Cafe Epicurous

Another EGG place like Hatched. Nice ambience facing the old railway tracks (no longer in use) along upper bukit timah road. Some kids were having some treasure-hunt game inside the restaurant when we were there so they sat us in another side of the cafe which I realise Cafe Epicurous could be quite BIG. Read about them in i-weekly and have wanted to give it a try. It was nice to see them serving modern food on traditional local utensils like coffee in the traditional kopi cup and the eggs on Rooster plate. If you know what I meant.

Sir Benedict - what's new??


Baked egg - again?

Cafe Epicurious
392 The Rail Mall
Upper Bukit Timah Road
Tel: 6894 5926
Website: epicurious.com.sg

Margaret Drive

Margaret Drive Food Centre is a haven of good food from Char Kway Teow, fried carrot cake, white coffee, chicken rice and popiah. Dropped by the other day wanting to try the Char Kway Teow but it was not open so settled for the fried carrot cake, popiah and white coffee instead. YUMMY!







White Coffee
Margaret Drive Food Centre

Monster Mash

In lieu of the closing down of Belezet, Moi starts to source for another place that serves great sausages.... and it brought me to Monster Mash. Monster Mash is a very down-to-earth basic British street restaurant without all the posh, nice tables and decorations. A simple place serving very basic authentic British style meals. Service was wonderful and I really enjoy the small chats and jokes by the British couple serving us.

Well, what is British food without Fish and Chips. I find their Fish and Chips not salty enough. =P hahahaha! Yes! I tend to have a saltish tongue. BUT the fish was really fresh and sweet.

Fish and Chips

Well, must order sausages since this is my main agenda for coming all the way to the western side of Singapore. A good variety of choice and I would say their sausages tasted yummy!! Though a little different style of sausages from Belezet.

Monster Mash : 2 sausages, mash & gravy, $19.00

The Monster mash is free-choice of any combination of below :-

Choice of Sausages
Pork, Parsley & Chilli
Beef and Guinness
Pork, Caramelised Onion
Lucifer Beef (Hot!)
Smokey Pork & Apple
Moroccan Lamb

Choice of Mash
Monster Mash – plain and simple with milk butter and seasoning
Chilli and Coriander – created for Singapore, our creamy mash blended with fresh coriander and chilli
Champ Mash – Monster Mash with green spring onions and a knob of butter

Choice of Gravy
Monster Gravy – classic brown gravy
Tomato Gravy – vegetable based rich and thick tomato gravy
Onion Gravy – caramelised onions mixed with a beef and red wine stock

We didn't want something too heavy so they recommended the fish pie but we found it a little too cheesy and creamy and so it was a wrong choice. The fish pie is flaked fish baked in a light creamy sauce on a bed of mash with a cheese topping plus vegetable.

Fish Pie

But the highlight was their undiscerning desserts. Well, it really didn't look very appealing but the taste was superb. It wasn't sweet at all. The puddings were so soft and spongy and it didn't taste the least bit too sweet or cakey. The taste was just so nice and soft in your mouth like a freshly baked padang cake. Hahahahaha! I love the desserts.

Dessert : Steam Sponge pudding

The bread pudding was layers of bread dusted with cinnamon, nutmeg and with sultanas. Both desserts can be taken alone or with the bird's custard. Both combination were great!!

Dessert : bread and butter pudding

We did also order another dessert - Chocolate Fudge Brownie Sundae – a classic British sundae with homemade brownie pieces, layered with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce, which Moi found it too sweet and had left it to just melt inside the cup instead.

Monster Mash Cafe
26A Lorong Mambong
Holland Village
Tel: 6463 4610
Website : http://www.monstermashcafe.co.uk/
Email : monstermashcafe@gmail.com

Opening hours
Wed-Fri: 11.30am - 2.30pm (Lunch)
Mon-Thu: 6pm - 10pm (Dinner)
Fri: 6pm - 11pm (Dinner)
Sat: 11.30am - 11pm (Dinner)
Sun: 11.30am - 10pm (Dinner)

Ju Shin Jung

Was first recommended to Ju Shin Jung @ YESS Centre, it was a wonderful experience and for that special HIM that i haven't had dinner together for a long time... Moi decided to bring him especially to Ju Shin Jung @ East Coast parkway for dinner. Well, in my opinion, the YESS outlet, in terms of food, service and ambience, was way too much better than the one at East Coast so Moi was a little disappointed. Nevertheless Moi enjoyed Ju Shin Jung as I find the dishes were really very authentic korean BBQ meal. Their kimchi was spicy but really crunchy and nice. Moi couldn't stop nibbling on the small little dishes the whole night. =P The pork and chicken tasted really nice too. My kakis also gave ravishing reviews about their Galbisal (marinated beef ribs) $35 and Bulgogi (Seasoned slice beef) $30.

But the highlight is their magical towel. hahahaha! Moi enjoyed pouring in the water and see it "sprout". ^_-)

Magical towel $1.00


In clockwise starting Top left corner : (3) Dak (Marinated chicken) S$22 (4) Saba (grilled fish) (5) (6) kimchi set (7) Pajun S$20 (Spring onion Seafood pancake) (8) Moksal S$22 (Fresh Pork collar: 200g)

Ju Shin Jung
Korean Charcoal BBQ
#02-01 1018 East Coast Parkway
Tel: 6447 9279

#01-18/19 YESS Centre
27 West Coast Highway
Tel: 6464 0872

Opening hours
Mon: 6pm-11pm
Tue-Sun: 12pm-230pm, 6pm-10pm

Website: http://www.jushinjung.com

Graze

So there was many negative reviews about the "fine dinning" at One Rochester Park and though Moi made numerous attempts to dine there, it was somehow met with a few hiccups. BUT finally, Moi managed to go down for dinner at Graze... the only restaurant that I had heard of better reviews. Twinny, this one definitely better than the one you went previously. :P

Well, the ambience was lovely and super romantic, SO guys, you know where to bring to hong char poh. kekekeke! Was teasing the date I was with how he would behave if he has been here on a first date...

Me : So would you take the valet parking at $8.00 or make her walk up the hill for $2.40 parking?

Him : of course, Valet parking lah!!

Me (to self) : TMD!! Then you made me walk up har!!?? >_<

Him : Er... then I see if she will suggest to park the public carpark and walk up the hill for me.. then sure win lor!

Me (to self) : This man hor!! * Faint *

Anywhere, dinner was on him. So thank you very much!!

A perfect setting for a cosy private function less the mosquitoes and the crawling spiders. And before dinner, Moi jumped out of my seat because of a crawling spider.... and the silly date asked...

Him : How you know it's a spider?

Me (to self) : alamak! Uncle, I know how to count the legs right?

Me : After I brushed it off, it got dangled on a web string and crawled back lah!!

AND next time, dun you dare to bring magazines and read hor!! Dinner time is for Moi to talk and for you to listen. Kekekeke! Forgive you this time. =P

And so based on recommendations from the waiter, we had....

Entree : Tiger Prawns 3 way $19.00

3 little prawns cooked in 3 different ways : tempura, chilled and pan tossed, topped with coconut coriander sorbet and cucumber oil. The combination of the ice cold coconut sorbet with the tempura prawn was really shiok. Graze won us over with just the first dish. Hahahahaha! Was deciding between the raviolio and tortellini and finally we had the latter because he doesn't like vegetable. It's hard to find a restaurant that does good ravioli or tortellini so I was really impressed by Graze's tortellini. It was really yummy with the verjuice and salmon roe butter sauce.

Steamed lobster tortellini $32.00

Moi's dinner date found the pork hock really nice though utterly sinful. The meat was tender and crispy outside but Moi found the sauce too strong and herbal for my liking. The Pork hock was served with spiced plum, cucumber, marinated bean shoot salad, and a redcurrant chilli caramel

Crispy hand-rolled pork hock $31.00

But the one that took my heart away was Graze's dessert. This was so divine. The pudding crust was warm and crisp like a bread. The melted chocolate inside was jelat and thick. It was really shiokoros!! A combination of cold, warm and hot; and soft and hard. Really delicious.

Dessert : GRAZE "Black and White" pudding plate $18.00

GRAZE "Black and White" pudding plate, a soft centred white and dark chocolate pudding with white and dark chocolate ice cream.

Graze
4 Rochester Park
Tel : 6775 9000
Website : http://www.gaze.sg

Opening hours
Sun, 930am - 3pm, 630pm - Midnight
Tues - Sat, 6:30pm - Midnight
Close on Mon

My Day Off

Today I took a day off especially to spent time with family... it's a rare occasion to be able to be with Mummy, my dearest twinny, her dearie, Minnie Mouse, Mummy Teddy Bear and Junior Teddy Bear. Kekeke! It's a day of shopping for the Ladies of the family. kekeke! Oops...plus 1 guy lah! The thorn among the roses. Ho-ho-ho-ho!!

Well, well, well!! Everyone managed to get something except for twinny and her dearie cause they needed to go off in the afternoon. After the brief shopping in the morning at VivoCity, we went back to Kim Gary for lunchie. Yup!! Yup!! We ain't original!! HAR!! SO!? =P Anyway, it's first time for Minnie Mouse and Mummy so it's still good. I am glad that both of them like it... some of the food we had...

In clockwise starting Top left corner : (1) Pork Chop Spaghetti (lunch set) (2) Korean Noodles with ham and egg (3) Nissin Noodles with ham and egg (4) French Toast

Minnie Mouse's Pork Chop Spaghetti was really money-worth with a good dash of garlic sauce that tasted really yummy!! ******** OOoooooooooo Never mind the BAD breath! ******* Garlic is good for health. Yummy!! ^_-)

After that it was rounds of shopping again at VivoCity before we proceeded to Bugis Junction for more shopping!! While Minnie Mouse got to rush home to pick up Little Micky Mouse and prepare din din, Mummy and I sat down for a cosy chat over coffee. *Priceless* Was really glad to chat with mummy and shared our "gossips". Twinny and her dearie came to join us later for dinner together with Mummy Teddy Bear and Junior Ted. All Stars to Junior Ted for putting up his best behaviour during dinner. Muackz. Brought him for a "mini-Octopus" fight before din din ... full of giggles. Kekeke!

Dinner was at Ma-maison... they dun take in reservations on fri and weekend so we had to wait a good half an hour even though we came at 6:30pm, before we could have dinner. Had the usual stuff except for some new dishes: Japanese Spaghetti and Pork Croquette.

Moi has not been feeling too well for the past few days...in fact, was rather sick... I was really tired with the shopping and walking around today BUT the discomfort and fatigue was all worthwhile when I spent time with family, the ones I love dearly.

BIG HUG to Mummy, Sissies and Twinny. *beams*

Pork Croquette

Ma Maison Restaurant
200 Victoria Street
#02-51 Parco Bugis Junction
Tel : 6338 4819
Website : http://www.ma-maison.co.jp

Opening hours
Mon-Fri, 11.30am - 2.30pm, 6pm - 10pm
Weekend, 11.30am - 10pm

Western Chow

Came by here quite coincidentally and so Moi was excited to try out when I knew the stall was serving hainanese western style food.... And the taste was really great. it might taste a little salt-ish for some, especially for the long beans and the mushroom sauce, but personally i really like the warm and peppery mushroom sauce and the crispy hainanese chicken cutlet. Serving can be a little slow since it's solely run by family members and they seem pretty short handed.

Nevertheless the food brought back nostalgic memories ....

Hainanese Curry Chicken Cutlet $5.00


Chicken Chop with Mushroom Sauce $5.80

On the whole, Western Chow is quite a nice place to try for western food. =) Kekeke! And Moi just discover Botak Jones got a new outlet near my home. Goody Goody!! Got to try!! ^_-)

Western Chow
BLK 19 #01-229
Ghim Moh Road
Website : http://www.westernchow.com/

PS.Cafe

Went down to the much-talked-about Dempsey Road with Supermodel and Smurfette tonight. Supermodel made reservation at the PS.Cafe a week ago for our dinner which only takes in 2 sittings at 6:30pm and 8pm and is usually fully packed. Thanks to the dearie for the efforts. *wink wink*

The PS.Cafe was little tucked away in a corner away from all the lights and bustling of the main shops... it's a standalone bungalow with full-length glass walls looking out at a small cosy garden...really cosy and nice. But alas due to the glass walls, the cafe is a good SOUND container and so you can expect the noise level was well-contained. =P The staff were friendly and service was really prompt. It's a NO-FOOD-PHOTOGRAPHY cafe so Moi only managed to take the shoots below...

We shared the house speciality appetizer below, which is made up of fish patty below, fresh salmon, tuna and prawns. The little orange balls lying around are ikura. =P Yummy!!

Seafood Trilogy

For the mains, we had the look-so-so-but-taste-nice mushroom pasta, a Vegan's delight; another look-so-so-but-taste-good-good flamed prawn pasta and the look-so-good-but-taste-so-so smoked fish cake. kekekeke! Both pasta were quite good... nothing fantastic but Moi appreciates food that is served warm or hot. The prawns were quite small for the pasta but fresh and succulent. The fish cake wasn't really that bad save that the patty was a really dry.. maybe due to early preparations and re-heating before serving and the sauce wasn't savoury enough. Nevertheless, on the whole, the food were lovely. Thanks Supermodel for the recommendations.

Mushroom pasta


Flamed prawn pasta


Smoked Fish cake

Proceeded to desserts... and thus our terrible mistakes... the average for one desserts costs $12.90 and the portion is the same as a main course. REGRET!! We ordered 2 to share and the 3 of us were practically stuffing down the 2 desserts : Ginger Pudding and White chocolate brownie... We had wanted to order the flour-less orange cake but unfortunately they ran out of it. *SULK* The dessert tasted nice but terribly sweet for Moi's liking. The ginger pudding was an interesting combination like sweet ginger. The white chocolate brownie was super jia-lat but i do prefer the white chocolate part more than the brownie. Ordered PS. Digestive tea and cappuccino to go with our sweet dessert... Moi was teasing Smurfette if she was suffering indigestion for her choice of drink. Heehee!

PS.Cafe, which means Project Shop in full, is the same outlet that belongs to the fashion line at Paragon. Moi really enjoys the ambience and the surrounding... a delightful little place that I would definitely like to come back even though it's quite hard to hold a decent conversation due to the noise trap.

In fact, we were so full after the meals that the 3 of us decided to take a slow and long stroll around Dempsey road while waiting for Handy Smurf to come and pick up his "luggage". Kekekek! While waiting for Handy, the 3 siao char por got really tempted to hop into the bus and made our escape...MOOoooooooooooo!!!

AND thanks Supermodel for the belated Chrissy present. *beams*



PS.Cafe
28b Harding Rd
Dempsey Road
Tel : 6479 3343
Website : http://www.pscafe.sg/

Mimolette

Went din din with SuperModel today who brought me to this well-hidden and really pretty little place far hidden in a super super uru place. In fact, you really wonder why would anyone set up a restaurant in the middle of such a uru uru place. As the two of us drove through the meandering path with tall grasses at the side of road, we were both speculating if someone will suddenly jumped out of the bushes and try to rob or rape us. Okie... we are over-imaginative. BUT that's HOW deserted, dark and uru the place is.

Our drive landed us this little white house that seems to be like some part of Europe. The ambience was really wonderful and enchanting. Really great place for guys to bring girls to melt their hearts lah. ^_-) Thanks SuperModel for the recommendations. We shared an appetizer, foie gras and a dessert - Bread Pudding. For the mains, Moi had the duck confit while SuperModel had Grey Prawns. The appetizer and dessert were lovely. Moi especially love the dessert. The bread pudding was hot and soft, mixed with the cold vanilla, the taste was so delish.

The mains tasted just average though. They were served warm and not hot... so both of us suspected that our dishes might had been "idling" for a while before served. The waiter and waitress were polite and eager to refill drinks BUT for a fine dinning place, the service was well below standards. Moi had been to other fine dinning restaurants and each and every servers should be well-trained enough to know all customers' orders well and all the food on the menu very very well. For a start, I was given a breakfast menu instead of a dinner menu. Then whenever we had a query on the menu, the Manager will have to come to us cause the rest of the staff just didn't seem to know it very well. We got to repeat our request for butter twice and the amusing part was only one of the waiter seems to know who is eating what. He had it all written on a BIG A4 size paper and was carrying it with him with a throng of waiters holding plates and plates of food and just "stuck" there waiting for that waiter to give direction. I was really too "amused" by this. *shrug shoulders* For our table, the waiter asked politely who is having the prawn and who is having the duck before serving. Well, my verdict is that the servers are VERY POORLY TRAINED.

The place though very beautiful and cosy, was a sound-trapper and so it was rather noisy to hold a decent conversation. It might be a better idea to come here for breakfast instead. And it's definitely ONLY accessible by car. Too easy to get lost if taking taxi. And not accessible by public transport.

Well, I will definitely still love to come back.. service is tolerable, food is quite ok. I think for pricing it's still consider mid-range for fine dinning food. I enjoyed. Special thanks to SuperModel. ^_-) Ya... counting down to our next date. kekeke!

Mimolette
55 Fairways Drive
Tel : 6467 7748
Website http://www.mimolette.com.sg/

Opening hours
Closed on Mon.
Tue-Fri, 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm
Weekend, 10am - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm

Imperial Herbal Restaurant

Brought Mummy for lunchie at VivoCity. it was a rare occasion since it was very hard to meet Mummy's timing. Ermmm!! NOT Moi's timing hor.... It was twinny's treat. Heehee! Thanks Sweetie. I had chosen the Imperial herbal restaurant at VivoCity thinking that it was another branch of the Metropole Herbal Restaurant at Clark Quay. BUT I was soooooooooooooooo sooooooooooo wrong. In fact, I wasn't the only one that got them mixed up because their menu was too similar and the food was soooooooooo similar too. I think after the metropole hotel branch lease was up, the management had split into half thus 2 independent but very similar restaurants in vivocity and clark quay respectively. The Food is really very, very close in taste especially their signature dishes like Egg White with Scallop, Polygonatum and Ladybell Root and Buddha jumps over the wall. Both outlets also serve moi's favourite dessert, Candied yam and sweet potato.

In clockwise starting Top left corner : (1) Duck (2) Silken tofu fried skin (3) Egg White with Scallop, Polygonatum and Ladybell Root (4) Dessert : White Fungus Pear Lotus soup

Special mention to their Silken tofu with a fried skin. It was really yummy. The internal of the tofu is very soft and smooth while the outer skin of the tofu is a crispy due to quick fried. Very unique taste. =)

I believe if you want to taste nice, healthy, herbal food, going to either the Metropole Herbal Restaurant or the Imperial Herbal Restaurant does not make much of a difference. Price is also similar. BUT i must emphasize the deco at the Imperial Herbal Restaurant is really ugly... hahahaha... just look at their funny chair. =O



After luchie, we did adjoined for shopping around vivocity... And mummy got this cutie little dress for Little Minnie Mouse at one of the cart stores at VivoCity. Kekeke! So cute hor. But discovered this really nice little shop selling very unique reasonable price local batik style skirts, tops, etc. inside Vivocity. I understand they also had an outlet in Bugis... the shop is Utopia. Mom got 3 tops from there. kekekeke! Moi wanted to but I couldn't find a suitable one.

Imperial Herbal Restaurant
1 HarbourFront Walk
#03-08 Vivo City
Tel: 6337 0491
Website : http://www.imperialherbal.com/

Utopia
1 HarbourFront Walk
#02-178 Vivo City
Tel: 6376 9398