There’s a new food craze in town: Suan La Fen 酸辣粉, the numbingly spicy and sour hit comprising transparent vermicelli noodles coated with a broth of chilli paste, vinegar, and chilli oil. While many brands (as well as e-commerce shops) have popped up with their own version of the instant noodles that will set your tongue on fire, one has emerged as the “face” of all instant suan la fen: Hai Chi Jia 嗨吃家.
Plant-based meat alternatives sure are going places these days. Far from their rubbery, synthetic-tasting counterparts from earlier times, today’s options come pretty close to mimicking the real deal in terms of taste and texture.
In conjunction with Hungry Planet launching in Singapore this month, Eleven Strands has teamed up with this US-based brand to launch plant-based HungryPlanet®️ Set Menu ($25) exclusively on 27 and 28 June!
HungryPlanet®️ Set Menu ($25)
You may have heard of sourdough bread, but what about sourdough buns? SOUDO is a newly-minted, online bakery that specialises in healthy and hearty bakes that are easily enjoyed on their own, or paired with other ingredients from around your home.
The Classics Bundle ($11.50)
Update 19 Jan 2025: Salted & Hung has closed.
Meat lovers in search of some gastronomic respite this stay home season, can turn to Salted & Hung, a four years old establishment that specialises in Australian cuisine. Nestled amongst other quaint eateries and restaurants along Purvis Street near Bugis MRT, the restaurant adopts a nose-to-tail philosophy in dining, meaning no part of the animal is wasted in creating their mouth-watering dishes.
I rarely review places that are closing, but there was something alluring about Boufé Boutique Cafe that I couldn’t miss out on. Nestled far away from the hustle and bustle of city life, in the tranquil grounds on Phoenix Park, the six-year old establishment recently announced its impending closure following the end of its lease in the old-school building.
Update January 2023: Cafe Coco has closed.
One of the advantages of islandwide delivery is getting to sample all kinds of restaurants and cafes that I would normally be too lazy to make the trip for.
Last month, Cafe Coco pulled off a pretty commendable feat by pledging 100% of their proceeds for the latter part of May to the Singapore Red Cross, in spite of the dire situation faced by most, if not all F&B businesses. Located within the Supertree Food Hall at Gardens by the Bay, Cafe Coco is now looking to pull through the rest of Phase 1 by churning out cold brews for coffee aficionados across the country.
I’ve gotten less… particular about my travel pacing, i.e. how many spots I must absolutely squeeze into every overseas trip as I get older (age has a lot to do with it). Yet sometimes, “no plan” means “no places to see” in some cases, like that one time I got up too early to explore Nishiki Market on my second last morning in Kyoto; 9 out of 10 stalls had yet to open. That said, I was pretty lucky to stumble upon this charming spot that was already ready for the day.
Sakaicho, Kyoto
Tucked away from main areas of Nishiki Market, about a six-minute walk away from Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station, Bakery Wälder is a German-style bakery that is said to offer about 100 different selection of baked goods on weekends.
Check out my other Kyoto travel tips and reviews!
Chue On It 