Full review on http://herpenandfork.blogspot.sg/2015/05/fyr-cycene-ond-drinc-review-media.html 

Just off Telok Ayer Street, FYR Cycene Ond Drinc is a fairly new establishment run by a first-time F&B owner. Despite so, they have been almost always fully booked since their opening. Never mind the slightly mind-boggling hard-to-read name (pronounced Fire, Kitchen and Drink in Medieval English). .The menu surprises as it is different from the usual with its Josper oven-grilled meats being the specialty.

The restaurant's atmosphere has a medieval. almost back-to-primitive-age vibe, with a bar counter in place for those who just want to wind down with drinks only. The 'grill' theme even has a presence in their drinks menu. They have a Grilled Fresh Fruit Juice - choice between orange or pineapple. The Grilled Orange Juice is so very evident and brought the drink one level up. It was really interesting to have it. The pineapple juice was also refreshing, but it didn't have much of the smokiness of the Orange.Lime Mint ($4.50) and Hibiscus Mint ($4.50)Homemade Rice Crispies

As a starter before the starters, we were served their homemade rice crispies with a sauce that had a tom yum zing to it. These can totally replace the bag of nachos for a movie because it is so addictively good. Would be even better if they could have held back a little on the salt on each crisp. Still, we are off to a good start.

AppetisersBaked Freshly Shucked Oysters ($15)

The star of the starters was the baked, freshly shucked oysters. Instead of serving it with the classic lemon juice and salt, this version is served in a lightly seasoned juice that included paprika and garlic. Really fresh, and the seasoned juice didn't mask the natural seafood taste of the oyster.Baked Aubergine & Chickpea Ragout ($10)Baked Half Bone Marrow ($15)

We also sampled the aubergine and grilled Half Bone Marrow. If you aren't squeamish about bone marrows, this version is worth a try. The marrow is blobby in texture and tasteless on its own, though there was a faint hint of beefiness to it. Good to smear on the bread.Half Marrow spread on bread

MainsSpiced Deboned Red Snapper ($25)

For the mains, go for the Spiced Deboned Red Snapper. I love that you can easily eat up the whole fish - it really is completely deboned and served whole. That aside, the grilling technique was spot on. Moist fish meat, with a smoky exterior and just the right sprinkling of salt for taste. The housemade sambal belacan also delivers a good kick, if you feel that the natural sweetness retained in the grilled fish meat isnt' enough. This was the best main for the night.U.S Holstein Cow Ribeye ($32)

But, their grilled meats do not pale much in comparison. The U.S Holstein Cow Ribeye 365 Days with java curry dressing was juicy, tender, and again, chockful of smoky flavour. Of course you can choose the done-ness of the meat you prefer, but here you can leave it to the chef to grill it to the best cooked-ness to have it.Five-spice Half Chicken, Striploin, Asian-spiced Tiger Prawn

If you feel like having everything, the sharing plate of Five-spice Half Chicken, Striploin & Asian-spiced Tiger Prawns will more than do to satisfy. Everything is grilled of course. The striploin was as good as the ribeye, but a less fatty and a slightly thinner cut. The prawns were baked to a just-right level of suppleness. Chicken was a tad dry at some parts though.Whole Maine Lobster ($35)

We also had the Whole Maine Lobster, Seafood Linguine and Seafood Risotto (for 2 to share), The Lobster was overcooked, resulting in tough and rubbery meat. The linguine and risotto shared the same base flavour, perhaps from the same lobster broth used. These were just alright. making the other mains are more worth it. Saffron Seafood Risotto - made with lobster broth ($48) Seafood Linguine ($18) made with lobster bisque

The sides here are no afterthought too. Apart from the choices like baked cassava, mashed potato, baked potato, the salad dressed in a 'jawa' spices blend dressing was delicious and exquisite. I can just have it as a main and still enjoy it very much.

Desserts

Baked Pistachio Melt & Pandan Ice creamBaked Pistachio Melt & Pandan Ice Cream ($10)

It is rare that I have a really satisfying dessert where the lava cake and ice cream are both done right and the entire dish together isn't too sweet. First it was watching the pandan lava flow. Then it was tasting the pandan ice cream that was every bit full of pandan fragrance and flavour, which is unprecedented for me. Plus the warm lava cake and the molten sauce that flowed. This is a must-try over here. Too good.The menu only offers three desserts, and we managed to sample the Banana Parfait. It consisted of a chocolate-crusted vanilla ice cream atop grilled bananas and gula melaka. However, the ice cream seemed more like a mousse-like in texture and totally unlike ice cream. We also detected a hint of ginger in this. The combination sounded tantalising, but the experience itself was lacking, perhaps because of the weird ice cream.Banana Parfait ($10)The sincerity of the staff showed through, even if it was a media tasting and it made the dining experience all the more enjoyable. The diners that went that night got to leave with a box of housemade chocolate truffle, courtesy of FYR.

If you are one for smoky-flavoured dishes or want something that is unconventional yet still reliably good, FYR would fit right in. Most of the dishes tasted as good as they sounded and surprised. Prices for mains may be a tad pricey, but the quality more than makes up for it. There do have a lunch promo starting from $25 for two courses and $29 onwards for 3 courses, which is good value-for-money if you want to try.

Full review on http://herpenandfork.blogspot.sg/2015/05/hyde-and-co-brunch-and-tea-in-prettiness.htmlSet amongst the cafes in the Bugis area, Hyde & Co is one pristine cafe that shouts out dainty, prim and English with its charming mostly-white vintage interior. Perfect for those looking to experience English afternoon tea, which I believe quite a few of us are enamoured with after Downton Abbey. It is a 5-10 minutes walk from Bugis Station to reach.'You can't buy happiness but you can buy tea, And that's kind of the same thing'. A quote that's so true, particularly for foodies.A great place for girls to titter over tea served in white porcelain pots and plates.
I was excited to find that the lonngggg tea list had Devonshire Cream tea.Sadly though, I didn't try it due to majority votes. They also do scones as well. What's nice, apart from the brunch menu items, is the option of adding on other food items to your ordered brunch platter according to what you want.

We had a pot of the Sencha Granny's Apple tea, which had a hint of apple fragrance behind every sip of tea.Gula Gula Crumpets

The cafe is known for serving crumpets, which is a British griddle cake not dissimilar to muffins, just that crumpets are cooked on one side and muffins are flipped to cook on both sides. Apparently, they are the first (and only?) cafe in Singapore to serve it in Singapore. So, despite the staff's not-so-encouraging words of it still being "in experimentation stage", I went ahead and picked the Gula Gula. The 3 crumpets looked like quarts of a cross between pancakes and crepes, and the texture was a cross of the two as well - slightly rubbery soft, but at the same time a bit too flat to claim fluffiness. The gula melaka and coconut cream combination was reminiscent of ondeh ondeh. This dish does have the potential as a strong differentiating one given further kitchen-testing and I hope to come back to an improved version in future. Gula Gula ($10.80) - Stack of 3 crumpets doused in Gula Melaka Sauce and topped with grated coconut.

Truffle FriesTruffle Fries ($10)

The thick-cut fries were fluffy inside and crispy, with enough oomph of truffle scent. A fairly decent attempt.

Buffalo WingsBuffalo Wings ($8) - Glazed in Thai Sauce

The Buffalo Wings were glazed in a sticky Thai sauce, and delivered enough spiciness along with crunch. The inside was juicy as well. This may not be the standard flavour of buffalo wings, but it is a good side to order.

Lady HydeLady Hyde ($12.90) - Honey baked ham and sunny-side up with pineapple on brioche

The Lady Hyde tasted as classic as its ingredients. Hard to go wrong, but not impressionable.

The Full WorksThe Full Works ($17.90) - Baked cheese Portobello Mushroom, bacon, ham, sausage, baby potatoes, creamy scrambled eggs and sourdough rye.

The creamy scrambled eggs here in the Full Works, which I had also added on to my order crumpets, were just the right creaminess I like. The kind that is wet enough to be smeared on toast, but not too soggy. The baked cheese portobello mushroom also stood out in this platter, on the merit of that differentiating baked cheese.What I like about Hyde and Co is its apparent drive in offering unique menu items, even if not all are hits. The 'English' teashop ambience and interior decor make it very ideal as a place to relax over afternoon tea - the English way of course. They were about to revamp their menu in January this year when I visited. I will like to return to try their new menu, particularly the tantalising cakes on display, scones. While pretending I am in a British teashop.

The owners of The Clueless Goat used to work at Penny University, but the cafe isn't directly affiliated to it. The interior is furnished with a communal table near the entrance, while little squarish tables that seats 2 or 4 pepper the rest of the space. We enjoyed the cosy ambience, especially when the cafe emptied out at a later point in our meal. Their menu had a sufficient variety that included all-day breakfasts, sandwiches and waffles. Coffee

The coffee here, made from common man coffee roasters' beans, is light, nutty, and not very bitter. The mocha could do with lesser chocolate though, as there was a distinct hot chocolate aftertaste to it which overshadowed the coffee. Truffle Tater Tots

Everyone has thought about truffle fries, so why not truffle hashbrowns. The truffle tater tots smelled wonderfully of truffle, with small pieces of shaved parmesan cheese sprinkled. Hard to go wrong, and an interesting variation from the usual truffle items we see in cafes.

Ranchers' EggsRanchers' Eggs ($8)The ranchers' eggs had beautifully poached eggs and smooth avocado spread with some salsa. One of the eggs could do with slightly lesser cooking time though, for more yolk flow. The multigrain toast lent a crunchy texture. This is perfect for those who are looking for a healthier option. My companion noted that it 'tasted healthy' but this does make the mark on taste for me. At $8, the portion was generous (2 pieces of toast) too and filling enough.

Breakfast WafflesLeft: Breakfast Waffles ($9)

At first sight, the waffles with chorizo seemed quite small in portion (4 triangular pieces) as they looked pretty thin. These ain't your usual round/squarish Belgian waffles; they were thin, crispy with a light buttermilk fragrance. It proved addictive for my friend. The chorizo sausage is slightly spicy, but flavourful. A good change over the other more mainstream choice of bacon.

The Clue-less Goat is thankfully, the opposite when it comes to food and its coffee. At a price point lower than most cafes (please stay like that!), items are of great value with quality. Add the warm service in an accessible location that still does not have many cafes yet, this is one cafe to look out for, and hopefully, will stay for time to come.

Full review on http://herpenandfork.blogspot.sg/2015/02/the-clue-less-goat-cafe-novena-review.html

FIX is by the people same people behind GRUB cafe in Bishan park. Located in HometeamNS Toa Payoh, you have to walk for a good 10 minutes from Toa Payoh MRT. But, if you make the trip, the place does reward.The non-air-conditioned cafe has spacious tables and the best seats are the long wood tables overlooking the pool. I was curious and somewhat excited to see what they could bring this time, largely because my visit to GRUB a year ago wasn't particularly memorable.The menu is different, including quirky 'naanwiches', some very interesting appetisers, and a good range of desserts. Great for catching up as you won't overhear the conversation of others and vice versa.At any time of the day, you can also get a set. ($2 to add a drink to any main etc).Donuts with Salted Egg Dip ($7)

My main aim for coming here was actually the Liu Sha Donuts. Deconstructed custard lava buns, these little balls come with a salted egg custard dip. Alas, it was underwhelming because neither the saltiness nor buttery egginess that is usual of Liu Sha Baos was there. Still, there was something satisfying about this and the idea is brilliant. Pity about the dip.The mocha we ordered had a nice body and was smooth. One of the better mochas around.Turkey, ham and cheese naanwich ($10)

The turkey, ham and cheese naanwich came with a poached egg. It really looked like a pizza (and tasted somewhat like one). In terms of taste, this was quite delicious. The naanwiches come with a side of tortillas, topped with some nacho cheese and tomato salsa.Passionfruit, Mango and Coconut Chiffon cake ($7)

We had a hard time deciding between the spinach and butternut squash quiche or one of the cakes. In the end, we settled for the passionfruit, mango and coconut cake. The thin layer of sponge cake in between was moist, while the cream was smooth and light and tasted refreshing. The bits of passionfruit and mango on the top layer also lent a tangy fruity flavour. The entire piece is beautifully constructed. This is the best cake I have had in a while. It makes me wonder how their other desserts fare.Going by the cake we had and the looks of the other desserts on display, FIX will be worth returning for their desserts especially. The ambience is laidback and the food and drinks are above average by local cafe standards. I reckon it will be very good for a quiet weekday afternoon coffee or weeknight date (if the place doesn't get too crowded). Prices displayed are nett as well. This is a good place to get your fix of cafe food and spending your time without breaking the bank.

For the full review, http://herpenandfork.blogspot.sg/

Laffio, or Laugh-It-Out combined in a word, is run by 2 enterprising ladies who are finance professionals by day. The bar-cafe's concept is simple - a place where people can have good food and knock back a couple among laughs.The menu is extensive, with all-day breakfast, western mains, sandwiches and finger food aplenty. 3-course lunch sets are available as well during weekdays.Tonight though, we were here for their first-ever Pop Dining Event, featuring 6 courses created by 4 chefs, 1 of them being Laffio's own chef de cuisine.Coconut Shell Clams in Marinara Sauce, served with toasted bread.

The Coconut Shell Clams in Marinara Sauce featured a smattering of clams housed in a coconut shell. The accompanying toasted bread was very plain on its own, but it is evidently deliberately left so after you dip it into the marinara clam sauce at the bottom of the coconut bowl. The seafood sweetness stands out in the sauce, but the clams were just a little bit tiny within. This was paired with a refreshing frozen lime margherita.Homemade You Char Kway (Dough Fritter Pieces) with Mozarella Cheese and Tomatoes, accompanied by a Lemongrass Ginger Mocktail.

The Homemade You Char Kway with Mozzarella Cheese and Tomatoes cooked in duck fat may look simple, but it was so delicious. The dough fritters were fried to a crunchy crisp. Combined with the sweet tomatoes and fragrant melted mozzarella, the entire combination is a hit. It would be even better if the dough fritters could be fluffy inside, to soak up the delicious sauce it was coated in, but no complaints. This was a strong contender for the best dish of the night. The mocktail pairing of Lemongrass and Ginger complemented the dish to a T and added that extra lift to it overall. Its street-food presentation made it fun to eat too.Spanish Iberico Pork with Bonito Flakes and Pumpkin Puree

The Spanish Iberico Pork with Bonito Flakes and Pumpkin Puree came paired with a red wine. The pork was bouncy, juicy and flavourful with every bite. Along with the subtle sweetness from a dash of apple sauce, this was one of my favourites for the night. We even had someone asking if he could have seconds.Red Snapper with Foie Gras Mousse and Bacon, served on Banana Leaf

Created by Laffio's Chef De Cuisine, this Red Snapper with Foie Gras Mousse and Bacon had a grilled smokiness to it. The fish itself was firm to the bite and supple but the Foie Gras Mousse had a bitter aftertaste. Not sure if it should be there. The bacon was also just a little over-fried, such that it was a little hard to bite. However, the orange marmalade lent a fruitiness which contrasted nicely with the sharpness of the fish meat. Popcorn Ice Cream

This Popcorn Ice Cream is actually vanilla ice cream topped with popping candy and a few popcorn bits. The popping candy created a racket "popping" in the mouth, making it pure fun to eat. The vanilla ice cream was rich with vanilla flavour and creamy to a right. This is hands down my favourite. Makes me wonder why no one has ever thought of it till now. I would gladly come back again for this repeatedly if this is permanently on the menu! Chocolate Liquer Ball with Strawberry Mousse

The last item for the night, this Chocolate Liquer Ball took a little bit more effort to break into even using our metal spoon. Once broken, the liquer within flowed out gloriously. It was also presented creatively, making it convenient to drink from the edges of the diamond tip. One of the diners commented that it resembled drinking in ancient times, when goblets were shaped like this.

Good food aside, we were also entertained with short games during the event. Laffio delivers their motto with this pop up dining event that is pure good fun in food form. From what the owners say, there will be other themed events coming up as well within these few months. I will return to try the mainstays on their regular menu. Meanwhile though, could we have more of that Popcorn Ice Cream?

For the full review, go to http://herpenandfork.blogspot.sg/2014/10/laffio-review-pop-dining-fun-in.html