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Prima Tower's classic featuring egg white and precious bird’s nest, also named 赛螃蟹. This dish tries its best to imitate or rather say beat the look and taste of real crab meat. Despite its Chinese name, no crab meat is actually used; instead the egg white was fried to a velvety texture and perfection. Chef has also modified this dish by adding the smoothness and crunchiness from the nutritious bird's nest, as well as Jinhua Ham to enhance the overall flavour, what a comfort and enjoyable dish indeed!

The Spanish saying, "Mi Casa es Su Casa" which means "My house is your house" has remained a guiding philosophy for the folks at My Little Tapas Bar (MLTB). With chef partners Maria Sevillano and Edward Esmero hailing from Spain, they arrived on our shores with an inconspicuous place on the bustling Club Street. 

While Spanish restaurants are not new to the F&B scene in Singapore, it is surely a struggle to find a sweet spot which offers home-style tapas creations and a wide selection of the world's best Spanish wines!

The best part about MLTB is that they just started partnering The Entertainer and offering some real value-for-money deals such as getting two tapas free for every two ordered. With over 800 "buy one get one free" offers for some of the hottest restaurants, bars, spas, etc in Singapore, utilising The Entertainer which is available on most smartphones makes dining out a lot more affordable!

Back to MLTB, we had the platter to start which offers a spread of Jamon Serrano (Spanish cured ham) at S$7/++ and some Manchego cheese priced at S$8/++.

With finely shaved servings of the Spanish cured ham off the mounted leg, it was almost a theatrical display as we watched the chef and some diners getting their hands involved in plating up the prized meat. The Serrano ham is made from the landrace breed of white pigs. As shared by the chef, the fresh ham was trimmed and cleaned then stacked and covered with salt for about two weeks to draw out the excess moisture in the protein. This also preserves the meat from and after washing off the salt, the ham is hung to dry for about six months before being hung in a cool dry place for some six to 18 months. Another interesting takeaway was that the drying sheds are usually built at higher altitudes, hence the ham is also known as mountain ham.

The Manchego cheese, made in the La Mancha region of Spain from the milk of sheep of the Manchega breed is typically aged between 60 days and two years. Of a slightly firmer texture (hard), we enjoyed the consistency and the buttery texture. Unlike some goat's cheese, this cheese has a distinctive flavour, well developed but not too strong, creamy with a slight piquancy.

Croquetas de Jamon | S$10/++

The lightly fried jamon-stuffed creamy croquettes served with aioli would make it a perfect platter to share especially over some drinks such as the Gin-speciality ones at MLTB or even a glass of perfectly balanced Sangria. However, the breadcrumb-like batter on the outside that coated the luscious and creamy ham bits was not crisp enough.

Chorizo a la Plancha | S$14/++

While the presentation might not have wowed us, the bold flavours from the dish did. The beautifully grilled chorizo sat atop caramelised onions and coated generously with melted manchego cheese. The lovely balance of flavours, both salinity and sweetness, was complemented by the balsamic vinegar drizzle. My personal favourite for the evening!

Gambas Picantes | S$14/++

A sizzling hot pan that served up a generous portion of large prawns, the dish came with some boiling oil with garlic, chilli and smoked paprika for that authentic Spanish twist in flavours. Dab some of the sliced baguette in that beautiful sauce for that extra kick.

Sardinas en escabeche | S$14/++

Spotting some love or hate relationships with this sardine tapas across the table, it was a plus for us. The sardines were cooked in vinegar, olive oil and smoked paprika, served on toast bread. The pepper puree that was spread across the sardine added a different dimension to the flavours with an extra punch. For those familiar with the fish, do watch out for some of the tiny edible bones which was a deal-breaker for some of the diners at the table.

Patatas Bravas | S$10/++

The consistently thin sliced potatoes were deep-fried together with some feisty herbs and spices. Tasting almost like freshly made potato crisps, it was a beautiful side that would demand a pint of beer or some cocktails to go along! We would have loved a more generous portion though!

Albondigas | S$12/++

The large homemade beef and pork meatballs in a rich tomato-based sauce made this tapas quite a filling dish but having it with some toast was really enjoyable as we soaked up the flavourful sauce. Perhaps due to the size of the meatball and to ensure that it was cooked through entirely, it might have been slightly overcooked resulting the minced meat to be slightly dry on the inside. That being said, dressing it with some of that sauce would solve the issue but as usual, the perfectionist in us always stirs.

Tarta de Chocolate | S$12/++

This portion was downsized to an individual serving but the usual would comprise two chocolate tarts instead of one. While chocolate tarts are somewhat a common fare, what made this special was the the three layers in the crust, ganache and the chocolate glaze. Unlike most commercial ice cream, the ones served at MLTB are handmade, literally as they skip the use of machines. With a sprinkle of cinnamon powder, the sweet fix concluded the meal in a harmonious and comforting tone.

Sangria Tinta | S$12/glass

A Spanish meal is never complete without a glass of Sangri and a meal at MLTB was no exception! While I am not a huge fan of Gin, MLTB does a great job in featuring a wide range of selection from the regular (S$18/++) to the premium offerings (S$24/++). The "Gin-toneria" (which means Gin and tonic space in Spanish) concept practised at MLTB allows customers to DIY their gin tonics with a choice of gin and up to three botanicals such as ginger, lemongrass and cinnamon!

Interior pictures - photo credit (My Little Tapas Bar)

With a rustic setting and offering some delicious homemade tapas and cocktails, MLTB is a lovely hideout amidst the busy street lined with restaurants and pubs. For the cost conscious folks like ourselves, do check out The Entertainer to make sure that you get the best buck for your dollar! With an annual subscription of just S$60, a meal or two at MLTB would easily get your money back not to mention the other hundreds of restaurants out there! The promo code "2015ALVIN" will entitle one to a 10% discount upon checkout on the website.

On a side note, the app has been updated with two additional features to enhance user experience:

1) You can select offers to ping to your friends. All you need to do is tap on the paper airplane icon when you open up an offer and input the e-mail address of the friend you want to gift a voucher to. He/she will have 10 days to accept the offer, and after accepting the offer, all he/she would need to do is download the Entertainer Singapore app and the offer would show up on their phone. They have until the voucher expires at the end of the year to use it. No more tearing up vouchers from the book and passing them around!
2) You can summon Uber to drive you to the Entertainer merchant you wish to visit, and see the rates with a single tap.

Overall verdict: 7.5/10

My Little Tapas Bar

42 Club Street, Singapore 069420

Tel: (65) 6223 8048

Website: http://www.mylittletapasbar.com.sg/index.php

P.S: Special thanks to Rachel for the invite and MLTB for hosting us!

Strategically located within Wisma Atria Food Republic on level four, Udon GOEN stall can be easily spotted once you come up from the escalator. Following its first outlet at Vivocity Food Republic which offers a slightly different menu, Udon GOEN opened doors since last November and has new main to their menu - Japanese Tonkatsu Curry Rice. With that many competitors selling curry rice in Singapore, how could they differentiate themselves from the crowd and attract curry fans like us?

An exotic rendition of Japanese noodle in Chinese hot and sour soup, the udon we opted for was springy and delicate. While the broth was easy to consume due to the mild sourness and spiciness, some would argue that the flavours were not distinctly bold enough for a stronger punch. Then again, taste is a very subjective matter!

With a noodle bowl starting from an affordable price of S$3.80, a plate of normal curry rice S$4.80 and big size curry rice S$10.80, it's definitely a stall that you should give a shot while dining at Food Republic Wisma Atria.

Overall Verdict: 7.5/10

Udon GOEN

435 Orchard Road

#04-02/14 Wisma Atria

Singapore
Tel: 6420 6392
https://www.facebook.com/udongoen/

With my other half coming from the land of dim sum, it is almost in my DNA now to have a preference for Hong Kong cuisine. While Wah Lok and Man Fu Yuan remain as our favourite dim sum spots in Singapore, we are consistently on the prowl for other value for money places and quality dim sum restaurants. 

Hwa Nam Restaurant is not new to most Singaporeans, especially those who reside in the Sin Ming area as it was around since I was a kid. Expect long queues when you visit during the peak lunch and dinner times and this visit was no exception. It was somewhat hard to say we enjoyed the buzz of the crowd given that we were literally melting under the hot sun but the ambience is certainly one to bask in - Cantonese being shouted across the hallway between the uncles and the aged signboards!

Siew Mai or pork dumpling is one of the must-tries at any dim sum restaurant as it is one of the classic dishes. The juicy dumpling was packed to a thoughtful bite-sized portion which one could not help but just pop it into his mouth without a second thought. The seasoning was right and flavours spot-on, a good start already!

The har gau or prawn dumpling was delicately wrapped in a translucent wrapping and while efforts were paid to handle the dumplings carefully, the seasoning lacked depth and the dish tasted rather flat in flavours. A somewhat pedestrian version to our hopes of being a star dish.

Moving from bite-sized to a gigantic dumpling, the daily special during our visit was this seafood dumpling which packed both minced meat and prawns. Apart from being an oversized dumpling, there was nothing too spectacular about it.

As we carefully pry open the soft and fluffy char siew bau, we beamed with joy as the fragrant minced barbecued pork was oozing with flavours and oomph. Definitely a must-try and I could not help but reach for a second serving!

The glutinous rice filled with chicken was somewhat disappointing as flavours were pedestrian though the sticky rice was cooked just right.

For egg tart aficionado such as tmcy, this was a worthy-try and while we generally prefer the pastry base, this was a decent rendition with a rich egg filling.

The steamed sponge cake or ma lai gao was a clear winner among the dishes as it was so fluffy and soft that almost melted in our mouths. A delicate pull would pry open the soft cake and release a lovely fragrance set to whet your appetite!

With a couple of other dishes such as carrot cake, the bill came to about S$31.50 for the three of us. While it was not the best dim sum hideout with most of the dishes tasting pedestrian at best, the old school ambience is surely one to reminisce. It also felt as if we were catapulted to the 80s in Hong Kong and what is worthy of mention was that despite the busy crowd, the service was in fact decent and we were not pressed to relieve of our seats.

Overall verdict: 6.5/10

Hwa Nam Restaurant

244 Upper Thomson Road

Singapore 574369

Tel: (65) 6453 3645

With a humble beginning in Hougang, Nakhon Kitchen would be a familiar name for most with their various outlets in the heartland districts such as Bedok and Ang Mo Kio. While the closest outlet to us is Holland Village, it seems as if they upheld their philosophy of providing quality Thai food at affordable prices.

Let the taste buds do the talking already!

Pandan leaves chicken | S$6/-

One of the must-tries for us when it comes to Thai food is the pandan leaves chicken. With a lovely fragrance that titillated our appetite, we could not help but resort to using our hands to unwrap the crisp pandan leaves to unveil the tender chicken on the inside.

Homemade Thai fish cake | S$6/-

Deep-fried to a golden delicious tone, the Thai fish cake was oozing with juices upon the first mouthful. Beautifully marinated with Thai spices, the flavourful appetiser is guaranteed to please the guests at the table.

Thai mango salad | S$5/-

It is almost a mantra to order the mango or papaya salad during a Thai meal and this was no exception. While we enjoyed the balance in flavours, a light spiciness to the sweet and tang of the green mango, it was an okay dish that managed to whet our appetite though it was definitely not the best we had.

Clear seafood tom yum soup | S$6/-

A bowl of goodness, we thought that the tom yum soup is a must-try. At just S$6, it was a complete steal given the freshness and quality of seafood in that clear broth. While the clear soup looked rather innocent, it packed a strong punch of heat which grew on us after a few spoonfuls.

Pineapple fried rice | S$6/-

A classic and an easy favourite for most, the simple pineapple fried rice hit the right notes for us. Individually greased rice grains, it had the right amount of wok hei and there was a generous portion of the pork floss to top off the dish.

Phad Thai noodles | S$5/-

For those who know me, the Phad Thai is a die die must try for me when it comes to any Thai restaurant. With the right assortment of chilli flakes, crushed peanuts and a wedge of Thai lime, all that was required was the right wok hei to impart the lovely flavours of tamarind and fish sauce to the rice noodles. Spot-on and I would gladly have another plate!

Green chicken curry | S$8/-

With a choice of green and red curries and choice of meat form chicken, beef to prawn, we thought the green chicken curry would be a safe option. The viscous and rich curry had a mild spice level which would be acceptable to most. What we really enjoyed were the tender chicken chunks that just kept me scooping for more! Be sure to pair this with some Thai jasmine rice or even the pineapple fried rice!

Having the right pricing for the dishes is definitely key to drawing the crowd. While Nakhon Kitchen delivers affordable Thai food to the masses, be prepared to be a food nazi as the service was almost non-existent. Not only were we shown some harsh and rather flat attitude when our orders were taken, it was almost impossible to get your glasses refilled with water. I had to eventually head over to the counter to grab the jar to refill our glasses after politely requesting for it twice. Well, one cannot really complain at such prices and oh, did I mention that GST and service charge are waived?

If the above are enough to make you get out to one of Nakhon Kitchen outlets, do be prepared to join the queue!

Nakhon Kitchen

27A Lorong Liput

Holland Village

Singapore 277738

Tel: (65) 6469 6862 

Strolling along Mohamed Sultan Road always brings back fond memories of the past when the area was a popular hang-out for some drinks. Nowadays, the stretch of shophouses has transformed into an array of restaurants with a focus on Japanese cuisine such as Fuku who specialises in their puffer fish!

While most would be familiar with the commercial Japanese restaurants such as Ichiban, Sushi Tei or even some of the higher end establishments such as Aoki and Shinji, I would struggle to single out one place which serves home-cooked food. With that in mind, IPPIN Cafe Bar was started in October last year with the promise of bringing Singaporeans the Japanese home experience. After a chat with Chef Ayomi, we learnt that my favourite sashimi, chirashi-don or even tonkatsu sets are not quite really your day-to-day dining affair back home in Japan. Prior to coming over Singapore, Chef Ayomi used to coach culinary skills in Hong Kong for four years so there must have been a fair share of good home cooks being nurtured! 

Quite frankly, I think we all grew accustomed to eating these or even your usual sushi and maki-rolls commonly found at most Japanese restaurants in Singapore, to the point where we naturally assumed that these are staple food for Japanese. That seems about fair since I am sure for most, our home-cooked food is not quite the same that you would enjoy at say Tung Lok or Crystal Jade.

Deep fried oyster set | S$24/-

The Nikujaga pork and potato stew is a side that comes with either of the oyster sets. The rather savoury side saw a balanced blend of flavours, both sweet and salty that would have made it a lovely main standalone with a bowl of rice!

The salad side is also part of the set and with a few dressings to choose from such as tomato, ginger, kameya wasabi and even organic ponzu vinegar, that would certainly bring the sliced greens alive. What we enjoyed was the drizzle of black sesame seeds that added texture and fragrance to the otherwise plain salad shreds.

 Yakisoba set | S$12/-

A simple dish that resembles our Chinese egg noodles, this Yakisoba is a Japanese daily food which actually originates from the owner dad's recipe. The key to the dish is the savoury sauce that imparts flavours consistently to the noodles. While it may seem quite a subtle dish for most, us included, it is arguably comfort food for most, not just Japanese! 

Oyakudon set | S$15/-

A popular dish for most, the chicken and egg on rice dish was one of my favourite among the dishes tried. It was simple, homely and I would have no problems enjoying another bowl for lunch or dinner. The essence of the dish comes from the dashi (stock) which was used to boil the chicken with special efforts to ensure that the chicken remains succulent. While some may find it a little too wet, we later learnt that as the secret to the dish lies in the stock, it was meant to be enjoyed like a porridge so do scoop up some of that lovely dashi!

Kanazawa Hyajumangoku Beer Koshihkari  Ale | S$9/-

IPPIN is also the only place in Singapore to exclusively distribute the Kanazawa range of beer which in the Edo period, was an area governed by the famous Samurais. Hailing from one of the famous areas in Ishikawa Prefecture, it would be a sin not to try this beautiful drink. Among the four types of beer IPPIN carries, we tried the Koshihikari ale which is made from a type of Japonica rice. With a concentration of 74% malt, 25% rice, the taste is very light and exceptionally smooth so even the ladies would enjoy it!

Sake tasting | S$15 for 3 types

We had the Tokugawa Ieyasu Daiginjo which was served in a rather unique fashion, or at least it was the first for me. A typical shot glass sits within a wooden cup that is made from cypress wood which has a hint of fragrance. The friendly sommelier shared that the sake was overfilled so that the excess sake sits within the wooden cup. The faint fragrance of the cypress wood would be infused into the smooth-tasting sake and makes the sake even more enjoyable than when otherwise consumed in the shot glass.

While I am not an expert when it comes to sake, we have been trying out several versions out of interest recently and learnt that Daiginjo is usually the better version as the rice is well polished (at least 50%), making it to the upper hand sake found in the market. Like wine, there are however many parameters to benchmark the sake and ultimately it is subjected to individual's palate. Sake produced from the more polished rice would result in lesser impurity hence making it smooth.

It is also advised for sake to be consumed at about 16 - 17 degrees celsius as that will allow the full flavours of the rice wine to come through so if it is taken out from the chiller, do allow couple of minutes for the sake to warm up!

Serving more than just home-cooked food, IPPIN also has a corner that sells some of the popular snack or even the green tea served. Do go for their Sencha (green tea with a delicate sweetness balanced by mild bitterness) or even the Genmaicha (very fragrant brew that is stronger than Sencha). If you love to crack some nuts, do try out the rattsu, peanuts coated with strawberry, coffee and matcha flavours!

Interestingly, IPPIN also allows children to have their art pieces on display! 

The lady in green on the extreme right of the picture is the fine Chef who cooked us a sumptuous lunch!

Overall, we felt that the dishes were well suited to our palate with a homely touch. All prices listed are nett with no additional GST or service charge levied and keeping the prices wallet-friendly surely make it more attractive. With various ongoing promotions such as 1-for-1 Kirin beer during happy hour, we should be visiting sometime soon to try out their other dishes and sake!

Overall verdict: 7.5/10

IPPIN Cafe Bar

18 Mohamed Sultan Road

Singapore 238967

Tel: (65) 6733 4794

P.S: Special thanks to Hazel for the invitation and IPPIN for hosting us!