This stall at a small corner of Tanjong Pagar Plaza Teck Kee coffeeshop always attract a queue during weekday lunch, with a long line of office ladies fighting sweat and time for a bowl of Japanese ramen. And I found out it was not just the noodles that were delicious.

I went for this review with two other girl friends who took time off to ogle at the good-looking and hunky owners. Wearing tight-fitting black tees and short berms, the pair of closely-knitted brothers Weili and Weisheng are indeed eye-candies if you compare them to the average hawker.

But the star of the stall is clearly the ramen. The ramen with soup cost a very affordable $5.50 and the minced pork dry version $3 – screaming value-for-money. The Kyushu-styled noodles are thin and chewy, drenched in thick and tasty pork bone stock simmered for hours. This is close to restaurant quality, so much so that the thinly sliced char-siew will simply melt in your mouth.

Full Post at InSing.com – The “hunky brothers” ramen

Homebaked Dough, Blk 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #02-04/05 Teck Kee Coffeeshop
Opening Hours: Mon–Fri 11.30am – 3pm (Closed on Sat–Sun)

Other Related Entries
Ramen Santouka (Central)
Marutama Ra-Men (Liang Court)
Daikokuya (Orchard Paragon)
Ippudo Tao (UE Square)
Keisuke Ramen (Millenia Walk)

The post Homebaked Dough – The “Hunky Brothers” Ramen appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

One of my greatest worry about food is that the local traditional tastes will be all lost by the next generation. When I tried Madam Tan’s Nasi Lemak and Curry Chicken, there was sudden warmth in my heart – I know I have found that taste back.

Madam Tan is the owner cum chef of Wok and Barrel, a new restaurant at Duxton Hill which serves many home-styled dishes with a modern twist. Those local favourites, along with some refreshing beer and lager, complete the Wok & Barrel picture.

I was a keen follower of Madam Tan’s tweets. And looking at her avatar, you would have imaged that she is some Peranakan nonya well-trained by her mother-in-law in rempah and sauces. Instead, this is a former director of Forbes who spots a short crop and wears a loose black tee, slightly embarrassed by her Chinese name “Xian Hui”.

The self-taught chef whips up dishes which will make any mother proud. Forget Changi and Boon Lay – Madam Tan offers one of the best Nasi Lemak ($1.90) around. The fragrant rice is painstakingly cooked by twice steaming over a three-hour period, ensuring a fluffy texture and a lemak taste which is not too heavy. This is complimented with its unique brands of both home-made sambal belachan and sweet nasi lemak chilli. That is two chills for the price of one.

The rice should go well with either chicken curry or crispy chicken. The chicken curry ($8.90) is created by a special recipe, richly lemak and on the drier side which she confessed that not a single drop of water was added.

The crispy chicken ($7.90) is my favourite dish with boneless chicken thighs marinated for a day. Crispy breaded and deep fried on the outside, the tender meat was slightly sweet and highly addictive.

Other popular local-meets-west finds include a Bak Chor Mee Pasta ($19.90) which is 5-spice roast pork with homemade tagliatelle, and Rendang Pizza ($11.90) where fork tender beef is topped on light homemade pizza crust. Simply sedap!

Wok & Barrel, 13 Duxton Hill, Tel: +65 6220 0595
Opening Hours: Tue–Sat: 12pm – 9.30pm, Sun: 12pm – 3pm (Closed on Mon)

Other Related Entries
瓦 Wǎ (Cineleisure)
Loy Kee Chicken Rice (Balestier)
Beach Road Scissor Cut Curry Rice (Jalan Besar)
Once Upon A Thyme (Golden Mile)
Mien (Bukit Timah)

The post Wok & Barrel – Madam Tan’s Nasi Lemak is Simply Sedap appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

The idea of a ‘Broadway Café’ is already enlivening, plus it sells alcoholic cakes in the likes of lychee martini, orange vodka, chocolate whiskey, blonde bailey and ribena vodka. Would we get drunk?

Located at Duxton Road near my favourite Littered with Books and next to Ernest Seah’s shop (The actor who played the Watsons salesman from Already Famous), this seems to be a ideal location for afternoon coffee and cakes.

Entering the café, there is a long makeup room mirror and em, sexy provocative photos. The menu has uncharacteristic sounding items such as Mad Hatter Tea Party, Confessions of a Chocoholic, Snowing Today and The English Platter. Wait, that’s not ‘Broadway’!

The coffee, unfortunately, came slightly spilled and without the usual coffee art. And after we took a sip, drank it, then unconsciously realised it was … Nespresso. (I am no coffee expert but I can taste a Nespresso.)

The specialty cake Lychee Martini ($8.70) came with a little cup of alcohol on its side. Nice addition. My friend and I were trying and testing and tasting for that martini in the cake, which came too light and little for our liking.

The Blonde Bailey ($8.70) was a lot more alcoholic and worthy. However, the cake decorations and cream reminded me of an old-school styled cream cake, typical in neighbourhood confectionaries of the 80s. I asked and found out that they were made by a skilled ‘auntie’ who have been baking cakes for years. No wonder.

Friends may find this a small and cosy place to hold gatherings and birthday parties. I wished it could have been more ‘Broadway’ – play some musical OSTs instead of Olivia Ong (Why are so many local cafes playing Olivia Ong and Emi Fujita anyway?). Have more playful names. I would have loved a Wicked green cake, a cutesy Mary Poppins muffin and a dark Phantom of the Opera chocolate slice.

[Closed] Broadway Café
Address: 15 Duxton Road, Singapore (near Tanjong Pagar MRT), Tel: +65 6224 6131
Opening Hours: Mon–Thu: 11am – 1am; Fri–Sat: 11am – 3am; Sun: 11am – 7pm

Other Related Entries
3 Inch Sin (Bt Timah)
K-ki (Ann Siang Hill)
My Fat Lady (Haji Lane)
Brunetti (Tanglin Mall)
Twelve Cupcakes (Millenia Walk)

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There are that many new cafes in Singapore, and a main reason I chose to come here is due to its peculiar name – Selfish Gene Café. It was then I realised Gene was ‘selfish’ not because he never shared his food, but rather he would not serve anyone food that he would not eat himself.

Owner Gene Mok has an atypical background – a psychology graduate who honed his skills at Le Cordon Bleu Sydney and worked under Chef Emmanuel Stroobant of Saint Pierre. After some time in the restaurant business, Gene decided to be selfish and set up a place of his own at the edge of the Tanjong Pagar Conservation Area.

What sealed the deal for me was really the banana cake ($5.80). Homemade by Gene, the cake was moist and not too sweet. We liked that he added crunchy crumble and caramelised banana for a more layered taste. As for the drizzle of peanut butter sauce on the cake, you will either like it or hate it. I loved it.

Full Post at InSing.com – A selfish café opens at Tanjong Pagar

Selfish Gene Café
40 Craig Road Singapore 089678 (near Tanjong Pagar MRT), Tel: +65 6423 1324
Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm (Closed on Tuesday)

Other Related Entries
Talent Café (Tanjong Pagar)
Blackbird Café (Handy Road)
Cine Café (Shaw House)
7 KICKstart BREWiches (Armenian Place)
The Orange Thimble (Tiong Bahru)

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I found the Old National Library Wanton Mee! And it is still sold by the Granny Leong aka Poh Poh, who is probably 80 years old now.

There are so many childhood foods that disappeared without a trace – because they have moved on, or that the younger generation do not want to take over the food business. The good news is Granny is still serving this same Wanton Mee at Far East Square. The bad news is, who would take over next?

Nam Seng Noodle House started way back in 1957 the former Catholic High School in Queen Street selling macaroni and chicken porridge. However, it was their signature Wanton Mee when they moved to the National Library at Stamford Road where they earned their accolades. Of course, the sad thing was that the library has given away to an ERP gantry.

During a lunch trip there, Granny was still there taking orders, but it was a group of workers cooking the food items. She was feisty and strong, and I could hear her nagging at her Chinese staff in Cantonese from time to time. Hugely amusing.

I used to eat this during my childhood days every 3 weeks when I went to borrow books, and it taste ALMOST EXACTLY the same. The same springy noodles, thin sliced red char siew, and the oily clear sauce that I miss so much.

Nam Seng’s version ($4/$5) is most similar to Kok Kee. Some may not like this because the sauce is not like your typical wanton mee. Made with vegetable oil, salt, sesame oil and some secret ingredients, it somewhat salty, but very tasty which blends almost perfectly with the noodles.

Another popular dish among the lunchtime crowd is the Venison Horfun ($4/$5) appearing brown and drenched, with tender slices of meat. Although there is no usual ‘wok hei’ flavour, the gooey sauce should win you over.

The sad reality is – what would happen if Granny is gone? I shudder to think. Let’s wish her the best of health, and continue to bring us this wonderful heritage dish.

Nam Seng Noodles & Fried Rice
25 China Street, #01-01 Far East Square, Singapore 049567
Opening Hours: Mon to Fri: 8.00am – 9.00pm, Sat: 8.00am – 5.00pm (Closed on Sun & PH)

Other Related Entries
Hua Feng Mian Jia (Tiong Bahru)
Pontian Wanton Mee (Far East Plaza)
Hua Kee Wanton Mee (Old Airport Road)
Koka Wanton Noodles (North Bridge Road)
Black Pepper Char Siew Rice & Noodles (Maxwell Food Centre)

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Brand new hotdog shop Purple Mustard has opened its doors at Icon Village near Village, bringing American-style goodness.

And who says that mustard has to be yellow in colour? One of Purple Mustard’s co-owners absolutely love the colour purple, and the culinary team decided to put together their very own purple mustard!

If you are wondering, no, their purple mustard is not made of colourings but from Jim Bean-soaked blueberries. This freshly-coloured mustard is topped on their signature ‘Barnyard Dog’ ($9) which has beef and guinness sausage and generous toppings of caramelised onions. The sausage is moist and juicy, yet not too fatty. And it is the unique purple mustard sauce with a sweet fruity aftertaste which blew me away.

Full Post at InSing.com -Purple Mustard, a Chicago-style hot dog joint

Purple Mustard (Icon Village)
12 Gopeng Street, #01-31/32 ICON Village (near Tanjong Pagar MRT), Tel: +65 6221 8498
Opening Hours: Mon–Fri: 11am – 9pm; Sat: 12pm – 9pm (Closed on Sun)

Other Related Entries
Most Original Burger MOB (Vivocity)
Everything With Fries (Orchard Central)
Burger Shack (Bt Timah)
15 Minutes (Lasalle)
Rock & Ash (Marina Square)

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Keisuke Tonkotsu King – 3 words.

First word, creator ‘Keisuke’ Takeda was selected as the top ramen chef in Japan in the Ramen Champion Series which gathered over 30,000 ramen chefs. Second word, ‘Tonkotsu’ represents one of the most popular ramen broth form, cooked with pork marrow bones and fat for hours till it is milky white and thick. Third word, Keisuke Tokyo Ramen was crowned the ‘king’ with the the title of Ramen Champion at Tokyo Ramen Championship 2011 in Japan.

Do you know that there are two Keisuke shops in Singapore – Keisuke Tokyo Ramen at Millenia Walk and Keisuke Tonkotsu King at Orchid Hotel?

Keisuke Takeda is precisely known for his creation of very unusual soup bases cooked with prawns and crabs, not the usual classic soup bases like shio, miso or shoyu. Ironically, Keisuke Ramen in Singapore which initially started selling only the very unique prawn based flavour, switched to selling the usual after customers’ feedback.

Keisuke Tonkotsu King, the little ramen shop at Tanjong Pagar, goes back to the basics.
There is always a queue here, for the reasons that the ramen is really quite authentically delicious, and the shop can only sit about twenty.

You can choose between the basic Tonkotsu Ramen ($10.80), Black Spicy ($11.80) or Red Spicy ($11.80). I would suggest a Tonkotsu Ramen Special All Toppings ($14.80), and you can also indicate if you want your soup to be light, normal or strong.

While I may have preferred the noodles over at Ippudo or Marutama, the char siew at Santouka, and the tamago at Miharu, the Tonkotsu soup at Keisuke is the best – thick, milky, tasteful, flavoursome and slightly salty. I finished till the last drop. The soup wins, hands down (you may still argue it is too salty).

Plus, there is free beansprouts and eggs! The free eggs are not the soft yolk kind, but still can see my neighbouring table busy eating all the egg white.

Loved the very traditional cosy ambience with retro posters pasted all around, and excellent service from the Japanese staff. My only complaint: they don’t accept NETs or cards, so you better come with extra cash.

I would rank Keisuke Tonkotsu King the King of the Japanese Ramen Broth. How about you? Which ramen broth beats this soup in Singapore?

Keisuke Tonkatsu King
1 Tras Link, #01-19 Orchid Hotel, Singapore (5 min from Tanjong Pagar MRT), Tel: +65 6636 0855
Opening Hours: 11:30am-3pm, 6pm-10:30pm Daily

Other Related Entries
Keisuke Ramen (Millenia Walk)
Marukin Ramen (Scotts Square)
Menya Musashi (Raffles City)
Ippudo Tao (UE Square)
Daikokuya (Orchard Paragon)

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Another good news for ramen lovers. Ramen Keisuke Tori King has just opened at the newly renovated Amara Hotel Shopping Mall. This time, the Ramen King is bringing yet another spin to the traditional ramen – chicken thigh with chicken stock!

Keisuke Tokyo Ramen is already well-known for its creative take on ramen, having won the title of Ramen Champion at Tokyo Ramen Championship 2011 in Japan. Founder Keisuke Takeda was also selected as the top ramen chef in Japan and crowned as Ramen King. Singaporeans have also shown Keisuke lots of love with the snaking queues at Orchid Hotel. (Read: Keisuke Tonkotsu King at Orchid Hotel and Keisuke Ramen Millenia Walk)

You may wonder, why are the branches so close together?

Keisuke Takeda made the decision to open his third restaurant at Amara Hotel (which is totally different inside now) because Tonkotsu King has been receiving an average of 350 customers since its opening, drawing huge crowds of locals during both lunch and dinner time. He feels the need to have Tori King within the Tanjong Pagar vicinity just so the loyal diners of Keisuke will have more than one option.

At the new Tori King, chicken is the main attraction. Yes, similar to the Marutama and Marukin Ramen.

My recommendation is the Black Spicy Tori King Ramen Special with All Toppings ($16.90) which includes an amazing tender chicken thigh with a huge slice of pork loin, tamago and seaweed.

The evenly grilled chicken thigh is indeed the show-stopper, with meat coming off the bones so easily, extremely tasty as it is simmered and submerged in premium soy stock overnight. Eating it at some point does remind me an Indonesian ‘ayam panggang’. It is HUGE.

The chicken stock is really warm, thick and flavoursome, yet not overly salty. I would say try not to take your time to savour or don’t finish the stock as it may become over-powering and heavy-going towards the end. For the adventurous, you can also try their green spicy stock which contains wasabi. If not, the original is very safe.

I was asked by Mr Keisuke Takeda which was my preference. It still has to be Keisuke Tonkotsu King at Orchid Hotel because the pork stock feels more authentic, ‘cleaner’ and lighter to me.

Fan photo with Ramen King Mr Keisuke. I was so happy, but I kept my excitement.

Fans of Keisuke will be glad to know that the hard-boiled eggs, beansprouts and sesame seeds remain complimentary. And it does not take a fortune teller to predict that Ramen Keisuke Tori King is going to attract a long long queue as well. Don’t wait – just go!

Ramen Keisuke Tori King
Amara Hotel #03-15, 100 Tras Street , (Tanjong Pagar MRT) Tel: +65 6604 6861
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm

Other Ramen Entries
Uma Uma Ramen (Forum Galleria)
Menya Musashi Kodou (Ion Orchard)
Ippudo Tao (UE Square)
Daikokuya (Orchard Paragon)
Ramen Bar Suzuki (Boat Quay)

The post Ramen Keisuke Tori King – Ramen Alert! Keisuke Opens Their 3rd Shop At Amara appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Western BBQ, Chinese BBQ, Korean BBQ, yes yes yes, but Thai style Barbeque? That’s something different in Singapore, and Mookata shops (which means pork skillet or pork fryer) is opening up in places from Katong, Golden Mile to Keong Siak Road.

If you have eaten one of these barbecue hot-pot combination in the streets of Bangkok and Chiangmai, you will certainly want to crave for more.

MooJaa which has recently opened at Keong Siak Street (a few shops away from Keong Siak Snacks and diagonally opposite Kok Sen) has been attracting Thai patrons and groups of friends visiting because it reminds them of home.

The Mookata apparatus looks like a combination of the Korean BBQ with Chinese steamboat, where you grill the meat on a dome with soup surrounding it. The soup brewed by chicken and pork bone, is heated by a whiter looking Binchotan Japanese charcoal which creates less soot and also cooks more evenly.

If ordering Ala Carte is too troublesome, I would suggest going for the Set Moo (pork) or Set Gai (chicken) which comes with meat slices, prawn, pork balls, squid, hot dog, golden mushroom, vermicelli, xiao bai cai and kang kong which can feed two. Quite generous portions for its price of $39.90. (I would have thought ‘Moo’ would mean ‘cow’. Haha.)

Two things I noticed: The meat does not get ‘chao tar’ (burnt) easily, and the entire restaurant stays surprisingly smoke-free unlike some places where you leave smelling like a chimney or roast.

Some of the must-order side dishes are the Fish Skin ($6) and Cheese Ball ($8). Try soaking the fish skin in the soup for a few seconds and you will land up with a part-crisp part-soggy tasty combination. And the hot cheese that oozes out of the balls is ooh-laa-laa yummy.

MooJaa’s winning formula has to be the two dipping sauces – one spicy BBQ and the other sweet and sour seafood – which is said to be created from 31 different ingredients. A little suggestion, I would certainly like to see Tom Yum soup or Tom Yum sauce options one day.

MooJaa actually means “My lovely pig”, and the owner got inspired after he saw a girl poke her boyfriend’s belly after a meal. My belly definitely got bigger and rounder after this Moojaa meal. Burp!

[Giveaway Ended] – MooJaa Set Meals vouchers
MooJaa will be giving 2 sets of Set Moo or Set Gai meals to 2 lucky Daniel’s Food Diary readers. Each meal is for two persons.

All you need to do is to
Step 1: LIKES the FaceBook pages of Daniel’s Food Diary
Step 2: SHARE this post on Facebook
Step 3: Leave a comment below to name your favourite BBQ grill or hotpot ingredient you would like to see at MooJaa

Results will be announced Fri 14 Dec 2012. Contest winners must have local Singapore addresses.

MooJaa Singapore No.1 Mookata
25 Keong Siak Road Singapore 089132 (15 min walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT), Tel: +65 6536 4780
Opening Hours: Lunch 11am – 2pm (Mon-Fri), Dinner 5pm – 11pm (Mon-Sun)

Other Thai Food Entries
Sweet Salty Spicy (Rail Mall)
Baan Tong Thai (Tiong Bahru)
First Thai (Purvis Street)
Suan Thai Restaurant (Killiney Road)
Porn’s (Liang Seah)

The post MooJaa – Thai style Mookata Barbecue Sizzles and Surprises appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

There is a very delicious new ramen shop at Orchid Hotel Tanjong Pagar. No, no, no. I am not talking about Keisuke Tontotsu King. It’s been there, done that. (Read: 5 New & Best Ramen Places in Singapore)

Say Hello to Menya Sanji 麺屋三士, which refers to the ‘three warriors’ of the Meiji restoration, thus the warrior graphics in the shop interior, though not to be confused with a similar sounding Menya Musashi.

Located very closely to the immensely popular Keisuke, this shop facing the main road (near Teppei Japanese Restaurant and next to Two Blur Guys) has obviously less customers, perhaps due to lack of publicity.

Other than Tokyo, Guam and Taiwan, Singapore is the next country that sells Menya Sanji ramen. Its ramen is Kagoshima style – largely unheard of in this region. Kagoshima ramen is considered tonkotsu style ramen, though very different from the long and thin Kyushu Kurume style ramen we are familiar with.

The noodles are medium-thick, not entirely curly like Sapporo’s, and can be considered much closer to the better-known Hakata ramen.

In this small 18-seater shop, the typical choices are the original Sanji Ramen ($11.50), Black Sesame Ramen ($10.50) and Spicy Ramen ($11.00). If you ask me which I enjoy most – this is tough – I happen to like all three types (which is rare). Go for the original Sanji for the more authenic savour.

The broth is overall a lot milkier and opaque than usual, yet not overly greasy or salty. Some other ramen soups though tasty can give a heavy uncomfortable feeling (like Miharu’s) after consumption of the entire bowl. Sanji’s version boiled with pork and chicken remains even-bodied and somewhat taste ‘healthier’

According to Chef Kaiyama, Sanji’s broth is cooked for a full 20 hours (!) in Kagoshima before it is imported back into Singapore. Not sure how the dynamics work, but this does taste like it has been cooked that long.

The main pitfall is the chashu roast pork, looking succulent and mouthwatering, but was in fact a tad too dry and tough for my liking. Also, the tamago could have been runnier.

They also serve Bukkake Ramen ($9.90), somewhat similar to Tsukemen, but the sauce you pour over is cold. With options of sesame, spicy and soy sauce, the goma sesame is the elite choice for tossing in a hot summer weather of Singapore’s.

So is it Keisuke or Sanji? I still think Keisuke ranks as my Top 3 ramen. But on any given day, I would rather give the newer and more atypical Sanji a chance. This is one of the best recent ramen shops that finally serves an unforgettable bowl of comfort.

Menya Sanji 麺屋三士
Orchid Hotel #01-14 1 Tras Link (5 min from Tanjong Pagar MRT) Tel: +65 6604 8891
Opening Hours: 11:30pm – 3:00pm, 5:30pm – 11:00pm Daily

Other Ramen Entries
Tonkotsu Kazan Ramen (Novena Square 2)
Keishoken Ramen (Great World City)
Kitakata Rahmen Tamakichi (Orchard Plaza)
Ramen Keisuke Tori King (Amara Hotel)
Uma Uma Ramen (Forum Galleria)

The post Menya Sanji – Delicious Kagoshima Ramen at Orchid Hotel. No, It’s Not Keisuke appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

There was a slight disappointment that Keisuke’s 5th outlet in Singapore is not going to be a ramen shop. The consolation is the usual sidekick, the humble gyoza, takes centre stage at this new shop.

Where else? At Orchid Hotel, a few restaurants away from Keisuke Tonkotsu King, flanked between Menya Sanji and Sushi Kou.

I won’t deny that I am a fan of Keisuke Tontotsu King, Tori King, Four Seasons and Keisuke Tokyo (in that order.)

Gyoza King’s concept is rather straight forward. Get a Gyoza Set ($13.90) which comes served with 5 dumplings, 2 side dishes, Koshihikai rice and soup. The Gyoza ala carte ($8.00) is comparatively pricier, and it makes more economic sense to order the full set.

The good news first. Keisuke’s signature beansprouts and cabbage come F.O.C at the counter seating table, and somehow they work wonderfully well with the steaming hot bowl of Japanese rice. For once, I feel I am able to gulp down an entire bowl of rice with just beansprouts. Simple pleasures.

The gyoza come with 3 types of fillings – pork, chicken and prawn. All right, the description says “mixed with rich and thick Tonkotsu broth”. My dumplings did not feel it had much of those juicy broth spilling out, but it was still a delicious plate of slight crispy thin outer layer, wrapped around moist fillings of fine minced pork.

For those who fear of a ‘porky’ aftertaste, Gyoza King’s take had not much of that. The prawn version could do with whole shrimps rather than minced prawn. But it is purely personal preference. There is a sweetish bite to the gyoza, largely because they included crab stock in the meat.

There were a variety of side dishes available such as Chicken Nanban with Tartar sauce, Stir-fried Egg with Tomatoes, Deep Fried Tofu with Minced Pork Gravy and Stir-Fried Eggplant with Miso. This feels suspiciously like Osaka Ohsho.

Other than the Fried Brinjal, the side dishes felt rather ordinary and mass cooked as though this is what the Japanese would serve if they would have a ‘chye peng’ stall.

The 18-seater shop felt foodie-claustrophobic (a new term I coined for a foodie who needs his space while dining), and I wanted to quickly finish up my side dishes so that they would clear down off the table, to give space for me to enjoy the gyoza. That didn’t happen. The plates were still left there.

Gyoza King is where the office crowd would go to get a quick yet filling lunch, provided that there is no queue. The gyoza is definitely better than average, but I wonder about going back again and again to eat the same stuff. Ramen, on the other hand, is a different story.

Gyoza King
#01-15 Orchid Hotel, 1 Tras Link, Singapore 078867 Tel: +65 6804 6674
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2:30pm, 6:00pm – 10:30 pm (last orders 10pm)

Other Related Entries
Keisuke Tonkotsu King (Orchid Hotel)
Teppei Japanese Restaurant (Orchid Hotel)
Sushi Kou (Orchid Hotel)
Osaka Ohsho (Raffles City)
Menya Sanji (Orchid Hotel

The post Keisuke Gyoza King – The Ramen King Opens a Gyoza Shop. Where Else? appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

What a familiar and colloquial sounding shop name! Dapao wants to bring fun and healthy wraps to the corporate crowd around Far East Square. This can be seen from the varied flavours offered, which are created from Singaporean and Southeast Asian delights.

Therefore, you will find interesting wraps such as Black Pepper Chicken, Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rendang and Curried Vegetables! Owner Christina Crane has made slight tweaks to the local recipe to make the wraps just a bit healthier, without preservatives or chemicals. Hawker food lovers may find this too bland for their liking.

Full Post at InSing.com – ‘Dapao’ a briyani wrap!

Dapao, 4 Amoy St #01-01 Far East Square Tel: +65 6557 0686
Opening Hours: Mon–Fri: 8am – 6pm (Closed on Sat–Sun)

Other Related Entries
Out Of The Pan (Raffles City)
Barcelos (Novena)
LENAS (Bugis Junction)Joe & Dough (Suntec)
Charlie Brown Café (Somerset)

The post Dapao – Nasi Lemak and Briyani Wraps? appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

This 2-storey café at the end of Tras Street near Tanjong Pagar is a space we can describe as ‘artistic’. It has seven distinct areas of different colours and environment – all stylistic and beautifully done-up. You may ask why the name “Talent Café”. Owner cum chef Christopher A. revealed that this is actually a talent agency as well. Therefore, if you are an actor, performer, or model, you can take part in their occasional talent search held in their café!

The food served includes Italian pasta, burgers, sandwiches, salads, desserts and ‘soul food’ which changes seasonally. You must try the apple glynn ($6.90), the house special dessert of caramelised apple slices half-submerged in a buttery cream sauce. Next, you should explore all the rooms of the various colours and perhaps have fun taking photos.

Talent Café, 34 & 36 Tras Street, Singapore 079026 (5 min walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Opening Hours: Mon-Thurs, Sat 11:00am-11:00pm; Fri: 11:00am – 11:30pm

Full Post at InSing.com – Talent Cafe – 1 Cafe, 2 Storeys, 7 Rooms

Other Related Entries
40 Hands (Tiong Bahru)
Raindrops Café (*Scape)
Egg3 Café (Mountbatten)
Qafé (Tanjong Pagar)
Pitstop Café (Circular Road)

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Updated: Homebaked Dough “Brothers Ramen” will leave Tanjong Pagar Plaza’s location. Their last day is 23rd April. The brothers are still looking for a new location. Watch this space!

Original entry: This stall at a small corner of Tanjong Pagar Plaza Teck Kee coffeeshop always attract a queue during weekday lunch, with a long line of office ladies fighting sweat and time for a bowl of Japanese ramen. And I found out it was not just the noodles that were delicious.

I went for this review with two other girl friends who took time off to ogle at the good-looking and hunky owners. Wearing tight-fitting black tees and short berms, the pair of closely-knitted brothers Weili and Weisheng are indeed eye-candies if you compare them to the average hawker.

But the star of the stall is clearly the ramen. The ramen with soup cost a very affordable $5.50 and the minced pork dry version $3 – screaming value-for-money. The Kyushu-styled noodles are thin and chewy, drenched in thick and tasty pork bone stock simmered for hours. This is close to restaurant quality, so much so that the thinly sliced char-siew will simply melt in your mouth.

Full Post at InSing.com – The “hunky brothers” ramen

Homebaked Dough
[Closed] Blk 1 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, #02-04/05 Teck Kee Coffeeshop

Other Related Entries
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It is not all the time when a handsome Korean chef is cooking you Korean Fried Chicken. Now, make that TWO good-looking Korean chefs.

Twins Korean Restaurant looks set to fill some bellies and melt some hearts. Park Woo Jae and Park Sung Jae are Korean twins, 26 this year, born 3 minutes apart, and well… still single.

The twins with famous actress Jiwon Kim from “The Heirs” who is a fan of their soy & lemon kkanpungki.

There is no competition between the two in terms of cooking skills though. Woo Jae’s strength is in stir-fries and grills, while Sung Jae is in charge of the deep-fried items.

Twin’s menu comprise of several Korean food items that are in trend and family favourites – Korean Fried Chicken, Noodles, Korean Street Food (such as Tokkbokki, Seafood Pancake), Bingsoo and…. Ice Cream Beer for that cool and sweet refreshing.

The verdict. I liked the Soy and Garlic Chicken Wings ($15 for 10 pieces) best. Small-bite sized wings which were juicy and well-marinated on the inside, slightly crispy, enveloped with an addictive sweetish honey sauce. Daebak!

I have eaten many Korean Chicken Wings around, and Twin’s version is easily one of the best in Tanjong Pagar.

Sung Jae revealed that only fresh chicken is used, purchased on a daily basis, and a secret special sauce is applied for the marinate.

We recently went back for the Spicy Dakgangjung ($22 for medium, $30 for large), and this is a MUST-HAVE. Boneless fried chicken and fried tokkbokki (rice cake) enveloped in this sweet, savoury, spicy chilli sauce.

The chicken pieces were so tender and juicy, and the sauce finger-licking addictive. Spiciness-level wise, I thought it was manageable, while another friend quickly ordered more water for help.

Fried Chicken Parts are also available, in flavours of Original ($18 for half, $32 for whole) Onion, Soy & Garlic, Cheese and Yangnyum Sweet & Spicy ($20 for half, $35 for whole). Comparing the two, I liked the wings better in terms of execution.

The other ‘star’ dishes are the Kimchi Fried Rice ($15), and the Woojae’s Spicy Seafood Crab Noodle Soup ($13.90 for lunch, $16.90 for dinner) – a red Korean-Chinese noodle dish which is comforting (especially in a cooler weather), full in flavour with a touch of spicy kick.

This is named after one of the twins, and the creation also represents his pride and joy. At $13.90 with so much seafood (plus crab claws), this makes a delicious value-for-money lunch.

The Kimchi Fried Rice was aromatic, flavourful on every bite.

If you work in the vicinity, the good news is lunch sets (Chicken, Spicy Chicken BBQ and Bulgogi) which comes with salad and rice are available at only $11.90.

After some experimentation, the bingsoo has become bigger with a larger variety (they used to sell a mini size). The Mango Snow Bingsoo ($12) had a fluffy fine texture, though we thought that more ingredients could help pump up the taste level.

Twins Korean Restaurant would offer you some reasons to salivate – for their Korean Fried Chicken, range of Korean favourites, and for two good-looking chefs in the kitchen.

Twins Korean Restaurant
7 Craig Road Singapore 089667
Tel: +65 6221 5205
Opening Hours: 11am – 3:00pm, 5:00pm – 12am (Mon-Sat), 5pm – 12am (Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/Twins.Korean.Restaurant

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Twins Korean Restaurant.

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Hole in the wall coffee places are always appealing. This can be almost considered one.

The Alchemist opens at a corner unit of International Plaza in the heart of Tanjong Pagar. Blink and you may miss this coffee shop with white-washed walls and minimalist décor.

However, the perpetual lunch time queue will give you the indication that the coffee is probably more than respectable.

The Alchemist, which may remind some of Paulo Coelho’s best selling novel, is an off-shoot of Pacamara Boutique Coffee Roasters at Upper Thomson – which is also related to coffee roaster and cafe Pacamara at Thailand.

Prices range from $3.00 from an espresso, $4.50 for a white or black, to $5.50 for an Ice White.

Two blends were available when I visited – Dark Matter which was bold and nutty, or Luminous with floral and fruity pineapple tones.

Coffee is a very personal thing. I must say that was a very satisfying cup.

To take a short respite from the buzz of the CBD, to enjoy coffee that is bold, full of body, yet not unnecessarily bitter can be a very gratifying thing.

One of my favourite coffees in recent times.

Alchemist
International Plaza, 10 Anson Road #01-34 Singapore 709903.
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 3:30pm (Mon – Fri), 7:30am – 1:30pm (Sat), Closed Sun

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The people around here look like they don’t have to work. In Hokkien, we call this “eng eng cheng cheng”

Chill. That’s the word. Some were playing the shuffleboard, others were chit-chatting over cocktails, in the middle of the day. The service staff came to talk to us like we were old-time friends.

Crackerjack, by the people behind 28 HongKong Street and Proof & Company Spirits, is an all-day dining concept with a welcoming atmosphere.

You will notice many long-benches, communal tables and full-length windows, making it conducive for interactions. This can be the after-work OR in-between-work teabreak-time meet up place.

Add the free wifi and charging stations.

Food wise, you will get NO typical poached eggs and waffles.

For the lunch trays menu, I was presented with Moroccan style Chermoula Chicken ($20), Mojo Brandt Bavette Steak Salad ($25), Lentil Mushroom Scotch Egg ($18), and Three Cheese Barley Risotto ($18).

A bold move, I liked that food was unpredictable, though some combinations might not have worked as well as what you would have imagined.

The Scotch Egg ($18) had no meat within, cleverly used minced lentil mushroom as a replacement of sorts.

The sides of preserved lemon hummus and flatbread further gave it a Levantine slant, though I couldn’t feel the gel with the eggs. Some thing was missing. Perhaps the exterior lacked of that familiar crisp.

For the Mojo Brandt Bavette Steak Salad ($25), the major surprise came from its accompanying sides of green-coloured quinoa verde (which means green), and jicama (a type of Mexican turnip) cabbage slaw.

Overall, I thought both dishes needed a wetter sauce for a better balance, because the meats could have come across as relatively dry at parts.

Two desserts were available – Peanut Butter Chocolate Tart ($10) and Grapefruit Campari Trifle ($8). No regrets ordering.

US Barista Bronwen Serna will make you some really good coffee with a custom espresso blend from 2Degrees North, while bartenders Peter Chua and Zachary de Git have been awarded with a few accolades.

You are in safe hands for your drinks.

Crackerjack
43 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088464 (Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Tel: +65 8121 1462
Opening Hours: 8am – 12am (Mon – Sat), 10am – 10pm (Sun)

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Little Bastard (King George’s Avenue)
Ash & Char (McCallum Street)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary pays for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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Make a turn as you get out of Tanjong Pagar MRT station control, and you will find yourself in a Gourmet’s Haven.

Tanjong Pagar Centre, directly connected to the MRT station, is home to a wide range of new restaurants and cafes. Time to check it out, if you have yet to discover this place.

There are several new-to-market brands which already attracted some attention, including the first overseas Japan Rail Café, Hattendo Café (with its soft buns), SBCD Tofu House (specialising in Korean Sundubu), The Little Island (Penang style dishes) and Chalong (Thai fusion grilled bento boxes).

There is a wide range of food choices, though this post will focus on its basement.

You can expect popular Nasi Lemak eatery Crave, protein-filled salad shop The Daily Cut, artisanal coffee boutique Jewel Coffee, Mexican restaurant Guzman y Gomez, Indonesian restaurant IndoChili, bakery shop Swee Heng 1989 Classic, Azuma Sushi, KraftwichTM by Swissbake, llao llao, Boost Juice, Hans, AffiniteaTM, Fun Toast, Proofer Boulangerie, London Sandwich Co., Royce’, and Taiwanese snack shop Ximen Jie, amongst others.

Prices of the meals there are budget-friendly too. Here are 10 hidden gems at Tanjong Pagar Centre, where you can get food and drinks below $10:

Seattle Pike Chowder
#B2-27
Tel: +65 6910 4388
Opening Hours: 9am – 9:30 pm (Mon – Fri); 11am-6pm (Sat); 11-4pm (Sun, PH)

Regarded by many food lovers as America’s No.1 Chowder, Seattle Pike Chowder has arrived from The Pacific Northwest, to CBD Singapore at the basement of Tanjong Pagar Centre.

Best if you are craving for something warm, hearty, rich and creamy.

Their specialty New England Clam Chowder came filled with clams, flavoured with onions, potato cream and a secret blend of herbs and spices. I do think this is one of the creamiest chowders you can get in Singapore.

The local store has also launched Seafood Rolls, and the recommended is the Captain Roll ($11.90), complete with both mixed crab and shrimp. A Lobster Roll is in the works, so look out for it.

What you can get below $10
Each of their Dreamy Chowders, from New England Clam Chowder, Seafood Bisque, Smoked Salmon Chowder, Manhattan Tomato Chowder to Alaskan Fish Chowder, is priced at $8.90 for an 8oz bowl.

For a fuller meal, get the Chowder in a BreadBowl, or with the Salad Set, still affordable at $13.90 and $14.90 respectively.

Chalong
#B2-21
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 2pm, 5:30pm – 7:30pm (Mon – Fri), 11:30am – 3pm (Sat), Closed Sun

This kiosk which serves up charcoal grilled meats on rice bowls, has become very popular with the office lunch crowd.

Options include an 18 hour Sous Vide Jowl bowl of apple wood smoked pork cheeks ($12), Gai of Thai basil chicken thigh ($9), and Grass-fed Black Angus Sirloin ($14).

Chalong’s most popular item is the Iberico Jowl bowl ($12), which uses premium cut of pork with better marbling. After being marinated with Thai aromatics, the jowl will be sous vide for 18 hours, then finished with charcoal grilling in a Josper charcoal oven.

What you can get below $10
The Gai Rice Bowl ($9), added with onsen egg and Yamagata Haenuki Japanese rice, comes with a Thai basil charcoal grilled chicken leg, tender and juicy with hints of Thai herbs.

Soup Living
#B2-22
Tel: +65 6386 8010
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Fri)

This is for those of us who want some nutritious and nourishing soups, just like what mum would cook at home.

Soup Living is a soup kiosk of a different kind, serving Cantonese-style soups with family-handed local recipes. No MSG, no chicken stock powder used.

You would realise that the soups are tasty, yet without the greasiness or heavy herbal taste. The base is cooked using old hen with its skin removed, which is less oily.

What you can get below $10
Such value for money! A bowl of healthy to-go soup from Soup Living starts from $6, with add-on options at $3 for a bowl of fluffy Japanese Rice and two pieces of Siew Mai. The Siew Mai are also handmade in house.

I was looking for something to well, aid appearance (help look younger and better), and was recommended the Youth Elixir Bowl ($7 for regular or $9.50 for mighty) which used Chinese herbs that had anti-ageing properties.

CBD workers may like the Memory Fix Bowl ($6.50 for regular, $8.90 for mighty), said to help to reduce lethargy, great for those who work long hours facing computer screen and sleep late at night. (That’s me?)

The Little Island 小檳岛
#B2-29
Opening Hours: 9.30am – 9:00 pm (Mon – Sun)

The Little Island has 3 outlets in Malaysia, and this is their 1st outlet in Singapore.

They pride themselves in creating authentic Penang dishes, with pastes made in-house using raw herbs and ingredients. They believe in going back to the basics to create that special aroma for each dish.

What you can get below $10
Most of the Penang specialty dishes are below $10, from Prawn Mee Soup ($8.90), Assam Laksa ($8.90), Mee Siam with Fried Egg ($6.90), Nasi Lemak with Fried Chicken Strips ($9.90), Fried Hokkien Mee, Lobak Set ($8.90), Rojak ($7.90) and Cendol ($4.90).

The gravy of Assam Laksa was addictive with spicy, tangy and sour taste which could whet your appetite.

Good to know that it is made from fresh fish (not canned) which would be steamed and peeled within the store, giving the bowl a distinct level of seafood-sweetness.

Souperstar
#B2-31
T: 6386 6921

It is not common to find popiah, soups, stews and salads sold at the same place. Yes, popiah. Homegrown Souperstar was created by the second generation of the family behind Fortune Food – a brand with more than 10 years of experience serving Singapore hawker delicacies.

They are probably the first in Singapore to do wraps using popiah skin, with varieties such as The Traditional, Sesame Chicken, Sweet Thai Chicken and Seafood Wasabi Mayo.

What you can get below $10
A selection of soups, popiah, stews, sandwiches and salads, inspired by a fusion of flavours, are all priced below $10.

Get a comforting bowl of soup, starting from only $3.20 ($4.50 for medium, $5.60 for large), ranging from Souper Shroomy button mushroom soup, Classic French Onion to Creamy Tomato Basil.

If you would like a more funky meal, the Sesame Chicken Popiah ($3.80) with roast chicken wrapped in 100% homemade popiah skin, should make a great grab-and-go.

Food Anatomy
#B2-04
Opening Hours: 7.30am – 10pm (Mon-Fri), 11am – 10pm (Sat-Sun) (may close earlier on Sundays)

Imagine your favourite foods such as Nasi Lemak, Laksa Pasta and Teriyaki Chicken appearing in cube form?

These cake-sized savoury cubes are layers of ingredients stacked together into a visually appealing, and convenient to take-away meal.

Flavours are interesting and varied, which can range anything from Beef Yakiniku Rice, Beef Rendang Rice, Rice Dumpling (yeah, Bak Zhang), Yuzu Salmon Rice, Thai Cod Fish Rice to Thai Basil Rice.

What you can get below $10
The cubes from inexpensively priced at 2 cubes for $6.80, 3 cubes for $9.90, 18 cubes for $39 or 24 cubes for $75.

You have the option to replace cubes for salads; and they cost slightly cheaper during breakfast.

Makai Poké
#B1-08
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon – Fri), 11:30am – 3:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Hawaiian word “Makai” means towards the ocean, and the kiosk serves up probably the most IN healthy food currently – Poke Bowls.

Good to know that all the marinations at Makai are made in-house, and not direct from suppliers’ source of ready-made sauces.

What you can get below $10
All 4 Poke Bowls that Makai offers – Makai Shoyu Salmon, Spicy Salmon, Yuzu Soy Ahi Tuna and Roasted Sesame Ahi Tuna are priced at $9.90.

This is probably one of the lowest priced (if not the lowest) Poke Bowl in Singapore.

Other than marinated fish cubes, you can expect generous ingredients of both rice and salad, along with a mix of avocado, Japanese cucumber, carrot, cherry tomatoes, pineapple, salmon roe and lime wedge. Now you know where to get fresh, healthy, affordable Poke Bowls in the CBD.

Samurice
#B1-07
Tel: +65 93384305
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 7:00pm (Mon – Fri)

Samurice founded in 2014, is an Onigiri specialty store.

While their Onigiri rice ball look simple and unassuming, all the ingredients are imported from Japan – Japanese rice from Niigata, seaweed harvested in Ariake Sea, salt produced in Seto Inland Sea.

What you can get below $10
The handmade Onigiri at Samurice cost between $3 and $5, with fillings such as Roasted Salmon, Teriyaki Salmon, Plum, Cod fish Roe and Tuna.

For a more filling, fuss-free takeaway meal, a Teriyaki Salmon Don ($8) should satisfy with fluffy Hokkaido rice with an oishii sweet taste. Even the Salmon Ikura Don with two premium ingredients of salmon and ikura, alongside egg, scallop, green perilla cost a reasonable $12.

Cocorica Plus
#B2-24
Tel: +65 9171 1114

The first things you would notice about Cocorica Plus’s drinks are its larger-than-usual cup sizes, and cardboard holder with a handle.

The reason is to reduce thermal convection, so as to keep the drinks cool. There would also be more ice cubes to maintain that temperate, thus the big cups.

Well, the additional handle also makes it easier to takeaway.

What you can get below $10
Despite the size of the cups, beverages such as the ice blended drinks and yogurt smoothies are still inexpensively priced between $2.80 and $4.50.

Can’t decide between chocolate and coffee? Get the Cocorica signature drink ($2.80, $3.80) which is a blend of Dark Cocoa and Liberica Coffee. It should be a satisfyingly chocolatey-rich cup.

Henri Charpentier
#B2-15
Tel: +65 6386 8422
Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 10pm (Sat – Sun, PH)

If you need a short reprise off work, or a place to chit-chat with friends, Henri Charpentier has opened a European Salon style café at Tanjong Pagar Centre.

The Japanese pastry brand is known for its gorgeous and delicate French-inspired pastries and desserts.

Their signature Crepe Suzette has also made its return at this branch. Watch the blue flame flicker while the crêpes soaked in rich orange juice are meticulously flambéed.

What you can get below $10
Sweet treats from sliced Matcha Roll Cake, Strawberry Roll Cake, Hanjuku Fromage, Double Cheese Cake, Pear and Vanilla Mousse Cake, Pudding Choux Pastry.

Tip: Ta-bao back to office to share with your favourite colleagues. Will make their day.

#DineAtTPC
Upload your food snaps for a chance to win a $10 TPC Voucher. 10 Winners will be selected weekly over a period of 9 weekends from 27 Mar to 28 May.

1. Like & Follow Tanjong Pagar Centre on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tanjongpagarcentre and Instagram and @TanjongPagarCentre

2. Upload the photo with the hashtag #DineAtTPC and check in/geotag to Tanjong Pagar Centre

3. Set profile to public

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Tanjong Pagar Centre.

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The CBD areas of Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar show no lack of Poké Bowl and rice grain shops, with Aloha Poké, A Poke Theory, Pololi, Makai Poke all a short walk from one another.

Salmon Samurai at 100AM Mall has entered this (almost) saturated market, with its differentiating factors being affordable at $9.90 per bowl, and focusing on salmon – the raw fish type Singaporeans love most.

$9.90! That is when some other donburi nearby are already priced closer, or higher than $20.

The salmon donburi shop is opened by the team behind Standing Sushi Bar, Shinkansen Salad and Tanuki Raw, and so I was going with certain expectation. (I like the rice bowls at Tanuki Raw for that matter.)

There are 5 basic Donburis, from Salmon Sashimi, Salmon Mentaiko, Garlic Shoyu Salmon, Salmon Poke and Spicy Salmon, all priced at $9.90 for your doses of omega-3.

For the base, you can choose from mixed grain rice, salad or udon. Add on half an avocado for $1.50, Onsen Egg for $1.50 and Ebiko for $1.00.

I tried both the Salmon Poke and Spicy Salmon options. All in all, a decent, straight-forward bowl that would serve up a fuss-free meal.

For the price, the fresh, fatty salmon portion was satisfactory, though I won’t use the term overly generous. Good enough and filling, at least for me.

Good to know that the salmon is cut fresh in-house.

I came expecting more from the rice – a white and brown rice mix with a touch of tangy yuzu ume for added flavours. The rice over at Tanuki Raw hits the right notes for me, while I find the bowl here at Salmon Samurai more muted, and less layered.

Similarly, the Spicy Salmon could have done with a notch more spiciness.

So loved the price and portion, could fine-tune in terms having more ‘taste’.

Salmon Samurai
100 Tras Street, #03-22 100AM, Singapore 079027
Tel: +65 6543 6823
Opening Hours: 11am – 8pm (Mon-Fri ), 12pm – 6pm (Sat – Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/salmonsamuraisg

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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I seem to be having a lot of pastas and pizzas of late, with a few new Italian restaurants opening up in Singapore.

Luka feels different. It calls itself “contemporary Italian, Pizza and Wagyu Bar” in Singapore, with Japanese influences.

The name “Luka” is inspired by Head Chef Takashi Okuno’s son Luke – who majorly loves pizzas.

Located at 16 Tanjong Pagar Road, it is along the stretch of Korean restaurants, in the direction diagonally opposite Maxwell Food Centre.

The vibes are strong on this one. It was packed on a weekday night, with after-work CBD workers and Japanese ladies piling up on wine, all sharing wood-fired pizzas and laugher.

You would notice a ‘power’ Stefano Ferrara Neapolitan handmade brick oven in the open-concept kitchen.

These ovens are built brick by brick, without using any prefabricated concrete slabs, and can keep uniform the right temperature of 400°C-500°C for baking Neapolitan pizza.

LuKa’s signature dishes include appetizer Luka Housemade Wagyu Bresaola ($12), side dish 62-Degree Egg with Wagyu & Uni ($10), Plin Agnolotti ravioli ($18), and Prosciutto e Rucola Burrata pizza ($23), complete with stylish pizza boxes for takeaway.

Compared to other restaurants where there will be a couple of signature dishes, yes, they have only highlighted these few.

Japanese Chef Takashi Okuno is no stranger to Italian food. His parents operate an Italian eatery in Tokyo, and he was previously from L’Operetta, Drinks & Co and brought Truffle Gourmet to Singapore.

I was delighted at the appetisers. The Smoked Egg, Wagyu, Uni ($10), while not quite what you would expect at an Italian restaurant, was as good as it sounded.

Smoky runny egg, aburi-ed wagyu, and creamy sea urchin came together for a burst of flavours. Take it in one mouthful, and let it work the magic within.

The deep fried Baby Corn ($12) just let its simplicity surface through – fresh, crunchy, not overly cooked corn. Lovely.

Therefore, I was expecting MUCH from the pizza. After having the Margherita Bufala, the entire table thought ”It was okay”.

Thin, slightly crispy texture with a touch of chewiness, but we all thought the toppings tasted “plain” and could have been more robust.

The same happened with for the Bolognese Pasta ($18). Loved the texture of the broad, flat pappardelle, but the ingredients and sauce as a whole felt subtle and flat.

Service’s great, vibe’s great, the food’s potentially very delicious – I think also got to do with what we ordered.

Before I forget, make your reservations via phone calls, they don’t seem to reply emails.

Luka
16 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088439 (Tanjong Pagar)
Tel: +65 6221 3988
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 11:30pm (Mon – Sat), Closed Sun

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* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. Daniel’s Food Diary paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

The post Luka – Japanese-Italian Pizza, Pasta and Wagyu Bar At Tanjong Pagar appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.