My beloved aunt's recommendation, she brought us to Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh Eating House. It's all about having fleshy pork ribs soaking all the essence of the spicy soup. A happy boy I was, happily stripping off every bit of meat off the bone! Apparently, there's a way to make your soup more spicy or less spicy. If you want it more spicy, simply stir the soup before you drink.

If not, just wait for the sediments to sink all the way to the bottom before dunking your spoon into it.Pig's kidney. It's soft and chewy but there's nothing really special about it if you want to know. The kidneys didn't really soak up the essence of the soup that well compared to pork ribs. Nevertheless, it was fresh.My family has very high expectations when it comes to eating pork trotters. The fatty meat to lean meat ratio has to be perfect! We like our trotters to have slightly more lean meat to chew on while a reasonable amount of fatty meat to intensify the taste.

For those who are health conscious, well, this bowl of trotters might suit you. There's more lean meat compare to fatty meat. Just like the ribs, the meat have already soaked up all the essence of the soy broth.In my opinion, a must have when you are having Bak Kut Teh. Fresh fried and not stale You Tiao (Deep fried dough fritter). It would seem very weird not to have them.

It's amazes how I would watch my fitter whenever intensely as I dip it into the soup. You gotta ensure that your you tiao doesn't get over soak and disintegrate. Not to mention guarding it from potential lazy bums who just wants to grab yours instead!

All in all, the dishes were rather satisfying. Apart from the dark soy sauce. I was baffled why their dark soy sauce looks like light soy sauce? My definition of a premium dark soy sauce has a dark reflective tone and it must be thick one...They got the darkish reflection right but the thickness. A premium dark soy sauce in my opinion, will coat the meat with thick sauce and not merely stains it. So when you wanna have a bowl of bak kut teh, simply drop by Isetan Office Building...

A 6 inch Chocolate Fudge Cake ($29) from Chocolate Origin! Look at that glossy, thick and sexy Chocolate Ganache that surrounds the cake... I found myself in pure bliss! Chocolate Origin's rendition of fudge cake has an unusually thicker layer of fudge compared to others. To some, this is what they define chocolate fudge cakes. But to me... I call it a Chocolate Fudge Dream come true!

When I was much younger, I was an ignorant little brat with little knowledge of coffee. It's like playing music to a cow. Totally different from where I stand today... But my first true taste of coffee wasn't a cuppa. It was from a dessert date with a few friends that got me hooked up! Weird but that's the truth!An ice cream styled in the from of a cake with beige coloured cappuccino at the top and milk chocolate at the bottom. The entire sweet creation was resting on a crust of crushed oreo crumbs. Nativity wouldn't be completed without a drizzle of chocolate fudge and generous amount of oreo crumbs.

There my fellow readers, is Coffee Club's signature dessert. Muddy Mud Pie. It's one of those best moments in life just you and me with a few of our friends for companions... I wish time would cease just for a while just for me to admire you.

That's how I got my first taste of coffee or I should say coffee ice cream...

Drinking coffee is like appreciating a piece of art. It’s a way of life; something nice to admire but even nicer to take a deep whiff just before finishing a cup in a few gulps. A gourmet drink which we keep sipping yet adding those little perks to our almost unassuming lives.

Life can be really hectic as a Singaporean boy. Especially if you have to juggle work and fun with just a pair of hand. So when I could squeeze out a little free time out of my busy schedule, I will just sneak out either alone or with friends just to find a place to chill and relax over coffee and tea.

Needless to say, desserts are always never far from my table…It never fails to excite me to know that my coffee drinks are beautifully crafted by a barista. Latte Art is what we like to call when we see cute and fancy designs make of steam foamy milk. With a nice white leaf resting in the middle of my Cappuccino ($5.50) and then dusted with cocoa powder when my lips will surely touch the drink, I just gulped everything down in a few mouthfuls.

A few stirs here and a few more cups there and the conversation just keeps going on and on…Just when you are thinking where can you find such a place with a barista that does Latte Art?

I have the perfect place! Consider making down your way to d’Good Cafe. Nestled along the stretch of shophouses along Holland Village, the cafe is quite hidden from view being located of the second and third floors. You might easily miss the stairs to the cafe so keep a lookout for Foster Cafe which is just beside the stairway.

The aroma of caffeine will lead you up with every steps you take. It’s almost like a natural instinct. Like bees attracted to bright colourful flowers, it felt like heaven with those spotlights and that distinct coffee scent…Coffee goes well with almost everything and at d’Good Cafe, they serve breakfast dishes all day long. If given a choice, I will always opt for Eggs Benedict. Petite and simple looking with English muffin, bacon and poached eggs. But the main highlight of this breakfast dish is surely the hollandaise sauce with a citrusy touch drizzled on each piece.

It was very appetizing and I enjoy the dish.d’Good Cafe’s rendition of the English Breakfast is what I like to define as hearty and gratifying. The portion is definitely more than enough for two to share but otherwise, nothing extraordinary. If you ask me, I still prefer my poached eggs and their unique hollandaise sauce.

There are pastas and pizzas or even Japanese curry to have. So to summarize their mains, there’s a variety to select upon and generous in portion to share.Ending our meal were their cakes for desserts. I really like their signature d’Good Triplet Cheesecake ($8.50) which compose of a cheesecake covered sandwiched by chocolate mousse and oreo biscuit base. The chocolate macaron sitting above was also worth mentioning with that perfect “feet” and rich chocolatey taste.

I was also served another of their specialty also known as d’Good Maple Sea Salt Cheesecake ($8.50) which blew me off my feet. It’s one of those few dishes I had which are beyond my bank of vocabulary. They were so popular that we couldn’t’ have another slice since all were sold out!

I think it was superb ingenuity to create something that nobody has done. I’ve heard of salted caramel desserts but rarely do I heard of maple sea salt ones. if I see a rising trend in maple sea salt desserts, then you can bet that d’Good Cafe was the one started the craze!Just when I thought the tasting invite would come to an end, Another blogger and I had the privilege to sit by the coffee bar and have our own coffee blend brewed…

The whole procedure commences by filling up a detailed form which indicates your preference of the customised cuppa. Everything else was secondary and you wait patiently watching your barista does the hard work deciding and mixing all the concoctions.The entire process also known as coffee cupping cost $12 each session and subsequently $5.50 each time you order you personalised blend. Personally, I felt that it was worth the experience especially if you’re trying it for the first time. I sure had fun sitting along the bar taking whiffs and commenting my three very different tasting brews.So after a few sips and a few more comments, I had my own personal blend which I just couldn’t resist giving the customised drink a pompous name! The Prince’s Blend, being spicy with a slight nutty touch to the drink. I kinda enjoy every sip of it and I think it will go well with that sweetish-salty maple sea salt cheesecake.You will find terms like winery, smokey, fruity and even herbal to describe each blend. But that is by no means those ingredients are added into the coffee blends. It’s more like describing the mouthfeel and texture of the cuppa.

What about the difference between French Press and Cold Press and the coffee instruments to brew the drinks with? I’m no profession brewer but more like an amateur seeking the nice cuppa to my days.d’Good Cafe is that nice place to seek a nice cuppa regardless day or night. It has a nice homely feel with various rooms themes within the two floors which is make even comfortable with the approachable staffs. Although I stay in the east and coming all the way down to Holland Village might seem tedious, I could see myself coming back every once in a while just to keep in touch with my friends and inner-self with my own personal blend.

It’s always a pleasure taking a stroll along East Coast Road. I’m just amazed by the array of cafes and restaurants there are. Whether is it DYI-style Korean BBQ you’re relishing or the infamous Katong laksa war as we Singaporeans know it. (Personally, I think 328 Katong Laksa is still the best, hands down winner and screw you for thinking otherwise!) Chances are, you will find something you crave for along that stretch of road.

For me, it’s the discovery of Katsuya, or what I thought and still think as some of the best place for tonkatsu in Singapore. Think of tonkatsu as your typical pork cutlet from a western stall at the local coffeeshop, just juicer, more tender and a whole lot crispier!Looking through the laminated glossy menu was as usual, a pain in the neck due to the desire to try everything, especially I tired their Rosu Katsu ($12.80). Such is the perfection of I see in their kurobuta pork loin. Maybe it’s because it’s fried using sunflower oil, making this tonkatsu lighter, more flavourful and of course, healthier. Another pleasure worth sharing would surely have to be their Tonjiru Miso ($2.00). All I wish was another bowl after sipping everything in one go!Ebi Fry Soba ($11.50) came with two huge shrimps and a heap of buckwheat noodles, all soaked in a salty sweet soy broth. For me, I still prefer fried pork to fried shrimps but that’s just personal preference.Dining at Katsuya has prompt me to wonder is there another place that does deep frying red meat better than them? There’s sure to be one or a few. Maybe it’s time to search for the best tonkatsu in town for me!

Katsuya believes that people “eat to live” therefore keeping a healthy body is important. Nevertheless, satisfying our palate should not be neglect.