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Guan Hoe Soon
one of the oldest Peranakan restaurants serving Nonya classics in the Joo Chiat area, Guan Hoe Soon has come a long way to make themselves a local favourite for events and special occasions. venturing out to offer catering service as well, many have turned to Guan Hoe Soon for wedding receptions at home and also for house-warming parties.
the main restaurant itself is situated at a traditional conserved shophouse at Joo Chiat Place. known for being able to whip up many effervescent Peranakan dishes, the eatery with a history dating back to 1953 adds to the gourmet diversity that Joo Chiat already boasts. younger patrons like ourselves tend to be introduced to Guan Hoe Soon through positive experiences with their catering food first, and later on decided to visit the main store. 
One of their most signature dishes is not even listed on the menu, and has to be ordered in advance. their Babi Pangang or roast pork is tender, juicy and carries a decent amount of fat. the meat is well marinated and grilled till the sides are slightly charred. unlike the crispy roast pork that some of us are familiar with, this one melts in your mouth. 
another must-try famous dish is this Ayam Buah Keluak or chicken pieces, stuffed nuts and blended spices. it is served in a special peranakan sauce that is very robust in flavour and comes in generous servings. the "keluak" nuts are apparently very hard to prepare where they have to be soaked for a couple of days before they are stuffed with spices. 
we accompanied our meal with other Nonya favourites such as Otak Otak, Ngoh Hiang and Nonya Chap Chye. we topped it off with some Kerpting soup and meatballs. Dessert is a curious affair as we decided to try some of their freshly made Nonya kuehs. the thick flavour of coconut and brown sugar is evident from this version as compared to those we typically get off the bakery rack. Guan Hoe Soon is certainly the real McCoy, and if you're thinking of impressing the Peranakan patriarch of your fiance or girlfriend, this is the place to visit. 
Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant 38 Joo Chiat Place Singapore 427762 Opening Hours Open Daily from 11 am to 3 pm & 6 pm to 9.30 pm The owners and chefs of this restaurant are interestingly not Peranakan Bridge - Cafe, Restaurant, Bar
as the name suggests, the Bridge along Seah Street is pretty much everything. by day it's your hipster favourite brunch cafe, by night it is a chillout bar for the PMEBs and an artisanal restaurant to boot. and then on weekdays there's also set lunch menus for the office faithful, this place certainly serves up quite abit to give the Bugis folks more dining options.
before i make it sound like this an everything place, the owners of this diner actually put alot of thought into their menu. while the brunch servings offer the full range, the lunch and dinner options are capped at a few of their specialties. not to forget, this is also a chill-out bar, and you may be glad to know that we actually found out about this place through a facebook ad offering 1-for-1 Happy Hour drinks all day, everyday.. 
had my pint of 1-for-1 Hoegaarden whilst waiting for friends to arrive one evening. the dinner menu is pretty avant-garde, with a couple of signature mains that borders along the art of fine-dining. but rest assured the portions are reasonable and that you'd have your fill for the price you pay. the dim candle-light setting also makes the Bridge a cosy place for a date and at present, the place ain't overcrowded yet. 
had the opportunity to try almost all their dinner mains, with this pork belly dish standing out. the meat is well braised with a layer of fat, but very tender and well marinated in cider sauce. certainly the chef's recommendation. we also tried the truffle chicken which was pretty unique, prepared in a flavourful orange truffle sauce to give it a tinge of sweetness. 
for the more adventurous, you should try out this lamb ballotine, that is served with button mushrooms, baby potatoes and rosemary sauce. the lamb is juicy and doesn't carry the strong aftertaste that some of us may not be accustomed to. above all, the service is pretty fast, and there's a wide selection of finger food if you're just here for a chillout. we'd certainly come back here for brunch some time soon, but dinner was such a pleasant surprise. 
Bridge - Cafe, Restaurant, Bar 31 Seah Street Singapore 188387 Opening Hours Mondays to Thursday: 11.30 am to 10 pm Fridays: 11.30 am to 12 am Saturdays: 11 am to 1 am Sundays: 12 pm to 1 am Fine dining with a twist; without fuss nor pinch.. Pacamara
the cafe enclave around the Upper Thomson Road area is fast catching on to rival traditional locations such as Duxton, Everton Park or Holland Village. starting out from the humble origins of coffee roasters, Pacamara teed-up with some Thai partners to set up a new cafe in this area. the effect is somewhat a mixed experience.
amid the simple and clean interior, coffee blenders, racks of coffee powder and machines remains the highlight of the cafe. the aromatic brews from the barista, especially their Thai coffee and white coffee range further confirms their caffeine roots. the store has since expanded to be somewhat of the brunch cafe and chill-out bar, with an assortment of breakfast dishes, pastas and cider/beer/stout beverages.. 
not to mention... salads! we tried this prawn & avocado dish that comes with spinach, cherry tomatoes and some fruit-based dressing. not exactly wowed by the taste, but that was the pre-cursor to some unique looking dishes that the menu has to offer. we ordered some pastas such as their Forest Mushroom Aglio Olio and Pesto Cream, a tad overkill on the mushrooms and cream we thought, nothing too fancy. 
something a little more special would be the soft-shell crab burger. the bread uses a squid-ink bun (similar to the famous black buns at Duke's bakery) and the crab is actually really soft yet crunchy. the dish is presented with chips and a special ebbiko sauce, in all making it quite a good meal. 
special mention to some of the tea brews in the midst of a coffee-roaster. their specialty teas such as this Blissful Berries tea is actually not bad. we recommend this to anyone who is having a stressful day and would like something warm to soothe the nerves. ironically for Pacamara, the drinks at this place actually saves the day from a generally normal menu. the wide selection of ciders, flavoured beers and stouts actually encourages one to come back for a drink. if they can up their game for the food menu, this place would be a blast. 
Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters 185 Upper Thomson Road Singapore 574333 Opening Hours Tuesdays to Sundays: 9 am to 11 pm (closed on Mondays) the seats are mainly on the bartop or over long tables.. Manna Story
In preparation for an upcoming visit to Seoul, we decided to get into the mood by having some Korean fare. Manna Story is considerably one of the more authentic versions to be found in a shopping mall setting, and is known to be good value-for-money too. The outlet at JCube actually brings a pretty unique dining experience, not exactly busy, brightly decorated, and over-looking the ice-rink. shades of the wintry feel in Seoul.
Originating from the shop-houses of Telok Ayer Street, the Manna brand till today attracts a steady clientele of Koreans and locals alike. K-Pop artistes such as Rain and Shinhwa have also supposedly visited the main branch, according to pictures found on the walls. Since moving to malls such as Plaza Singapura and JCube, the mainstream version of Manna Story have been bringing authentic Korean dishes to the masses. 
i recall a hearty serving of 12 types of Banchan, or side dishes, the last time i visted Manna Story. so i guess the modest serving of 4 is a sign of current economic times. undaunted, we went ahead to order some of the Korean favourites. for someone like me with a more delicate tolerance for spicy Korean food, this was good training for the days ahead in Seoul. 
we went for this Budae Chigae, which was a scrumptious mix of ham, sausages, tofu, vegetables and ramyeon immersed in a well-flavoured kimchi soup. it was quite a generous serving, suitable for 2 people and certainly no less satisfying than an army-stew hotpot. on top of that, we had a serving of pork bulgogi delivered on a hotplate and a dish of traditional Korean rice cakes or Topokki. the meats were well-marinated with the right kick of spice, although the Topokki tended to get a little drab after awhile (maybe too big portions of the same thing). 
i'd always have a soft spot for Korean noodles and this ramyeon dish warrants some mention. nothing too fancy, just Korean ramen in kimchi with egg, seaweed and chicken. the spices within the broth and the texture of the noodles somehow makes this dish real comfort food. strangely, our much anticipiated Korean steamed-egg turned out to be the disappointment of the evening, overly soft and absolutely bland. what happened? nonetheless, Manna Story remains a popular family restaurant at various shopping centres. the outlets are often packed and attracts people of all ages. though it may have lost abit of the hype that it started with, we'd still come back here the next time there's craving for a simple Korean fix. 
Manna Story 2 Jurong East Central 1, JCube #04-19, Singapore 609731 Opening Hours 10 am to 10 pm (daily) Manna means delicious food from heaven.. fyi KL Eats
another road trip up to Kuala Lumpur for the Formula 1 Grand Prix, tried a few more eateries so we're adding on to this ever-building host of food. the Malaysian capital has no lack of Street offerings and we thought it'd be a good idea to share some local delights as we strike off more from our bucket list..
Restoran Yup Hup Kee 
we actually found this place by accident while looking for something else. attracted by the huge crowds outside the shophouse, our curiosity got the better of us. Yap Hup Kee is predominantly a Hakka Yong Tau Foo stall selling assorted pieces of yong tau foo. They do their fried selection wonderfully and these dishes are often accompanied by Chee Cheong Fun (either with curry or sweet sauce) and Lao Shu Fen 老鼠粉.. Restoran Yap Hup Kee 45 Jalan Brunei Barat 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Operating Hours: 9 a.m - 5 p.m, 5.30 p.m - 11.00 p.m (closed on alternate Tuesdays) Restoran Wong Ah Wah (W.A.W Restaurant) 
Jalan Alor is a famous night food street in KL which is home to several seafood and tse char restaurants. one of the more prominent ones that we were recommended to try was Wong Ah Wah, even though more specifically, we were told that they did their grilled chicken wings very well.. they offered a variety of seafood and chinese dishes, with their fried Hokkien mee, salted egg sotong, bamboo clamshells and roasted pork noodles amongst their popular dishes. Their chicken wings were okay alright, portions are showing signs of economic inflation but what could you expect when you are still very much getting value for money? we thought the hokkien mee lacked the "wok hei" that Kim Lian Kee (see below) brings, but we'd somehow always enjoy eating here each time we come.. Restoran Wong Ah Wah 1, 5 & 7 Jalan Alor 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Operating Hours: 7 p.m till late Lot 10 Hutong 十号胡同 
it's abit odd that we're talking about a foodcourt within a shopping mall, however, the foodcourt located at the basement of Lot 10 - mall off Bukit Bintang, comes with some history. Or so they claim, to have taken famous hawkers that survived past 2 to 3 generations off the streets, to ply their trade in this foodcourt. all the brands are supposedly heritage brands and you'd have the best of KL hawker fare under one roof. Lot 10 Hutong 十号胡同 Lot 10 Shopping Centre, LG floor 50 Jalan Sultan Ismail 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Operating Hours: 10 a.m to 10 p.m Restoran Yut Kee 
this classic Hainanese eating house has been here for the longest time. located on the fringe of Dang Wangi, this place attracts regulars and tourists alike to savour their culinary delicacies of traditional Hainanese origin. its quite a standard menu, but everyone who tries their Hailam Mee, Roasted Pork with stuffing and apple sauce, Belacan fried rice and pork chop would certainly agree that this is a must-visit stop whenever you come to KL.. Don't forget to pick up some marble cakes and kaya swiss rolls as you leave, they make a great after-meal snack! Restoran Yut Kee 1 Jalan Kamunting 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Operating Hours: 7.30 a.m to 4.30 p.m Hong Kee Claypot Chicken Rice 
street food located at the end of KL Chinatown (Petaling Street) was as we expected, crowded and not the best in terms of sanitation. but judging from the crowds that gather at every stall, nobody really minds.. Hong Kee's claypot chicken rice were given some good reviews so we picked them amongst others. the orders were surprisingly fast moving and the rice was what you'd expect from claypot rice, waxed chinese sausages with soy-sauce chicken and salted fish to give the rice its flavour.. nothing fantastic though, and judging by the speed of preparation as well as the electric fans to replace traditional fanning of the charcoal stoves (see picture), we think standards have dropped. Komugi Cafe 
nothing like an afternoon tea at upmarket shopping mall Pavilion to chillax and people-watch. we found this chic Japanese cafe which offered a wide selection of cakes, coffee and other pastries. They even carry the millicrepe, which is all the rage these days, didn't see red velvet cake though. They also have their own selection of mixed fruit/vegetable juices that are freshly blended and bottled in-house. and oh, do bring home their hazelnut cookies and check out their coffee art... Komugi Cafe Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur Lot 24/1A, Tokyo Street, Level 6 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Operating Hours: 10 a.m to 10 p.m Wong Mee Kee 
after many failed attempts to try this unsuspectingly great roast meat (failure due to their erratic opening schedule), we finally managed to try this. as testified by many who have visited this roadside stall, their roast pork is absolutely fantastic. the skin is crackling crispy while the meat is fresh and tender. the chicken and char siew are normal but everyone who visits this place raves about the roast pork. though they only start selling at 12.30 pm, be sure to arrive early to ensure that you'd get a seat... Wong Mee Kee 30, Jalan Nyonya 55100 Kuala Lumpur Operating Hours: 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm RA Nasi Lemak 
this nasi lemak is touted as one of the best in KL. located on the roadside of Jalan Raja Abdullah in the Wang Dangi area, this malay version of economical rice draws hordes of locals daily. the beauty of nasi lemak is the fragrance of their rice and RA does their rice superbly well. it is not sticky, fragrant and served in a traditional wooden barrel. the chilli that goes with the rice is sweet, and has a sedap kick that comes shortly after. many patrons go for their selection of dishes including spicy sotong, chicken drumstick and rendang... RA Nasi Lemak 15 Jalan Raja Abdullah 50300 Kuala Lumpur Operating Hours: 6.30 am to 10 pm (daily) Kim Lian Kee 
another stall found within Petaling street in Chinatown. Kim Lian Kee specializes in KL hokkien mee similar to the one served at W.A.W, however, this one has more flavour as it is stir fried in more black sauce and lard (unhealthy dishes tend to be tastier). the stall has since ventured to other dishes and many branches, but the one along Petaling street maintains its very traditional outlook. we tried their hotplate deer meat and kai lan during the visit there, safe to say, this tze char stall is recommended for a simple dinner feast... Kim Lian Kee 49 Jalan Petaling 50000 Kuala Lumpur Operating Hours: 5 pm to 4 am (daily) The ones that got away.. Sze Ngan Chye (85 Jalan Petaling) a legendary stall selling salted roast duck that seems to be very well-known amongst virtually everyone in Petaling Street. everyone claims it is there but we seemed to have missed it. online reviews say that are closed on Mondays, maybe thats why.. Koon Kee Wanton Mee (Petaling Street, Chinatown) We chose claypot chicken rice over this, thinking it was just wanton mee. On hindsight, this seemed the more popular option and probably would have delivered more satisfaction. something to try next time! Tim Ho Wan (Singapore)
my experiences with Tim Ho Wan had always been in Hong Kong. from the original stall at Mong Kok to the current flagship at Sham Shui Po, we loved their dim sum because it lived up to its name as the cheapest michelin star restaurant, delicious and value-for-money. nonetheless, we've moved on to other dim sum joints when we visited Hong Kong since, as local names such as One Dim Sum and Dim Dim Sum proved to be equally good.. as for the local version, the long queues when the first few outlets opened kinda put us off, and somehow, we didn't bring ourselves to try it.. until now.
it was only during a recent trip to Hong Kong when a friend, between mouthfuls of cheong fun, congee, mala-ko and har-gao, kept proclaiming.. "this one, Singapore better; that one, Singapore also better". curious, we decided to give Tim Ho Wan (Singapore) a try when we got back. Plaza Singapura is like the proxy for their flagship store here, so we went to pay that outlet a visit. 
the local version comes with most of the standard offerings that Hong Kong has, albeit prepared with a slightly local twist to adjust to our palette. and hence you'd have dishes that are a tad saltier, and accompanied with chilli sauce that has alot more kick. we tried their cheong fun with pig's liver, braised chicken feet with abalone sauce, the must-try baked bolo-buns with BBQ pork, steamed egg cake, har gao, siew mai and a few special dishes that we didn't find in Hong Kong.. we're still quizzical about the "Singapore better" part to date.. 
on to the special dishes, and we liked this shrimp dumpling with mushroom & century egg. we don't really see this in our local reviews, so it could have been for a limited period only. another interesting one was this dace fish-balls with Chinese sausage. they all come in small quantities of two or three, so they become very convenient add-ons. 
even more recently, the fifth Tim Ho Wan outlet opened at Aperia Kallang, and it is a 24-hour joint to boot! they've came up with a supper menu (served between 10 pm till 6 am daily) with a few interesting selections which we liked very much. i guess it was not only us, because there was seriously a queue even at 11.30 pm. this lobster congee with prawn and scallop looks very photogenic, the porridge is indeed very smooth and well-cooked, however beneath that lobster shell was a not-so-generous serving of lobster meat. on the contrary, we thought that the sliced fish congee with garlic fried fish skin and century egg was alot better. 
special mention to this steamed egg-cake or mala-ko, because many people just love it. quite amazing certainly that a caramelized sponge cake makes the list for the "4 Heavenly Kings" on Tim Ho Wan's menu. Another supper dish that we enjoyed was this dumpling in spicy sauce, very much like sichuan dim sum. in all, i'd say that Tim Ho Wan's dim sum is good, and its a wonderful thing that this Hong Kong favourite is brought over for us to enjoy. however, just like Abercrombie and many other imports, things somehow gets a whole lot pricer when they come to Singapore, so do be prepared to pay quite abit more to have the same dim sum here.. if you ask us, Hong Kong is still better and certainly more value-for-money. 
Tim Ho Wan (Singapore) 68 Orchard Road #01-29A Plaza Singapura Singapore 238839 Opening Hours: 10 am to 10 pm (daily) 12 Kallang Avenue #01-01/02/03 Aperia Singapore 339511 Breakfast Menu – Monday to Saturday, 6 am to 10 am Normal Menu – Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 10 pm / Sundays & PH, 6 am to 10 pm Supper Menu – Daily, 10 pm to 6 am (closed Mondays 5 am to 10 am for maintenance) In you come in a group, everyone has to be present before you can be seated.. |
..ThE lEgEnD..
Last Movie: Ad Astra
Golden Village, Singpost Centre 
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