Café Epicurious at The Rail Mall

December 10, 2011

justaboutfood Breakfast 早安你好, Cafés 餐室/咖啡座, Our Island ~ 走走吃吃 , , , , , Leave a comment

Good Morning Singapore! What’s for breakfast today?

大家早安！今天的早餐吃些什么呢？

Epicurious Cafe has always been one of the top few choices for weekend breakfast or brunch. They have 2 branches: 1)The Rail Mall and 2)The Quayside. Haven’t been to any of them but heard from some reviews that it can be quite difficult to get a table at The Quayside during weekends so we decided to check out the Rail Mall branch instead.
*Fyi, the breakfast menu is the same for both branches.

Epicurious Cafe 一直都是吃早午餐的一个好地方。它有两间店面，分别在铁道广场和克拉玛头。
找食趣两边都没去过。不过听说克拉玛头的那家周末时候非常拥挤，因此我们决定到铁道广场那里碰碰运气。
*两家的早餐食单是一样的。

We reached there around lunchtime, and we were quite surprised to see that only a few tables were occupied! Hmmm…could it be the location?

照理来说，午餐时分应该是忙碌的时候，但是找食趣抵达时却只看到零零散散的几个人。难道是因为它的地点没那么理想吗？

While looking at the menu, something caught our eyes! Ten Bucks Lunch (Weekday): Main course + Dessert + Drink! Maybe we should try this next time!

翻看菜单时看到了一个特别优惠－$10午餐(只限星期一至五)，主菜＋甜品＋饮料。值得一试哦。

JAF’s choice – Epic Breakfast for 2 persons: (3 Choices $35, 4 Choices $40)
Egg Benedict / Baked Egg / Green Eggs and Ham / Pancake(3pcs) / French Toast(3pcs) / Two Eggs Scrambled or Fried, 2 Regular Coffee / Tea and 2 glasses of Orange Juice.
We’ve chosen the *4 Choices*.

叫了两人份的Epic早餐－有3种选择($35)和4种选择($40)。


Cuppa hot coffee to start your day!
香浓咖啡。


We LOVE the French Toast! It is fried til crispy on the sides topped with icing sugar and freshly cut fruits. There is a slight tint of cinnamon taste, luckily it wasn’t too strong…just NICE for us! Ohhhh…we love the raisins bread they use for their french toast too! Probably that’s the reason why it stands out from the rest that we have tried before. *Definitely gonna order this again!*

法式葡萄干吐司面包－边缘煎得脆脆的，配上糖粉和水果，还有点肉桂香味，不会太过浓，正合我们意。
找食趣喜欢这以葡萄干面包做的吐司，和找食趣之前尝过的绝对不同。
下次一定再品尝。


Eggs Benedict + Green Eggs and Ham + Roasted Potates. Hmmm…there is nothing much to shout about on the “Eggs Benny”. However the “Green Eggs and Ham” is good! (Next pic)

班尼迪克蛋+绿鸡蛋和火腿+烤马铃薯。
班尼迪克蛋普通，不过绿鸡蛋和火腿就不错啦。


Good choice! It’s actually scrambled eggs, mixed with spinach and cheese. In fact, we were asking the server to recommend and he strongly recommended the “Green”! He assured us that it’s really yummy and it’s his FAVOURITE too! Well, we decided to give it a go! Nice! We like!

鸡蛋、菠菜和乳酪混合一起的绿鸡蛋果然好吃。侍应生在推荐时还特别强调这绿鸡蛋是他的最爱。


We don’t find the pancake really special. Well, we will probably try other dishes the next time.

薄煎饼没什么特别。
这里还有其他的菜色，找食趣下回再试试吧。

Website: http://epicurious.com.sg

Address:
392 The Rail Mall
Upper Bukit Timah Road
Tel: 68945926
Opening hours:
Lunch: 11.30pm – 2.30pm (Monday– Friday)
Dinner: 5pm – 10pm (Sunday to Thursday) / 5.30pm – 10.30pm (Friday to Saturday)
Brunch: 9am – 4pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Happy Hour: 5 pm – 8pm (Everyday) *1-for-1 on Chang beer & Stella Artois draft for $10*

#01-02 The Quayside
Robertson Quay
Tel: 67347720
Opening hours:
Lunch: 11.30pm – 2.30pm (Tuesday – Friday)
Dinner: 5.30pm – 10pm (Tuesday to Sunday)
Brunch: 9am – 4pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Happy Hour: 5.30pm – 7.30pm (Tuesday – Friday)4pm – 6pm (Saturday – Sunday) *1-for-1 on house wines, beer, cocktails and tapas*

F0rtyh4ands @ Tiong Bahru

April 25, 2011

justaboutfood Cafés 餐室/咖啡座, Our Island ~ 走走吃吃 , , , , Leave a comment

F0rtyh4nds is one of the latest “Gem” of Tiong Bahru…

F0rtyh4nds 是找食趣的最新发现，就位于中峇鲁。

JAF came here a couple of times after hearing much about it but every time we had to walk away disappointed because the cafe is always PACKED!
*Fyi…F0rtyh4nds café is located opposite “Cheng’s Delicacies”.

一直久闻其大名，来了好几次。不过这里的人气实在是太旺了，人潮总是络绎不绝，让找食趣每一次都是失望而归。
*对啦，F0rtyh4nds 正好就在“正宗海南咖喱饭”的对面。


It can be a little challenging to find this cafe because it’s actually tucked away in a small corner of the estate. You can park either along the road or at a car park that’s just right behind the cafe.

咖啡座的所在位置在组屋区的一个小角落，有点偏僻，不容易找。驾车的话，可停在路旁或是咖啡座后面的停车场。


A chill-out corner outside the cafe.
咖啡座外头摆了些桌椅。


A little narrow walkway from the entrance…JAF tried to take a picture of the cafe but the cafe was very packed so this was the only best picture we could take.

入口处是条狭窄的走道。找食趣尝试拍张咖啡座的全景，但由于太拥挤了，任务失败。


A BIG brunch menu greeted us as we were walking in…
“早午餐”巨大餐牌。


This is the “backyard” of the cafe. JAF and friends were so HAPPY that we finally managed to find ourselves a comfortable spot to “squeeze” into. *Phew!* :)

我们走到了咖啡座的最后方，终于让我们找到位子挤进去了！


When was the last time you had seen these plastic Salt and Pepper holders? Oh so nostalgic!

好久没看到这些塑胶调料罐了！真令人怀念。


$5.00 for a cuppa latte
JAF had heard so much about the latte here. We have friends who purposely drive down just for a takeaway.
OMG! This has got to be the best latte JAF had ever drunk! It’s rich, thick and the aroma is simply heavenly!
So yes, JAF become a convert and have started buying latte takeaways too!

朋友们都不停地称赞这里的拿铁咖啡有多么的好，好到甚至还会专程前来打包。
既然如此，找食趣当然要尝一尝。哇，果真是找食趣喝过最好喝的拿铁咖啡，嘴里弥漫的都是香浓的咖啡味道。
从此以后，找食趣就这样开始对这里的拿铁咖啡沉迷不已了。


Eggs Benedict – $12.00
One of the BEST eggs benedict that JAF had eaten so far! For the price you are paying here, it’s definitely worth your every cent! Unlike some cafes that JAF had tried before, over here they use traditional English muffins with perfect “doneness” of the poached eggs, topped with superb, thick, creamy hollandise sauce and sundried tomatoes…finally the dish is complete with wild rockets on the side.

这是找食趣到目前为止吃到的最美味的班尼迪克蛋，而且非常物有所值。
和我们所吃过的最大的分别在于，用的是传统英式马芬/小蛋糕，再配上熟荷包蛋、又浓又香的蛋黃酱以及生晒番茄干和芝麻菜。


Bitter Chocolate Tart – $5.00
WooOooo…this is AWESOME! Recommended by the staff, the chocolate is so rich and creamy that it melts in your mouth. Trust JAF, even if you normally do not fancy bitter chocolate BUT for this particular one, once you start on it, you just cannot stop!

由店员强力推荐的苦巧克力塔，有着令人无法抗拒的浓香。含在口中，让巧克力一点点地融化开来，简直是太棒了。就算是不喜欢吃苦苦的巧克力，只要咬上一口，肯定欲罢不能！


Carrot Cake – $4.50
Another recommended item! The carrot cake is moist yet it doesn’t leave a cloying feeling and most importantly, the sweetness level is just right.

这是另一个被推荐的甜点：胡箩卜蛋糕。蛋糕水分足够，无粗糙感，也不会甜得让人吃了感觉太腻。

Address:
Blk 78 Yong Siak Street,
#01-12 Singapore 163078
Tel: +65 6225 8545

Opening Hours:
Tuesdays: 8:30am to 6:30pm
Wednesdays and Thursdays: 8:30am to 10pm
Fridays and Saturdays: 8:30am to 11pm
Sundays 8:30am to 6:30pm
*CLOSED on MONDAYS*

Cheng’s Delicacies ~ Hainanese Curry Pork/Chicken Chop

April 12, 2011

justaboutfood Cafés 餐室/咖啡座, Our Island ~ 走走吃吃 , , , , Leave a comment

“Cheng’s Delicacies – Hainanese Curry Pork/Chicken Rice” can be found at a little corner near Tiong Bahru market (also near Hua Bee Restaurant – “A Simple Bowl of Fishball Noodles at $2.50”) and it occupies the entire kopitiam. Besides Curry Pork/Chicken Chop, there are also other Hainanese delicacies like their popular pork belly, signature Sambal Prawns, Salted Duck soup etc…

“正宗海南咖喱饭”就在中峇鲁巴刹的附近(周围也包括华美餐室鱼丸面)，占了整间咖啡店。这里除了有咖喱猪扒和鸡扒之外，还能找到其他的海南美食，例如三层肉、叁峇虾、咸鸭汤等等。


Every piece of pork is “freshly” fried therefore it is really piping hot and crispy when served! Unlike other “oily” pork chop that JAF had eaten, the pork chop served here is not oily at all. So you surely won’t feel guilty about the calories! Hehe!!

这里的每一快猪扒都是即炸即卖，绝对是新鲜出炉。热腾腾、脆卜卜的猪扒简直令人垂涎三尺！
最重要是猪扒一点都不油腻，所以大家不用为所摄入的卡路里感到太内疚喔。


The curry of this dish is rather unique. It doesn’t taste like the “normal” curry and the texture is a little creamy with a tint of herbs and spices. However JAF has one complaint ~ the spiciness of the curry is not consistent. It varied during the few visits that JAF had been here and there were times when the curry was really too spicy for us. But then again, that doesn’t stop us from going back… :)

找食趣觉得咖喱口味特别，有别于“普通”的咖喱口感，比较浓稠，掺杂了点香草和香料的味道。
唯一美中不足的是：找食趣去了好几回，每一次咖喱的辣味程度都不一致，有时候咖喱真的好辣好辣。不过尽管如此，找食趣还是乐于回去。

So instead of the popular Loo’s Hainanese Curry Rice that everyone frequents at Tiong Bahru, perhaps next time do give Cheng’s Delicacies – Hainanese Curry Pork/Chicken Rice a try when you are at the same area yeah. :)

中峇鲁有家非常受欢迎的海南家乡咖喱饭，许多人都喜欢到那里吃。不过现在大家也多了个选择，有机会的话不妨也到正宗海南咖喱饭尝尝看吧。

Address:
27 Yong Siak Street
Tel: 6223-7883
Opening Hours:
9.30am to 8pm (weekdays)
9.30am to 3.30pm (weekends and public holidays)

Chin Chin Hainanese Eatery

March 31, 2011

justaboutfood Cafés 餐室/咖啡座, Our Island ~ 走走吃吃 , , Leave a comment

JAF was actually heading to our favourite “loti” cafe ~ YY Kafei Dian for a nice cuppa kopi and Kaya Toast (JAF “Tea-Time” category”) when we walked passed this Koptiam. What “lured” us inside was the huge crowd. So we decided to pop in and take a look.

还记得找食趣之前介绍过的喜园咖啡店”轻松茶点吗？附近就有这一家津津餐室。这一天下午，找食趣经过时看到里头很热闹，决定进去瞧一瞧。


“Chin Chin” Eating House…Bet many people have heard or even eaten their famous Chicken Rice and Hainanese Pork Chop. But JAF had never eaten before, so since we were here, we would try and share our thoughts with those readers who have not been here yet.

据说这里的鸡饭和海南猪排非常出名，许多人应该听过或甚至吃过吧？找食趣倒是没尝过，既然来到不如就试试看，与还未来此光顾的朋友分享一下。


We LOVE the Hainanese “Chap Chye”!! It looks like a simple dish but the moment we put the cabbage in our mouth…WooOooo…it tastes soooo good! Love the soft yet crunchy texture of it. This dish is accompanied with black Chinese fungus, tangy “tang hoon” (cellophane noodles, also known as Chinese vermicelli, bean threads, bean thread noodles, crystal noodles, or glass noodles), “tao ki” and soaked fish maw…
Question… JAF’s friend was telling us it’s actually PIG SKIN instead of fish maw. Hmm…So maybe you would like to try it out and let us know? :)

卖相看起来简单的海南杂菜值得一赞。吃下去的第一口…美味极了！包菜口感爽口，除此之外还有黑木耳、冬粉、豆枝、鱼鳔。
说到鱼鳔，朋友说我们吃的其实不是鱼鳔而是猪皮。唔…各位如果有机会尝一尝的话，能告诉我们到底是什么吗？


Have you heard of this before: “To have a yummillicious plate of Chicken rice, you MUST start with good Chilli first!”. JAF checked out the chilli even though we didn’t order the chicken rice. Here’s our verdict: the chilli is good! It’s spicy and garlicky.
*JAF’s style – Mix the chilli with dark sauce and pour over the chicken rice! Yums!*

听过这样的说法吧：想要吃一盘美味的鸡饭，首先辣椒一定要够辣够劲爆。找食趣虽然没点鸡饭吃，不过对辣椒却是赞不绝口。辣味足，蒜蓉味浓，然后记得再以找食趣最喜爱的方式：和黑酱油混合一起后配饭吃，味道果然非凡。


Instead of going for the chicken rice, JAF opted for the famous Chin Chin’s Hainanese Pork Chop. After taking the first bite, however, we were very disappointed. Compared to the Chap Chye, the pork chop was far from what we had expected. It is just like a plate of deep fried pork fillet garnished with potatoes, green peas, some slices of onion and last but not least, tomato sauce poured over it. Hmmm…will never order this dish again…

两道招牌菜当中，找食趣选择品尝海南猪排。咬下去的第一口…我们后悔了。这盘猪排的味道比我们想像的差太多了。就只是一片炸猪排淋上番茄汁，再加点马铃薯、青豆等配料的普通菜色。下一回是绝对不会再点了。

Address:
19 Purvis Street
Beach Road Conservation Area
Tel: 63374640
Opening hours: 7pm – 9pm daily

The Sun Coffee Planet

February 28, 2011

justaboutfood Cafés 餐室/咖啡座, Our Island ~ 走走吃吃 , , , , , Leave a comment

JAF would always pass by Zion Road Food Centre when on the way to Great World City for a movie. But what really caught our eyes was this cafe “The Sun Coffee Planet”.

有好几次找食趣去世界城看电影时，都会经过锡安路熟食中心。每一次都会注意到这么一间餐室，名称蛮特别的，如果直译的话就是“太阳、咖啡、星球”。


Does it sound like an “Ang Moh” coffee joint to you? So what kind of food could be found here at this cafe? Out of curiosity, we decided to check it out.

一听这名字，感觉好像很洋派，对吧？到底这里是卖些什么食物呢？我们来探个究竟。

First thing we noticed was the opening hours ~ 24hours! The café is a simple “kopitiam” layout. As for the menu, it offers many local dishes at fairly reasonable prices.

这间24小时营业的餐室装潢很简单，其实和普通的咖啡店没什么分别。
菜色方面，都是一些本地美食，价钱合理。


When was the last time you had a cup of Ice Bandung?
Price: $1.50

很久没喝过曼冬冰了？那就来一杯吧($1.50)。


JAF likes this Lemon Mint Soda. Very refreshing and thirst quenching on a hot day!
Price: $2.50

找食趣喜欢这杯柠檬薄荷苏打($2.50)。
清新的味道，果然是大热天最佳的解渴饮料。


Nasi Lemak recommended by the staff.
Price: $4.80
The texture of the rice is cooked just right, not too sticky and you can taste the aroma of the coconut in it. If you like sweet chilli sambal, you will love the chilli here! It is not too spicy and when you mix it with the rice ~ yummy! As for the fried chicken wing, nothing too special.

员工向我们推荐这里的椰浆饭($4.80)。饭粒的口感不错，松软不粘，有着椰奶的香甜。
叁岜酱则带甜味，不会太辣，和饭搅合在一起吃，味道佳！
炸鸡翅膀…普通，找食趣就不介绍了。


Another highly recommended dish is this Penang Prawn Noodle.
Price: $5.30
JAF love this dish! The broth is very thick and very tasty, so good that you can drink it on its own! This dish comes with 3 big prawns and pieces of fish cake. What remained at the end of the meal was a “cleaned up” bowl with not a single drop of soup left in the bowl! Definitely going to order this the next time we come here again!

各位千万不要错过这里的槟城虾面($5.30)。
虾面汤的汤头十分够味，找食趣喝着喝着还差点上瘾了。
料也挺丰富的，有三只大虾和好几片鱼饼。
最后当然是把整碗面汤都吃得一滴也不剩啦。
下次再来的话，一定要再品尝槟城虾面。

Address:
54 Zion Road, Singapore 247779
Tel: 6737 0562
Opening hours: 24 hours

Breakfast/Brunch @ Choupinette

January 18, 2011

justaboutfood Breakfast 早安你好, Cafés 餐室/咖啡座, Our Island ~ 走走吃吃 , , , , Leave a comment

Before JAF starts rattling off, we decide to check out the origin of this entry’s topic ~ Eggs Benedict. Many of us love this dish but how many of us know about the story behind it? After searching online, we found many different versions to the origin of Eggs Benedict so we shall share just 2 of them.
*If you would like to know the other versions, you can look up “Wikipedia”.

找食趣很喜欢班尼迪克蛋这道菜。你们呢？
据说班尼迪克蛋背后的由来有很多不同的说法，大家也许不清楚吧。
在好奇心的驱使下，找食趣上网查了查，在此和大家分享其中两个最为人知的故事。

Here you go…
Version 1:
In 1894, Lemuel Benedict, a Wall Street broker with a hangover wandered into the Waldorf Hotel in New York and ordered “some buttered toast, crisp bacon, two poached eggs, and a hooker of hollandaise sauce”. The Waldorf’s legendary chef, Oscar Tschirky, was so impressed that he put the dish on his breakfast and luncheon menus after substituting Canadian bacon for crisp bacon and a toasted English muffin for toasted bread.

班尼迪克蛋
第一种说法﹕
1894年时，有一位叫拉慕尔班尼迪克的华尔街金融人士在纽约的华道夫饭店用餐。
他那时候饱受宿醉之苦，要了一份“涂了奶油的吐司，煎得脆脆的培根，两个水煮荷包蛋，还有蛋黃酱”。华道夫饭店当时赫赫有名的厨师Oscar Tschirky 很喜欢这道菜，结果把它放在饭店的早餐菜单上。不过他稍做了一些改变：吐司改成英式松糕，培根改成加拿大式的培根。

Version 2:
In the 1860s, a Wall Street banker named LeGrand Benedict and his wife, regular patrons of Manhattan’s Delmonico’s restaurant, complained that they were bored by the menu. The response of Chef Charles Ranhofer was toasted muffins topped with ham, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. This version is further supported by the fact that Charles Ranhofer’s cookbook “The Epicurean” (published in 1894) contains a recipe called Eggs a’ la Benedick (Eufa a’ la Benedick).
So now you get it? :)

第二种说法﹕
时间是1860年左右，地点是美国第一间餐厅Delmonico’s Restaurant。
当时餐厅的常客班尼迪克夫妇看菜单上沒有喜欢的菜，想要吃一些新的东西，所以跟厨师查尔斯蓝赫法商量。厨师当下就做出班尼迪克蛋。
1894 年时查尔斯蓝赫法出了一本叫The Epicurean 的食谱，里面有一道菜就叫做班尼迪克蛋。


JAF had read so much about Choupinette from other food bloggers that we decided to hunt for it. This little cafe can be found along Bukit Timah Road. It’s quite easy to locate. Once you see Coronation Plaza (if you are driving), you turn left to the next lane. Parking can be quite limited around the estates so the other alternative is to park inside Coronation Plaza.
*Fyi, Choupinette stands for “Sweetie Pie” in French.*

找食趣从其他博客中读了不少关于Choupinette的点评，所以决定去探个究竟。
这间小餐厅地点不难找，就位于武吉知马路加冕购物中心的附近。
过了加冕购物中心后，往旁边的小路转进去。
如果驾车的话，要注意附近的停车位有限。另一个方法就是停在加冕购物中心里的停车场了。
*Choupinette 是法文，意思是“甜心派”。


JAF went on a weekend and the cafe was packed! So we would suggest that you make a reservation before you decide to hop by this cafe.
They have freshly baked daily bread *cheese focaccia, family country bread, sour dough and many more*.

找食趣选择在周末的时候到访，是满座的。地方不是很大，因此建议你们先预约。
这里每天都提供新鲜烘制的面包，有蒜香芝士烤面包、乡村面包、酸面包等等。


Spoilt for choices? Hmm….What shall we order?
太多选择，看了眼花缭乱？该点什么好呢？


Caught a glimpse of this cosy corner…
舒适的一隅…


Here comes the main dish of the day! Eggs Benedict with a fresh juice and any hot drink ~ $20+.
主角驾到！班尼迪克蛋配一杯鲜果汁和任何一杯热饮料 ~ $20+。

Verdict: WoOoo..they taste as good as they looked! We love the crispy toast with ham and most importantly, the poached eggs were nicely done! Oh yes! how can we forget the yummillcious hollandaise sauce! *Thumbs up!*

有卖相，好看又好吃！
喜欢那脆脆的吐司配上火腿和做得精致的水煮荷包蛋，还有少不了的蛋黃酱。美味极了！


The English Coq: Scrambled, poached or fried eggs with pork or chicken sausage, mushrooms, a ‘tomato provencale’ and a wholemeal bread roll with a fruit juice and any hot drink. ~ $19+

我们也点了另一份早餐套餐：蛋(炒蛋或荷包蛋)、香肠(猪肉或鸡肉)、蘑菇、番茄、全麦面包。
再配一杯鲜果汁和任何一杯热饮料 ~ $19+。

Verdict: JAF personally felt that this is a NOT “must try” set. Nothing really special, the mushroom is a little dry and the only “plus” point would most probably be the home-made wholemeal bread roll.
Pls do take note that EXTRA butter or jam cost $1.

这不是“非试不可”的套餐。蘑菇有点干，唯一值得一提的是那自制全麦面包，口感还不错。
注意：若要多加牛油或果酱需多付$1。

Address:
607 Bukit Timah Road #01-01
Opening Hours:
Tue – Fri: 9am – 10pm
Sat: 8am – 10pm
Sun: 8am – 6pm

Just Opened ~ Penang Road Cafe @ Novena Ville

December 13, 2010

justaboutfood Cafés 餐室/咖啡座, Our Island ~ 走走吃吃 , , , , Leave a comment


Guess most of us must have heard of or tried Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice at Novena Ville before. Yes, it’s very famous and always crowded.
But no, this entry is not about the chicken rice, it’s about Penang Road Cafe, a newly opened food cafe just 3 units away from Wee Nam Kee.

位于诺维娜教堂对面的威南记鸡饭餐室，大家就算没吃过应该也听过吧？
非常出名，每逢用餐时间，总是座无虚席。
不过，找食趣不写鸡饭，要写的是在同一排，新开张不久的 Penang Road Cafe。

Had a brief chat with the boss, a Malaysian but now a Singapore PR. He and his wife from Penang started this family business just around 1 month ago. His wife works in the kitchen as the dishes on the menu are created from the wife’s hometown recipes.

和腼腆的老板聊了一会儿。他是马来西亚人，如今已是新加坡永久居民。这家小餐室开业一个月了，由他和老婆共同经营。老婆来自槟城，负责掌管厨房，菜单上的菜色都出自她的家乡食谱。


A rather spacious, simple and down-to-earth interior.
感觉不会太拥挤，简单、朴实的装潢。

Maybe because the cafe is still new, there are only around 5-6 choices on the menu, including Char Kway Teow, Penang Hokkien Prawn Mee, Penang Asam Laksa…

We ordered the Char Kway Teow and Penang Hokkien Prawn Mee.

也许是因为刚开张吧，菜单上的选择实在不多，只有差不多5-6道主食，其他都是饮料。主食有熟悉的槟城美食：炒粿條、槟城福建虾面、槟城亚参叻沙等等。

点了炒粿條和槟城福建虾面试试看。


Char Kway Teow…hmm…taste is passable…nothing special.
炒粿條…唔…味道还好，没什么特别。


Penang Hokkien Prawn Mee…the soup-based version.
槟城福建虾面汤。

Mixture of beehoon and mee, with bean sprouts, kangkung, eggs, sliced pork and prawns laid on top, garnished with fried shallots.

材料：米粉、黄面条、豆芽、蕹菜（通心菜）、熟蛋、猪肉片和虾，再加一些炸油葱。


JAF is no real expert on Penang food, but finds the prawn-based stock aromatic and savory enough to give it a more than average score. Since the lady boss is from Penang, surely it must be the real thing? Maybe you guys can try out this new eating place and share your views on the authenticity of the dishes.

找食趣对槟城美食没什么研究，但觉得汤底充满了浓郁的虾鲜味，值得一尝。毕竟老板娘是槟城人，所以煮的应该是正宗的槟城福建虾面吧？想吃槟城美食的朋友或许可以到这里试一试，证实一下是否是真材实料。

Pretty decent food here if you are not looking for too many varieties. Let’s hope the menu will be improved after things get more settled down.

No service charge. But take note that the cafe only accept payment by cash terms.

选择的确不多，但如果只是想吃点简单的，还是可以考虑这里。就不知老板是否有打算在生意上了轨道后，多添加一些其他的菜肴呢？

没有任何的服务附加费。不过这里只收现钱，所以不要带着空空的钱包过去哦。

Address:
Penang Road Cafe
275 Thomson Road
#01-08 Novena Ville
Singapore 307645
Tel: 62563218

Old School Delights

November 26, 2010

justaboutfood Cafés 餐室/咖啡座, Our Island ~ 走走吃吃 , , , , , 1 Comment

Good things are meant to be shared, right?

The Teo family members, who are deeply passionate about food, have been hosting Chinese New Year parties every year for nearly 200 people. Lots of homecooked food such as ngoh hiang, curry, mee siam and laksa etc are prepared, and among these dishes, mee siam (a 20 year old secret recipe passed down from a grandaunt) is the most sought after.

One day, someone suggested the idea of setting up a business. And so, Aaron, from the 3rd generation, decided to take up the challenge. Together with his sister, Olivia, they started Old School Delights (OSD) after almost 1 year of preparation.

故事得从姨婆的食谱秘方说起。

每逢农历新年，热爱美食的张家都会安排聚会派对，并准备许多家常菜肴，如五香、咖哩、米暹、叻沙等等，盛情招待近200位亲友。其中来自姨婆的食谱秘方 – 米暹正是最令人回味无穷的佳肴。

在聚会上吃得尽兴的亲友们就开始提议做点吃的生意。第三代的 Aaron 便接下挑战，和姐姐 Olivia 一起用了将近一年的时间创立了 Old School Delights。


The cafe concept was designed by Aaron the brother. JAF likes the pleasing and unpretentious setting with wooden tables and chairs, and a gigantic chalkboard menu behind the counter.

餐厅以怀旧复古风为主打，设计概念来自 Aaron。找食趣喜欢那干净利落的布置，还有简朴的棕色木桌椅。最引人注目的就是柜台后面的大黑板，上面写了色彩缤纷的菜谱。


JAF is in love with this bright green mosaic feature wall.　
找食趣最喜欢绿色，所以特别钟意这面亮眼的纸皮石（陶瓷马赛克）特色墙壁。


A large blackboard stretching the entire length of one wall allows diners to scribble freely on it.
餐厅的另一大特色就是这一块长方形的大黑板，可以任由顾客用粉笔在上面自由发挥。

You will find yourself irresistibly drawn to the interesting collection of old school games and toys placed near the entrance of the café.
门口摆放了许多七、八十年代童年时的玩意儿，为小小空间的一隅增添了些许趣味和佻皮。


JAF felt so nostalgic when taking the photo of these “old fashioned” biscuits! Brought back memories of JAF munching away on those little biscuits during childhood times.

可爱的彩色小饼干！小时候总是将它们放在掌心中，然后开开心心地把一个个放进嘴里。好怀念这样的情景啊！


Order your meals using a white board and marker.
请在白板上写下你想点的菜。


Here is Olivia at work. If the brother Aaron is the “brains” behind the cafe concept, then Olivia must be the “face” of the cafe. An ex-teacher and social worker, she is warm and friendly, and always ready to strike a conversation with the customers.

这位就是漂亮的Olivia了。之前当过教师和社工的Olivia 时不时会到个别的餐桌和客人轻松聊天，她的亲切友善让人觉得舒服，有宾至如归的感觉。姐弟俩，Aaron 主内，她主外是再适合不过了。


Fish Goli ($5.80) with tartar sauce. Goli = marbles (in hokkien). Get it? Creative!
炸鱼肉”弹球” – Goli (福建话) 不正是以前常玩的弹球游戏吗？连取菜名都搞复古了喔，有创意！


The homemade tartar sauce tastes lovely. JAF thinks it’s the chopped onion bits that contribute much to the refreshing flavour. It certainly goes well with the fish goli.

自制塔塔酱是这里其中一位厨师的独创秘方，特别配“弹球”一起吃的。酱内参有切碎的葱头，非但没有很重的葱头味，反而吃了有种很清爽的感觉。


Hainanese style Chicken cutlet 海南式鸡扒饭 ($7.80).
Craving for meat? You won’t regret the chicken cutlet.
The meat is nicely fried and oh so tender! It is easy to chew without requiring much effort.
JAF loves the fried rice that comes with it as well, because it is not greasy, dry or too salty.

爱吃鸡肉的朋友不要错过这里的鸡扒饭。鸡肉超嫩的，咀嚼时口感顺滑。
炒饭不油、不干、不咸，吃起来非常可口。


This sweet sour cutlet sauce is worth mentioning. It is home-made from tomatoes, HP sauce, fresh onions, garlic…The overall taste is not too strong yet delectable enough and can be eaten on its own. JAF enjoys the sauce a lot.

这个专门配鸡扒肉的酸甜酱也是自制的，找食趣超喜欢它的味道。配方主要加入了蕃茄、HP 酱（俗称棕酱）、葱头、蒜头等等，酸味和甜味很均衡，吃了肯定让你食欲大开。


And finally, we come to the signature OSD mee siam ($4.50) that is definitely different from the rest out there. At first glance…well, there’s bee hoon (rice vermicelli), tau pok (fried tofu puffs), beancurd strips, half a hard-boiled egg, and a tablespoon serving of belachan (spicy shrimp paste)… So what’s the big deal? The magic lies in the secret recipe rempah that forms the mee siam gravy base!

OSD 的镇店之宝招牌菜米暹终于亮相了！
$4.50 的米暹卖相与其他的没什么分别，就是有米粉、豆卜、豆干、半边的蛋，还有一汤匙的辣椒炒虾酱。可是真正的精华就在用来制作米暹汤汁的 rempah!


The rempah, a secret recipe from Olivia’s grandaunt, has to be freshly made and there are MANY ingredients involved. JAF learnt from Olivia that as a result, making the rempah is rather time consuming work, with both father and grandmother helping out at times. The end result is a richly flavoured local delight that intrigues the taste buds. Just sipping the gravy alone is a satisfying experience.

Olivia 的姨婆所配制的 rempah 独特秘方是完全新鲜制作的。由于所需的材料不少，加上功夫繁多，耗时也耗力，因此 Olivia 的父亲和外婆时常都会帮忙整个调制的过程。　　
如此用心用诚意做出来的米暹，汤汁香浓，既香且辣得适中，让找食趣忍不住把汤汁喝到荡然无存！

*Rempah 是一种混合调料，吸收了马来食物中咖喱和酱油的精髓，将湿料（包括葱、柠檬草、大蒜、辣椒和生姜）和干料（如桐实、桂皮、芫荽籽、小茴香、丁香和胡椒子）混在一起，变成糊状配料。

Other dishes in the menu include: lontong, home-style curry chicken, laksa, nasi lemak besar, home-style breaded fish and chips.
这里其他的主菜包括马来美食、咖哩鸡、叻沙、鱼柳薯条。


A coffee or tea with a light-textured Old Grandma’s butter cake would be the perfect way to end this gratifying meal.
最后，叫杯咖啡或茶外加一片牛油蛋糕，快乐似神仙。

The dinner cost $21.70 in total. No MSG, no service charge. Good price, friendly ambience, nice food. What’s not to like?
找食趣这顿晚餐花了$21.70.
没有味精，没有服务附加费。
合理的价钱，亲切的环境，美味的食物，还有什么好挑的呢？

P/S: Olivia is the great great grand-daughter of Singapore Sling creator Ngiam Tong Boon! Wow…

不说不知，原来 Olivia 的高祖父就是发明享誉世界的鸡尾酒 ~ “新加坡司令” ~ 的海南籍华人调酒师严崇文！

Address:
215M Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 574408
Tel: +(65) 6458 4518 / +(65) 8117 9407
Opening Hours:
12 noon to 11pm
(Closed Mondays and Tuesdays)
http://www.oldschooldelights.com/

15 minutes

November 17, 2010

justaboutfood Cafés 餐室/咖啡座, Our Island ~ 走走吃吃 , , 2 Comments


This is Lasalle College Of The Arts. Yes, aren’t you impressed by the building structure? JAF and friends certainly are and think that it must be a shiok feeling to be studying in such a fascinating school environment.

拉萨艺术学院的新建筑有别于普通校园的风格，好有气派，能在如此的环境上课应该有很不同的感觉。


15 Minutes is situated in Lasalle College Of The Arts. The cafe is divided into 2 areas of different levels. The style of the upper level is similar to that of an old school canteen, while the lower level presents a modern look. Guess it’s the furniture that helps to create a more relaxed and casual feel to the lower level. You also have a wide variety of food to choose from: salad, sandwiches, pizzas, pasta and the list goes on and on…

Most importantly, the prices are very affordable! But do take note there are different prices for lunch and dinner, lunchtime prices are cheaper and no service charges.

校园内开了家餐馆，装置偏向朴素的传统校园食堂风格。
餐馆主要分成上层和下层两大部分。上层很明显是学校食堂的设计，下层则摆放了舒适自在的桌椅，相比之下较有现代感。
菜单方面有多种选择：沙律、三文治、比萨、意大利面等等。
也许是因为开在校园里吧，价格非常合理，绝对是学生付得起的价钱。不过要注意，午餐时分的售价会比晚餐时分来得便宜，也没附加服务费。


Long tables and benches at the upper level…Remember those old school days?
长桌子和长凳子，是否勾起了大家对以前学生时代的美好回忆呢？


This is the lower level ~ Let’s chill out…
比较富现代设计的下层很适合轻松的聚会。


There is also a stage where live performances are held on certain evenings (Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays)! Cool right? And if you are lucky enough, you might be able to catch special guest DJs too!
First set starts 7:30pm on Wed.
First set starts 8:30pm on Fri and Sat.

这里还增设了一个小舞台，每逢星期三、五、六能观赏到现场表演。如果幸运的话，可能会碰到由餐馆特别邀请过来的嘉宾DJ骑士喔。
星期三：第一组表演 7.30pm 开始。
星期五、六：第一组表演 8.30pm 开始。


By the way, this place functions like a school canteen during lunchtime, so it’s self service and you have to place your orders at the counter.

午餐时分的运作犹如学校食堂，所以采取的是自助服务的形式，想点菜得到柜台去。


After you have placed an order, you will be given this “UFO” disc. When this “UFO” device lights up and vibrates, it means your food is ready for collection!

你们看，这东西的外形像不像UFO外星人飞碟？顾客点完菜后，都会拿到这个“飞碟”。“飞碟”开始亮灯震动，就表示食物准备好了。


Southern Fried Chicken Wings ~ JAF love the chicken wings! A definitely MUST order! Very crispy and not so oily.

香脆不油腻的炸鸡翅膀是找食趣的首选。


Wasabi Prawn Pizza ~ For those who don’t like wasabi, do not worry because the Wasabi Prawn Pizza does not have a strong wasabi taste. The pizza is made of thin crust, so you will want to order for more food because that’s just not enough!
They have many other choices of pizzas to choose from, each at $7.90 (lunchtime). Pepperoni Pizza, Thai Basil Chicken Pizza, Mixed Mushroom Pizza (V), Asian Duck Pizza and Margherita Pizza (V) etc.
*(V) = Vegetarian*

芥末虾披萨 ~ 没有很强烈的芥末味道，所以不喜欢芥末的朋友别担心。
由于是薄皮披萨，分量不多，一群人还可以多点其他不同的披萨，例如意大利辣香肠、泰式鸡肉以及素食口味如蘑菇、玛格丽特等等。


One of the popular items in the menu is Mushroom Ham in Pink Sauce Linguini.
(JAF changed the pasta to penne instead. If you have any preference for your choice of pasta, feel free to change at the counter.)
The sauce is cooked just right. Not very thick yet very easy to eat. The pasta is cooked just right as well, and easy to chew.

听说这里的蘑菇火腿意大利扁面很受顾客喜爱。
（找食趣将扁面换成了空心面。只要在柜台点菜时，直接注明你想换的意大利面条种类就可以了。）
尝了一口，果然酱汁恰当好处，不会太浓，容易消化。
面条本身爽口弹牙，有嚼劲。


Another MUST order side dish ~ Sotong Balls *$3.00*. Super Q…Super addictive! Trust JAF, you definitely would not stop at one!

这里的苏东丸一定要点。超Q的，吃一个马上上瘾，肯定想要吃多几个呢！


The batter of the Fish and Chips is simply well done and the fish remains crisp for very long, no wonder it’s another popular item.

极受欢迎的炸鱼柳薯条。酥脆的表皮真是无敌好吃，可见用来炸鱼柳的面糊的准备功夫都做足了。


15 Minutes style “Cup” Desserts. 杯中甜品。

15 minutes at night…夜晚时分…

Address:
Blk D #01-01
LASALLE College of the Arts, 1 McCallum Street
Tel: 6333 5915
Opening hours:
1115am-11pm(Monday-Thursday)
11am-12am (Friday)
11am-11pm (Saturday)
http://www.15minutes.com.sg/

Bark Café

November 15, 2010

justaboutfood Cafés 餐室/咖啡座, Our Island ~ 走走吃吃 , , Leave a comment


Everybody likes Bark’s Red Plum soda. Red plum made into thick sauce and mixed with sparkling soda. Very refreshing and thirst quenching!

浓浓的红梅汁和苏打水搅匀混合，就是这杯清爽解渴的饮料了。
听说一直都是到访食客最喜爱点的饮料。


This is one of the popular appetizers here – Bark’s chicken wings. They are deep fried till golden brown in colour. The wings are not very oily but yet very crispy. Must eat them while they are still hot…

Bark Café 特制鸡翅膀是这里最受欢迎的开胃菜之一。
看到炸得金黄色的鸡翅膀，你的心里是不是产生了点“罪恶感”，不希望受到任何的“诱惑”呢？
但只要你一口咬下去，你最终还是会无法抵挡这份“诱惑”的，原本心中还有点丝丝的“罪恶感”马上消失得无影无踪了。嘿嘿。
鸡翅膀皮很脆，而且又不油腻，一定要趁热吃，才好吃。


Fish and Chips is one recommended main course at Bark Café. The portion is actually quite generous, so JAF would suggest that 2 people share 1 portion (if you want to try other dishes as well).
The fish and chips batter is perfect! Squeeze the lemon over the fish and chips, dip it in the tartar sauce and a little ketchup and bite it…WoOoo..*Yummilious!*

想要吃主食的话，找食趣会建议炸鱼柳薯条。虽说是一人分，其实分量还蛮大的。如果还想尝尝别的菜肴，那最好还是找几个人一起共享。
炸鱼柳的做法不难，最重要还是鱼的肉质要新鲜有弹性，不然就算外皮炸得多脆，也是食之无味。
再由淡淡的柠檬清香带出鱼香的鲜味，让人感觉一新。

*Note: for those who prefer local flavours, Bark Cafe also served Crayfish Hor Fun, Sambal Nasi Goreng, Yang Chow Fried Rice…and other dishes too*
*不要以为 Bark Café 只卖西餐，其实这里还能找到不少的本地风味，例如小龙虾炒河粉、马来炒饭、扬州炒饭等等。


A very cosy ambience where you can chill out with your friends for a game of pool after a stressful day at work, or catch live soccer matches on the television during the weekends.
总的来说，这里提供了一个舒适的环境，让你能在下班后和朋友到此抒解压力。不管是打一盘台球也好，还是观看现场直播的足球比赛也好，不怕找不到娱乐。


They have a big car park but most importantly, it’s FREE PARKING at Bark Cafe!
停车场很大，最重要的是停车完全免费！

Address:
1000 Upper Changi Road North, Singapore 507707
(It’s beside Changi Chapel and Museum)
Tel: 6545 4118
Opening hours:
Mon – Fri:11:00am – 12:00am
Sat:11:00am – 1:30am
Sun:11:00am – 12:00am

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