On the constant hunt of brunch places, we recently discovered Cali Cafe on some websites coupled with deals. Although it is located within a stone's throw from my residence, this casual American cafe somehow managed to hid under our "foodie-radar". And so on a beautiful Saturday morning, we decided to give it a try out. Nestled within Park Avenue Rochester in Buona Vista, Cali Cafe prides itself in healthy dining and whips out all-day brunch and popular food choices in California, such as Steak and Fries, and Baby Back Ribs.

Well, we settled down and had our drinks served to us shortly. Food came before we even warmed our seats. While girlfriend had their famous All-Day BDBH (S$18.60), also known as the "best darn breakfast on the hill", which consists of a wide spread of breakfast necessities - toasted bread, bratwurst sausage, baked potato , side salad and a personal choice of eggs (scrambled or sunny side-up), and crispy bacon or honey ham.A platter of everyone's favourite breakfast items can hardly go wrong. The scrambled eggs were fantastic, together with the crisp of the toasted slices. Potatoes and salad were fresh and good, just that the latter had an over-powering taste of vinaigrette. It might be contested as "GDBH" (good darn breakfast on the hill), but definitely not the best.

Pulled Pork Bun (S$13.55) is a combination of tender shredded pork, lettuce and tomato slices sandwiched between two soft buns, it is completed with a relatively-strange combination of orange wedges and potato fries. There is no doubt that the filling was satisfying and tantalising, nevertheless, portion and price doesn't correlate in my opinion. After some research, it was found that the sides were used to be fries and salad, and was approximately S$2 cheaper. Oh well.Overall, if Cali Cafe wants diners to return for their food, and not only when there are deals, they do have a lot to be improved on, starting with their cappuccino (which they screwed up badly). The probable factors I love about this cafe are the nett pricing for all the food (but again, prices might be factored in already) and their friendly and efficient services.

Until then, the hunt for delicious brunch continues.

Roadhouses are a common sight in larger countries like the United States, Canada or Australia, where passing travellers would take a bite or a night's rest on the way to their destination. But when it comes to having a roadhouse in Singapore, it would be almost impossible and impractical (and I wouldn't go on grumbling about the lack of living spaces locally), not until you visit BLooiE's Roadhouse Bar and Grill. Nestled in the serene vicinity of Science Park, this casual restaurant which was opened by a Canadian named Sarge Sargeant, serves authentic Western affair in their large air-conditioned space, completed by recreational facilities, such as a stage, billiard table and a full-fledged bar. Diners could otherwise opt for al fresco dining - a great opportunity to enjoy their meal under the night sky while enjoying the breeze.

I wouldn't go so in-depth into the 12-year history of the restaurant, but I know some of you might find it difficult to process: why BLooiE? Okay, I didn't get the part why it's a complete mess of capitals, but "BLooiE" was actually the name of their beloved hush puppy, which unfortunately had passed on. Oh, by the way, Sarge has an absolute amazing Taiwanese wife, Fiona who is the proud owner of Lee's Taiwanese.

Let's start off with their signature Beer Butt Chicken (S$38.80), which is definitely a MUST order. The reasons are no less than a whole chicken marinated with spices, herbs and infused with the most amazing alcoholic drink - beer. The chicken will be then prepared for a long, slow grill to gastronomical perfection (with a can of beer up its ass).Needless to say, the slow grilling process has produced a tender, juicy and flavourful chicken meat that tears off easily from the bone. This dish is completed by fresh salad and their famous cajun fries, which taste so good in their home-made cheddar cheese dips. As always, good things are worth waiting for - Beer Butt Chicken has to be ordered one day in advance.Compared to other pizzas, BLooiE's rendition of thin-crusted Pepperoni Pizza (S$22.90) has slightly more cheese to crust ratio, which accounted for its gooey, flowing cheese. Lovely for sharing with your best pals along with a few pints of draft beer.BBQ Chicken Wings (S$13.90) were pretty good with its smoky flavour amidst the mild spiciness, but unfortunately, were marked down for the tough, overly-chewy skin.Blackened Dory (S$18.90) is marinated with cajun spices, then pan-fried to a nice crisp on the exterior and soft inside. It is completed with seasonal vegetables and dipping sauce. I can't remember which sauce came with which dishes, but pair the dory with their home-made mushroom sauce, you would thank me for that.Their 250g N.Z Striploin steak (S$29.80) was grilled nicely to our requested doneness with really pretty grilled marks. However, the steak we had was a combination of disappoints - tough, gnawy and juiceless. I wouldn't doubt the chef's ability, as Fiona revealed the recent change of suppliers could be the cause of lower meat quality. Nevertheless, the dish is completed with mashed potatoes with seasonal vegetables.BLooiE’s Bacon Mushroom Cheese Burger (S$16.90) was the second highlight (for myself) during the meal. 180g of grilled beef patty is sandwiched between two home-made burger buns, alongside with the beautiful combination of mushroom sauce and bacon. Now, pair it up with some cajun fries and salad, and you got a typical America casual dinner.Good quality cocoa does not flow as much, because the cocoa content outweighs the liquid/milk ratio. And that's what BLooiE's used for their Molten Chocolate Cake (S$6.80). Exterior was a little crusty, which probably resulted from over-baking. Other than that, the textures and flavour is worth for any chocolate lovers asking for second servings.Once again, I would like to express my thanks to Openrice for organising this food tasting session, as well as, the kind hostess, Fiona who accompanied and entertained us throughout the event.

It's been a while since I visit No Signboard Seafood restaurant, hence recently I decided to recommend the place once again for our weekly family dinner. Despite the misleading name being Kelong - which is located at Robertson Walk - is no kelong at all, with no canal nor river in its vicinity. Yet, this restaurant do serves good food, especially their speciality - seafood.Recommended for family gatherings; they have a few semi-private areas as well, but be sure to make reservations early.

With the scenic Singapore River and Marina Bay as a backdrop, Esplanade is a beautiful place to chill and relax with the company of your loved ones, and good food. Now, as you all know, good food around the city area doesn't come cheap, especially if the place is known as a "tourist trap".

Nevertheless, we were around the vicinity recently and decided to try out their sambal sting-ray based on one friend's recommendation. Surprisingly, the portion was quite good and the soft fleshy sting-ray meat paired by sambal belachan was just delicious.Defintiely a must try.

Nestled in one of Singapore's most happening night-spots, the multi-level Hansang's layout was a fusion of Western and native Korean, equipped with a sleek series of wooden furnitures and inviting ambience lights, with the real barbeque actions cooking up at the second storey.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love pork belly meat, despite all the high fats content and health risks and what's not, I mean, come on, life's too short not to enjoy. By that, self-control is definitely recommended when in Hansang, with all the high-grade wagyu beefs and pork slices, one would find it hard, but salivate constantly.

Well, it's not wrong to pamper your taste buds with some Samgyupsal (S$25.00) once a while. These lightly seasoned pork belly slices sizzle at the touch of the grill. There are probably a hundred and one ways to savour the meat, but my prefered way of eating is none other than wrapping one or two slices with some garlic in the crispy lettuce, dipped it into chilli sauce and pop them into the mouth!If you are looking for something more fulfilling, why not try their classic Bibimbab (S$18.00), which consists of generous portions of meat slices, mushrooms and assorted vegetables, not forgetting the glorious egg. Jumble them up with your prefered sauce and you're good to go. Nothing special though.
A good bowl of beef stew is set to warm one's body during the cold season. Although not usually the case in all-year-summer Singapore, beef stew with savoury broth and heaps of japchae (glass noodle) is still one of my favourite dishes when it comes to Korean cuisine.
Smoke might be difficult to avoid as Hansang is not equipped with retractable pipes that suck in the barbeque smoke, prices are quite steep (spent about $50 per pax), other than that, Hansang is a good place to go if you're craving quality korean barbeque in a relaxing environment.