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Curious Palette
Prinsep Street is having some kind of a renaissance lately with quite a few interesting dining concepts forming a little cluster there. after walking down the entire stretch, we settled for the corner-most unit to satisfy our curious palettes at an interesting looking cafe that came with a chalk-board written signage.
We later found out that Curious Palette is brought to us by the same people behind the successful Strangers' Reunion cafe at Neil Road. From the desserts to the mains, it was notable that quite abit of emphasis was placed on the presentation of the food. many dishes we observed from the patrons were pretty and certainly Instagram worthy.. and i guess on top of food quality, this aspect of a cafe is probably the way forward for any aspiring place that needs a social media push. 
let's also be quick to say that the food quality is pretty good too. we tried this Chicken confit (a good change from many places serving duck) that was not only elaborately designed, the meat was tender on the inside with a crispy layer of skin. the chicken leg comes with a small serving of risotto to complete the meal. not too heavy and just right for you to leave some space for dessert. 
we already said that the people who did Strangers' Reunion were behind this, so it's definitely no surprise that the coffee here would be good too. to add on to the drinks selection, there's a good mix of coffees, teas and some special craft beers and ciders to make this a neat chill-out joint. We were here for dinner, so while some could still afford a flat white at this time of the day, I opted for a Rose Cider to end a hard day's work. 
and then comes the main event, the signature hotcakes! Not those that comes with a happy meal but this pretty mixed berries Ricotta Hotcake made up of strawberries, blueberries, vanilla bean ice-cream and some maple syrup. the dish is served warm with a crispy crust that goes very well with all the toppings. the cupcake-like sponge base is very soft but it got abit tiring after awhile, maybe quite a mouthful of a serving for 2 persons. In all, we felt that alot of thought went into the creation of every dish here, Curious Palette certainly impresses and would be a great option for a nice little date. 
Curious Palette 64 Prinsep Street Singapore 188667 Opening Hours Sundays to Thursdays: 9 am to 10 pm (closed on Tuesdays) Fridays & Saturdays: 9 am to 12 am back making magic at another place.. Kok Sen Restaurant
if you look up the most popular Tze Char eateries in Singapore, this place within the Bukit Pasoh shop-house area will often be mentioned in several publications online. serving up Cantonese-styled dishes since the late 1970s, Kok Sen Restaurant along Keong Saik Road has enjoyed a cult following of patrons. it is no wonder that getting a seat here for either lunch or dinner can be a very challenging affair.
located right smack in the middle of rows of conservation shop-houses, the restaurant can be quite hard to find without a GPS. a helpful guide would be to look out for the iconic red and white Potato Head Folk building at the road intersection. a few more shops straight down Keong Saik and you'll be there. queues typically form once you hit the early parts of meal times, and if you're already perspiring from walking here and queuing, be warned that the restaurant itself has no air-conditioning.. 
but what's a little setback like this for famed Tze Char fare in Singapore? this big prawn bee hoon dish is one of Kok Sen's signature dishes and something you'd see on practically every diner's table. the broth is thick, flavourful and contains a tinge of spice with a very generous serving of bee hoon and prawns. another popular dish that most people go for is their claypot yong tau foo, unfortunately, it was sold out by the time we got there. 
there is also a popular chicken dish called the Dragon Chicken, however it too sells out very quickly. we tried the roast chicken instead and found a pretty decent interpretation of this common hawker offering. the skin was crispy and meat wasn't too tough. this sure gives our local chicken rice stalls a run for their money. 
nonetheless, the big prawn themed dishes are what gives this place its following. the specialty big prawn hor fun dish serves up big prawns, a strong aromatic gravy and eggs stir fried with hor fun. not many Tze Char stalls can whip up a good hor fun dish, but this combination is unique and extremely good. moreover, the prices for all dishes here are very reasonable despite the unwavering popularity all these years. local fare eateries sprout out all over our island, but only few draws a huge crowd and an ardent fan base. after trying Kok Sen once, we are pretty sure we knew why. 
Kok Sen Restaurant 30-32 Keong Saik Road Singapore 089137 Opening Hours 12 pm to 2.30 pm; 5 pm to 11.30 pm (daily) Cold beer is served here to go with the dishes.. d'Good Cafe
After the first wave of cafes that hit our shores, those that somewhat stand out would be the cafes that are both good coffee roasters and place-makers. it can be pretty interesting that although Holland Village boasts a few popular brunch joints, not many can absolutely come out and call themselves a cafe..
d'Good Cafe at Holland Village focuses on the third wave of coffee drinking, which places more emphasis on the source of beans and the products that they create. over at this cafe, one of its specialties would be the opportunity for everyone to customize their brew and enjoy many variants of coffee. the coffee offering on their menu itself is also pretty complete, ensuring good coffee for those who wish to skip the taste customization bit.. 
with the weather getting increasingly hot, nothing beats a cold brew to spend a chillax afternoon. the cafe includes an intriguing selection called d'Unknown Cold Brew, which allows the barista to throw up an element of surprise, serving you with any random cold coffee beverage. the one we got was rich in milk and aromatic with coffee, so the surprise for us was a pleasant one. 
the lunch menu also covers a decent spread, and served up pretty earnest brunch and pasta dishes as well. we tried this seafood pasta that came in a herb-tomato based linguine accompanied by squid, prawns and clams. the portions were reasonable and though not fantastic, came with a very homely feel. 
for the hungrier ones, their brunch menu whips up pretty hearty meals, such as this homemade English breakfast. complete with brioche bread, baked beans, sauteed mushrooms, bacon, English sausages, scrambled eggs and tomato, the combination can be very filling indeed. the cafe also comes with good ambience, including a reading corner, sofa seats, dining on a swing (for lovebirds) as well as the personalised coffee making experience. with some good company, this would be our favourite hangout in Holland Village from now on. 
d'Good Cafe 273 Holland Avenue #02-01/02 Singapore 278992 Opening Hours Sundays to Thursdays: 10 am to 10 pm Fridays & Saturdays: 10 am to 11 pm Blend and brew the way you like it.. Orchid Live Seafood
Over the Chinese New Year period, we gathered for some local Chinese food and our annual Loh Hei celebration. this year's new year brought along a rainy streak and the cold weather prompted us to search for some warm comfort food. tucked in the midst of the Seletar Hills Estate, comes a seafood restaurant with a long history. with its much publicized lobster porridge, we decided to give it a shot.
Orchid Live Seafood is located along Jalan Kelulut, somewhere within the Seletar area of Singapore. Its master chef Steven Chua has been featured on local cooking television programmes and the restaurant has received a loyal following from its days at the once-popular Orchid Country Club in Yishun. although business appears to be less brisk on the few occasions we passed by the store, the seafood turned out to be exceptionally fresh. 
the signature dish was the lobster porridge, where the staff would remove the lobsters from the pot and place them onto a plate as pictured above. the porridge would take some getting used to, as it is prepared Teochew style. it's something like rice soaked into the lobster broth, unlike other more common forms of congee, where its a more blended creamy mixture. the serving of lobsters is very generous and the meat is extremely fresh, so i guess that's what people truly go for. 
Another popular dish which we found really good wasn't exactly seafood, it's called Steven Chicken. named after the master chef, this creation is essentially fried chicken prepared with some sweetening and deep fried till its crispy on the outside with tender meat on the inside. its one of those chicken dishes that people can literally lick off the bones. another specialty dish which we didn't order this time was the Patin fish, which texture is known to be very soft and smooth. Although the restaurant can prepare it in various ways, steaming it Teochew style would be recommended. 
For the night, we tucked into some other dishes such as live steamed prawns, Hay Cho, as well as abalone with spinach (shown above). a common trait is that most dishes come in generous servings, reflecting the very earnest character of the restaurant. the meals are topped off with a complimentary serving of traditional potong ice-cream which we rarely see nowadays. we still saw small groups of people in office wear coming in past 9 pm, which we assumed are regulars, since there are generally no big crowds seen at this place. so if you're looking for decent seafood, some special dishes and without the hassle of long queues coupled with a noisy, crowded atmosphere, Orchid Live Seafood is one secret location to consider. 
Orchid Live Seafood 16 Jalan Kelulut Seletar Hills Estate Singapore 809033 Opening Hours 11 am to 11 pm (daily) Live Seafood freshly taken out from the tanks, served piping hot.. The Refinery (Lunch)
The demographic of Jalan Besar is starting to get younger, and it's certainly not from the new generation of fans trying to support the local soccer team. With more hipster cafes such as Chye Seng Huat Hardware and AEIOU opening up, people from all ages are making their way to the area now. The Refinery epitomizes a modern lifestyle cafe, on top of serving fusion Japanese rice bowls for lunch, Yakitori sticks for dinner and brunch on weekends, there's ample work spaces for designers to meet and collaborate.
located in the midst of an auto-car mechanic workshop area, The Refinery is fitted out in a utilitarian styled design, complete with long tables, rentable work-spaces on upper floors, high ceilings and a Japanese themed caricature mural in the backdrop. we went on a weekday lunch where the menu is focused on fusion Japanese rice bowls, although booze, juices and sodas are also readily available. a somewhat different offering from your typical cafe. 
We tried their Teriyaki Chicken Don rice bowl which was pretty much good comfort food. from the tenderness of the marinated chicken thigh in Teriyaki sauce, to the quality of the rice, to the egg and tofu, it was one of the better ones we've tasted. we had Yoshinoya for lunch today just to remind ourselves, and the contrast was really distinctive. 
one notable highlight was the Onsen Tamago or lava-egg that is served with their rice meals. the yolk is watery and yet holds its place until you attack it. the flavour soaks into the rice and the sauce making it really pleasurable to eat. their signature dish above is called the Refinery Bowl, which is made up of braised pulled pork, egg, pickled ginger and shittake mushrooms. the meat is shredded into thin slices and blended well with the condiments. there's a noodle version called Spicy Mee, complete with sambal chilli, but we heard some reviews suggest that certain dishes are best kept to the heartland hawkers. 
the experience comes together with dessert, so we ordered some waffles called the Kopi Addict Waffle. perhaps we didn't read the menu too carefully, because we were surprised that the coffee-based waffle, with butterscotch ice-cream and coffee-infused syrup, also came with streaks of bacon on top of the waffles! i guess we didn't know how to appreciate savory bacon served onto a dessert, and that was a real downer to an otherwise good dessert. In all, this was a very cosy and comfort-food based dining experience and we'd look forward to come back to try their Yakitori dinner and chill-out bar concept on another evening. 
The Refinery 115 King George's Ave Singapore 208561 Opening Hours Tuesdays to Thursdays: 12 pm to 3 pm; 6 pm to 12 am Fridays & Saturdays: 12 pm to 3 pm; 6 pm to 1 am Saturday & Sunday (brunch): 11 am to 4 pm (closed on Mondays) Purveyors of the Good Life.. HK Eats - Tin Lung Heen
as we prepare for the Lunar New Year festive mood, we decided to do a little throwback to our recent visit to Hong Kong's Ritz Carlton Hotel for some amazing dim sum. Located on the 102 storey of the hotel, Tin Lung Heen boasts a breathtaking view of Kowloon's harbour and a delectable spread of dim sum and ala carte dishes. This work of Chef Paul Lau and his team has also earned the restaurant 2 Michelin stars in 2013.
visiting the restaurant during the winter, we kinda liked how they kept our tea warm by the window. the views are awesome, albeit with abit of fog on the day that we visited and the decor of the place was totally Instagram worthy. if you were to query the staff on which dishes earned them the Michelin awards, they will be quick to tell you that it was awarded for the overall dining experience and that probably includes the impeccable service quality that greeted us the moment we arrived. 
at the staff's recommendation, we ordered some of the restaurant's signature dishes from the ala carte menu, before proceeding to review the dim sum selections. This steamed crab claw with egg white in Hua Tiao sauce is indeed very special. the selection on crab has an abundant portion of flesh, and the egg white with the sauce creates this savoury taste which partners the dish very well. we also went on to find out that the dim sum dishes were also prepared with quality ingredients. 
We heard about Tin Lung Heen specialising in char siew prepared out of Spanish Iberian pork, so we ordered a serving of the steamed rice rolls with Iberian pork and mushrooms. the char siew is very tender and juicy even for Hong Kong standards, allowing each piece of the rice-rolls to be a very easy chew. in the same vein as the cheong fun, we ordered some Phoenix Claws or chicken feet in conpoy with supreme sauce. unlike many other dim sum places, this chicken feet is so well steamed that they can be cleanly licked off the bones. The sauce gives it a unique flavour unlike the sweet and spicy version that's more typical in Hong Kong. 
special mention to this dish of deep fried frog leg with chilli and sauce, we don't see this very often back home and it really tasted like very good, soft fried chicken. it wasn't too spicy, and the sprinkles of diced fried garlic made it very flavourful and not too over-powering after a couple of pieces. maybe we could say it was.. finger licking good. In all, the visit to Tin Lung Heen was a good experience and an eye-opener. if you're visiting Hong Kong and would like to go for some dim sum indulgence, this is certainly the restaurant to visit. 
Tin Lung Heen Level 102, International Commerce Ctr 1 Austin Road West Kowloon, Hong Kong Opening Hours Lunch: 12 pm to 2.30 pm (Mondays to Fridays) 11.30 am to 3 pm (Weekends and Public Holidays) Dinner: 6 pm to 10.30 pm (daily) Authentically Cantonese in a refined atmosphere |
..ThE lEgEnD..
Last Movie: Ad Astra
Golden Village, Singpost Centre 
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