Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice - Tiong Bahru

Old estate Tiong Bahru has found its new life with cafes and restaurants springing out one after another in recent years. However, these new eating choices are no match for Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice in terms of popularity. Operating in Tiong Bahru since 1946, you can always expect to see people queueing at Loo's, eagerly waiting for their turn to get their hands on the curry rice and the side dishes.

The curry is not that spicy that one would prefer, but it does form a nice combination when soaked into the rice, releasing mild fragrance of curry flavour at each mouthful. The chap chye is cooked until soft with vermicelli. This dish is simple, yet simply good. As in life, it is often best to keep it simple. The pork chop is one of the best selling dish and you can find it at most tables. Using cream crackers, the skin of fried pork chop is crispy. The meat is juicy and sweetened with the accompanying tomato gravy. For me, the best dish is the curry sotongs (squids). The sotongs used are huge, forming the big round rings when cut. The texture is very chewy, indicating the freshness, and blended well with the flavourful curry which is understood to take 3 days for preparation.

Budget : $

Rating : 8.5 / 10

Lao San Kway Chap - Ang Mo Kio

I have been to Mellben Seafood a couple of times, but never once realized that Lao San Kway Chap (老三棵汁。猪什汤) is actually in the same block. When eating kway chap, the kway typically does not get much attention as compared to the braised pig's parts and accompanying side dishes. However, at Lao San, I was in fact quite impressed by the kway. The warm kway is translucent and silky, with the thin broth well enhanced by bits of fried garlic and garlic oil. The braising sauce used for the combination of the pig intestines, pig skin and tau pok, is having the right balance of savouriness and saltiness.

Lao San is fighting its way to be among my top favourite kwap chap stalls.

Budget : $

Rating : 9 / 10

in ITALY Bar Ristorante - Tanjong Pagar

Helming the kitchen of in ITALY is Chef Mario, who is previously the Chef Patron of Forlino restaurant. Representing Singapore, he has won the 2nd spot in the Pasta World Championship 2013. On the menu is the variant of this award-winning dish: Chilled Spaghettini. This homemade pasta is generously topped with tomato and tobiko (flying fish roe), which nicely bring out the sweetness of the Mediterranean prawns. Never know the Mediterranean prawns can be so sweet! Also worth mentioning is the Squid Ink Tonnarelli. For those who are concerned with squid ink pasta creating unsightly mess on your teeth, don't worry. The squid ink has infused nicely into the pasta and does not even leave any stain on the plate. The Shiro boston lobster that the Chef uses is really fresh, which you can tell from the firm texture. The combination of broccoli, tomato, garlic and chilli further enhances the taste of this dish.

I also tried the Beef Carpaccio, Rucola (salad), Cozze e Vongole (mussels and clams in white wine), Ciuppin (seafood soup), Orecchiette Barilla (pasta with mushroom and ham). These are all good demonstration of the Chef's culinary prowess.

Budget : $ $ $

Rating : 8.5 / 10

Bugis Street Chuen Chuen - Bugis

Continuing my search of good food in Bugis area (but not inside the shopping malls), I had my lunch at Bugis Street Chuen Chuen. Singapore has many good chicken rice stalls, and this place is definitely one of them. Though not the best, the nice chicken, chilli and even the soup have won Chuen Chuen many recognitions.

Chuen Chuen used to have an outlet at Longhouse. Believe many of you know that Longhouse has been closed down for redevelopment.

Budget : $

Rating : 7.5 / 10

SMH Charcoal Salted Egg Custard Pau and Chilli Crab Pau

Liu Sha Bao (流沙包) has gained so much support in recent years that it has become an standard item in most Dim Sum places. The concept of fried mantou dipping into sweet and savoury chilli-cum-tomato chilli crab sauce was introduced in the late 1980s still remain very well-liked by many. Capitalizing on the popularity of these two, SMH has recently launched Charcoal Salted Egg Custard Pau and Chilli Crab Pau, in frozen packaging form.

The filling of Charcoal Salted Egg Custard Pau tastes nice, however the amount is too little in my standard and it is a little bit too dry, hence does not ooze as one would expect. The Chilli Crab Pau, on other hand, carries spicy punch but is lacking the sweetness of the usual chilli crab sauce. In the terms of texture, I cannot really detect any crab meat in the red-coloured filling, though the ingredients did state the presence of crab meat, together with cuttlefish and prawn. Maybe, they are all minced together. Also interestingly, the nutritional labels of these two are showing zero trans fat and zero cholesterol. Zero cholesterol for Chilli Crab Pau? I wonder how this could be possible.

Given a choice, I will still go out to get the freshly prepared ones (I typically don't like packaged food to start with). Having said that, it is also not a bad idea to have some frozen ones at home to satisfy any sudden craving.

Rating : 6 / 10

QQ Noodle House - Bugis

Originating from Sarawak Malaysia, QQ House Specialty in the dry noodles version resembles very much like the wantan mee. What sets the difference is the noodles itself, which has a nice chewy texture and avoids ghee taste typically found in yellow noodles. Revealed on the wall is the reason why - the noodles are made from the freshest eggs and flour. Wait, freshest eggs? I tried to peek into the kitchen but failed to see or hear any live chickens inside...maybe they are sleeping in a corner.

Though did not really like the meatballs, the QQ House Specialty noodles was still considered tasty overall. Note that the serving is small, and you have the option to add noodle with extra cost.  Also tried the Fried QQ Noodles, which is more savoury, but a little bit salty.

This place also serves a number of zi char dishes. Happy with the Fried La La, which come with the broth that was spiced up with chilli padi and spring onion. Missed out the Wu Xiang which I understood to be highly recommended - will order to try if I go back again

Budget : $ $

Rating : 7 / 10

928 Ngee Fou Restaurant (Hakka) Ampang Yong Tau Fou - Upper Thomson

Unlike the typical yong tau foo stalls in hawker centres and food courts where you can arm yourself with a bowl and a pair of tongs to select the pieces, followed by the type of noodles and then dry or soup, all you need to do here is to report the number of people in your gang and wait for your turn to be served. Tucked away on the far north end of Upper Thomas Road, this place originated from Ampang Kuala Lumpur since 1970s is no stranger to many due to extensive coverage by the media.

The essence of the yong tau foo here is the tasty braising gravy, understood to contain roasted garlic, salted fish and ground fish powder, that harmonies with the ingredients, consisting of fried beancurd skin, fish balls, fried dumplings, quail eggs, fish paste filled bittergourd, ladyfingers, eggplant, kang kong and fried tofu and goes well with the steamed rice.

Good food is usually sinful food. But not here. Though there are several fried stuff, the meal is still overall healthy, yet nice one.

Parking is a challenge here, but you probably will have more luck in finding space at the landed property area behind.

Budget : $

Rating : 8.5 /10

Dancing Crab - Bukit Timah

Another feel-free-to-use-your-hands seafood restaurant impirted from US, Dancing Crab offers options of 3 sauces to cook with the seafood in heat-resistant plastic bags. Enjoyed the whote clams in Herb Butter sauce and Sri Lankan crab in Buerre Blanc (French white butter) sauce. However, disappointed with Dancing Crab Signature sauce which overwhelmed the seafood combination of Combo Bag #1. The highlight of the meal was the Flaming Moonshine Tiger Prawns, the ang moh version of drunken prawns, prepared live and left behind wonderful remnants of aromatic alcohol taste. Also not to be missed is the crab cakes, stuffed with generous fillings of crab meat.

Overall, I will still rate Crab In Da Bag higher than the Dancing Crab due to taste and wider choices of seafood, though I must admit the seafood is really fresh here.

Budget: $ $ $

Rating: 7 / 10