Streets of London

Streets of London isn't located in the most prominent of places, despite being in the food haven of Joo Chiat / Katong. Upon my mum's recommendation, we headed to Streets of London for dinner on Sunday. The restaurant seems to keep re-locating, from Bukit Merah to Marina Country Club to here- not sure if there were other locations in between. 

Foot traffic was low when we were there, but this place really deserves better. 

The restaurant is decked out in London-related memorabilia. Red hues dominate in this casual eatery.

This place is essentially a one-man show- the boss himself is the chef, the waiter and the cashier. Food will therefore take a little longer to be prepared and served.

Being the boring me, I decided to go for my all time favourite Fish and Chips ($12.80). The Fish and Chips was executed perfectly. The beer-battered fish was crisped just right, without having the bitterness of being deep fried for too long and it was not oily. The fish was also a rather sizeable portion. Usually, the salads don't really deserve a mention as they are just playing a secondary role but the sweet mint dressing in this salad was refreshing and delightful.

The rest also enjoyed the London Pride IPA Chicken ($12.80).

If you live in the East and enjoy a good meal at affordable prices (no service charge and no GST), do give this place a try. The only thing is that you must be prepared to wait for your food!

Streets of London 
Katong Point Mall
451 Joo Chiat Road
#01-01
Tel No: 9754 7716 

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Simplicite Cafe

I have been to Simplicite Cafe twice, once after eating at the nearby Al Forno, and the other after a meal at Beach Road Prawn Mee. Both times, the place was relatively empty with only a table or two being occupied. 

Clean with minimalist decor, this place is an ideal location to spend your afternoon just talking about life. You should check their facebook page for their opening hours though- it seems that their opening hours change frequently.

We ordered a Waffle with 1 scoop of ice cream ($8.50). The passion fruit ice cream was not too sweet and contained the little bits of passion fruit seeds. To up the fun factor, they have a mysterious flavour for you to guess- no prizes even if you guess correctly though! This waffle is definitely one of the better ones- my benchmark is Gelare's waffle. Rewind more than 10 years ago when cafes were not selling waffles, Gelare's waffles was a rare treat then. This waffle is comparable to Gelare's.

Service here was warm and sincere. I only hope that they last long enough because the foot traffic here seems pretty low.

Simplicite Cafe 
425 East Coast Road
Singapore 429012
Tel No: 6440 9148 

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Loving Hut

Walking down the streets of Joo Chiat is always an interesting affair- you get to see all the old establishments, see the new cafes, and see the more seedy side of Joo Chiat. We passed by Loving Hut on one of our walking expeditions and decided to try the food.

All the dishes here are vegan.

A casual laid-back vibe in the restaurant. There are interesting posters on the wall. If you have large gatherings, you may want to consider this place as well!

As starters, I got the Onion Rings ($6.90).  The batter was a little too thick but at least, it was hot and crispy.

I can't resist any form of portabello mushrooms, so I got the Papa's Portobello Burger ($14.90). And their description of this dish hit the nail on the head, "But maybe you just can't turn your back on the classics. That's ok. We understand change can be hard." Exactly.

A grilled, juicy portabello with an onion ring on it, sandwiched between two buns. With portabello burgers, it's really difficult to say that it's outstanding because they are almost always executed well. This was accompanied by salad with balsamic vinegar reduction and some seasoned fries.

As desserts, we got the Banana Boat ($8.90).  Typically, you get to choose 3 flavours but we decided to just get 3 scoops of chocolate ice cream. What I really don't get, is how you make ice cream with brown rice.

That said, the ice cream was obviously lacking the richness of milk (who am I to kid that it tastes like good, wholesome, fat ice cream)? Nonetheless, it was really a good substitute for those seeking a vegan option. Dark chocolatey taste was still present.

I would definitely go back to this place because it is reasonably priced and the food is good.

Service was friendly although it takes some time for the food to be served as it can get pretty busy during weekend lunchtime.

Loving Hut
229 Joo Chiat Road #01-01
Tel No: 6348 6318 

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Makan Dulu

Makan Dulu means "eat first" in Malay. Previously known as Lee's Kitchen, it's now known as Makan Dulu because customers thought this was a zichar place when it was named Lee's Kitchen. 

Located at Katong Shopping Centre, it is a  real pity that this place isn't getting the crowd it deserves.

I strongly recommend getting a Lee's Charcoal Fish. The half fish ($16.80) had a crispy skin infused with a sweet sauce. This coupled with the smoky taste of the charcoal fish was a clear winner.

The Tahu Goreng ($5.60) was average with a homely peanut sauce.

This was another must order. Because we had tried the Charcoal Fish, we decided not to go for the Charcoal Grilled Chicken but ordered the Ayam Bumbu ($5.90) instead. This was essentially curry chicken with a very smooth curry base. The waiter informed us that the coconut milk is extracted fresh daily. The chicken was also very tender.

All of the above dishes were good on their own- but when paired with this rice, it just makes you think of how good and simple life can be sometimes. We ordered rice and they came with two of these little buckets- one was filled with coconut rice and the other with plain rice. We tried both and of course swept the coconut rice clean. Fragrant and not oily- this was perfect with the dishes. 

I didn't try the chendol but my mum who tried it said that it was rather average.

Service here was friendly and helpful. They are familiar with the menu and make good recommendations. An enjoyable lunch here!

Makan Dulu 
Katong Shopping Centre
865 Mountbatten Road
#01-41
Tel No: 6 534 1602 

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Group Therapy (Katong V)

Another place on my Want-to-eat list is finally struck out. Group Therapy's new branch at Katong V is of course welcome, given that their branch at Duxton is always crowded. On a Saturday afternoon, this place was comfortably filled up, with no queues. 

We had a large group and it was a good thing that we could fit in, because no reservations are allowed.

I got Poached Eggs ($15) with an additional side of Mushrooms ($3). It was only this year that I had a new-found liking for salmon. I didn't eat salmon in the past because of its taste but this taste has grown on me and I am now found of salmon, whether grilled or smoked.

Combine the smoked salmon with eggs and thick, fluffy toast, there is what comfort food tastes like. Ordered an extra side of mushrooms which gave an extra juicy kick to this already complete meal. I felt that there was too much hollandaise sauce though.

For those who don't want to jostle with the crowds at the Duxton branch, this is an alternative you can consider.

Group Therapy
Katong V
30 East Coast Road
#01-11 

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Penny University

The East Coast stretch is one of my favourite places in Singapore- not only because there's plenty of good food here but also because there's an eclectic blend of the new and the old and you get to see beautiful architecture in this area. 

There are very few brunch places in the East and Penny University stands out because it's affordable and the food is good. 

There was a pretty large lunch turnout and the place can be a little cramped. Other than that, some retro elements in this place coupled with a comfy setting.

If you have a look at their menu, you will realise that their menu options are a lot cheaper than other brunch places. I had the Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon ($12) which consists of poached eggs on sourdough toasts, hollandaise sauce drizzled over the eggs and smoked salmon. Apparently, there's supposed to be chilli jam as well- but this was not spicy at all. I had a nice time wiping this dish clean- poached eggs were done beautifully, salmon was fresh and bread was delightful.

The desserts display were pretty insane- such beautiful homely looking desserts! Croissants, little tarts, mint chocolate pie, carrot walnut cake etc. But this humble looking French Apple Cake ($5.50) appealed to me. This cake was not too sweet as many apple cakes tend to be and the baker didn't skimp on the apples as well- every bite had apple slices in it.

A very good option for brunch in the East, service was average.

Penny University
402 East Coast Road
Tel No: 9008 9314 

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Yong Huat

If I had eaten all that lard, I would have enough oil in my stomach to fry another plate of char kway teow.

Located opposite 112 Katong is this coffee shop aptly named Ali Baba Eating House- where your dreams of lard come true. Unlike many people, I don't eat lard. Not because I'm afraid of it clogging my arteries but because I don't really get a kick out of eating it.

I ordered Hokkien Mee ($4). The good thing about the dish is that for lard lovers, you will love love love this because the lard comes in crazy amounts. They are not stingy with their prawns, pork belly and sotongs at all and the chilli was tangy and just a little spicy. I also liked the flavour of the stock. I'm a huge supporter of Nam Sing but recently their food portion seems to be getting smaller.

The one thing that I don't like about the way this is cooked is that the garlic is chopped too coarsely. Chunky garlic bits are a big no-no for me.

I don't usually eat Char Kway Teow ($4) but since they are famous for it, I decided to try it. The sauce was sweet and had a strong wok hei taste. I don't eat enough CKT for me to determine whether this is better than a normal plate of CKT. Suffice to say, this was a decent plate of CKT.

The price is very reasonable for this amount of food. Lots of bonus points to the uncle and aunty manning the stall. They are super friendly. The aunty told me to get a seat while she cooked because she said it was hot to stand there waiting, and even told me not to sit by the roadside because it was very hot. Caring Hawkers of the Year 2012 goes to them!

Yong Huat 
125/127 East Coast Road
Tel No: 9630 1370 

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Jai Thai (East Coast)

I passed by Jai Thai when I went on a trail at Katong and decided to come back here yesterday (because the restaurant we wanted to eat at was closed). "Jai" means heart in Thai and Jai Thai has been in Singapore since 1999. 

It's a no-frills place, which reminded me somewhat of a Thai food restaurant in Boston, Nud Pob Thai cuisine, except that it's more spacious. If Singapore had winter, here's where I would head to for a relatively good and cheap fix of piping hot Thai food.

I chose the Tom Yum Noodle Set ($6.80, with 10% service charge). I was offered the choice of either clear broth or coconut milk base. I opted for the clear broth. Suitably spicy with lots of fresh seafood. The prawns were very bouncy and fresh, albeit a little salty. There was also sotong, fish and mushrooms in it. The fish were also fresh although I found them cooked for perhaps too long and too big a chunk.

My friend ordered the Pad Thai. This is what she says: "I think the phad thai at jai thai was a bit sour even without adding the lime, but the noodle was quite chewy. The jelly that came along with the set was really like agar agar, not something exceptional. Price wise it was really affordable. The only downside was the environment was quite noisy and i had to talk louder than them. Of course it may just be an once off occurrence and it just have to be the day i am there."

Our sets came with a drink and dessert of the day. I chose lime juice and the dessert of the day was konnyaku jelly with bits of nata de coco in it.

Service was decent, with the food being served pretty fast. It's not that often that I get to meet this very good friend of mine, so I was glad they didn't chase us away despite being there for 2 hours. But the best thing about this place is that it's really value for money! Jai Thai also has outlets at Clover Way and Purvis Street.

Jai Thai 
205 East Coast Road
Tel: 6346 4940 

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328 Katong Laksa (51 East Coast Road)

In Singapore, you judge whether something has attained a certain level of fame by seeing whether there are Japanese words affixed to the name. Clearly, 328 Katong Laksa has attained a phenomenal level of fame. Step into their shop and you'll be overwhelmed by the number of photographs on the walls with famous politicians or artistes. 

It can get pretty busy during lunch time on weekends. You can either eat at the coffee shop side (no air condition) or at their air-conditioned shop. The moment we sat down, the server asked impatiently in Chinese, "How many?" Still reeling from the shock of the abrupt question, we answered "Two." "Cockles?" "No." "Otak?" "No." With that, our order was done. Only then did we peruse their menu pasted on the wall.

We paid $4 for Laksa (small). One thing you will notice is that the thick beehoon is cut so that it fits nicely into your spoon instead of you struggling to twirl it into the spoon. Other ingredients include sliced fishcake and prawns. I like the gravy because it's rich yet not overpowering and not too oily. For those who can't eat spicy stuff, this might suit you well because it isn't spicy. If you like it to be spicy, there is a can of chilli paste on the table. The prawns were also fresh. Only a spoon is served together with the bowl. But if you are not used to it, there are chopsticks available. 

The laksa here is good (not sure how it compares to the other katong laksa contenders). But it's not an understatement to say that service is scary. A man hollered to a group of people "No more seats!" while signalling them to go out, without even attempting to ask them to wait for a while before the next seat is vacant. They also looked like I owed them money, even though I paid them the money for my laksa and barley! There are some places where service can be fast yet polite. Here's definitely not one of them.

328 Katong Laksa (51 East Coast Road)
51 East Coast Road
Tel No: 9732 8163

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Trail #3: Katong/Joo Chiat

Introduction

Since we had time on National Day, we decided to walk the Katong/Joo Chiat area. This isn't what you would consider a touristy area but it is pretty much a gem of its own, with a long heritage and well-preserved buildings. According to Wikipedia, Katong was "born out of Joo Chiat" and Mr Chew Joo Chiat was known as the King of Katong. And if you are Singaporean, you must know that this area is concentrated with lots of good eateries. 

If you're interested, here's a blog by Mr Chew's great-grandson. It's pretty admirable how people take the effort to document the history of places that hold a special place in their hearts. 

Katong/Joo Chiat Trail 

I did a Katong/Joo Chiat trail and here, I've marked the places on Google Map. If you are interested in retracing my footsteps, all you need to do is to print out the map and to follow it accordingly. Why I did this was because sometimes when I was travelling, I was often bothered by which sequence I should take in order to maximise my sightseeing.

View Larger Map

A. Katong Shopping Centre

The first air-conditioned mall in Singapore, Katong Shopping Centre was established in 1971. It's not a place where you would go to find your fashionable clothes and shoes, but rather a place where you can find photocopying companies, Teo Heng Karaoke (a relatively cheap karaoke place), lots of maid employment agencies and even a ghostbuster shop. Not sure how long it will still be there though because 80% of the owners have already given consent to the en-bloc sales. 

You can also walk into some of the sidelanes such as Ean Kiam Place or Marshall Road where you will see distinctive and interesting houses.

B. Sri Senpaga Vinyagar Temple 
The Hindu temple, Sri Senpaga Vinyagar Temple, was established in the mid-19th century by the Ceylonese Tamils from Sri Lanka. It is the second-oldest Hindu temple in Singapore. You can see the Chola style of architecture here. The Cholas were the greatest temple builders in the history of India. You can enter regardless of religion or race, but do take off your shoes and socks if you step into the main hall.

C. Carnival Beauty Salon
You seldom see hairdressing shops like this anymore. When we tried to peek into the salon, we realised we couldn't see anything.

D. Katong Laksa
What's a trip to Katong without trying the laksa? But with so many contenders for the real Katong Laksa, maybe you should just settle for one of the most popular at 328 Katong Laksa. You will see the walls plastered with pictures of the shopowner with lots of big shots, including ministers and actors.

E. Kim Choo Kueh Chang
Kim Choo Kueh Chang has been here for over 60 years. Madam Lee Kim Choo was 12 years old when she learnt the secret recipe to making traditional Nonya rice dumplings. Yet another story of a lady with steel grit, she set up a stall under a tree, with 5 kg of rice everyday. This remains a very popular and favourite shop for people to get dumplings.

F. 112 Katong

A very new shopping centre, this place houses many new eateries and is a worthy contender with the nearby Parkway Parade. It also introduced a Golden Village (movie theatre) with a Peranakan theme. It is a major transformation from the previous shopping centre occupying this piece of land. As Katong is not really accessible by MRT, you might want to consider the free shuttle bus from Paya Lebar MRT. 

F. Chin Mee Chin Coffee & Cake Shop
Chin Mee Chin is a place where many food bloggers rave about their kaya toasts. Apparently, everything about this place is original- using a charcoal fire to heat the coffee, baking their own buns etc. Nostalgia is the key here, but the food has to be good too. While I haven't eaten here yet, this will be on my to-eat list.

F. Katong Antique House
Besides Mr Chew Joo Chiat's great-grandson, Mr Peter Wee is another of those who strive to keep cultures and traditions alive. At this two-story shophouse,  if you make an appointment with Mr Wee, you will get to see the Peranakan costumes, crockery and furniture put on this display by this fourth generation Baba Peranakan.

G. Food in general

From traditional pastries to modern cupcakes, this area has it all. For those who crave for durian puffs but are not willing to fork out Goodwood Hotel's prices, Puteri Mas may offer you good durian puffs at a lower price. I don't really eat cupcakes  because some places make it too sweet but if you want to check them out, Hey Cupcakes! looked pretty attractive. And a shop that sells cookies, My Lovebites has been very popular with magazines and newspapers recently. Pity we were ignored when we entered the shop, which wasn't the best way to tempt us into buying cookies. Heard it's really yummy though. 

There is so much more you could do at Katong. Don't be lured away just by the food. Do take a moment to look at your surroundings. The colourful paint splashed on the buildings, the unique Pernakan floor tiles etc. Enjoy your time in this place where shophouses still dominate and where people care enough about their roots and heritage. Some things can stay the same even when everything else changes. 

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Everything With Fries (Joo Chiat)

I must have gone to Everything with Fries for something like 5 or 6 times already. It has a chillax atmosphere, with young servers with great attitude. I went there yesterday with my friend, D.

Whatever you order here comes with fries. You can choose from a variety of seasoning, including garlic and herbs, sour cream and onion, curry and salt&vinegar.

Tandoori Chicken Sandwich

I ordered the tandoori chicken sandwich along with garlic and herbs fries. It's my favourite dish at Everything with Fries. The thing is that, given that I am very picky with my food, it seems like the only other option I could choose from the menu, besides what D subsequently chose. I love the tandoori chicken sandwich here because of its char-grilled taste. Plus, the bread was toasted to the right consistency, accompanied with the sauce that had the right amount of tang. The garlic and herbs fries tasted like the seasoning on potato chips- lots of MSG you can be sure of that, but delicious nonetheless.

Now a short random aside from my tandoori chicken sandwich story. D and I have known each other theoretically for 15 years, and practically for 9 years. So, being the very awesome friend she is, she decided to contribute a review to her fish burger as well, since this blog depends on true reviews from the people who try the food.

Battered Fish Sandwich

D had the battered fish sandwich with sour cream & onion fries. And this what she thinks:

The portion looked pretty generous - a big chunk of fish encased in a hot dog style bun. But size does not always = quality. The bulk of the 'fish' was made up of the batter that was crispy but a little too salty for me. There was also a cheesy mushroom sauce drizzled on top of the fish, which complimented the (albeit sad portion) of fish quite nicely. Didn't try the bread but it looked quite soft and springy!

The SC&O shoestring fries were comparable to the yummy old school MacD's Shaker Fries The seasoning is probably MSG spammed but addictive nonetheless!

Nutella Tart

I've tried the famed nutella tart prior to this trip, and it was SO SINFUL. (too bad I didn't take pictures then) Everything with Fries was set up by the same people who set up Awfully Chocolate, were you really expecting anything less?

Overall, I think I will still bring my friends to this place, and maybe tell them to give the fish a miss. But other than that, this is a great place to chill out and have a great conversation!

Everything with Fries

458 Joo Chiat Road
Tel: +65 6345 5034

40 Lorong Mambong
Holland Village

Singapore 277695
Tel: +65 6463 3741

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