For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2015/06/02/paris-baguette/
During my trip to Seoul, I tried a sandwich from Paris Baguette and had a positive impression on the brand. I also noticed many outlets littering the city, a sign that the brand is flourishing. When Paris Baguette first arrived in Singapore, I was keen to check out the Wisma Atria branch but the crowds at Orchard always put me off. No more procrastinating when the Bugis Junction outlet opened! Although named Paris Baguette, it does not originate from France but from South Korea. The bakery cafe use French baking techniques and there are more than 3000 outlets worldwide. The ambience attracts with its elegant decor of palatial styled arm chairs in soothing grey hues and granite table tops. While the bakes were more than satisfying, I found the service wanting more. Although its self-service, but managers and senior staff are sulky, curt and not keen on serving customers at the counter. The junior staff are more pleasant, with smiles on their faces. The Traditional Breakfast ($14) was filling, but nothing out of the ordinary. Its comprises of sunny side up eggs, bacon, sausage, carrots, sautéed mushrooms, and potato wedges.
If you’re a fan of cheese, go for their Cheese Omelette ($18), a simple but harmonious combination of feta, gyuyere and spinach with fluffy scrambled eggs. The competently executed eggs were accompanied with potato wedges, balsamic salad and tangy tomato sauce, which helped to break the monotony
Wake Up Jane ($6) is essentially generous amount of toppings-chicken sausage, mozzarella cheese and egg with on a pillow-y bread base. The first bite was unpleasant, as the staff did not heat it up long enough. After more heating, my view changed 180 degrees. What a lovely open-faced sandwich!
Heated over a grill before serving, the Turkey Cheese Foccacia ($6.50) charmed with its chewy texture, turkey ham, spinach leaves and melted cheese that gave a nice pull, jazzed up with mustard and caramelised onions.
The Camembert Cheese Cake ($7) is simply exquisite. A core of smooth camembert cheese is sandwiched between sponge, then clocked with a coat of cream. The ethereally soft treat leaves a hint of saltiness lingering on the palette. You’ve gotta try it to understand!
Although the serving of the Strawberry Shortcake ($7.50) is small, the cake itself was excellent-delicate yet full-flavoured. But with so many other Strawberry Shortcakes in the market at reasonable prices and portions, I doubt I’ll have this again.
Oh~my baby crepe~ ($8) should change its name to “half-past 6 crepe”. Paris Baguette rendition of crepe cake wasn’t impressive, instead of numerous paper thin layers, half of it was sponge cake instead. Get your crepe cake fix elsewhere (think Lady M).

Apart from breads, Paris Baguette is well-known for pudding and I’ve gotta say it really does live up to the hype. The Original Royal Pudding ($4) comes in a cute miniature milk bottle and is lusciously smooth while not being overly sweet. Some may find the narrow bottle opening annoying, but it forces you to savour the melt-in-the mouth pudding a little at a time, prolonging the pleasure.

To sum up, while I find Paris Baguette’s offerings appealing, the service standards are off-putting. Hopefully there will be improvements to make the experience enjoyable.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2015/05/27/chir-chir/
I simply can’t get enough of fried chicken! I’ve had Chir Chir before in Seoul and it was such a memorable experience. Imagine my joy when it arrived in Singapore. Chir Chir is pronounced as “chi-ruh chi-ruh”, the bubbling sound oil makes when the chicken goes into the deep fryer.
Chir Chir Fusion Chicken Factory is one of the largest chicken and beer chain in South Korea, with more than 100 outlets in Korea, Taiwan and China. There are 2 in Singapore- a flagship outlet in 313@Somerset and another in Bedok Point. Only fresh, not frozen, chickens are used and sauces are imported from Korea to ensure consistency.
There is a buzzer affixed to each table which you can press to alert the wait-staff. For those who don’t fancy getting your fingers dirty, use the mini tongs.
To start, we munched on Honey Grape Salad ($18.90), which we felt was unique. It’s not uncommon to see grapes as part of the salad, but at Chir Chir, it’s the main star. Sweet seedless grapes are tossed with raisins, almonds, walnuts and pine nuts, then crowned with ricotta and whipped cream, which are made in house. The appetiser comes with honey-garlic tortillas which went very well with the grapes. I could do without the whipped cream though, which dulled the refreshing properties of the salad with its richness.
Served on a hot plate, the Nest Snow ($32.90) is constructed with juicy chicken tenders seasoned with Cajun, sweet potato puree, cheese and whipped cream, sitting in a moat of creamy sauce. The combination may sound odd, but it works beautifully. It’s no wonder that Nest Snow is Chir Chir’s most popular dish. Calorie laden I know, but YOLO!
We also tried the Garlicky Wings ($28.90), which were marinated for 6 hours before deep-frying, then topped with special soy sauce, crunchy garlic flakes and fried garlic cloves. Our taste buds reveled in the flavours, which was familiar yet intriguing at the same time. Concealed beneath the wings, were roasted sweet potatoes and chewy fried Tteokbokki (Korean rice cake). I felt this could have been better if the garlic flavour was more prominent. We love mid-wings hence were annoyed when there was only 3 of them (the rest were drumettes). If you prefer boneless chicken, go for the Garlicky Tenders instead.
I’d stop short of recommending Chir Chir Cheese Fries ($9.90), which was lacklustre, despite being served with a secret sauce.
Apart from fried chicken, Chir Chir also serves beers, cocktails and mocktails. Prices are on the high side, but servings are large enough for 3-4 people. Chir Chir does not accept reservations, so if you’d like to avoid queuing, do arrive early.

For pictures and fill review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2015/05/26/miam-miam/
Miam Miam, which means “yum yum” in French, marries the ingredients of Japanese cuisine together with French artisanal cooking techniques. Offerings are made from scratch, using only the freshest and most sustainably sourced ingredients. Food and desserts are prepared upon order, hence do set aside a sufficient time to thoroughly enjoy a meal at Miam Miam, as many items require 15-20 minutes wait.
The ambiance is casual yet trendy. The back (not pictured) of Bugis Junction outlet looks prettier, decorated with pastel coloured chairs that add a whimsical touch. Service is lovely -staff merrily chirp “Bonjour” and “Merci” when diners arrive and leave. Drizzled in light Caesar dressing, topped with smoked chicken and sprinkled with parmesan cheese, the French Salad ($7.50) was surprisingly appetizing, despite its humble appearance.
The signature pasta, Miam Miam Spaghetti ($16.80) twirled its way into my heart. The al dente strands were tossed in a captivating concoction of French butter, secret broth and shoyu, then bumped up with frankfurters, tomatoes, baby spinach, eggplant, shimeiji mushrooms and bacon. A single half-boiled egg completes the wholesome dish.
If you prefer more oomph, go for the Lobster Bisque Pasta ($20.80), which features a savoury and rich soup base, grilled tiger prawn and parmesan cheese. Every aspect was delightful except for the prawn, which was overcooked, dry and tough.
Cheese lovers will adore the Mac and Cheese ($15.80)! Served bubbling, the over-baked fresh pasta shells are coated with a combination of 4 special cheeses and blanketed with crunchy Japanese breadcrumbs.
Served piping hot in a casserole, Riz Au Curry ($14.80) is essentially baked rice with homemade Japanese curry, pork frankfurters broccoli, cheese and a wobbly sunshine egg. I find curry too salty and was struggled to finish it. The portion is small for the price tag.
This is my first time trying savoury soufflé. Miam Miam’s Souffle De Nuage($17.80) is an interesting dish of ham, chicken and shimeiji mushrooms mixed with tomato sautéed rice topped with clouds of egg and cheese. The soufflé’s texture is amazing- airy and fluffy, but lacked a prominent flavour. Halfway through, my stomach felt queasy (too much air?) and hence I only ate the baked rice, which was lovely.
Miam Miam is well-known for thier sweet treats. I highly recommend the French Toast, Soufflé Pancakes and Chocolate Soufflé. Thick cuts of pillowy French Toast ($15.80) are stacked together, doused in maple infused syrup, dusted with icing sugar and crowned with airy whipped cream. It’s very filling and can be a meal on its own. I can see why this is an all-time favourite. Price is steep but I’m willing to ignore that as it’s just soooo good!

The Original Soufflé Pancakes ($8.80) put all the regular pancakes that I’ve had in this lifetime to shame. Its soft and fluffy texture is a dream.

Soufflés are commonly served in fine dining restaurants but you can enjoy them at Miam Miam without breaking the bank. The utterly divine Valrhona Chocolate ($13.80) has an ethereally soft and airy texture and a oozing chocolate centre. Hands down the best soufflé I’ve tried so far

I would’ve liked the Berries Cheese Cake Parfait ($12.80) if there was some gelato layered between the fresh berries, digestive biscuits and cream cheese.

On weekdays from 11.30am to 2.30pm, Miam Miam @ Bugis Junction serves complimentary soup of the day with every main course ordered. For an additional $2, you’ll get a coffee or tea.
To sum up, I’m pleased with Miam Miam’s quality offerings can see myself revisiting for that much needed mid-week perk me up.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2015/05/20/wah-lok-dim-sum/
I’ve heard many positive reviews on Wah Lok’s dim sum and finally had the time to check it out. This is my first time at Carlton Hotel and I was impressed by the spacious lobby, featuring an eye-catching chandelier made out of blown glass.
The grand entrance of the restaurant. I noticed numerous awards are display on the right; this upped my anticipation. Wah Lok’s decor is sophisticated, with Oriental architecture features and motifs. Tables are spaced comfortably apart. Service is brisk and helpful.
Unlike most restaurants that offer their dim sum in portions of 3, Wah Lok accommodated our request for 4 portions. No need to cut (and at the same time ruin) the dim sum for sharing. Fantastic!
No comments about the dish indicates I find it passable. I’ll elaborate further on the notable items, and also those I find lacklustre.
Wah Lok has a fixed soup of the day from Mondays to Saturdays. On Sundays, it varies. On this particular Sunday, it was Shark’s Fin Melon Soup ($7.50), aka 鱼翅瓜 soup. Don’t worry, no sharks were used to prepare this. The main ingredient is a type of melon, which got its name from its resemblance to shark’s fin. The texture of the melon is beautiful- juicy and soft noodle-like strands. Slurping up the melon and fortifying soup was a joy!
The Roasted Pork ($12) had enticing crackling skin, but the flesh itself was a tad dry and not as melt-in-the-mouth as expected.
Large Steamed Prawn Dumplings ($6.80/4 pcs) came with shimmery translucent skin which held the fresh, crunchy prawns very well. The Steamed Pork Dumplings ($6/4 pcs) was another well-executed classic. Nice bouncy texture with great flavours from the fresh pork and mushroom.
Century Egg with Pork Congee ($6.80) and Pig Liver Congee ($6.80). Portions were small for the price.
Deep fried Beancurd Skin Rolls with Shrimps($9.20) and Deep Fried Prawn Dumplings ($6/4 pcs) were delightfully crispy and not at all oily.
Steamed Carrot Cake ($4)
Steamed BBQ Pork Buns ($4.80/ 3 pcs)
The Steamed Custard and Egg Yolk Buns ($4.80) were having a bad day; they failed to flow. The custard was too sweet as well, overshadowing the salted egg yolk flavour.
Deep Fried Crabmeat and Scallop Balls with Chilli Sauce ($10). What a convenient and fuss-free way to enjoy chilli crab, made even better with succulent scallops. The gravy is truly highlight here- addictively spicy and tasty.
The Baked Mini Egg Tarts ($6/4 pcs) could do with a more flaky and buttery pastry.
We rounded off the excellent lunch with appealing desserts- Cold Aloe Vera with Lemongrass ($6) and Chilled Green Apple Jelly with Chrysanthemum ($6).
While prices may be a bit steep for Wah Lok, the quality, execution, ambiance and service makes it worthwhile.
 

Want breakfast for dinner? Wild Honey’s for you! Wild Honey has gone from strength to strength, opening a second outlet at Scotts Square and expanding its Mandarin Gallery branch. The restaurant serves all-day breakfasts, inspired by different parts of the world.
Wild Honey has a mishmash country cottage sofas and wooden school chairs. The slightly uncoordinated decor has rustic appeal, making it a lovely place to hang out with family and friends. Like people watching? Get a window seat which overlooks the busy streets. However, do note that the tables by the windows lack privacy as they are close to one another. I was charmed by New England ($38), a posh rendition of the ubiquitous Egg Benedict dish. Sitting on toasted brioche rounds, the large spicy crab cakes were crowned with brilliantly poached eggs, blanketed in creamy citrus Hollandaise sauce. The crab cakes were superbly moist and packed with generous chunks of succulent crab meat, with corn and capsicum included for crunch. Jab at the poached eggs and a river of sunshine bursts forth, seeping into the crab cake, adding a touch of creaminess to the sweet flesh. Avurga Caviar ups the luxe factor. This is absolutely heavenly!
Skip the Aussie ($30) if you must. We requested for medium rare beef but it arrived well done. Other elements of the dish include fried egg, dry breakfast potatoes, dad’s baked beans, sautéed mushrooms, bell pepper, onion confit, spicy tomato chutney and grilled ciabatta. Nothing exciting. Skip the Aussie ($30) if you must. We requested for medium rare beef but it arrived well done. Other elements of the dish include fried egg, dry breakfast potatoes, dad’s baked beans, sautéed mushrooms, bell pepper, onion confit, spicy tomato chutney and grilled ciabatta. Nothing exciting.
The Tunisian ($22) is a refreshing change from the usual big breakfasts and egg centric dishes. Served sizzling in a skillet, the Tunisian is a medley of robust flavours consisting of spicy shakshouka and chorizo, completed with a single fried egg, accompanied with fragrant sesame flat bread and Isreali salad.
Avoid the expensive Red Velvet Cake ($10). One word-dry!
Made from Valhorna Chocolate , the Paris Iced Chocolate ($7) was thick and rich, yet not too sweet. I also love the invigorating Wild Iced Tea ($7), a blend of peppermint, wild verbena, rose hip and hibiscus tea.
I found the service wanting more. Although the young servers had a friendly demeanour, they missed out some of our requests and one of our orders. To makes matters worse, the staff who organises table seating at the entrance has a snobbish attitude. How off-putting! If you’d like to dine here, do make reservations or be prepared to queue for ages. Prices at Wild Honey are steep, hence I do not foresee regular visits.