Another notable addition to the local dining scene would be the opening of popular Malaysian eatery, Madam Kwan's, at Vivocity earlier this month. Touting authentic Malaysian cuisine at its best, I was very eager and lucky to be one of the first in to try it over lunch.

The premises of the restaurant is huge. With both indoor and al fresco dining, Madam Kwan's can seat up to 200 pax comfortably. But to get a table during lunch/dinner hours, I wouldn't leave it too late. It took just 30 minutes after 12 to pack the restaurant up to the rafters.

Looking at the menu, one familiar with the local dining scene might naturally draw references to the Grandma's restaurant chain already operating in Singapore. Both eateries are building on the cornerstone of authentic flavours and recipes handed down through the generations by the matriarchs of the family. First impressions wise, Madam Kwan's certainly won hands down - diners at the restaurant could see the lady herself doing meet and greets, photo taking, general seat assignments. I got to talk to a food icon! *Achievement Unlocked*

My lunch at Madam Kwan's consisted of a starter, a main course and dessert:Otak-Otak - $15.90
6 cubes of the spicy fish paste grilled and served in banana leaf. A familiar dish here n Singapore, the Otak-Otak at Madam Kwan's certainly set itself apart in terms of quality. The Otak was thicker than what you would get anywhere else, and the flavour was just spot-on, without too much spice ruining the taste with excessive heat.
Recommended - A great starter dish not to be missed.Fried Beef Kway Teow - $14.90
Okay, the name of the dish befuddles me. No matter how I look, that just looks like hor fun to me, nothing fried to it. Naming conventions aside, the beef kway teow just lacked that wow factor for me. I have tasted better and at much more economical prices. Compliments could be paid to the individual strips of kway teow though. They were tender and separate unlike others which I've tried that had the kway teow slightly on the rubbery side and clumped together.Banana Fritter with Ice Cream - $8.90
This is probably THE dessert to end of your meal at Madam Kwan's. Hot meets cold in some yin and yang style of cooking. The deep fried banana had a crisp outer layer slick with caramelization, covering a mushy banana centre. 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream served on the side just help to add to the contrast in flavours, and also take an edge of the intensity of the banana fritter.

Verdict: A trip to Madam Kwan's is definitely a must to test the hype out for yourself. But coming down to the taste factor, there are a few hits I must say, but whether or not it is enough to warrant the higher than average price points is really up to the individual.

Somewhere sometime, Hainanese Chicken Rice has become a Singaporean staple and local favourite. Anywhere you look in Singapore, you can find a representative proudly claiming to be THE authentic chicken rice flavour that has placed Singapore on the map.

Hainanese Delicacy at Far East Plaza is one of those contestants. Suggest having chicken rice in Orchard and there is a high chance the shop would get mentioned, if not in the same breath as Chatterbox at Mandarin Orchard. Located on level 5 of Far East Plaza, the stall is spartan, with coffee shop-style furnishings. Packed as it is during meal hours, it might get a tad claustrophobic for those sitting in the tight confines at the far end of the restaurant.Diners can opt to order single portions or half/whole chicken to be shared. There is also the choice of roast chicken or the traditional hainanese chicken with it's oily, slightly more fatty skin. Together with a colleague, we ordered a plate of roast chicken rice each and a side of bean sprouts.The Verdict: Hainanese Delicacy might be another case of the product not living up to the hype. The chicken rice was not as fragrant as what you might find else where, and personally the chicken was drier too.
Though at $5.50 per pax for a plate of chicken rice with an additional dish of bean sprouts, it's as economical as it gets around the Orchard belt.

Yet another brand wades into the fray that is the pool of Parisian fine dining here in Singapore. On 15th April, Ladurée opened 2 shops within Takashimaya itself. Hailing from France, the pastry shop boasts a pedigree of 150 years. Hence it comes as no surprise to me that even after 2-3 weeks of its launch, Ladurée is still seeing queues at both its shops in Takashimaya.

Even at the price.

Ladurée offers a range of sweet eats including nougat, crystallized flavoured sugars and chocolates. But upstaging them all would be their range of staple and seasonal macarons. With their crisp, sugary flavoured covers encasing smooth, soft centres, each macaron at Ladurée would cost you a hefty $3.80. There's a chocolate macaron I saw wrapped in edible gold foil which goes for twice that!My first orders at Ladurée: Chocolate Yuzu macaron (left) and Chocolate macaron (right)
The Chocolate macaron was somehow significantly larger than its Yuzu counterpart. Its chocolatey casing was sweet, but the flavour pales in comparison with it's chocolate ganache centre which was still chocolatey and moist at the time of tasting.

In contrast, the Chocolate Yuzu was smaller but no less flavourful. The touch of tartness from the Yuzu cut through the chocolate, which really refreshes the palate and reminded me strongly of mandarin oranges. Nice!

My verdict? Small dainty pastries that really pack a punch in terms of cost and flavour. But do they warrant the cost? That's debatable. But I guess I just have to try more brands to find out!

Nonya Kueh is a cornerstone of Peranakan culture. The colourful cakes seated atop pandan leaves are yummy and scrumptious and more often than not, characterized by a distinctive sweet and stickiness.

Work-related matters saw me go by a confectionery specializing in nonya kuehs. Located innocuously along Hougang Ave 7 (I know, the store sign says Ang Mo Kio ) in a low of shop houses, the confectionery is simple - an undecorated store front stacked to the rafters with nonya kueh and the baking is done in the kitchen out back. I asked for the store's signature kuehs and was recommended their Ang Ku Kueh and what they simply called "Hei Bi Hiam". The former is a common sight among the local Chinese populace, a distinctive red kueh with either coconut or peanut filling. I bought the peanut version which although came across a tad dry on the inside, was still very much chewy and enjoyable. The "Hei Bi Hiam" turned out to be a simple looking rice cake, with generous filling of spicy prawn paste. This was my first try of this particular kueh and I really liked it for its contrast in textures - the smooth sticky rice cover, which allowed the heat from the grainy prawn paste to permeate throughout the entire kueh.

At just $2 for 5 pieces of Ang Ku Kueh and anther $2 for 4 pieces of the "Hei Bi Hiam", it really makes for a cheap breakfast or tea snack. Check it out!

I count myself lucky that I managed to get myself in at these final moments of a culinary maestro. After 40 over years of selling boneless braised duck rice, Chef Lim is hanging up his apron for good.

The furore was overwhelming. The queues at the stall located at far-flung South Buona Vista Road even more so. Just the fact that so many people were clamouring to get to taste the duck rice at this quaint, no-frill shophouse is already testament to the quality of food.And it's not just about the duck at Lim Seng Lee. My winning formula for a satisfying meal: Duck + Tofu + Kang Kong. Half a duck would set you back $20, Tofu $6 and Kang Kong another $7. And this meal would comfortably feed a party of 4-5 pax and leave everyone sated. $6 per person is value for money indeed!The undisputed star of the meal deserves extra mention. The duck braised till an exquisite tenderness, soaks up the the flavour from Chef Lim's dark sauce and literally sets off fireworks on your palate. Did I also mention that the duck's boneless? =DQueuing in line for my meal, I managed to get this shot of Chef Lim labouring away at the chopping block, churning out plates of his signature braised duck. He'd look up occasionally, smiling and making small talk with his regulars. Chef Lim and more importantly his braised duck would be sorely missed.