dairy & cream - A Singapore + Japan Food Blog : Eat, Write & Relish

My tastebuds still don't understand why the cakes from M.Koide are rated the best in Tokyo (and most likely Japan). Not because they taste bad--in fact they are excellent--just that I can't perceive any eminent qualities in them.

Patisserie M.Koide topped the Tabelog Sweets Ranking 2016, usurping the throne of Patisserie A Tes Souhaits. But the most amazing thing is that the shop, barely larger than a living room, is camouflaged perfectly in one of the quietest corner in Jiyugaoka. Even with the travellers' best friend GPS, you may still find yourself walking in rounds like a clueless housefly.

There was no queue at all, but you could tell the popularity of the cakes as several items had been set aside (meaning somebody had reserved them). The price isn't very welcoming indeed, with the most affordable Foret Noire at ¥600 in a diminished size. LikeHigemi Sugino andOccitanial, these cakes are predominantly mousse-based and the staff "strongly" advocates customers to takeaway ONLY if the trip takes less than 30min (of course, I had to lie that I was going to consume it immediately, like right outside the shop).

While the Mousse au Chocolat Blanc (top pic) was expectedly very milky and sweet, the white chocolate flavor were not overtly glaring as it was counter checked by a tangy cassis mousse. You may dismiss it as just another typical mousse cake but wait till you give it a shot. There's a kind of unexplainable strength, an invisible force in the silky and light layers. This is what I have not encountered before.

It seemed like the chef takes a very cautious, measured approach to his cakes as the Caramel Opera is a very prim and proper cake that weaved the sweet caramel mousse and bitter dark chocolate seamlessly together. The buttercream melts graciously on the tongue without any trace of grease. The level of sweetness versus bitterness--it all came together perfectly, or perhaps too perfect that it sent shivers down my spine.

The caramel opera seemed too far-fetch for me, something which I can only lust in my dream chambers. My favourite was something closer to my heart, Noisette. It's a 6-layer hazelnut chocolate composition that summoned one's consciousness to the milky reality. There was a resolute-sounding snap as I forked my way through the smooth dark glaze right down to the moist earthy cushion. A cake of chocolate envy.

Everything was just so right. And if I could point out one flaw, it's the feeling that the cakes are too serious.

I need some fun.

エムコイデ（m.koide）

1F Rose Court Jiyugaoka, Okusawa 6-32-9, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

東京都世田谷区奥沢6-32-9 ローズコート自由が丘1F

Wed-Fri 11am-8pm (PH : from 12pm~),

Sat 12pm-8pm /Sun 12pm-7pm

Close on Mon & Tues

So what does one ton noodles sell? Wanton Mee la!

Clever name pun aside, I was curious to try the bright red wanton Mee which I saw many people were ordering. This stall is owned by an old couple and there was a long queue despite the fact that the uncle was actually working through the orders very quickly.

I thought the Wanton Mee ($3/$4) belonged to the tomato-base camp when I noticed the pool of bright red sauce. However, it wasn't too sweet and intense in ketchup when everything was tossed evenly together with the chili sauce.

Instead, it was a very well-balanced plate of flavors, with a satisfying spicy kick and only lingering notes of sweetness. Together with the springy noodles and juicy wantons, this wanton mee was immensely enjoyable, even though I can't yet decide whether it is better than the other wanton Mee stalls at Bendemeer since I've only tried this.

Another option was the Sarawak Kolo Mee ($3.50/$4.50) that was topped with minced meat, char siu and a golden crisp wanton. The curly noodles here might look relatively plain and dry compared to the wanton mee but it had a unique fragrance of the shallot oil. I think I prefer the wanton Mee to the Kolo Mee.

That said, we fully agree that the portion of the mee is really too generous for the price.

No wonder it's call One Ton Mee!

One Ton Mee

Bendemeer Hakwer Center
Unit No #01-09

Walk through the bustling Komachi-dori towards Hachimangu Shrine and one might be too distracted by the shops to notice that there is a beautiful patisserie hidden in one of the back alleys. Patisserie Yukinoshita is a chic and relaxing pastry boutique that offers a good range of petit gateaus and semi-decs.

And did they taste as good as it look? No! They were even more delicious. In fact, I was hit by a sense of deja vu when I saw the cakes. They were too similar and one of them, Tarte Cafe, was almost identical to the Tarte Cafe from Patisserie Jun Ujita. Only after this trip did I find out Chef Ujita used to be the head chef of Patisserie Yukinoshita until he started his own pastry boutique in 2011. Every single facet of this sparkling creation was impeccable. The rich fudgy salted caramel core went well with the full-bodied coffee mousse that rode above the crunchy walnut tart. I can't decide which version as they tasted the same, the same kind of goodness.

The Bonsai (盆栽) wasn't just an average matcha tiramisu. It is a pot of creamy deliciousness with silky mascarpone layered in measured ratios between the moist matcha sponge. Best of all, it received the blessings of Japanese sake which was unleashed from the squirt. Not a gimmicky act, but an elevation towards greater satisfaction.

The Vin Rouge was another piece of undiluted excellence which probably demanded even higher execution techniques. The cassis macaron laid undisturbed at the base, like a piece of national treasure enshrined in a museum. But what shields it from human intervention is not any thick glass walls, but a fine piece of chocolate sable, trimmed to the perfect size.

Spoon through everything and you'll get an orchestra of well-coordinated flavors and textures from the cassis foam to the red-wine infused dark chocolate ganache which complemented the bright, acidic cassis mousse.

Truth to be told, I have been eyeing this place for months since my last visit to Kamakura as it is so rare to come across a good and decent cake shop in these kind of touristy places. Of course there are cafe and bistros but why waste calories on mediocre stuff? The pastries here are refined and deeply considered than many other shops.

Yet the average price only sits at ¥463, with the most expensive cake being the Marron at ¥500. Most importantly, they were more rewarding and pleasurable than the visit to Tokyo No.1 Patisserie M. Koide.

I'll be back again, not here but most probably at it's wooden log house outlet in Sentagaya.

Patisserie Yukinoshita @ Kamakura
〒248-0006 神奈川県鎌倉市小町２丁目７−２７メゾンド雪乃下
Kanagawa ken, Kamakura shi, Komachi 2-7-27
Daily 10am-7pm
Phone:+81 467-61-2270
http://yukinoshita.info/

250g of pork over the rice? Really? 250g?

The crumpled piece of A4 size paper printed with the slogan 男のブタ丼 was hastily shuffled beneath a bowl of very delicious looking Grilled Pork Donburi. But before you start to salivate, you realize it is just part of the troop of plastic food items on display at the counter. It stands out from the other stalls for obvious reasons as you won't find a Fishball noodle stall displaying their "fake" Mee pok tar next to the cashier counter.

Clever marketing tactic, I say. It attracts customers, mostly males (Japanese salarymen) who are keen on such hearty, meaty portions. And as the name might already suggests, this stall is the hawker outlet of the Shabu Shabu Azmaya Restaurant in Robertson Quay.
The menu offers mainly deep-fried katsu rice bowls and curry Teppanyaki rice at a very reasonable average price of $8.

Customers can also customize their own bowls by opting for more egg, cheese, curry....or more meat (probably if you hadn't eaten meat for a month). Even though this is not a vegetarian-friendly place, seafood lovers will not be deprived of options such as Sashimi Don ($8.90) or the Tempura Kaisen Don ($7.90).

I wonder if it is because they know Singaporeans have a soft spot for onsen tamago because all the rice bowls come with a default onsen tamago. Looks good, but whether they serve a purpose or not is another question.

The Buta Don ($9.90) was the most expensive bowl that claimed to feature 250g of grilled pork. Be prepared to wait at least 5 min (as written) for the dish to be ready. I was anticipating thick slabs of juicy pork but these were sadly over-grilled, resulting in an intensive workout on the jaws to tear through the tough and dry pork belly. The meat were generally well-seasoned but it was still necessary to have the teppan sauce over the rice as it made everything more delicious. And thankfully, this sauce was free-flow and self-service at the counter.

Since many people ordering the Karaage Don ($7.90), we went along with the crowd and had it as well. Drizzled in mayonnaise, the golden nuggets were crunchy but slightly greasy. Quite an average bowl without anything impressive--I wished I had KFC popcorn chicken actually.

I prefer the Pork Katsu Toji Set ($8.50), a giant slab of deep-fried pork in bubbly cooked egg and seaweed toppings. I swooned immediately for the egg, only to discover to my horror that it was way too salty. What a pity because the pork katsu was tender and tasty. The best part to me was the slightly charred bread batter of the katsu that stuck to the hot plate and I scraped those yummy parts as diligent as I did for any burnt bits in claypot rice.

Overall, it wasn't as satisfying as expected but what appealed was the ravenous portions that would kept me full till the next meal. Plus the good-for-sharing portions implied that one can save even more dollars when having them with a few friends.

Honestly, I can't think of anywhere else in the CBD area that would serve these items at such a low price point. If you love some quick Yakitori fix with some cold beer, come by in the evening during dinner time when this menu expands to Yakitori and typical izakaya fare such as takoyaki or gyoza.

Yakitori and Teppan Azmaya

Lau Pa Sat Stall 55

Mon-Sat 11.30am-11pm

Closed on Sundays

https://www.facebook.com/azmaya2013/

One of the things in Japan that always amazed me is how the Japanese is able to maximize the limited space for business.

Ichirin is a hole-in-a-wall uni specialty restaurant off the noisy, bustling Shinjuku that seats around 20 pax on the first floor. However, these seats are mainly counter table seats and thus groups of 4 or more will be led to the "private rooms" in the basement via a long deep staircase.

Yet it wasn't as "private" as the two off-shoes tables were merely divided by a curtain. I thought I was about to enter a dark, sleazy bomb shelter but it wasn't the case as the basement had perfect ventilation with well-maintained seats.

Having visited the sister restaurant for the Uni Ramen, I'm curious to try the signature Uni Shabu Shabu, the second weirdest hotpot after the green tea hotpot. There was even a Japanese pictorial guide to show you how to enjoy the pot.

Before shabu-shabu (parboiling) any of the seafood, the raw sea urchin had to be added into the orange broth, followed by the Mizuna and spring onions. The hotpot set is charged by pax at quite an affordable price of ¥1680. You can order the hotpot for 3 pax to be shared with more than 3 persons but there will only be 3 prawns, 3 scallops and fish. Quite stingy, I say but there is always the option to top up any seafood, meat and vegetables.

That said, the broth was sweet and brimming with umami goodness. The flavors were more robust than the green tea hotpot and we had to resist slurping too much to save it for the final 炊飯 stage, in which the staff will collect any remaining soup and prepare hot porridge for everyone. This was my favourite part of the hotpot and it would be perfect to mix an egg with the rice.

However, other Uni speciality dishes did not seem to make a good pitch that night. The Uni Chawanmushi was overcooked and resulted in curdled texture when it should be smooth and silky. Meanwhile, the Uni Gratin (above) was a mighty display of cheese and potato. It was rich, cheesy and creamy but slightly too salty. For non sea-urchin friends, there is plenty on the menu to choose from as this options here are quite extensive, ranging from sushi, salads, seafood and meats such as the smoking hot Salt-Grilled Chicken.

Reservations are highly recommended as it took me several calls before I could snatch up a good timing. If you are a hotpot lover, this place is worth a try regardless whether it is winter or summer.

Ichirin 新宿いちりん

〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿5-12-1

Shinjuku 5-12-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0022

Daily 6pm -11pm

Reservation tel: 050-5797-6626

http://www.ichirin-shinjyuku.jp/

After much anticipation, I have finally got a taste of the works from Hugo & Victor, the luxury Parisian patisserie which has unveiled its first store at the basement floor of Isetan Shinjuku. Started in Paris since 2011, Hugo and Victor is helmed by award-winning pastry chefs Hugues Pouget and Sylvain Blanc (Go google their pictures, they looked as hot as their pastries hehe). The more well-known Chef Hugues was formerly from three Michelin-starred Guy Savoy and his exquisite jewel-shaped chocolates are often the most sought after items in store.

Hugo Chocolat（ユーゴショコラ）」グルテンフリーのビスキュイショコラ、スパイスとライムのガナッシュ、チョコレートクリーム、板チョコレート

It is said that the pastries are categorized into three main flavors-"chocolate, vanilla and caramel", out of which I managed to try only one kind of flavor these time round since there's only limited selection at the tiny outlet. The Hugo Chocolat ¥843 is probably one of the most expensive chocolate pastry I have splurged on but it's worth every yen to taste chocolate of this calibre, even though it might look dull to anyone.

Built on a base of a chewy gluten-free chocolate sponge, the bulk of the gateau composed of ganache infused with three forms of spices and lime that crawled the tastebuds gradually. Every bite was so fudgy and intense, the level that would knock you off your senses. Though I always prefer chocolates in multiple textures, this is another realm of chocolate nirvana that I've grown to enjoy more these days (perhaps it's due to age)

Besides chocolate, it seems that H&V produces excellent tarts (¥605) as well. The Tarte Pamplemousse（タルトパンプルムース) was remarkably crunchy all the way around, brightened with slices of plump juicy grapefruits. Having always possessed a weird obsession with tarts, I could not resist fetching along the Citron Tart, which was sweeter than tart. Stick to the Pamplemousse for the real tart deal.

Compared to those chestnut chouxs by Japanese patisseries, this Monsieur Choux Marron ¥594 was tons less sweet with hums of vanilla against the chestnut flavor. But the real happiness descended upon revealing the secret of this creamy dungeon, a rich square of chestnut ganache.

Overall the pastries are delicious but not too different from those by Japanese patisseries. With the exception of the Hugo Chocolat, the rest are optional treats that you can do with our without depending on your mood of the day.

Perhaps I should indulge in their chocolate truffles next time.

Hugo and Victor
Isetan Shinjuku Main Bldg B1F, 3-14-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
Tokyo
Daily 10.30am-8pm
http://hugovictor.jp/

Not sure how many wanton Mee stalls there are in Old Airport Road Food Center but I managed to try three recently, namely Foon's Thai Recipe, Cho Kee and Hougang Hua Kee. Just as human beings are not born equal, wanton Mee from these stalls are identical as well. Here's a quick run through:

Foon's Thai Recipe: Another Thai stall wanton Mee that sells all-day till 9pm. Price start from $4 for a bowl of wanton Mee. I couldn't remember much from this stall (a sign that it wasn't delicious enough to leave a deep impression) except that the noodles was topped with Chilli flakes. Thai style wanton Mee is typically drier and taste lighter than local wanton Mee so it might not be very accurate to compare it with Cho Kee and Hua Kee.

So if I compare it with Soi 19 Wanton Mee, the noodles are less spicy but the caramelized, char siu (similar to Hua Kee) with tender chewy bites, definitely beats Soi 19. Towards the end, I found some noodles that stuck together like Siamese Twins (I don't mean clumpy) and hopefully, this is just a rare issue that has to do with their noodle supplier.

The daughter was busy cooking and the mother was taking order. However, even though she did not understand that I wanted the Chilli version, she clarified with her daughter and both of them were smiles all the way. It might not be the tastiest wanton Mee stall but it had the best service. Oh yah, and it's the only stall that gives crunchy pork lard bits. More points added.

Cho Kee: it's the stall with the most variety because you can choose from the 8 types of colorful noodles that range from red (tomato) to purple (seaweed). Despite the long historical description at the stall front, Cho Kee seemed to be the most modernized stall and owns an electronic queue system, which seemed under-utilized as there was barely any queue (perhaps more useful for the Whitley Prawn Mee stall a few units away)

I had the beetroot noodles ($3) which came with few wantons and scanty pieces of dry and pale lean char siew. Noodles were springy but a little too greasy. Not much flavors (even more bland than Foon's Thai REcipe) unless you mixed in their chilli, the only taste generator. Thankfully, they don't charge extra for the Chilli even though they charge extra for everything else.

Hougang Hua Kee : the only stall with a consistent queue and the Wanton Mee (from $3.50) had the best flavor amongst the three. It's quite a messy-looking bowl, with chincalok-lookalike Chilli smacked on the chunky pieces of caramelized char siu that had bits of fats. Everything was in the right balance and I did not have to ask for more Chilli even though I harbored that thought at first. It's the only stall that serves yellow-skin dumplings like those from old-school HK Cha Chaan Teng. They are small, compact but chewy and delicious. I enjoyed them as much as the silky ones from Foon's Thai

Generally, the texture of the wanton Mee from Old Airport Road is on par with average standards but I think I prefer the noodles from One Ton Mee at Bendeemer Market.

Hougang Hua Kee Famous Wanton Mee 華記后港祖傳馳名云吞麵

#01-02

11am-11pm (Closed on Mondays)

Foon's Thai Recipe

#01-65

9am-9pm or till sold out (Closed on Mondays)

https://www.facebook.com/Foons-Thai-Recipe-855575974454214/

Cho Kee Noodles曹记

#01-04

Daily 11am-11pm

https://www.facebook.com/chokeenoodle/

Old Airport Road Food Center

Blk 51, Old Airport Road

Sometimes I feel that I am eating the world via Tokyo. In this 24/7 city which loves to eat, the number of international brands from the East or West are increasing exponentially, leaving the Tokyo-ites to be spoilt for choices. AfterBills, Dominique Ansel, Clinton, Ritueland many others, London brunch institution Franze and Evans is one of the latest which has opened its doors in Omotesando Hills. There is a kind of feel-good moment as I stepped inside this warm cosy settings in rustic wooden decor and chic graphic paintings. It makes me want to linger on for a good, relaxing meal without the pressure to hurry.

Breakfast menu here does not the usual full American spread of eggs, bacon or towering pancakes but much simpler. But you won't leave hungry with the fine selection of warm savoury croissants (¥580) stuffed with bacon scrambled eggs or tomato Mozarella. The croissants offered a sharp crackly bite and are darn flaky, albeit slightly too loud that would arouse your neighbour's attention. There are plenty of Mediterranean -inspired cold deli items but those don't call out to me during wintry seasons.

Other made to order all-day plates include Granola (¥880) and French Toast (¥1280), the latter which was criminally sweet and rich being drenched in dark maltose brown syrup and topped with caramelized bananas . It had a very fine custardy texture that weren't exactly porous to soak up the syrup which is a good thing since sugar was unnecessarily.

But I think the full spread of cakes and pastries are the best things for those who love (or need) something sweet to start the day. Don't expect those light mousse Japanese cakes here as these are the typically dense Victorian-style cakes. But not all as promising as they looked. The slice Salted Caramel Banana Loaf (¥700) crowned with cream cheese frosting was sapped of the moisture despite looking like a potential winner.

I prefer the signature Pavlova even though most people would rant incessantly of its sweetness. The cream is fairy airy and light, to the point of non-existence against the crunchy meringue. It's the best pavlova that I've come across in my life and I never knew pavlova could be so lovable.

There is also some cold deli selection like quinoa salad or grab-to-go salads but I'm still an old Chinese who prefer to start the day with food that is warm or at least at room temperature. There is plenty of spaces without a huge noisy crowd (yet). I left the place with a fully satisfied belly and here is another perfect spot to add to my breakfast list in Tokyo.

Franze and Evans Omotesando

Japan, 〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya, Jingumae, 4 Chome−9, 1F

Mon-Fri 9am-9pm

Sat 10am-9pm

Sun/PH 10am-8pm

http://www.baycrews.co.jp/brand/franze-evans/

The last time I ate a curry chicken Mee was probably an instant noodle version. It isn't a dish that I would usually order at hawker centers. In the first place, there is very few stalls which sell this dish. Hence, it caught my attention to see two stalls selling curry chicken Bee Hoon Mee at Hong Lim Food Centre. And they are located right above each other!

I was deliberating which stall to try as both seemed to be highly recommended by the media, judging at the no. of posters and newspapers clippings displayed at both stalls. Heng Kee at 1F seemed like the more popular stall as its queue was longer (yet moving at a far slower rate) than that of Ah Heng on 2F. What to do? Try both lor!

In terms of portion, Heng Kee wins even though the smallest bowl here is $5 vs the $4.50 bowl from Ah Heng. Heng Kee's bowl was flourishing with plenty of toppings including chunky chicken drumstick, tau pok and salty fish cakes. On the other hand, Ah Heng's bowl was quite deserted with no more than two slices of chicken breast meat, tau pok and fish cakes.

However, we prefer Ah Heng's bowl as the curry flavor was more potent and robust, beefed up by the sambal chilli that had a punchy Hae Bee taste. Heng Kee's curry had a creamier mouthfeel and milkier taste. Its silky, greasy texture coated the throat smoothly, which is not necessarily a bad thing for those who like curry with a higher ratio of coconut milk. Even though Heng Kee's sambal chilli came like a scarce commodity (limited to one serving per order), I did not find it any special and it was more like a pool of chilli oil than chilli.

Eventually, I found myself slurping up more curry from Ah Heng's bowl and I won't mind going back for it again.

Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee 亚王咖喱鸡米粉面

#02-58/59, Hong Lim Food Center

531A, Upper Cross Street

Mon-Fri 10am-9pm

Sat/Sun/PH 8am-9pm

Heng Kee Curry Chicken Noodles兴记咖喱鸡米粉面

#01-58, Hong Lim Food Center

531A, Upper Cross Street

Mon-Sat 11am-3pm

Closed on Sun

You must have heard about it by now.

BAKE, the legendary cheese tart shop from Japan will open its flagship store @ ION Orchard tomorrow, 29th April. Looks like there is going to be a fierce cheese tart war in Singapore as local competitors like Antoinette, Prima Deli and BreadTalk have already entered the hot cheese scene with their own versions of cheese tarts!

But I guess nothing can be compared to BAKE, the godfather of this cheese tart, which constantly attract a long stream of customers to queue at any of its domestic or overseas outlets.

Made with three types of cream cheese (2 from Hokkaido and 1 from France), the cheese mousse filling sits in a twice-baked dark golden brown cookie shell. Being committed to ensure consistent quality and perfect standards, the tarts are produced in the Sapporo central kitchen and flown in every two weeks. So now you know why they are more expensive than the ¥200(~$2.40) ones from their outlets in Japan.

That said, do you know that these crazily popular tarts are actually born in Singapore?

The chain's president Shintaro Naganuna shared the story of how the cheese tart was born when Kinotoya, the popular Sapporo confectionery run by his family, was invited to participate in Meidi-ya's Hokkaido Fair at Liang Court. The shortage of paper boxes inspired Mr. Naganuma to bake the originally chilled blueberry cheese tarts in the oven and serving them warm instead, which unexpectedly became a major hit with customers in Singapore. So when he returned to Sapporo, the shop started retailing baked cheese tarts and the cheese fever was sparked ever since then.

As I have written before, these cheese tarts are not molten like lava. But this doesn't make them any less delicious than those flowy pastries what most Singaporeans get hyper over. They are light, yet creamy. If you leave them in room temperature, you can hear the "tsk""tsk" sound as you press the filling gently, just like air sacs being compressed.

However, I won't claim that it's THE perfect cheese tart, because everyone has their own standards and definition of one. Just like Pierre Herme's macarons or Lord Stow's portugese egg tarts, some people love them some people don't. In fact, I have quite a rocky love relationship with BAKE Cheese Tart.

My first BAKE Cheese tart was bought from the Shinjuku outlet. I toasted it up in my little flat and really enjoyed the rich buttery taste of the pastry. The cheese filling achieved a good balance, neither too sharp nor too sweet. You can read here to see how crazy I was about BAKE back in 2014. BUT during my revisit to the Jiyugaoka outlet with my family, both the tart and the cheese were disappointingly too sweet.

And now back in Singapore, I reunited again with this cheese tart. With such a humidity environment in Singapore, I wasn't surprise to feel the "dampness" of the pastry shell after leaving them a night in the fridge. The golden coloration given by the brush of egg wash was not consistently observed in every tart. So the key was to resuscitate the tarts by reheating them in my oven. The texture was just as crumbly as what I had the first time and the sweetness was under control. Delicious.

Hence, I highly recommend you to consume it when it is piping hot, straight out from the oven unless you don't mind softened pastry crust. (Don't worry you won't get a cat's tongue) However, the flipside of consuming it warm is that the cheese flavour will not be as intense as when it is chilled.

So I shall leave it to you to make your own judgement whether it is the perfect or best cheese tart ever in your life. After all, there must be some reason for its unwavering since 2011.

Flagship store @ ION Orchard opens tomorrow, April 29. BAKE Cheese Tarts are sold at $3.50 per pc / $19.50 for a box of 6

BAKE Inc

ION Orchard, #B4-33, 2 Orchard Turn

Modernization has taken many of the districts in Tokyo by full force but suburbs like Azabu Juban still retains the old neighborhood charm with shops of more than 100 years in history. Shiroikuro does not belong to that category being opened only in 2012, but neither is it the hipsterish cafe we know of.

Embracing the concept of black and white, Shiroikuro is a minimalistic cafe that sells everything to do with Kuromame (黒豆). It was renovated from an old shop house and opened in late 2012, fusing the elements of traditional Wagashi (和菓子) confectionary house and cafe as one.

The signature item is none other than the Kuromame Shio Daifuku (黒豆塩大福, 200 yen) available only in limited quantities. Wrapped within the soft, elastic skin was a beautiful ball of red bean paste that was not overly sweet. The salt cut through the hand-kneaded glutinous rice skin in a less aggressive manner than what fleur de sel would usually do in caramel. It's a more graceful balance, I say, that makes it a joy to savour with the mellow black bean tea.

Another must try is the black bean rolls which are both terrific in their own ways. The white sponge roll tasted stronger on the black bean as it is wrapped around luscious black bean cream but the black roll is the ultimate wild card. No one expected the cream to be so pleasantly tangy, a refreshing contrast from the serious looks of the cake. I was lucky to chance upon the black bean chocolate cake at ¥200 for a slice. It's ugly and bitter, but that's the way I liked it to be.

Perfect with the Cappucino that is also prepared by the lady shop owner who runs the shop and does all the pastries. Superwoman, I say.

I don't recommend big groups because this is not like the usual cafe for gatherings and chit chat. There is no background music or whatsoever. It's pretty silent, albeit rather somber. Two person is fine but one is the best.

Shiroikuro しろいくろ
2 Chome-8-1 Azabujuban, Minato, Tokyo 106-0045, Japan
10am-6pm (Closed on Mondays)
https://shiroikuro.stores.jp/

Thanks to the recommendation by Derrick, I finally made my way down to Foch Road not for Kok Kee Wanton Mee or Pig Organ Soup, but to taste what some people name as the "best roasted meat" in town.

The queue on a Sunday afternoon wasn't as bad as I thought (in fact, I was lucky that I didn't have to queue at all). Listed on the signboard were typical offerings like roasted meat rice or roasted duck noodles but all I wanted to try was the Sio Bak and Char Siu. Hence, I ordered a plate of mixed Sio Bak and Char Siu which is prepared according to the number of pax ($15 for 3 pax)

However, I couldn't decide when Uncle asked if I wanted to have fatty or leaner cut. He recommended the fatty cut and so I went for half fatty and half lean. But I soon regretted this decision as it was too fatty. After all, lean Sio Bak already has a fair portion of fats. In the end, it was quite a waste to eliminate the fatty parts from the plate and everyone was aiming for the lean cuts.

The lean Sio Bak was perfect with a golden crackling that truly produced the amazing "crunch" sound as you bite into it. I was surprised that caramelized charsiew was fork tender and easily pull-apart like those pork ribs that have been braised for hours. The glaze was sweet and went with rice.

Next time, I will definitely order a plate of lean Sio Bak and char siew all for myself. No sharing please.

Hong Kong 88 Roast Meat Specialist
30 Foch Rd, 209276
10.30am to 9.45pm daily, closed on Mondays on alternate week

Another new bread shop? Yes, but this shop does not sell French baguettes nor any artisan breads. It sells Chinese steamed baos aka mantous, done with a creative twist.

After dinner at Suntec with the family, I walked past a newly opened shop that caught my attention for its colorful baos that are made with natural ingredients and no artificial coloring. Besides buns, the cafe also sells soups and sliced cakes. The shop looked like it just opened for a few days as there were many congratulatory bouquets around the shop. After sampling the Yam bun given by the friendly staff, we decided to pick more to try for breakfast.

They are soft, but not to the extent of classic white Cantonese baos. In fact, they reminded me of the steamed buns (chuka-man 中華饅) sold in the Japan's convenience stores; the texture is very refined yet compact.

At $1.90 each, they come in assorted flavors and eye-catching looks. The Fruit Cheese is a bamboo charcoal bun filled with green apples cubes, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. The description sounded good but there were too little cream cheese and the filling did not meld well together with the buns. It ended up like a crunchy dried fruit bun instead.

The Dark Brown Sugar bun is another ambitious creation by combining melon seeds to peanut butter. This idea is highly original but the crunchy melon seeds seemed redundant as the peanut butter were already quite gritty and sandy in the first place. The salty peanut butter filling was yummy even though I was expecting a stronger dark brown sugar taste.

The Banana Chocolate bun is somewhat closer to what we are familiar with as it has the predictable gooey chocolate filling. Interestingly, the skin is made with CARROT and not banana.

There's a few savoury buns too and the Sambal which I tried, was a good one. It was filled with onions, ikan billis and sambal chilli that had an addictive spicy kick. My heart gravitated towards this orange bun even though I would usually prefer those with sweet fillings as it boasted a very sharp Assam tang.

Currently, my favourite buns in the sweet category are the Yam Bun and Sweet Potato Bun as both are moist and not cloying. It is highly recommended that you steam the buns at home for 10min before consumption. Otherwise, they also sell steaming hot buns from the multi-decked steam bao warmer (those that you see in traditional bao shops).

Overall, the concept is interesting but I would prefer if the buns contained more filling. Since they are in the early stage of opening, I look forward to return again to try other unique mantou from this shop.

Just Dough @ Suntec City

#B1-169/170, 03 Temasek Boulevard

Mon-Fri 8am-10pm

Sat/Sun/PH 10am-10pm

https://www.facebook.com/justdough/

Finally checked out this hipsterish food court which felt like a backstreet garage with neon red lightings and liberal graffiti wall prints. The price and type of food sold here (mainly burgers, sandwiches, rice bowls, meats) reminded me of gourmet food trucks that are based permanently in a location.

Contrary to the positive reviews I've heard, the sushi rolls from Rollie Ollie were mediocre and pricy. The Heat Wave ($14.95) did not trigger any spicy wave at all and the rice was dry. The Don Amigos ($14.95), an unagi roll with cheese, cod roe and cucumber, was better in terms of flavors but it's difficult to satisfy any unagi craving with the thin, flat servings.

I became excited by the words "Salted Egg Mayo" when I read the description of Buttermilk Chicken Burger ($9.90) on Wolf Burger's menu board. The dark browned chicken looked temptingly delicious but it seemed to be deep-fried for too long, resulting in a super crunchy but somewhat dry, chewy texture. The flavor of salted egg was not intense either.

From Sarnies, the highly raved Beef Pastrami ($11.90) is nowhere near those NY deli-style
pastrami sandwiches which come with a towering heap of peppery sliced meat. Some cuts are quite fatty, thankfully there were some sourish pickles and saukeraut to tease the tastebuds. I can't seem to enjoy this as much as the tuna melt sandwich ($6.90), though I won't have ordered this if I had known about the meagre portions.

For those looking for a fuller meal, just prepared to fork out more from the wallet. The food seemed to be more misses than hits so far, but it's still too early to call a conclusion since I've only tried 3 stalls, oops nope, 4 stalls including the salad bowl from Pimp My Salad.

Pasarbella @ Suntec City

NorthWing #01-455, 3 Temasek Blvd, 038983 (Nearer to Tower 1 and 2)

10am-10pm daily

*Sarnies Coffee is opened from 8am*

http://pasarbella.com/

There are those standard type of waffles which you eat with ice cream or copious amount of whipped cream and fruits in cafes and restaurants.

Then there’s the Liège waffle. This is the people’s waffle, the waffle that’s sold for less than 200 yen on the street and warmly wrapped in a slip of waxy paper to eat on the go. Besides Mr.Waffles in Shinjuku, my next favourite waffle place-to-go is this German franchise that has many outlets in Japan.

You will most likely be spoilt for choices as there are monthly/seasonal flavors such as custard chocolate, orange or uji matcha.

It's small and chunky with deep wide pockets that make it easy to tear off chunks of the pillowy dough to pop into your mouth. The aroma that wafted from this store is as
insanely addictive as those from Mr.Waffles. Stick to the waffles and skip Manneken's waffle-witch, which has lost its essential character and taste not quite different from a doughy pancake with cream

Manneken

Outlets all over Japan, including Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Shiga

https://www.manneken.co.jp

It feels good to come back to Bukit Timah after so long for an old girls catch up. But the scene has changed here with so many new F&B outlets, one of which is Atlas Coffeehouse that is opened by the same duo behind the now defunct Assembly Coffee.

I was keen to try the food here after hearing raving reviews from many foodie friends. The one-page food menu is short and concise, with about half devoted to savoury and the rest to sweets. Perhaps the dish that appeared most often on the Instagram feed was the Atlas Butterscotch Banana Pancake ($18.50), a UFO-sized pancake dome topped with caramelized bananas and homemade butterscotch and honeycomb syrup.

It was indeed a sight to behold, as no cafes in Singapore has ever done it this way. It's like a soft, pillowy butter cake that become dense and moist as it gradually soaks up the honey and melted ice cream pretty well. It's sinfully sweet indeed (some might surrender) but makes a deserving weekend indulgence especially with the crunchy cornflakes. Stuffed though I am, I could not stop eating.

The Creamy Mushrooms on Sourdough with Scrambled Eggs ($17) would be a safe and sound option for those craving for savoury dishes. The eggs were executed well but the flavors were quite flat for the mushrooms. Perhaps some herbs or a more generous amount of Parmesan Cheese would do the trick.

That said, I was bowled over by their all-time popular buttermilk waffles; crunchy on the edges and tender on the inside. I had the Mixed Berries Compote ($13.50), which sufficiently tangy to tame the wildly sweet vanilla ice cream but I shall try the Earl Grey Caramel next time.

Add that with a cuppa hot chocolate.

Atlas Coffeehouse

6 Duke's Rd, Singapore 268886

8am-7pm

Closed on Mondays

https://www.facebook.com/atlascoffeehouse/

Very often, we travel all over the sunny island or fly overseas in search of the most delicious food in the world without realizing that the tastiest ones lie in our own backyard.

HK Street Chun Kee @ Blk 151 AMK is simply a 10-minutes walk away from my house but I have never visited this outlet after since the branch at Upp. Thomson Road closed down. I've only remember it for its San Lou Hor Fun but my mum and aunties are loyal customers of their Fish Head Bee Hoon Soup. Finally, we decided to hop over here for a simple Mother's Day lunch instead of patronizing any Chinese restaurants or other zichar stall.

Sometimes I find myself a picky eater but my mum and my dad are actually stricter food critics than me. And being a fish lover myself, I was curious to try the XO fish head bee hoon soup, which indeed was as wholesome and delicious as what my mum had described. The smallest bowl at $6 (medium $10/ large $13) was good enough for sharing between two average eaters and my family of four shared the fish head and fish slice version.

If you fuss over the bony parts, head for the XO fish slice bee hoon soup as you get chunky of fresh, tender fish slices submerged in a milky broth.

I have a soft spot for milky broth (regardless whether they add milk or if the color comes from long hours of boiling the fish bones) and that is why I always love fish head bee hoon soup. The broth is cleaner and more robust than the 881 XO fish bee hoon soup, without any alien particles to interfere the taste.

If you can take chili padi, throw some into your soup and let it simmer. I loved the burning heat that tinged my tongue as I slurped the soup gleefully with the thin bee hoon. Yes, I know this doesn't make sense to many loyal fans of thick bee hoon but thin bee hoon, in my and my mum's perspective, works best as it soaks up the essence of the soup like spongebob squarepants swimming in the ocean. It didn't reek too much of the XO but you can always add on more XO at an extra $2.

We also had the stir fried kai lan which was plain salty and greasy. Skip that. But the Har Cheong Kai ($10) was a gem uncovered by accident. These golden prawn paste wings were shatteringly crunchy on the thin crust without being tasteless and dry on the inside. A sign of good marinade that did not border on over-saltiness. This would definitely fit into the menu for late night supper hunters.

The Chestnut Tofu Beancurd ($10) was another dark horse that did not tempt me at all. So I did a silly mistake of not touching it until the last piece as everyone was too stuffed for more. The crust turned out to so thin and crunchy, no hints of sogginess or doughy-ness which is a common issue in fish-and-chips batter.

Don't forget to dip that in the cheap-quality mayonnaise, most likely from those kind from the blue brand containers which some western hawker stalls also used. Cheap in taste but doesn't mean it's not delicious. I like this kind of sweet, old-school mayo.

And that to me, is a good blob of fat.

Note: there are two HK street zhen ji in AMK. The other one is at Blk 158. This stall is housed in the same kopitiam as Soi 19 Wanton Mee

Hong Kong Street Zhen Ji

Blk 151, Ang Mo Kio Ave 5 Singapore 560157

11am-2pm, 5pm-11pm

What? Burgers for $7?!

My jaws dropped wide open when I read that the gourmet burgers from the hippest London burger joint, Meatliquor SIN, will be going for $7 instead of the usual $20+ during lunch. This is even more affordable than an $8 Donburi from Lau Pa Sat and the same as the cheapest salad in CBD area.

To celebrate MeatliquorSIN's lunch opening every single day of the week, the burgers are going at $7 for 7days during lunch starting 16 May to 22 May (next Mon-Sun). This means that even if you can't run to Meatliquor Sin during weekdays, you can still do it during weekends. This is the golden opportunity to make a trip down because the burgers can cost up to $24.

I was expecting the burgers to be as loud and wild as the swanky neon-red spaces here but they turned out to be otherwise. Unlike those monstrous burgers featured in American food shows like Man vs. Food, the burgers were pretty conservative and tame.

The Dead Hippie (up to $22++), comprising of double 100% prime beef mustard-fried patties and house-made ‘secret recipe’ Dead Hippie sauce were soft and juicy but wasn't as formidable as its name suggested. I could not discern a big taste difference between these "mustard-fried" patties and usual ones.

The Buffalo Chicken Burger (up to $20++) triggered more intense salivation with the hot pepper sauce and blue cheese sauce dripping from the edges. While some felt that the protein was masked by the deluge of sauces, I could still taste the meat as it was chunky yet moist and tender. However, the Ginger Chilli Fish Burger (up to $19++), a Singaporean spin on the burgers, was rather muted in the ginger chilli flavor but a good thing is that it relied the least on sauces. Perhaps it's better to head to a chicken rice stall if you are craving for good ginger chilli.

It'll be quite lonely to have the burgers without the sides like Chilli Cheese Fries or onion rings. In fact, those that we tried were even tastier than the burgers. The Shambal Fries ($10++) a strangely moreish plate of chewy, non-crispy fries beneath a sludge of sweet sambal sauce, fried egg, crispy shallots that tasted like NASI LEMAK. Perfect if the egg was runny instead of fully-cooked and added with some ikan bilis for crunchy bites.

The Wedge Salad ($15++) was our table's unanimous favourite. The plate of iceberg lettuce, crispy bacon, cherry tomatoes, crispy onions, ranch dressing and blue cheese was already winning formula and the only reason I can figure out why some may not like this is the blue cheese. Even then, the blue cheese here was not pungent at all.

While I know burgers here may not be the cheapest in Singapore, I still think it's a super great bargain for this limited period of time. After this $7 for 7 days promotion, value lunch sets at $15 (burger + drink) will be launched.

So if you haven't try the burgers from this first overseas outpost of Meatliquor SIN, it's the ripe time to do so.

Meatliquor SIN

99 Duxton Rd, 089543

Sun-Thur 11.30am-2.30pm, 5pm-11pm

Fri-Sat 11.30am-2.30pm, 5pm-1am

http://meatliquor.com/singapore/

Situated on the 33rd floor of The Westin Singapore, Cook & Brew is devoted to serving classic pub food and modern renditions of European fare, of which some of done with a local twist. From the beginning of May, it has launched a highly attractive 2-set lunch and 3-set dinner menu which is great for business dining or special occasions especially when it comes with the exhilarating view of the Marina Bay skyline.

Some of the highlights from the starters include this Heirloom Tomatoes and Plums, which tasted like a very light and sweet fruit salad. The buttermilk and gorgozonla cheese dressing was very subtle and did not overpower the natural umami of tomatoes. I thought the addition of sweet and crunchy pecan brittle was a very clever move as it enhanced both the texture and flavor.

The Whipped Buffalo Milk Ricotta ($14++ from ala carte menu) might not be part of the set menu but definitely was one of the best dishes that day. The combination of neutral Ricotta and truffled honey is simply irresistible and needless to say, work like the best spread in this world on humble grilled bread.

Of the four mains available for the dinner set menu, I tried three and my favourite was the Potato and Smoked Cheddar Perogies. Perogies are traditional Polish that looked exactly like pan-fried gyoza except that they are stuffed with potato and cheese. The filling was closer to a soft mash potato rather than cream, which made them a wonderful match to the bed of cabbage cream, confit shallots and charred brocollis.

The Black Cod was a good catch as the flavors were fresh and clean, with roasted red pepper and pimento that imparted caramelized sweetness to the light seafood broth at the base. The Chicken Parm, a deep-fried breaded chicken fillet, did not fall below expectations but neither did the flavors stand out from a standard chicken cutlet in other western restaurants.

Most restaurants tend to overlook desserts especially when they are part of a set course but not here. I was surprised to see as many as eight layers for the Homemade Raspberry Chocolate Layers cake which was sat below the tangy scoop of Raspberry Sorbet. The cake was soft without being too sweet or dry but as a chocolate person, I couldn't be happier to have the Bailey's Cake with homemade Coffee and Whiskey Ice cream. The chocolate cake was nowhere near a brownie but yet executing intense bitterness in the moist layers. In fact, I was very impressed that the kitchen churned out such good quality creamy ice cream as even the simple scoop of rum-and-raisin ice cream alone could trigger deep satisfaction.

That said, I think it would not be a completed trip without having the Smoked bacon caramel chocolate bar ($13++ from ala carte menu). It encompassed all the necessary qualities of a knock-out chocolate candy bar (think Snickers and Mars fusion + dates and hazelnuts) that lure you back for second bites even as you grumble that it is way too rich. All thanks to the magical touch of savouriness from the sprinkles of sea salt and the chewy smoked bacon.

2-course set lunch is priced at $35++ and 3-course set dinner is priced at $55++. Pick your choice from the selected starters, mains and desserts.

Cook and Brew

Level 33, The Westin Singapore

12 Marina View, Asia Square Tower 2, Singapore 018961

Mon to Thurs 11:00-24:00

Friday 11:00-25:00

Saturday 17:00-24:00

http://www.cookandbrewsingapore.com/

Finally, the day has come when Isetan Scotts Supermarket fully reopens after months of renovation. Besides the three new additions (Johan Paris, Matsuzo Potato and Chateraise) mentioned in the previous post, the grocery section has now been completely makeover and elevates the shopping experience to a whole new level.

In fact, the supermarket has hired top design companies from Tokyo, NONSCALE and SEMBA, to transform the space into one that exudes clean design aesthetics and the vibe of a luxury kitchen. As I walked around, I noticed that there is not only wider walkways but also brighter, natural lightings with a clear organization and display of products. In addition, there is now a centralized area dedicated to seasonal and regional food fairs like Kyushu Food Fair or Okayama food fair whereas in the past when temporary pop-up booths are located in many pockets of the basement market. .

The new Food Theatre Concept offers a multi sensory shopping experience to shoppers and reinforces its leading position in Singapore as a place that delivers Japanese produce and cooked food of the freshest and superior quality.

Here is a quick run through at some of the highlights:

Kitchen Stage: A place where there will be food demonstrations and sampling of new products. The most practical way to see if you like certain product before you buy it.

Hirashima Suisan
There is now a larger variety of sushi than before, with an open kitchen where you can view how the seafood and sushi are being prepared. And the good news is that you can also enjoy the sushi at Kake-uchi Sake Bar

Mangetsu Eggs
Meaning "full moon" in Japanese, these eggs with bright orange egg yolks are the perfect stuff to go with rice. Exclusively imported by Isetan and only available at Isetan

Hokkaido Beef, another source of premium beef imported from Tokaido, Hokkaido, that adds to the existing selection of Wagyu Beef from Kagoshima

Rice Polishing Service
I was surprised to see this self-service machine which polishes brown rice (genmai) with husks into white rice. It's also rare to find this in most supermarkets in Japan. Would love to use this machine one day myself!

Kake-uchi Sake Bar

Wind down a day's work with some premium sake and bites from the sake bar menu which changes every fortnight. Featured brands are popular brands in Japan and come from different prefectures all over Japan. Wait a second, did I spot some customers having piping hot curry rice here as well?:)

Opening Hours: From Sunday to Thursday, 10am-9pm, Friday, Saturday and eve of Public holiday from 10am to 9.30pm with the last order at 9pm

Dashi Bar
Dashi means "broth" or the soup stock which Chinese commonly refers to. This is another dine-in corner where you can enjoy udon, soba and miso soup at an affordable price.

Yaoya Fruit Juice Bar
This is produced by Chef Masahiro Takada, owner chef of Restaurant Takada in Singapore. Customize your toppings for the refreshing frozen yoghurt or simply get a freshly squeezed fruit juice. Highly recommended by the guy here is carrots and strawberries because they are specially air flown from Japan

Last but not least, there is an increased number of products imported from Japan. From seasonal snacks like Sakura sweets to all sorts of Japanese condiments and ingredients for your daily cooking, not to forget the ice cream section where you can now catch all sorts of Japanese brands ice cream that are not available elsewhere in Singapore.

Time to stock up your kitchen with these exclusive Japanese product offerings at Isetan Scotts supermarket.

Isetan Scotts Supermarket

Sun-Thur 10am-9pm

Fri/Sat/eve of PH 10am-9.30pm

Tel 6733-1111

https://www.isetan.com.sg

M. Koide : No. 1 Patisserie on Tabelog Sweets Ranking 2016

One Ton Mee @ Bendeemer Hawker

Patisserie Yukinoshita 雪乃下 @ Kamakura Japan

Yakitori and Teppan Azmaya @ Lau Pa Sat : Mega Buta-Don and More!

Ichirin @ Shinjuku 新宿いちりん : Uni Shabu Shabu and more Uni

Hugo and Victor : Paris Chocolate Treats Now in Tokyo

Hougang Hua Kee vs. Foon's Thai Recipe vs. Cho Kee Noodles @ Old Airport Road Food Center

Franze and Evans Tokyo : London's Trendy Brunch

Ah Heng vs Heng Kee Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee @ Hong Lim Food Centre

BAKE Cheese Tart Opens @ ION Orchard : They were Born in Singapore?

Shiroikuro しろいくろ @ Azabu Juban Tokyo : Black vs White

Hong Kong 88 Roast Meat Specialist @ Foch Road

Just Dough @ Suntec City: New Bakery that sells Steamed Baos and Mantou

Pasarbella @ Suntec City : Rollie Ollie, WOLF Burgers, Sarnies

Manneken in Tokyo : Excellent Liege Waffles On the Go

Atlas Coffeehouse @ Bukit Timah : Delicious Pancakes and Waffes

Hong Kong Street Zhen Ji @ Blk 151 Ang Mo Kio

Meatliquor SIN : $7 BURGERS for 7 DAYS

Cook & Brew @ The Westin Singapore: NEW Set Lunch and Dinner

Isetan Scotts Supermarket Fully Reopens with NEW Food Theatre Concept