Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice

Mr Sailor suddenly jio-ed for lunch at Tiong Bahru with Mr Nurse. Just nice Mr Pancakes was on leave and of course readily joined them.  Couldn't continue with Phase 2 (shooting games) but nevertheless, a good outing.

The rice was a tad bit soggy for Mr Pancakes, but the combination of the lor zup (braised sauce) and curry sauce was just right. The heat cuts right through the saltiness. A good start. The braised pork belly was tender and not overpowering. Good, even though not outstanding.

Next come the trio. The curry squid (sotong) was good, would had been great if it was still warm when served. The squid was fresh and the spices used in the curry is good. The giant meat balls had little bits of vegetables and spices added into them. Steamed and served with the dark sauce, they were flavourful, but yet again served cold. Mr Pancakes likes his food warm. The disappointing bit was the slow-cooked cabbage. It was not cooked through enough for the sugars to break down. The vermicilli was not the best touch too. 

The star of the stall had to be the pork chops. Served with a slightly tangy sauce, it totally lifted the dish. The pork chops were nicely seasoned and fried perfectly. It was not drenched in oil. Crispy. Nice.

The side dish. A great side I must add. Soft and tender. The joke on it was that it only sells well on Thursdays because the Curry Rice stall is closed on Thursdays.


The damage was $20 for the three of us. Good value considering the number of dishes we had. Not sure how much was the serving of duck, as Mr Sailor paid for it.


Worth a return visit. Do go early as the queue is crazy during lunch times.

Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice
BLK 57 Eng Hoon Street
#01-88 Read More...

If you like this post, buy us a drink!

L'ARTiSAN Bistro & Bar

Having made the failed attempt to rush down in time to register for classes the Pancakes decided to make the best out of the situation.  Since we had to go back again, might as well make the most out of our trip the next day. So the Pancakes decided to go to this bistro for lunch after Mrs Pancakes had done her research and recommended this place to her friends previously.


The location of the bistro was quite tough to find. It is in the side alley of the FRONT building of Orchard Towers. From the main Orchard Road, as you enter Orchard Towers, swing to your left and take the smaller corridor and you will see L'Artisan Bistro popping out. We walked the building at least twice before we located the place.


The hot Sunday afternoon definitely call for a nice cool glass of calamansi lemonade (SGD3.50). Worth a drink although it doesn't jump out to you. Great to wash down all the food that you are so going to have (enjoy).

A small cosy bistro and the waiting staff was quite friendly. She was ever ready to offer suggestions to the menu when we asked her what's nice. The bistro offers some interesting dishes which you can hardly find elsewhere. Mains like the goulash, smoked pork, uncommon fish (halibut) and various other meats are available.


The Pancakes decided to settle for the curry-wurst (pork) and tarte flabee (pizza).

We were the only customers at the bistro at 12noon. Understandable for a Sunday afternoon. And apparently they have quite a few dishes sold out the previous night, so the Pancakes are guessing that they are more popular for dinner. We ordered the L'Artisan tarte flambee (SGD11.50) which had the special blackforest ham. The pizza had a thin crust and the toppings were just the right amount. The black-forest ham is definitely interesting. Thinly sliced and slightly drier than the normal ham, it also carries a very nice sweet flavour as you chew into it. Overall a good package. We ordered the 10-inch pizza. It is available in 8-inch too.

Next up is the curry-wurst (SGD10) served with salad and potato salad. The pork sausage was juicy and taste is rightly balanced, unlike some joints which serve really salty sausages. The special curry sauce that was drizzled all over was a nice surprise. Mr Pancakes is guessing that it is a mixture of curry and ketchup (and probably some other spices). It does remind Mr Pancakes of the curry sauce from Mickey Dees. The potato salad was a tad too dry though.


Over the course of lunch, one of the staff (owner?) came in and asked after re-supplying their ingredients. They discussed about how much greens and beer to re-supply and at one point the chef pointed out that he did not want too much of either as he wants them at the freshest. And THAT is quality control. :)


To polish the whole meal off, the Pancakes couldn't resist an order of their dessert. Marinated Strawberries with vanilla ice cream (SGD12) was decided.

This reminds the Pancakes of the soaked strawberries of their own [here]. Nice concoction of rum and sugar to marinate the strawberries in. The ice-cream (home-made, I think) also gave a good balance.


The bistro is not as posh. It is somewhere in between bistros you see in the newer shopping malls and a nice cafe in the heartlands. The location at Orchard Towers may also affect some. Overall a nice experience. The Pancakes will definitely return for more runs as they begin their classes in Feb.

L'Artisan Bistro & Bar
400 Orchard Road
#01-11 Orchard Towers
Tel: 67334065 Read More...

If you like this post, buy us a drink!

The Canopy @ Aramsa (2nd entry)

Bishan Park's Canopy is a pretty little glass house surrounded by lush greenery, just a few steps away from the car park and very accessible by public transport.

Chocolate Chip Cookies arrived at 11am on a Sunday to find that we were the only table of non-angmos. Service was commendable - warm smiles that respond to our constant requests for hot water refills for our tea. Having brunch at such a setting inevitably soothes our souls and provides a much-appreciated getaway from the busy city.

A look at the menu offered many choices but this was what caught my eye: Egg Royale: Soft poached eggs on English muffin with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce (with Button Mushrooms add on).

When it arrived, I thought it looked like a more atas version of MacDonald's Big Breakfast at twice the price. But once you sink your teeth into it, you are hooked!

Chocolate Chip's carnivorous cravings kicked in and he had the Canopy's Gourmet Beef Burger: Beef petite layered with iceberg lettuce, gherkins served with potatoes fries.

Very generous servings and perfect for big morning eaters.

I had Earl Gray tea while Chocolate Chips had morning beer.

This was easily the BEST brunch/breakfast we've had in Singapore! Die Die Must Try!

Read More...

If you like this post, buy us a drink!

Au Petit Salut

Chocolate Chip Cookies specially took leave to try the famous lunch set at Au Petit Salut, Dempsey. The restaurant's indoor was fully booked for lunch, so we had to settle for outdoor seating, which I wouldn't recommended for extremely humid months of February to November.

The complimentary bread was home-made, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and goes very well with the slightly salted butter. Best of all, it's free flow, so feel free to ask for more!

Our drinks (coincidentally in Christmas colours), were available for 1-for-1. That works out to be $4.50 per drink.

At $30 per pax for an authentic French cuisine lunch set, I think it's really worth the money and trip.

Tuna tartare with fresh basil and olive oil, rocket salad and croutons

The tuna went well with the sauce and vegetables, which masked the raw taste and smell.

Half dozen baked Burgundy snails with tomato and garlic butter

This totally won our hearts. Fuss-free and piping-hot, the garlic butter gave us another reason to devour the bread.

Slow braised pork neck in Madeira served with creamy polenta

This looks small but extremely filling. The creamy mix is made of corn, so whether you like it or not really depends on your preference.

Red wine braised beef cheeks with carrots, mushrooms and parsley potatoes

A bit too meaty for my liking, but soft and flavourful nonetheless. The cow must have been huge, judging from the size of each cheek on the plate.

Fresh fruit salad infused with mint served with lemon sorbet

Utterly refreshing and enjoyable in the warm humid weather.

Crème brulée

This didnt go well with the fresh fruit salad, but they're not meant to be consumed together anyway. The generous serving of dessert nicely tops off our lunch sets.

Be sure to make a reservation in advance, and beware of consuming too much bread unconsciously!

Read More...

If you like this post, buy us a drink!

TPY Escapade

Just came back from a long awaited holidays in Japan. On touch down day, went to crystal jade to celebrate little brother's birthday. FINALLY had the chance to order their 双皮奶. It is always not available. Nevertheless it was good. Very milky and the right level of sweetness. Taste very custard-y if there is such a word for it. :)

And yah. It looks like almond cream.


So the family decided to trot down to HDB Hub for a serving of the famous Soon Heng Rojak. It was definitely the correct decision. Waited almost 30minutes at 2:30pm in the afternoon. As we had a heavy lunch, we decided to pack two packets of $2 servings. And my God, was it good. Mr Pancakes went to fetch Mrs Pancakes from work and only had the chance to eat the rojak after 1 hour of packing it. Can you believe it, but the you tiao (dough fritters) and the tau pok (spongy bean curd) was still crispy!??! Mr Pancakes had the chance to have it hot on a previous occasion and he absolutely loved it. The prawn paste mixture is very fragrant and sweetness well balanced. The touch of lime juice gave a very uplifting taste to the whole mixture and the rojak didn't taste heavy. Steamed cuttlefish and kangkong with the usual tau kay (beansprouts) were also in the mix. And all this for $2!!! The crushed peanuts were beautifully roasted and a VERY generous helping was added. Heavenly.

I know. The photo doesn't give justice to a wonderful dish. But it was taken off the iphone in very poor lighting conditions. We were too eager to eat it. :)


And yes, the food court is under renovation from 31 Dec 2009 till 15 Mar 2010. And in the meantime the stall owners are taking a break and won't be opening a temporary stall. Have to wait till Mar to satisfy the superb rojak in TPY then....

Soon Heng Rojak
480 Lor 6 Toa Payoh
Gourmet Paradise Food Court
HDB Hub, Toa Payoh Read More...

If you like this post, buy us a drink!

Relax Bistro

Mrs Pancakes' friends postponed the annual x'mas get-together to 1 Jan as the Pancakes were in Japan. After much discussion this place was decided. Nice, cosy bistro with only limited seating. Reservations is recommended for weekends. The executive chef, Mark, was real cool. Went around the tables, do some of the serving himself and generally talked to the customers (including us). Great guy.

The warm spinach salad came with big recommendations and so two sets were ordered. We shared the salad across the table eventually. The salad came with saute prawns in garlic, pine nuts and crispy bacon. Great combination and the tastes blended really well together without one or the other ingredients being over-powering. The salad could had been warmer but we were mostly happy with it.

Next up some appetizers. The foie gras on banana muffin was surprising. Never had this combination before. The banana muffins cuts into the fatty liver and accentuate the taste of it. Superb. The Pancakes did not eat the escargoes. Never liked snails. No complains from the girls so I guess it's ok?

For mains, the Pancakes ordered the sundried tomatoes pasta and grilled lamb. Both are highly rated and Mark personally recommended the pasta. It's from a recipe from a friend's mum. Simple yet tasty. And he claims not many places in Singapore has it. Or does it like he does it. We loved the pasta! Nicely done, al dente and with the right balance of acidity from the tomatoes and punch from the chillies. The lamb was good, should had ordered medium done-ness. The brown sauce that came with the lamb tasted very 'chicken' for some reason. Too much of the stock? Otherwise both mains are worth having. 

Salmon with asparagus, Chicken with pumpkin mash, Linguine Vongole and Beef with Potato Mash were the other mains ordered, which the Pancakes did not taste, looked decent. Not sure how they tasted. Mabel did comment that the Linguine Vongole is a tad dry, which Mr Pancakes agreed. More white wine stock may address that. But to each his own palate.

Desserts are worth having. The Pancakes and friends finds the brownie a bit too dry and nothing special about the profiteroles. The poached pear was a nice surprise. Refreshing.

The star of the night gotta be the tiramisu. Mark's personal recommendation, together with the creme brulee. Good fluffy mascarpone cheese mixture and a good dose of the alcohol in the biscuit fingers. Very like the ones the Pancakes make but fluffier. :) Will give the creme brulee a go on the next visit.

Overall a good meal. Works out to $40 per pax. Decent on account of the number of dishes we had. The waiting staff is patient and always carry a smile. And yes, we had a bottle of moscato to polish off a great meal. A gift from a great man. ;)


Will definitely go back again. And if Mark is around (he shuttles around), talk to him. A good chap and very passionate about his food.

Relax Bistro
313@ Somerset
313 Orchard Road
#02-38


+65 6341-9978 Read More...

If you like this post, buy us a drink!

The Canopy @ Aramsa

Back from a long holiday and gearing up for some brunch. Met up with Mr Going-to-get-Married-in-July for brunch at Bishan Park and to pass him and his wife to be their wedding gifts.


It had been a long time since the Pancakes had poached eggs for lunch and by the recommendations from Chocolate Chip Cookies, decided to head down to the nearby park to have brunch.


The setting is very similar to Cafe Hacienda. White, rustic building with a inverted V roof. It made the Pancakes feel right at home with the paint scheme of white and dark timber brown. And we are happy that we made reservations to sit indoors as the sun was happily basking those outside on the first day of 2010.


Mr GTGMIJ came late. Old rules apply mate. But on account that you are getting married, we will let you off this time. :)


Contrary to some of the reviews, the service stuff were quite attentive and did not apply rude or aloof. They were mostly smiley and did respond quick enough when we called for their attention.

Mr Pancakes had the Chai Vanilla Latte while Mr GTGMIJ had this energy drink (apple and pineapple?). Apparently Mr GTGMIJ went with wife to be to catch the sunrise but was blocked by the low clouds. Ha. Neverthess, the drinks were decent. The Chai latte had a good balance of spice and vanilla. Great combination with the food that is to come.

Mrs Pancakes ordered chocolate tea with Ms GTGMIJ ordering chamomile.  The teas come with unlimited free refill. The chocolate tea tasted just like.... normal tea with a very slight hint of chocolate. Just stick to the normal earl grey or chamomile I supposed. They come from the same brand of teabags anyway.

We ordered the (from L-R) the Eggs Florentine, Honey Baked Ham on Bagel with Pineapple Salsa and the Any Eggs with Spinach and Sausages. Mr GTGMIJ ordered the Eggs Benedict, the only difference from Eggs Florentine is the smoked salmon and the ham.


The Eggs Florentine tasted great. Right balance of the hollandaise sauce with the eggs and the smoked salmon. Reminded us of the ones we had at Prive. The Honey Baked Ham on Bagel tasted very much like the Hawaiian Pizza. Not outstanding but good enough for a weekend brunch. The Pancakes did not have a taste of the sausages but no complains from Mr and Ms GTGMIJ so I guess they are fine.

The poached egg was cooked wonderfully perfect (at least to the pancakes). The egg yolks remained runny and surely added to the oomph of the dish. Delicate. And very tasty.


Mr Chocolate Chips Cookies did mention the buttermilk pancakes served at the Canopy is so-so only and thus the Pancakes did not give it a shot. Maybe for the next visit.


All in all, 4 drinks and 4 mains came up to a total of SGD100.05. Good value. And it's great to catch up with friends in the garden setting, in the air-conditioning of course. Love the garden and the huge windows.

The Canopy @ Aramsa
1382 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1
Bishan Park II


+65 6556-1533 Read More...

If you like this post, buy us a drink!