18 Chefs

I met up with JO and W for a very late lunch today at 18 Chefs. It was a good break from work and a wonderful opportunity to catch up with JO. After reading about 18 Chefs in one of the famous food blogs, I suggested taking a drive down to Eastpoint mall to check it out.

18 Chefs is a casual dining cafe that specialises in baked rice and pasta dishes.  The first thing that struck me was that the customers were mainly nurses (from the nearby Changi Hospital) and students (from the nearby secondary schools). Not surprisingly, there were posters promoting discounted meals to these 2 groups.

The menu had been printed on the table and was part of its design. To order, you tick your choices on a piece of paper and then proceed to the cashier to make payment. In terms of variety, the menu is rather limited with the usual favourites. The highlight was the flexibility given to diners to create their own baked dish by choosing the sauces and ingredients. Though the waiters were relatively young, service was prompt and friendly. Best of all, there was a free flow of condiments and ice cold water placed at the service counter where we could just help ourselves.

We ordered some garlic bread, a salad and some calamari and onion rings. Simple fare but appetising nonetheless.

The calamari rings came coated with a light crunchy batter.

  
JO ordered some home made ice lemon tea which arrived in an interesting  glass mug. I was tempted but decided on a diet coke instead. I try not to waste calories on sugared drinks, unless of course it's booze.

My dish was the first to arrive - Seafood Aglio Olio. The spaghetti (with squid, prawns and mussels) was generously coated with garlic, herbs and olive oil. Personally I much prefer pastas with a tomato or olive oil base. They are light, zesty and do not overwhelm the delicate taste of the rest of the ingredients.

When JO's Seafood Marinara came, I realised that she had ordered a tomato-based version of mine. It looked extremely tempting...should have asked her for a bite...rats.

W ordered one of the specials of the day, Salmon with Lemon Butter Sauce, which came with corn soup and ice-cream. The grilled salmon lay temptingly on the rich sauce with a bed of vegetables by the side.

The pasta dishes range from $7+ to $13. Sides and salads cost between $3 to $7 and drinks will set you back from $1+. Best of all, there's a 25% discount on the meal on weekdays between 3pm to 5pm.

18 Chefs
Eastpoint Mall
Simei

Sakae Sushi @ Hougang Point

The one thing that bugs me is the uneven quality of food served across different branches of the same restaurant. Last Friday, JT, FT and I went down to Sakae Sushi at Hougang Point to celebrate FT's good exam results and I must say, the quality of food there was a far cry from the branch at Compass Point.

The California Temaki looked so appetising in the menu, but when it arrived, I stared down at the sorry roll lying limply on my plate. The avacado was the best part of the dish.

FT wanted something different and ordered the Tempura Udon. The dish was satisfactory but I was surprised by its saltiness. There were only 2 small pieces of chicken in the soup and I was left wandering if the chicken was part of the meal or accidently dropped in.

JT ordered his usual Kaminabe and the quality of ingredients was much lower than those we had at the airport and at Compass Point. The first and very apparent difference we noted was the number of pieces of chicken. The second were the vegetables - there was a large heap of lettuce piled beneath the rest of the ingredients.

Thankfully, when my Tempura Moriawase came, it was hot and crispy.

Still, the $50 I spent on the meal could have better been spent elsewhere.

Sakae Sushi
Hougang Point

House of Lobster

The fantastic thing about living in Singapore is that you can find the most interesting food in the most unexpected places. Today, JT had a performance at ITE Simei and it gave me the perfect excuse to bring Mum, Uncle and FT to have lunch at the House of Lobster located right smack in the Business Block. Now, there have been numerous reviews about the lobster porridge and the lobster mee sua. But paying over $60 for what basically is a commonplace dish is just not my cup of tea.

First, the all important soup. According to finicky eater JT, it's a non-negotiable must have for all Chinese meals. (And he only takes clear soups). After studying the menu, we ordered the beancurd and chicken soup ($8).

It was a light and tasty broth with servings of fish maw, chicken slices, mushrooms, carrots, spring onions, ginger and beancurds. The mix of ingredients yielded a sweet tasting soup that whetted our appetites for the meal ahead.

 Next came the Hokkien Fried Rice ($8) which was akin to Mui Fun with rich brown gravy. It was well received by FT and JT who each took three large servings. Diced prawns, chicken, mushrooms, carrots and cucumbers made this a richly textured dish.

Look at how rich and inviting the rice looks in the serving bowl. Chinese risotto.

The Venison in XO sauce ($18) was highly recommended in food forums so I ordered it. Unfortunately, it was quite ordinary and tasted more like the usual black pepper version.

The Mongolian Chicken was much more interesting.Although listed under the snack menu, 5 juicy drumlettes cost only $5.80. Coated with an exotic mix of spices and fried, each bite seemed to take me away to a far flung desert land.

The arrival of the prawn and mango salad ($9.80) was a light and zesty break to an otherwise meaty menu. The prawns were large and the mango slices had the right level of tanginess.

We were so full by the time the last dish arrived - Prawn Bee Hoon ($8). The servings were much larger that we expected. The prawns were large and succulent and the Bee Hoon covered with a thick, eggy gravy.

Quite a satisfying meal and the service was very attentive. Next time though, I would just order the Fried Rice and a range of dishes from the snack menu. The 'snacks' are much more interesting that the main dishes and are much better value for money.

House of Lobster
ITE Simei
Business Block

Korean Soups @ Kovan

We're back at Heartland Mall to have dinner at Kobayashi Restaurant. It's where JT and FT go to have their Korean fix. It's casual dining cafe where you place your order at the cashier before collecting your cutlery and drinks. Food is served to your table and service is prompt. Prices are reasonable (mainly between $6 - $10) and the dishes are pretty decent.

First the rice came.

JT and FT started tucking in immediately. "Aren't you going to wait for the soup?" I asked, but my question was met only with silence as the two of them concentrated on the rice.

Finally, the soups came, piping hot and served in cast iron mini-works.

I ordered the ginseng chicken soup (Sam Gye Tang) and mixed meat and seafood broth (Yosen Kinoko) for us to share.The ginseng chicken soup was fragrant and the chicken was tender. A rather large portion of breast meat and wing was served. For $7.80, the soup and rice combi was quite value for money. It's a decidedly potent soup with a strong medicinal aftertaste. It's also JT's favourite soup and he attacked it with gusto.

Next came the mix meat broth soup with pork ribs, prawns, chicken and squid. A good dish for those who can't decide what they want.

This broth had a much milder taste but was still rich in flavour. The pork ribs were expecially tender and the squid rings added a nice seafood tang to the broth. This was FT's preferred dish and she finished the soup, right to the very last drop.

For $7.80, the mixed broth came with rice and a side dish of battered mushrooms. The batter was light, crunchy and surprisingly tasty. Too bad there were only a couple of small mushrooms. I could have eaten a lot more.

All in all, quite a satisfying meal.

Kopitiam @ Hougang Festival Market

The cost of a simple meal seems to be skyrocketing! Today, a no-fuss lunch for 4 at the food court set us back by over $20.

FT had a western food craving and ordered some Fish and Chips ($6.90). Pretty expensive, considering that the average price for this is about $5.50. Thakfully, the serving was rather generous, with a crispy slab of fried fish fillet, baked beans, a fried egg and some fries.

Not too bad a dish, though the fish was a little dry. The salad was pathetic, just a few leaves of lettuce. They should have just given a scoop of coleslaw.

Afer last night's dinner I ordered some Yong Tau Foo soup. Boring, but I wanted something light to eat. ($3 for min 5 pieces). Soup was tasty and I selected mainly vegetables for my meal.

JT ordered a plate of his usual chicken rice. For $3.50, the stall gave quite a generous serving. The hawkers are friendly and are accommodating to special orders too. I noticed a fleshy piece of chicken butt on JT's plate but had no heart to point it out to him. Otherwise, the entire dish would have gone to waste. PT ordered some rice dish that came in a small mini wok. Unfortunately, as I had gone to collect the fish and chips, the 2 hungry chaps went for the food  before I had a chance to take any pictures.

Still feeling peckish, PT ordered some fried dumplings (jiao zi) ($4 for 8 pieces). This is one dish I enjoy, not so much because of the dumpling itself, but rather the mix of ginger, vinegar and dumpling yields a zesty burst of flavour that just leaves you wanting for more.

The Jiao Zi filing was tasty and moist, but the skin was a little too thick. I also prefer a more chewy wrapping rather than the crispy, fried one that we had.

Still can't get my macro shots right...need more practice (and more excuses to eat!)

D&D @ Royal Plaza on Scotts

I just had a crazy D&D at Royal Plaza on Scotts Hotel. The theme was 'Retro Night' and some of my colleagues could have stopped traffic with their va-va-voom getups.

You know how much foodies rave about the buffet at Cafe Carousel. Being a fan of the cafe myself, I was quite looking forward to the buffet dinner. At $88 per pax, my expectations were running high. However, truth be told, the food was so-so. Nothing near the spread or quality of the buffet at the first floor cafe. At about $45 per pax at Cafe Carousel, it was much better value for money.

As usual, I went for the cold cuts for my first round.

 The Jelly Fish and Mango Salad was surprisingly tasty. It was tangy and carried a spicy zing. The crisp semi-ripe mango slices complemented the chewy strands of jelly fish. The Brie Cheese, Aubergine and Tomatoes drizzed in Olive Oil was also one of my preferred dishes. Too bad there was no camembert cheese.  Surprisingly, the dish that I really enjoyed was the salad with pine nuts. There was a smoky aftertaste to the nuts which was absolutely delightlful.

On the left of the plate are the Seared Tuna Slices and Smoked Salmon, both of which were pretty average.

The hot trays were rather limited and held no surprises. Give the fantastic range at Carousel, I felt that the hotel could have provided a more interesting menu. Here's what I took for my second round. Detoured back to the appetizer table for more jelly fish, pine nuts and cheese.

The tomato-based stewed beef was dry and tough. I took one mouthful and left the rest on the plate.

The Morrocan Lamb was better, but still rather sweet for my liking.

Dessert was the usual fare: Fruits, eclairs, cakes. The two items that stood out were the creme brulee and the coconut panna cotta. The fruit crepe with vanilla sauce was not bad too.

Average dinner, but nonetheless a highly enjoyable one due to the lively (and rowdy) company.

Sushi @ Compass Point

I was running some errands in Compass Point when I decided to pop into Cold Storage to buy some sushi from the counter at the entrance. Compared to the other buy-and-run sushi counters, this one has a pretty decent range, offering maki rolls, sushi, salad bowls, bento sets and hand rolls. Feeling hungry, I bought a pre-packed set for $5.50.

A salty dose of Ebiko Sushi

Jelly Fish Sushi

Ebi Sushi

Tako Sushi

Unfortunately, the sushi wasn't as fresh as it looked. I supposed the pre-packed box had been displayed for quite some time. The rice was gooey as the individual grains seemed to have turned slightly mushy. I should have gone for the hand rolls or the individually packed items.

Sushi Counter outside Cold Storage
Compass Point
Sengkang