A new Korean Fried Chicken store has popped up again! I was nearby and I chanced upon this newly opened eatery so I decided to give it a try. Tongue-in-cheek name made me laugh - Chick and Ken - ChicKen! Lol. Now, on to the food.2 Flavours Fried Chicken ($15.90)

I chose the 8 pieces version, which gives you the option to choose 2 flavours from the 3 choices (YangNyeom, Ganjang and Salted Egg). The 16 pieces version however, gives you the option to choose 4 flavours - but I wonder what's the 4th flavour gonna be when there's only 3 flavours available.That aside, we went with the Ganjang and Salted Egg flavour. It was well divided in terms of chicken parts. For each flavour, they gave us 2 wings and 2 drumlets. I felt that the chicken portions were a little too small. Actually, so did my friend.Anyway, I was looking forward to trying the salted egg chicken as I wondered how it would have tasted. Sinful, I'm sure! I was expecting a deep flavour of the salted egg coated chicken, but unfortunately, it was a little blander than expected.Its flavours were not that rich, I'm guessing it's because of the addition of evaporated milk which somehow decreased the salted egg flavour. The chilli and curry leaves were a good addition for an additional oomph.

I was more surprised by the Ganjang Chicken - simply soy sauce, garlic and mirin.I loved the overall taste for this and its flavours had captivated me more, without being overwhelming on the saltiness aspect. This is one flavour I would recommend if you visit.

Overall, the chicken meat was tender, but I felt that it had lacked the crunchiness that I usually experience with Korean fried chickens.

Artisanal Classic Injeolmi Bingsu ($12.90)

I do give this dish a thumbs-up for its presentation.I feel that rice cakes taste nicer when they are softer. Unfortunately, I didn't like that the textures of the rice cakes here, which were inconsistent. Some were hard, some were softer. Also, there was only a thin layer of the powder on the small rice cakes, and the flavour didn't really appear.The red beans were really nice though. I think there should be more condensed milk given. Maybe a larger syringe would do the trick nicely. Lol.Overall, I did like this dish because the sweetness was well balanced (red bean paste, honeyed cornflakes were lovely) and the crunch level was addictive (crushed sliced almond flakes and cornflakes). The ice was very fine, and really very well done. The only gripe for me was the lack of taste of the peanut powder, which should be the signature taste for all Injeolmi-branded foods.

Also, I did kind of like the fried chicken here, and when I come back, I will still order the Ganjang Fried Chicken flavour.

Chick and Ken

Location: 21 Lorong Telok, Raffles Park, Singapore 049033

Website: Facebook

Ratings: 6.5 / 10Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook

Last week, I was invited to try out 店小二 Dian Xiao Er's Chinese New Year menu for year 2015 at the Junction 8 branch. Let me share their brand story with you.

Dian Xiao Er symbolizes a pit-stop for travelers (customers) to rest and replenish their energy fully before setting off to continue their hectic journeys again. Dian Xiao Er not only provides to the travelers a place of warmth, satisfaction and happiness as they indulge in the delectable dishes, it is also a place for them to interact and build relationships with one another. Dian Xiao Er also symbolizes an element of blessing and fellowship as everyone is brought together in Dian Xiao Er.
What a lovely description for a chinese restaurant. The idea of 'reunion' is important to the Chinese folk and no matter how busy, it is important to congregate and be together during festive periods. And this Chinese New Year, it is important to pick a place where you and your family members can eat and come together in joy and fellowship. Dian Xiao Er's the place to visit.

For the first dish, we had the Prosperity Salmon Yu Sheng.A dish believed to have been 'created' and made popular by 4 chefs in Singapore in the 1960s, a colourful variety of items are put together, and condiments are added over the dish by the server with auspicious words and phrases.To symbolise a sweet year ahead, plum sauce is used as an important ingredient in the dish.It is then mixed by everyone around the table, 'throwing' and 'tossing' the dish as high as possible, while saying auspicious phrases of what they wish to see happen for themselves in the coming year.

The adding of condiments are complete with the small, rectangular crackers poured over the dish, which symbolises 'gold' which are all 'over the floor' (lit.).Why Yu Sheng?

Yu Sheng, literally means 'raw fish' in Mandarin. But as deep as the language goes, Yu Sheng also has a another meaning, which is prosperity and abundance. And that's why it is so important to have this dish during the Chinese New Year.

FYI - Norwegian raw salmon is being used for the Yu Sheng in Dian Xiao Er.

Let us toss to prosperity! The result is a really really sweet and lovely 'salad' that we all swooned over!Shark's Fin Broth with Crab Meat and Conpoy

Smooth, thick broth with rich, generous servings of crabmeat and conpoy (dried scallops). Environmentalists can opt to have Fishmaw to replace Shark's Fin. But do inform the restaurant earlier so that it can be prepared for your table.Signature Herbal Roast Duck with 3 Flavours (Angelica Herb, Ten Wonders, Wild Ginseng)

Their signature roast duck is my must-have whenever I visit this restaurant. We were lucky to try all 3 sauces. Unfortunately, you will only be limited to one choice of the 3 sauce flavours for this dish.The reason is simple. Because the duck needs to be marinated right. Dian Xiao Er provides fully marinated ducks in the respective sauces they have. For example, if you choose Angelica Herb Roasted Duck, not only the sauce that comes with the duck would be Angelica Herb, but the duck will also be stuffed with the herb to ensure the meat completely absorbs the essence of it.

The sauces are labeled from 'Mild' to 'Heavy'. However, for me, even their 'heavy' sauce isn't really that heavy. It's not overbearing to that extent where you have to stop breathing for a second to regain composure.

Angelica Herb 当归: Mild

Ten Wonders 十全: Medium

Wild Ginseng 泡参: Strong

Honestly, I liked all 3 sauces. But if I had a choice, I will go for wild ginseng as I do like a stronger taste. Not many people like Ten Wonders as it is made using 10 herbs combined. While its flavour is complex, it is definitely palatable for this dish.Wild Ginseng Sauce

Sauteed Baby Lobsters with Pumpkin SauceI loved this dish. the meat of the golden baby lobsters were well cooked and easy to eat, and the sauce is heavenly too. Cooked with thick salted egg sauce sweetened with pumpkin, it is a little sweet and slightly spicy as well. Best enjoyed with rice as you'll probably enjoy the sauce so much you can just eat it with rice! A must-try!

Prosperous Braised TrottersBraised for a few hours, this dish takes much effort to prepare. The long hours of braising it also results in a tender, soft meat that its flavours has penetrated thoroughly. With dried oysters, shiitake mushrooms and crunchy broccoli, this is a truly flavourful combination, and is also a dish which definitely tastes better than it looks. There's also Fa Cai (or Fat choy) in it, which is the popular black moss, literally meaning 'hair vegetable'. It is eaten as a sign of prosperity due to its name, which also be translated as 'to become rich'.

Hongkong Style Chinese PomfretThe most prized grade of pomfret, Dian Xiao Er steams the entire fish with their recipe which makes it a smooth eat. Though light, the meat was delectable and tender.Luxurious Abalone Treasure PotAnother dish you should eat with rice. This was supposed to be served in a claypot, but for photo taking purposes, they carefully laid it out on a huge round plate. Also a braised dish, the savoury sauce is made with the restaurant's secret recipe, which will see you grinning from ear to ear. The abalones are also chewy and a joy to munch on!

D-Boiled Hashima (served cold)

Double boiled hashima! One of my favourite Chinese desserts. This light and refreshing dessert is just right to end a heavy meal. The hashima was soft and light, and the red date was crunchy. Definitely need to eat more of this for good skin!Prices for Chinese New Year set menus start from $128+++ onwards, available at all outlets from 30 January to 5 March 2015.

Overall, we enjoyed the meal and had so much fun during the food tasting session. Indeed, you need good food to accompany good company and that's what Dian Xiao Er has to offer!This is an invited media tasting session.

To celebrate one of my bestie's birthday, I brought her to a fancy Szechuan restaurant sitting 35 levels above ground at Mandarin Orchard Hotel. I took the lift from the Orchard Wing through the Mandarin Gallery to level 35. I was greeted with a warm decor and posh surroundings. I exceptionally loved the restaurant for the high ceilings and pretty lights. High ceilings added a taste of grandness to the place and I found myself getting comfortable quickly.An introduction of the restaurant:

Akasaka Szechwan Restaurant, or Shisen Hanten as it is popularly known in Japan, was started in 1958 by the late Chen Kenmin who is regarded as Japan’s “Father of Szechwan Cuisine.”Born in the Szechwan province of China, Chen Kenmin perfected his craft in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China before settling in Yokohama, Japan. Capitalising on his expertise in Szechwan cuisine, he established Shisen Hanten with the vision of “making customers truly appreciate Szechwan food through all the five senses.” He passed down his legacy to his eldest son, Chen Kenichi, who himself earned wide acclaim as one of Japan’s most celebrated iron chefs.

Chen Kenichi then passed down his love for the Szechuan cuisine to his son, Chen Kentaro. Shisen Hanten at Mandarin Orchard Hotel Singapore is the chain's debut outside of Japan.
Osmanthus pipa duck 琵琶鸭 (Half, $34)To have this dish, pre-ordering at least a day before your visit is required as they need time to prepare the duck. My friend was allergic to nuts and seafood, so she couldn't take the sauce as it contained traces of peanut powder in it.

Even without dipping the duck in the sauce, the duck was good enough to eat on its own. It had a special flavour through marination and was roasted to perfection. Even better, it was 98% boneless, so there's no need to worry about spitting out bones.Those who can eat the sauce should totally have it together with the duck. It was a wonderful combination when dipped into the sauce and gave it an overall deliciously unique flavour. This dish is highly recomended!

Hot & Sour Soup 酸辣湯 (Small, $10)The Hot & Sour soup is also different from the original Szechuan type Hot & Sour soup as the spiciness and sourness was well balanced but not overpowering, unlike the original version of the dish. The soup was well done, with simple ingredients (mushrooms, meat, finely sliced beancurd) infused perfectly into the gooey broth. Stewed fish fillet in super-hot Szechwan pepper sauce 水煮魚 (Small, $26)If you've seen the original version of this Szechuan dish, you would probably be worried to order this dish. Would it be dripping with chilli oil? Spicy to no end?

Thank God, no.

I also asked them to not have it too spicy, and while retaining the flavour of the dish, they have managed to do this dish well without veering off the taste of the dish totally. I was bracing myself for an upset tummy after this (cos of the sheer spiciness of the original dish that I tried before), but fortunately, it wasn't that spicy and the peppery broth was still a pleasure to slurp. I was quite shocked that the dish came with all the red chilli peppers on top, but thank goodness it turned out quite fine. The fish was nicely done and it was really tender and smooth.Sautéed chilli pepper and chicken 辣子雞 (Small, $22)This chilli pepper chicken is one of their most recommended dishes - at least by their wait staff. They weren't wrong. The dish was really nice and a surprising amount of crisp has made the texture of this dish very interesting!Trio of egg poached with seasonal vegetable 金銀蛋滚时蔬 (Small, $20)One of my favourite Chinese dishes. While it is nothing to rave about here, but I do like the broth of this dish and the vegetables were lovely too!Chen’s original spicy soup noodle 担担麺 (Small, $12)I have nothing to say about this dish other than to stick up both my thumbs. The texture of the noodles were really well done and bouncy.The soup was not very spicy, just mildly, and it went very well together with the noodles. I recommend this dish to anyone who visits this restaurant.Mango Pudding 芒果布丁 ($8)I do not usually order Mango puddings in Chinese restaurants. But I'm glad I did, at this one. The pudding was really creamy and fresh. It was also worth it as you will find huge slices of mango in it. Topped with a little whipped cream and a wolfberry, it was a lovely and light dessert to end the meal with.Hokkaido Green Tea Ice Cream 绿茶味北海道雪糕 ($8)There are 3 flavours in total for this dessert, but I went with the Green Tea one. 2 others include Sea salt and Vanilla, but I didn't order that as the wait staff had recommended the green tea one. It was a good recommendation because the ice-cream was really creamy and tasty. It also came with some dried fruits, like raisins.Overall, the meal was really good and satisfying. I would say that it was really worth the spend and here, I wish highlight the wait staffs' service, which really created a wonderful dining experience for us. Thanks to Doris, Danny and Yu Ting who had helped make the entire dining experience perfect.

When I just casually mentioned that it was my friend's birthday, they surprised us with a complimentary slice of chocolate birthday cake during dessert time as well! My friend was really happy and we enjoyed our time here!Menus can be viewed on their website and fans can follow them on their facebook for latest updates of their new creations.

Average spending per pax: $70 - $90

Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro 四川饭店

Location: Orchard Wing Level 35, Mandarin Orchard Singapore, 333 Orchard Road, Singapore 238867

Ratings: 8 / 10

For a lazy Saturday morning, I visited Ronin Cafe with my friend at Hongkong Street in Clarke Quay. Ronin Cafe is a hipster indie cafe with simple but warm and comfortable style.Surroundings:

This is the tinted doorway to fantastic drinks! I almost missed it as there wasn't any signboard.Their logo hangs inconspicuously.

Cafe's lightings are dark and comfortable, with yellow lights shining on wooden tables. One gripe is that they do have uncomfortable chairs which make you feel like you're sinking down into the seat. But I got used to it pretty quickly.

Nice stool seats for 2-3 people lining the corner of the cafe. These seats are more comfortable than those at the proper tables.

Warning: It gets really crowded from 11.15am onwards. When I got there, the wait staff shared that the cafe was only open from 10.30am.

The wait staff shared that their signature food items included the Brioche French Toast, Scrambled Eggs on Toast, 'Big in Japan' Curry Rice and Dirty Ronin Sandwich. All are substantial servings. Unfortunately, we weren't able to try the Curry Rice as it was not available at that time.

Instead, we went with the Brioche French Toast ($14.50) and Scrambled Eggs on Toast ($9). (I LOVE breakfast. )For my scrambled eggs on toast, I added the portobello mushroom (add $3.50) and the Pork sausage (add $4.50). It was a very satisfying breakfast. But the bread was somewhat not toasted well enough.

My friend went with the Brioche French Toast which contained braised apple, bacon, hazelnut butter and syrup. Does it sound very sweet?It is. My friend said it was too sweet, but the salty bacon made it better as it balanced the sweetness better. But overall, the toast was nice and fluffy. This dish is very good for those with a sweet tooth, but I do have to warn that this dish is really sinful!

For the drinks, we took their signature Matcha-Tone (Green Tea latte, $5.50 - image below) and Wicked (Minted Mocha, $5.50).I had my Wicked to-go. Although I'm a green tea latte lover, but to be frank, I did prefer their Wicked over their Matcha-Tone! While the Matcha-Tone was not too sweet (which was just great for me), the mint infused mocha (image below) had been so refreshing and delicious that I might have just branded it as one of my favourite drinks!The drinks were smooth and I did enjoy it very much. This was the point-scorer for me in this cafe. I highly recommend the drink, it was really wicked!

(Haha, geddit? Geddit? Wicked is wicked!... ok, sorry.)

Ronin Cafe Singapore

Location: 17 Hong Kong Street, Singapore 059660Directions: Take the train to Clarke Quay MRT Station, Exit E. Cross the overhead bridge and head towards the direction of Hong Lim Park. Look out for Hongkong Street Signage and turn left. Walk straight down. You will see Fragrance Hotel and City Backpackers Inn. The cafe is right beside City Backpackers Inn.

Ratings: 7.8 / 10

Tim Ho Wan 添好运 has been open in Plaza Singapura for a while now, and the fad has kind of died down a little. Riding on their success, they recently opened at another location - Bedok Point - an addition to the 4 other outlets scattered around Singapore.

Reading this on their website makes me very excited.

Tim Ho Wan, the hole-in-the-wall eatery in Hong Kong that defied all odds to gain an entry in the Michelin guide, has finally arrived in Singapore. Its dim sum have won the plaudits of food critics and the hearts of epicureans around the world.
Is it really worth the queue? I'm going to find out.

First, the surroundings:Baked Bun with BBQ Pork 酥皮炬叉烧包 ($5)The first dish, and one of their dishes in the 'Big 4 Heavenly Kings' series. 'Big 4 Heavenly' series consists of 4 dishes which they call their best of the best, recommended signature dishes to try at Tim Ho Wan.And boy, this one did not disappoint. The meat was juicy and tender, well flavoured and goes exceptionally well with the puffed pastry exterior. Loved this one, and thumbs up!

Pan Fried Carrot Cake 香煎萝卜糕 ($4.80)I did not like this dish. The carrot cake was served at room temperature, and was lacking in texture. I was scratching my head to understand how this is one of their 'Big 4 Heavenly Kings' dish.

Steamed Egg Cake 香花马来糕 ($3.80)Honestly, I have no major gripe with this dish, but I would have liked it to be more fluffy. This is another one of their 'Big 4' dishes. Overall, this was just so-so, but one of the better dishes in the assembly of food I've ordered here.

Vermicelli Roll with Shrimp 鲜虾肠 ($6)The prawn fillings were succulent and fresh, the skin was smooth as well. But be sure to eat it with the accompanying sauce to have it at its best!

Prawn Dumpling 晶莹鲜虾饺 ($6)Dim Sum should be served piping hot. While this one was, the dumpling skin sure didn't taste like it. It was a little too thick for me but the prawn ingredients were nice and fresh.

Pork Dumpling with Shrimp 鲜虾烧卖皇 ($5.50)I love Siew Mai, a.k.a Pork Dumplings with Shrimps. A lovely dash of colour as they used wolfberries to decorate the top of the dumpling. But no taste of the wolfberries were apparent during tasting. But overall, this dish was pretty alright.

Pork Rib with Black Bean Sauce 豉汁蒸肉排 ($4.50)This is also one of my dim sum meal staples. This dish is meant to be oily, and the oily sauce was lacking! I'm a sad girl. But the meat was tender and I would order it again if I'm here, if just to satisfy my cravings.

Wasabi Salad Prawn Dumpling 青芥末明虾角 ($6)A typical dish for me, and I felt that the wasabi mayonnaise was quite light - too light, in fact.

Yam Dumpling with Chilli Crab Meat 辣椒蚧芋角 ($5.50)This was a really interesting dish, so I was quick to order it. Not many people like yam, but I do. The yam was nicely done, with a lovely crisp exterior.The chilli crab paste was, however, slightly lacking in terms of flavour. As the yam paste can be a little too rich, a well flavoured chilli crab paste might be the answer to balancing that out.

It's a personal preference, but I do like my sauces a little more flavourful and stronger, so I can taste the essence. For this dish, that was what's lacking for me.

Congee with Pork, Century&Salted Egg 金银蛋瘦肉粥 ($4.20)I was looking forward to tasting this dish because it was one of my dim sum staples. But I was disappointed. The porridge was not fine enough, and the flavour of the salted and century egg is not strong enough. This is called century & salted egg porridge for a reason, and I believe the hints of these ingredients should present itself well enough to satisfy lovers of this standard dim sum dish.

Rice with Chicken, Sausage & Mushroom 腊肠北菇鸡饭 ($6)While the ingredients tasted just as it should be, I would have liked that the flavour of the ingredients could have better merged with the sauced rice to give it the unique flavour that this dish has. What I understand is that this dish is cooked together with the ingredients, and the sauce in the rice soaks in the merged flavours and fragrance of these ingredients - chicken, chinese sausage and mushrooms. Unfortunately, it tasted like it was cooked separately and the rice was not fragrant enough in that sense. I did like that the chicken was tender and had good texture.

Glutinous Rice with Lotus Leaf 古法糯米鸡 ($6) Nicely wrapped, this oily dim sum dish is not easy to make. Here's how it looks once opened.I did like how the dumpling was cooked just nice, and the meat used with the rice had retained its juiciness.

Crystal Shrimp Roll with Century Egg 水晶松花虾卷 ($5.50)Seeing this dish under the Chef's recommendation, I really wanted to try it. I took this photo right after it was served and the sauce was almost to the point of coagulation. After 5 minutes, the sauce did coagulate, so I wasn't imagining things. Thus proving the dish was served to us too late!

Anyway, I didn't really enjoy this dish as I felt that the entire dish would be better off with the century egg sliced thinner and the dish being served warmer. Or hotter!

Mango Sago Pomelo 杨枝甘露($5)One of my favourite desserts to have, but not at this restaurant. I love sago, so one gripe is that the sago was not soft enough, felt like it wasn't cooked enough.

Tonic Medlar & Osmanthus Cake 杞子桂花糕 ($3.50)Light and refreshing. I liked this dish, but I felt it should be served slightly more chilled. When served, it was close to room temperature and I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have if chilled.

So my conclusion?

No. It really wasn't worth the queue.

Sadly, it is widely raved for, but I'm not feeling it and it definitely did nothing to wow me at all. Their wait staff were not so friendly and most were concerned about clearing the queue, and because it's so packed and so many orders had to be served out - some slower than the others, some important aspects (like the temperature of the food to be served, etc) were compromised, thus affecting overall food taste and enjoyment.

But I'm sure of one thing: If I do return, I will order takeaway with the baked buns with BBQ pork for their claim of this 'heavenly king' dish was the only one I felt was worth the mention and did not disappoint.

Average spending per pax: $20 - $30