Liberty Coffee / Liberty Cafe is a well-known establishment for the coffee lovers in Singapore. However, when you ask the coffee lovers if they had been to the Liberty Café, not many people will raise their hands and said YUP, been there.

Liberty Cafe is notoriously hard to catch, not because they move from place to place, however it is due to their business concept. Liberty Coffee's main business is wholesaler and retailer of artisan roasted coffee beans. Therefore, they only open the café once a month to the public to try out their coffee and sometimes served freshly baked cakes by the co-founder / coffee partners. This is also the reason this place is awarded Best (and most frustrating) Guerilla Cafe for Alternative Food Awards by 8 Days magazine in 2012 and Singapore best kept secret (underground spots) by is.asia-city.com.

So if you want to keep abreast on their next opening date, “like” their facebook page. During their open café in May 2013 (yes, this is a overdue review as chubby botak koala try to clear his back log of reviews), I was lucky to be at the right place and the right time to stop by to have a quick caffeine fix. It open on Friday, so it was not as pack as on the weekend opening. The most renowned brand from Liberty coffee is their Speakeasy Espresso blend, normally use in their espresso base coffee. Using GS2 La Marzocco machine, they deliver a latte that is smooth, creamy, with robust coffee taste.For the cake, I tried the Gula Melaka Cake and Lemon Poppy Cake. The Gula Melaka Cake has a light and moist texture, with complimenting gula melaka taste, not too overpowering. The Lemon Poppy Cake has a smooth and nice balance of flavour. Both cakes are easy on the palate. Although the place is quite small, you will get the warm welcome feeling when you are there. However, as the patrons keep coming through the door, you will feel uneasy if you stay too long to finish your cuppa as other coffee lovers 'aiming' at your seat.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience. I am not sure when I will be back to for their public openings, however I'll drop by shortly to get the Speakeasy coffee beans for my daily cuppa. Cheers!!

Note: You can also enjoy Liberty Coffee – Speakeasy Espresso Blend at PatisserieG in Millenia Walk. Check out their review here. http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/04/patisserie-g-patisserie-with-g-spot.html

For the full review and photos, click here:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2013/06/liberty-coffee-unmasking-mystery.html

For the complete review, follow this link:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2017/04/la-barca-ristorante.html


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!!

For the complete review, click / copy the URL below:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2016/05/tenkaichi-japanese-bbq-restaurant.htmlTenkaichi is a Japanese BBQ Buffet restaurant specialising in Wagyu Beef. At the end of 2015, Tenkaichi has moved to a new location in Marina Square Shopping Mall from the dingy outdated location in Keypoint before.

Considering our spoilt appetite for a premium cut of meat, we decided to go for Premium Wagyu Beef Buffet Dinner at $69.80++ instead of the deluxe buffet dinner at $44.80++. Basically LD has cravings for meat tonight and she is laser targeting the premium wagyu beef. Our appetizer was Wagyu Beef Sashimi and Wagyu Beef Yukke (Marinated Wagyu Beef with Egg Yolk). The marbling on the wagyu beef is just beautiful. For simple ratio, it was about 60% - 70% meat and 30% - 40% fats. You consume the beef sashimi the same way as fish sashimi, dip it in a soy sauce and wasabi, then put it in your tongue. The different is that, the icy cold beef will slowly melts in your mouth and slip down your tongue. Meanwhile, the Wagyu Beef Yukke might look very common as you can see this dish in some Korean restaurants in Singapore. The presentation is similar, thinly cut and topped with raw egg. Korean normally like to add pear into the dish but not the Japanese. The raw egg create a silky velvety texture that just accentuate the flavour of the beef. The beef tataki, has a different version compare to those we commonly find in Japanese restaurant. The cut is thinner, round and missing the familiar sauce. At the end you actually need to add your own sauce. We started the BBQ with Wagyu Tan (Wagyu Beef Ox Tongue). The tongue was thinly sliced and seasoned with yuzu sauce. It only take a short while to cook, resulting in springy and succulent texture. We also tried the normal version, it took us double the time to chew the tongue. The Wagyu Karubi (Wagyu Beef Short Rib Marbling Score 7+, AUS) and Wagyu Rosu (Wagyu Beef Rib Eye Cap Marbling Score 7+, AUS) are just beautiful. It has thicker cut, but not much different in grilling time. Resulting in melt in your mouth sensation. Just like eating mini wagyu steak. Yum Yum. It was so good, I ate it with sprinkle of salt only without any dipping sauce. If you prefer something more meaty and chewy, Wagyu Nakaochi Karubi (Wagyu Beef Rib Intercostal Marbling Score 7+, AUS) will be the best pick. It has almost cube size cutting, which allow deeper meaty flavours in the wagyu. In the end, we order three rounds of the Wagyu Tan, Wagyu Karubi, Wagyu Rosu and Wagyu Nakaochi Karubi. Make sure that when you ate the wagyu, you have it with Japanese pickles, to balance the fat with some acidity. In par with the marbling of the wagyu beef is Ton Toro (Pork Cheek Fillet / Pork Jowl). One of the fattest part of the pork, where the fat content is almost the same as the meat. Through slow grilling it, the fats will melt and become crispy. The Hotate (Giant Scallops) is thick and juicy, provide value to the meal. As pork intestines is one of our favourite item in Korean BBQ, we decided to try Horumon (Beef Large Intestines). Unlike the pork version, it is chewy, but it has more fatty texture to it. Lets just say that it is an acquired taste. Though LD and I focused solely on the BBQ, other diners can also enjoy other dishes such as chawanmushi, sushi, sashimi, deep-fried prawns and potato, vegetables, soba, rice, pickles and fruits. All sashimi and raw meat / seafood items need to be ordered from the service staff, while the rest are self service. We topped up $5 per pax to get free flow of drinks and Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream as well. Service was efficient, while the décor of the place is simple and modern. Overall it was a good Japanese BBQ restaurant, especially to enjoy the Wagyu Beef Marbling Score 7+ standard. Though you might think that you can go on after a few rounds, the fatty beef just overwhelm you at the end. Definitely a place to go for your Japanese BBQ fix, especially if you are willing to splurge a bit more. Kanpai!! Cheers!!

For the complete review, click here:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2016/02/noodle-place-restaurant.htmlOne of the must-try food when you go to Hong Kong is Wanton Mee. Though we have our own version of wanton mee in Singapore, the one in that we normally eat in Hong Kong is different.

The Hong Kong version of wanton mee normally come in clear soupy version. The noodle is thin, springy almost feel like you are biting wires. Fresh, crunchy shrimp wanton which are filled with fragrant sesame oil topped with chopped yellow chives and a robust broth. Recently we found a pretty good place for Hong Kong style of wanton mee in Orchard Road, called Noodle Place. With a little digging, I found out that it was actually owned by PFS Pte Ltd, the food service arm of Prima Group. Apparently, they engaged Chef Chui Chuen Lai, former Executive Chef of Mak's Noodle in Hong Kong as Head Consultant to give Noodle Place the authentic Hong Kong dining experience. We ordered the Shrimp Wanton Noodle ($8.30 for soup & $9 for dry). The soup version come in a bigger bowl compare those we had in Hong Kong. The size of the congee bowl. The broth was golden in colour and from the first sip, you can actually taste the robustness of the broth infused with prawn and pork. The noodle was thin and springy (QQ), but it still has enough pores to absorb the beautiful broth. The four pieces of wanton were fresh, crunchy and cover with the fragrance of the sesame oil. Also watch out for the yellow chives that add the subtle flavour in the wanton mee. Definitely feels like we are eating the wanton mee in Hong Kong.

The wanton was so good, LD actually order another wanton soup. For the dry version, it is served in typical simple, no frills Hong Kong fashion. Dry noodle, 4 pcs of wanton, a few pieces of kai lan and a good dollop of superior oyster sauce. Though the noodle and wanton are the same, the superior oyster sauce can't compete with the superior broth. If you prefer the dry version, my suggestion is order the soup version, ask for extra plate and dry the noodle yourself. This is definitely the way to eat here. To accompany our noodles, we decided to try Twin Mixed Roast Meat – Crispy Roast Pork and Roast Duck ($19). The roast duck is juicy and succulent, while the skin was crispy and beautifully peel off from the meat. It's a bit fatty, but I just love how it melts in your mouth. Oh No... Now I am drooling for the roast duck. The roast pork is more on the fat side, flavourful, nicely marinated, however missing the crunchinesses from the crackling. It seems the skin was being soaked too much in its oil. The décor of the place is very simple, no much fuss about it. It is bright and although they try to maximise the seating area, there is sufficient space between tables.

Overall, Noodle Place is definitely one of the place I will go to satisfy my HongKong Wanton Mee cravings. Of course I don't mind a good plate of roast pork and roast duck as well. Cheers!!

Guiga at Tanjong Pagar Road is our must go to place if we are looking for a good Korean BBQ that hit the spot in our stomach. Little Devil and I visited this place frequently, even the service staff recognise our faces.From the outside, the décor is very simple. Each table has a cubicle seating, which normally can cater up to 4 person. If you have more than 4 in a group, they will let you have the private room (no minimum charges required). Lighting can be quite dim, so don't expect anything fancy in this department. We will normally order their BBQ set. Guiga A ($89 – Prime beef short ribs, marinated prime beef short ribs, prime beef ribs and thin sliced beef brisket) will provide you with their Beefgasm experience, while Guiga B ($49 – 5mm Sliced pork belly, marinated pork ribs, sliced pork jowls, and 2mm sliced pork belly) will cater to your porkgasm experience. In case you are you are in the small group and want to have both, go with Guiga C ($69 – Prime beef ribs, marinated prime beef short ribs, 5mm sliced pork belly, and marinated pork ribs). The prime beef shorts ribs & marinated prime beef short ribs are excellent. Cooked over charcoal and grilled by the service staff, we normally have it cooked to medium rare. It basically just melts in your mouth. For a non-chilli lover, I just add a little bit of salt to the meat. The prime beef ribs will normally come with the bone and the meat are thinly sliced, and score diagonally creating a diamond shape, to allow for the marinate to absorb into the meat. It is tender, but has a more springy texture compare to prime beef short ribs. Thin sliced beef brisket will has more of the stir fry texture, which needs to be dip chilli or salt & sesame oil before you eat it with rice or vegetables. Don't expect the pork belly here to melts in your mouth. The 5mm cut version, provide a more springy texture but filled with pork flavours. While the 2mm cut, has a more crispy texture, but less flavour. The one that we like the most here is the marinated pork ribs. The meat is just tender and succulent and the slightly sweet marinate really accentuate the flavour of the pork. The sliced pork jowl (pig cheek) has a high contain in fats. The BBQ gave it a more crispy texture, while draining the fats from the meat.One BBQ items that become a favourite for LD recently is DweiJiMacchang ($25) – Pork Abomasum / pork intestines. Cut to about to 2cm size, it is grilled over low fire. The result, crispy texture on the outer part, and chewy inside. I personally find it all right, but for those lovers of chewy stuff such as dried cuttlefish, you can include this in the die die must try list. Another LD's and gang's favourite is Tokpoki ($20 – stir fried rice cake in a spicy sauce). According to them, the rice cake was cooked to perfect with the right chewyness and the spicyness in the sauce was just right that you feel like eating on the street in Korea. For the soup, don't miss the Galbitang ($16 – Beef Rib Soup). The broth is robust and pack of beef flavour. LD recently find another soup that is more unique, SunDaeGukBab ($18 – Korean Sausage Soup with Rice). This is a pork based soup, with ingredients such as pork belly, pig intestines and Korean blood sausage. Definitely for the acquired taste but I let you be the judge of that. If you are a Chicken Ginseng Soup person, the version here is so so only. The best thing about Guiga is that you just need to sit back and enjoy your food. The service staff will do the grilling for you. All the Male service staff here are Korean so they speak Korean and English, while the female service staff mostly from China speak Mandarin and a little bit of English. The side dishes are free of charge and changes every time, depending on ingredients available. The lettuce for wrapping might not be sufficient, but if you run out of it just ask and they will refill it for you. Overall, Guiga deliver in all aspects such as good quality of the food, great service and reasonable price that is just to difficult not to like. The best part, they open from dinner until wee hours in the morning. So if you feel like having some food after your pub crawl, this is also the place to go. So for your next Korean BBQ cravings, we recommend Guiga. Gun Bae!! Cheers !!

For the complete review, click / copy the link below:
http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2015/04/guiga.html