Hung Kang Restaurant (Teochew)

Hung Kang Teochew Restaurant (North Canal Rd)

I decided to check this place out because it was Teochew and had a $39.80+ (7% GST) set for each pax. Basically, with a party of 4, we were able to choose a type of shark's fin soup, steamed soup, and 3 other dishes.

Shark's Fin Soup with Conpoy

 Shark's Fin Soup with Conpoy
Average shark's fin soup with not a lot of the fin. However, the thick soup is tasty enough to make this dish acceptable. No wow factor though. This was supposed to come with conpoy but I saw no trace of it.

Rating: 7/10

Clear shark's fin soup with chicken

Clear Shark's Fin Soup with Chicken
Much of this soup was filled with chicken and once again the amount of actual fin given was low. This is basically a more soupy/clearer version of the one above. Both of the soups are average, and the choice should probably be made purely on individual preferences. However, this soup actually came with conpoy unlike the one above. Makes you wonder whether the restaurant actually checked when they named the dish.

Rating: 7/10

Pork Tendon (left) Goose Meat (right)

Pork Tendon

Though this was supposed to be pork tendon with brocolli, it tasted more like fish maw. An average dish.

Rating: 7/10

Goose Meat

Closer shot of the goose meat

This dish is supposedly a Teochew specialty and was recommended by the waitress. However, the dish turned out mediocre as the goose just tasted like a very dry and tough duck. Even as a meat-lover, I only ate 2 slices.

     

    Rating: 6/10

Steamed Pomfret 

Steamed Pomfret (Teochew Style)
Probably the bulk of the set (in types of value), this pomfret is steamed with the subtle seasonings (or bland to some people) of Teochew style cooking.

Despite having 4 pax ordering the set, we were only given half of the fish, which I felt was a bit of a scam. The fish itself is decent although it lacks real flavour or that wow factor. However, if you are a fish-lover, you will still be able to appreciate this dish as the flesh was still tender, and the bland sauce complements the natural taste of the pomfret.

Rating: 8/10 (Mainly because of the freshness of the fish)

Ling Zhi Mushroom with some green veg
A decent dish if you are fond of mushrooms. I'm not particularly fond of mushrooms but this dish is not bad.


Rating: 7.5/10

Honorable Mention of Oni Dessert (no pictures)

The oni dessert which wasn't included in the set was $6, in a relatively small bowl. However, it was probably better than the meal save for the pomfret and shark's fin soup. The oni (Bin Nuts Pumpkin Yam) had the thick texture that is typical of the dish and the taste of the yam was preserved. Only downside was that it was overly sweet.

Rating: 8/10

Overall, Hung Kang was a letdown of a meal, as the price of the set was steep and was certainly not justified by the quality. Also, the information given about the set was extremely misleading as it said it included complimentary T & T. (My party assumed it meant Tea & Tidbits). However, that there was complimentary tea but the cups were extremely small, probably able to hold only a tablespoon of tea. Seems like the restaurant is out to trick people.

The charge for the chinese tea and towels came up to $8.80 for 4 pax, which was not properly represented in the brochure contained the set details.

Overall, the bill came up to a high $186.20 for a very disappointing meal. A one-timer for sure.

Overall rating: 5.5/10

Miam Miam Review

Miam Miam (WestGate)

Miam Miam is a French/Japanese Restaurant with a greater emphasis on the French aspect (due to the food choices and decor of the physical place). The menu has sandwiches (only on weekdays), pancakes pasta, baked rice, savoury and sweet souffles, amongst other desserts and drinks. With my party of 4, we ordered:
1) Souffle au curry ($15.50)
2) Souffle de nuage ($15.50)
3) Valrhona chocolate souffle ($13.80)
4) Miam Miam Spaghetti ($15.80)

Miam Miam Spaghetti
This was recommended by the waitress and is quite a tasty dish. There was a soft-boiled egg (not in the pic) on the top before we mixed it with the noodles. Portion is decent, and reasonable size for 2 people to share. A good choice especially if you are not too fond of creamier sauces.

Rating: 8/10

Valrhona Chocolate Souffle
Basically a chocolate souffle, but wow, even for a guy who doesn't have a sweet tooth, this is good. Reminiscent of a lava cake, this souffle looks good and tastes good. The outside has a fluffy texture but the rich and warm chocolate contained inside is the best part. It melts in your mouth with a chocolatey explosion. A must-have.

Rating: 9/10

Souffle Au Curry & Souffle De Nuage
 The savoury souffles are basically baked rice with the "lift" or the fluffy texture on the top. The curry souffle was disappointing, with a broccoli and sausages hidden inside. Didn't really taste like curry.

Other souffle was average, if you're here for souffles, opt for the sweet ones.

Rating: 6.5/10

Hot Coffee ($5.20)

Grossly overpriced for the dinky cup that they gave. Not worthwhile at all. I was expecting it to come as the dripping version.

If you're eating a full meal, get the ice water (50 cents per person and they give you a bottle of water which they refill for you)

Overall, the pasta and the sweet souffles are probably the best Miam Miam has to offer. Probably not a place I would go for a full meal, but seems quite okay for a casual meetup/tea.

Mykonos on the Bay (Sentosa Cove) Review

Mykonos on the Bay

Located at Sentosa Cove, Mykonos on the Bay is a Greek restaurant that recently opened in December of 2013. The restaurant is located along a stretch of other Western restaurants facing the water and the inhabitant yachts. The view is great, adding to the holiday/resort feeling which is refreshing especially when coming from a hectic city-life.

However, transport here is a problem. The entry fee to Sentosa Cove is $5 (weekdays) & $7 (weekends) and there is also a parking fee (was $3.50 for about 2 hours).

The restaurant itself offers both sheltered and open-air seats, though there is no air-con. The outside tables are quite exposed to the sun (and many patrons asked to moved inside).

Note: Don't believe the opening hours on the website (it says 11 am and I got a confirmation email from Mykonos but when I went there on the dot, the staff said they were not officially open as the chef normally comes in at 12 pm, so only drinks were available). The whole reservation was a mess but fortunately, the bartender saved the day by offering us complimentary drinks.

On to the actual meal itself,  my party of 4 ordered the:

1) Mykonos all time famous Dip Platter - $27 

2) Mixed grilled platter (seafood) for 2 - $89 

3) Mixed grilled platter (meat) for 2 - $89

Mykonos all time famous Dip Platter

Mykonos all time famous Dip Platter

The platter came with 3 types of  dip: fava bean, eggplant, Taramosalata spreads. The amount of pita bread given was too little (only 9 cut pieces, as seen in the pic)

Fava - a bit dry and bland

Eggplant - awkward combination of being sweet and cold 

Taramosalata - the best of the 3, a savoury and creamy dip. Has a rather strong fish taste so may be a bit too much for non-fish lovers (I love fish so I loved it. 

Rating: 7/10 (a good appetiser but slightly overpriced, more pita bread could have been given)

Mixed grilled platter (meat)

 Mixed grilled platter (meat)
Comprised of homemade lamb sausage, lamb chop, beef fillet and fries.

If you are a meat-lover (specifically lamb and beef lovers), this is the platter for you. The beef and lamb were the best parts: succulent and flavourful. The lamb sausage was average at best (I initially thought it was beef). The fries were limp and lacklustre: I wonder why it tasted not fresh.

Rating: 7.5/10 (Saved by the beef and lamb)

Mixed grilled platter (seafood)

Mixed grilled platter (seafood) comes with the Beetroot & Potato Salad

Beetroot and potato salad

Came with mussels, prawns, octopus, calamari and the catch of the day. Catch of the day was quite big, and well-fried. However, it was overly salty but the sprinkling the lemon helped. The prawns and mussels were average but the octopus and calamari was outstanding. The octopus was very well done, and did not have the rubbery texture. The calamari was even better, very tender and a party in the mouth.

The beetroot & potato salad was not to my liking but others in my party felt it was quite refreshing after all the meat. (We had no other vegetables)


Rating: 8.5/10 (It's better than the meat platter)




Overall, my party of 4 ordered a platter too many and should have opted for a smaller dish. The portions of the platter are quite generous even for a hard-core meat eater like me. We didn't finish the lamb sausage. Mykonos on the Bay is on the higher-end and the final bill came up to $241, excluding the $10 plus dollars for the entry and parking fee. A decent place but if you are interested in Greek food, you should first check out the more authentic (subjective) Blu Kouzina restaurant at Bukit Timah (more quaint and run by Greeks). The owner interacts frequently with customers giving the place a more cosy feeling.

But overall rating for Mykonos on the Bay: 7.5/10 (Large portions for the platter, tasty food, but pricey and inconvenient to reach)

Dancing Crab Restaurant Review

Dancing Crab Restaurant (The Grand Stand, formerly known as Turf Club)

Dancing Crab is a Cajun seafood American restaurant, owned by the Tung Lok group. It's a restaurant where you should not be afraid of getting your hands dirty. (it will get really messy so avoid having business dinners or first dates here). The seating area is huge but if you eat dinner around 6, it's best to have a reservation (just in case). Most people would order one of the 3 seafood combos, and I went with the $80 combo one. Altogether with a party of 4, we ordered:

1) Combo 1 

2) Basket of Spicy Cajun Fries

3) 3 x Lemonade (3 different types) 

4) Calamari Rings

5) Cornbread

Calamari Rings & 3 different types of lemonade

Calamari Rings ($9)

A nice starter that came with about 7-8 rings. Freshly fried and quality was there, good to eat if you don't like the messiness of crab. 

Rating: 8/10

Lemonade ($4 each)

Basically lemonade, with different varying levels of sugar and the differences in ingredients (and hence subtle taste differences).

The drink is a decent size, I wouldn't recommend the pink thyme one as it's bit too bitter. (could be the lower sugar content)

Rating: 7.5/10 (normal water is complimentary and self-served)

Spicy Cajun Fries

Spicy Cajun Fries ($7)

Mmm, if you love Popeyes' fries (the fresh ones), this is a must-have starter. Dancing Crab's fries lacks the oomph of Popeyes' as it is less oily than the Popeyes' ones but not to worry, the spicy seasoning makes up for this. I suggest getting this if you eating moderately (in terms of portions) to fill your stomach.

Rating: 9/10

CornBread

 Cornbread ($5)
Another starter that complements your seafood. Save some to dip into the sauce of your combo. Depending on how many people are eating and whether you like sweet food, I wouldn't call this a must-have. (although I don't really like sweet stuff in general). This starter is to help you feel full at the end of the meal.

Combo 1

Rating: 7/10 (average score for me since I don't have a sweet tooth)

Combo 1 ($80)

Ah, the dish you are probably most interested in. This combo consists of a crab, 250g mussels, 300g prawns, sausages, corn, diced potato in the bowl. It was enough for 2 males and 2 females, but thanks to the help of the fries and cornbread.

You can pick 3 types of sauces: Dancing Crab's Signature sauce (mild, spicy, extra spicy, but altogether similar to chilli crab), Herb Butter, and one other type.

I went for the Mild Dancing Crab signature sauce which tastes like a less heavy version of the local Chilli Crab. This was a good thing as the sauce did not overpower the fresh crab meat but complements the dry nature of the meat. Though the sauce was mild, it was still relatively spicy so watch out if you have the tendency of getting sore throats. (cajun sauces typically have spices that are not too kind to throats) The sausages were lacklustre but the prawns and mussels were fresh and almost as good as the crab. Only downside was that several of the mussels were closed completely.

Rating: 8.5/10 (not filling by itself, but that's expected of seafood)

Note: Other than the starter which come mainly  in baskets or a bowl (the combo), no plates are provided so you are eating on a plastic-bag covered table.  So if you are going for a more formal occasion, don't choose Dancing Crab for it.

The food was good but the friendly Dancing Crab service (American fun-loving nature) made the overall experience enjoyable. If you're looking for a fun meal with Western crab, this is the place for you.

Menya Musashi, Table at Pips, Poison Ivy Review

Menya Musashi (WestGate Branch)

I decided to try this Japanese ramen restaurant after reading about in SAFRA's magazine.

I ordered the White Cha Shu ramen (above) for $12.90. The ramen came 2 pieces of Cha Shu, an egg and a mixture of vegetables. The soup was flavourful but slightly too salty (and I'm relatively used to saltier food). Noodles were okay, but more to the firm side. Overall, just another average ramen shop given its not exactly value-for-price and taste.

Rating: 7/10

Table at Pips (Lorong Kilat)

Table at Pips is a quaint Western restaurant tucked behind in a small street just behind Toh Yi Rd, where it's surrounded by a couple of Korean restaurants (WooriNara and Kim's). I went on a normal Sunday morning with a party of 3 others right at opening hour (11am).

I didn't think a reservation was necessary as I was quite certain we would be the first customers for the day and hence face no seating capacity issues. The waiter initially wanted us to sit at a table right next to the door as we had no reservation despite the fact that there were no other patrons around. It seems like many restaurants in Singapore value people who make reservations too highly as they automatically give better seats to such people. Restaurants should just stick to the stand that if a potential customer makes a reservation, they are guaranteed to have a table but not get a definite area in the restaurant. Even if the patron wants to ensure a better table, a certain portion of the better tables should be allocated for walk-in customers (instead of letting people with reservations get all the best seats. Restaurants should realise that walk-in-customers (like me) are birds in hand, unlike the people who make reservations but may not even turn up. It's like treating walk-in-customers as second-rate citizens and early birds not getting their worm.

Anyway, another gripe I had was that the restaurant was clearly undermanned. There was only one waiter for the 1st hour (before another came), making the service slow. Other than this and the initial seating, the experience was quite pleasant. My party ordered:

1) Grilled Sirloin Steak  ($18.90)
2) Duck Leg Confit  ($14.90)
3) Fish and Chips ($7.90) (not pictured)
4) M&B Chicken Rollard ($9.90)

Sirloin steak

The steak was reasonable for its price but the sides were very little. Meat was tender and flavour was there, although nothing outstanding.

Rating: 7.5/10

Duck Leg Confit

Next up was the duck leg confit. It doesn't do the French dish much justice and just felt like another duck dish. Portion was on the small side.

Rating: 7/10

M&B Chicken Rollard

Possibly one of the lousier chicken dishes I've tasted. Worse still was the extremely small portion (pretty much was 3 cubes of chicken sausage) Not worth the price at all. Taste is awkward. 

Rating: 4.5/10

Fish and Chips (not pictured): Surprisingly big portions for the price of $7.90 (almost opposite of the chicken rollard's portion). Fries were good but fish was mediocre. (the batter was fine, just the quality of the fish was lacking.

Rating: 8/10 (Low price make it good value)

Overall: Table at Pips is a nice small Western place with decent food and prices (save for the chicken rollard). You'll probably go patronise this restaurant to have a quieter and casual meetup with friends and family. 

Overall rating: 7/10

Poison Ivy Restaurant (at Bollywood Veggies)

Located at Bollywood Veggies, a vegetable farm in Lim Chu Kang, Poison Ivy is a unique restaurant that promotes healthier living through it's organic ingredients. The place is quite remote, and you certainly will need a car to get there. Even if you take a taxi there, good luck finding your own way back. Anyway, Bollywood Veggies is a great place to escape the hectic city-living as it has a relatively large vegetation "theme park" filled with good humour and fun. The charm of Poison Ivy is that it's a refreshing experience to take a morning walk around the farm before eating at the restaurant. Although I went for the food first before taking that walk, I understand the appeal.

Warrior's Platter!

Anyway, I ordered the Warrior's Platter ($40) along with a plate of organic spinach at $8 (choice of 2 other organic vegetables). The organic spinach was lightly seasoned and quite refreshing. Portion was small but given that it's organic and $8, fair enough. I ordered the fig tea and aloe vera. I don't remember the price but a good complement with the platter





The main highlight was the Warrior's Platter which basically comprised of about 7 small dishes. (The mix varies slightly each day). The menu says it's meant for 4 people but if you have 4 grown-men eating it, you may want to order more. Anyway, I didn't note down the exact dishes but there was an assortment of curries (about 2), fried vegetables (similar to tempura), chicken wings, and some sliced steamed fish (cooked with mushrooms and what not). It had a nice mixture of spicy, fried, and non-spicy food. The platter was enough for my party of 4 (2 male and 2 female adults).

Rating: 8/10 

The food was unique but what really made Poison Ivy stand out was the atmosphere of the place. Everything is light-hearted, the staff are friendly (and cordially referred to as Warriors). Everything felt fresh even the method of warding off insects was interesting: the Warriors had sprinkled chopped up pandan leaves on the floor to ward off insects. Basically, eating at Poison Ivy also means visiting the Bollywood Veggies vegetable farm (which is feels like a holiday attraction). It's a nice place for a family outing or a getaway from hectic lives.

Overall experience: 8.5/10