Albert Cafeteria, Chong Qing (Original) Steamboat is located along beach road. It is at the end of Liang Seah Street opposite Shaw Towers. Located among many other steamboat / hotpot outlets around Liang Seah street, competition is fierce and its price is competitive.Chong Qing (Original) Steamboat specialises in Chinese steamboat, Si Chuan style. It has been around for a long time. went there on a Friday evening and the place was packed. In fact, most of the other steamboat outlets along Liang Seah Street was similarly crowded.6 types of soup base for patrons to choose. We chose Herbal Soup and Tom Yam soup for each half of the pot.Lots of variety of ingredients to choose for the steamboat buffet. Ranging from vegetables, eggs, mushrooms, fish balls, meat balls, chicken, pork, fish, squid, flower crab, potato, winter melon, toufu, prawns, clams, mussels, hot dogs and more! The ingredients were quite fresh and there were about 8 different types of dip sauce such as peanut, sesame and soya beancurd.

For $20 flat per adult, this is one steamboat worth going for. Cheap and good. But the service can be quite bad at times - It can be hard to the attention of the staff.

Detailed review: http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2011/12/chong-qing-original-steamboat.html

Song Huat Bak Kut Teh is located at Rocher Centre. Rocher Centre is slated for redevelopment in the next few years to make way for the new North-South Expressway. If you want to try the stalls in Rocher, try it fast before it is gone.Needless to say, Song Huat Bak Kut Teh specialise in dishing out Bak Kut Teh.The You Tiao (油条) (also known as Dough Fritter) is basically fried dough. It was not crispy, however I like to dip it into the Bak Kut Teh Soup so that it absord the soup. Shiok!The Bak Kut Teh comes with 4 big and long pieces of soft and tender pork rib. I was surprise at how tender the meat was and it was easy to separate the meat from the bone. Perfectly cooked pork ribs. The soup was full of flavour from the spices, garlic, pepper and pork meat. Not too peppery too. Quite a nice, decent bowl of bak kut teh. I was tempted to take my empty bowl and ask for more soup.

If you pass by Bugis, this stall is worth a try before it moves away. I will definitely be back after all it is so near my office.

Try it before it closes down!

Detailed review: http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2011/12/song-huat-bak-kut-teh-rocher.html

Earlier this year, the operators of Tampopo Group opened a new Japanese lifestyle concept restaurant with western cuisine called Dulcet & Studio at Liang Court. With this, Tampopo Group now operates three F&B restaurants in Liang Court; Tampopo Restaurant, Tampopo Deli and Dulcet & Studio. Tampopo Group also operates the Tarafuku Japanese Buffet at Somerset 313.Dulcet & Studio serves a fusion of japanese and western cuisines such as salad, soup and pasta using Japanese ingredients. For example, Black Pig is used in their Bolognese Fettuccine Pasta. Another interesting consideration is that they also serves Tampopo's signature desserts such as the Scoop Cake as well as the Matcha Chiffon! Wide varieties of cakes and puddings to choose from. Spot the Scoop Cakes and Matcha Chiffons?

Besides dishing out food for customers, the inner half of the dining space is actually a cooking studio where culinary classes can be held . Hence, the name 'studio' in Dulcet & Studio.

Dulcet & Studio is marketed as a self-service restaurant. Customers place their order at the counter and make the payment. Next, customers are supposed to collect their order and cutlery and sauces from cutlery station. After finishing the meal, customers are supposed to clear their tables. Well, for the record, the food was served by the waitress and while I was enjoying my dessert to arrive, the table was cleared. =)

The cutlery station where the utensils and sauces are.

After placing my order, I went back to my table as I was given a queue number. (so much for collecting the orders ourselves)While waiting for the food to arrive, customers can peek into the kitchen through the glass windows. The Mushroom Cappuccino was served with a piece of bread. The bread was impressive. So ordinary looking, it was served warm and was so soft and fluffy on the inside. I wish that I could have more of this bread. The Mushroom Cappuccino was unique. It was served in a cup instead of a bowl. In addition, had a layer of foam on top. The soup was full of mushrooms chunks and mushroom essence. The Bacon & Mushroom Cream Tagliolini Pasta was consisted of pasta with 2 long slices of bacon and lots of fragrant mushroom. It was a pity the bacon was too dry and salty as the pasta and the mushrooms when mix well was delicious.The chicken on the Fresh Chicken Leg Confit was on the oily end. It was saved by, the moist and tender meat on inside while its skin was crispy. Best to polish this off immediately before the skin soak up the oil and becomes soggy. The fries served at the side had the hallmark of a good fries. Crispy and solid while soft and fluffy on the inside. It was a pity that we both agreed that it was too salty.Besides food, the desserts here are a must try. After all they are by Tampopo's Deli! You will be spoilt for choice as there is a wide variety of cakes or puddings. We decided to try the Tea Time Cake as we had not tried it before. It was a Hokkaido Chiffon Cake hence costed $2; reasonably priced. Still personally preferred the Scoop Cake as well as the Matcha Chiffon.

Detailed review: http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2013/01/dulcet-studio-liang-court.html

Xu Yang Tonic Soup 旭阳敦品 has been serving herbal soup for the last 30 years since the 1980s. They have received several recognition from food shows, newspapers and magazines.This stall is located in Coffee City at Ang Mo Kio Ave 6. This is within Ang Mo Kio Central, just 10 minutes walk from Ang Mo Kio MRT Station.

I have been patronising Xu Yang Tonic Soup 旭阳敦品 since young, upper primary in fact. As far as I can recall, this stall is very famous. Most people who visit this coffee shop patronise this stall. Some people of my age hates herbal soup (especially the smell). The very first time I tried herbal soup was at this stall. After some many years, I still come back specially for this and noticed that the owners still look the same, so young! (should be the herbal soup!)

Over 16 varieties of soup to choose from! Oh yes, patrons who frequent this stall will notice that they have a new look now. The coffee shop was renovated recently in October 2011. As expected, there was a price increase.I always order the 'Tian Qi' Black Chicken every time I come here, with the exception of ordering the Herbal Turtle and 'Chong Cao' Herbal Black Chicken once or twice. I did not stop ordering them because they were lousy, but the reason was more that I like the 'Tian Qi' Black Chicken too much. More herbals and chicken hidden below. Lucky me, I got the bowl with chicken leg! The black chicken is tender and tasty even though it has most likely been steamed for a long period of time. Moreover, the taste of herbals has sipped into the chicken. The soup is concentrated with herbals and is not salty. Nor is it diluted. No Salt, No MSG!

Over the years, I have noticed that the amount of herbals and black chicken being given has decreased. Despite this, this is still one of the best herbal stall. Most other herbal stall elsewhere serve worse herbal soup that seems to be added with salt.Had craving for frog legs, hence ordered the Gingseng Frog Soup. Generous portions of frog meat was given. Not too bad, but I would have prefer Frog Legs to be cooked with spring onion and ginger or dried chilli to give more flavour and fragrant to the frog meat.

Overall, I still find this stall provides soups that are quite value for money despite the increase in price. Hopefully, the standard does not deteriorate. I will definitely be back and I have no idea why I am interested in trying the Herbal Turtle Soup as I am typing this.

Detailed review: http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2011/12/xu-yang-tonic-soup-ang-mo-kio.html

Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant is the third and newest baby of Chef Yong Bing Ngen. It is located at Gardens By The Bay, just below the Flower Dome, opposite the entrance of Cloud Forest. The 110-seater restaurant is cozy with a nautical theme to resemble a ship deck. Rounds mirrors line the wall to resemble the potholes with light oak floors and the corporate colour is auqamarine.

There is also a private room available for booking for up to 14 diners.

As you walk into the restaurant, you will be greeted by a wide variety of live (fresh) seafood in the water tanks ranging from Crabs, Fish (Empura, Turbot), Geo Duck Clams, Bamboo Clams to Lobsters. I like the setting of the restaurant. Neat, clean, modern and elegant! Just the place to go to if you need to impress someone without breaking the bank.The Assorted Seafood Soup was served in a whole young coconut. In it, there were mushroom, prawn, scallop and bamboo pith. The soup was tasty with the sweetness of the scallop and prawn extracted into the soup. In addition, there was a light mushroom and coconut flavour. The ingredients used were fresh. The mushroom used was fresh and not the dried version. Similarly, the scallop used was the fresh version. It was big and chunky, so much so that when I bite into it, the flavour of the scallop could still be savoured. I would have though that the prawn in this case would be overcook. But I was wrong. It was cooked just right and was firm and fresh. The best part is that after drinking all the soup, you can use a spoon and scrap off the coconut flesh easily. =)You would not have been to Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant if you did not order their signature crab; Bay's Signature 'Kopi' Sauce Crab. Having said that, of course there are other ways to savour your crab if you prefer; Chilli Sauce, Black Pepper, Steamed with Shao Xing, Sauted with Spring Onions and Ginger or Stewed with Bee Hoon.

Bay's Signature 'Kopi' Sauce Crab was created by Chef Yong and there is no doubt that this is a uniquely created in Singapore Dish. It is cooked with a blend of 3 varieties of coffee beans, along with apple jam, orange juice and marmalade. At the serving table, it is set alight with a alcoholic mixture to give an extra oomph of fragrance and caramelisation. I must say that this is a very unique way of cooking a crab. Although I am not a coffee person, I found the 'Kopi' sauce extremely addictive. The intense coffee flavour couple with the sweetness left me longing for more. The crab was fresh and meaty. Its meat could be easily pull out and was firm. Coffee lovers (addicted to coffee/ requiring at least a cup of caffeine fix a day) will definitely love this! The Braised Baby Abalone Mee Sua stole the show. It was simple yet delicious. The braised baby abalone was so soft, tender and flavourful. The Mee Sua was tasty having absorbed the rich, tasty and creamy broth. It was so irresistible that I finish the whole bowl (including the broth). Mee Sua is my type of comfort food! The Doubled-Boiled Peach Gum and Chinese Pear was served cold. The sweetness from the different ingredients were extracted. The Peach Gum deserved a special mention as it was soft yet flavour and sweet.Although I am not a fan of fresh cream, the Glutinous Rice Dumpling was saved by the skin of the Glutinous Rice Dumpling (Yes, you read this correctly! The skin!). The skin was extremely soft. It was made from scratch by Chef Li Shou Tao who is their Dim Sum Chef with over 20 years of experience! Wow man! I can't wait to try their Dim Sum one day!

Overall, I must say that I have tried several unique dishes during this visit, some of them for the first time in my life (now I sound like a suaku). It is interesting to see the innovative way the different ingredients are combined to create a dish. It is hard choosing the best 2 dishes I ate that day. But if I have to recommend 2 dishes, it would be the Braised Baby Abalone Mee Sua and Bay's Signature 'Kopi' Sauce Crab. I hope that I get to try their Dim Sum one day. If you have tried it before do let me know.

If you are wondering where to eat at Gardens By The Bay, well this is it!

Thanks Janice and Sherman from Foodnews for invite and hosting.

ps: It is advisable to make reservations during weekends.

Detailed review: http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2013/01/majestic-bay-seafood-restaurant-gardens.html