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Chubby Botak Koala
This is Chubby Botak Koala living in Hougang/Kovan. I am a Foodies, work in Ang Mo Kio. I like to hang out in Serangoon, Katong, Tampines. Singaporean, Chinese, Multi-Cuisine are my favorite cuisines. I also love Hawker Centre, Restaurant, Café, Bistro and Roasted Meat, Desserts and Cakes, Dim Sum, Something not too spicy.
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Aussie Brunch at Dempsey Smile Nov 14, 2013   
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Categories : Multi-Cuisine | Café | Restaurant | Pasta | Burgers and Sandwiches | Pets Friendly

The Menu

The Menu

 
What is a perfect way to spend your Sunday morning? After all the buzz catching up with your chores on Saturday, Sunday morning is just a good time to sit back, relax and tuck in to a good brunch and cuppa.

Jones the Grocer is one of the more popular destinations to tuck in for a weekend brunch. It is a branch for popular Australia grocer / food emporium to provide natural and artisan ingredients from Australia and worldwide. The one that really catch our eyes, is the bread that freshly baked on the premises.
The Sauces

The Sauces

 
Freshly Baked Bread

Freshly Baked Bread

 
We pop by on Sunday morning, just after the morning drizzle clears. As this is our first visit to Jones The Grocer @ Dempsey, we notice that they do not take reservation for brunch. Luckily, due to the rain, the crowd was not there yet thus the queue was quite short and we got our seats in 15 mins.
Sweets Selection that entice me while waiting

Sweets Selection that entice me while waiting

 
So what's good on the menu? Little Devil's (LD) decided on Jones Big Breakfast ($24), I had French Toast with Berries ($18), while our friend SH had Eggs Benedict ($20).

Jones Big Breakfast basically have everything you want in a big breakfast. Sourdough Bread, eggs, bacon, sausages, hash brown. For something more up class, they also have sautéed baby spinach. The bread is fragrant, nice and crispy providing a nice bedding for the eggs. The sausages, bacon are cooked perfectly. Good solid brunch.
Jones Big Breakfast

Jones Big Breakfast

 
Since LD's decided on big breakfast and I know I will probably eat half of that, I decided on something light. Cinnamon French toast with mixed berries and vanilla crème fraiche. The bread is nicely coated with eggs, crispy and soft. The combination of mixed berries, icing sugar and vanilla crème fraiche is just so inviting to dig in into your breakkie.
French Toast with Berries

French Toast with Berries

 
Eggs Benedict come with smoked ham, spinach & poached eggs on house baked English Muffin. Don't let the simple presentation of this dish fool you. To produce the a nice hollandaise sauce, you need to be very skilful in the kitchen. Slight miscalculation will turn the sauce into sour scramble eggs. The eggs poached to the right temperature, while exuding white vinegar aroma the yolk will ooze out when you cut through the egg. The sauce is smooth and creamy while the ham is slightly salty.
Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict

 
Nothing better to complement a beautiful breakfast a great coffee. The coffee here is imported from Australia. It has a full body flavour, slightly bitter, but bode well for milk base coffee such as latte or cappuccino. Nice caffeine shot to start the day.
Barista at Work

Barista at Work

 
Latte & Cappucino

Latte & Cappucino

 
Basically when you are dining in Jones the Grocer, you are dining in a grocery shop. Surrounded by artisan produce and wine sold by Jones the Gorcery. It is a open concept shop with a high ceiling. Certainly does not feel like you are dining in Singapore. The service staff here is very good and professional. Our order took around 15 minutes to come, while we took turns to check out the produce selling on the shelves.

Overall, if you are looking for a place to have a good breakkie, I would recommend Jones the Grocer. Delicious food complement with delicious coffee. G'Day Mate.!!

For the complete Chubby Botak Koala exprience, click / copy the link below to your browser:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/11/jones-grocer-aussie-brunch-at-dempsey.html

 
Recommended Dish(es):  Coffee,Eggs Benedict,French Toast with Berries,Jones Big Breakfast
 
Spending per head: Approximately $28(Breakfast)

Other Ratings:
Taste
 4  |  
Environment
 4  |  
Service
 4  |  
Clean
 4  |  
Price
 3

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Categories : Korean | Korean BBQ | Army Stew

Togi @ Temple Street is one of the early established Korean Restaurant owned and run by Korean owner. Located in the heritage shop houses along temple street, this restaurant has been serving authentic Korean food since 2008.
Shop front

Shop front

 
When it come to Korean food, it is Little Devil's ('LD') area of expertise. To be honest, if you ask me what cuisine do I want to eat, Korean is the last thing that come to my mind. Not to say that I don't enjoy Korean food. I like Korean BBQ and their beef soup. Other than that. I find the options are quite limited for me as I am not very keen on spicy food.
The unlimited side dishes

The unlimited side dishes

 
As it is only two of us, we decided to order simple dishes. LD's have Mul Naeng Myen (Cold Noodle with beef – $14.50) and Nan Ji Bok Um (Spicy Stir Fried Octopus – $25) as her octopus cravings got the better of her. For me, I had Dukbaegi Bulgogi (Beef Stew with mushroom and glass noodle - $15).

LD's cold noodle is very refreshing. The noodle is very springy (qq) and chewy. The cold clear beef soup with a dash of sourness from the vinegar is really appetizing. If you have this dish in the summer, it provide the cold comfort relieve from the hot weather. The sliced beef brisket is cooked to tender.
Mul Naeng Myen (Cold Noodle with beef)

Mul Naeng Myen (Cold Noodle with beef)

 
Mul Naeng Myen (Cold Noodle with beef)

Mul Naeng Myen (Cold Noodle with beef)

 
For the octopus, it is actually not that a mind blowing spiciness that you find in this dish. But more like a subtle combination of different spicy flavour. There are lots of ingredients in the dish such as green chilli, red chilli, onion, octopus and rice cakes to name a few. The octopus is actually very chewy and resilient to my liking, but as long as you avoid the chilli seed, you will be fine.
Nan Ji Bok Um (Spicy Stir Fried Octopus)

Nan Ji Bok Um (Spicy Stir Fried Octopus)

 
The beef stew tasted quite sweet because they use the same bulgogi marinate in the beef. The soup is quite robust with a slightly cloudy texture as the beef essence came out from the meat. The beef portion is very generous, and I suggest to have a bowl of rice to balance out the sweetness in this dish.
Dukbaegi Bulgogi (Beef Stew with mushroom and glass noodle)

Dukbaegi Bulgogi (Beef Stew with mushroom and glass noodle)

 
Dukbaegi Bulgogi (Beef Stew with mushroom and glass noodle)

Dukbaegi Bulgogi (Beef Stew with mushroom and glass noodle)

 
The restaurant is simply decorated and very bright. Space can be a luxury in this place and ventilation is not good. Expect to come out smells like the food you are eating, especially if you are having bbq meat. Service is friendly and efficient. Although the owner is Korean, none of the other service staff is Korean.
The dining area

The dining area

 
The restaurant is packed most of the time and during our meal we saw people queuing outside the restaurant waiting for their turn to savour the food here. The price is very reasonable. Overall, if you are really into Korean food, you must give this place a try. Hwanho and Gamsahabnida!!! Cheers and Thank you !!!

For the complete Chubby Botak Koala dining experience at Togi, click / copy the following link to your browser:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/11/togi-authentic-korean-restaurant-in.html

 
Recommended Dish(es):  Dukbaegi Bulgogi (Beef Stew with mushroom and glass noodle),Nan Ji Bok Um (Spicy Stir Fried Octopus),Mul Naeng Myen (Cold Noodle with beef )
 
Spending per head: Approximately $34(Lunch)

Other Ratings:
Taste
 4  |  
Environment
 3  |  
Service
 3  |  
Clean
 3  |  
Price
 4

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Burgerlicious!!  Smile Oct 30, 2013   
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Categories : Multi-Cuisine | Restaurant | Burgers and Sandwiches

 
Fatboy's The Burger Bar ('Fatboy') is a home grown burger chain, founded with the promise of bringing burger evolution to Singapore burger lovers. In the recent years, Singaporeans palate for burgers has evolve due to the exposure of many top notch artisan burgers. We are no longer satisfied with ordinary fast food chains burgers, we expect, NO! we DEMAND better quality burgers.

Filling the gap between upmarket artisan burgers and fast food burgers is Fatboy. Fatboy offered reasonable priced burgers; different type of patties such as chicken, lamb and beef; and best of all freedom to build your own burger. In short, the menu in Fatboy is similar to typical American Diners, of course with a slight 'naughty' local twist included.
BYO Menu

BYO Menu

 
As I was not that hungry that night, I ordered Wimpy Beef ($11.50). This is actually a single patty version of their best creation Fat Basterd. The chuck patties are topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, a fried egg and homemade BBQ sauce. The patty is thick and juicy. The bacon and fried egg gave a different texture to the burger and the BBQ sauce just provide a nice finish. The burger has the nice thickness to hold with both hands and bit it. Delicious!!
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/10/fatboys-burger-bar-burgerlicious.html

http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/10/fatboys-burger-bar-burgerlicious.html

 
Each burger are served with thick fries, and only a single slice of tomato and lettuce leaf. The fries crispy and moist inside, however the portion is quite small and tasted quite ordinary. The tomato and lettuce is merely there for decoration, I hope they can actually give more salad for a more balance presentation instead of looking quite stingy on the plate.

Meanwhile, Little Devil had Swiss Shroom ($13). Fatboy use sauteed shitake mushrooms instead the normal portabello, melted Swiss cheese, with garlic aioli to accompany healthier whole meal bun. The patty is thick and juicy, the shitake mushrooms gave a stronger mushroom flavour and the garlic aioli just bind the whole ingredients together. For the heat, LD add jalapeno to the burger and pickles to balance the richness in the burger. Yummyyy !!
Swiss Shroom

Swiss Shroom

 
To add some healthy veggies to complement our burger, we decided to order Chicken Caeser Salad ($11.50). The Romaine Lettuce is just fresh and crisp. The chicken fillet is flavourful, juicy and succulent. The Caesar dressing is lighter than the usual, however it just provide a light and refreshing salad.
Chicken Caeser Salad

Chicken Caeser Salad

 
One item in a drink that get our approval is Lemon Lime and Bitter. Although it came in the bottled Bundaberg from the Australian manufacturer, we are just glad we had something refreshing to enjoy with our burger.
Bundaberg Lemon Lime & Bitter

Bundaberg Lemon Lime & Bitter

 
The atmosphere in Fatboy is very casual. They have TVs that is showing the EPL games, so it is a good destination when the games are on during the weekend. Service is very minimum and inconsistent between the each service staff. It seems that they are more a part timer, which lack the proper service training. Luckily Fatboy does not charge customer for service.
Dining Hall

Dining Hall

 
Overall, Fatboy deliver a good, solid and flavourful burgers. Based on the food that we have tasted so far, the rest of the items on the menu should be quite good. If you can ignore the inconsistent of their service level, Fatboy is the place to go for good-priced American Diner food. Cheers!!

For the complete Chubby Botak Koala dining experience here, click / copy the link below to your browser:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/10/fatboys-burger-bar-burgerlicious.html

 
Recommended Dish(es):  Chicken Caeser Salad,Swiss Shroom,Wimpy Beef
 
Spending per head: Approximately $24(Dinner)

Other Ratings:
Taste
 4  |  
Environment
 3  |  
Service
 2  |  
Clean
 3  |  
Price
 4

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Categories : Vietnamese

Orange Lantern came to our attention recently when a friend of ours post it up in FB on his dining encounter there. When we see the size of the bowl they serve for the Pho, we decided we need to give this place a try.

Located in Killiney Road, finding a parking spot can be quite a challenge. This time around we were lucky and we manage to get a spot just outside the restaurant. We went on one Saturday afternoon, after the busy lunch hour, and the heavy rain just subsided.
The Shop Front

The Shop Front

 
Decorated in bright orange, similar to its name, you will easily notice this place from far away. When we walk in to the restaurant, we are the only customers inside. The modern orange decoration created a welcoming warmth atmosphere. The proudly display Vietnamese ornaments allow you to experience the Vietnamese culture.

 
Dining Area

Dining Area

 

 
For starter, we ordered the Prawn Paper Rolls ($6.90). The vegetables such as lettuce, bean sprouts and basil leaves are crunchy and fresh, topped with sliced boiled fresh prawn. The dipping sauce, made from hoisin sauce and crushed peanuts, complement the paper rolls nicely. A good, fresh simple starter.
Prawn Paper Rolls

Prawn Paper Rolls

 
Special Beef Noodle Soup ($11.90), sliced beef, brisket and beef balls with Vietnamese flat noodle in fragrant beef soup serve in a gigantic size bowl. This is the big-size dish that lured us here, because it brings back many memories of days in Melbourne. Behind every bowl of innocent looking clear soup, the soup of the Pho show us the dedications and love of the chef in giving their customers the comfort of a bowl of home cooked noodles. Orange Lantern's Pho is packed with a lot of beef flavour from a long and tedious boiling process of beef bones, vegetables, and special herbs and spices to bring out their unique flavour. The thinly sliced meat are tender with the pinkish texture clearly shows that it was raw and fresh when the pipping hot soup was poured into the bowl. The beef ball is springy and the brisket is mellow and tender. The combination of slightly chewy rice noodle with crunchy bean sprout is just wonderful. Yummyy, a nice comfort food during the rainy days.
Special Beef Noodle Soup

Special Beef Noodle Soup

 
Special Beef Noodle Soup

Special Beef Noodle Soup

 
Service was very minimum. They took our order, deliver our food and bring us the bill when requested. No fuss. The food came very fast, less than 10 minutes overall. The price is reasonable, considering the location and standard of this establishment.

Overall, we are satisfied with their rice paper roll and beef noodle soup (Pho). Although they are not the best or the most authentic Vietnamese food we have ever tried in Singapore, they had win us over with it's freshness in ingredients and full of its own unique flavour. However, if you need a quick fix of Pho, this is a place to go. Cheers!!

For the complete Chubby Botak Koala dining experience, click / copy the below link to your browser:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/10/the-orange-lantern-nice-comfort-food.html

 
Recommended Dish(es):  Prawn Paper Rolls,Special Beef Noodle Soup
 
Spending per head: Approximately $24(Lunch)

Other Ratings:
Taste
 3  |  
Environment
 4  |  
Service
 3  |  
Clean
 3  |  
Price
 3

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Categories : Fusion

A for Arbite is the second restaurant / bistro opened by Chef Marc Wee and his team. A for Arbite featured a Western-Asian fusion menu which will be rotated every quarter to introduce new ingredients and showcase the creativity of the team in Arbite.

 
Located in Aliwal Arts Centre in Aliwal Street, this bistro provide a very casual atmosphere dining environment. Diners will have a choice of communal table for group dining or couple table for intimate setting with the special someone.

For the dinner menu, A for Arbite introduce a new concept. Each dish is designed in a small bites (or entrée) size portions. Diners are encourage try different variety of dishes in the menu paired with their unusual Belgian Craft Beers, on the tap or by the bottles. On the menu, every dish has a suggested pairing of beer, cocktails or tea. However like any other food pairing, everyone taste buds is different, so feel free to decide on your own. Based on my judgement, 4 to 5 small bites is equivalent in size to a 3-course meal.

As Chubby Botak Koala is abstaining from alcohol due to medical reasons, he brought his friend M as the beer tester. From 10 small bites that we tried, our top picks are:

Jar of Duck (duck rillettes, black truffle, foie gras, smoked duck breast, roasted grapes and crackers) – $19.50. The most of expensive dish on the menu, however the most yummyy dish in the menu. Explosion of flavour in your mouth, purely on taste base on the wonderful ingredients especially the truffle and foie gras. The most amazing thing is when you add the grape into the bite, it just turn to something different and sweet. Two thumbs up !!!
Jar of Duck

Jar of Duck

 
Jar of Duck (assembled)

Jar of Duck (assembled)

 
Tri Pepper Spaghettini (Green, pink, and black pepper pasta with swimmer crab meat, chilli, spring onion and tempura battered soft shell crab) - $10.50. A tasty, springy and chewy pasta. The pepper is very subtle. If you want me compare, the texture is similar to Kolo Mee noodle. The batter on the crab is thin and light, so it is crunchy and juicy. Watch out for the shuddered chilli that gave the kick in the dish. Delicious!!
Tri Pepper Spaghettini

Tri Pepper Spaghettini

 
Beef Onglet Tataki (Beef Onglet or Hanger Steak, shoyu, sesame oil, onion soil and shiso) - $6. Using the not so popular cut of the beef, it is grilled to rare. The beef is tender, well seasoned but light. The mushroom flavour is quite strong, however combines well with the beef.
Beef Onglet Tataki

Beef Onglet Tataki

 
Lobster Thermidor (Maine lobster, crabmeat, mushrooms, cream, mustard, brandy and parmesan cheese) - $12. The closest thing that you can get to a soup here. It is robust, think, creamy and you can feel the dash of brandy. A couple of crispy bread to give a contrasting texture to the dish.
Lobster Thermidor

Lobster Thermidor

 
During the tasting, M had Palm ($12 / glass) at the start and Steenbrugge Triple ($14/glass). Palm is a light version of a beer and easy to drink. Good with something light tasting small bites. Steenbrugge Triple has a stronger flavour, it has a dark gold colour and tasted similar to stout. Goes well with more meaty small bites or those with strong flavour.
Palm

Palm

 
Moving on to the sweet stuff, Cookies and Cream Cheese Cake is our pick. To put it nicely, it is a de-constructed or blended version of the cake. The cream cheese mascapone and milk espuma mix is quite light, it is the opposite of the normally condensed cheese cake. The dark chocolate on it create a contrasting flavour to the mix. Seriously, you can finish up the desserts without feeling guilty.
Cookies and Cream Cheese Cake

Cookies and Cream Cheese Cake

 
Another dessert that I need to mention specially is the Ginseng Panna Cotta (cooked cream pudding, ginseng, wolf berries, chrysanthemum sorbet) - $7. This is either you love it or you hate it desserts. For me, it fall under the weird categories. I just can't get used to the ginseng with Panna Cotta flavour. However, I applaud their creativity.

The beer of choice for the desserts are Lindemans Pecheresse (Peach) Beer. It is sweet and light. When we first heard of the name Lindemans, we thought it was brewed by the renowned Lindemans winery in Australia. After doing a little research, apparently this come from a Belgium brewery named Lindemans. Wow, this really surprised me. The beer itself is suitable for desserts, as it is light at 2.5% alcohol and fresh and sweet. Totally compatible for desserts or someone that like a sweet beer.

The service here is good. The service staff are attentive and knowledgeable, and don't hesitate to ask them if you are not sure what beer you want to order.

Overall, we personally like the new dining concept by A for Arbite. The modern presentation of the food is just refreshing and we definitely enjoy the different variety of small bites they served. The price is very attractive, as it is really a value for money. We'll definitely be back for more. Cheers!!

Thank you to Chef Marc Wee and A for Arbite team for the invitation to this food tasting.

For full review and more photos, please visit:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/10/a-for-arbite-small-bites-and-unusual.html

 
Recommended Dish(es):  Jar of Duck,Tri Pepper Spaghettini,Lobster Thermidor,Beef Onglet Tataki,Cookies and Cream Cheese Cake
 
Other Ratings:
Taste
 4  |  
Environment
 4  |  
Service
 4  |  
Clean
 4  |  
Price
 4

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