their thai dishes since they were recommended on the menu. the pineapple fried rice, seafood tom yum soup, chicken green curry turned out not bad. the black-pepper seafood dish was actually tops; we didn't like the pad-thai though, it was a tad too dry and seriously, the iced-coffee is waaay to sweet.. D'Khas Cafe Lot 1577, Kawasan Mata Air, Pantai Cenang, 07100 Langkawi, Kedah Gelato Cabana 
this is not really a restaurant but an ice-cream stall by the roadside. It is located by the main road of Jln Pantai Cenang, just outside the McDonald's of Coco Valley. their gelato is probably the best we'd ever eaten, rich in flavour for both the fruit and chocolate selections. i absolutely loved the coffee gelato that carried the bitter-sweet taste that good coffee should have. we found this place after having spotted many tourists walking around with their cones and cups, some flavours were already sold out by the time we got there. if this ice-cream is really home-made as they claim, someone's ought to steal the recipe.. Gelato Cabana By the road of Jalan Pantai Cenang, Outside Coco Valley Unkaizan 
authentic Japanese fare up a hill. voted Malaysia Taste's best restaurant for some years running, it is no surprise that many people make the trip up to try their offerings. while the restaurant specialises in charcoal grilled dishes such as their salmon shioyaki, their sushi and sashimi are also served freshed. we tried their moriawase umi which had 5 types of sashimi, all served fresh and juicy. look out for their blackboard specials while you're here, they will have some unique dish that has been specially marinated or served in limited quantity daily. some of their signature dishes can be found on the board and rest assured, they all go well with sake.. Unkaizan Lot 395 Jalan Telok Baru Pantai Tengah, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah (closed on every 2nd Wednesday of the Month) The ones that got away.. Wonderland Food Restaurant (179,180,181 Persiaran Mutiara 2) many reviews label this the best seafood restaurant in Kuah, with very reasonable prices. we somehow couldn't navigate it when we were at Kuah on evening. on hindsight, it seems pretty easy to locate, and maybe we'd try it when we come back here.. Chicken Joe's (133 Langkawi Mall, Jalan Kelibang) supposedly the best hainanese chicken rice in Langkawi, then again, we haven't quite heard of the islanders priding themselves from their chicken rice. this is probably more out of curiosity than anything! Restoran Siti Fatimah (Jln Kampung Tok Senik, Kawasan Mata Air) we found it a real pity that we couldn't really find an authentic malay food stall thats great from the touristy areas. many who have been here have rated their nasi campur to be the best, and if you have over 50 "buffet-style" malaysian dishes to choose from, you probably can't complain.. |
..ThE lEgEnD..
Last Movie: Ad Astra
Golden Village, Singpost Centre 
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