mycc: Halal

[SG] The Manhattan FISH MARKET | revamped menu with 43 new items to delight!

The first thing that comes to my mind whenever I think of The Manhattan FISH MARKET? It has got to be the classic Fish & Chips. Key highlights of its newly revamped menu however, was nothing like the classic. Themed New and Bolder, the revamped menu brings bolder flavours across, with a refreshing selection available.

Happiness Infusion (S$6)

Sampling portion

A new addition to the menu, its name alone make it sound tempting. An earl grey based drink, infused with lemongrass topped with strawberry and lychee. I liked how the flavours were well-balanced, and didn't taste any bit artificial. The subtle fragrance of earl grey came through for a refreshing, calming drink.

Citrus Mint (S$5.50)

With lemon and mint smoothie, it's almost hard to go wrong with this refreshing combination. A great choice to down any strong flavours and cleanse your palate, helping you get ready for second rounds! This was available previously, and remains on its hot favourites in its beverage menu.

Oyster Roulette (S$7.95 for 4 shooters)

Fire up your dining session with this game of luck! Containing poached oysters in their specially-concocted spicy sauce, 1 out of 4 shooters contains a fiery kick that's bound to get you downing ice water or some of their coolers! It was shiok, though a tad too overwhelming for me. An interesting game to start off an engaging dinner session, special requests can be made for all to be changed to the extra spicy version too!

Onion Glory (S$7.95)

A different rendition of the onion rings we're so familiar with, its presentation impresses blooming with the full glory of the onion slices. I was expecting a sharp onion taste but this came through subtly, a good thing for non-onion fans like myself. It reminded us of the Typhoon Bloom at Outback Steakhouse, though the batter was slightly different with an addictive crisp and marinade.

Ocean Gems (S$5.95)

A non-salad lover, I shunned this initially, only to be surprised by the sweet dressing that made it taste slightly like yusheng, with the ingredients replaced by seafood. With shredded cucumber and carrot to lend a crunchy texture, I loved the generous serving of prawns and scallops in this.

Curry Hill Seafood (S$16.95 with slipper lobster, S$14.95 with tiger prawns)

Inspired by Murray Hill in Manhattan, or commonly known as Curry Hill by New Yorkers as the area is famed for its Indian cuisine, this packs a bold curry flavour with rich spices in its broth. I would have preferred a spicier kick, though this was just good enough to be able to savor the freshness of the seafood without the overpowering spice. Accompanying crispy baguette and battered veggie sticks were perfect as dips to go along!

Fishy Chicky Bang Bang (S$13.95)

Have you ever felt undecided between two dishes yet not wanting to order both due to limited stomach space? This always happens to me and I was pleasantly surprised to find this dish meant for the fickle like me. With a dory fillet on one side and chicken fillet on the other, with cheddar cheese sandwiched in between, enjoy the best of both worlds in every bite!

Nestling the sunny-side-up in what seemed like the Indian snack muruku, is a bed of fried spaghetti that's too pretty to destroy! An interesting texture and pairing, a dish that's probably gonna be a hot favourite amongst kids.

Flaming Cheeesy Baked Rice (S$15.95)

Adding the flaming touch just before serving

A comforting dish with its signature herbed rice, the flame-grilled dory fillet lies on top and lends its flowy juices and flavour to the rice below. I loved the fragrance of the rice, with succulent soft dory and the right balance of cheese so that it didn't overpower the dish. A simple baked rice done well!

Ocean Perch Perfect (S$15.95)

Another seemingly simple dish with perch fillet and sambal, the combination reminded me of a very homely dish. The sambal was pleasantly addictive, making it a good old comfort food.

Strawberry Flamin-Go (S$4.95)

With marshmallows flamed atop, strawberry slices and mango pudding cubes filled out the cup with chocolate sauce at the bottom. Bound to delight any kids at the table, I liked that the mango pudding wasn't too sweet, and the chocolate sauce wasn't overpowering either.

Super Fruit Crumble (S$4.95)

Likened to that of an apple crumble, dig your way through to the bottom for a taste of varied textures and fruit compote for that sweet touch. I liked the caramelized crumbly bits that were generously spread throughout the dish, with vanilla ice cream to balance out the sweetness.

If you're looking to avoid the crowd or long queues that we often see at Manhattan, do check out their latest outlet at Kallang Wave Mall with very spacious and comfortable seating. Perfect for young families with a vibrant setting and kids-friendly menu, we were also greeted by very friendly service crew who were extremely attentive.

It's typically hard for restaurants to come up with new seasonal dishes and to come up with 43 new items is certainly a feat! These items will be available from 12 November 2014 onwards at all outlets.

Overall Verdict: 7.5/10

The Manhattan FISH MARKET

Kallang Wave Mall #01-09
Singapore 397628
Tel: (+65) 6702 6244
Website: www.manhattanfishmarket.com

P.S. Much thanks to Ying Ying and team, as well as Yi Ling and team for a lovely preview of these creations!

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, by swee

Cafe

[SG] Flee Away Cafe | an escapade from the bustling streets of Little India

At the end of a hectic work week, wouldn't you want to wind down and relax in a quiet spot, enjoying the serenity as time goes by? Borne out of such belief, Lynn decides to have a space of her own for diners to flee away from reality.

Juxtaposed against the bustling streets of Little India along Dunlop Street, you could sense an immediate change in ambient mood as you step through the doors of the cafe. The details on display renders you to slow down and take a second look.

Lynn, the owner and inspiration behind their local dishes with a twist

'Boxed stalls' with unique items for sale

Tau Kwa Salad with Grilled Chicken Sausages ($12.50)

A dish of varied textures, this gives typical salad go-ers a twist with the savoury slices of tau kwa and chicken sausage. A bowl that packs much within, it is unlike the usual perception of salads we have that's likely to leave you hungry for more after. It was just a tad dry, though one could argue that salad dressings would defeat the purpose of a healthy salad bowl!

Beef Hash Pie Tee ($12.50/6pcs)

Using the shells of the usual Kueh Pie Tee, its filling is replaced by minced beef to be stuffed inside. The crisp of the fresh shells went well with the well-seasoned minced beef, though I was expecting some crunchy bits as the usual kueh pie tee would have provided that mix of textures in a mouthful. Taste-wise, it still sat well with most on our table, with the right salinity for its beef hash.

Le Char Kuey with Dry Laksa ($15.50)

A signature that's deemed as a must-try over here, you've got to ignore how much calories it packs. Le Char Kuey basically refers to the special bun, custom made with a blend of dough fritters (油条) for the crispness outside, and fluffy baguette on the inside. It comes with 10 different fillings, with dry laksa being their most popular.

Slightly spiced and well-seasoned, it was an addictive one with chewy thick noodles and crisp skin. A good dish for sharing just in case it gets slightly overwhelming!

Le Char Kuey with Coleslaw ($12.50)

This was a refreshing one as I loved the fresh crunch in each mouthful. It was just slightly too creamy though the blend of vegetables helped in the illusion that it wasn't that sinful. Okay, don't remind me of the dressing.

Le Char Kuey with Chicken Bak Kwa, Crushed Crackers and Wasabi Mayo ($15.50)

This was one that won the hearts of all on my table. Surprisingly, the tangy wasabi mayo complemented the savoury bakkwa slices well enough so that it doesn't overwhelm, with the crackers lending good textures to the crisp sandwich.

Chicken Luncheon Meat Chips ($10.50)

Fans of spam fries would probably cheer at these spam chips fresh from the deep fryer. I've always avoided these but my dining companions enjoyed these freshly fried chips, crisp in every bite.

Waffle with Gula Melaka Pudding ($8.50)

An interesting dessert with a ball of sago seeds, we were supposed to drizzle gula melaka and coconut milk over it. While the chewy sago seeds tasted unique, its waffle didn't quite impress as it was a tad too stiff. Good thing that Lynn, the owner of Flee Away, was receptive to feedback, and you can hopefully expect better waffles when you visit :)

Irish Cream Mud Pie ($8.50)

A sweet ending to any meal, this is a safe choice with abundance of tempting chocolate flakes. While its name of Irish Cream was pretty misleading, think of it as a chocolate and vanilla ice-cream slice to reconcile with your palates. We would have preferred its chocolate base to be thicker as chocoholics would be sure to fall in love with it!

On a side note, in this session with the Nikon team, we were also given a chance to experiment with different models and most importantly with photography tips to help amateurs like me with some casual Q&A with their technical person.

Array of Nikon cameras!

And, if you haven't heard of OpenSnap, it's a full-feature app that allows you to browse for nearby good eats, check out others' reviews and helps integrate your reviews and photos into your own customised collections! Don't say I bo jio, check it out on your Google Play or Apple App store!

P.S: Thank you Reka and Openrice team for the invitation, Nikon team for sharing great photography tips and of course, Lynn for hosting us!

Overall Verdict: 7.0/10

Flee Away Cafe

70 Dunlop Street

Singapore 209398

Tel: 63417843

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, by swee

Brunch

[SG] Butterscotch Cafe | unsatisfying food with infuriating service!

Having heard so much of the latest cafe opening in the Bukit Merah area, we finally decided to go down and try it for ourselves! A pretty cosy space that's comfortable for about 20 pax, the ambience was welcoming and a relaxed one, perfect for the weekend.

Craving for some mains before trying their desserts that they're better known for, we settled for the Eggs Benedict yet again.

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict ($16)

My first thought upon seeing this was that 'good things probably comes in small packages'. It was a little too small as compared to other cafes that we've tried, yet charging similar prices. Taste-wise, it'd completely been a miss for us, with the hollandaise sauce tasting bitter without any buttery taste to it, while the eggs were just extremely over-cooked! It's probably the first time that I've had any eggs ben without any of the yolk flowing.

I didn't like how the eggs were cold as well, and with every mouthful, you could taste cold water with the egg white. The smoked salmon portion wasn't generous enough either to have the taste of it coming through, and the piece of bread below was soggy. The only redeeming factor was perhaps the well-toasted bread on top that was just crisp and warm still.

Verdict: 3.0/10

I was pretty psyched up about the butterscotch soufflé as that seemed like one of their signatures. Understanding the slightly longer waiting time for soufflés typically due to the baking time, we placed an order together with our mains, wanting to try it before ordering other desserts on the menu.

Much to our disappointment, this caused the greatest dissatisfaction of our dining experience. Whilst we were one of the few customers around at the start, we'd waited for about 30 minutes before seeing the dish served to another table who arrived after us. Asked for the dish to be checked, we were told of a waiting time of 5 minutes. After another >5 mins, we'd asked for the dish again, only to be told that the waiting time was yet another 5mins and while we've told them that we've waited for more than 15mins, we were rudely ignored by their staff.

The last straw hit when we'd waited for yet another 5mins and seeing several other dishes coming out, with no signs of the kitchen expediting our order despite asking several times. Only then, we'd decided to ask to cancel the order. Just then, the dish was ready by the kitchen and the service staff attending to us told the kitchen immediately to keep it back, without asking if we were still interested to have it.

With the severe lack in sincerity in serving customers and retaining customers, it's certainly not a place that takes pride in providing customers an enjoyable dining experience. With the far below average eggs ben I've had and the (lack of) service experienced, it's certainly one to spoil our weekend cafe hop.

As for the food, in all fairness, they're more known for their desserts rather than mains, so if you're keen to visit, you might wish to go there for some sweet tooth craving instead of brunch. Not to forget, for my Muslim friends, this cafe doesn't serve pork and they replace bacon with turkey bacon. Though it's not halal-certified yet, they've got quite a fair bit of Muslim customers so it's pretty safe.

Butterscotch Cafe
Blk 164 Bukit Merah Central #01-3625

(located near the flight of stairs up from the zebra crossing across Blk 161)

Singapore 150164

2 comments

, by swee

American Cuisine

[SG] Badoque | hidden Halal cafe with decent food!

My first time visiting Simpang Bedok, amazed by the tons and dozens of food stalls around the area. Somewhat like our Tze Char style and some more atas coffee shops, it was bustling with lots of diners when we arrived at about 8pm.

Hidden behind Giant Hypermarket, take a few more steps forward and you’ll see another row of shops popping up just like Harry Potter! For a moment, we felt comforted for having to call up Badoque to ask for directions. The location itself made us feel not so sua-ku after all :P

One of the few halal western places that I know of, I must say it has quite the right ambience for a Friday night chillin’ session. Highly raved about by Rozz on 98.7fm according to my friend, it thus got her extremely excited, deciding on Badoque as our dinner destination.

Famished by the time we reached, we dug into its starters immediately, before taking our time to decide on our mains.

Hot and Sticky Drumlets (6 pieces for $7.50)

A fan of chicken wings/drumlets, how could I miss this? Finally getting our stomachs filled after feeding our cameras, my first bite was quite an anticipatory one, and satisfied by the sauce. The drumlets itself was, however, rather disappointing where the meat was slightly overcooked and on the tougher side. The sauce tasted good on its own, but didn’t manage to be infused in the flesh itself, perhaps with the lack of marinade. Good for curbing any cravings you might have, but don’t bear high expectations on satisfying it!

Verdict: 7.0/10

Crab served with Pie Tee (8 pieces for $9.50)

This was one that we got pretty impressed by, and caught our attention with its mentioning of crabs! With crispy pie tee shells and filling it ourselves, it was quite a fun way for us to prepare our own food and maintaining the crisp layer of the shell. The mixture itself was quite a surprising flavour that caught me off guard. I was expecting some chilli crab paste that might get a little monotonous after a while, but my first bite was a refreshing burst of pineapples in it! The combination might have sounded a little weird, but it went perfectly great when we tried it, as the pineapples they chose were crunchy yet having no tinge of sour-ness at all! The texture also helped break the monotony each mouthful, and the juices went well with the otherwise-jelat mixture. I would have preferred more crab meat inside, as I couldn’t really taste it in the mixture. A satisfying mouthful of goodness nonetheless!

Verdict: 8.5/10

Pumpkin Soup ($5.50)

It is said that pumpkin soup is a natural happy soup, with pumpkins releasing chemical compounds to lift your spirits and trigger feelings of well-being! This was quite an average rendition, with fine puree and a slight grated texture which I liked. I found it a tad too sweet for me though, and thought that the natural taste of pumpkin could be accentuated further.

Verdict: 7.0/10

Salmon Aglio Olio with Cappellini ($22)

I’m never a fan of aglio olio so this didn’t appeal to me but was a hit with my companion. She commented that she loved the flavours, and it was more robust compared to the usual aglio olios she’s tried. Perhaps it was the portion I took which had been missed out while being mixed together, I found it a little too bland for my liking. The noodles were cooked al dente, the way I like it though! The cubes of salmon were a tad too dry, and it was slightly overcooked hence the tougher meat we got. It was a dish too bland for my palates and I would have preferred a stronger flavour to go.

Verdict: 7.0/10

Mermaid’s Tears ($18)

This was one of the signatures recommended, and the plating had already won half the battle. Looking at the menu stating pacific dory fish fillet and creamy rice, it’d never occurred to me that presentation could have been so much prettier, creating an image of an ocean coupled with its name.

My first reaction when I tried a mouthful of it was – omg so flavourful!

Very atypical of dory fillet dishes, I’ve always thought of it as a bland healthy dish probably due to its colours, but this managed to surprise me with a rich savoury burst of flavours from the cream to the freshness of the dory, accentuated by the dash of pepper they add upon serving. I’d also loved the rice accompanying the dory, slightly sticky with Japanese pearl rice used. I thought it was a good combination but after a while it tends to get abit heavy with the rich flavours, hence feeling jelat. Great for those who’re looking for strong flavours!

Verdict: 8.0/10

Beef Ribs ($24)

A meme on its menu stated, ‘when in doubt, order the ribs’. And I guess it pretty much worked that way for me. Not knowing what to order, I decided to go for the ribs, and find out what exactly was so highly raved about by Rozz. All of us got a shock when we saw the serving portion, with a huge rib bone sticking out just like that of T-rex’s. Immediately I felt too carnivorous having that by myself.

Can't wait to dig in with all that meat in front of me, I was pleasantly greeted by tender off-the-bone meat that was well-marinated to give a robust flavour with every bite you take.

With just enough fats (or so I think), I like how it helped to soften the texture of the meat, melting in your mouth with the lean meat. There was then a slab of fats nearer to the side of the dish that got a bit too overwhelming for me, that I ended up removing it for fear of choking up my arteries. Flavourful and tender, it made sure that my jaws weren’t working too hard, but there was just the monotony of the texture that I thought could have been better perhaps with more baby roasted potatoes to complement. I thought the portion was too huge for me, especially after 2 starters and the sight of it just reminded me how much I seemed to have eaten. If you’re feeling especially carnivorous, this would be the perfect dish!

Verdict: 8.0/10

A place of warmth and prompt service, it feels like every staff is extremely attentive to our needs and never fail to inject some fun and humour during our dining experience. We’d certainly enjoyed the food, albeit feeling a tad jelat after all the rich flavours. A place that I’ll visit again if I’m around the area and looking for some nice chillin’ space, but not one that I’ll specially make a trip down to Simpang Bedok for!

Overall Verdict: 7.5/10

298 Bedok Road (Simpang Bedok)

Singapore 469454

(behind Giant Supermarket)

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, by swee

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mycc

[SG] The Manhattan FISH MARKET | revamped menu with 43 new items to delight!

[SG] Flee Away Cafe | an escapade from the bustling streets of Little India

[SG] Butterscotch Cafe | unsatisfying food with infuriating service!

[SG] Badoque | hidden Halal cafe with decent food!

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