See pictures at http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/03/lao-san-kway-chap.html

Lao San Kway Chap is one of the better ones I've tried, rustic but balanced, and not too heavy on the herbal elements ($14).
We had the beancurd puff (tau pok), firm beancurd (tau kwa), soy egg, and pork belly, all braised to perfection, and the latter was, in particular, meltingly tender. Yes, you can actually enjoy this local peasant food, without liking innards...just pick everything else! We really liked the chilli sauce, the piquancy of which was a wonderful contrast to the dark soy braise of the proteins. The kway teow wasn't the most refined, but it was smooth and slippery, a textural slamdunk.

Pictures are at http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2015/07/nicolas-le-restaurant.html

The restaurant is swanky but homey and inviting, just like its elegant but unpretentious fare. You get the frills; white tablecloths, beautiful china, suited-up wait staff and valet service, sans the stuffy stodginess typical of a French restaurant like this.
Chef Nicolas runs a skeleton crew in the kitchen, (which may explain the spotty spacing between the courses) but he occasionally hops out to join the service crew, which I find to be a really personal touch. Sketchy lapses aside, I liked the service, which was warm and intimate.
We had the 6-Course Tasting Menu ($98):
1) Terrine of Duck, Pistachio & Foie Gras: smooth as silk and spruced up with a dusting of paprika, drizzle of olive oil, and thin bread crisp.
2) Hokkaido Scallop: seared to a gorgeously caramelized golden, and dunked with a chorizo sliver in a sweet asari clam bouillon infused with Iranian saffron, and a crunchy feuille de brick strip.
3) New Zealand Langoustine: fat and juicy, slathered with a piquant vine tomato cream, and topped with a jamon slice and cheesy fromage frais biscuit.
4) Traditional Provencal Ravioli: stuffed with a velvety foie gras, swimming in an earthy mushroom bouillon, and paired with a meaty grilled iberico pluma pork.
5) Tasmanian Pasture Rack of Lamb: flavoured with a punchy ras el hanout spice, and sided by a chunkily textured lamb sausage.
6) Iberico Presa Pig: sumptuous and blanketed in a rose wine sauce and luxed up with a rich beurre blanc
7) Aged Angus Beef Tenderloin ($12 supplement): full-bodied and contrasted with a sweetly tart balsamic reduction, and robust jus

Pictures are at http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2015/08/foc-restaurant-by-nandu-jubany.html

For a new-ish restaurant, FOC is already running like a well-oiled establishment. The staff knew the menu inside-out, so they were able to make spot-on recommendations; the arrival of our courses were timely; and our water glasses were kept topped up with big smiles.
As for the Catalan food at FOC, it was indeed superb - traditional but executed with an effortless flair so while dishes seldom deviate from the classics, flavours are rich, hearty and soulful. It's pricey, but no more expensive than any other Spanish restaurants around
We had:
1) Heuvos Estrellados con Chorizo ($10) - a breakfast hash of fried potatoes, chorizo balls and a just-cracked egg, still sizzling on the hotplate: Smoosh it all together, and you get a glorious mess of runny eggy delight. Our favourite tapas here.
2) Croquetas de Setas con Jamon ($10 for 4): a mixed platter of mushroom croquettes and Spanish ham croquettes, bursting with creamy goodness, and tempered with the contrast of the soft mash and crunchy breadcrumbed coat.
3) Tortilla Abierta con Trufa y Pimientos del Piquillo ($26): an open tortilla with blistered red peppers, truffle strips and aioli was simple but done fantastically. It was just the right balance of rich aioli, aromatic truffle, sweet peppers and eggy pancake.
4) Gambas al Ajillo ($18): a classic of sauteed prawns in white wine and garlic, notable for 2 things: the copious use of really good white wine, which made this the most heady rendition ever - I think I got a little high from this; and incredibly sweet prawns still with shells on, for maximum flavour infusion to the sauce. A tip: get bread to mop all the deliciousness up.
5) Vieiras a la Brasa con Caldo de Bonito y Caviar de Soja ($16): a couple of fat succulent scallops grilled to a beautiful caramelization, and dunked into a delicate bonito stock and topped with soy beads. Great fusion of Asian flavours
6) Costillas de Cerdo a la Brasa con Pure de Calabaza Ahumada ($30): seriously good, premium iberico pork ribs, burnished with rosemary, were grilled to a juicy smoky finish, and sided by a smoked pumpkin puree.
7) Arroz Negro con Mariscos y "All I Oli" ($24): perhaps the best squid ink paella I've ever had. The moreish squid ink was nuanced and countered with the creamy bite of aioli. You can't quite see it, but there was as much rice as there was squid dice, so that's really amazingly generous.

Pictures are at http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2015/08/ola-cocina-del-mar.html

The cosy restaurant, innocuously tucked away at the commercial hub that is MBFC, has been surreptitiously churning out Spanish cuisine with a Peruvian inclination. It's totally underrated, and flies so low under the radar, that it was 3 years before I learned of its illustrious lineage: Ola's head chef was the executive chef of the short-lived celebrity restaurant Santi at MBS.
Dinner-time will find the restaurant a lot more chilled and tranquil, compared to the frenzied boisterousness of the lunchtime crowd. I much prefer dinners here; there's a languorous ambience perfect for savouring OLA's exquisite tapas. Service is also a lot more intimate and attentive.
We had:
1) 36-months aged Jamon Iberico '5J' ($48): sublime fatty salty ribbons of cured pork shoulder sided by catalan toasts and fresh tomato puree. Pricey, but sublime nonetheless.
2) Burrata with Pesto ($35) with heirloom tomatoes, edamame, and crispy jamon curls: an off-menu special that was a fantastic recommendation by the affable manager. Incredibly balanced in terms of flavour and texture, this is a must-try if ever it's in season.
3) Gambas ($25) - of fresh sweet prawns swimming in a medley of roasted garlic oil, dried chilli, and espelette pepper: heady and aromatic. Dish with the complimentary crusty bread, great fodder for the robustly flavoured oil.
4) Pulpo ($26): Spanish octopus grilled to a luscious and smoky finish, and complemented by a nutty lentil sauce, and lightly spiced romesco vinaigrette. I'm not a fan of octopus (the tentacles scare me), but even I was blown away by this.
5) Conchas a la Parmesana ($35): a duo of plump Hokkaido scallops baked to a succulent caramelization, was set atop parmesan grains, and a creamy lime and brandy aioli. Decent, but not outstanding.
6) Fiduea con Secreto Iberico y Setas ($45): loved the flavourful noodle paella dish loaded with organic oyster mushrooms and grilled iberico pork, even if my galfriend found its sweet undertones disconcerting.
7) Ceviche ($25): only lackluster dish where the potent taste of the wild seabass overwhelmed the delicate flavours of the lime, chilli, and onion marinade

Pictures are at http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2015/08/joo-heng-restaurant.html

A stalwart of the Joo Chiat neighbourhood, Joo Heng is a household name to the Easterners that's synonymous with homestyled cze char. It may not be particularly rave-worthy, but it's an old reliable that churns out familiar favourites at slightly upmarket prices. Personally, I thought the above-average pricing was justified; we were graciously treated with a good dose of warm friendly service not commonly felt in most cze char joints.
We had:
1) Claypot Chicken ($16): laden with baby corn, snow peas, carrots, cabbage, black mushrooms, and red peppers, the spicy undertones of the chilli peppers tempered the rich savoury overtones of the oyster sauce.
2) Black Pepper Beef ($18): tender without the overt taste of artificial tenderizer. The punchy chilli-spiked black pepper sauce was contrasted with the sweet tartness of the shallots and fresh spring onions.
3) Sambal Sweet Potato Leaves ($12): unctuous with copious lashings of belachan and dried shrimp bits.
4) Beancurd with Prawns ($18): slathered in a gooey egg-drop gravy, sumptuous and a signature must-try