Cliff(y) Goes Dining

Heart-warming 'putu piring' to cap the volatile year! Can you believe that 2021 is going to be over soon? Happy New Year in advance to everyone, and let's hope that 2022 will be kinder to all of us. I don't usually make new year resolutions, but perhaps I can write a bit more on hawker centre stalls, starting with the well-known Haig Road Putu Piring that's been around since 1985.

Motto: "Love Self, Love Earth" A modern dining concept focusing on creative interpretation of vegetarian cuisine, Elemen promotes a more harmonious and sustainable environment through its wholesome dishes. It offers value-for-money multi-course meals, with each item being meticulously prepared using natural, meatless ingredients.

No 'pad thai' and pineapple fried rice: no problem! Pranakorn, while the spelling may vary, is an old name for the capital city of Thailand: Bangkok. The head chef, of what considered to be a little gem in Changi Village by many, hailed from Chonburi that's approximately 80 km from Bangkok. There's quite an array of dishes served there, but forget about finding the two aforementioned quintessential Thai dishes on the menu.

Tasty 'chee cheong fun' worth queueing up for! Chee cheong fun  is a Cantonese dish of steamed rice noodle rolls originating from Guangdong Province in southern China and Hong Kong. I love them doused in soy sauce and sesame oil. Pin Wei Hong Kong Style Chee Cheong Fun at Pek Kio Market & Food Centre has been dishing out lovely ones for more than 10 years.

Free-flow soft-boiled eggs, anyone? From Phase 2 (Heightened Alert), we shall move on to look back (that sounds funny, I know) at Phase 3 (Heightened Alert) when dine-in was allowed once again. How happy I was to be able to have a la carte buffet breakfast again during my staycation at M Social Singapore (4*), which is located at Robertson Quay.

Hopefully the last hotel breakfast that I had to consume inside the room! I'm bringing you another breakfast-in-room post today. Besides The Fullerton Hotel Singapore (5*), I also had a 2D1N staycation at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering (5*) during Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) when dine-in was prohibited. In addition to breakfast, the room rate that I paid for included two glasses of cocktails.

Mango mania in May! Still on the 2D1N staycation that I had at the iconic The Fullerton Hotel Singapore (5*), I had to make use of the S$80.00 dining credit that was included in the amazing room rate that I scored. However, since dine-in was prohibited during Phase 2 (Heightened Alert), I had no choice but to do in-room dining. Have a look at the two items I ordered during my stay.

Forced to eat breakfast on bed... Hi, everyone! Hope all of you're staying safe. Now that the year is somewhat winding down for me, I shall slowly get back to blogging. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to have a 2D1N staycation at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore (5*). However, it happened during Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) before Singapore began to move into the COVID-19 endemic mode, so I had to consume the breakfast inside the room as dine-in was prohibited.

Do you love White Rabbit candy? I do! Hello, folks! I hope all of you're doing fine and staying safe. Together with Pikachu and Melon, I'm back for a short while today to share with everyone the snowskin mooncakes from Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel as we herald this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, which is going to fall on 21 September.

Hello Beerenberg, but passable breakfast... In February this year, besides having a staycation at YOTEL Singapore (4*), I also went for one at Hotel Boss (4*) that boasts more than 1,000 guest rooms. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, self-service buffet breakfast was served at the hotel, which unfortunately has since been replaced by not a la carte buffet, but a breakfast set per guest. 

Didn't expect the salad to be so fresh! As overseas travel is still very much restricted, I continue to entertain myself by going for staycations here in Singapore. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to stay at YOTEL Singapore (4*) at Orchard Road for one night during the Chinese New Year period. Breakfast set is offered for each guest staying at the contemporary hotel.

"A bento meal. A music tune. A piece of memories." UPDATE (01/12/2023):  The eatery has closed down. A rather quirky café that's located across the street from Amoy Street Food Centre, Taiker Song is a portmanteau of Taiwan, Rocker and Song. I suppose music must be an important part of the café experience, but that's something that I didn't get as I had to do takeaway due to the no dine-in rule.

Do you fancy deep-fried ice cream? Nestled inside one of the conserved pre-war shophouses near the flagship national library of Singapore, Yummo Chow is a cosy little restaurant that you may want to go to if you feel like having deep-fried ice cream. It may not have too obvious a sign from the outside, so it's easier to look for Hotel NuVe Heritage that houses it.

Thai Pan's butter squid for the last time! I hardly write about the same restaurant twice, but here's a tribute to Thai Pan Restaurant that I've known since my secondary school days. Though not entirely shocking given the current COVID-19 pandemic, I'm certainly saddened by the news that they'll only be around till 30 June 2021 after a good 18 years of operation.

Ever had turkey breast with 'buah keluak'? Sharing the same building with Hotel Clover in the Kampong Glam area, Brine is a small, cosy restaurant with an open kitchen concept. I reckon a number of dishes served at the restaurant, which celebrates contemporary cuisine, involve brining - a process of submerging food into a solution of salt.

Fancy a blue whale? I can count with the fingers on one hand the number of times I get a drink from a specialty drink store in a year or perhaps more. Therefore, today's post is something rather rare. Originating from Nanjing, The Whale Tea is one of the largest beverage and dessert stores in China, offering something different than the usual bubble tea.

I prefer their flaky salmon to the meatballs! When people mention about IKEA, I bet these are among the first two things that come to mind: furniture and Swedish meatballs. IKEA first opened its doors in Singapore along Alexandra Road in 1978. Truth be told, the first time I tried their famed meatballs wasn't actually at home, but during one my trips to HK. 

Have you tried mayonnaise infused with passion fruit before? The Coastal Settlement is a lovely restaurant decorated with all things of the past, from antique memorabilia to vintage vehicles. Tucked away in the quieter side of Netheravon Road, which isn't too far from the abandoned Changi Hospital, the building was previously used by the Royal Air Force for fault control during the British occupation.

Life-changing salt and pepper calamari! Dallas in Texas, the USA always brings back memories to me, so much so that I purposely went to the restaurant that goes by the name of the city when it was still operating at Suntec City. I've been pretty much hooked since then. At the point of writing, there's a branch at Boat Quay, which is the focus of today's post, and another one at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands.

Virgin experience with Vietnamese coconut coffee! Tonkin Vietnamese Noodle and Coffee is a humble eatery housed inside KINEX Mall (previously known as OneKM Mall) located not far from Paya Lebar MRT station. For the uninitiated, the name Tonkin was used from 1883 to 1945 for the northern region of present-day Vietnam that was under the control of France.

'Nasi kuning' always makes me happy! How many of you're fans of Indonesian cuisine? Today, we shall look at Pondok Jawa Timur that used to be located near Sultan Mosque in the historic Kampong Glam precinct, but it's now housed inside Far East Plaza at Orchard. As the name suggests, the restaurant specialises in dishes from East Java.

Super addictive fried shallots with chili! It all began with my NUS Chemistry senior's dream of becoming a hawkerpreneur, a scientific one, obviously. Before leaving for Stanford University in California, the USA to do his PhD, Roy Chan came up with RedRing Wanton Mee, which I've actually never reviewed here. RedRing Teriyaki Grill is a spin-off from that with a stall located near home at Chinatown Point.

Pretending to be in Japan with all the ready meals~ Don Quijote is a popular discount store chain in Japan. In Singapore, it's called Don Don Donki as the former is the name of a restaurant serving Spanish cuisine near Beauty World MRT station. Let's take a look at some of the savoury ready meals offered by the store housed inside The Central at Clarke Quay, which is the nearest from my house.

How good was the creation of the world's first Michelin-starred ramen chef?  UPDATE (16/05/2021):  The restaurant has closed down. There was a time when Chabuton was listed on The Straits Times, Singapore's flagship English newspaper, as one of the top three ramen places in our sunny little island. There used to be a branch at 313@Somerset, but it seems like Millenia Walk is the only place where you can find Chabuton in Singapore. Have you tried the original one in Japan?

"No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for duck." Managed by the TungLok Group, Duckland is a chain of restaurants that specialises in, no prize for guessing, duck dishes. The Irish ducks are imported from Silver Hill Duck, a premium duck producer located in the lush green hills of Emyvale in Ireland. My friend and I really enjoyed the dinner with impeccable service at the PLQ Mall branch.

Lovely thick wantan noodle, though a tad oily! Residents of Singapore, particularly those living in the east, would probably have heard about the rivalry between ENG's Wantan Noodle and ENG's Char Siew Wantan Mee, both of which are located along Tanjong Katong Road. The former was the original shop opened by the late Mr Ng Ba Eng in 2012 after relocating from Dunman Food Centre.

Spend your recess time at this eatery! How many of you miss the flag erasers we used to collect during our primary school days? Be transported to the past with Old School Delights. At first, I was a tad skeptical about the humble restaurant housed inside Esplanade Mall, but certainly it was pretty much unfounded. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised the moment I tried some of the dishes offered.

Truly fresh and flavourful steamed sea bass! One fine evening, not having a specific restaurant in mind while walking about at Singapore's largest shoping mall, i.e. VivoCity, I decided to walk into Thai Accent. It was only until I was seated that I checked the reviews given to the Thai restaurant online, which appear to be pretty much promising. 

Have you had black 'sushi' rice before? I've reviewed a few eateries managed by the Creative Eateries group. Here's another one, which I think is the best compared to other brands thus far. Located on the fifth floor of Bugis+, Flaming Don specialises in Japanese rice bowls. In addition, it also whips up a number of ramen and salad bowls, along with side dishes.

Award-winning beef pastrami in 2018! I love restaurants that offer all-day breakfast menu. I've been to Wild Honey at Mandarin Gallery a few times, but only once at Scotts Square, the latter of which is the focus of today's blog post. Wild Honey was named the winner in two categories - Best Breakfast and Best Weekend Brunch - in the 2021 edition of Expat Living Readers' Choice Awards.

Manjari chocolate bomb with yuzu, anyone? Renowned as a hotel-in-a-garden, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering (5*) has been enticing me to have a staycation with them all along. However, its proximity from home always deters me from taking the plunge. Anyway, I had the opportunity to have lunch with a friend at its only restaurant called Lime Restaurant.

One of the best carrot cakes I've had in Singapore! Quite an interesting name for a restaurant, no? Derived from the Cantonese phrase tae mow tong , which are olden days HK street food stalls popular with labourers who were used to squatting while enjoying their meals, Mouth Restaurant has been around since 1988. The original restaurant used to be housed inside Chinatown Point.

Irish pub with quite a good ambience, but without traditional music... Tomorrow is 26 February 2021, which is the 10th anniversary of my food blog! Pikachu and Melon would like to thank everyone for the continuous support and love. As an early celebration, we went to The Drunken Poet, which is "arguably one of the best Irish pubs in Singapore" as mentioned in their website. It's located somewhere in Orchard.

Take your pick: mock beef, chicken, duck or pork? Even though I'm not a vegetarian, much less a vegan, I occasionally indulge in vegetarian food. Founded in the 1990s, Kwan Inn Vegetarian has been providing vegetarian food at affordable prices, starting with only one stall at 269 Queen Street in Bugis. At the point of writing, there are three other stalls, including one housed inside People's Park Centre in Chinatown.

Grab a seat for a memorable meal before it's gone! UPDATE (03/02/2023):  The restaurant has closed down. No, we're not talking about the creamy candy from China. Housed in a restored 1930s chapel on Dempsey Hill, The White Rabbit has been serving modern European cuisine with a lovely ambience since 2008. Together with The Rabbit Hole, a whimsical gin garden bar, it's going to give way for a new concept slated to launch in late 2021.

"Tell your taste buds their siesta is over!" Guzman y Gomez is a chain of eateries specialising in Mexican food. I started picking up Spanish just recently. Knowing that the word y means 'and', I suppose it's founded by two people named Guzman and Gomez. At the point of writing, there are five branches across the island. I visited the one at Tanjong Pagar.

"Where friends become family" Chug Chug is a gastrobar located in the heart of Tanjong Pagar. As the owner is a lover of fusion food, it's "constantly experimenting and coming up with new dishes, keeping [its] menu fresh for customers." Needless to say, it also offers a wide selection of alcoholic drinks, but I found myself chugging a non-alcoholic beverage instead during my visit.

How's the Express Start ™  Breakfast? I'm not sure about you, but I'm starting to miss self-service buffet breakfast at hotels. I wonder when we can have it again. In today's post, let's take a look at what were offered by Holiday Inn Express Singapore Katong (3*), which is located next to I12 Katong, before COVID-19 came to our shores.

Can you finish the Singapore-exclusive pandan shake on your own? The year 2019 saw not only A&W returning to Singapore, but also Shake Shack coming to our shores for the first time ever. The popular burger chain started out as a hot dog cart at Madison Square Park in New York, the USA in 2001. To date, the company operates over 250 outlets globally.

A healthy plate of succulent grilled sea bass! Has anyone stayed at JEN Singapore Orchard Gateway before? I haven't, but I dropped by the hotel once to have dinner at Makan@JEN located on the tenth floor. For the uninitiated, makan is a Malay or Indonesian word that means 'to eat'. Before COVID-19 hit the world, it used to offer self-service buffet and a la carte menu. My dining partner and I went for the latter.

"A juicer is not a machine!" Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, Joe & The Juice is a chain of stores serving coffee, juice and sandwiches made with organic ingredients. Founded in 2002, it has got more than 300 locations around the world as of 2019. At the point of writing, there are three outlets in Singapore. I dropped by the one at Sentosa Cove during my staycation at W Singapore - Sentosa Cove.

My first taste of French fries ice cream paired with caviar! Iggy's is a fabulous restaurant housed inside Hilton Singapore (5*) that continues to push culinary boundaries. Established in 2004 by a local restaurateur named Ignatius 'Iggy' Chan, the modern European restaurant has been awarded One Michelin Star since 2017. Iggy's has also previously made it to the list of The World's Best 50 Restaurants.

Just ask for more chocolate danish! Hilton Singapore (5*) is the hotel in which I had my last staycation during Singapore's Phase 2 of Reopening. I have to say straight away that even though the hotel seems to be quite proud of its so-called Hilton Breakfast, it was nothing fanciful and could certainly be much better in quality and perhaps quantity too.

Pork lovers should go for the 'nasi campur babi' (lit. pork mixed rice)! Chinese Indonesians rejoice upon hearing the name Kota88, a go-to restaurant along East Coast Road to cure homesickness with comfort food. Located not far from Siglap Centre, it has been around since 2018. The word kota (lit. city) here is a colloquial term referring to Jakarta's Chinatown.

Poke bowl for breakfast - that's a first! My second last staycation during Singapore's Phase 2 of Reopening was at W Singapore - Sentosa Cove (5*). In November 2020, a la carte buffet breakfast was served in a temporary space dedicated to The Kitchen Table as the restaurant was undergoing renovation. I wonder which other hotel dishes out healthy Hawaiian poke bowls for breakfast.