Nara Thai

Many foodies were excited when they heard that Nara Thai Cuisine was coming to the Singapore shores. Afterall, this is a place which was voted Thailand's best restaurant since 2007.  

Starting from the entrance of Nara Thai, you will realise that many of the servers are Thai- we knew we were going to have polite service that day. 

We tried the Hors d'oeuvre Nara ($17.90). This is a platter for those who want to try everything but don't want to eat too much of everything, consisting of Thai fish cake, pandan chicken and satay (you can opt for either chicken or pork). The fish cake was a little hard, the pandan chicken was aromatic and nicely charred while staying juicy, the satay was ordinary, the pomelo salad was basically pomelo and cashew nuts with a drizzle of what I believe was fish sauce.

The Pad Thai Phu Nim ($15.90) was pad thai with soft shell crab. The soft shell crab was a little oily and the flavours of the pad thai was pretty standard.

The Kuey Tiew Kom Yum Kung ($14.90) was spicy but it hasn't quite reached the level of Aroy-Dee. This was spicy with a hint of milkiness. The prawns were gigantic and were chewy.

I would say that it's pretty average fare here and that I would opt for the cheaper option of places like Ah Loy Thai anytime. Service was good.

Nara Thai Restaurant
ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn
#B3-21
Tel: 6 634 5787 

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Tung Lok Signatures (Changi City Point)

Tung Lok used to be a place that we would go if we wanted the best dim sum. Unfortunately, it has disappeared from our radar for a while because there are simply too many dim sum places to try. Lunch at Tung Lok today, however, was rather average. 

The Century Egg Porridge ($6) was enough to fill 4 small bowls. Plain, old, healthy tasting porridge.

The Tempura Prawns with Wasabi ($4.50) were average- the wasabi taste was muted.

The Crisp Banana Roll ($4.20) was essentially goreng pisang with lotus paste in it- this wasn't the best combination because the sweetness of the lotus paste was competing with the sweetness of the bananas. The texture of both also added to the mushy factor of the roll. It would have been better if they just stuck to the banana without the lotus paste.

The Shrimp Dumplings ($5.50) were average- big and bouncy prawns but they weren't juicy or exceptionally fresh.

Inevitably, comparisons with Tim Ho Wan would arise when eating the Baked Honey Pork Bun ($4.80). We unanimously agreed that those at Tim Ho Wan are better- softer interior and sweeter pork fillings at Tim Ho Wan.

Lastly, the Lotus Paste Pancake ($10) was average.

The Baked Mini Egg Tarts ($4.20) were also over-baked.

All in all, you could find better dim sum at other places at this price. Two places that I will definitely recommend at a similar budget are Summer Pavilion and Royal China.

Tung Lok Signatures (Changi City Point)
Changi City Point
5 Changi Business Park Central 1
#01-26/27 

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The Sushi Bar

With the blogosphere raving about the famed salmon aburi, the queue simply didn't deter us from visiting The Sushi Bar. We shared a long table with another four other people and we heard their conversations throughout the entire meal and vice versa. Which isn't a bad thing actually, you get to listen to the stories of other people's lives without actually having to know them- similar to the art of people watching. 

We waited for half an hour on a Friday night which was actually pretty quick considering that the queue was long when we went. 

We had the Chawanmushi ($2.80) which was pretty average- smooth with one piece of mushroom and crabstick.

I had mixed thoughts about the Wafu Spaghetti ($10.90). I found it pretty addictive but I think half the portion was enough before it starts to turn a little gelat.

The Scallop Mentaiyaki ($13.90) was so delicately sliced- each thin piece of scallop is an envelop of freshness and subtle sweetness.

The Ebi Fry Salmon Aburi Roll ($16.90) was what we came here for and I was glad it didn't disappoint. The salmon pieces were torched and had a melt-in-the-mouth consistency. Coupled with the crispy prawn fritter in the sushi, this is something that you have to order.

The food here is definitely value-for-money. They don't have enough servers and the wait for your food can be quite long.

The Sushi Bar
Far East Plaza
14 Scotts Road
#03-89 

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Lola's Cafe

We can all talk about having dreams and aspirations- but how many of us actually put that into reality? It's therefore always impressive when young people decide to give it their all and push the boundaries. Set up by a couple who met on exchange in the Netherlands, this place was crowded when we visited on a Sunday afternoon. 

I ordered a Lola's Full Monty Breakfast ($15 nett). I thought the portion would be rather huge but it turns out to be just right. If there's anything that I remember about this dish, it's how all the meat has a sweet tinge to it- honey baked ham and honey bacon. The brioche was a little too small for my liking and the scrambled eggs a little too buttery for me.

I would say the food is decent but unless I'm in the Kovan area and craving brunch food, I wouldn't make a trip down just for the food. Service was friendly and interesting decor.

Lola's Cafe 
5 Simon Road
Tel No: 6 343 1808 

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