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spherepiece
This is spherepiece living in Jurong West. I am a UndergraduateI like to hang out in Arab Street, Chinatown, City Hall. Vietnamese, Singaporean, Malaysian, Hong Kong/ Cantonese are my favorite cuisines. I also love Restaurant, Café, Rare gems and Sushi/Sashimi, Zi Char, Ramen, Pannacotta, Vietnamese Beef Pho.
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Showing 1 to 5 of 7 Recommended Reviews in Singapore
spherepiece
422 Review(s)
Level 4
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Categories : Japanese | Ramen

By a twist of fate, I landed at Yoshimaru Ramen Bar for dinner - which was not a bad idea because I love ramen anyway! This is the where the famous challenge is conducted - finish the ramen in 12 minutes and it's free... failing to do so you pay $35. The ramen bowl is really huge with 3 eggs. Challenge ends on 22 June 2014 - only three more days left if you are interested. Well, you can also opt to be a normal customer - there are many yummy selections too!

 
Yoshimaru is one of the rarer ramen places that provide sesame seeds for grounding. Although it is not necessary, I like sesame seeds which give my ramen noodles more texture and layering as a whole.

 

 

 
I opted for the Traditional Hakata Ramen which came as a pleasant surprise - it was better than most of the other ramen bars I have been to. Admittedly, I'm quite numb to the in-between standards, but when a good one comes along, I'll perk up immediately! This is one of them. I like how the soup base is savoury and not overpowering, soaked with the essence of pork bones for many hours. It is so thick with goodness, it's almost sinful. The ramen noodles are also springy and slurpilicious. I like how the portion is actually so big, I almost couldn't finish them even on my good appetite day. Of course, the egg was cooked to the gooey-yellow-gel perfection. Yummy!

 

 
I was eyeing the Spicy Yuzu Ramen, but the word spicy and two chilli icons beside its name were quite intimidating! After asking one of the friendly service staff, he waved it off and convinced us that it wasn't all that spicy at all. Well, as it turned out - the soup base was an enticing blend of apparent citrus yuzu flavours and spices. The burning spiciness came as an after-aftertaste and would be pretty strong after say, five mouthfuls. But one mouthful of this soup base was very blissful even for a person who is afraid of spicy food. I love interesting ramen soup bases, it's like exploring a new place!

 
Apparently Calpis is supposed to be a common drink but I haven't tried before in my whole life (hashtag, suaku) so... first try! Not bad... a bit like a hybrid between probiotic drinks and fruit juice. (hashtag, lesssuaku)

 
And Asahi. Overall, Yoshimaru will rank pretty high on my ramen recommendation list alongside strong contenders such as Ramen Keisuke King and Suzuki Ramen Bar.

For full review: http://www.amiehu.com/2014/06/yoshimaru-ramen-bar-holland-village.html
 
Table Wait Time: 5 minute(s)


Date of Visit: Jun 04, 2014 

Other Ratings:
Taste
 5  |  
Environment
 4  |  
Service
 4  |  
Clean
 4  |  
Price
 4

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Food Esteem
171 Review(s)
Level 4
Hidden Gem in Joo Chiat! Smile Jun 11, 2014   
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Categories : Asian Variety | Café | Desserts and Cakes

Sng Muay Pop is just another awesome drink I believe can be easily made at home though. It seems something like a slice of sour plum being placed in ice ball and mixed with calamansi and even soda drink to be served. Sinpopo's menu says to suck on the ice balls to relieve the childhood experience of sucking on the traditional ice popsicle.
Scissors Cut Rice, a popular street food of soft chicken wings, crispy pork cutlet, egg and cabbage, served with curry gravy. Thick gravy, crispy and soft, are exactly as they described in their menu. One thing that's not met is the egg.
Zi Pao Kai with Bee Hoon ($8.90). The chicken is really tender and juicy, to an extent where I think 3 pieces is soooo not enough!
Ngoh Hiang ($7.90). You do not get to choose in Sinpopo. It is fixed, and comes with fish cake, five spices meat roll, prawn fritters and chinese sausage. I do enjoyed all of it, except for the fish cake, which seems tasteless.
Pulot Hitam with Coconut Ice Cream ($4.90). This is one classic black glutinous rice dessert back in the coffeeshops when I was still a kid.
D24 Durian Cendol ($4.90). You can expect basic ingredients such as coconut milk, jelly noodles, red beans, grass jelly, corn and such, topped with shaved ice, palm sugar and mashed durian meat.
Ais Bor ($3.90). Very similar to ice kacang/cendol, but this time shaped in a ball. A ball of ice, with the ingredients like corns, attap chee, jelly noodles, red bean, etc within.

For more details, please visit http://foodesteem.blogspot.com/2014/06/sinpopo-brand.html
Pulot Hitam with Coconut Ice Cream

Pulot Hitam with Coconut Ice Cream

 

 
Ais Bor

Ais Bor

 
Scissors Cut Rice

Scissors Cut Rice

 

 
 
Date of Visit: Jun 07, 2014 

Other Ratings:
Taste
 4  |  
Environment
 4  |  
Service
 4  |  
Clean
 4  |  
Price
 4

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jiaksimipng
271 Review(s)
Level 4
Great old-school desserts! Smile May 15, 2014   
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Categories : Singaporean | Taiwanese | Chinese | Café | Desserts and Cakes | Kids-Friendly

 
Amidst the recent sprouting of hipster cafe comes Old Skool Dessert House; a dessert cafe situated in The Odeon Katong that focuses more on well-loved local desserts that is familiar to all generations alike. Given the naming, the cafe adopts a more old-school theme with the use of chalk boards for menus, simple furnishings and comes equipped with its own “detention corner” for patrons waiting for seats or takeaways. Both warm and cold desserts are available, ranging from Black Glutinous Rice to Snowflake, with a small variety of dimsum available. Beverages include coffee, where Latte, Long Black and Mocha is strangely included in the largely local-based menu.

 
We were rather torn between the Yam Cream with Gingko Nut ($3.30) and Black Glutinous Rice, so we went with our instincts by going for the former. It was decent and had a comfortable level of sweetness without cloying up as well as being smooth. Gingko Nuts were soft as well. While it was not too bothersome, it could do a bit better by being a bit thicker.

 
XO Durian Lovers ($5.50) was one of the items that is highly recommended by the waitress for Durian lovers, and after a spoonful we could see the reason why. Thick, fibrous puree of XO Durian dumped in an equally thick and rich durian mousse, it was mildly sweet yet immensely flavoured by the pungent fruit with its strong flavour. So rich, so thick and so satisfying, it was moments before the entire bowl was finished and I was really hoping for another one more!

 

 
For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/05/06/old-skool-dessert-house-the-odeon-katong/

 
 
Recommended Dish(es):  XO Durian Lovers
 
Table Wait Time: 10 minute(s)


Spending per head: Approximately $5(Supper)

Other Ratings:
Taste
 3  |  
Environment
 3  |  
Service
 4  |  
Clean
 4  |  
Price
 4

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mycc
217 Review(s)
Level 4
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Categories : Japanese | Buffet

For full review, please visit http://www.makeyourcaloriescount.com/2014/03/sg-hanare-unparalleled-japanese-sashimi.html

While writing this post, I could not resist referring to my calendar and realised that my reservation at Teppei Restaurant is not till June 2014, with my reservation placed on 2 January 2014. Yes, the queue is at least six months long.
While the wait for my omakase at Teppei continues, we read about the opening of their sister restaurant, Hanare. We jumped with joy when we learnt that this new offering is located conveniently in the vicinity of Tanjong Pagar, a short five minute walk from the MRT station. Unlike Teppei Restaurant, Hanare do not accept reservations and have a walk-in policy only for both their lunch and dinner seatings, at the same price.

 
At present, there are only two options with no ala carte menu. All prices are nett and inclusive of GST and service charge. Do note that you are expected to make payment upon arrival.

 
We opted for the buffet on this occasion and with more than 20 different types of side dishes ranging from curry beef to chicken cutlet. As part of the buffet offering was the daily special and on this instance, there were three slices of salmon and two slices of scallop sashimi.

The bara chirashi, which essentially refers to a bowl lunch special is somewhat like a bento set with a fair share of sashimi offering. One would however be limited to four different kinds of side dishes, such as tamago ("egg") or seasoned vegetables.

 
The sashimi slices were thick and fresh. The salmon slices were highly palatable with three slices to each portion served alongside fresh salmon roe. What I particularly enjoyed was the punch of freshness from the protein and with the wasabi, it surely heightened our senses.

The generous serving of salmon roe added a layer of glutinosity in texture with its gluey-ness while the salmon roe were firm and burst with goodiness with each bite. If you are a lover of salmon roe, this will not disappoint.

 
After finishing our sashimi, it was time to check out what the buffet has to offer! Do not expect to be wow-ed with sashimi platter or the likes as the buffet features mainly cooked food such as chicken cutlet, spring rolls, seasoned and stir-fry vegetables and more importantly their signature curry dishes!

 
The chicken and beef pieces were located beside the rice and curry pots though there were clear signage to indicate so. For those with a heavier appetite, load up on the fragrant rice, the tender chicken and beef and shower it with some curry love for a satisfying main on its own!
Unlike the usual sweet Japanese curry that we are more used to, this was largely adjusted to the palate of local Singaporeans as it spotted a slightly spicier touch. We loved the viscosity of the curry and the heat was cleverly balanced with the appropriate level of sweetness.

 
Quite frankly, the buffet offering was not particularly impressive, with the usual chicken karaage, edamame, udon, etc filling the trays but this spring roll caught our attention as it had a layer of ham and cheese on the inside of the fluff pastry.

 
The interior was simply decorated with a touch of minimalism to it. We liked that everything was pretty much self-service, including free-flow of iced and hot Japanese roasted rice tea. Do not set your expectations too high prior to trying and you will leave the meal satisfied. If you are looking for free-flow sashimi sort of Japanese buffet, then this might not suit you well either.
Overall, we enjoyed the lunch though it was a quick lunch affair before rushing back to Raffles Place! I liked that it was a no-frills dining experience, reasonable prices (considering that it was nett pricing) and the lady manning the counter was friendly and approachable. Would certainly return soon to try their bara chirashi set! While they are open for lunch till 1430hrs, do note that they are also open for dinner at the same prices with the same offering till 2200hrs.

 
Hanare is located on the first floor, therefore look out for this signage to enter the flight of stairs.
 
Spending per head: Approximately $19.9(Lunch)

Other Ratings:
Taste
 4  |  
Environment
 4  |  
Service
 4  |  
Clean
 4  |  
Price
 5

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Gareth1304
32 Review(s)
Level 3
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Categories : German | European | Café

Prior to this Between X OpenRice Food Tasting Session, my only experience with German-based cuisine had been a couple of visits to Brotzeit for some schnitzels and bratwursts. My Deutsch foodie experience was thus greatly enhanced during this Tasting Session, courtesy of Between and OpenRice.

Stuttgart Blackforest Boutique S-Café is a lovely little German eatery that appears to pride itself on delivering an authentically German experience to its patrons. This was evident throughout my visit.

While waiting to be seated, one already catches a glimpse of the exquisitely-furnished café interior. An impressive variety of pastas and spirits sits invitingly on large wooden shelves. Stepping inside, I was struck by the sight of large majestic trees scattered across the eatery, their branches reaching towards the lofty ceiling. Much thought and care was indeed put into the decorations, with a spinning water wheel and a wall of antique cuckoo clocks among the more outstanding features.

 
Water wheel: attention-catching centrepiece

 
Water feature complete with fish

 
Shelves upon shelves of specialty pastas

After getting to meet the fellow OpenRicers present as well as Joash, the General Manager (Singapore) of VCNC (which is behind the Between app), we were ready to choose our dishes from a selection of mains and desserts to accompany a Wurstsalat (SGD 18++), a salad with sausages, onions and gherkins.

 
The Wurstsalat was simple yet satisfying in a understated way. The sausage slices possessed a unique mix of tastes, with a slight sourish tang adding some tart zest to the otherwise salty meat. The accompanying greens and cherry tomatoes added the finishing gustatory as well as visual touches.

For my main, I went for the Schwäbische Maultaschen (SGD 25++), which consists of two large pockets of Swabian pasta, each stuffed with savoury minced beef. These were served on a bed of sautéed onions and potatoes. Accompanying these was a mesclun salad complete with bright cherry tomatoes.

 
The two maultaschen were generously sized and appetizingly presented, with the onions, potatoes and salad each adding a distinct dimension to the meat pockets. The pasta itself was soft and subtly fragrant, and provided a perfect foil to the more intense flavours of the minced beef. The maultaschen were well-complemented by the bed of potatoes and onions, whose tangy flavours I presume may be attributed to a vinaigrette dressing. It was indeed a flavourful and well-balanced dish.

 
Flavourful minced beef within!

Accompanying my meal was a cappuccino (SGD 10++) which was easily the most frothy and fluffy coffee I have ever encountered.

 
Check out the froth!

If you cut through all that fluff (literally), you will find that Stuttgart does really do quite a mean cappuccino. The coffee was thick and full-bodied, with intense aromas wafting up with every (divine) sip.

 
Rounding off the feast was a slice of Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (SGD 12++), a freshly-baked Blackforest cake that was fluffy, creamy, light and rich all at once. The spongy cake layers were interspersed with sweet and gooey cherries, with cream and chocolate shavings holding it all together. The cake was delightfully sweet and intensely flavoured with Kirschwasser, a traditional cherry liquor, making it a wonderful flavourful burst on the palate.

While service was reasonably attentive and polite to a fault, it was at times a little slow. We were made to wait uncomfortably long for some of the dishes, but this could be put down to the large group we were in. Overlooking this blemish, the homely ambience and quality of food were indeed top notch, making a visit to Stuttgart Blackforest Boutique S-Café an advisable one. Just be sure to visit only when not in a rush, and go prepared to spend a leisurely evening over some great-tasting German cuisine. Do also take the opportunity to take a few photographs (unintrusively of course), as the café is painstakingly decorated.

En Guete!
 
Recommended Dish(es):  Schwäbische Maultaschen,Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
 
Date of Visit: Jan 15, 2014 

Spending per head: Approximately $60(Dinner)

Other Ratings:
Taste
 4  |  
Environment
 5  |  
Service
 3  |  
Clean
 4  |  
Price
 4

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