This is a review for the cafe at this kitchen wunderstore. this is the newly-refreshed eatery of possibly my favorite place in singapore - I get lost in the aisles of amazeballs bake- and cook-ware and everything you might need (or not need). I say possibly because prices are still pretty high here - but the selection. Dear lord, the selection.

So it's just as well that after you do a not-so-quick perusal of the place - and end up hungry - there's a place where you can rest your legs and fill your stomach. before the next round, of course. This place reminds me of the ikea canteen/cafe - they share the same informal atmosphere, the bustling of manic children, with rather similar food standards.

What I'm trying to say, really, is that it's not the sort of place you drive a-heck-of-a-long-way for, and it's great for a quick lunch, though not for lingering. but that's okay - because that's not what they set out to do here, and come on: you're here for the shopping. the great thing is you get to park your man/children/other-uninterested-personnel here while you exchange your wallet contents for more cookware - and that's a win in my books.

We sampled a range of their new items, and in general it's not food that I eat very often - a lot of it is fried or heavy on the carbs, but they were adequately tasty. the oriental pizza was one of my favorites that day, and the breaded fish fingers are a good option for children.

I'd keep away from the ramen - the battered chicken got soggy, the soup was a tad salty (but then again, I don't like ramen), and the noodles clumped together (the way they do out the packet if you don't separate them properly). The tempura durian was a little like a fried ice cream, but not drained and FAR too greasy - a pity, because it sure looked impressive.

The food is simple, and more than adequate for the accompainment-to-shopping role it's meant to play. You'll have a decent meal sticking with the simple things (which I think means the fried finger foods).

For full review and more phoots, please visit http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/08/14/tott-bistro-bukit-timah/

photos and more: http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/db-bistro-moderne-town/

it’s a nice restaurant – bistro-like steakhouse is probably the best description. we got the souffle: durian-flavored, and served with mangosteen sorbet. light, mildly sweet and eggy, I think the heavy pungency was muted to suit their (likely-foreign) clientele. it might be a little too mild, actually.

the sorbet was nice but subtle too. I’m not sure it was the best combination – both the souffle and sorbet had muted profiles that disappeared into an indistinct nothingness when eaten together.

his internationally-lauded madeleines were tiny little things nestled lovingly in a cloth basket and dusted with sugar – soft and cakey. I thought them a little one-dimensional, and a tad too sweet without a cup of tea to wash down. it was a generous serving – we doggy-bagged about half and ordered the hot chocolate fondant.

their lava cake was a decent rendition. I have a suspicion that the innards of the cake aren’t uncooked cake batter – which drops it a couple points in my regard – but it was quite chocolatey and served with two scooops of delicious ice cream.

so, decent desserts, though I would still pick the wolfgang puck establishment over this. the desserts here are a little lighter on the wallet, and the portions slightly more generous – which makes it a pretty good option if you’re in the area.

photos and more: http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/food-for-thought-botanic-gardens/

this place is rather popular, and I can see why. it’s a large open space, completely casual canteen-seating predominates, and the menu is likewise expansive.

it’s not the best brunch I’ve had but I don’t really think that’s the point. it feels rather more like a place you go to to be convivial, or bring your screaming children along, with a dash of decent food to help lubricate conversation.

it’s a casual place – you order at the cashier and food gets served to the table. the partner had his mind set on the trio of sliders: the kaffir lime fish, spicy thai chicken and pulled pork. served alongside fries, these were all average – the bread was soft and giving though, and we’ll recommend the chicken: it was tender, moist leg meat, seasoned well.

I took the salad-as-lunch option. the plate of sugar snap peas came tossed in a soy-sesame mix – refreshing in its simple greenness but the peas werere untrimmed, and I had to remove all the threads myself. the smoked salmon & broccoli plate was a great mix of flavors. chargrilled broccoli, cold hot-smoked salmon and roast beetroot – all delicious.

I might return. that salad was good, and the place does brunch proud – a vibrant atmosphere, nothing too awe-inducing or surprising for the first meal of the day. comfortable like those old pyjamas you can’t bear to throw away.just don’t come expecting mind-blowing food, and get in on the chillness of it all.

photos and more: http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/06/14/putien-restaurant-serangoon/

I really rather like the Putien chain – the flavours are light but intense, and while service can get rather hectic when full-house, it’s efficient and earnest when you do get it. highly reliable, consistently delicious, and a large enough menu to return frequently (though we do have our favourites, of course).

We started with jellyfish – decent, though I’ve had better. the better starter was their fried century egg: wedges fried up in a crispy batter and tossed in a sweet-sour sauce; this was delicious. it always makes me laugh when americans use these delicious things as fear-factor type challenges.

The salt and pepper clams are addictive, and the beancurd with kailan are a must order. the beancurd sheets are wrapped to a satisfying thickness – so they bite al-dente and the flavour of the soya bean comes through.

But my favourite really is their squirrel fish. Essentially a filleted fish fried to a golden-brown and topped with a sweet and sour sauce. It’s completely, and utterly delicious – the fish is fresh and moist, the batter stands up fantastically to the sauce, which is enlivened by the tiny bits of vegetables strewn atop. I have massive cravings for this fish.

The meat dishes are pretty good home-cooked too. We finished the meal with a fruit platter and syruped loquats – I’m not one for syrupy things but the latter were very interesting.

Honest cooking, good prices, decent portions and highly consistent standards even across outlets – and I have a soft spot for regional Chinese cooking (much of what we have locally is more generally Cantonese than anything else).

photos and more: http://andmorefood.wordpress.com/2013/06/13/toast-box-town/

this is one of a few chains in singapore upping the ante on our traditional coffeeshops: serving the same dishes at a more consistent delivery (though therefore imbuing it with more factory-type monotony) amidst the modern comforts of air-conditioning.

I'm not a huge proponent for local food - it's usually a little too heavy on the carb and grease; but I do enjoy the simpler things, like dipping toast into a half-boiled eggs darkened with soy. and while the prices here may be higher than at your neighborhood joint, there's something to be said about clean tables and surroundings, and much to be said for air-conditioning in singapore's unforgiving heat.

we ended up here after a trip to the gardens by the bay and had a filling meal: eggs and plain thick toast (the thicker, the better), nasi lemak, as well as a bowl of mee rebus. cheap, decent, filling food - arguably the best value in this extravagant mall. and a great introduction to local food, if you're so inclined.