Chai Tow Kway (white) is probably one of the very few hawker food that I enjoy. There's just something about that fried egg, radish cake and cai poh combination that makes it so good! I got to try this chai tow kway at Singapore Food Festival and what's unique about it is that they even have strips of carrot in it - I think I've never ever seen that before in my chai tow kway.

People call it "carrot" cake, but it's usually just radish cake without any actual carrots in it. This version had a few strips of carrot inside which gives it quite a refreshing taste. Some would find this chai tow kway a bit bland, but I like it that way - not too oily, not too salty. I even had it twice at SFF!

I'm not usually a fan of fish skin but decided to give it a try since my friends were raving about how awesome this is! Moi Lum had set up a stall at Singapore Food Festival this year so I had a chance to try this dish without having to go all the way to Tanjong Pagar. It's amazing how they can make the skin so crispy that it crumbles the moment you bite into it - it's almost like eating keropok. The salted egg was not too salty and helped to mask over the fishy taste. Very addictive snack!

You might have heard about “gastropubs” before – a term which originated from the British, referring to a pub where you could drink away your sorrows and also eat some grub at the same time. An “Izakaya” (居酒屋) is the Japanese equivalent of that.You will find Tamon Izakaya somewhere along East Coast Road. Against all odds, this particular restaurant has stood up against the test of time and has been in business for the past 18 years (and hopefully many more years to come)! For a Japanese Izakaya in Singapore to have been around for that long is no mean feat.

It was drizzling that day when we arrived at Tamon Izakaya. Like a scene out of Memoirs of a Geisha, we tip-toed our way into the restaurant to take shelter from the rain. The staff greeted us with a warm smile and welcomed us into the cozy restaurant. As we ventured further inside, I was delighted to find more typical Izakaya decor – Japanese lanterns, a sake bar and paintings of samurai on the walls.While its menu may not be that extensive, you will find a rather unique selection of Sumiyaki (char-grilled skewers) including chicken tail, heart, gizzard and liver. I'm not particularly fond of eating the insides of any living thing, so I was conscious to steer clear of those items, though it's pretty common place in a typical Japanese Izakaya to find much more guts.The first dish that we ordered was the Salmon Mentai Maki ($15). Strips of salmon sashimi, lightly scorched with a dollop of mentaiko on top. It’s amazing how the chef can achieve this melt-in-your-mouth texture with the salmon sashimi and the mentaiko provided a good tangy boost of flavour to the dish.I’m quite the veggie person and especially when you pair it with Japanese Wafu dressing. The citrusy dressing from our Wafu Salad ($10) is an awesome perk-me-up on rainy days like these. The salad comes with a heap of tuna, though I would have preferred it with sashimi or slices of beef tataki.And of course, nothing beats a bowl of warming stew on a cold rainy day – talk about the ultimate comfort food! =D The Pork Belly Stew ($10) was filled to the brim with onions, potatoes, carrots and slices of pork. It goes amazingly well with Japanese rice and even just the stew alone would leave me utterly satisfied.

Surprisingly, the total bill was quite affordable (under $50) and we had our fill of really good, home-styled Japanese cuisine. It was still mid day, so we didn’t have the chance to try their sake but I’m sure I’ll get a chance to try it the next time I visit again!

Meat lovers will be thrilled to know about this new steakhouse opening at Plaza Singapura called Bull and Butcher. Lavishly decorated with cowhide upholstered chairs and a lively alfresco dining area, you will be surprised to discover that the dishes on their menu are actually quite wallet-friendly.The restaurant’s open concept kitchen is headed by Patron Chef Sam Neoh who has 17 years of culinary experience in the kitchens of Regent Hotel, The Fullerton and more recently One Rochester Group.Bull and Butcher offers a variety of appetisers to whet your palate before sinking your fangs into their succulent cuts of meat. From Beef Carpaccio with Black Truffle ($26), Duck Confit ($16) and even Cream of Mushroom ($10) or Baked Onion Soup ($10). I particularly enjoyed their signature Crab Cake with Sundried Tomato Sauce ($16). The sauce had a hint of curry powder in it which gives it this fragrant, Asian twist and the Crab Cake was chock full of crab meat enveloped in a buttery crispy batter. We also had some Prawn Cocktail ($14) served on a bed of crunchy greens smothered in a slightly tangy thousand island dressing.If you’re a fan of garlic (like me), you definitely must try their Roast Whole Garlic ($8) which is roasted to perfection leaving the cloves of garlic absolutely sweet and juicy. This is a side dish that would match your steak perfectly. We also had the chance to try out a new found cut of meat previously not available in Singapore, and is now exclusive to Bull and Butcher – the Petit Tender. This cut originates from the chuck shoulder clod and requires a more skilled butcher to extract it, making it relatively unknown.The Petit Tender looks similar in shape to a Tenderloin and is equally delicate. Check out that pinkish-red piece of medium rare meat just oozing with so much flavour. You can choose from a variety of sauces to compliment the meat too – Bearnaise sauce, Garlic Herb Butter and their famous Carl’s Steak Sauce which is a tangy salsa-like creation by one of the restaurant’s founders, Carl Duggan.nother great meat dish you will find at Bull and Butcher is their Australian Wagyu Beef Cheek ($38) braised for over 3 hours until the meat is absolutely tender and melts in your mouth, served on top a good, buttery mash potato.For those who are looking for some pasta, you should give the Australian Wagyu Bolognaise Pasta ($26) a try. It is served with Fettuccine pasta in a homemade bolognaise sauce topped with cheese, making for an addictive combination that you will not be able to resist.Finally, for dessert we had some Pear and Chocolate Crumble ($12) served with a scoop of vanilla Ice Cream. The salty crumbly bits at the side went perfectly with the chocolate filling which was not too sweet.

Overall, I think Bull & Butcher serves up pretty good quality food and although I’m not so much of a meat-loving person, I would still recommend that you head there to try out the Petit Tender for yourself. Afterall, you can only get this cut of steak in Singapore exclusively at Bull and Butcher. And for others who prefer a less-meaty alternative, be sure to order one of their Crab Cakes!

I've walked past this mochi store quite a few times before but never really ventured in to actually try it out until today. It comes in a box of 12 different flavoured mochi - from cream chocolate, red bean and green tea, to more adventurous flavours including caramel macchiato and mango yoghurt. I enjoyed the macchiato mochi which had a good coffee taste and the mochi skin is also very chewy and not too sweet. It makes for a really great after-dinner snack!