Everyone loves dim-sum, for I do not know someone who dislikes them. These delicate, mouth-sized artpieces are - in my opinion - the most incredible creations of the Chinese, and not without reasons. Each and every piece of good dim-sum is made out of the freshest ingredients with skilled and dedicated hands that were moulded through years of experiences. And in Zhou's Kitchen, a casual mid-range Chinese restaurant under Tung Lok Group, the chefs know how to do it well.

Their rendition of the traditional siew mai was surprisingly good, as the use of mushrooms and fish roes gave the original flavour a refreshing twist. However, the King Siew-Mai from 126 Eating House still remained as my best vote.The Prawn Dumplings were good, but nothing to rave about. The prawns were juicy and scrumptous, but the foundation of a good dumpling - the skin were a little sticky and dry that proves to be a dissapointment.Research shows that egg tarts contains high sugar and fat content, and is possibly the worst food to snack on. But again, who could ever resist this oh-so-sinful treats? Their egg tarts is probably one of the best in Singapore, with soft and jelly-like egg custard filled in a basket of crispy and flaky skin. They are bite-sized as well, which makes things worse (in a good way) - you want to have more, and more in your mouth.Yang Zhou Fried Bee Hoon - noodles fried with assorted vegetables, scrambled eggs and fresh shrimps, was slightly oily, but not greasy at all. As a picky eater my grandmother is, you know the food is good when she wanted a second, and even a third serving.Fried Prawn Roll, which is encased with a thin crispy skin and filled with soft, juicy prawn paste, is a perfect side dish to go along with the Fried Bee Hoon, and great on its own anyway.Zhou's Kitchen is definitely a place to head for, if you are looking for fuss-free, yet standard dim sum without burning a hole in your pockets. Good for family dinner as well.

Economic fried bee hoon and nasi lemak are dishes known by many. For me, it is one of my favourites and the reason is simple - you spend a few bucks to enjoy a wide selection of dishes (you might want to think it as a mini personal tze char.) While stalls of this particular speciality have populated Singapore over the years, it is debatable which reigns over the rest.

We happened to be in Chong Pang city, a precinct located at Yishun neighborhood recently and yes, the highly acclaimed Chong Pang Nasi Lemak came to mind. However, it was a tad far for our hungry stomachs, hence girlfriend suggested that we settle on the nearby Hup Lee Fried Bee Hoon instead. And we did. Although not as famous as the former, Hup Lee was featured in televisions programmes on many occasions, as well as several magazine's food pages.Equipped with an array of a la carte items, such as fried chicken wings, otahs and Taiwanese sausages, one would be spoilt for choice. So, here was my pick - fragrant Nasi Lemak rice with fried chicken wings, beancurd skin, kuning fish, spicy otah, cabbage and topped with a pile of homemade chilli (S$5.00). The kuning fish and cabbage were nothing to rave about, however I'd say that the otah and chicken wing were pretty impressive, especially the wings which had an extra crispy punch to its skin.And obviously, fried bee hoon is at its best at Hup Lee. Unlike the usual ones that were excessively drenched in oil, Hup Lee's version was just sufficiently greased, without making the dish too oily. Perhaps it is difficult to explain in words, why not head north and try it yourself? Just do not mind the really long queues during peak hours, but again, the queues clear up quite fast due to their efficiency.

Amidst all the blessings and well-wishes while tossing the Prosperity Toss, or better known as 鱼生 (yu sheng) and Lo Hei, our "HUAT AH" probably came out the loudest. It was noisy and rowdy, not to even mention - messy, with bits and pieces of the rainbow-colored dish flying all over the place. But again, that was exactly what the Chinese New Year atmosphere is supposed to be.

My paternal grandma's birthday was usually held right here in this particular restaurant, but somehow this year, we had it in Moi Lum Restaurant which was located at Maxwell Road. Hence, I thought fate brought me to Boon Lay Raja Restaurant once again, when my maternal relatives selected this place for our New Year's lunch during 初一 (beginning of the year).Established in 1979 at Boon Lay Shopping Centre, they had since moved to Jurong East Central (beside Jcube) for better convenience and to accomodate the large dinner crowds. With an extensive menu of dim sum and Cantonese cuisine, they also specialize in seafood dishes, especially shark fin's soup which is proudly presented on their signboard.

Another favourite of mine is the Crispy Roasted Chicken, which was lightly salted just enough to enhance its taste and flavour. Unlike most roasted chicken which happened to be tough and dry, their rendition was juicy and had retained the smooth texture. If you happened to drop-by during this festive season, do try out their unique creation of fried prawns and strawberry sauce.Besides your usual weekend dinner, Boon Lay Raja is also catered for a range of functions, such as buffet caterings, wedding banquets and functions. In addition, the dishes that they present certainly appeals to the elderly, not less the younger generations though.

One of the restaurants that left a huge impression on me is this casual fast-food chain. Not only because of the food, but The Handburger (Somerset 313) was where I brought my first date for a simple dinner.

Their mains include the burger, a garden salad (with or without bacon) or soup of the day. The salad was refreshing and crisp, but the bacon strips were too hard and chewy for my liking. The cream of chicken with crispy crumbs (soup for that day) definitely makes a better choice.

Anyway, I ordered one of their classics, Handburger Original (S$13.80) - 150g of 100% NZ grass-fed prime beef on a bed of crispy lettuce, cheddar cheese, topped up with homemade BBQ sauce and sweet onion jam. The beef patty was exploding with juices, and I want to rave about their toasted caramelised onion bun. It is that good. Crispier than the usual boring buns, it also brings along the frangrance of onions.One of my friends ordered the Blue Cheese Beef Burger (S$17.80) - the same juicy patty, topped with roasted pear, blue cheese, homemade BBQ sauce and sweet onion jam. I would recommend the Handburger Original over this though.We also had their signature creation, The Works (S$17.80) - same patty, topped with battered onion rings, crispy bacon strips, sunny side-up, sauteed basil pesto mushroom, sweet onion jam, melted cheddar cheese, homemade BBQ and aioli sauce. A little of everything, this ingenious burger is the perfect choice if you are still deciding what to eat after an hour.To complete your meal, add in their Nutella Milkshake with Marshmellow (S$4.50), a chocolatey, thick drink with soft marshmellows to go with. Just to add on, they have a loyalty program (THB Fanatics) designed to reward their diners with points, which can be redeemed to offset future bills, and other special promotions too.

Definitely one of the dining places I will frequent occasionally, for old times sake and the affordable, yet quality burgers as well.

I remembered the first time I had Xiao Long Bao, it was in this particular Crystal Jade restaurant and till today, the vivid memory of my awkward fumbling of these delicate art pieces still haunts me. Due to my virgin experience and ignorance, I didn't knew the existence of a small pouch of soup wrapped beneath the thin, delicate dumpling skin. At that time, I sucked at using chopsticks and the way I picked things up - it's to poke them. Things happened and my lovely Xiao Long Bao was ruined.

Recently, dear Peiyi and I had the chance to visit this famous Shanghai-nese restaurant during the weekdays. And oh my, customers were already queueing up, but again, lucky us for we were seated within 15 minutes. Those with bigger groups had to wait up to almost an hour (and again I stressed - it was a weekday!)

Xiao Long Bao (S$4.80 for 4) was glorious. The dumpling skin was just right and the broth complemented the juicy minced pork meat. Mother Kook called me stupid for not eating it with vinegar (which I don't, I detest the smell), but let me tell you that this beauties go well without vinegar and shredded ginger too. Just do not make the same mistake as me.

Pan Fried Pork Bun (S$4.00 for 3) does not lose out. Sink your teeth into these soft fragrant bun and savour the succulent fillings. I thought this yummy buns look like the classic Meat Pao, but just pan fried and upgraded like four levels up.Ohh-la-la. Salted Nanjing Duck (S$8.50) was a tad hard for my liking. Nevertheless, these beautiful duck slices were luscious with a thin layer of fat. Just look at the soft pinkish-red meat! However, I always preferred eating duck drenched in Chinese braised sauce, so this does not appeal to me much.Lastly, we had Crystal Jade speciality La Mian with Braised Beef (S$8.50). The beef was so tender and juicy, especially the tendons, which I totally love them. (while girlfriend finds them fross. Weird.) Their speciality noodles were definitely one of the best in Singapore, with the spot-on chewiness. But what I wanted to praise most is what holds this entire dish together - the broth. Thick brown soup made of long-simmered ingredients, it brings forth a subtle sweet and herbal aroma that makes you want to devour this dish.Besides ala-carte, Crystal Jade (Holland Village) also presents a South-Northern buffet experience which includes steamboat and a huge variety of appetizers, meat, drinks and dim-sum. The best part is that you get all the Xiao Long Bao you can eat!

A very useful tip - do your reservations! Walking in for the buffet guarantees near 0% you can get a table at dinner hours.