The Masses

I had wanted to eat at The Masses for the longest time and ended up going there twice in a month. After the Saveur group was sold to their silent partner, co-founder Dylan Ong went on to set up The Masses. 

As starters, I ordered the C&C&C&C Pasta ($10.90 for starter and $15.90 as a main) to share. This interestingly named starter is named as such because it contains crab meat, caviar, clams and chorizo. You also had the option of adding an additional C- the "C" urchin. Served cold (if you want it served hot, just let the waiter know), this C&C&C&C Pasta was a breath of fresh air. The C's were placed separately and the angel hair pasta was swimming in the slightly salty but flavourful lobster bisque. The crunchy texture of the chorizo added some texture to this dish.

I also ordered A Bowl of Dylan's Memories ($17.90). This is essentially premium hainanese pork chop rice. When the dish was served, the waiter introduced each component of the dish and said that it was all meant to be mixed together. My individual preference was, however, to keep them separate, so that the crispy iberico pork chop wouldn't become soggy. The iberico pork chop was crispy and had just the right amount of fats to prevent it from being too dry. It also came with some spicy bacon jam, pickled mushroom, 64 degrees egg and braised savoy. While these were interesting additions to the dish, the star was no doubt the pork chop.

The food here is good. The only problem is that we had to wait rather long for our food both times we were here. Also, if you want to get a seat in the restaurant, do call early to reserve as there was once we reserved too late and ended up sitting outside in the heat.

The Masses 
85 Beach Road
#01-02
Singapore 189694
Tel No: 6266 0061 

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Sawadee

My friend was craving for spicy food and the cuisines that popped up immediately in my head were Sichuan or Thai food. We opted for the latter. 

Sawadee, established in 2000, used to be located in Sembawang. It then shifted to its current location in 2013. 

We had Olive Rice ($13) which was served with chicken strips and fried dried shrimps. The chicken strips were sweet and were a perfect combination with the fragrant olive rice. Maybe it's time to depart from my usual staple of pineapple rice and opt for this everytime I go to a Thai restaurant!

What would be a Thai meal without some Tom Yam? We ordered a Tom Yum Talay ($10). I am used to eating the mild versions of tom yam in Singapore and the spiciness in this gave me a jolt. Generous on the seafood, this was a clear indication of the quality of the food served here.

We were very attracted by the Thai Style Otah ($15). Cooked on a traditional clay plate, this is not the usual otah that we eat and is instead fish mousse with a strong taste of coconut milk and herbs.

We also had a Hearty Duck Curry ($15).  The lychee and pineapple lent some sweetness to this dish, which was otherwise a little heavy on the coconut milk. The duck was executed well and was not tough.

This is a pretty good option if we want to depart from our usual options of value-for-money Thai meals at Jai Thai, Nakhon etc.

Sawadee 
9 Tan Quee Lan Street
#01-01
Tel No: 6 884 6884 

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Platypus Kitchen

I was looking for a restaurant that could fit a group of around 10 and this place was perfect. Comfortable chairs, not too noisy and serving food at affordable prices. Having gone to the Platypus Test Kitchen at Raffles Place a couple of times, I was pretty sure the standard had to be rather decent here as well. 

I ordered the Set Meal ($16.90 plus additional $1.90 for this main course) which came with a soup/salad and a drink. The Wild Mushroom Soup was pretty decent- little chunks of mushrooms in the soup but could have a stronger mushroom taste. 

For the mains, I got the Squid-Ink Scallop Ragout. Tossed in light garlic sauce, this dish was average. Despite it being light garlic sauce, the garlic taste got a little overwhelming after a while, making the seared scallops taste a little muted. The squid ink is apparently in the pasta so it won't stain your teeth.

Average fare here, but great ambience and place for meetups.

Platypus Kitchen
Bugis Junction
200 Victoria Street
#03-29/29A
Tel No: 6 333 4434 

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Blanco Court Prawn Mee

As with some things in life, the more you want something, the more you won't get it. Yet, when you least expect it, something good drops into your lap. Without any intentions to eat here, we decided to have a meal here just because it looked like that was a sizeable crowd. 

A good bowl of Prawn Mee is very elusive- average bowls of prawn noodles always miss the oomph. I got a bowl of Prawn & Pork Ribs Noodle ($4.50) and it was nothing less than satisfying. The prawns were fresh, the stock was rich yet not too heavy on the tastebuds, the pork ribs were chewy and there was little chilli padi to give that extra kick to the final slurp of this delicious stock.

While waiting for our prawn noodles, we also bought some Ngor Hiang to munch on. In an ideal world, we could eat all the oil we want without being unhealthy and/or fat. Unfortunately, this isn't an ideal world and all we can do is to eat these fatty stuff in moderation. Special mention to the crispy prawn crackers- you could actually feel the oil seeping out, but it's so addictive, you stop hearing your arteries cry for a while.

Service was also friendly- one aunty was walking around giving plates of chilli padi because she said those at the counter was probably not enough.

Blanco Court Prawn Mee
243 Beach Road
#01-01
Tel No: 6 396 8464 

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Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons

Of all the Ramen Keisuke stalls, I like this the best. 

The decor in the eatery highlighted what else, but the four seasons.

The usual accompaniment- the beansprouts I can never get enough of.

I ordered Autumn ($12.90) because I simply can't resist mushrooms. Look at the bowl with autumn leaves! The little minced mushrooms were a delight to savour- the mushroom goodness that bursts with every bite. Needless to say, the eggs were done perfectly- slightly runny and flavourful. If not for concerns about salt intake, I would have slurped this bowl of robustly flavoured soup down!

Friendly service, food was served quickly. The queues can be pretty long though- be prepared to wait!

Ramen Keisuke Tonkotsu King Four Seasons 
Bugis Village
158 Rochor Road
Tel No: 6 333 5740

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MOF @ My Izakaya (Bugis Junction)

Gone were the secondary school days where a few of us would go to Bugis Junction during the school holidays to meet up. Having not gone to Bugis Junction for quite some time, I realised that it has undergone quite a bit of revamp. 

Ministry of Food takes up a pretty large floor area and it was fully packed at dinner time. 

The first thing that hits me is how extensive the menu is. Which made perfect sense for me to save on time on flipping the menu and instead ask my friends who were there earlier what they were getting and simply follow suit. And like the good old days, the favourite phrase we used when we were young- they chime "copycat..."

I got a Soft Shell Crab Pasta where you could choose the sauce and type of pasta you wanted. This was surprisingly good and very filling. The soft shell crab while crispy and hot was not greasy- and a generous portion at that!

MOF @ My Izakaya (Bugis Junction)
Bugis Junction
200 Victoria Street
#02-45
Tel No: 6 338 6466 

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Chocolate Origin (Bugis Junction)

I held high hopes for Chocolate Origin - after seeing this name repeatedly pop up on food blogs, I was happy that I came across one of their branches while doing some other errands. 

The Cuppa Lava Cake ($5) was inexpensive, considering that you get a lava cake plus vanilla ice cream! Touted as a "heavenly treat made up of cold vanilla ice-cream bottom and warm chocolate cake top, with hot pulsating lava oozing out from the inside", the lava cake failed to impress.

My friend thought the vanilla ice cream tasted cheap- there was no richness in the ice cream. I don't usually eat vanilla ice cream so I can't really pass a judgment there. While the lava cake was decent, it didn't have the "wow" factor.

Chocolate Origin 
Bugis Junction
230 Victoria Street
#B1-01/02
Singapore 188021
Tel No: 6 337 1220 

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Victor's Kitchen

The queue stretched on for quite a bit during weekend lunch. While waiting, patrons read the various newspaper/magazine clippings plastered on the glass window. 

Be prepared to share tables because there simply is not enough space in the shop.

The Phoenix Porrdige ($4) was good for 2 to share. The consistency of the porridge was smooth.

The King Prawn with Vegetable Cheong Fun ($4) was pretty good. The thing about Victor's Kitchen is that their prawn dishes are fresh. It's not really king prawn as the name suggests though.

I didn't try the Golden Egg Yolk Lava Bun ($4) but I've heard about its fame. Indeed, the yellow custard started oozing out of the bun the moment it was peeled apart.

As mentioned earlier, the Victor's King Prawn Dumpling ($5) was one of their better dishes as the skin was thin and the prawns were big and fresh.

The Tasty Queen Size Siew Mai ($4) tasted a little more "porky" than usual but other than that, it was pretty good.

The Crispy Fried Shrimp Dumpling ($5) was served in smaller sizes than normal. I felt that it was a little over deep fried but nonetheless, crispy and again, since it's prawn, good.

This is supposed to be one of their famous dishes: Scallop, Sausage Carrot Cake with XO Sauce ($4) Honestly, this didn't strike me as being an unforgettable dish. Of those who ate this dish, most felt that there was nothing special. In fact, some thought that it tasted weird. For me, I think we are not used to its mushy consistency. The scallop and sausage also did not feature prominently in this dish.

Together with Chicken & Sausage in Glutinous Rice ($5) (which was a little too dry) and drinks, it worked out to be about $16 per person. This place deserves an award- but not for its food. Its food is average or at best, slightly above average. For this price (actually less), I could easily get something better at Dragon Phoenix (provided they have their 50% promotion). Whoever says this place is cheap is clearly mistaken. You are paying restaurant prices for non-restaurant quality, non-restaurant ambience and non-restaurant service.

This place deserves an award for Worst Service. Furthermore, we weren't provided with a receipt at the end of the meal and were just told simply to pay.

Victor's Kitchen 
Sunshine Plaza
91 Bencoolen Street
#01-21
Tel: 9838 2851 

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Ah Loy Thai

We were here a few Sundays back only to realise that Ah Loy Thai was closed on Sundays. But were we deterred by that? Obviously not! So, we were back last Saturday. We thought we had to wait since it was lunchtime but we were in, in around 5 minutes. 

Note: No GST and service charge. 

Their shop was partitioned. This is one of the two spaces, with another to its left. By the way, I don't like the plastic chairs. They look stylo mylo but they don't feel good at all for balancing.

We ordered the classic Pineapple Fried Rice ($7). It wasn't too overwhelming but just right, with the wok hei fragrance. I suppose it's not cooked with the usual yellow curry paste which normally gives pineapple rice its distinct yellow colour.

You ain't at a Thai restaurant if you don't order Tom Yum. The Tom Yum Seafood ($7.50) had prawns and squids in it, and was not too spicy.

I think the Thai Pandan Chicken ($10) totally stood out! Four big chunks of chicken, marinated in delicious condiments, accompanied by dipping sauces at the side. All the moisture locked within the chicken. Only "bad" thing was that it was a little oily.

I didn't really fancy Thai Green Curry ($7.50) but that's a matter of personal preference because I don't like the milky taste to stand out too much. Otherwise, there are many pieces of tender chicken and fishballs in it.

The Thai Fried Tofu ($6.90) had the signature Thai sweet and spicy chilli sauce drizzled over it. Good, but nothing out of the ordinary.

We also ordered the Thai Mango Crispy Chicken ($8.50) which was basically deep fried chicken with sauce over it. The sauce didn't have a very strong mango taste and we felt that this dish was not worth it.

Besides the mango crispy chicken, we were satisfied with the rest of the food. Coupled with 6 drinks, it added up to $60+ for 6 people. Sure, the service isn't outstanding. But remember, no service charge? Totally worth your buck if you are in a big group and can share the food!

Ah Loy Thai 

Shaw Tower
100 Beach Road
#01-39/40
Tel: +65 9165 1543
(Closed on Sundays) 

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Oversea Restaurant 海外天 (Singapore)

The first time I ate at Oversea Restaurant was in Kuala Lumpur. (Click here for a review of Restoran Oversea in KL). I'm not sure what took me so long to realise that it had a branch in Singapore, but better late than never. According to their website, it was set up in 2010. 

It was pretty empty on a Sunday afternoon with only a few tables occupied.

The BBQ Mixed (Char Siew and Roasted Pork) ($20) was a definite order as this is what they are known for. I'm going to quote word for word from my post in KL relating to this char siew and roast pork because the standard is consistent- consistently good. 

"Anyway, so the char siew here was both of the above traits mentioned- fatty and charred. I think people who enjoy eating the char siew here enjoy it precisely for the fats. The marinate was pretty good, but think clearly whether you are/are not a fat eater. That should be your sole determination as to whether you'd like to come here to have a meal. The 烧肉 here was VERY crispy. and i do mean VERY. So it crunches in your mouth and go KIAK KIAK KIAK. A little salty though, that's the trade off for crispy skin. But not bad overall."

The Fish Maw with Egg ($20) was an interesting combination that I haven't tried before. Wrapped together with the lettuce, it actually feels like a refreshing appetiser. The fish maw had a chewy texture.

This was the special of the day which is not on the menu. It was $12 and I actually have no idea what I was eating except for the fact that it was chicken. My least favourite dish that day although some of us said that they actually liked it and it tasted like rojak sauce (I choose to differ). The sauce tasted weird to me.

This is the dried shrimp with beancurd ($12). The sauce was a little salty but that's fine as long as it goes along with rice. The dried shrimp was deep fried and extremely crunchy. A plain dish, it may seem, but plenty of flavour (might be a little too salty for some).

Together with a Pan fried kai lan ($13), it worked out to $109.36 for six people. Tea was $2.20 per cup and rice was two dollars a bowl. No service charge. I think it's decently priced although I have to say that perhaps the only thing that you die-die-have-to-try is the char siew and roasted pork since it's well known in Kuala Lumpur for that.


Oversea Restaurant 海外天 (Singapore) 
Shaw Towers
Shaw Leisure Gallery

100 Beach Road
#01-27
Tel: +65 6294 2638

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Tom's Palette Ice Cream

We happened to chance upon Tom's Palette Ice Cream after lunch at Oversea Restaurant in the same building. Sure glad we did. 

Look at all the recommendations made by magazines, newspapers etc. They also had an ice cream making workshop which we unfortunately missed.

The nice thing about this place is the price. But just because it is cheaper than everywhere else, doesn't mean it's not good. For one small cup ($3.20), you can actually mix up to two flavours in it. How many ice cream shops allow you to do that? For 80 cents more at $4, you get a medium size cup and it goes on. No cones though.

There is a good variety of flavours and you are free to try the different flavours. I didn't like the lychee flavour (sample) too much because the milk taste was too strong.

Furthermore, if you belong to any of these schools, you enjoy 10% off. Not like it wasn't a good price to begin with!

We shared a yuzu flavour plus chocolate sorbet. The yuzu flavour was very refreshing and light, sour and appetising. But a call out to dark chocolate lovers- you will LOVE the chocolate sorbet. The intensity of the bitterness is at a pretty mind boggling level. Sour + Bitter = Win.

I think there's every reason for you to come here. Cheap ice cream, good flavours and wide variety of exchange. Plus the girls at the counter are very pleasant and friendly!

Tom's Palette Ice Cream

Shaw Leisure Gallery
100 Beach Road
#01-25
Tel: +65 6296 5239

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Olive Tree Restaurant

After a very short break from this buffet-eating business, here I am again, just because my mum wanted to clear some vouchers. Olive Tree gave me a pleasant surprise! 

Lots of natural light entering the restaurant. The stations are pretty far away from each other but I will climb mountains and swim across oceans just to get to my food. (Figuratively, obviously. I wouldn't have that kind of strength after gorging my face with good food.) 

Here's just a glimpse of some of the food you will see at the buffet. It includes Indian food (roti prata with curry), Western food (sausages, spaghetti, fish fillet fingers, deep fried chicken wing), salad, Chinese food (porridge with assorted condiments, dim sum, kueh pie tee) etc. 

There was also a selection of sushi to choose from, along with all the sauces and wasabi. 

The seafood section has scallops, crab claws and prawns. The first scallop I took was fresh. However, the second one wasn't that fresh. The prawns were very fresh, across the board, including those from other dishes.

There were stations manned by chefs, such as the laksa section, teh tarik, waffle and roti prata section.

The dessert section is placed right at the entrance, probably to entice customers into the restaurant by the dainty looking desserts. There is the kueh that we are familiar with, cakes, fondue, ice cream, pudding etc. However, I bemoan the fact that there is no durian related dessert and that the dessert selection is still considered quite small. The ang ku kueh skin was too thick but that's hardly consequential and doesn't  make this buffet any less delightful.

Overall, the quality and quantity of the food made it a very satisfying lunch. I love that the food is fresh, piping hot and that a great variety was offered. There was so much food that I didn't even get to try some of the food. It's also great that the chefs diligently refilled the food as well.

This is the weekend international high tea (12.30 pm to 4 pm) ($38++) which is cheaper than the weekday buffet. ($45++) I don't know where the logic lies but I'm not complaining that it's cheaper even though it's weekend lunch.

Olive Tree Restaurant 
InterContinental Singapore
80 Middle Road
Singapore 188966
Tel No: 6825 1061

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