Funan Weng first started out as a noodles stall in 1950s at Hock Lam Street which was then a re-owned food street. Subsequently, the owner Mr Ho Weng switched to serving Ipoh Hor Fun as it was not a commonly available dish back then. He perfected the dish and he recipe has remained the same since then. In the 80s, Funan Digital Mall was built on Hock Lam Street and Mr Ho Weng moved his business to the food court at the 7th level of the mall and officially started his business using the name 'Funan Weng'. When Funan underwent a renovation, Funan Weng moved to Ghim Moh Market. In 2009, it moved out of the Hawker Centre scene and opened a restaurant in Maxwell Chambers.The Funan Weng Ipoh Ho Fun in Maxwell Chambers next to Red Dot Traffic Building, is located across the road from Exit B of Tanjong Pagar MRT station. It is situated near to many government offices/buildings such as CPF, MND and URA. Funan Weng Ipoh Ho Fun at Maxwell Chambers, was modern and classy. We had the opportunity to enjoy the whole place to ourselves as there was no one else in the restaurant on a weekday night except for some customers who were waiting to takeaway their food.Customers are required to fill in the dishes which they would like to order and bring this order form to the counter to order and make payment. The dishes would be served by the serving staff.They had the Executive Set Menu. After pondering for sometime, we decided to order Set 3 and Set 4. The Homemade Luo Han Guo $1.80 (warm) had a bitter taste, was the perfect remedy for the partner's sore throat. The Set 3 - Crayfish & Chicken Ipoh Ho Fun was served with Vegetable & Mushroom. The Vegetable & Mushroom was average, nothing great to shout about. Just one piece of half a mushroom was given.The Crayfish & Chicken Ipoh Ho Fun was quite good. It was a pity the crayfish was not fresh and tasted fishy. The Hor Fun sauce was oh-so-yummy. It complemented the Hor Fun perfectly. Not overly salty yet fragrant with a unique mushroom, herbal and spices taste. In addition, the Hor Fun seems to be smoother, softer and thinner compared to those sold else where. Set 4 - Prawn with Chicken & Mushroom Ipoh Ho Fun served with Crispy Wanton.The Prawn with Chicken & Mushroom Ipoh Ho Fun was also decently executed. The soft mushroom soaked in the Hor Fun sauce fully absorbed the essence of the sauce and was so fragrant! The prawns on the other hand was disappointing. Similar comments to the crayfish, they were not fresh.

The Hor Fun Sauce and the Hor Fun were delicious. However, it would have been a better foodie experience if good quality ingredients especially seafood were used. It was a real pity else this would have been one of the better Hor Fun in Singapore. Ambience wise, it was perfect! It was as if we had booked the whole restaurant to ourselves. It was so quiet that we could talk softly and if a pin drop I am sure we would have heard it!

Most food fanatics in Singapore would have probably read or heard that Jamie Oliver has opened a restaurant in Singapore called "Jamie's Italian". The 210 seater restaurant offers both indoors and alfresco dining.I joined Pinky Piggu, Rubbish Eat Rubbish Grow and Sg Food on Foot for dinner at the restaurant on a weekday. There was a long queue outside the restaurant. Thanks to Pinky Piggu who made the reservation, we did not have to join the queue. As this was Pinky Piggu's and Sg Food on Foot's second visit, they knew which dishes to avoid and which to order.

When ordering, we were surprised that several dishes such as Baked Mushrooms and Wild Mushroom Ravioli were already sold out. Looks like its advisable to come early.Left with fewer choices, we ordered the Meat Plank ($15.50 per pax) which consisted of cured meat, pickles, cheeses (Buffalo Mozzarella and Pecorino with Chilli Jam) and crunchy salad. The cured meat were arranged in such a way that it was supposed to be consumed from the left to right. My favourite item on the meat plank was the Pecorino with Chilli Jam. It consisted of a thin piece of sardinian flat bread with pecorino cheese. The chilli jam on top was the 'icing on the cake'! It complemented the cheese perfectly!

We also ordered several mains to share. The Risotto, Ravioli and Pasta comes in two sizes; small and large. Hence, there are two prices in the menu. For the pasta, the small and large portion weighs 75 and 150g respectively. According to the waitress, the pasta were all freshly made - daily with love. They had a molding machine which could churn out different pasta shapes.I thought that the Wild Truffle Risotto $16 / $24.50 was disappointing. I would have preferred if it was more flavourful and the risotto rice was softer (well, personal preference). Luckily we were sharing the dishes, I can't imagine myself finishing the whole dish by myself without feeling jerlak.The Jools' Favourite Sicilian Tuna Fusilli $14 / $21 name after Jamie Oliver's wife was a dish which he created for his wife when she was pregnant. As such this dish was skewed towards a sourish flavour with a tangy kick. In addition, using fusilli pasta (corkscrew shaped) allowed the pasta to be coated with more of the sauce. I quite like the overall taste of this pasta.The Tagliatelle Bolognese $15 / $22 with it's meat mix of beef, pork, herbs and cheese was delish. In addition, the Bolognese sauce was robust and flavourful.

Next up are the two most expensive mains in the restaurant.The Pink Snapper Acqua Pazza which cost $32 consisted of a whole pink snapper with olives, garlic wine, capers, parsley and baby plum tomatoes. It was surprisingly good! From the appearance alone, judging from the eyes of the fish, a fish fanatic would be able to tell that this fish was extremely fresh!

The Pink Snapper Acqua Pazza was executed perfectly, cooked to precise timing (not a second more, not a second less). The flesh of its meat was incredibly soft and moist. If it was cooked a little longer, the meat would have been overcooked and become hard and stiff. The sauce was equally up to the mark. It was light with fine balance of delicately sweet and salty flavour. A must order!!!The 30 Day Mature Prime Rib cost $59.50, we added truffle butter & shaved Tuscan black truffles for $5.00. This main consisted of Angus breed bone-in strip loin served with wild mushrooms and peppery endives.

This was insanely delicious!! They have cooked this to perfection too. Even the sides (wild mushrooms and peppery endives) were downright delish! Another must order!!! The steak was done medium-rare, it was pinkish in the medium throughout the whole piece of steak - cooked evenly. It was just so tender, juicy, moist and well-seasoned! The melted truffle butter, further enhanced the tasty and 'moisturise' the meat. Satisfying and value for money!

For desserts, we ordered the Tutti Frutti Lemon Meringue and Creamy Panna Cotta. I felt that the Tutti Frutti Lemon Meringue $11.50 was average. Nothing particularly outstanding about it.As for the Creamy Panna Cotta $9, it would be a dish which I would recommend. Both Pinky Piggu and Sg Food on Foot felt that the one which they had during their previous visit was better. This being my first visit and I thought that the Creamy Panna Cotta was outstanding!

The Creamy Panna Cotta was smooth, soft and wobbly. I really like the rasberry fruit compote which coated the outer layer of the Panna Cotta. In addition, after each bite of the Panna Cotta, the creamy and sweet after-taste which set in had me longing for more of this! The more I indulge in it, the more I love it! A must order!!

What a wonderful way to end the meal!Overall, there were hits and misses. The two pastas we tried were decent, but the two most expensive mains; Pink Snapper Acqua Pazza and 30 Day Mature Prime Rib stole the show! It was worth the price ordering these two mains. Another item which I would order again is the Creamy Panna Cotta!

Service-wise, it was excellent! The waiters and waitresses frequently stop by to gather feedback from customers with regards to the food. In addition, they changed our plates frequently and on one occasion even our utensils. I can't help but wonder if it was because they knew that this was a group of 'bloggers'.

I can't wait to come back again to Jamie's Italian Restaurant! It is advisable to make reservations before coming. I have been eyeing Wild Mushroom Ravioli. If you have tried it before, do let me know if its good.

Do note that the menu in Jamie's Italian Restaurant will change twice a year with up to 20 dishes dishes being replaced.

Detailed review: http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2013/07/jamies-italian-restaurant-in-singapore.html

Dropped by Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao located at Bugis Junction for dinner.

The menu cover page has changed. Looks so colourful and seems to be targeting the younger generation too. Moreover, with a tagline of 'King of Noodles & Tim Sum'.

Weird that Crystal Jade uses Tim Sum instead of Dim Sum.We ordered the Steamed Pork Dumpling or you can call it Xiao Long Bao (XLB). The XLB is one of Crystal Jade's signature dish. It is served in bamboo basket. The xiao long baos must be eaten hot when they are served. The skin is thin yet does not puncture easily. Inside, it is filled with tasty pork broth and tender pork fillings. Matched with vinegar and ginger which enhances the taste of the tender pork, it is heavenly.Looks delicious?Here's how the Spicy & Sour Soup Noodle with Shredded Pork & Beancurd looks like after stirring it. Crystal Jade's la mian (handmade noodles) is one of my favourite. The spiciness and sourness of the Spicy & Sour Soup Noodle with Shredded Pork & Beancurd was perfect for me. Not too sour yet spicy. Shiok! Moreover, each strand of la mian was cooked to perfection, it was soft, springy, thin and flavourful. The whole combination was perfect and delicious!!Where's the chicken wings?Well, I am glad they served it separately so that the wings will not be soggy. Other parts of the chicken wings was missing. Moreover, the wings were quite oily. Inside, the meat was slightly dry. Not as delicious as I expected.
La Mian was perfect, similar to the ones served in the spicy & sour noodles. However, the La Mian Soup base was salty. The prawns in it was not fresh. Stuck to the shells and meat was not firm. The dumplings were average. To be frank, I felt that this dish was terrible compared to the other dishes in the noodles/la mian menu.You might have read in earlier post that I am a crazy fan of Crystal Jade's chilli. I can literally eat the chilli alone without anything to accompany it while waiting for the food to come. Right amount of spiciness, somewhat crispy to me. How do they make it?

Overall, the dishes such as Sour and Spicy Noodle and Xiao Long Bao are delicious! (and not forgetting the chilli!). But I certainty will not be ordering the Mega Bowl Soup La Mian. Price wise, it is quite affordable and value for money. Where else can you get such price at restaurants and with such good food! As for service, the staff are prompt and efficient.

Detailed review: http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2011/09/drop-by-crystal-jade-la-mian-xiao-long.html

Went over to Mayim at Northpoint on two occasions. The first occasion was to have dinner on a Friday.

Has anyone tried the peanuts (left) before?

Here's what we ordered.Interesting cup that helps to filter out the tea leaves. If you are interested in getting one, I the shop name and address is in the first photo. However, I feel that for a lazy person like me, I will find it a hassle to keep removing the filter before drinking.

‘Sou Mei’ Tea with Wolfberry Fruits was fragrant and wolfberry provides lots of health benefits. You can request for the waiter/waitress to refill with hot water whenever you have finished drinking it.The Soup ‘La Mian’ topped with slices of classic marinated chickenas promised came with the la mian and chicken in the soup. The la mian is similar to the likes of crystal jade, however, it was slightly harder. The chicken was well marinated; fragrant and tender despite being soaked in the soup. Thought that the chicken was delicious! Disappointingly, the soup base was a tad too salty. This dish would have been great and healthy if it was less salty and vegetables was added.The Spiced flavoured ‘la mian’ was topped with minced pork, peanut, seasame & preserved vegetable served in dry with special meat sauce. It was amazing delicious on the first few mouthfuls. However, towards the end, it got too spicy for us. If you have a good tolerance for spicy food, this is a good bet.

Overall, a decent place. During peak periods (weekends), be prepared to queue. Service was prompt and decent.

On the second occasion, went over on a Thursday night for dinner. There was no queue and inside the restaurant, it was half full. I thought that I will like this Poached vegetables garnished with mushrooms dish. After all, how bad can you go when you have 3 kinds of mushrooms for a mushroom fan. Sadly, this dish was too salty that it overwhelmed the fragrance of the mushrooms. The shredded ham was quick tough. The chicken on the other hand was well marinated. Soft, fragrant and tender. Realised from this visit and the previous that chicken seems to be one of their better dishes.Well, the Sauteed Sliced Fish was quite oily. Felt that the flavours of different ingredients were not brought out, resulting in the fish slices being tasteless. Can't even taste the sweetness of the fish. And should it not be fried sliced garlic? Felt that this dish is not value for money. I am sure you can taste better ones at better prices.The soup was really average. Felt that it was again overpriced and not valued for money despite the many ingredients. Somehow, the taste of the ingredients was overwhelmed by the amount of sodium. Of course, rice was ordered to go along with these items.

During this second visit, I was quite disappointed with some of their food. However, the positive side is that I realised that their marinated chicken is delicious. This time round their service was not that ideal. Had to call repeatedly before someone came to take our order. In addition, despite us asking for the rice to be served after the first dish came. The rice came only after all our dishes arrive despite us asking for it twice.

Detailed review: http://foodiefc.blogspot.sg/2011/10/mayim-north-point.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