Located at The Bedok Marketplace, a place anchored on a concept not unsimilar to Salute Kopitiam at Alexandra is Ballistic Meatballs.

This must be the first stall I have seen in Singapore, specialising solely in meatballs. Just looking at the menu got me excited.Ballistic Meatballs Menu

We were there to try the meatballs, but the wraps seemed equally tantalising, partly because of the good variety of interesting sauces.Crispy Wild Mushrooms ($3), Crispy Crab Balls ($10.50)

The Crispy Wild Mushrooms wowed surprisingly, for something that I admit I dismissed as too common to have anything worth noting initially. Ballistic's version however, has a thin crispy batter that is just the right balance of salty peppery. I couldn't stop. At just $2 with any meatball order, this is a must-order. Crispy Crab Balls ($10.50)

This was the shop's special when we popped by, in celebration of SG50. The Crispy Crab Balls, served with two mantou buns and chilli crab sauce, are made from crab meat and clams rolled together and coated in a crispy panko batter. One side was soaked in chilli crab sauce, which made it mushy moist, but at the same time, you can still get the crispiness on the other side. The chilli crab sauce complemented the meatball very well. This was our group favourite.Ballistic Signature Beef Meatballs ($5.90), Plain Jane Meatballs ($4)

The Ballistic Signature Meatballs did deliver, with the flavourful beef meatballs crispy on the outside, revealing an inner melted cheese filling. This came in closely to the Chilli Crab Meatball for me, so if the special is out, this is good. The Plain Jane chicken meatball however, was a tad too salty and its slightly flat shape caused it to be a little flat in the mouth in terms of texture, compared to the other completely rounded meatballs.

Judging by the meatballs we had, this stall well gives IKEA a run for their money.

Remember Kampung@Simpang Bedok, the ill-fated social enterprise hawker centre that closed down end 2013? They have now renamed it as The Bedok Marketplace, and the place is now anchored on a concept not unsimilar to Salute Kopitiam at Alexandra. This will be the East's equivalent of the hip Kopitiam.


It is all about the chops here, with a display that boasts of premium looking meat cuts. Luckily for meat-lovers, a plate here ranges from the high single digits and mid tens, which is reasonable if you are paying for quality cuts. Steak ($18.50)

The steak, done rare here, was chewy and soft. However, it could do more on the smoky grilled flavour and the flavour of the meat itself, especially for the price. The sides did better. The potato cubes, according to my foodie companions, were just the right crunchiness without being mushy.Baby Back BBQ Ribs ($15.90)

Apparently another signature of the stall, other than the steak, is the Baby Back BBQ Ribs. The sauce coating the ribs were great, but the meat itself was a little dry though.London Fish and Chips ($9.90)

Of the 3 dishes we ordered, the London Fish and Chips would be my pick. For the value-for-money price point, the fish used is a quality fish with flaky white flesh. The batter wasn't too thick nor greasy either.

The prices may be high considering the setting, but it offers a compromise between bistro quality and hawker centre prices with generous portions.

Full review on http://herpenandfork.blogspot.sg/2015/07/the-bedok-marketplace-review-ballistic.html

The most distinct feature of Brunches, however, is the vintage decor that it is decked out in. The place also has plenty of quirky, vintage items that are for sale, albeit at slightly premium prices.The cafe also does its own bakes, displayed in the glass case near the cashier. Cupcakes in flavours like Earl Grey start from $3.50 onwards, while a piece of cream cake such as the raspberry cream cake and buttery apple crumble goes at $5.50. Pretty standard cafe prices.Prices shown on the menu do not include 10% plus 7%, unlike most other cafes in Singapore, where prices either already include the charges inside already or are waived. So I got a little shocked when my Flat White escalated from $4.50 to $5.7.Flat White ($5.70)

Their coffee is on the acidic side, so it isn't for those who like a balanced cup. Otherwise, a pretty decent cup.

Baked Eggs and BaconBaked Eggs and Bacon ($13.90)

The baked eggs and bacon set ($13.90) featured a piece of sourdough toast (your choice of white/wholemeal/sourdough) with 2 baked eggs wrapped in bacon, accompanied by sauteed mushrooms and a salad. We hardly find cafes who do their own breads nowadays, so the effort should be commended. However, it was a pity as the sourdough was a little too chewy for my liking and lacking in any aroma. The rest on the plate were not bad, my favourite being the sauteed mushrooms.The semi-cooked runny yolks in the baked eggs flowed nicely too.

This is one cafe worth a visit for the fun retro-themed interiors, especially in groups, though the food isn't top notch. The laidback setting in somewhat sleepy Rangoon Road also makes it pretty ideal to settle down with a book and just watch the afternoon go by.

Full review on http://herpenandfork.blogspot.sg/2015/07/brunches-cafe-review-rangoon-road.html

40 Hands is a long-time player in the local cafe scene, located right in the heart of the bustling clave of cafes that is Tiong Bahru. You will find Forty Hands often busy because of its popularity, so it may not be the most conducive for chats. In our case, we found it quite
hard to hear each other over the surrounding bustle and overlapping
conversations. Still, the hustle and bustle of the cafe makes it a warm place to be if you enjoy the cosy atmosphere. 

The menu includes the standard brunch items such as the all-encompassing Big Breakfast and French Toast, as well as also cafe favourites like truffle fries. The full menu, revamped occasionally, can be found online.

FFT Dou Sar Pau40 Hands Red Bean Paste Bun Tau Sar Pau ($2)

For anybody who likes Tau Sar Pau (chinese red bean paste bun) even a little, this is a MUST.
The version at 40 Hands is about 1.5 times bigger than the usual size we see in other places, so it justifies slightly the more expensive price ($2). What really makes it amazing is the smoothness of the filling that isn't too sweet. At the same time, the
bun itself is fluffy soft to a right. I dare say this is one of the best red
bean paste buns in Singapore. A must for me whenever I visit 40 Hands.

40 Hands CubanosAnyone who has watched the movie Chef(like me) will
want to have a taste of the decadent Cuban sandwich that was featured prominently. 40 Hands' version comes with pork slices, ham, pickles and melted cheese sandwiched in
between two toasted panini slices slathered with mustard and mayonnaise. There
is a side salad served along. The portion was quite large for one.
I had to takeaway the other half of the sandwich. Overall, the combination was
pretty good and the bread toasted crisp, just the way I liked it. For a fan, this
definitely satisfied the craving to try.

Eggs CocotteHard to go wrong on this one. The eggs were up to
expectations with the yolk flowing out nicely and runny when cut. However, we felt that
the taste was a little flat - just poached eggs paired with
toast. Perhaps the eggs/greens could be seasoned more.

Coffee

You can almost always count on 40 Hands to deliver a good cup of coffee, as this is what they pride themselves on. The latte art was very well done for my cup of Flat White. However, note that the coffee here is more for those who prefer it acidic.

Complete review on http://herpenandfork.blogspot.sg/2015/12/forty-hands-review-tiong-bahru.html 

The newly renovated Capitol Building is building up to be one upscale eating destination, what with the likes of Dazzling Cafe, Angelina and Four Seasons sprouting up - all established names overseas. The Breadtalk Group brings in its own new '30s colonnial-themed open concept bistro here, 1933, specialising in local and western comfort food. The pretty space is compact and spans two levels, but comes with equally chi-chi menu prices to match.
Dishes for the night

DrinksMixed Berries Smoothie, Mango Smoothie, Guava Apple Smoothie ($10 each)

The drinks menu included some specialties such as smoothies and milkshakes. Of the 3 smoothies, we all agreed that the refreshing Mixed Berries was the best.Gula Melaka Coconut Milkshake ($12) Latte ($4.50)

While the flavours offered for the milkshakes sounded tantalising, the Gula Melaka Coconut Milkshake didn't exactly work out as it was far too much cream, to the extent of overshadowing the gula melaka and coconut taste.

Surprisingly though, their coffee was very, in fact more than decent. Apparently, it is brewed from Nanyang-based coffee beans, instead of the Arabica or Robusta we usually get in cafes. I enjoyed the smooth latte. which was not overly acidic, along with the cute '1933' coffee art.

1933 Power CarrotPower Carrot Bread Bowl ($9.60)

Our favourite starter though was the Power Carrot Soup Bread Bowl. The bread was crispy on the outside, yet chewy and slightly fluffy still, while the soup was full of carrot flavour. Approved.MainsNanyang Curry Chicken Bowl ($14.90)

Still the same addictive bread bowl, but in this Nanyang Curry Chicken rendition. It would be better if the chicken chunks came boneless. Nevertheless, the curry was a good consistency, and coupled with the bread, was pretty satisfying.Grilled Pork Loin ($28.90)Hainanese Kampong Chicken Rice ($16.80)

For the Hainanese Kampong Chicken Rice, the rice fared better than the chicken, which lacked flavour though tender. The price for this hits nearly the top tier for chicken rice in Singapore (the topmost being the famous Chatterbox Chicken Rice). For a bistro not specialising in the dish, it would be better if they lowered the price in order for customers to be willing to try it. Get your chicken rice fix from other places, unless you feel an extremely urgent must-satisfy craving.

DessertGula Melaka Pandan Chiffon ($8.90)

We were silently wishing this was some sort of lava cake. It wasn't. Still, this pandan chiffon cake was fluffy and full of pandan flavour, Paired with the gula melaka, it tasted like a chiffon version of ondeh ondeh.

The misses aside, some of the dishes here are definitely worth a try if you do not mind the slightly high price points. Skip the 'local signatures', since you can get far better at cheaper prices from our hawker centres. The serene ambience of the Capitol makes 1933 a good place to spend the afternoon over a cup of coffee, people-watching and soaking in some 'colonial' vibes.

Full review on http://herpenandfork.blogspot.sg/2015/06/1933-cafe-at-capitol-building-brand-new.html