Having seen pictures of Ramen Burgers from Little Hiro, we decided to make a trip down to try out the latest dish in food fashion. When we finally reached, it turned out that Little Hiro was in fact a reincarnation of Burger Shack, which was a favourite lunch spot for my poly clique.The menu largely remains the same as Burger Shack, with rice plates, burgers and pasta, with the exception of some new items for each category.Not forgetting the point of this return visit, I ordered a Chicken Karage Shio Ramen Burger ($8.90). The burger buns were replaced with ramen patties for this burger, which we found a bit alkaline-tasting though chewy and nicely grilled. The Karage Chicken was crispy, but the fried chicken seemed to have a thick batter. Egg Mayo sits in between, which was refreshing. Upgrading it to a set, you would get canned drinks and garlic fries at an additional cost of $3.00. The garlic fries was crispy and flavourful, pretty much like what Burger Shack used to serve.Two of my dining partners followed my recommendation by ordering the Sanzoku Double Hamburg Steak Teppanyaki Rice Plate ($8.20). It comes with two beef patties which was not gamey and smothered in flavourful black pepper sauce. The Garlic Butter Rice was fragrant as well.We could not say the same about the Flame-seared Teriyaki Salmon Teppanyaki Rice Plate ($10.90). While the salmon was flaky and well-grilled with a crispy skin, the Teriyaki sauce was extremely thick and salty.Flame-grilled BBQ Chicken ($7.50) brought back much nostalgia, which was cajun-spiced and all familiar to what had been served in Burger Shack. Definitely something with the same great taste that we will never mind ordering again.

For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/little-hiro-hawaiian-japanese-bbq-grill-kings-arcade/

The stall is being opened by young entrepreneurs who used to be in the finance industry, they decided to start a new journey by being hawkers selling curry rice by taking over one of the partner’s dad’s hawker stall. The dishes here are mainly home recipes passed down by the families of the owners. Do not belittle the display rack though; it is a custom-made shelf with UV rays to keep the dishes warm throughout the day.I ordered mine with Braised Pork, Chap Chye and Omelette with Bittergourd ($4.00). Thick luscious curry sauce which was deep in its flavour was drizzled over all the ingredients. Braised Pork was marinated thoroughly with the taste consistent throughout. We loved the way the bones at the bottom were also removed; its one of the small little details that mattered for me. We loved the Chap Chye as it is; wet but not mushy, and not crunchy as it was of a consistent texture. Even my dining partner was impressed. If you do not really like bittergourd, avoid the Omelette with Bittergourd. The omelette was soft and smooth without some bits overcooked nor undercooked, just consistent throughout. The bittergourd flavour was just sharp and bold; something that everyone at the table liked.After having the Curry Rice , I realised I had forgotten to try their fried items. We eventually ordered a Ngoh Hiong ($1.30) separately, a dish well-praised by food bloggers who had been here. It was well-executed with a crispy fried skin and generous pork filling. The highlight were the chunks of chestnuts which gave it a refreshing crunch that made it so delicious.

For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/03/30/truly-curry-rice-%E7%9C%9F%E5%92%96%E5%96%B1%E9%A5%AD-telok-blangah-drive-food-centre/

With the opening of the Robinsons building at Orchard Road, a few new dining concepts have also appeared along the Orchard Road area. Gyoza-Ya is one of the latest Japanese food restaurants that opened inside Robinsons Orchard that is under the Akashi group (that owns Akashi, Akashabu, Robatayaki, Goshin Sushi and Grandma’s), which follows the trend of Japanese restaurants that specialises in Gyoza.Since their specialties are Gyoza, we ordered the Pan-Fried Dumpling with Pork ($4.80++). Typically like guo tie, it has a lightly pan fried layer at the bottom which was chewy. The skin was of just the nice thickness, and there was a bit of broth inside the dumpling for a savoury taste. Filling was also generous as it filled the insides well.Boiled Dumpling with Pork ($4.80++) here is served without soup. It also comes with a sauce that had a tinge of vinegar, which enhances the flavour of the dumplings. This was a slightly blander version of the pan-fried ones, which were just as delicious as well.Tori Karage ($4.80++) was crispy and well-fried. The chicken chunks were also tender, but the dish just seemed to lack a Japanese touch.To compliment the Gyoza, I ordered the Garlic Fried Rice ($5.80++). This was extremely fragrant as it was garlicky and filled with egg and other ingredients. A great item to pair up with Gyoza!Genmai Cha ($1.00++) comes with two options, hot and cold. It was similar to Matcha but seemed lighter in taste, which was refreshing after a meal with heavy tastes.

For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/03/12/gyoza-ya-robinsons-orchard/

With the current wave of cafes opening around the island, small cafes are sprouting up in different parts of Singapore. One Man Coffee is the latest in the Thomson region, which shares the same premises as Crust, where the former operates in the day and the latter at night. During our visit only pastries and coffee with several other beverages are available. There was also a French Toast offered as a special of the day on our visit.Since it was a special, we went straight ahead with the French Toast ($10.00). Served with blueberry jam, candied walnuts and fresh cream, it sounded rather usual but we were very impressed with the toast itself. They were soft and custardy on the inside as the brioche was soaked in custard, along with the walnuts which were crunchy and full of nutty goodness. It was so good that we thought the dish could actually make do without the jam and cream as it stole much of the limelight from the toast itself.I chose the Salted Caramel Danish ($4.50). According to them, their pastries come from artisan bakery B.A.O. The pastries are warmed upon order. While it was great buttery goodness, the Danish felt rather limp and had crispiness lost, which made it pretty hard to cut through with a fork. At a point of time I simply had to use my hands or just stab the pastry with a fork just to eat it. Not everything was bad though; there was a nice layer of salted caramel in between which made it seem pretty flavourful. The walnuts sprinkled over the top also gave it a nice nutty crunch.Ordered my usual Flat White ($4.50), which seemed a tad milky to me. The blends used at One Man Coffee are from Stranger’s Reunion according to one of the staff there

A clever way to maximize operations for a place previously only for dinner, One Man Coffee does offer a nice environment for an afternoon chill out. They have also started out their all-day breakfast menu on the week after our visit, which gives a wider variety for brunch-goers.

For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/one-man-coffee-upper-thomson-road/

This small space is run by three young adults, whom used to operate an online bakery business specialising in macarons named Flag & Sac. The cafe feels very well put together in comparison to those that have opened recently. It feels simple, uncluttered and cosy yet tastefully arranged.Eggs Benedict ($14.90) is a dish I usually would not give a miss. The ones here have poached eggs served atop buttered toasts with sides of grilled tomatoes and stewed mushrooms. The eggs were runny but the whites were a wee bit stiff. Hollandaise sauce was lightly flavoured and was rather creamy. The stewed mushrooms were earthy and flavourful which was really tasty while the grilled tomatoes were soft. The homemade chili jam was a unique part of the dish, which was tangy with very mild spiciness. The dish could have been better if the toast was crispier.Stateland’s Honey Toast ($10.90) is Stateland Cafe’s signature dessert. A buttered toast served with a Vanilla ice-cream with fresh fruits, honey and icing sugar accompanied, it was a sweet and salty combination. Despite it being a dessert, it was subtly sweet instead of being intensive. The crispiness of the toast also makes it addictive.We were served a complimentary slice of Orange Tofu Cheesecake. Smooth and soft, it contains a light cream cheese flavour and uplifting tinge of tanginess. Definitely something I wish would appear on the display shelves!Papa Pahelta’s Terra Firma blend is used for the coffee here. The Latte ($4.70) was creamy and aromatic, carrying a nutty flavour at the end of each sip. Mocha ($4.90) was however a unique taste of slightly bitter chocolate, therefore not overwhelming the beverage with sweetness.

For more photos and the full review, please visit: http://jiaksimipng.wordpress.com/2014/02/10/stateland-cafe-bali-lane/