Revisiting Man Man Japanese Unagi Restaurant

So, we managed to get a reservation for a weeknight dinner at Man Man. On hindsight, it wasn't the best of idea to be seated at the counter. It was a little smoky and we left smelling of the greasy charcoal grill.

I wanted to try their hitsumabushi because I've only had it once before years back at the defunct Wakashachiya. Man Man's bowl was smaller and no surprise here, tasted much better because of the quality of the unagi.

We ordered a side of their kimoyaki because I liked the liver from the first visit. Sweet charred eel livers.

Because the hitsumabushi didn't feel like it was enough food, we added on their shirayaki - unagi grilled without the sauce. Also coincidentally something that I've only had once before years back in the also defunct Sushi Yoshida. There was nothing but salt on the eel so the little flavours that they had came through. I liked this.

Ha Ha Big Prawn Noodle, Beo Crescent Food Centre

The reason why we came up to this shop (#01-81 Beo Crescent  Market and Food Centre, 38A Beo Crescent) was because we noticed that there had been some queue every time we passed by. That's aside from the fact that it also has a lol name. Lol! Anyways, here's a bowl of their dry big prawn noodles with pork ribs with additional sui gao/shui jiao. The latter is shrimp and pork dumping for those of you who don't recognize Cantonese/Mandarin. My opinion is that their bowl of prawn noodles was decent but not impressive enough that it would make me think of re-visiting anytime soon. Besides, their large prawns (which aren't that large) were not de-veined and I get grossed out sometimes seeing the black digestive tracks containing stuff that I would not rather think about.

Now Noodles +, Square 2

I guess the main reason why we headed down to Now Noodles + (#02-65 Square 2, 10 Sinaran Drive, tel : +65 6251 0177) was for their century egg mee tai mak. Mee tai mak is also known as lao shu fen in Mandarin or lou shi fun in Cantonese which translates to rat noodles or more accurately rat's tails noodles. Because they look somewhat like rat's tails. I grew up knowing them as bee chai bak. The convolutions of dialects but things are as such.

Anyways, it was ok. I've heard it being compared to the X.O. rendition that was previously served at The Canteen by Les Amis but I personally think this has got nothing on that. It's unusual for sure, didn't taste too bad but needs to cost less to convince me to come back. I think that's something missing from this bowl of rat's tail noodles. It needs a bit more salt perhaps and the flavours feel like a heap of good intention with no soul.

The nameless noodle stall at 40 Beo Crescent

This noodle stall was from the same coffee shop (40 Beo Crescent) as the Beo Crescent nameless Hainanese curry rice. Old school with chewy mee pok tossed in a prickly chilli sauce.

The sui gao are minced pork and prawn dumplings wrapped in their skin. No wood ear fungus, water chestnuts nor mushrooms.

Tasty in an old school way because many stalls did them that way back in the day.

The nameless noodle stall also sold chicken claw noodles. Flavourful and tender slurp off the bone chicken claw where the taste strangely reminded me of wet pork floss. Pretty competent, made delicious breakfast.

A couple of interesting milks from Mustafa

You read that right. It does say 'Camelicious' and it is indeed camel milk. How did it taste? It is more similar to goat milk than cow's. There was a certain "meaty" flavour but nothing that was off putting. It was actually pretty refreshing chilled from the fridge. We bought this natural flavoured one because we had wanted to taste how it was going to be like before attempting the saffron and date flavours which the supermarket also had. That'll be the next time.

The other thing which I've been getting from Mustafa is cardamom milk. It's cardamom flavoured evaporated milk for use with our caffeine fuelled beverages. Actually helped me through a mistake purchase of the Nescafe Original freeze dried coffee when I was supposed to be getting the Classic instead. The Original is pretty lousy stuff so having that cardamom flavour kinda made up for it.

Man Man, Keong Saik Road

Hear ye. The Teppei Group have advanced themselves and set up a new Japanese unagi shop Man Man (#01-01, 1 Keong Saik Road, tel : +65 6222 0678). By Japanese unagi, we're specifically referring to eels that are sourced from Japan (from what I've read, a "respected unagi farm in Aichi prefecture") rather than China or wherever else they're sourced from. Imported live into tanks, freshly slaughtered and charcoal grilled. Making Man Man the second Japanese unagi shop here after the pricey Chikuyotei. 

How was it? Pretty impressive I must admit. The unagi had a nice caramelized surface with a healthy char from the grilling with meat that was fall apart tender. That's the kimo don which included a portion of the eel liver. There's even a little root of wasabi on the side for you to grate. Considering that the seating spaces are a little small and the tables just that little shaky, it required some finesse to do the grating. But I'm not complaining. Looking forward to returning assuming that the inevitable queues that will find their way there doesn't kill it for me.