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.

I was really glad to try the roasted meats from Keith's Crackling Roast which was the most unassuming and quiet one around. Carnivorous humans would be delighted with the crackling and honey roast ($10 per small portion as pictured). We tried the honey roast first, which was juicy and succulent to every single bite and so good that I was swooning with happiness. The sweetness from the honey sauce melded with the fatty goodness of the pork, and without being cloying, it gave rise to the perfect tray of meat. This is very addictive and we could hardly stop! They also had the crackling roast which we bought home as takeaway. The crisp crackle of the pork roast was clear as day when the knife went through it, and survived well even hours later for dinner. Dinner party idea to impress your guests? Yes, definitely.

Science and technology has not yet progressed to a point when we can replace our entire bodies when they malfunction. Till then, we should take better care of our health beginning with the food that we eat. Besides introducing all the delicious and sinful food to you, here's a guilt-free option that still retain great flavours and tastes in its menu options from Squash: Juices, Salads, Wraps.Not all juices are created equal.

I like how this one-month-old shop's name is self-explanatory and easy to remember. But what you may not know is their slogan "not all juices are created equal". I draw attention to their slogan because their juices are freshly cold pressed juices to retain the most functional nutritional values. While we know that packet juices are definitely all sugar, synthetic and only thirst-quenching, we learnt from the juice gurus that hawker fruit juices are also nothing more than real fruit taste but nearly zero nutrients with their rudimentary blenders. Cold pressed juices from Squash are also careful concoctions of different fruits, herbs and vegetables to ensure that they are delightful in complementary tastes and high in nutritional value that is required by different organs in our bodies. With zero preservatives and anything other than the fruits/berries/vegetables/herbs, these bottled juices are to be consumed within 2 days. Even the owners from Squash themselves drink these juices!The team behind these Squash juices

These juices are cold-pressed and packaged in their open-concept kitchen at the basement of The Central (Clarke Quay). The team behind Squash comprises of passionate and health-conscious individuals who are well-versed in food science management and nutrition dietary information. Squash's founder, Allan Foo, has personally experienced the fineness of rebooting his body back into health through a juice diet and is inspired towards sharing his secret to health with everyone.A myriad of Squash power juices

Amazing Trio: Apple, Carrot, Orange

Hydrate: Coconut water, Cucumber, Watermelon, Kalamansi

Awake: Apple, Pineapple, Ginger, Cinnamon

Vita Max: Apple, Beetroot, Carrot, Celery, Orange

Purity: Pear, Honeydew, Cucumber, Kale, Lemon, Ginger

Antioxidant: Apple, Pear, Mix Berries, Pomegranate

They currently have 6 different juice flavours, though they are always constantly innovating different juice flavours! I've tried all the juices and I must say that I'm impressed by how the proportion of the ingredients is very well managed and none of the ingredients is particularly overpowering. Much to my delight, all these juices are concentrated, pulpy, not overly sweet, and very pleasant to drink. I seriously love the fruit pulp in juice which makes it more satisfying to drink! As they say, not all juices are created equal and some are obviously easier on the palate than others. In accordance to my preferences: Awake, Amazing Trio, Antioxidant, Vita Max, Hydrate, Purity.

For a complete 3-day or 5-day juice diet, you need to drink 5 bottles a day. While it may seem crazy to drink only pure juices for 3 days straight (wouldn't I be hungry?!), Mr Allan Foo who has personally tried it revealed that it has improved his health, weight loss and he felt more alert and energized during his juice cleanse process. The fibers and pulp that have been retained by the gentler cold-pressed method of juicing would contribute to the feeling of 'fullness'. Their juices are going at $7/bottle (except for the Antioxidant one which is going at $9) which is more affordable than a lot of other juice diets out in the market right now.Lo hei with amazingly healthy options...it's possible.

Don't blame the festive season for your widening waistline; blame the lack of healthy and delicious food options... right? Not anymore since Squash has recreated the lo hei with their health-conscious mission in mind. Their lo hei actually has saccharine sweet raspberry pulpy sauce at the base, which surprisingly actually works very well with the fresh fat slices of salmon, cucumber, corntons (corn-version of croutons), taupoktons, oine nuts, cashew nuts and golden raisins. I think this is a really wonderful alternative to the usual restaurant sort of lo hei if you want to do lo hei in a smaller group and/or lo hei with people who are not suited to eat fattening/unhealthy food due to health concerns.One of a kind wraps

That wrap you see is only one of the many combinations possible at Squash. Want a guilt-free wrap and yet not ready to forgo all your favourite food? You still can choose what goes in there (and what doesn't) in thier one-of-a-kind wraps. The wrap skin is paper-thin and very slightly salted, and it sure didn't taste like a 'health food' to me even though Squash already got the nutrition part right for you.The highlight of Squash: The Ultimate Rojak Salad

This, and a second serving that we requested, were swept clean off the bowl the moment our chopsticks started moving! Clearly a hot favourite of the table, you will be glad to know that this ultimate Rojak salad does not scrimp on the original local rojak flavours and yet is made even better with dried cuttlefish and taupoktons. This dish is born out of the event that local food gurus have planned - Ultimate Hawker Fest and further improved to become what it is today. If you are not sure what to start with at Squash, this will not disappoint. In fact, I like this salad more than the original rojak itself because I always found it too dry. A toss of vegetables and in-house sauce made it much more enjoyable!Chicken Bulgogi Pasta Salad

I probably hate approximately 87% of vegetables in the world but somehow the salads at Squash went down well with me for its freshness and its delectable mix with other things instead of pure vegetables. For those who cannot let go of their meat and carbohydrates, the Chicken Bulgogi Pasta Salad on the menu would be an oasis for you in case you're dragged in here by salad lovers. After trying it out, I realized I loved this a lot because of the chicken bulgogi inspired from the Korean cuisine. It's well marinated and spiced, more outstanding than usual perhaps because their recipes are thoroughly experimented.Spicy Thai Prawn Salad

This was strangely not spicy and more 'traditionally' like a salad with the usual crunchy vegetables partying in a bowl and also corn and pinenuts to add a bit more dimension to the entire dish. I would say that this is good, but go for the Ultimate Rojak Salad or Chicken Bulgogi Pasta Salad for the more special options.

For more food reviews: www.amiehu.com

Although there are days when I love to surround my arms around a bowl of comforting ramen, there are days when I am on a hunt for something new! Having tried Medanese cuisine is definitely a refreshing change. But you may be thinking... what is Medanese food? (Medan Town!) And where in Singapore can you try Medanese food? (Tanjong Katong!) I'll introduce this restaurant, Medan Town, to you in this post at a self-paid food tasting attended by other passionate food bloggers.Helmed by Medanese natives, Harianto Teh and his wife, Madam Choo, Medan Town is the first Medanese restaurant launched in Singapore. Although this casual dining eatery opened its doors in September 2012, it is beginning to garner greater recognition in the local foodie scene. Go get your share before it gets swarmed in its 50-seater space!We began the tasting with a plate of Nasi Rendang Ayam ($6.80) which struck me as being very generous with their flavours - everything had so much kick! The sambal potatoes were the most outstanding with its full-bodied spicy aftertaste that had me teary-eyed after a while - I'm not very used to spicy food - but it is not too overpowering. The chicken rendang also maintained a characteristically tender texture in its meat. One point to note is that this dish would perfectly satisfy tinier appetites, but be ready to order appetizers and desserts. The beef rendang (Nasi Rendang Sapi) version is also available, though the rendang sauce is essentially the same... so it depends on which texture you prefer.At Medan Town, they have two types of soup bases that you can choose from to put your bihun/rice/beef or chicken: the Medanese Curry or the Soto Medan ($5.80 for chicken, $6.80 for beef). No pictures for the Soto Medan because everyone was very excited about trying it with its aromatic fragrance wafting about. They are also not the most photogenic dishes around, but hey, taste is still the most important! Let me tell you in words anyway. For an average stomach space, you might only be able to try either the curry or the soto medan... so which one should you pick? The curry is excellently spiced and piquantly thick, and probably impossible to finish the whole bowl if you do not have a high threshold for spiciness. I definitely couldn't, though it was really addictive. Luckily, I had their refreshing Tangy Orange drink on the side which allowed me to enjoy a few more spoonfuls! If you are the sort that derives joy from a lot of spicy food, you definitely cannot skip this. The Soto Medan is a friendlier and overall, more enjoyable option for me because I love coconut milk and all things lemak like that... it is very, very fragrant. The taupoks and vegetables soak up the broth very well too. The chefs at Medan Town really do not skimp on giving you a concentrated experience of Medanese flavours.The Tahu Goreng ($4.50) is one of those side dishes that would delight food photographers with its colourful ensemble. It comprises fried tofu, peanuts and keropok scattered on a thick bed of beansprouts. While I felt that it was more enticing to the eyes than to my tastebuds, it makes for an easy sharing dish across the table. They could have been more generous with the sweet and spicy sauce too.If I can only recommend one side dish, the Sam Chan Bak ($4.80) would be it. It is also known as pork belly. Not only is it easy to photograph (always a plus point), its skin is very crunchy, fresh and did not give me the feeling of being oily at all. The meaty part is also consistently easy to chew and the savoury flavours are well distributed throughout. This is also a dish that were clean swept off its platter very quickly - always a good indication!This satay also left quite a deep impression on me. Unlike the usual chicken, beef or mutton satay, you will probably not be able to guess what it is without a closer look... this are sticks of skewered cockles! Unlike the rendang sauce which may be overpowering for these satays, it is a slightly more muted version that allowed the original flavour of fresh cockles to exude through nicely. Go for this if you're looking for a more extraordinary dining experience.And then we have the desserts! This is always the part of meals that I look forward most to because sweet endings always make me feel really happy... an instant mood booster. The Es Sekoteng ($3.50) was the first one we tried, which I felt that it was very sugary and missing something. There was barley, pink and green jelly, lychee, nata de coco, and Medanese orange peel mixed in one. It felt like eating all the toppings in a bubble tea drink without the drink itself. I probably wouldn't get this for myself but I know a few people who absolutely love those toppings and may be interested.Well, well, look what we have here! I love chendol, but the ones I'm used to are the Melaka ones. The Medan version is definitely different and has its own selling points. The first thing you might notice is how naturally green the rice flour jelly is, and then the fat juicy attap seeds (which I had). The coconut base is much lighter than the Melaka ones... I like to have coconut milk in its full glory, so this did not hit a full score from me either.The ongol ongol ($1.50) is Indonesian sweet cake made from palm sugar and grated coconut. This reminded me of the street kueh snacks in Malaysia and is pretty decent. It makes for a good simple ending to a hearty meal.I'm obviously saving the best for the last... and I'm seriously telling you should never underestimate these little green round things which are pretty stellar. It is similar to ondeh ondeh, but these are wayyy better. They burst explosively in the mouth and then luscious, sweet and warm palm sugar syrup ooze across the tongue as if they are trying to give you an award-winning massage. If ever you walk past Medan Town and don't have time to sit down for a full meal, at least try their Klepon for takeaway or something. Dessert time? Klepon it is.

Medan Town works as a really helpful starting point if you want to have a comprehensive idea of authentic Medanese food. It is also a break from the mundane dining options in Singapore. And try the Klepon.

Find out more: http://www.amiehu.com/2014/12/your-source-for-good-medanese-food.html

Our first stop for the Intel x Pasarbella food hunt was Laman's Delight where we got to try the Laman's Pomegranate Cake. Look how gorgeous it is. It's going at $12 a slice, which sounds slightly expensive but look at the size! It's much taller than the usual cake slices and they are so generous with the portion too. You can share this among five friends. This pomegranate cake is definitely one of the best cakes I've tried in a while - it is moist, fresh and very well-blended, the cream is also amazingly complementary and not cloying at all. The pomegranate arils are also very juicy and burst in my mouth with every bite! There is also a faint floral fragrance to it, not sure if it's part of my imagination or... well, pretty awesome and definitely worth a try.