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See pics @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/05/portico-prime.htmlPortico's dinners fare much better than their set lunches. My second-chance dinner at Portico Prime was outstanding, compared to the so-so lunches at Portico Alexandra. Not a wrong move with every dish. Execution was fantastic, and each plate was a colourful kaleidoscope of textures and flavours.If I had one gripe, it would be about the indoor premises, which was stifling and humid, despite the tall ceilings, open-concept layout and supposed air-conditioning. Sit outdoors on a cool drizzly day instead.We had:1) Seared Hokkaido Scallops ($14): whilst salty on their own, scallops were perfectly countered with the crisp cos lettuce beds of grated pecorino, a lovely runny sous vide 63C egg, dehydrated bacon, and brown anchovy mayo2) Chilled Truffle-Scented Angel Hair ($14) - with avruga caviar, crunchy kawa ebi shrimp, and dehydrated kombu shio: intensely aromatic, insanely delicious and a must-try.3) Pan-Seared Pulau Ubin Barramundi ($19): fish was moist and flaky, its skin beautifully crisp. Roasted ratte potatoes were flecked with semi-dried tomatoes, and seasoned with a wonderfully citrusy carrot ginger puree swirled with trout roe beurre blanc. Must-try.4) Portico's Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek ($21) - simmered in mulled wine for an unctuous fork-tender finish, set on a bed of pommery mustard mash, dotted with sauteed white button mushrooms, and brightened by yuzu compressed nashi pear cubes: it looked a right mess, but wow was this heartily fantastic…Read More

See pics @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/05/sungei-road-laksa-jalan-besar.htmlSungei Road Laksa may serve up one of the simplest bowls of laksa, without modern adornments like eggs, prawns or otah, but what they lack in frills, they compensate with freshness and quality. The illustrious heritage hawker still uses charcoal to fire up his stove, and if you ever thought it was no biggie to use charcoal fire, Sungei Road Laksa will change your mind; it's immediately evident that the smoky char of the fire imbues each bowl of laksa with an irresistibly heady aroma.The queues may be legendary but clockwork-efficient production of the noodles ensures the line moves fast. But if you're really averse to waiting in line, the best time to hit up Sungei Road Laksa is after the peak lunch hours on weekdays. There's hardly a queue then.The standard order Laksa ($3) is loaded with beansprouts, fishcake and cockles. The cockles, though petite, are swimmingly fresh and succulent, and lend a briny accent to the rich and robust gravy. If you can take the heat, ask for extra helpings of the sambal chilli to stir into the gravy, it adds a potent punch and complements the laksa base.…Read More

See pics @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/05/jing-hua-xiao-chi-palais-renaissance.htmlI daresay Jing Hua is a smite better than DTF. Compared to the ubiquitous Din Tai Fung, Jing Hua's soupy pork dumplings are more delicate, possessing a refinement that's exquisite.We had:1) Pork Dumplings ($5.50 for 4 pcs): pork mince was sparkling fresh with nary a whiff of that heavy 'porky' stench, broth was light and clear, dumpling skin was impossibly thin but resilient. An absolute must-try.2) Black Pepper Steamed Beef Dumplings ($6 for 4 pcs): Order only if you're a fan of coriander leaves, this was unfortunately laced with coriander leaves. Obviously, not my favourite thing.3) Zha Jiang Noodle ($7.50): rustic and hearty concoction of minced pork bean paste gravy slathered over thick chewy noodles and balanced with oodles of fresh beansprouts, wilted spinach, and julienned cucumbers. Must-try too.4) Hot & Sour Soup ($4.50): a lot more mellow and muted than I'd expected, but no less delicious.5) Crispy Red Bean Pancake ($11.80): possibly the best rendition around of this classic Shanghainese dessert. A beautifully crisp golden crust, the dough underneath was a lovely chewy texture, layered with a not-too-sweet red bean paste. Also must-order.…Read More

See pics @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/04/one-ninety-four-seasons-hotel.htmlOne-Ninety is the long-timer in-house continental restaurant of the Four Seasons in Singapore. It may be a trite dining concept, but it's an old-reliable that can be counted on for a simple, low-fuss meal amidst elegant digs.The Mezze Dinner Buffet ($64+ per pax) is a semi-buffet spread of curated appetizers and desserts, and supplemented with an ala carte main course. It's not the most extensive or outstanding of buffets, but where the selection is kept purposefully small, the quality is maintained pretty highly.Our ala carte mains were:1) Pan-fried Mediterranean Seabass: cooked beautifully, and simply adorned by a broccolini caponata, lemon, ketchup, and a lemon cream sauce.2) Black Angus Prime Tenderloin ($32 supplement): juicy, imbued with a wonderful char, and served with a red wine jus and blistered baby peppers.…Read More

See pics @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/05/thai-tantric-orchard-towers.htmlAmongst diners of the ilk scattered along the dingy halls of Orchard Towers, Thai Tantric seems the most popular. There's usually a queue for tables, and the wait for food takes inordinately long as well. I'm not entirely convinced that the long waiting times are justified by the standard of the Thai cuisine served at Thai Tantric; Sapunsa is of equal standing and Jane Thai Food isn't too shabby either.We had:1) Moo Tod Kra Theam ($10): liked the garlic and pepper seasoning, not so much the deep fried pork; it was dried out, stringy and tough to chew.2) Paad Kra Pow Moo ($10) - stir-fried minced pork with basil and chilli: passed muster, luscious and punchy.3) Gang Khiao Waan Gai ($10) - green curry chicken: sumptuous, fiery and elevated by the succulent chicken morsels.4) Tom Yum Goong ($10) - Thai spicy and sour soup with prawns: blazingly spicy, but let down by prawns that were alkali-ed to death.5) Khao Pad Tom Yum ($6) - tom yum flavoured fried rice with chicken: must try; It was robust, flavourful, and bright with the liberal use of kaffir lime leaves…Read More

See pics @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/04/invited-tasting-revisit-jamies-italian.htmlI've never really taken to Jamie Oliver's brand of amateurish homecooking, even if I can see how his crooked grin and adorable lisp makes him so endearing to his female fans. But when I dine at a restaurant, I expect restaurant-quality fare, not food that I can recreate in my own kitchen. With the exception of the pizzas, which passed muster, the rest of our samplings were clumsy and unpolished. Suffice it to say, I was plainly unimpressed. There are dozens of Italian restaurants in Singapore more worthwhile than Jamie's Italian.We had:1) Cauliflower Fritti ($13.50): This was very good, a beautifully golden crust batter and juicy minced cauliflower balls. Ask to hold off the parsley if you're averse, Jamie's Italian puts it on EVERYTHING.2) Prawn Linguine ($18): The sauce, redolent of garlic, shaved fennel, tomatoes, and chilli, was decent enough, and so were the properly cooked fresh prawns, BUT, the pasta was disappointingly overcooked.3) Pizza Funghi ($23.50): the pizzas here are much better than their middling pastas. I liked the contrast of the earthy mushrooms with the richness of the white sauce4) Epic Brownie ($12.50): nice but certainly not "epic" as asserted on the menu, even if it was very nicely fudgy…Read More

See pics @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/04/open-farm-community.htmlThe fare at Open Farm Community was wholesome, soulful, exquisite, and quite simply, sustainable clean-eating at its most delicious.Be sure to make reservations: we didn't think reservations were necessary on a Thursday evening, but boy were we wrong; the restaurant was a full-house, so we were "banished" to the counter seats at the bar.We had:1) 'Hail Caesar' ($25): a novel deconstruction of the classic green salad, with romaine lettuce cups cradling tender slabs of smoked chicken, layered with 5J jamon, the thickest ever parmesan crackers, slicked with a light horseradish caesar dressing, and finished with soft-boiled egg confit and garlic croutons. This was well-executed, elegant, incredibly balanced, and the best caesar salad I've ever had. A must-try.2) Sweet Corn & Basil Soup ($19) chunked up with charred baby corn, caramelised onion strips, and mopped up by fluffy hunks of pita bread - velvety smooth and nuanced.3) Mud Crab Pappardelle ($29): the sweet flecks of shredded crabmeat complemented the mild Thai curry gravy swirled with coconut milk, dotted with yellow squash, and topped with fried Thai basil leaves. Despite the spice, this was very restrained.4) 48 Hour Barolo Braised Oxtail Strozzapreti ($26): unabashed and bold, the smoky sweet of the wine highlighted by the heft of the meat, and cut through by fresh thyme and parmesan crisps.5) Coconut Laksa Barramundi ($29): outstanding as well, the skin of the fish seared to a tantalising crackling, yielding luscious moist flesh underneath. This was sided by an otah-potato cake blend, blanched bok choy and garnished with chilli oil beads that looked like ikura…Read More

See pics @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/05/common-man-coffee-roasters-martin-road.htmlCommon Man Coffee Roasters ("CMCR") is notoriously crowded, so if possible, avoid the peak brunch/lunch hours, or be prepared to wait in line. Even at 4pm in the afternoon on a weekend, the buzzy cafe was swarming with expats and their SPG-hanger-ons, and teenybopper/YA hipster sorts. Obviously, I didn't like the ambience. The pretentiousness was exacerbated by how intrusively close the tables were to one another. I could hear everything our neighbouring diners were chatting about.At least the food and service were faultless. The breakfast eggs were innovative, hearty and delicious, while service was spontaneous and upbeat.We had:1) Organic Eggs Benedict ($24) layered with luscious braised ox cheeks, a velvety smooth chive hollandaise, toasted sourdough, and contrasted with the peppery kick of arugula leaves2) Turkish Common Man Breakfast ($25) comprised a duo of phyllo-crusted soft-boiled organic eggs on a hummus bed, flecked with battered feta, olives, arugula, pickled cucumbers and fresh tomato slices, all ready to be mopped up by soft pita bread. I liked the bright and tangy flavours in this one.3) Sauteed Kale & Egg White Scramble ($19) tossed with snow peas, asparagus, broccoli, sweet potato leaves, seasoned with lemon zest crumbs and showered over with grated parmesan wisps. Light and healthy without compromising on taste…Read More

See pics @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/05/artichoke.htmlLoved the food at Artichoke; there was a harmonious mesh of flavours and a refined symmetry in everything. For sure Artichoke's going down as one of 2016's bests eats.PSA: For first-timers to Artichoke, it's at the junction of Waterloo Street and Middle Road; the little restaurant is tucked away in a nook behind this bright yellow heritage chalet-looking building, opposite Fortune Centre and next to the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations ("SCWO") along Waterloo Street. Park along Waterloo Street or Fortune Centre.We had:1) Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder ($38): sumptuous and hearty and rich but balanced, with meat so soft it practically fell off the bone. One of the very best lamb I've ever had in my life.2) Smoked Chicken ($30): succulent and perfumed with a heady char3) Greenland Halibut Fish Fingers ($28): loved the pairing with velvety squid ink tartare sauce4) Duck Adana Kebab Tacos ($18 per pair): may not have received the same amount of love as the preceding dishes, but I liked it well enough. It was texturally meaty, and its intense potency was countered by crisp apple strips, shaved radish, a drizzling of lively garlic chive oil and creamy avocado hummus.5) Charred Broccoli ($16) strewn with a piquant hodgepodge of miso vinaigrette, crumbed feta, pickled garlic, pickled shimeiji and mint. So good we ordered seconds…Read More

See pictures @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/04/orchard-yong-tau-fu-cuppage-plaza.htmlOrchard Yong Tau Fu, or Cuppage Yong Tau Foo as it's more commonly known, is a hidden gem hole-in-the-wall in the aged Cuppage Plaza, a cramped and tiny shop space with limited seating. It's a full-house most parts of the day, but turnover is fast so you won't have to wait very long for seats to be freed up. Be sure to go by mid-afternoon though, because they start running out of stuff, and sell out by late-afternoon, even if the opening hours stipulate a 6.30pm closing time.Orchard Yong Tau Fu is popular for several reasons; the ingredients are mind-mindbogglingly varied and sparkling fresh, and the clear broth is rich in depth but not cloyingly so, nor does it reek of MSG. Exactly what makes for a superb and comforting bowl of yong tau foo.…Read More

See pictures @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/04/paul-paragon.htmlWe had:1) The Salad Nicoise ($19.90): a refreshing melange of perfectly seared tuna loin, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, mesclun, and black olives.2) Salade Champignons Sautes ($18.90): vegetarian option of mesclun studded with sauteed white button mushrooms, grilled asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and parmesan shavings. Loved the juicy mushrooms.…Read More

See pictures @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/04/alfero-artisan-gelato-orchard-gateway.htmlBest pistachio gelato around. It was creamy and rich and wonderfully nutty, I loved it, and I'm not even a fan of pistachio. The mango passionfruit sorbet is refreshing but nothing compared to the pistachio flavour. Skip the chocolate and tiramisu, both were forgettable.…Read More

See pictures @ http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/04/garden-street-kway-chap-serangoon.htmlA bit of a hit-and-miss.1) The broth was robust but balanced; and flat rice sheets smooth and delicate;2) Chilli was wonderful - piquant and lively;3) Loved the firm beancurd, eggs, and peanuts - all nicely braised;4) Pork belly was luscious;5) Large intestines were the highlight. Squeaky clean, and wonderfully chewy.6) Didn't like: fried beancurd puff - too dense and lacking in a spongy fluffiness. And the heavy fishcake because it was dotted with spring onions and chilli nubbins…Read More

See pictures at http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/04/chilis-clarke-quay-central.htmlChili's is one of my favourite places for Tex-Mex cuisine. And ribs! Because we regularly hit up the original branch at Tanglin Mall, comparisons between that and its sister outlet at The Central were inevitably drawn when we dined there last weekend.Service differs, the Tanglin Mall one being better staffed, with more efficient service, whereas the staff at Clarke Quay were a little more frazzled and bumbling. Food, too, was a little lackluster at Clarke Quay compared to the commendable grub at Tanglin Mall. Clearly, the standards between the branches are inconsistent; I'll probably stick to the Tanglin Mall branch.We had:1) Beef Chili ($12.50): This was a little charred compared to the ones at Tanglin Mall, like someone left it on the burner a tad too long. Still a decent starter nonetheless.2) Chicken Enchilada Soup ($9.90): subtly spiced, and really lovely, if a bit stingy on the chicken chunks.3) Bacon Ranch Quesadillas ($24.90): these were a little anaemic, and significantly less generous with the fillings than at Tanglin Mall.4) Mango Chile Chicken ($19.90): wholesome, healthy, and delicious. The chicken was very nicely done, moist, flavourful and tender.5) Grilled Chicken Fajitas ($27.90): one of the highlights. Succulent chicken, thoroughly marinated, and imbued with an aromatic smoky accent.6) Classic BBQ Baby Back Ribs ($40.90 for full rack): outstanding as usual, hearty, flavoursome to the bone, fantastically burnished, with meat that was so tender it was practically fall-off-the-bone. This was served with excellent homestyle fries and a disappointingly dry skillet macaroni & cheese…Read More

See pictures at http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/04/invited-tasting-revisit-salt-tapas-by.htmlWe first learnt about Salt Tapas' brunch offerings by way of an invited tasting, but returned for an incognito revisit. The fare at the revisit was improved, and the management evidently took our feedback at the tasting to heart. It's now really yummy, and a worthwhile option for brunch eggs!We had these at the revisit, paid for on our own:1) Eggs Berendine ($14): while this was unexciting, it was executed flawlessly. Perfectly runny insides, velvety hollandaise spiked with a dash of paprika, a generous lashing of bacon lardons, wilted spinach, and buttery muffins all came together cohesively.2) Scrambled Eggs ($15): nicely finessed, with eggs scrambled commendably, and dressed with a mildly spicy ratatouille and zucchini ribbons.3) Club Sandwich ($16): the magic of this delicious creation was the chicken mayo: crisp, clean, clear, delicate and refreshing. The cajun fries were memorably awesome.4) French Toast ($15): The thick fluffy brioche, dunked in a thin eggy coat and fried, was already stellar, and when paired with Okinawa ice-cream, clotted cream, jam and a sprinkle of icing sugar, just glorious…Read More