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Dian Xiao Er
Dian Xiao Er is a local restaurant chain themed around recreating a traditional Chinese tea-house/inn from medieval times. Xiao Er refers to the waiters that serve the travelling guests and the setting in the restaurants recapture a typical scene from dynasty period dramas.
we wouldn't go so far as to say this is a thematic restaurant concept, but the idea of offering affordable, delicious comfort food would be akin to what the swordsmen would expect back in the day. an iconic feature of the restaurants would be its dim and rustic-looking interiors, fully decked with traditional furniture, lanterns and brickwall finishes. their signature roast duck is also often displayed on their shop-fronts, so it's quite hard to miss them. 
known for its repertoire of classic Chinese dishes, we went for their household specialties including this Xiao Er Tofu, which was well fried to give it a crispy exterior, but soft and flavourful interior. another dish to watch out for is the Spicy & sour fish, which consists of fresh steamed fish slices accompanied by a rich sauce of many spices. 
as with many other Chinese dishes, the food at Dian Xiao Er can be said to all go well with white-rice. we certainly didn't miss out on their signature Angelica Duck, a cut of their roast duck prepared in herbs. the meat was very tender (which is important to us for roasted duck) and has a unique taste unlike most of the typical roasted meat we have here. this dish just stands out amongst its peers, just like how Hong Kong's Yung Kee stands out from other roast geese restaurants there. 
In all, Dian Xiao Er offers a very wholesome, cosy dining experience. it is popular with the local palette and very normal to find long queues forming outside one of their 10 outlets islandwide. Reservations are not available for Fridays, weekends and public holidays, thus making these days the most crowded. We picked the outlet at the basement of Junction 8 in Bishan, which is the newest and thus far, "least discovered" outlet to date. We got fairly good service there and this makes it a fine destination for a weekend family dinner or gathering with friends. 
Dian Xiao Er 9 Bishan Place #B1-07, Junction 8 Singapore 579837 Opening Hours Mondays to Fridays: 11.30 am to 3 pm; 5.30 pm to 10 pm Weekends & Public Holidays: 11.30 am to 10 pm Dian Xiao Er accompanies you to excel in the journey of life.. Miam Miam
Japanese fusion food is a concept that enjoys a fairly good following here. after the success of the original Hoshino Coffee, the next wave that followed suit was Miam Miam. opening its first outlet at Bugis Junction a couple of years back, there are currently two of this French-Japanese fusion cafe in Singapore today.
we visited the outlet at Westgate recently and were greeted by this very chic and trendy exterior. the food offerings of desserts, pastas, Japanese curry rice and drinks - ranging from matcha lattes to French coffee ensured that anyone young and old would be able to find something for themselves here. 
the rice dishes are an interesting blend. this Riz Au Curry that comes in a claypot combines baked rice with Japanese curry, sausages, cheese, egg and vegetables. the pot keeps the rice warm and the curry sinks well into the rice and ingredients giving this dish a very distinct flavour. another rice dish to try is the Riz Noir Black Rice, which is essentially squid ink rice with scrambled egg and sausages. if you thought squid ink pasta was great, this dish would turn out very special. 
if you prefer to go for something tried and tested, the pastas here at Miam Miam are popular choices. we personally loved the Carbonara spaghetti for its rich, creamy flavour, generous servings of ham and topped off with a wet poached egg. There is an edgier version of this dish which they coined Miam Miam Spaghetti that includes tomatoes and veggies, to give that added twist. the portions for the pastas are generally hearty and reasonable. 
not forgetting the toasts and desserts. this classic French Toast is a Miam Miam specialty where small cubes of toast are topped off with whipped cream, sugar and honey. something for those with a sweet tooth. we also tried their caramelised banana pancake, that comes with vanilla ice-cream, they all bordered on the sweet side. Miam Miam cafe is currently enjoying the kind of reception Hoshino once had, when they were a novelty at Plaza Singapura. so expect to experience some queues and a fair waiting time if you visit either Bugis Junction or Westgate today. 
Miam Miam 3 Gateway Drive #01-21/22 Westgate Singapore 608532 Opening Hours 11.30 am to 10 pm (daily) The French Cafe with a Japanese twist.. Chir Chir
just when we thought that the Korean fried chicken wave has kinda settled, with the key players taking their places in our city, a bunch of young local entrepreneurs joined the fray with a bang. Calling themselves the 'fusion chicken factory', Chir Chir (pronounced chi-rae chi-rae) has seen scores of people flocking to 313 @ Somerset. we joined the queue recently to understand what fusion chicken is all about.
throngs of young hispter crowds on a Friday night, and we used to think that Llao Llao or Hai Di Lao were the only things people would queue for in 313 @ Somerset. replacing a space previously owned by a local ramen chain, Chir Chir has transformed this corner of the mall with unbelievable scenes like what you see above. earning the franchisee rights to a popular Korean chain, the owners currently have 2 stores in Singapore. 
for the first visit, we went for the most original and specialty serving of crispy fried chicken. it comes in a huge plate of at least 10 pieces, and while some ravenous friends may find this ample, we felt that it would have served 3 people just right. the chicken didn't feel pre-fried as it was served piping hot and with a fine tinge of oil. the dish comes with some honey mustard sauce and some salsa. 
i guess the true test for how this tastes will come from the meat itself. the texture was indeed very crispy, tender and more importantly hot on both the inside and outside. the chicken was very juicy, probably one of the better fried chickens we've tasted, in the leagues of Arnold's chicken. call me naive but i truly felt that this chicken felt alot more organic than the KFC ones. the only drawback i guess was the very dry nature of this dish and you'd start to get weary after 3 to 4 pieces. the next time we visit, the Korean Nest Snow dish of fried chicken with cream, cheese and vegetables could be a better option. 
another signature of this place would be their Chir Cream Beer. the korean beer comes in two sizes, half or full pint, and is topped with a shaving of sweet whipped cream. a perfect accompaniment for fried food. there's also lots of other interesting cocktails and soju-magaritas to choose from, bringing out the fun element of this concept. reservations here are not allowed, so come early, pick up a menu and select some sides to go with your chicken while you wait in line. the queue is certainly worth the experience. 
Chir Chir Fusion Chicken Factory 313 Orchard Road, 313 @ Somerset #B3-04/05/06 Singapore 238895 Opening Hours Sundays to Thursdays: 10 am to 10 pm Fridays & Saturdays: 10 am to 11 pm You'll find cold beer and hot chicks here.. White Restaurant
Inspired by a recent discussion with our CEO, i recalled a trip to the furthest north-eastern reaches of Punggol Settlement. for those less familiar with the area, Punggol Settlement is located at the deepest tip of Punggol. it is a coastal cycling area, that has a supermarket, bicycle rental, cafes, pubs and some Chinese restaurants. just the most usual unlikely place where you'd find White Restaurant, a spin-off branch of the equally hard-to-access famous Sembawang white beehoon.
as their name suggests, White Restaurant is a branch of the original You Huat Restaurant located at Jalan Tampang, off Sembawang road. for both their remote locations, each restaurant draws a respectable lunch crowd and a strong weekend clientele. moving a slight notch higher than the coffeshop setup at Sembawang, the outlet at Punggol Settlement is fully air-conditioned with some al-fresco seats overlooking the Punggol Point Coastal Walk. 
their signature dish is their white beehoon, a fried vermicelli dish with seafood, eggs, vegetables and typically sprinkled with lime juice. its practically like a beehoon version of Hokkien mee, served moist and extremely aromatic. i guess when a signature dish is practically how people remember and make reference to the eatery, that dish surely has to leave a lasting memory. 
to prove that they are not just a one-trick-pony, this restaurant not only specializes in the white beehoon, but also their signature home-made fried beancurd. it's crispy and battered, and for some strange reason, tastes pretty much like fish from fish-and-chips. notwithstanding, it's all pure beancurd and goes very well with the mayonnaise that accompanies this dish. 
White Restaurant is essentially a zi char restaurant, so we took the opportunity to try other dishes. a couple of notable ones include the prawn paste chicken and hay cho. in particular, the hay cho was very rich in flavour, crispy and served with a generous portion of meat. the combinations for the day was a tad too salty though, and we found ourselves pretty thirsty after our meal. perhaps thats why the watering-holes in the vicinity seems to be enjoying brisk business as well. in all, White Restaurant is a decent weekend hangout for a unique local delight - just a word of advice, the place is so deep that it's best to drive or cab there. 
White Restaurant 3 Punggol Point Road The Punggol Settlement Singapore 828694 Opening Hours 11.30 am to 10 pm (daily) From the makers of the original Sembawang White Beehoon 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.. |
..ThE lEgEnD..
Last Movie: Ad Astra
Golden Village, Singpost Centre 
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