Full review: http://dairycream.blogspot.sg/2014/11/sol-19-thai-wanton-mee-ang-mo-kio.html
People have always been asking me whether I have tried Soi 19 Thai Wanton Mee since it is right in my hood and even within walking distance. And so I braved the crowd and possibility of long-waiting time and head there on a busy Sunday (prior to that confirming that the stall opens through their facebook)10.50am Started queuing 11.45am At the front of waiting line. Not too long, considering the fact that I can skip the transport time. I have no idea what's a good authentic Thai-style wanton Mee ( eavesdropped on the next table and learnt that it was like Koko Mee) NO CHILLI, but there is your Pizza Hut Chilli flakes (add it in, you won't regret). NO GRAVY, but the seasoning is sufficient already (bottle of fish sauce on standby at the counter) FREE FLOW of PORK LARD which I decided not to take advantage of since there were more than enough of that crispy wickedly fragrant bits in my $4-bowl. If you prefer those saucy or moist version, this might not be your kind of wanton Mee. And neither will it transport you to the sweet, sour spicy Thai paradise. It's simple and aromatic. Thankfully there were juicy meaty wantons in the soup to counteract the dryness in the bowl. Yes, the noodles clumped together, but I can always separate it with my chopsticks.

Full review: http://dairycream.blogspot.sg/2014/11/kki-sweets-sota.html
I've tried nearly all of Kki's cakes when they were back at Ann Siang Hill but I decided to revisit again at it's new outlet in SOTA . There is no new items after so long and yes, one has to be mentally prepared to fork out more, meaning $9.80 + 10% service charge for each cake. This works up to be around 930 yen for each cake, surpassing the 750-yen cakes by Hidemi Sugino and the 800-yen range of Pierre Herme & Jean Paul Hevin but NOT in terms of quality. Ouch, I definitely felt the pinch in my wallet. First, the White Chocolate and Mango ($8.80++) which was messed up by a hazy confusion of sweetness. I would love the Strawberry and Pistachio ($9.80++) very much, if I hadn't knew it suffered from some nasty frost bites; the half-defrosted pistachio center was unpleasant. I suspect there is a big bad wolf hidden somewhere in this Little Red Riding Hood ($9.80++) for it's notoriously famed for its intense cacao notes. Pegged exquisitely against a sharp raspberry compote, the mousse layers were smooth as silk, to the verge of tasting like refrigerated butter left under room temperature for 3 minutes and not longer than that. Meanwhile, I was surprised that Kki proffered a delicious Mont Blanc ($9.80++) , safe from the radical glucose level by trading the uber-sweet meringue with an almond fragipane tart base and cushioning the chestnut goodness with clouds of heavenly light Chantily cream. I was expecting a "crunch" sound as I cut through the Cafe Dumo ($9.80++) but there was silence. Still, I gleaned in delight when my tongue hit some faintly crunchy praline, buried amidst the constituents resting atop, while hazelnut tones echoed back and forth amidst the waves of coffee. Highly recommended for coffee lovers. And Fromage Melon ($8.80++) was my personal favourite for two reasons. One, the rarity of flavours--where else in SG can you find a cheese melon combination? Two, superbly executed textures; neither too light nor dense cheese layer with solidly fresh biscuit baseI don't know how Kki Sweets got to be associated with Japanese cakes but to be honest, it isn't. Branded with a streak of perfectionism, the petit gateaux are seriously elegant and dainty, striking out a legend of its own by distinguishing from the mediocre cakes saturated in Singapore.

Full review and pics: http://dairycream.blogspot.sg/2014/11/jing-hua-xiao-chi-25-years-of-home.html
Oops...the skin of the Xiao Long Bao broke apart as I attempted to pick it up very cautiously, and the beautiful guts spilled out uncontrollably onto the parchment paper. This is both a good and bad sign; the good thing is that the skin is delicate and the bad sign is that I am too rowdy with this plump meaty babies.Having been serving these Xiao long baos for 25 years, Jing Hua Xiao Chi started as a humble eatery in one of the refurbished shophouses along Neil road by native Singaporeans Mr & Mrs Han, who believed in serving home-style goodness cuisine. Currently in the hands of their son, Guo Guang, Jing Hua stays true to their original menu, which remained unchanged since Day One.

According to Guo Guang, “Jing Hua is the legacy of the Han Famiy and represents years of hard work and passion. I hope to uphold the reputation of the restaurant and spread the word on our cuisine so that future generations can enjoy and experience the true tastes of Jing Hua."These are not empty talk without substance. In fact, the Xiao Long Baos 小笼汤包 ($7++ for 7pcs) are near perfect--the ball of minced pork at the center, loose and yielding, as if itself in midmelt. My 2nd XLB landed in my spoon intact and buoyant, and I popped the entire thing comfortably in my mouth. There could be a little more of that liquefied pork gelatin but I'm just being greedy. Other dumplings variations include the steamed vegetarian dumplings 素饺子 ($7++ for 7 pieces), stuffed with taupok bits and crunchy turnips which even non-vegetarians will delight. The Seafood and Pork Dumplings 三鲜饺子 ($8++ for 10) had a slightly chewy feel but the ingredients tasted fresh and not too greasy. I prefer the pan-fried version 三鲜锅贴 ($8++ for 10 pieces) which transformed the original chewy skin into delicate crunchy bites with tantalizing burnt aroma. This gives the pan-fried dumpling more character, as if it was a golden pillow case 金枕头. Perfect if there were more chives. The mastery achievement goes beyond the dumplings to the noodles and the desserts. The Noodle with Minced Pork & Soya Bean Sauce 炸酱面 ($5++), is wonderfully alchemized by the minced pork and age-old calculus soya bean paste that Iess salty than other specimens. The Osmanthus soup with glutinous rice ball soup (桂花汤圆) ($3++) arrived hot and fragrant with warm floral inhalations. Hand-made with a spot-on dough-to-filling ratio, each tiny pop is rolled with a different flavour; lotus and walnut, black sesame, red bean and peanuts. Another must-try is the Crispy Red Bean Pancake 豆沙锅饼 ($10++) that is prepared freshly upon order. Expertly deep-fried till they are like crunchy fritters, the dark brown parcels oozes dense, sweet red bean paste with charred sesame aroma.

After such a satisfying meal, I am convinced that the Han's decision to leave the menu unchanged was a right one. Consistent quality food that can stand the test of time. Sounds unbelievable in our modern age but here is a true story.

Full review: http://dairycream.blogspot.sg/2014/11/sync-korean-fusion-bistro-matcha-lava.html
The popularity of molten chocolate cakes never seem to dwindle as it has a high frequency of appearance in the menus of cafe bistros and western restaurants. Now, this Korean bistro is pretty ambitious to offer it in three different flavours, White Chocolate Lava Cake Red Bean, Taro and Matcha. The Matcha Addiction ($7.90) lacked conviction and was closer to the spectrum of green tea than matcha. I could possibly be biased because I had this immediately after having the Best Matcha Lava Cake in SG.

I thought it would be fun to order something which maybe few people or no one has ever ordered before. But no, huge mistake. For the Mak Gul Li parfait ($8.90), I thought we were served a wrong order of a cocktail instead of a dessert parfait. Cornflakes (not "cornflake crumbles") were submerged into a pool of white yoghurt, cheapened with canned pears (not "seasonal fruits") and cloying sweet jam at the base. I could not locate the Jujube honey anywhere too. The blend of the Korean Rice Wine and Yoghurt could be an acquired taste but the moral of the story is that one should probably stick to the recommended items next time.

Full Review : http://dairycream.blogspot.sg/2014/11/the-abc-of-grub-noodle-bar.html
The same team behind GRUB andFIX, does it again with a brand new supper noodle concept place called GRUB Noodle Bar. Don't be surprise if you find only two types of noodles on the menu as they are delicious enough to form the pillars of the bar. Think of it as a ramen-ya or a noodle hawker stall which doesn't throw out a platoon of choices. First up is the Assam Laksa, a vibrant bowl of noodles that boasts an assertively punchy fish gravy, enlivened with the medley of textures from the sliced cucumbers, rings of onions, sweet pineapple chunks. I haven't try a Penang Laksa in Penang before but I enjoy the richness and acidity, sweetness and heat; it's primal satisfaction in a slurp The Beef Noodles is another competent bowl served dry using preservative-free egg noodles sourced from a local ramen manufacturer and comes with the bowl of hearty beef soup. It does resemble a bowl of Bak Chor Mee with familiar toppings of minced meat and braised mushrooms but the flavour is very different. Subtly sweet like the 卤汁 sauce of braised meats, this bowl tastes actually comparatively light unless you throw in their powerful chincalok that brightens everything instantly. Just be careful that too much of a good thing can turn this into a chincalok noodles instead. Another way of enjoying the noodles which I discovered, is to dip the noodles into the beef broth which contains hormone-free and antibiotic-free 150days grain-fed Angus Ribeye ($19) measured with careful precision of 100g per bowl. Casting all the big facts aside, the beef slices were amazingly stretchy and tenderly soft, a stark contrast to the three disappointingly dry beef meatballs in the noodle bowl. In fact, one can also choose the brisket ($12), rump ($15) or sirloin cut ($17) but the ribeye could possibly be the safest bet. Besides the noodles, there is a fair number of appetizers ranging from steamed alcohol-infused dishes such as Venus Clams sautéed in beer, ginger & lemongrass broth ($13), live tiger prawns steamed in sake, garlic & ginger glaze $15 to the common deep-fried food with mayonnaise items such as the Soft shell crab mayo & house seasoning $13 and Baby cuttlefish basil pesto mayo $9.I was highly anticipating the Kang Kong Salad with nonya achar $7 which turned out to be non-spicy at all. Without the fiery kick from Sambal, this has become a pretty light, healthy dish with plenty of crunchy greens. Speaking of the Chicken Drumlets with curry leaves, garlic and sesame seeds($9), they were crunchy gold outside, juicy perfection inside. However, it would be nicer if the fragrant of curry was sharper and the seasoning was reduced slightly. Perhaps the most memorable bites that night would be the Hokkaido scallop tataki ($15) that glides down your throat effortlessly. These raw scallops sliced deftly to thins were merely lightly torched with mustard glaze that tasted fondly of teriyaki sauce, yet without sacrificing its natural fresh sweetness. This place opens till 12.30am so if you are planning to come here for late night supper, just remember the ABC: Assam, Beef & Chincalok.