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One of the few bakeries in Hong Kong which could make us yearn for their breads, Urban Bakery is surely one of our must-try spots. We bought quite a range of their breads during our previous visit and this time round, we wanted to make our calories worth by giving their gourmet sandwiches a go. There were no facilities for a proper dine-in at the original bakery down at Hysan Place, Causeway Bay but we would not mind to have it on the go as long as it tastes good!

Are the sandwiches as good as their breads?





Japanese 5oz Wagyu beef brioche burger with mushroom duxelle & breadcrumb sand (HK$100/-)

Only 10 pieces of these treats were made in stall each day and upon learning that, we thought that there was no way we would give it a miss! The combination was simply brilliant, starting with the soft brioche that served as the sandwich bread. It had a rich buttery fragrance to it and a crisp surface coupled with a fluffy soft inside.

I was first captivated by the aroma of the bakery at its first shop along Telok Ayer, and being the crossiant lover, it made me determined to go back for a taste of their pastries. A traditional French bakery and of course, seeing how the trays got swept clean at its Telok Ayer branch, it got my expectations up. Passing by its latest branch at Wisma basement, I thought I just had to give it a try!

It's always tough trying to satisfy my taste buds with crossiants cos I'd either pick on it for being overly flaky, too hard, not fluffy enough or lacking the buttery aroma. I've tried the one at Tiong Bahru Bakery, claimed by some to be the best in town, but it just wasn't to my palate.

This simple looking pastry took me by surprise as I took a bite of it and was greeted by the soft folds on the inside and a slight crisp at the side of the crossiant. There was a light buttery aroma yet no signs of it being too oily. I liked how it was soft and fluffy inside and the buttery flavour lingered for a while inside your mouth. I know of friends who're fans of the flaky version of this pastry and this wouldn't be your type of crossiant if you're looking for that crunch or crispy flakes stuck to the sides of your mouth. A soft and simple version, I was satisfied with this plain old crossiant. Of course, I didn't have it fresh from the oven, so perhaps it could have been even better with slightly crispier crust for that perfect touch!



Chocolate Chip Bun ($1.50)
Hidden inside this glazed brown shell, is a patch of dalmatian-looking bread filled with soft chocolate that got us excited with the pretty sight of it. An ordinary bun whose status just got elevated with those lovely dots of chocolate, it's perfect for choco-lovers! It was a tad too sweet for my liking, but I liked the fact that it wasn't the cheapo kind of chocolate used. Fluffy bread on the inside, it complemented the dense-ness of the chocolate well, to bring out chocolate chips as the highlight of it.




Used to those with a crispy skin and soft fluffy insides that tend to leave crusts all over my mouth, I wasn't quite sold by this stiff-looking bread. Compared to the great rendition we've had from Maison Kayser, I would probably call this a down-to-earth version. It didn't have the crispy outsides, nor the airy fluffy insides, but instead it was quite a solid composition of fine bread, that was simple yet addictive. The kind to go well with your simple butter and jam, and best if you have it warm.



Cranberry Cookie ($1 each)
I shall share my official favourite place to have cookies but please leave some for me and not buy it all hor! If you love cookies the home-baked style (instead of the gritty type that Famous Amos has), you'd love this! With fine grains and a subtle flavour of butter cookies, it tasted just like what you'd get from those who bake at home. Finely mixed and crispy throughout, I loved how there was so much cranberries in the mix that you could taste it in every mouthful! A fan of hard cookies, buttered kinds and cranberries, this was the perfect one for me! A simple cookie that tastes of home, and with all my favourites in it, this would be top on my list from now on.

Not too sure if it was the timing or outlet though, my friend who went over to Novena Square's branch at night was pretty disappointed by the cookies, having lost the crispiness of it and tasted like 'lau hong' cookies. Nonetheless, I'll be back for more very soon and probably my staple every time I pass by Wisma!


I went in with skeptical taste buds, thinking that it would probably be another one of those over-hyped bakeries but came out with simple pastries that left me very satisfied. It won't be fireworks with every mouthful, just simple pleasures with good ingredients and value-for-money. Definitely a place that I'll return for more!

Concentrating on serving just Tonkutsu Ramen, Ichiran's priority lies in the safety and satisfaction of each and every customer. The mission of Ichiran is to deepen the flavour of every bowl of noodles served, each involving the work of over 40 specialists.

The Japanese are well-known for their high level of exquisiteness and at Ichiran, it was certainly heightened to the next level with the complicated techniques involved in the ramen-making process. What makes this bowl of ramen so special?


There are actually 8 elements which each contribute to the masterpiece bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen. Essentially what Tonkotsu means in Japanese is pork bone so before we move on to exploring the taste and flavours, let us dwell upon the basics that Ichiran focus on in creating the perfect ramen.

1) Classic Tonkotsu Soup (Pork based broth)
After years of improvising, the cooking process of the broth had been split into two which focused on using special methods to remove the 'heavy' and appalling smell related to pork broth.

2) Ichiran's original red sauce
This would surely appeal to those who crave for a touch of spiciness in their ramen as Ichiran develops their own red-pepper based sauce which involved 30 types of spices, aged and cooked slowly for days and nights before being served to the customers.

3) Home-made fresh noodles
With an in-house unique blend of flour, the experienced chefs at Ichiran create their own version of noodles using special techniques to have that uniquely smooth texture.

4) Sliced pork (Optional)
The thinly sliced pork had been specially prepared and marinated to concentrate on the natural sweetness of the protein.

5) Green onion (Optional)
You have the choice of adding or omitting this from your ramen but these specially grown green onions offer freshness and quality. The fertilizer used in cultivating these green onions were recycled from the pork bones after they were used for producing the broth for the ramen. Organic and environmental friendly.

6) 0% trans fat
The natural oil used at Ichiran are self-produced and completely trans-fat free. They claim to be the first ramen company in the world to offer trans-fat free tonkotsu ramen.

7) Natural collagen
The broth is apparently rich in collagen which helps the body to gain flexibility and improve skin's complexion. Delicious and nutritious.

8) Ichiran's original water
The water served had been carefully selected for the preparation of products. The quality of the water is controlled through Ichiran's special system of pipes and purifiers and has the characteristics of bringing out all the flavour of the noodles making them firm and resistant to expanding once in the soup. It is also delicate and soft to the stomach and liver so feel free to drink more!

There is a tap available at table to allow free-flow of iced Ichiran original water!

Now that I had hopefully portrayed a better picture about what to expect, let us bask in that authentic Japanese ramen experience!


It was considered a short queue of about 30-40 minutes before we got a seat. Such a waiting time is considered good since it was reported that some people queued for 4 hours under the hot summer just to have a taste of that tonkotsu ramen! According to our friends residing in Japan, even the Ichiran restaurants there have similar queue times.



Expect the queue to continue inside the air-conditioned restaurant which was a relief from that blazing sun out there!




The free-flow iced Ichiran original water tap is located on the left corner of each table allowing easy access. You will be issued with an order chit upon walking into the restaurant and you would have the option to choose the density of broth, texture of noodles (limp or firm), level of spiciness (max level is 20 times at an additional charge of HK$10. Essentially, each and every bowl of ramen is customized to your preference. Once you are comfortably seated and ready to place your order, you could press the bell located on the top right hand of the table to get the attention of the service crew who would be humbly serving you.

In fact, I never got to see how the servers looked like though they politely greeted us in Japanese when we were ushered to our seats.

Are you as hungry as us yet? Serve up the noodles, please!


Tonkotsu Ramen (Standard bowl at HK$89/-, add-ons are charged separately)




My bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen came with add on of 10 times extra spicy but quite frankly the heat was not as strong as expected. The pork bone broth was intense as I opted for it to be served extra strong and it was savoury and rich. It was really fragrant and there was no hint of that appalling porky smell in the broth. The sliced pork was tender and succulent and cooked to perfection, maintaining a natural sweetness which was intended by the chefs. I also chose the finely sliced green onions which enhanced the aroma of the ramen as I drew up those bouncy hand-made noodles from the broth. Despite taking some time in the routine photo-taking, the noodles did not expand nor become limp as I selected mine to be firm. The texture was surprisingly smooth and the only complaint I had was that the serving might seem a little meagre for the gents.

There was a sign which explained the culture of enjoying the ramen at Ichiran where most customers would request for noodle refill which was termed kaedama. It is Hakata's unique way of enjoying more noodles in one ramen serving and the mantra is to leave at least half of the soup from the first serving to enjoy a refill of noodles. As ramen noodles are characterised for expanding in the soup as time passes due to their thinness and delicacy, the system of kaedama helps to solve this problem and allows the customer to better enjoy the texture and aroma of the ramen.



The second bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen ordered by the lady was slightly different as she went for the most standard bowl of noodles with different elements ticked to be of normal serving. The richness and savouriness of that broth overwhelmed any hint of heat, so if you enjoy your ramen to be spicy, you could surely go for at least 5 times extra spicy on the order chit.

We each ordered an half-boiled salted egg which came at HK$12/- each but it did not impress us. We also added the black fungus and seaweed which came at surcharge of HK$10/- each. We also had a separate serving of their home made vinegar which also came at HK10/-. Admittedly, we were not quite sure what to do with the vinegar - if we were to add it into the broth or as a dipping sauce. We added it into the broth but was unable to taste much difference in taste.


It was overall a really authentic experience starting with the ordering process right through to slurping up the last drop of that beautiful broth!

Another place that has added on to the list of affordable French food dining places, along the ranks of Saveur, Black Gold and a few sprouting ones. Serving up its signature roast chicken, just as its name suggests (pronounced as pou-leh), we were pretty surprised by how reviews were ravingly good and wondered how different or great can roast chicken get.


A special off their menu, we ordered the cranberry half chicken, with accompanying mustard sauce. First mouthful, I was pretty surprised by the juices that flowed out with every bite, and a nicely marinated chicken. I thought the meat was slightly tough, and the skin wasn't exactly a wow version, just slightly savory like what you'd expect of a typical roast chicken.

Ordering this for its cranberry sauce, I was greatly disappointed. It tasted nothing like cranberries, without the sweetness of it and in fact, had a strong resemblance with brown sauce that usually goes on top your chicken chop ordered from the food court. I'm not a fan of mustard as sharpness of it isn't exactly to my palate, but perhaps mustard go-ers would find this a good complement with the variation to excite your taste buds.



This was their classic dish, a taste of the sauce and I thought it went much better with the dish. A light creamy sauce, again, it didn't quite go with the description. It was just slightly flavoured with a tinge of mushroom, and mostly I could only taste the savory-ness of the creamy sauce.



A classic dessert for any French place, I was hoping that this would be the redeeming factor for my less-than-satisfying meal. A pretty container, we opened up to a nicely powdered top. Digging in, I was overwhelmed by how creamy it was, followed by a mouthful of overly moist sponge fingers. There wasn't a strong coffee flavour in it as well, at least not strong enough for me, and it got too jelat with the rich cream after just a few mouthfuls.


With a half-chicken for dinner, I thought the serving was a little small, with no sides that usually accompanies when you order it at western joints, that I still felt hungry after finishing it. I thought it was a pretty decent roast chicken, but doesn't live up to its claimed 'amazing roast chicken' title. It was quite overrated with the snaking long queues I've always spotted and if you'd really want a shot of it, reach before 7 to avoid the long queueing time!

A prized recommendation, Tomi Sushi - located in Velocity at Novena Square offered a memorable lunch dining experience which I thought made our calories count. I could not reiterate further how important a good company or dining companion is when it comes to delivering the overall verdict of a dining experience. It was truly an enjoyable catch-up session with Ash over lunch and the treat was much appreciated!

Apart from the companion, how did the food fare?

Nigiri Sakura (S$28/++)



The sushi served on the plank had a good offering of the different types of seafood, each served with the top grade quality Niigata Koshihikari Japanese rice. Koshihikari was first created in 1956 by combining 2 different strains of Nourin No. 1 and 2 and harvested at Uonuma area of Niigata Prefecture which is typically the most expensive rice in Japan.

The protein-loaded fish sushi such as tuna was almost melt-in-your-mouth tender, still maintaining that beautiful freshness from sea. A lot of the seafood served were air-flown from Niigata and the quality was evident starting from the first bite. A particularly memorable one was the lovely cuttlefish which had a good crunchy texture to it. I found the wasabi spread underneath the fresh seafood too mild for our palate so we requested for a separate serving. The wasabi seemed like a freshly grated Japanese horseradish which had an initial sweetness followed by a strong flavour which imparted hotness akin to that of mustard. It then produced that typical vapour which stimulated our nasal passages rather than on the tastebuds. It was simply sublime.


On each table was a mini-tray which contained the two different types of sauces. The difference in taste between the two but it would be worth noting that the sashimi sauce was a special selection by Tomi Sushi while the traditionally brewed soy sauce would be suited for most sushi dishes. Admittedly, I found the difference marginal so I would recommend trying both to see which suits your palate more.


My set lunch came with the Tori Karage which was essentially deep-fried chicken portions with a beautiful golden-brown coating which did not taste excessively greasy. The marinade was light yet tasteful and what made it a worthy must-try was that flawless crispy surface complemented by a succulent, tender and moist inside. As a side dish, it also helped to add texture to the tray of sushi with its crispiness.


My set lunch came with the Chawanmushi which was an egg custard dish flavoured with soy sauce, dashi, mirin, shitake mushroom, boiled shrimp and served in a tea-cup like bowl. Upon scooping it up with a spoon, the first thing that struck me was the wobbly steamed egg which simply melted in our mouths and I could practically just swallow it. The fragrance was light and did not have that appalling eggy smell which I so clearly detest. The second memorable element served in the tray was that innocent-looking miso soup. It might not look quite as extraordinary but this miso soup was slow-cooked with the addition of salmon bones and flesh and you could not help but enjoy the lovely bits of that protein in the soup.

Third & Sixth is a bistro-bar down at Seah Street which offers premium draught beer, quality whiskeys and an interesting menu of calories-worthy food. There seemed to be no lack of F&B ideas and concepts budding up in Singapore and seemingly this summer it was all about dessert pastry cronuts with our home-grown version from Da Paolo and burger bistros. It seemed like many of the new burger chains were already well reported by bloggers and it certainly took us some time before we decided to drop by Third & Sixth as I was enticed by the pictures and promotions they had put up on their Facebook page.

We dropped by after the usual afternoon lunch crowd had dispersed and managed to enjoy some peace and tranquillity at this inconspicuous looking bistro-bar. There was the lunch set menu being offered from 12-3pm and I felt that it was a real steal to get a starter, main and a bottomless iced tea drink at S$9.90/nett. All the prices stated on the menu were nett, inclusive of GST and service charge.

Upon being ushered to our table, Edward, which we later learnt to be one of the bosses attended to us and was more than patient in making recommendations and was elaborate in attempting to portray an insight of the types of food on offer. Just when I thought that this was a manly-fare with their list of burgers under 'The Main Reason' menu and choice of draught beers such as Asahi and Magners, I was in for a teaser when he introduced a separate menu - the Sinless Grub. No prizes for guessing but yeah it was a menu that featured healthier options for the weight-watchers yet delivering a sumptuous meal. Was that even possible?

Nachoo Libre - Part of the 2 course lunch set (S$9.90/-)


The list of starter dishes came under the 'Sideshows' category of the menu and this standalone would cost S$6/- when ordered ala carte. There were 3 starters to choose from the lunch set menu and in the appetite for some sinful indulgence, the nachos seemed too good to resist. The crunchy corn chips were served with home-made pico de gala, melted cheese and sour cream, topped with the all important chilli con carne. It seemed like a crime, almost, to give this a miss. The nachos were crisp and crunchy with a beautiful corn flavour and the toppings worked harmoniously in terms of flavours and balance in tastes. The richness and intensity of the chilli con carne, a mildly spicy stew of chilli peppers, beef and beans was refreshingly complemented by the salsa. It seemed almost like a rare deal when the dish was served to us warm and that melted cheese was still runny-rich and viscous and not a state where it had already cooled and thickened. It was also interestingly served in a dim sum bamboo steamer tray which I thought was a clever form of presenting this Texan-inspired teaser.



On the list of mains to choose from for the lunch set menu, you could also order this ala carte under the Sinless Grub under a slightly different name - Stan Winston's Head (S$9/-). This fondly reminded us of our lunch days whilst studying at university where tortilla wraps somewhat became a staple food of ours, probably owed to calories-consciousness.

The soft tortilla wrap complemented the crunchy Romaine lettuce neatly tucked with the grilled butternut pumpkin and soy beancurd. There was a lightly saccharine dressing to keep the greens moist and delectable. One could not help but enjoy the cleanness of the dish and would make a beautiful main for the ladies or weight-watcher gents. The crisps served were simply plain salted and while it might seemed like a herbivore's meal, it was surprisingly filling for the portion size was pretty sizeable.

I thought that the lunch set menu was really value for money and given several starters and mains to choose from, I would highly recommend it.