You may have seen a particular food truck in the shape and colour of a milk cow (it made an appearance at Singapore Night Festival), or you may not have. In any case, you can catch this nomad of a food truck at their headquarters - The Diner by The Travelling C.O.W (which stands for Chef on Wheels). Karen, an avid traveler has introduced many wacky concepts from her overseas experiences and made them into reality in her cozy restaurant, including the ramen burgers from Japan. She appreciates a good drink from time to time, so be sure to check out her private bottle collection at a bar corner of The Diner too. Appetizers at The Diner ain't just simply starters, they already start engaging you with their exciting offerings. These lip-smacking Ramen Chicken Wings give KFC a massive sprint for their money - tasty and succulent, it's quite a mess to eat, but a show-stopper for sure.The Oriental Garden Salad seems like the polar opposite of the ramen chicken wings on the scale of healthiness, with a drizzle of sauce which reminds me of chicken rice sauce. Crunchy leafy vegetables and juicy tomato slices are a good switch-up from the awesome fried appetizers.My favourite among the three has got to be the Truffle Mac & Cheese Balls which got me swooning... I mean if it were up to me, I'll have these for the ultimate comfort supper food everyday. Heck hypertension, these crunchy golden exterior nestles a treasure trove of mac and cheese with a sprinkle of truffle taste that I cannot resist. Highly recommended!Here comes the ramen burgers in their different flavours. It feels like the congregation of flavours from all over the globe. Korean representative, Ramen Bulgogi Short Ribs Burger! Crispy and brittle ramen layers require quite a bit of skill to eat, but the bulgogi short ribs are boldly-flavoured with tender stretches of beef. Ramen Wagyu Burger should be the classic among the ramen burgers with its juicy meat patty and a party of mushrooms, which eased the crispiness of the fried ramen layer. Ramen Chicken Teriyaki Burger is pretty delicious except that the chicken teriyaki could be slightly dry - possibly because we took some time for photo-taking - but it sure hit the right notes on flavours.I left The Diner with this lingering endlessly in my mind: the Hainanese Chicken Rice Burger. Say what? We have our national dish in burger form, because why not. This is my favourite burger out of all, hands down, because I love how innovative this is and how well it actually works!! That's a rice patty 'bread', with the same sauce in chicken rice drizzled in between. I don't blame your skepticism, I was wondering how this would actually turn out. After the first bite, I was thoroughly amused and amazed. I would recommend this to bits!Evidently, The Diner is really strong in their suit of fusion dishes as well. Their Chilli Crab Pasta, Chicken Seafood Laksa Pasta and Chicken Bak Kwa Carbonara are all curiously tasty. It's really hard to find good fusion food nowadays (especially Singaporean-Italian), so many contenders have came and failed, but I must say The Diner has done respectfully well in this aspect. What I really like is that they retained much of the local flavours and made it the centre of each dish rather than as a cursory selling point. I particularly liked the Chicken Seafood Laksa Pasta because the laksa curry flavours was overwhelmingly shiok, and to enjoy it in a dry pasta form rather than have it sloshing around under my chin is a fantastic change.

As far as I know... vegetables are unappealing to most people. If you remove the wondrous healthy properties of vegetables, it will almost certainly be ousted from my diet straightaway (yes... #CarnivoresUnite). Green Dot, a homegrown brainchild by two secondary school friends, have taken upon themselves to overthrow this notion. Their challenge was to provide an option of delicious vegetarian meals - yes, a challenge indeed... I went ahead to see if they manage to change my mind about veggies.Green Dot has four outlets: Paya Lebar Square (pictured), Bedok Mall, Westgate, and Temasek Polytechnic. Each of the different outlets offer a different menu/ selections due to their kitchen operating size, but Paya Lebar Square has the most comprehensive range of items including their most popular, value-for-money, and delicious hotpots - my number one recommendation from Green Dot.What do you want to eat? Use Green Dot's quick, easy-to-understand computerized system to order it.Lion Mane Mushroom Rendang Rice (SGD 9.50) is a perfectly sized rice bowl for those who don't like to share your food with others. Trust me, I know that feeling. Their rendang paste is very fulfilling and has quite a good kick, which pairs up nicely with the crunchy and juicy vegetables on the side. Reminds me of a good ol' well-balanced bahn mi. If you're coming in a group of 4, the Mushroom Mini Hot Pot Set (SGD 59.90) will be perfect. Including shitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, shimeiji mushrooms, tomatoes, taukee, konnyaku prawn, baby bak choy, Chinese cabbage, green coral in your choice of soup. Otherwise, there is an option for two as well.

Depending on your crowd and mood, you can choose among three possible soup bases: Herbal, Tom Yum or Laksa. The Tom Yum is not the kickass spicy and fragrant sort, and the Laksa tended towards the coconut flavours. My personal favourite has got to be the Herbal one which made me feel very comfortable and happy after drinking the soup. Not all soups has this effect. It is essentially made of herbs such as wolfberries, licorice and angelica root. I love it! You can have five different types of rice to choose from to go with your hot pot: Beauty Rice, Emperor Rice, Five Treasure Rice, Fragrance Rice or Sesame Rice.Providing the laksa base for the hotpots, Green Dot also has the Laksa Bowl (SGD 5.90) going for them, which was a tamer version of the fiery local one, but nevertheless still enjoyable in its own way. This laksa is creamier, evidently from more coconut milk, with sufficient dose of spices, and a lot of sauce-soaked taupoks. The noodles were also the classic sort you find in laksa bowls, and altogether, I can say that while it is different from the typical laksas you find, it is definitely still worth a try.I was surprised to see burgers at a vegetarian place, but this Lion's Mane Mushroom Burger (SGD 8.90) was slightly disappointing as it tastes almost like a McDonalds burger. Granted, vegetarians will now know how it tastes like.Their teas - Alisan Oolong and Peach Oolong Tea were beautiful to go with any meal, really. Very fragrant and handpicked by the owners, the hot Alisan Oolong teas have a calming effect on the stomach and mind. The Peach Oolong Tea comes in chilled form, refreshing and great for the summer.I was further impressed by their fruit juice bar which had so much incredible hidden gems in there! Some of their in-house concoctions include the Soy Caramel Latte (SGD 6.50), Mocha Frappe (SGD 7.50), Avocado Yogurt Milkshake (SGD 6.50), Passion Dragonfruit Green Tea (SGD 5.50), and Strawberry Banana Green Tea (SGD 5.50).

The weird has got to go to the Avocado Yogurt Milkshake which received mixed reviews from the table. I found it strange because I didn't find the combination well-gelled together, yogurt is pretty much the outcast that is hard to fit in most places. I am a huge fan of avocado milkshakes so I could turn a blind eye to the nagging strange yogurt taste in the drink, but I don't think it will appeal to the mainstream taste.

The Passion Dragonfruit Green Tea and Strawberry Banana Green Tea, on the other hand, performed well despite the ambitious and potentially strange combinations. Especially the Passion Dragonfruit Green Tea which I was slightly nervous about trying, it surpassed all expectations, the dragonfruit juice was very much in sync with the green tea. The coffees were pretty good but if I only can choose a drink, I'd definitely want to try the fruit-based ones which are very unique.We ended the night with a sweet bowl of Osmanthus Jelly (SGD 3.50), which was legitly stuffed with dried osmanthus flowers and wolfberries. Even though I was very full at the moment in time, I gobbled this lovely sweet treat in record time. Thumbs up.Support homegrown brands which have the heart and passion to serve great food! They are really funny, candid and open about receiving feedback on how they can improve their menu so as to prepare even better vegetarian meals for all to enjoy.

If you've seen Telok Ayer on the Downtown line and wondered what is good there other than office buildings in the see-bee-dee... here's a game changer tumbling its way towards you. FYR Cycene Ond Drinc is the next popular place to hit up on weekends, proving that brunch doesn't have to be eggs benedict, honey pancakes and all that uninspired jazz. Tune in for a hearty, fiery good menu here:FYR Cycene Ond Drinc's kitchen serves up modern European grilled meats and seafood enlivened by Southeast Asian spices. Their smoky, mouthwatering flavours is created by the Josper Charcoal Oven ande lychee wood to infuse the dishes. To keep you hydrated, woozy and happy, FYR Cycene Ond Drinc has aplenty in its shelves. They've put a snazzy twist to the usual OJ, the Roasted Orange Juice emerges from the rites of fire as the more sophisticated and sexy twin. Get this, you won't regret it. FYR’s unique house blend coffee is made using the premium La Marzocco Espresso machine, an instant pick-me-up and one of the better coffees I've had ever since Melbourne spoilt me (for life). Their very fragrant Sangria is also available pre-noon. I approve. There's something for every mood, very well-played.Grilled Steak and Eggs (SGD28) or Baked Blinis (SGD15)? The choice is clear for me because I absolutely cannot resist grilled salmon, with the generous heaping of ikura, Avruga caviar and grated bottarga. Friends who love salmon, no more menu dilemmas. Order this! Steak, on the other hand, has not impressed me yet... This succulent Baked Beef Hash (SGD18) served in a sizzling hot pan is one of the highlights. It is a ribeye mash comprising corned beef, baked beans, subtle flavours of paprika and made juicy with a runny egg. It is quite filling and definitely makes a good choice for brunch.For sides, what have we got here? The Skillet-Roasted Escargots (SGD12), while the freshness and chewiness can't be compared to Parisian fare, are very value-for-money considering how many escargots there are in this tiny little pot. I kept fishing them out non-stop and they don't seem to end. The savoury sauce should be mopped up by the baguette slices on the side. With the invention of Yam and Sweet Potato fries (SGD8), truffle fries should officially go into retirement.. they're such a treat! The Grilled Squid (SGD12) was beautifully plated, with a whole row of tantalizing squid rings made especially tasty with the dash of lime, tumeric, garlic base and paprika powder. The portion makes it quite a steal - it seems like there isn't much when it was set, but there's plenty to go around.This little darling of a dessert! I ain't sharing this Baked Pistachio Melt & Pandan Ice Cream (SGD10), a beautiful invention by the chefs at FYR. It is almost like a lava cake, but better, every single bite was such a blessing! Smooth, soft and pandan-infused flavours in the cake coupled with crunchy bits from the pistachio nuts and the occasional waft of cinnamon. One is not enough.

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Introducing the third concept of Eat at Seven, Nigiro Cafe has a more contemporary, elegant and Italian-Japanese fusion twist to the menu. This cafe has a compelling appeal for those seeking for a more polished cafe experience... as opposed to the usual grungy, hipster sort. This cafe employs the iPad system for ordering too!The Hamburg Steak (SGD24) is not particularly photogenic with the tin foil wrap, and while its assorted mushrooms and tender beef were delicious and drizzled with its house sauce, I found the portion small for its price.Short Pasta Melazane (SGD29) was refreshingly tasty, tossed with three cheeses, tomato and eggplant without being cloying at all. Just like the Hamburg Steak, I found the pasta similarly overpriced for what it is, it is unlikely that I would pay so much for pasta.The highlight of Nigiro's Cafe did not disappoint - its Grilled Prawn Nigiro Caesar Salad, priced at SGD9.50 for half-size and SGD20 for full size. I would recommend ordering the full size if there is two people plan to share this - and if you come, you should because this is the famous award-winning Caesar Salad. This salad is created by by Chef Kensuke Sakai, the youngest challenger to compete on the Iron Chef competition.I liked the vibes in this cafe, but most of the menu felt like they were tagged with rather expensive prices. Much of the value definitely comes from the attentive service and laidback yet classy atmosphere rather than the food itself.

Peranakan culture is undergoing another phase of rejuvenation from the efforts of local members to introduce to Singaporeans. Remember the upcoming Peranakan Festival in September? If you can't wait for that to happen, you can first indulge with the newly crafted Peranakan menu from chefs at The Square of Novotel Hotel.The interior of The Square adopts warm tones and a cozy restaurant setting. It sets up in a way for an easy to navigate experience for their daily buffet line-up. The highlight of the layout is the central floating dessert island of cakes and dessert alcohol-based shots. It's extremely easy to fall in love with Nonya kueh. Colourful, fragrant with coconut hints and its characteristically chewy and bouncy texture, these are a delight to have. Their dainty Kueh Pie Tee steals the show with its lovely crispy exterior and refreshing, generous, juicy and varied combination of ingredients within this photogenic dish. Stuffed with a sweet mixture of julienned vegetables, shrimp, turnip and egg, the variety of which really whet our appetites. A recommended main would be the Babi Ponteh: instead of pork belly, pork ribs were braised to achieve a more delicious finish. It is non-spicy and sweet, and thus aligns with my preferences immensely. For those looking for a spicy kick in your dining adventure, the Nonya Style Assam Fish will surely be right up your alley. A fiery dose of chilli padi went into making the tangy sweet and spicy sauce for the fish. It comes in both steamed and fried versions. I prefer the steamed version for its more tender texture. The tantalizing cake display definitely screams dessert before dinner right at your empty stomach. Visit it at the risk of snatching everything because all the cakes look so attractive and inviting. Award-winning Chef Sin Siak specializes in desserts and cakes creation, and all of the above talented pieces are designed and formulated by his team. The most memorable one has got to be the Raspberry Earl Grey Tea Cake which really got me at hello, I couldn't stop looking at it. The moment I savoured its rich, smooth base of a tinge of earl grey and decadent chocolate, I knew my obsession is completely valid. Another cake that I really enjoyed were the Chocolate Pineapple Cake which managed a really pleasant blend of chocolate and the unusual tropical fruit.The Square @ Novotel's buffet line-up has a few hidden finds, including Oysters Fritters, a happy accident from the chef's kitchen experiments. The deep-fried oysters were very sinful but very tasty indeed, a rich burst of oyster within the light-golden crispy exterior. Their Kebab rolls also packed a lot of zest and flavours, which I really liked and wanted to go for seconds for. I was impressed to see a cheese bar and a chocolate fondue fountain within the international buffet area. While the seafood selection falls below expectations in terms of freshness, there are still redeeming qualities in the buffet line-up.