Buko Nero, Tanjong Pagar Road

The first time I ate at Buko Nero (126 Tanjong Pagar Road) was a lifetime ago. Back then, there weren't reservation platforms and we had to call and...accept the fact that the restaurant will only talk to you when they deemed fit to do so. And after you've gotten through the reservation, you'd still have to wait for something like a month before you get your table.

They also used to not allow photography. That seemed to be no longer the case. Maybe at some point along the way, they came to the realisation that the world around them is better postured sell their food better than they could ever.

Mood of the restaurant did not feel like it has changed from the impression that was left in me 19 years back. It has that bit of uppity vibe without actually being uppity. In fairness, I need to state that the server was friendly and earnest. To also get something off the chest, it was a little uncomfortable to say the least, having the proprietors hawk over you from the counter while you were trying to eat/have a conversation.

Don't know if I remembered the amuse bouche correctly. Left was halibut on cucumber with apple and edible cornflower. Tasted like tuna mayo. Right was baccala in a little tart shell - this one's nice. Baccala's totally pureed and creamy.

Bread came in the form of spicy breadsticks and focaccia with sweet peppers. It's $4 if you want another serving.

Not bad tasting burrata with momotaro & strawberry salsa. Kinda expensive.

Tried their homemade tagliolini spicy engawa & basil ragu because...engawa. Didn't taste like much in the tomato sauce and I should have anticipated that but for some reasons, the aburi-ed version kept popping up in my head while making the decision to order it. Didn't taste bad but I thought it costed too much at $36.

This was product picture of their wagyu beef cheek red wine & cherries jus that got me sold into ordering it. I mean...that red wine & cherries jus sounded/looked good right?

Here's where I again, ask if there should be a law against deliberate misrepresentation of product? I feel that there should.

$46 and probably 3 spoonfuls of cheek meat. Not bad tasting but I'm kinda put off by the fact that I paid so much for so little.

Nasi lemak & bee hoon meatless from Oriental Kopi

Oriental Kopi has nasi lemak and bee hoon without meat but it's only for breakfast it seems. With one less distraction, we had a chance to tune in just to the santan infused rice. Which I haven't had a chance to since the first time we ate at their City Square outpost. There's coconut, pandan, cardamom and that light lemon grassy flavour in it. Still don't know what are those green beans for. Definitely more complex than regular nasi lemak.

Chef Lup Roasted (立师父烧腊), Lau Pa Sat

Like moth to a flame, we were drawn to Chef Lup Roasted (Stall #04 Lau Pa Sat, 18 Raffles Quay) by the char siew hanging at the front of the stall. This was char siew rice with additional roast duck breast for $8.50. There was a lot more duck than char siew but that char siew was smokey sweet, beautifully caramelized with burnt ends. Duck's pretty decent with that sweet herbal sauce. I like the greasy chicken rice (油饭) it was served with.

Isle Cafe, Far East Plaza

Cai png at Isle Cafe (#02-66 Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Road). I've seen them so many times and we've finally decided to get some. The basic premise of Isle Cafe is affordable, frills free and decent tasting economy rice. Liked the long beans and curry chicken I picked today. Not a fan of the cornstarch slurried spinach which was kinda bland.

Chop Chop, International Plaza

Came across Chop Chop (#02-67/68 International Plaza, 10 Anson Road, tel : +65 8770 3533) recently. The shop's located close to the escalator in the middle of the building. Food could be considered Thai and the menu offers a curated and straightforward combination of starch and proteins with options for sides.

This was the chicken with turmeric rice. $4.50 for the basic configuration which was just that - chicken and rice. Topping up a few dollars ($7.50 ☝🏼) gets additional two sides and a drink. Got myself some buttery broccoli/cauliflower called California Mix (🤔) and a mushroom egg thingy.

Chicken was thigh meat with a flavouring that tasted like a soy glaze/marinate that was savoury and a little sweet. Rice has turmeric flavouring and little else I could discern. The plate got a lot better once the tub of their nam jim has been drizzled over. Layered an umami hit of garlicky sweet, salty and lime with just a bit of coriander (which I didn't mind) that bumped both the rice and chicken up by a considerable notch. 👍🏼

There's sea bass with jade noodles. Noodles had garlic bits and fish came with a sweet sauce which like kecup manis. That nam jim worked on this too.

Lemon tea's not bad. Didn't taste like the regular variety. Something about the citrus in there that's different.

Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh (豐香肉骨茶 · 炒粥), Food Republic @ Vivocity

The last time I had the fried porridge from Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh was when they were still operating at Beauty World. I've been wanting to come to this stall in Food Republic at VivoCity (#03-01 VivoCity, 1 HarbourFront Walk) for some time but have also been avoiding it because of the crowd. Finally happened by chance. Got a serving with mixed pork innards. The smokey fried porridge was till as good.

Greek Shack stuff from Shake Shack

The current limited time them from Shake Shack is the Greek Shack. It basically involves using things like tzaziki, za'atar and mediterranean-esque ingredients like parsley, fresh onions, cucumber and tomatoes.

It's actually much better than their usual limited time menu items. This one had a layer of crisp freshness layered over their meat and the tanginess from the tzaziki to cut through. 

For some reasons, they were still "making" the tzaziki for the fries when they served so we ended up eating them with the cream from their summer peach shake. Fries + cream = 👍🏼

A summer peach shake that was a little bit more sweet than that we're comfortable with. Didn't taste peachy like what we're used to in peach teas. There's peach folded into it but it mostly tasted of vanilla.

Tzaziki was ready after a while.

Pretty refreshing with the fries. I seem to taste mint in it.

Getting pretty pricey eating at Shake Shack.

SG61 lunch at Wolfgang's Steakhouse

Lunch at Wolfgang's Steakhouse.

Their beef kut teh from last year's SG60 has made it into their lunch menu item called Taste Of Singapore.

The SG61 special is/was their 60 day dry aged USDA Prime bone in ribeye. Nice and funky, not particularly juicy. Came with the mashed potato/creamed spinach/NY style cheesecake.

Uncle Louis Famous Chicken Rice, Amoy Street Food Centre

Came across Uncle Louis Famous Chicken Rice (#01-02 Amoy Street Food Centre, 7 Maxwell Road) which has taken over the previous chicken rice stall right next to the char kuey teow stall at Amoy Street Food Centre. I remember seeing another branch at Maxwell Food Centre and I was told that there's another at Market Street Hawker Centre.

This was poached chicken thigh (白鸡尾) for two with a couple of eggs and liver. Not bad tasting. Sauce was slightly sweet and full of sesame oil. Meat was tender but not so easily slurped off the bone.

This was probably not the best picture to show that there's a thin layer of chicken jelly neath the skin of their chilled chicken.

Rice was pretty good with and without their garlicky/gingery chilli sauce which packed more heat than I anticipated. I'd take this over Tian Tian.

Labrador Malay Food, Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre

 

I'm pretty sure I've been to Labrador Villa Food Centre at least a couple of times before they were demolished back in 08. Might have noticed Labrador Malay Food from back then but I don't recall. They've presumably moved to their current spot (#01-105 Telok Blangah Crescent Market & Food Centre, 11 Telok Blangah Crescent) from that point and have been here since.

Got a plate of nasi padang - from top right and clockwise, tapioca leaves in masak lemak, sambal hard boiled, paru goreng and a bunch of...shellfish. I'm pretty sure some looked like cockles. Then there were some that tasted like clams and some others, mussels. Anyways, they were all cooked in sambal with petai. Not much petai in there though. All pretty good tasting. 

Wanton Kolo Mee by Jin's Noodle, Amoy Street Food Centre

Have been wanting to try Jin's Noodle (#02-110 Amoy Street Food Centre, 7 Maxwell Road) for a while. Seems like they've rebranded with a new signboard. This was their $6.50 bowl. Not exactly impressed by those noodles. Texture wasn't as springy as I was hoping for and the saucing became one dimensional after a while. Those noodles really benefitted from their sambal and pickled green chilli. Wantons were aromatic with ti poh and pretty meaty - nice. The soup on the side even had a bit of that dried sole flavour.

J & J Foodhub, Toa Payoh Central

J & J Foodhub is located in Epic Haus (#01-170, 177 Toa Payoh Central) - the same coffeeshop that Tai Wah Pork Noodle is in.

Was intrigued by their ilocos empanada. - a pastry stuffed with minced pork, grated papaya and egg. Hmm...this didn't look like the fried orange pastry images I saw online. This was red and didn't look fried.

The fillings were okay. The part that bugged me was the bland pastry which was really hard around the edges. What I really liked from this stall was their laing - smokey, fishy (plenty of dried anchovies inside) and packed with heat in coconut milk. The flavour reminded me of otah. Note to self: laing only available on weekends.

Kreta Lembu, People's Park Centre

Kreta Lembu (#03-48 People's Park Centre, 101B Upper Cross Street) was one of those eateries which we've walked past numerous times and wondered if they were good. They're located just beside the bridge that links People's Park Centre to Chinatown Point.

Got a nasi minyak today with gulai lemak pucuk ubi (curried tapioca/cassava leaves), sambal telur and a dish of cubed paru with shrimps - a combination which I've never encountered before in a creamy sweet and slightly spicy gravy. Nice. Love the tender tapioca leaves in the lemak gravy and the buttery rice with raisins and sliced almonds.