Because of COVID-19, we did not have our favourite grilled fish place at Shanghai. We found this place alternative to sate our craving. 

TanYu's bestseller and signature dish is the Chongqing Grilled Fish with Beancurd [重庆豆花烤鱼]. It has raw ingredients from Guizhou mountainous area including the local wrinkled skin peppers, fruit of spicebush, mint, herbs, houttuynia root, etc., making this dish special and delicious. Surrounded with fried soy beans, soya beancurd (tofu), parsley and heaps of dried chilli, the broth did not look as spicy as it looked. It has a nice fragrance and I liked it very much. (Food rating: 4/5)

TanYu serves three type of fishes. One can choose either Limbo (凌波) fish, Qingjiang (清江) fish, or Seabass (金目鲈). Qingjiang fish is always sold out. We chose Limbo fish which was tender and juicy. Both Limbo and Qingjiang fishes are species of catfish. Though the cooking method is grill, the fishes lacked the good old charcoal fragrance that we had at 重庆鸡公煲山城烤鱼. Despite all that, the fishes at TanYu were fresh and did not have the fishy or murky aftertaste. 

We had the Grilled Fish with Green Peppers with Limbo Fish [鲜青椒烤鱼]. The fish was covered with heaps of green peppers, and peppercorns, which gave a different fragrance from the Chongqing broth. I like this as well. I cannot seem to decide which one I love best. I like both, can I? (Food rating: 4/5)

For add-ons, we had golden mushrooms, beancurd skin, beancurd roll, and sweet potato noodles. 

On the side, we ordered a set of grilled lamb skewers. The seasoning was so-so and the meat was a little tough. (Food rating: 2.5/5)

Chongqing Cold Noodles with Shredded Chicken [重庆鸡丝凉面] is highly recommended. This simple cold noodle dish was amazing. You have many experiences in one mouthful of this noodle - tangy, spicy and sweet all at once. [Food rating: 4/5]

Double Taste Rice Cake [鸳鸯糍粑] was very similar to the traditional glutinous rice cakes (传统红糖小年糕) drizzled in raw sugar syrup from Nanjing Impressions [南京大排档]. The one from Nanjing Impressions was more fragrant. The Double Taste Rice Cake was nice but it could be better. (Food rating: 3/5)

The Dumplings with Chilli Oil [红油钟水饺] was so-so. The sauce is incomparable to the one from Ding Tai Fung. (Food Rating: 2.5/5)

Address: #B3-30/31/32, 313@Somerset, 313 Somerset, Singapore 238895

Price: $$

Food rating: 4/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Recommended Dishes: Chongqing Grilled Fish & Grilled Fish with Green Peppers

Link to Map: https://goo.gl/maps/6iLv3JPXvKDiamgC7 

After a superb gastronomical experience from Candlenut, we decided to order a takeout from Blue Ginger. 

The food was prepared from the Great World City outlet, which was launched in 2020. I must say that I was very disappointed with its food quality. 

Another post was made in 2016. The comments / feedback on the pancakes were consistent. The pancakes were delicious and it has a nice texture and crust. 

I had a very strong craving for Korean food after a marathon of Korean drama in the last couple of weeks. More importantly, I had a strong craving for kimchi stew... the good old traditional kimchi stew. I'd ordered two mains and two sides to sate my cravings and appetite. 

The Chicken Bulgogi Bento came with marinated spicy chicken over steamed white rice, kimchi slaw, soy sesame fried chicken and salad. Amongst the dishes, the marinated chicken was extremely flat and weak. You can see from the photo that the dish could be cooked better. The dish overall lacked fragrance and aroma. It was a simple flat, flat, flat. (Food rating: 2/5)

The Beef Bulgogi bento, on the other hand, was slightly better. The beef was tender and sweet in the marinade. I wished that it could be better. Compared to Kim's Family Korean Restaurant, it was sub par and you may consider not ordering the bento. (Food rating: 2/5)

The Kimchi Stew was somehow wholesome, as if I had the the best stew for the soul. The kimchi was well marinated and fermented. The stew was awesomely good. I loved it to the max. It tasted every better with rice. (Food rating: 4/5)

The Tteokbokki Korean Rice Cake was great as well. I loved the spicy thick sauce with the rice cakes. The only thing I was more concerned about was the amount of carbs I have eaten over a meal. It was worth it. 

Did I hear Chicken Satay? Yes, it's Chicken Satay all right. A plate of 6 sticks of tender juicy marinated sweet chicken skewers grilled to perfection. The dish was served with onions, cucumber strips and water apple (jambu), and pineapple peanut sauce. It reminded me to Poh Kee Satay I used to have along Upper Serangoon Road. The water apple was a superb addition to the traditional cucumber and onion slaw. I would have eaten better Chuen Kee Satay @ Old Airport Road Food Centre or Poh Kee Satay. Overall, it is so-so. (Food rating: 2.5/5)

Chicken Chop. Who have never eaten chicken chop? But, this was Corn Fed Spring Chicken Chop. When served, I was shocked as the dish came with the deboned whole spring chicken. I was amazed how the chef did it. It was as if the chicken flesh was a piece of clothing and was taken off from the chicken. There was no stitching of body parts at all. Back to the spring chicken chop... I loved the lightly charred grilled chicken. The housemade coleslaw was tangy and light but the fries was so-so. Drizzle the chicken gravy atop the chicken chop and enjoy the dish. It was delightful and I smiled reminiscing that dish. 👍 🐔 (Food rating: 4.5/5)

There is a 50-50 chance that you either love it or dislike it. For me, I disliked the Foie Grass Kaya Toast. Instead of using butter slices like any other kaya butter toasts, foie gras slices were sandwiched between kaya gel and broiche bread. Throw away the soft boiled eggs and be served with organic egg foam. The buttery, mild liver and rich flavour was too heavy and did not blend well with the kaya gel. I still love the good old butter kaya toast. Too fancy to my liking. (Food rating: 2.5/5)

Artisan Boulangerie Co. (ABC) originates from a small neighbourhood bakery near Orchard Road that offers a varity of breads, pastries and morning treats with a focus on artisanal techniques with the highest quality of ingredients. Alongside Alt Pizza and Twelve Cupcakes International, ABC is operated by a F&B portfolio group - Zest. 

The Swiss Mushroom Burger was served with Angus beef patty, gruyere cheese, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed onions, brioche bun and fries. Between Artisan Boulangerie and Burger King, I love ABC's better. The ingredients combined was heavenly, except for the price. (Food rating: 4/5). 

The Roast Chicken Breast is one of the Chef's recommendation. The chicken breast was marinated with wholegrain mustard and served with camarmelised onions, green beans, mushroom sauce and roasted potatoes. Though the chicken breast was dry, the marinade and all other ingredients that came along with the dish made it still palatable. I guess it is one of the healthiest dish I ordered. (Food rating: 4/5)

The Truffled Mac and Cheese is my all time favourite. Marcaroni with rich cream sauce, mushrooms, truffle oil, fresh parsley and parmesan cheese was rich in flavour and divine. The portion was great for one full meal but it is highly recommended to order this dish for sharing. The mac and cheese was so rich that you will be sick of eating it. (Food Rating: 4/5)

Made with Wagyu Meatballs, linguine, Napoli Sauce and parmesan cheese, the Wagyu Meatballs and Linguine tasted pretty much ordinary. I loved the linguine as it was cooked in al dente style. The Napoli sauce was flat and the rest was history. Because of the ingredients used like Wagyu Meatballs, the price was pretty high at S$18.08. (Food rating: 2.5/5)

All in all, I love the food from Artisan Boulangerie and I don't mind having them from time to time. 

Nonya food is actually a blend of traditional ingredients of Chinese food and Malay spices and herbs. Nonya cuisine is eclectically seasoned and different from Chinese and Malay food. 

The Ikan Assam Pedas or Spicy Tamarind Fish is a classic Singapore and Malaysia dish. The base flavour of assam pedas is sourness and spiciness that definitely whet your appetite. Unlike the regular thick curry, this fish curry is light, tangy, spicy, appetising and best served with steamed rice. At Candlenut, it uses Kuhibarra ocean barramundi fillet cooked in a spicy tangy gravy with baby okra, brinjal and honey pineapple. To be frank, this dish seriously whetted my appetite that I fell in love with this dish. Though it was a little pricey, this dish is worth it. (Food rating: 5/5)

A typical nonya / peranakan dish - Ayam Sioh Bakar is also known as Chicken with tamarind and coriander. The chicken is marinated in tamarind and roasted coriander seeds. The poultry was brought to grilled over charcoal and served with charred green chillies and a tangy sauce from the marinade on the side. At first bite, the chicken reminded me of my grandmother's nonya rice dumplings. The flavour was sweet and tangy that kept you asking for more. The poultry was tender and juicy and the breast fillet attest to that. I was amazed and enjoyed the dish very much. (Food rating: 4.5/5)

Though all the dishes were amazingly delicious, this dish - Beef Rib Rendang came top in my list. This dish is a dry caramelised curry cooked over long hours with spices and turmeric leaf garnished with Serunding (also known as spiced coconut floss). Serunding can be found in dishes like Nasi Sambal Gorent or more commonly Lontong Sayur Lodeh. Back to the beef rib rendang, the rich spice fragrance coupled with the tender beef cubes were superb combination. As you chew the beef cubes slow, the fragrance exploded in your mouth. The first thing it came to mind was my granny's beef rendang. It was food for the soul. (Food rating: 5/5)

Babi Pongteh is a typical Peranakan dish which uses fermented soy bean paste as its main ingredient. It is braised together with potatoes, soy sauce and palm sugar gravy over low heat for long hours until it is tender. Unlike Dong Po Pork, Babi Pongteh has a rich sweet and savoury flavour that you can eat it with steamed rice. The tender pork literally melted in the mouth with its rich flavour that awakes you in plalate. (Food rating: 4.5/5)

The Assam Sotong served with baby squid stir fried with squid ink, tamarind and shrimp paste and garnished with fried shallots and chilli strips. Tamarind and shrimp paste gave the dish a nice tangy and savoury taste. (Food rating: 4/5)

The total damages was S$130.00 that excluded the delivery fees. To be frank, I enjoyed all the dishes. The home delivery services actually puts the food to test and Candlenut deserves its one Michelin star. Well done! 

Address: Block 15,16,17, 18 Dempsey Road, Singapore 249676

Price: $$

Food rating: 4.5/5 👋  🌟🌟🌟🌟

Recommended dishes: If I have to choose my top two dishes, I recommend Beef Rib Rendang and Ikan Assam Pedas. One is hot savoury and the other is tangy savoury. 

Sauteed Scallops with Black Fungus in XO Sauce 酱云耳炒帶子 (S$40.80) blew me away. In this dish, you would find celery, carrots, black fungus, shimeiji mushrooms and scallops cooked in XO sauce. The XO sauce is a seafood spicy sauce with an umami flavour. The sauce can be pretty intense and overpowering. However, the sweetness from scallop surprised me. The portion of XO sauce used was perfect where it kept the original taste of seafood and vegetables. I loved everything in this dish although it was the most expensive dish in my order list. (Food rating: 4.5/5)

Pan-fried Lamb Loin with String Beans 煎對羊仔柳 (S$34.85) looked as simple as it was in the picture but the dish was divine. The lamb loin was not a bit gamey. The nice wok aroma or 锅气 was amazing. The meat was beautifully tenderised that it was pleasant to chew and savour the taste. The string beans were briefly fried that kept its colour and crunchiness. (Food rating: 4/5)

If you love eating pizzas from Pizza Hut, California Pizza, etc., you should try this by Alt. Pizza. If you think that these commericalised pizza joints are real Italian pizzas, you are wrong.

I was tasked to source for a good pizza for a small gathering. The requirement was that it must be good and to find something that is not from the regular commerical pizza restaurants.

An Italian friend recommended Alt. Pizza that he find it almost as good as an Italian-styled pizza. Pizza is usually thin crusted with simple ingredients.

I ordered various kinds of pizza - Old School, Beefy Affair, Truffle Shuffle.

Source: GrabFood

The Old School pizza came with vine-ripened tomato sauce, fresh oregano, basil, parmesan, and mozarella cheese. Just like its name, it is a very old school pizza that I recalled having at Di Fara Pizza, Brooklyn. A classic and simple pizza that is filled with flavour and fragrance. This was extremely enjoyable.

Source: GrabFood

If you love meat, the Beefy Affair is your choice. The pizza has vine-ripened tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, cheddar, wagyu meatballs, roasted mushrooms, and freshly cracked black pepper. The portion of meat and mushrooms were generous and balanced. You will not get sick of meat from eating too much meat or mushrooms.

Source: GrabFood

Truffle Shuffle is a blend of white béchamel sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, chicken fennel sausage, roasted onions, roasted mushrooms and truffle oil. It is unique to have pizza with onions. The roasted onions were sweet as if they were caramelised. The roasted mushrooms had rich aroma. The whole entire blend was amazingly delicious. The truffle oil, though it was part of the recipe, did not mask the rest of the ingredients on the pizza.

Address: 312 Balestier Road, #01-01, Singapore 329743

Located at Upper Boon Keng Food Centre, you will find a humble stall selling muttom soup loved by locals and tourists alike. It was so popular that it was featured in numerous local food variety shows in Singapore.

The mutton soup recipe were brought from their forefathers in that 1940s from India.It started from a food stall and moved to a food stall at Upper Boon Keng Road in the mid 1980s. The mutton soup however is a fusion of India and Singapore flavours. To date, it is now managed by the third and fourth generation members. To them, the mutton soup or Soup Kambing is an art. They took pride to ensure that the food quality remains even though it has been passed on their future generations. More importantly, they've continued to make it affordable for everyone to ensure.

I was looking for new food stalls and found Haji. M. Abdul Rajak stall in one of the food delivery companies. Without hesitation, I ordered a serving of Soup Kambing (meat) to be delivered to my home.

In the first instance, I took the first sip of the broth. It was unique that the soup had a nice fragrant and was not oily. According to the owners, the broth takes 3 hours to cook, which requires dedication and precision, so that it tastes good. This Indian Muslim stall uses a lot of spices from tumeric onion, etc.

The next test was to dip the bread into the broth. When I took the bite on the well-soaked bread, I was surprised that the taste heightened. The fragrance was richer and it was more enjoyable than eating it on its own. The mutton chunks were generous and tender.

It is unfortunate that I did not take a picture of the broth myself. I will definitely take it the next time I order again.

Blanco Court Beef Noodles, previously located at Blanco Court, is now officially back since February 2020. With the availability of home delivery, I had an opportunity to savour their highly recommended beef noodles.

Because it was a home delivery, I've ordered a serving of Beef Tendon Noodles (dry) with Kway Teow and additional beef balls at S$13.70; and a serving of Beef Noodles (dry) with thick bee hoon at S$8.90.

Though it was a little pricey, it was worth it. I didn't have the chance to take photos but will do so the next time around.

When you ordered a 'dry' beef noodles, it will come with a thick dark gravy rich with beef broth and peppery taste. To be frank, it was very different from the ones you may have eaten at some food courts where the gravy is pretty much tasteless. The gravy from #blancocourtbeefnoodles just blows your mind away.

The beef tendons and beef slices were so tender and fresh. They were extremely enjoyable that I emptied the bowls within minutes. The beef balls, on the other hand, was so-so. I did not enjoy much though they were in generous portions and springy.

I will definitely this again and will recommend the beef tendons and sliced beef noodles. Either kway teow or thick bee hoon is fine as they complement all the other ingredients perfectly.

Address: 12 Kallang Avenue, Aperia Mall, #01-36, Singapore 339511
Price: $ (A bit pricey but it's worth it)
Rating: 4.5/5
My Recommendation: Beef Tendon noodles and sliced beef noodles.