Grand Mandarin Restaurant - A Classy New Kid on the Chinese Gastronomic Block

It's quite easy to be jaded by Chinese fine dining these days. While Singapore has been infused with all forms of international gastronomy, very little has changed when it comes to Chinese cuisine.

The various attempts at infusion has only caused more confusion. More often than not, the fusion aspects are merely superfluous, and rarely do they actually work.

Tian Kee and Co - A Slice of Dakota Crescent Nostalgia Until December 2016

We sat on the high stools back facing from the main cafe and glancing at the main road, and the sense of old Singapore came flooding back almost instantly.

Then came news just yesterday that this entire neighborhood will make way for redevelopment come 2017. The persistent deconstruction of Singapore's past, has present Singapore really come to this?

Taiping Fish Porridge in Johor - A Tale of Two Boys and a Giant Garoupa

When you are fifteen, the last thing a Singaporean boy would think of doing is to run a fish porridge stall with his even younger sibling all by themselves for an entire day.

But that is exactly what the two lads at this delicious Taiping Fish Porridge in Johor Bahru is doing every single day. And without fail.

Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Matsuri at Parkway Parade - A Creative Ramen Place

Chef Keisuke Takeda is a renowned ramen specialist, having won accolades in his homeland for being innovative and creative in his ramen creations.

As part of his ambition to bring his brand of ramen to the rest of the world, Keisuke has been expanding at a rapid pace in Singapore. He has just launched his 6th outlet, the rather longish titled Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Matsuri at Parkway Parade.

The Audacious Cakery - Pastries in Everton Park

Everton Park has become a mecca for cafe hoppers in recent months, with a number of of old shophouses refurbished to become hipster cafes.

Situated amongst these newer establishments, is a bakery cafe that has been around for slightly longer. It is run by a former corporate executive turned baker.

Immanuel Tee of Immanuel French Kitchen - The Promise of a New Generation of Great Singapore Young Chefs

Immanuel Tee was working hard in the kitchen on that Saturday morning when we visited Two Wings. What struck me then was that his was the only stall that was working, way before service time.

He is still a young lad, but he has already apprenticed under Andre during his stint at Jaan, and having worked at Guy Savoy and Keystone as well, Immanuel has certainly picked up a thing or two from such reputable kitchens.

Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck - More Than Just Duck

The Chew family has been making and selling their signature Teochew braised duck for more than 3 decades.

Today, the founders' son, Melvin has started to take over from his parents, and under their watchful eyes, Melvin is determined to preserve the food business that they have worked hard over the years to build up.

Whale and Cloud - The Little, Initimate Cafe Hideaway

The address reads 48 Niven Road, and the signage displayed 48 3/4. Yes, it was not lost on me that this little whimsical ode to Harry Potter was only one of the fantastical touches to Whale and Cloud.

There wasn't a proper signboard either, just an OPEN word displayed on the side wall. The door is like an entrance to a hidden world. And what an amazing little world it is!

Club Vivaa at Jurong Kechil - Chilling Out to Local Comfort Food

Little did I know that hidden from the main road of Upper Bukit Timah where Beauty World is, houses a cosy little chill out bar that serves good old fashioned local food.

What is even more impressive is that it is run and operated by Julie, who does all her own cooking as well as managing the club and bar joint's operations. And she is the the mixologist there too.

Penang Kia Prawn Mee in Compassvale, Sengkang - From Flying to Cooking

The two main faces at this newly opened Penang Kia Prawn Noodles stall have been making news lately, largely due to the fact that both husband and wife used to work in Singapore Airlines as SQ cabin crew.

They are now situated in the heartlands of Sengkang, hidden in a coffeeshop among the HDB flats. There was also an elderly gentleman in the kitchen, and I assume he is the father of the wife and he used to run a Hokkien mee stall too.

The Assembly Ground - From Retail to Bistro

A lot of us remember the old CD and record stores from the 90s and early 00s. Mention names like Sembawang CD and Supreme Records, and we all remember patronizing these places for the latest music and movies.

The last of these, Gramaphone, had their final store in Cathay Cineleisure, which occupied the ground floor near the main entrance. Sadly, Gramaphone is gone today.

Thai Village at Indoor Stadium Walk - More Than Just Shark's Fin

Most of us tend to associate Thai food with tom yam, pineapple rice and pad thai, but there is also Teochew Thai cuisine which is often overlooked.

Teochew Thai food is quite close to classic Teochew Chinese cuisine, but is infused with Thai flavors and seasonings. Teochew Thai is also famous for shark's fin, which has become a controversial issue of late.

Salmon Tartare with Soy and Pickled Japanese Cucumbers - A Simple Dish to Make at Home

A lot of you might not be aware that citrus acid is a method of cooking, just like frying or boiling. Although it does not create natural heat in a protein, it does change the molecular structure of the fish or meat.

Thus, ceviche is a very popular way of adding citrus to raw seafood or fish to create a simple and delicious appetizer or dish.

Witbier Cafe - Pairing Beer With Comfort Food

I used to frequent Kandahar Street to buy home the wonderful swiss rolls from Rich and Good Bakery. In the last few years, along that same stretch, a number of chill out bars have popped up to provide a nice after hours place to relax and unwind.

Witbier Cafe was among the first to headline that area, and among the owners of this establishment is a beer importer with a passion for good food.

The Tastemaker Store - A Simple Cafe Elegance, Something Old and Something New

Beo Crescent along Havelock Road is known in the 70s and 80s for having a number of old school hawker and coffeeshop delights, and some of these eateries are still there.

But it has not been spared the current trend of having old shophouses remodeled into cooler hipster cafes as well. Like it or not, hipster cafes are making their way into more heartland areas.

Soi 19 Thai Wanton Mee - A Different Yet Familiar Kind of Wanton Noodles

This was the first time that I have heard of Thai styled wanton noodles, and it is said that this dish is quite the rage in Pratunum, Bangkok.

Soi 19 Thai Wanton Mee is located in a remote corner of Ang Mo Kio, and has no actual relation to the Soi 19 eatery in Thailand. Nevertheless, the dish they serve up here does bear more than a passing resemblance to the one in Pratunum.

Ply Baked Goods - An Intimate Cafe in Upper Thomson

Upper Thomson is filled with cafes and eateries, and most of them are found on the shophouses lining the main road. It is not surprising then, to discover that there are also far more discreet cafes situated behind the main road.

Ply Baked Goods is one such place. In fact, it started out as a bakery, and has only recently converted some of its shop space into a little cafe area.

Penang Char Kway Teow at Perling, Johor Bahru - Kim Leng Coffeeshop, The Legacy Continues

I was brought to this very humble looking coffeeshop in Taman Perling one morning to savor one of the best char kway teow in Johor. It was originally manned by the husband, who has sadly passed away.

These days, the wife is still running the stall and frying the noodles, with her son helping out and learning the ropes at the same time.

The Bakery Chef - A Most Beautiful Rainbow Cake

I remember hanging out at Bukit Merah Central during my schooldays. That was 20 years ago, where we used to go to watch the latest movies and spend an afternoon in the A&W fast food restaurant, gulping down our root beer floats and eating our coney dogs.

Since then, little has changed. The cinema and A&W may have closed and the emporium is gone, but most of the structures are still the same.

Singapore Food Festival 2014 - A Walk Down Memory Lane

This year's Singapore Food Festival promises to be a sumptuous trip back to some of our culinary roots, and also features some of our own best local talent taking a modernistic approach to some our classic dishes.

The festival is a week long affair, from 11 July 2014 to 20 July. It will not only be featured at various locations throughout the island, but there will also be a mobile food truck going to various places during this period.

Bistro Du Vin - A Taste of Parisian Bistro Fare

The thought of finding a decent French eatery in Singapore has always been a daunting one for me. I tend to shy away from the central district and the premium names, and long for something simple yet rustic.

It was a surprise when I visited Bistro Du Vin, which is under the Les Amis group, to find that this has become my favorite place for simple, classic French cuisine in Singapore.

Two Wings - Where One Chicken Wing is Twice as Delicious

Deep fried chicken is the ultimate southern American comfort food, and when done right, it is just an utter gastronomic delight. Conversely, when done badly, it can be ghastly.

For years, we have been brought up on KFC, and many families still patronize the numerous KFC outlets here. But for decades, there has been another name that has been synonymous with deep fried chicken in Singapore, and that name is Carona.

Hatter Street Bakehouse and Cafe - Through the Cooking Glass in Kovan, Hougang

When you think of Alice in Wonderland, one normally do not associate it with food, except maybe for the tea party held by the Mad Hatter in the story.

For Yvette Chua, a chef and baker trained in CIA (that's Culinary Institute of America, not the spy agency), she has turned Lewis Carroll's famous classic into a delightful cafe of whimsical proportions.

The Redemption Broth - Sherman Soh

I remembered it vividly, it was the same morning that the news of MH370 going missing was just coming down the grapevine. I was waiting with Jabez and a group of Sherman's friends, awaiting his release from prison.

There were many of us, more than any other congregation that day. Some knew Sherman intimately, some not as much. Whichever the case, everyone was there to give him a rousing welcome, back to civilian life.