For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/06/19/maison-ikkoku/
When I first heard about Maison Ikkoku, the first thing that came to my mind was the manga and anime series of the same name. The lifestyle destination has nothing to do with the popular Japanese romantic comedy; it’s a cozy shop house with a café on the ground floor and bar on level 1. There used to be a menswear boutique stocking indie labels but unfortunately it ceased operations in February this year.
The café is quite small; reservations recommended to avoid disappointment. Décor is a mix of vintage industrial. We would have loved to sit around and chat, but there was a queue outside, hence we left as soon as we were done eating. Its self-service here (no service charge), you’ll have to fetch your own water but food will be brought to your table.
Maison Ikkoku is well known for their quality coffee. G was pleased with her fragrant and not overly sweet Caramel Latte ($7).
The café is also popular for brunch items. G’s Instagram-worthy French toast with Caramelized Bananas ($15), arrived quickly despite the crowd. Inch thick brioche French toast with cinnamon soaked up the mouth-watering home-made caramel with sea salt sauce, with a dollop of sour cream and toasted walnuts. I suspect sour cream was used in place of traditional whipped cream to balance out the sweetness; however, the combi didn’t sit quite well with us.
Twisted French Omelette ($16) with spinach, chives, bell peppers and mild cheddar was not spectacular, but nonetheless appealing. Tangy cherry tomatoes, breakfast potatoes, salad with roasted almonds and sourdough toast complete this hearty dish. My only gripe? Potatoes were cold.
My slice of summer! The sight of rainbow cake never fails to brighten my day. We struggled to finish this massive Rainbow Cake ($10) which was served on a chilled plate. At the first bite, the cake was a little rough, but the moistness came through as we chewed. Texture-wise, it’s dense and slightly doughy. Unfortunately, there was lingering artificial aftertaste. Wished I had ordered the salted caramel cake instead.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/06/18/lenu/
Paradise Group has gone from gone from strength to strength, opening a number of new outlets in recent months. Hubby and I visited LeNu (literally means “happy cow”) on a Saturday to try their Taiwanese braised beef noodles. The concept is frills-free casual dining; tick off the items you want on order sheet, then proceed the cashier for payment. Noodles will be served to your table.
We started our meal with some refreshing appetizers.
Chilled silken tofu with century egg ($2.90) was well-executed- delicately soft, silky tofu with a lovely combi of sweet and sour flavors. Seconds please!
I wasn’t too fond of the Chilled Cucumbers ($2.90), as I found them too sweet.
Since I have not travelled to Taiwan, I have no idea how LeNu’s offerings stack up to Taiwan’s iconic street dish. LeNu works on 4 “Jin” (essence), in the pursuit of perfecting authentic braised beef noodles- the broth, specialty noodles, premium beef cuts and signature dipping sauce.
On every table, there is a pot of homemade dipping sauce (I believe it’s made from fermented beans), freshly prepared every morning. The sauce is meant to elevate the taste and richness of the premium beef; however, we were taken aback by its saltiness.
Braised Wagyu Beef Noodles ($16.90), with fork-tender slices of beef. You can choose from authentic braised beef soup, braised beef soup with pickled cabbage, hot and spicy braised beef soup. The broth is flavorful and robust, bursting with beefy goodness, all thanks to the 18 hours of simmering. We preferred the Hot and Spicy Braised beef soup and Broad noodles over the Authentic Braised beef soup with thin noodles ($6.90). If you’d like more bite, go for the broad noodles; the thin noodles were soft and only slightly springy.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/06/13/crystal-jade-jiang-nan/
Crystal Jade Jiang Nan brings you culinary delicacies from the south of China’s Yangtze River. At this polished restaurant, you can savor 4 Jiang Nan styles-Sichuan, Jiangsu, Hunan and Shanghai, all served up with Crystal Jade consistency. The heart-warming food is not fancy schmancy, but they resonate with everyone from young to old. Service standards varies, warm and efficient on weekdays but sometimes splotchy on weekends.
I love dramatic entrances. Hong Kong Ying Yang ($4.80) is gimmicky, but I like it! The fragrant beverage came in a tall flask with dry ice flowing from the centre of the flask.
Sliced Pork with Golden Mushroom, Loofah and Black Fungus Soup in Casserole ($16.80). Healthy, flavorful soup which was not overly salty. We order this every time we visit.
Multi-flavored Dumpling Family ($12.80) is essential assorted pork, chicken and vegetable dumplings. My favorite was the French bean and pork dumpling.
Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple sauce ($13.80) was a tad too sweet; I could hardly detect any sourness.
Sautéed Prawns and Sweet Potato with Salted Egg Yolk ($22). We were impressed with the huge, succulent prawns coated with insanely delicious salted egg yolk. Holding its own are the creamy sidekick sweet potatoes, which added a touch of comforting sweetness to the otherwise salty dish.
Deep-fried Scallops with Spicy Salt ($16.80). Fresh, savory scallops tossed with coco pops. Wished the scallops were plumper though….
Steamed Sliced Sea Bass with Cut Chilli ($14.80). Despite the copious amount of chilli, it’s only slightly spicy. Flavors were captivating, while fresh sea bass was tender and flaky.
Sautéed assorted mushroom with asparagus and bean curd ($12.50)
Deep-fried spinach bean curd with assorted mushrooms ($12.80). It’s hard to go wrong with a classic Chinese combination and silky tofu.
Sautéed French bean with minced pork and olive leaf ($12.80). The seasoning is spot on and I can see this pleasing most palates.
We wrapped up our meal with bite-sized Pumpkin cake and Japanese glutinous rice dumpling desserts ($5.60). The cute pumpkin rice cake has a salted egg yolk infused skin and red bean paste filling. While the skin had a nice chewy texture, it was too thick and I grew tired from all the chewing after awhile. We could not detect any salted egg yolk flavor.
The unassuming Japanese glutinous rice dumpling (mochi) fared much better; it caught us by surprise with its exquisite texture and delicate strawberry and mango fresh cream filling. It’s like eating pillow-y clouds!

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/06/04/island-cafe/

Oooo, Tangs Member Sales! MIL and I shopped for hours, and it was time for refuelling. I was craving for laksa, so MIL suggested Island Cafe, well-known for their crayfish laksa and Asian fare.
Located on level 4 in Tang Orchard, the cafe is a great for taking a break from all the shopping. While the hawker fare at Tangs Market in basement 1 is very yummy, we were simply too tired to wait around for a table. It’s much more comfy to rest your tired legs (and aching body) at the spacious (and less crowded), resort-styled Island Cafe.

Emphasis is placed on Asian dishes, such as Hor fun and Kuey Tiao. If you prefer western fare, salads and sandwiches are also available.
Refreshing Summer Passion mocktails ($6.50) to rejuvenate exhausted shoppers.
A sight to warm any laksa lover’s heart, no?
Island Cafe’s signature, crayfish laksa ($20), a rich and spicy coconut gravy with thick rice vermicelli, prawns, quail eggs, fish cafe, cockles and crayfish. Comes piping hot, so be careful as you dig in! I recommend putting the apron provided on to prevent stains on your clothes.
Hainanese Pork Chop Rice ($16) was decent too. The breaded pork chop had a crispy exterior, yet most and tender on the inside. Drizzled with Hainanese style tomato sauce.
We ended our meal with a complimentary birthday cake. Carrot cake was ok, nothing to shout about.

For pictures and full review, pls visit:
http://madamechewy.com/2014/05/27/lolla/
Situated along Ann Siang Road is an unpretentious restaurant seeking to not merely to please, but excite your taste buds. Lolla’s small plates focus on fresh produce and fine ingredients. Their special menu updates often, reflecting seasonal produce.
Step inside and you’ll find an industrial chic setting, with a bar counter and open kitchen. The basement houses a long communal table. We were lucky to get seats at the bar counter, where we could watch the chefs work their magic.
Much-raved-about Sea Urchin Pudding (half portion $21, full portion $40) my friend dragged me there for. To be honest, I am not a fan of sea urchin. It tasted kind of strange to me at first, but I grew to like it. Served chilled, this decadent pudding has a strong creamy seafood punch, with a generous hunk of Hokkaido Sea Urchin perched atop. Take a bit of everything in one spoon and let it mingle in your mouth-UMAMI!
From the specials board, Chilean King Crab with Alio Cream ($30) highlights the exceptional quality of ingredients with its uncomplicated style of cooking. The leggy supermodel crustaceans are served conveniently opened, so that one will not have to waste precious time struggling with them, and instead, dive straight into the delicacy. The crab meat was juicy, succulent and sweet. Very delish and satisfying, you’ve got to try it yourself to know how good this is.
Whoever said vegetables are boring should check out this beautifully seasonedJerusalem Artichokes with Rosemary ($18). Love the crunchy texture and nutty flavour texture of this vegetable. Also from the special menu.
The bill was already $69, but our tummies were still rather empty (portions are tiny). We scanned for a dessert on the menu and Steamed Dark Chocolate Pudding ($15) caught my eye (chocolate is my weakness). Although chocolate pudding and ice cream isn’t particularly creative, its nevertheless a warm comforting sweet to wrap up a meal. Luxuriously rich, dense and moist (steaming makes it extra moist) pudding, sprinkled with cocoa nibs, served with Tahitian Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Best enjoyed with tangy fresh strawberries (with compliments of the chef) .
Although prices veer towards the higher and, the quality ingredients and cooking technique is worth the price. Follow their Facebook page to be kept updated on the special menu selections. I’m waiting for the Chilean King Crab to be featured again, which I plan to have it all to myself!