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Drawing inspirations from the founders' childhood, Singapore's first skewers & claypot rice cocktail bar called itself Provisions. Executive Chef / Co-Owner Justin Foo is in charge of the cuisine which revolves around the comfort food that he enjoyed; while Head Bartender / Co-Owner KC Rahmat curated the bespoke cocktails and mocktails.

Provisions is set in a charming industrial-chic space of metal and wooden fixtures that brought back the nostalgic feel of the yesteryears. The experience is enhanced further with the availability of the old school snacks and toys for the patrons to enjoy while waiting for the food to come.

It is best to describe the food here as small bites/tapas. While you can definitely savour it individually, it just seems to taste better when you share it with someone else.
Pig Ear Fritters ($12). Deep fried sliced pig ears marinated with five spice, chilli and pepper. Can easily be mistaken for fried calamari, but the difference will be obvious when you bite into it. It has a crispy exterior followed with crunchy and gelatinous texture internally. The flavouring almost similar to the Taiwan jumbo fried chicken and it is a good nibble to go with any drinks.
KFC ($10), Korean Fried Cauliflower. Something for the herbivore. The deep fried Cauliflower almost like the stack of Korean Fried Chicken. It is then tossed with sweet sauce together with dried chilli and spring onion. A pleasant combination of sweet and spice in this dish.
The skewers are the Provisions version of Yakitori. They offer good selections between sweet and savoury. The beef sirloin ($10) is one of the closest flavour to yakitori. The meaty and succulent sirloin cubes are glazed with kecap manis, while the flavours of oolong and burnt leek intensify the smoky aroma of it. Served with fried shallots and spring onions, it is just YUM!!
Pork Liver ($5). I am a big fan of pork liver, and personally think that this ingredient is a test of the chef's skill. The result is crisp external liver and juicy internally. Don't expect those bloody version like in your Bak Chor Mee or Bak Kut Teh as it is grilled on charcoal. The glaze of ginger, scallion and hua tiao wine helps to remove any gaminess in the liver.

Chicken Heart ($4). One of those chicken parts that I like. Springy, crunchy and addictive. The simple seasoning of chilli, cumin and garlic, reminiscence the flavour of BBQ cumin lamb in China.
From the charcoal to the deep fryer. Sotong ($8). Deep fried calamari, topped with salted egg, five spice and chilli. Crispy with a bit of heat plus a jolt of familiar salty and creamy taste from the salted egg.
While the small bites are good, I will also prefer something fulfilling. In Provisions, it comes in Claypot Rice. I sample the Mixed Pork Rice ($15) and Oyster Omelette Rice ($18). Sticking to the traditional claypot rice recipe, the rice is cooked from the grain form. The rice is slightly crisp, with a good smokey aroma and some nice crust on the below.
For the mixed pork rice, the pork is tender and well seasoned and the intestines are springy. The liver is juicy, cooked just right. The fried garlic, fried shallots and cucumber added more sweet and aromatic flavour to this dish. Do not expect a burnt rice crust like the traditional claypot rice, instead expect a more refined version of it.
The oyster omelette claypot rice is a combination between claypot rice and Or Luah (Oyster Omelette). The rice taste is the same as the pork version, while the Or Luah feels distant in this dish. More like eating claypot rice with Or Luah as a side dish.
I always find that combination of hot and cold elements in a dessert is winning formula. Milo Pisang Dinosaur ($7) is Provision's fusion between Pisang Goreng (Banana Fritter) with Milo Dinosaur named. It has banana fritter, vanilla ice cream plus the toppings of solid dose of milo powder, crush peanuts and chocolate syrup. Who can say no to this.
For my drink, I give KC a taste profile similar to Lemon Lime and Bitters, but not too sweet and non-alcoholic. He curated a mocktail with blueberry and vanilla. It was light, fruity and refreshing. Two thumbs up for the effort!
Overall, it was definitely an exciting experience. I like the concept of skewers and claypot rice cocktail bar. It has all the ingredients for a place that you want to hang out and enjoy food and drinks. So if you are looking for a place to chill or looking for a good grub in Dempsey area, check out Provisions. Cheers!!

Thank you very much to Womcomm and Provisions team for the tasting invitation.  

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Cafe De Hong Kong ('CDHK') is a hidden restaurant along Balestier Road in Singapore that served Hong Kong style Ci Zhar. The cuisine here represent the items that you can find in any typical restaurants in Hong Kong. In case you are thinking of Xin Wang or other HongKong cafe, they served different types of food. 

LD and I have patronised CDHK regularly and it has become our must go-to restaurant if we are looking for comfort food. It is those dishes that we had in Melbourne during our uni days. 

Soup is basically a must have for Cantonese and Hong Kong cuisine. In CDHK you should not miss out on their double-boiled soup of the day. Our last visit here, we had their Winter Melon Soup ($35). A good portion good for 6 to 8 pax. The soup is double boiled inside the winter melon. The broth is sweet and robust, good to warm up your stomach. They also have a smaller portion, just check with the service staff. 


Roasted Chicken ($34) is one of the signature dishes here. It is tender, succulent and the best part is the skin. It is paper thin and crisp. Absolutely delicious. To save on cooking time, you might want to order this during reservation. 

If you prefer something more traditional, order the Claypot Chicken with Salted Fish and Tofu ($18 for Large). This dish is not on the menu however you can place the order with the boss, Francis. The combination of salted fish and au jus of the chicken will whet your appetite, while the tofu just absorbs the flavour nicely. A good dish to go with rice. 

Lamb Brisket in Claypot ($26) is a dish that Hongkongers normally consume during winter time. We were surprised when we saw it on the menu here. We have been coming back for this ever since.   The lamb briskets are stewed over long period with ginger, star anise, cinnamons stick, fermented beancurd and beancurd stick. The seasoning not only infused flavour to the lamb brisket, it also helps to neutralise any gamy flavour. After a few hours of stewing, the meat just falls off the bone. The beancurd stick absorbs the robust gravy, while the water chestnuts will add a crunchy texture to the dish. Yum Yum. 


Their shells dishes such as clams and lala can be found on their black board menu. We had La La Beehoon ($10.50) this time around. The bee hoon did well to absorb the sweetness and freshness from the La La. More of a subtle dish. 

For something spicier, try their Stir Fried La La ($12 for small). This version packs more punch as it is cooked with chilli. Not only the flesh is fresh, the gravy will make you suck the shell clean. 

Recently we tried their Typhoon Shelter Crab ($130, $65 per kg). For crab dishes, you will need to book in advanced. It is a dish that you will normally find in most of the restaurants in Hong Kong. This dish is very aromatic as the crabs are deep fried with garlic, scallion, red chilli and black bean. Showcasing the skill of the chef, the deep fried crab has a crisp exterior while the flesh retains their juiciness. As they use female crabs for this dish, the crab roe absorbs the aromatic flavour more than the meat of the crab. It was an appetising dish and a must try. Please note you must order this dish during reservation, as CDHK must order the crab in advanced. 


Not to be missed here is CDHK Fish Roe Fried Rice ($20 for Large). It has a nice wok hei, topped with evenly mixed fish roe that gives this fried rice the umami flavours and the crunchy texture in each bite. Our friend's kids love it so much we ever order 2 large portions to go with their Deep Fried Luncheon Meat Chip ($8) and Seasoned Porkchop ($16.50).

For dessert, save some space for their French Toast ($6.30). A deep fried thick toast with peanut butter spread. Finished off with maple syrup and a slab of butter. The combination of crisp exterior and soft pillowy interior made it a perfect dessert after a heavy meal. Or you can have it for high tea as well. Each order of the French Toast comes with a drink, we recommend their HK Milk tea which tasted like the one you find in HK. I have to admit, it is one of the best Hong Kong French Toast you can find in Singapore. 

The décor of the CDHK is simple and no fuss. It is an air conditioned restaurant. Although there are seats outside, I hardly see people seating outdoor for their meal. Service efficient like a family restaurant. 

Overall, Cafe De Hong Kong is here to bring your traditional Hong Kong cuisine. The food is delicious and comforting, but don't expect five-star restaurant standard. Definitely, a must try place if you are looking for Authentic Hong Kong Cuisine. Cheers!!

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Looking for kids friendly dining destination for a group of 18 pax is definitely not an easy task. If you do have this dilemma, you definitely must consider Jamie's Italian at Forum. 

In case you have been living under a rock or somewhere in the jungle of Borneo, Jamie Oliver might sound alien to you. In summary, he is a British Celebrity Chef, author of numerous cook books, plus TV shows, activist who loved Italian Food. Jamie's restaurants always focused on natural and healthy ingredients, with simple cooking method. Jamie's Italian at Forum is the second franchise in Singapore. 

While waiting for the everyone to arrive, LD and I ordered Salumi Crostini ($15). Salumi means different type of salami / Italian cured meat. Crispy bread with buffalo ricotta, crispy salumi and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Crispy, creamy, sweet, with subtle acidity just make a perfect entrée. A good start to tease the palate. 



If you are an olive fan, you might want to try their World's Best Olive ($8.50). Consist of large green olives, with black olives and sun-dried tomatoes tapenade & crispy music bread. I am definitely not a fan of black olive, but I discover green olive is easy to like. Crunchy, refreshing with a touch of delicate sourness almost like a gherkin. 

Since we have a big group, we ordered plenty. Prosciutto & Pear Salad ($25.50). A simple combination of prosciutto and pear, with pecorino, rocket salad, balsamic and toasted pine nuts. It is definitely refreshing, I personally like the combo of salty prosciutto with natural sweetness of the pear. The pecorino, rocket and balsamic just enhanced the flavour in the dish further while the pine nuts give the dish its crunchy texture. 

Gennaro's Italian Sausage Pizza ($27.50). Bianco base (white pizza) with fennel sausage, balsamic onions, black olives and rosemary. Interesting white base pizza, with unique flavour arising from sweet balsamic onions and black olives. The dough is crisp and chewy, like a sour dough. However, I feel it lacked some creaminess from the cheese component. 

Ravioli Con Carne ($26.50). Beef ragu-stuffed pasta with sage brown butter, crispy pancetta, lemon & parmesan. It is a good dish, with al-dente pasta sheets filled with ragu beef. The sage brown butter gave the dish a rich flavour however, it is missing the OMPH factors. It can do with more sprinkle of salt. 

280g Rib-eye Steak ($46) served with grilled portobello mushrooms, gremolata, funky chips and balsamic onions. We asked them to cook to medium rare, however we still find the steak slightly chewy, lacked richness and marbling of ribeye steak. Surprisingly, the grilled portobello was the best ingredients to the dish. Definitely, has lots of room for improvement. 

Lamb Rack ($88). Lamb rack coated with herby breadcrumb served with roasted mixed root vegetables and a yummy red wine sauce. Easily the best dish of the night. Cooked to medium rare, the meat just melts in your mouth. Absent of gamy flavour, the lamb is just to die for.  It is not in the main menu, so you must keep a look out on the special board. A must order dish here. 

Service is friendly, accommodating and professional. The décor of the restaurant is modern, casual with a combination of open concept. The set-up and service are definitely geared towards child-friendly environment, where you and your family can dine freely. The semi open concepts will allow you to see the chefs preparing your food, maybe pique the interest of the young ones in cooking. 

Please note that due to Jamie's focus on healthy eating, you might find the kids meal a bit bland. Feel free to add more seasoning to your child likings (cheese, salt or pepper). 

Overall, An evening in Jamie is definitely an interesting experience. It was packed during the dinner service. The food is simple yet delicious, but don't expect a high-end Italian restaurant version. We'll definitely return for the lamb rack. Cheers!!

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We were intrigued by the décor of 55 Steamboat during our search for a new steamboat place. As we tried to fit it within a certain budget, we have to exclude those high-end steamboat place. While most steamboat restaurant is decorated in a traditional way, 55 Steamboat décor is catchy with cafe like modern industrial setting. 


Price quoted for weekend dinner is $29.80+, which is reasonable. Though price quoted is for buffet, they apparently still charged for the soup base. The options for the soup base are Tomato Soup, Bone Soup and Hot & Spicy Soup. We decided on Tomato Soup and Bone Soup ($18 for double soup) combination. 

The tomato soup base turns out to be the right pick. It robust, refreshing, filled with the flavour sweet and tanginess of tomatoes. The bone soup looks like it has been boiled over a long period, essence from the bones was extracted into the soup base. Our friends that ordered the Hot & Spicy soup, gave their approval on the level of spiciness in it. 

There are about 50 items you can choose from ranging from meat, poultry, seafood, premium fish balls and vegetables. Check out the picture for the full menu.  The sauces are sesame, chilli paste, mala (oily, numbing & spicy), satay and other regular offerings. 

For the meat range, sliced beef, sliced mutton and sliced pork belly are the must order. They are thinly sliced and cook within a few seconds. Due to the reasonable fat content, the meat is succulent. The sliced lamb has a bit of the gamy taste, similar to those in China style of steamboat. The marinated beef is something that you must order. The cut is slightly thicker but remain tender and tasty without any sauce. 

Another must try here are their balls. The fishball with fish roe, sea urchin balls, and salmon ball with cheese are not only unique but it is addictive as well. We like the fishballs with fish roe as it has the crunchiness in its fillings, while the sea urchin balls tasted like custard fillings. It is sure interesting. 

If you are looking for something more exquisite, there are duck tongues and pig brain. The pig brain is ala carte, priced at $5. For me, the pig brain is more like conquering your Fear Factors experience. Cooked for about 10 to 15 mins, it shrinks to about two third of its raw size. It does not have any foul smell or taste, instead, it is soft and mushy, like bone marrow. Interesting, but not going to order it ever again. 

For veggies and beancurd, I like their frozen bean curd, bean curd skin and fried bean curd. Nothing fancy about them but it just some comforting selections for my steamboat. The price for the drinks is reasonable, so nothing to compare about. 

To cool down the heat after the steamboat, check out their selection of ice creams which is part of the buffet. They have 6 flavours and all tasted good, especially the Thai Milk Tea flavour.

All of the service staff during our visit is mostly young adults. Like students doing it for part time work. Definitely making the environment trendy and more cafe like. 

Dining in 55 Steamboat is like having steamboat in a trendy environment. The food is good and the price is reasonable. We'll definitely come back for more in the future but definitely, won't order the Pig Brain. Check out their Facebook page for their Monthly Promotion. Cheers!!

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La Barca is a quaint Italian Restaurant located in Goodman Art Centre Campus. This is the second gem that we discovered in the secluded area. The name La Barca came from an Italian word that means a boat, just like the shape of the restaurant. La Barca serves classic Tuscan fare with a modern twist, focusing on the fresh ingredients and stylish presentation.  

Their entrée of Parma Ham and Burrata is a must try (Il Prosciutto Di Parma, Burrata Di Andria, Pomodori E Basilico - $40). The price might look stiff at first, but the portion does not disappoint. It is huge and enough for 4 pax. Thinly shaved saltish and delicate Parma ham combine soft, creamy and bouncy organic burrata cheese sure fire up our appetite and looking forward to the next dish. 



Pizza lovers will be satisfied as well. Though their offering is not extensive, they are generally very good. The dough of the pizza is crisp on the exterior while slightly chewy in the interior. The toppings are generous. We tried Fungi Freschi Misti pizza ($22) and seafood pizza (Pizza Con Pesce Fresco Senza Mozzarella - $24). The toppings filled the pizza to the max, where the pizza still have its crisp texture and does not go soggy. The seafood toppings included ocean fresh fish, squid, cuttlefish, prawns, octopus, mussels, clams definitely showcase the goodness from the sea. 



I Tortelli Di Pecorino Con Fonduta Di Parmigiano E Tartufo Di Stagione ($42) is Chef Michele's award-winning pasta. Rich and creamy cheese tortelli, topped with pecorino cheese plus a seasonal truffle. Yum Yum. We just hope the portion can be adjusted. If you have this dish as part of your 5-course meal, I say the portion is just nice. But for small family / communal dining, it will be good to increase the portion by about 25% so everyone can get a decent bite. 

Since La Barca is a Tuscan restaurant, the traditional Fiorentina steak is a must try. Australian Angus Beef, marbling score 3 ($18 per 100 gram). Minimum order for the steak is about 800 gram, so it is definitely made for sharing. 

The service staff will show us the steak after it comes off the grill. It is then brought to the kitchen to be cut. Both time we tried the steak, it was cooked just slightly before it reaches medium rare. It is meaty, juicy and succulent. The wedges and cannelli beans is a good companion for the meal. You can order other side dishes like mash potatoes, sauteed Italian spinach, shoe-string fries, etc. In case the steak is underdone for you, you can ask the service staff for the hot-stone and you can grill it a bit more on the table. 

For the sweet ending, our picks are Tiramisu Tradizionale La Barca ($14) and Strudel Di Mele Banane Alla Cannella Con Salsa Di Vaniglia ($14). The tiramisu is without alcohol and cream. Using eggs as the base ingredients, It is smooth, creamy and packs a solid coffee punch. The presentation looks a bit like someone spilled a spoonful of milo on the desserts, however, it is a must try dessert. 

The strudel has an attractive texture of crispy exterior and moist interior. The fillings of organic apple and banana are wrapped in pastry sheets, then deep fried. The use of vanilla cream instead of ice cream actually a good choice here, so the strudel maintain its crispy texture. The berries provide a good balance to this sweet dish. 

The restaurant is spacious. The seats are well spread out and enough distance between tables to retain the privacy between diners. The main dining area will be indoor, but you can also seat outside for drinks and chill out. There is indoor and outdoor playing area for family coming with children. So it is a good place for families to meet up. Service is efficient, friendly and professional. 


Overall, the food at La Barca is definitely something to look forward to. It is a place where you can get great Tuscan food, suitable for formal dining or family dining out. Price is on the high side, however, you will be getting what you paid for. Ciao!! Cheers!!