This 2016, gather round your family at Eight Treasures Vegetarian. This restaurant of nearly a decade long history has ushered many Chinese New Years with their loyal regulars – and it’s not hard to see why with their family-friendly, creative vegetarian dishes alongside traditional classics.Eight Treasures Vegetarian is dedicated to ensure all their dishes are strictly vegetarian, yet contrary to popular belief, their line-up of dishes are appealing in taste, texture and variety. Their CNY Set Menu includes:
$168+ Set (3-4 persons)
Rainbow Yu Sheng
Prosperity Vegetarian Sharks’ Fin
Teochew Style Vegetarian Fish
Mushroom with Seasonal Greens
Cereal Vegetarian Prawns
Braised Yee Fu Noodles
Fruity Mango Pudding
$368+ Set (6-8 persons)
Rainbow Yu Sheng
Vegetarian Sharks’ Fin with White Fungus & Wolfberries
Fruit Salad Vegetarian Chicken
Thai Style Vegetarian Cod Fish
Vegetarian Abalone Mushroom & Tou Pau with Seasonal Greens
Cereal Vegetarian Prawns
Fragrant Yam Ring
Braised Yee Fu Noodles
Fruity Mango Pudding
$498+ Set (8-10 persons)
Rainbow Yu Sheng
Vegetarian Sharks’ Fin with Bamboo, Fungus, Wolfberries
Teochew Steamed Vegetarian Cod Fish
Ginseng Vegetarian Chicken with Chestnuts
Creamy Pumpkin Vegetarian Prawns
Vegetarian Abalone & Mushroom with Broccoli
Yam Ring with Golden Nuggets
Heng Hua Noodles
Red Bean with Sweet Lotus
This article focuses on the set meant for 6-8 persons.
Recommended: in-house Chinese herbal tea which is caffeine-free and lightly sweetened with rock sugar. It is healthy and remains appealing, with eight ingredients in it, including: chrysanthemum, goji, luohan guo and ginseng. Suitable for elderly and children. I love it so much, I had my cup refilled so many times!Toss to new sweet beginnings here with the colourful Rainbow Yu Sheng, dressed in classic sweet plum sauce! The friendly and affable lady at Eight Treasures blessed us with each of the greetings as she pour over the sauces and ingredients into the yu sheng adeptly. The ‘salmon’ used here is made of konnyaku jelly, so rest your worries about health issues on raw fish consumption. The yu sheng here is not too sweet like the usual, a welcoming change from previous years. This is a plate of yu sheng that we can all finish.I was pleasantly surprised to find an environmentally friendly version of the sharks’ fin. Some may still find it necessary to include sharks’ fin during important celebratory days, so here’s a fine compromise – the Vegetarian Sharks’ Fin with White Fungus & Wolfberries which included a tasty and hearty combination of enoki mushrooms, beancurd skin, white fungus, mock ham, wolfberries and konnyaku-jelly-made sharks’ fin. They did an interesting spin on the usual sharks’ fin dish with a sweeter ring to it, almost like a dessert soup.The Fruit Salad Vegetarian Chicken was a delight – from the moment it was placed upon the table, I was impressed how much it actually looked like chicken. Of course, most non-vegetarians might be skeptical:
Why would a vegetarian restaurant bother mimicking meat products?
Vegetarian cuisine remains quite an enigma for people who are used to having meat and dairy products in their daily diet. By having dishes that are similar to meat, it would provide a smoother transition for people who are thinking of changing their dietary lifestyle (completely or partially).
Eight Treasures Vegetarian does a good job at bridging this gap – I have never really considered trying vegetarian cuisine on a regular (weekly or biweekly) basis because I always thought vegetarian food would be very bland or strange.
This first main dish changed my impression.
Handmade from soy and wheat-based ingredients, the ‘chicken’ was so freshly crispy on the outside, stuffed with potato fillings on the inside, and drizzled with a generous amount of vegan mayo to go along. It didn’t taste like chicken, which would be a tall order, but it was still delicious in another way. It is a bit mind-boggling, but at the same time, I would imagine fellow non-vegetarians like me would be able to enjoy it quite well. The refreshing fruit salad is the bed upon which the chicken/potato was resting on, which makes the entire dish lighter and much easier on the palate.The Thai Style Vegetarian Cod Fish was my favourite dish of the entire set amidst the impressive luxurious items, because… how could this not be fish? I would love to have this everyday! The ‘cod fish’ had an extremely similar layered texture, smooth and soft, while the ‘fish skin’ was made of seaweed which assumes the taste of the oceans. The cod fish was amped up with the piquant sweet, sour and spicy Thai homemade sauce with a fragrant hint of lemongrass. The sauce was thick and extremely satisfying, with pangs of spiciness hitting the perfect spots on the tastebuds. It’s not overly spicy, just sufficiently so. This will surely win over the hearts of many, regardless whether you like spicy food or not.I like how the set menu actually paces our appetite, with a lighter dish of Vegetarian Abalone Mushroom with Tou Pau and Seasonal Greens made of shiitake mushrooms and blanched broccoli (done to perfection, no over-or-under cooking) with a savoury and appetizing sauce to go along.Before long, we were once again impressed with this jaw-dropping Cereal Vegetarian Prawns which could fool anyone to be real prawns in terms of texture and even taste! Of course if you were to look at the cross-section of the prawns, you can tell by sight it isn’t. At that moment, I realized that making vegetarian cuisine is really an art form.
It can easily vie with other cereal prawn dishes made with real prawns in terms of taste, with an aromatic and crunchy coat of malt cereal, with QQ bouncy texture of the prawns. For people with dietary restrictions that cannot eat seafood or prawns.. this is your chance to finally enjoy it again!Yam Rings! A well-loved dish in most family dinners or celebratory tze-char meals, this is of no exception especially with a restaurant who has chefs experienced in making it. Its deep-fried exterior ensures a crispy skin with a light oily fragrance without the heaviness. Cashew nuts, baby corns, mushrooms abound within it.I always associate the Braised Yee Fu Noodles with wedding dinners, and I would say that this is above average. There is much more heart and effort in making this as compared to the usual ones I’ve had which were probably ‘obligatory wedding dishes’.If you are coming by Eight Treasures, you have got to try the Dongpo ‘meat’ (not included in the set) which was an eye-opener. I have to reiterate that this is vegetarian and not real meat of course, but the chefs here managed to create a trilayered meat to mimic the fatty layers of the original dongpo meat. As it wasn’t fats, it was easy to reach for a few in without getting full.We ended the night with a dessert, the Fruity Mango Pudding which was simple and didn’t hide any more surprises. It looks like a small serving but it was just perfect for one person to finish nicely.

Most of the restaurant tables are located on the 2nd and 3rd floor accessible only by stairs. There is limited table seating on the 1st floor, so book early even for non-CNY periods.
Takeaways of Happy Reunion Pen Cai (Vegetarian) is available at $168, Lucky Yu Sheng at $28.80 or $38.80 .
Please note that a 20% cash deposit is required to confirm all reservations during the CNY period. A receipt will be issued and no cancellations are allowed.
CNY period lunch and dinner sessions
11am – 12.30pm
1-2.30pm
3-4.30pm
5-6.30pm
7-8.30pm
9-10.30pm
Call 65347727 for reservations.

What a time to be alive! The first Vietnamese BBQ and hotpots in Singapore at Lang Nuong Vietnam has landed on Foch Road… and dinners (or suppers, for you night owls) really cannot get more satisfying than grilled meats dipped in tantalizing spicy and savoury sauces, juicy prawns, squid and beer! Despite being run by Singaporeans, Lang Nuong has already achieved their stamps of approval from Vietnamese tourists and expats working here as well as fellow Singaporeans.I have been missing the land of pho ever since I returned. From the moment I entered Lang Nuong, all the memories came flooding back. From the low silver tables and chairs (imported from Vietnam for 100% authenticity), to the road signs – Bui Vien, Cho Lon, Ben Thanh – and the whole shelf of Vietnamese cuisine ingredients… it was as if I teleported right back to the country I love so much.

Although this post is to introduce to you their Vietnamese hotpots and BBQ, Lang Nuong will indulge your other Viet cravings like the delectable, refreshing bahn mi and piping hot comforting phos as well. You can say it’s like the one-stop shop for all things Vietnamese.Lang Nuong has an easy-to-understand system if you’re having both the hotpots and BBQ together (recommended for bigger groups so you’ll have variety) – the elongated trays are meant for the hotpot and round trays are for the grill. The hotpot requires much less attention as compared to the BBQ, because you simply throw the ingredients in and wait for it to cook. For a smaller group (2-4 pax), I would say that the Vietnamese hotpot is a good choice because you can focus much more on conversations while letting the meats and seafood simmer in the soup broth.
The charcoal fire that was used to boil their uniquely fresh clams lemongrass soup broth made the taste much more full-bodied even from the beginning. This is different from the usual hotpots or steamboats in restaurants that use induction cooking. As we threw in more ingredients like shitake and enoki mushrooms ❤, prawns, chicken and pork.. the soup became so unprecedentedly delicious and appetizing I had four bowls of the soup even after I was full.
Top-ups are always available, so drink all the soup you want! The service at Lang Nuong is very prompt and attentive, and the service staff are always walking around so it’s quite easy to catch their attention.
Pricing – SGD18.90 (1/2pax), SGD36.90 (2/3pax)
The set includes
Meat and seafood
– Pork collar slices
– Pork belly slices
– Chicken thigh
– Fresh squid rings
– Fresh prawns
Vegetable basket
– Cabbage
– Shitake mushrooms
– Golden mushrooms
– Ladyfingers
– Crabsticks
– Chicken sausages
If this set is not enough for your growling stomachs, you can add-on more from the ala carte or premium meat platter or seafood menu.For the full Vietnamese experience at Lang Nuong, there is Saigon Bia, Saigon Bia Special, 333, and even Vietnamese drip coffee in here. Of course I couldn’t expect 5,000 VND beers anymore since these beers took a plane over to Singapore. You can still opt for the wallet-friendly teas that are good at cleansing the palate while you indulge in the feast.Similar to the hotpots, Lang Nuong do it the charcoal-fired way. Brownie points for its authenticity and that smoky, mouthwatering texture it gives to the meat? Priceless. The meats are all extremely tender – I loved the chicken skewers especially! Each skewer range from SGD1.40 to SGD2.50 depending on what you order. The mushrooms also retained its moisture even after being on the grill.Special mention goes to the squid rings which are amazingly juicy, non-rubbery texture, and easy to bite… I surely didn’t expect to find such good squid rings in the middle of a Vietnamese BBQ, it was such a treasure to find – they do it much better than many restaurants around. Please get the squid rings (❤)!
The service staff changed the metal grill very often and efficiently, without us even asking. I guess it’s usual practice at Lang Nuong as I spied them doing this for other tables too.We finished off the meal with the caramel pudding with coffee, which looked rather humble but it definitely could hold its own as a good dessert. The pudding was firm yet melty, and the coffee complemented it so well. The boss from Lang Nuong sure knows how to make his customers’ tastebuds tick.

Returning to the roots of delicious and nutritious eating.

What do you eat everyday? You might find it a hassle to take note of every meal to ensure you've got all the proteins, carbohydrates and fibre covered. I know that feeling, especially when the stomach starts growling, I pretty much settle for whatever that's most convenient. Health problems resulting from unrestrained eating will only surface only when your body is protesting aka. too late! La-di-da. Aren't I such a nag?!

The Bento People @ The Snack Culture makes it easier - they'll take care of the nutrition and focus on making it tasty... you just have to eat. They provide an international menu of 15 selections, from which you choose 3 dishes for your customized bento.

Building a community of good eating habitsThe boss of The Bento People @ The Snack Culture, Tat Hon (or more affectionately known as Doc), is passionate in developing a conscious routine in his customers to choose a healthier lifestyle in terms of what they eat everyday. The beverages right there are all sugar-free, such as the raspberry soda. Other interesting drinks include bitter gourd teas, iced mint lemon green teas and the Virgin Mary (alcohol-free). There is a 'sugar bar' for those who needs to slowly wean off artificially sweetened drinks. I must admit, it is a little hard to accept entirely sugar-free drinks because I am already so reliant on that particular sensory kick! But surely, one step at a time... I'm heartened by the initiative to go against what's popular and how they take care of their customers like their friends.For the food menu, Tat Hon emphasizes, "Eating healthy doesn't mean it has to bland, and can't be delicious," and sure enough, we tried a lot of the selections he offered and they were definitely up to standard. Most of the mouthwatering flavours came from the ingredients itself instead of seasoning.

What impressed me... the world in a bento! My top three picks:The Bento People @ The Snack Culture has such an impressive array of whole grains, proteins, vegetables and fruits to choose from. Their Weekday Lunch Menu involves the Make Your Own Healthy Bento in which you choose three to put in your customized bento. To rescue you from a dilemma on choosing what to eat, let me pick out some dishes that I'd recommend.The most memorable pick has got to be the velvety salmon confit with its texture-rich combination with the clever addition of Mexican pico de gallo - salad made from diced tomatoes and onions. I already love eating salmon, but I know it ain't easy to be on the other end to cook it well. Double thumbs up from me!An unexpected attractive dish was the quinoa salad with mixed nuts, beans, grapes, drizzled over by yuzu balsamic vinegar dressing. I have to say this was a very creative and refreshing blend that is not easily found in the Singapore food scene. This Spanish grain is often misconstrued to be not as tasty as the rice we are accustomed to... but not if you do it right, as I've tried in here! I went in for seconds, and then thirds for this particular dish! To put it in local terms... it feels like a party of Chinese New Year treats.You can also find the nonya chap chye here, which included black fungus (also: cloud ear fungus) which I have a fond liking towards. There were also lily buds and beancurd skin that added a lot of flavour and jest that excite the tastebuds. It might not be the most photogenic dish, but I've gotta say... who cares about that when it's going to disappear straight into my stomach within seconds?! Especially with that belachan mayo... just ingenious. This success of this self-created dish had led it to become one of the signatures.

Ma Sit Sso Yo: Korean cuisine fans, this one's for you.The other customers' hot picks include the ones from the Korean range: Jjigae with sous vide chicken breast and tofu and the bulgogi beef with tofu. I don't particularly like Korean food, but I still have to admit that these dishes are well-handled by the team. Both sauces are on the lighter side and less oily than the usual ones out there, a welcomed difference for me. Tofu provides a powerful alternative source of protein as well.

A lot more for the adventurous you!

Popular choices are potentially still too mainstream for the hipster in you! I was very surprised to see something as exotic as the Greek Tzatziki Cucumber Salad to appear on the menu, I have tried something similar before and it is arguably very different from the typical Singaporean palate. This is quite a good initiation point to try something different.The Bento People @ The Snack Culture stay true to cultural roots with in-house cookies - with different flavours like hae bee hiam and laksa, but gotta say... the hae bee hiam ones are really unique and taste like the real deal itself! If you want to grab this interesting present for someone, you know where to go!

Inconspicuously tucked away in the basement of Big Hotel on Middle Road, the Froth Cafe adopts a minimalist composition with a lot of seating area. Of course, if you are into food photography, there are tables that has natural lighting, white backgrounds, wooden tables... you know that's very important, right? One of the enthusiastic service staff also shared with us that they are still in the midst of food experimentation and haven't done much marketing yet so they do not have much traffic yet. But you know in this digital epoch, Instagram is truly the best marketing tool. That's where I found out about Froth!Don't miss out on Froth Cafe's milkshakes when you are here. While we were agonizing over getting the highly raved Nutella milkshake, the service staff recommended getting the Bubblegum milkshake for an unconventional twist from usual orders. Say whaaat? I was worried it'll be too sweet, but then that confident suggestion felt too irresistible to deny. Okay, Bubblegum milkshake it is. When they set the glass jar on the table... I was like - isn't this more purple than pink? In my imagination, it would be Barbie doll pink, but no.. it's in this curious shade of lavender to be exact. Guess what, the first relief was that it isn't too sweet. It gets more enjoyable after a while with its thickness and even ice-cream-like consistency.What we ordered was taro waffles with vanilla bean and sea salt caramel ice-cream. What stood out for me was the taro dollops which has this creamy, muted sweetness density which I liked. I wished there was more. The quality of the ice-cream is equally outstanding - though the sea salt caramel was much preferred for its balance across the salty-sweet spectrum. The waffles felt a little different from all the other waffles from many cafes in that it willing relegates itself to be the supporting cast of the dish. It has a decent level of moistness, only slightly fragrant, reminds me a little of bread in a good portion.

For more detailed review and Froth's menu: http://www.amiehu.com/2015/01/froth-cafe-singapore.html

With fragrant wafts of pies drifting in the atmosphere, we could hardly not visit Winchester Pies and snitching a pie to nom on. You might be thinking... is the name Winchester inspired by the English city? Contrary to first instincts, the dashing fictional character from Supernatural - Dean Winchester - is the motivation behind this name. With four savoury and five sweet pies ($9.90 each) up for your selection, your inner glutton will be badgering you to have all of them. One thing's for sure - their Shepherd's Pie has got us reaching for it repeatedly till we're scraping bottom. Simply delicious.