I am sure you know that I am on a quest to try all the dim sum places in Singapore. My latest adventure brings me to Imperial Treasure Nan Bai at Ngee Ann City.
I have been wanting to go there for a while, but never had the chance until recently. Judging from the crowd on the weekend, Imperial Treasure Nan Bei seems to be extremely popular, especially with families.
Ippudo is one of Japan’s top ramen shops and there was a hype when it opened in 2009. Even till today, there are often long queues during lunch and dinner.
The founder of Ippudo, Shigemi Kawahara, is known as the Ramen King after three consecutive first place wins on a nationwide ramen-making competition where the top ramen chefs compete to create the best ramen.
Does Ippudo ramen at Mandarin Gallery live up to the hype?
East Ocean Teochew Restaurant at Shaw Centre has always been known as one of the top restaurants in Singapore serving Hong Kong style Teochew cuisine. It is the place that most people mention when you ask them what their favourite Teochew restaurant is.
Besides serving traditional Teochew favourites, they are also very popular for their dim sum. For several months, friends have been telling me that I simply have to go there during weekend for dim sum.
I finally made a trip there recently, and the nostalgic atmosphere really reminded me of Red Star Chinese restaurant. If you are still thinking of where to go for dim sum brunch this weekend, why not check out East Ocean?
One of the French Restaurants that I’ve always wanted to try, but have not gotten the chance to visit until recently is Bistro Du Vin at Shaw Centre.
Bistro Du Vin by the Les Amis Group has been making a name for itself since opening in 2009. My friends have always raved about the classical French Food that they serve. I went there for lunch a while back and I have to say that the set lunch is absolutely a steal at $30++/pax.
Besides Marmalade Toast at Takashimaya, another place that I like to go whenever I am in town is Pique Nique American Cafe by Chef Pang Kok Keong.
I am a huge fan of Chef Pang. I’ve tried almost all his desserts while he was at Canele Patisserie (under the Les Amis group). Boy was I excited when I heard that he left the group late last year to set up his own company, the Sugar Daddy Group.
Pique Nique is located at the basement of Takashimaya where McDonald’s used to be. It serves favourite American comfort food like mac & cheese ($12-16), hot dogs ($8.5-11), burgers ($10-13), all day breakfast ($7.5-13.5), whoopie pies ($2) and desserts ($4-8).
“Which is your favourite cafe in Singapore?”
There are some places like Prive Bakery Cafe and PS Cafe that I love for their ambience; other places like Oriole cafe and Epicurious for the affordability; and Artichoke, Spruce and Barracks for the food. But when it comes to a cafe that I go all the time, Marmalade Toast is definitely the place.
Marmalade Toast Cafe is a hidden gem in Orchard Road. It has been around for very long, but even up till now, I’m surprised that not many people know about them. Located at a corner of Ngee Ann City, the cafe is a simplified version of Marmalade Pantry restaurant. They have a pretty straightforward menu of salads, wraps, sandwiches and desserts – everything priced reasonably under $10.
If I had a dollar every time someone asked me to recommend a cheap and good buffet, I’d be a millionaire by now. There are many buffet restaurants in Singapore, but most of them are only average, while the really good buffets usually come with a relatively hefty price tag.
So listen up guys, I’m just going to say it once. The buffet lunch at Basilico restaurant is one of the best, if not the best, in the $40-50 category.
While I love going to fancy restaurants, it is impossible to spend so much on food all the time. That’s why I am always on the lookout for cafes that serve decent food at affordable prices.
Tea Cosy at Plaza Singapura is one of them. It serves a pretty decent afternoon high tea at $29.95 for two, from 2.30pm to 6pm daily.