Japanese cream puffs. They taste like heaven, cherub’s kisses, and sweet dreams come true. Okay, I may have exaggerated a little, but that’s the feeling I get whenever I bite into one of ‘em pastries: soft, puffy shell with rich cream, fresh custard and I think I just drooled over my keyboard typing that last sentence.
And then, there’s Kitakaro Cafe’s cream puffs.
With its tender minced meat encased in a flavourful broth and smooth flour skin, it’s no wonder that xiao long bao is fast becoming a fixture in our Chinese palate. There’s little not to love about this bite-sized offering of meat and broth, which is why restaurants and eateries across the country are catching on to this delicious trend faster than you can say, “zai lai yi long!” (translation: bring me another!)
Confessing your ignorance about this dish is about as sacrilegious as, say, telling others that you don’t like to eat chicken rice; it’s just not possible. Thankfully, there are many places you can go to to “right the wrongs” and taste the legend of xiao long bao yourself. 😉
The FIFA World Cup fever may be over but the innovation at McDonalds is not. Barely a week after the Beef Picante and Chicken Caramba are set to end their run on the menu, the Golden Arches is cooking up a couple more burgers, just in time for the 49th National Day celebrations next month:
Source: McDonald’s Singapore
Update June 2020: The Chop House has closed.
Like the neighbouring ports, VivoCity plays host to a smorgasbord of cultures, brands and flavours. Just a walk down the promenade will bring you up close with some of the world’s most mouthwatering cuisines – from classic Western flavours by Brotzeit and Jamie’s Italian to explosively tantalising Asian offerings like Crystal Jade and Menya Musahi.
The Chop House is one of them; branded as Singapore’s first self-tap beer gastrobar, it is the brainchild of the team behind Wooloomooloo Steakhouse, another hugely popular joint for meat maestros and closet carnivores. But while this vibrant-hued gastrobar is a regular haunt for lovers of the self-proclaimed “liquid diet” (cue pints of beer on a Friday night), The Chop House has also rolled out a 2-Course Set Lunch for the corporate bound at nearby HarbourFront offices, as well as hungry tourists on weekdays for S$19.90.
Having bound myself to a desk job for the past eleven months, there’s nothing that I crave more than a sugar rush every day. There’s something about the sweet, sweet taste of a sugary treat that makes it so gratifying amid impending deadlines. 😉
Luckily for office dwellers at Singapore’s Central Business District, Krispy Kreme has opened its second outlet at Income at Raffles, meaning that doughnut-craving customers around Raffles can get their fix any time, whether it’s a quick snack between meetings or an after work binge. As expected, Krispy Kreme’s second store opened to much fan fare, including a public teaser and a couple of social media campaigns that built up to it (more on that later!).
It doesn’t get any more rustic than this; an urban rooftop garden set in the heart of Chinatown, a place more widely known for its sweet pork and burning joss sticks than a pop up farm. Helmed by a motley crew of DIY and environmental enthusiasts, NONG (which is Chinese for farming) had run its course on the spacious rooftop of People’s Park Complex, and it was time to bid it adieu.
The send-off? A miniature farmer’s market of workshops, hipster wares and – not forgetting – food and drink! Set against a backdrop of architectural mishmash (read: high rise buildings towering over ye olde shophouses), vendors like The Cajung Kings, Ice Cream & Cookie Co. and 28 Hongkong Street were the main crowd drawers, while the smooth beats of Matteblanc permeated the evening atmosphere.
Haven’t had the chance to check them out, so there was no way I was missing out on Hit The Roof. With food and drinks being freshly prepared with each order, the food segment of Hit the Roof seemed like a very casual live kitchen, making more than a few mouths water in anticipation. 😉
I once had a friend cart back a box of Tokyo Banana for me. His suitcase was so stuffed to the brim, the flight an arduous 7 hours, that it’s a miracle that that box did not sustain a single dent on its way back (talk about durable Japanese packaging).
You don’t extend the same treatment to a box of Snaffle’s Catchcakes, however. Even if it’s double wrapped and packed in a sturdy, true-to-size package. Why? Because these darlings are, quite literally, as delicate as a cloud.
Established in 1998, Pastry Snaffle’s is just one of the many brands that have since crossed the Pacific Ocean (last year, to be precise) to invade our sunny, Japan-hungry shores. With three outlets at Plaza Singapura, Bedok Mall and VivoCity to date, and another on the way, it’s safe to say that Snaffles is here to stay. 😀
Chue On It 