Wednesday, June 25, 2014

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.

Monday, June 23, 2014

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.

Friday, June 20, 2014

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.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

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.

Monday, June 16, 2014

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.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

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.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

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.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Shrove Tuesday - Another Whimsical Cafe in the Heartlands of Toa Payoh

Toa Payoh is not known to be a hip area to find the latest cafes in, but recently, this has slowly started to change. Taking the cue from places like Everton Park, there are more and more shophouses being converted to modern dining fare.

Shrove Tuesday is just one of these new places that has sprouted on the fringe of Toa Payoh, where it is away from the central hub and nestled nicely among the heartlanders living there.