Category: Newly Opened

We Hopped On The Makan Bus And Didn’t Wanna Get Off – Here’s Why!

Yup. Finally the first one-of-its-kind hop-on-hop-off Makan Bus tour has arrived in Singapore. Don’t dismiss this food tour as a tourist thingy yet. Otherwise, you are missing out on fun even locals can enjoy!

We all know Singapore is a food paradise, but the best local food are usually not near MRTs or in town.

Makan Bus

It can be pretty hard to enjoy good food if you don’t have a car. With the launch of the Makan Bus on 26 August 2016, reaching out to these great local food is now so much more convenient for everyone.

Recently, I was fortunate to be invited for a free MakanBus tour. Getting on the tour meant I had the opportunity to taste some of the highly acclaimed local food along the 10 specially-curated stops.

What I did not know was it is more than a mere foodie bus bringing us from the central to northern heartlands in Singapore.

Our Makan Bus Journey

We received a warm welcome from the guide upon boarding the cheery yellow bus at Orchard Gateway. After an introduction, we set off!

Besides recommending good eats near each stop, he would share insights of noteworthy buildings throughout the journey too.

Interesting history that we never knew about our sunny island

We thought we knew Singapore so well since we grew up here.

But we did not know that the Burma Chinese settled in Singapore as early as the 19th century!

In fact, I highly recommend you to alight at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial stop, where the Sun Yat Sen Memorial and Burmese Buddhist Temple are.

In the main worship hall of the Maha Sasana Ramsi (Burmese Buddhist Temple) sits the majestic 11-foot marble Buddha statue. This religious landmark is the only Burmese Buddhist temple of its kind in Singapore.

The statue was carved from a 10-tonne slab of marble found in Burma’s Saygin Hill and transported here in 1925.

Bond with your family over nostalgic hawker food settings

The 10 stops on the tour will bring you through buzzing town areas to the old shophouses in Balestier and Thomson, and finally into the HDB heartlands.

This is a specially curated route to showcase the evolution and development of Singapore over the past 51 years.

Bring your whole family, including your parents onboard, so they can reminisce about the good old days.

They will certainly be able to resonate with traditional eateries such as Boon Tong Kee and Original Herbal Shop at Balestier, and Hua Nam Restaurant at Thomson.

Image Credit: Makan Bus

It’s easier to strike conversations as you enjoy the food and nostalgic ambience with your family.

Who knows if these used to be their favourite haunts during their “paktor” days!

Discover yummy novel hawker food delights

While it’s obvious Makan Bus will bring you to yummy food places, you may be surprised at hidden gems within the heartlands.

Ang Mo Kio was the place I grew up in, and I thought I knew everything there. But I did not even know that there is a hawker stall selling sedap Mee Rebus Tarik for over 2 decades!

In case you are wondering, Mee Rebus Tarik is not prepared by simply “pulling” the noodles as the Malay word “tarik” implies.

Instead, the mee rebus is laden with satay gravy and served together with either chicken or mutton satay. Such an innovative twist to the signature mee rebus!

I have tasted different versions of our favourite Indian roti prata, with egg, cheese etc for enhanced flavour.

However, it was my first time trying out some Roti Tissue along Upper Thomson Road. The prata looked like an interesting thin piece of tissue (hence its name) as seen in the image above. This is a sweet crispy prata seasoned with sugar.

Hop on and off the bus whenever you wish, wherever you fancy

There is no limit to the number of times you can hop on and off the Makan Bus.

Your $28 ticket is valid throughout the day when the bus runs from 11am to 7.30pm.

Indeed, there were times when we were engaged in such interesting conversations with the guide that we missed alighting at the designated stop.

Just continue on the looped journey and alight where you wish to tuck into the good food in the desired area.

Furthermore, you do not need to alight if you don’t find anything you fancy. Unlike other expensive food tours where you don’t get to choose the food, this is a truly flexible tour!

Makan Bus definitely changes the way we can explore the hidden food joints and other untold stories of Singapore.

Bring your foreign friends on the Makan Bus tour and introduce them to life in the heartlands.

After all, this is a uniquely Singapore experience that they will not find at the usual tourist attractions. Besides, it is definitely more economical if you are travelling together in a group of 5 or more. Check out more details of this one-of-a-kind experience at Makan Bus!

(Featured image: Makan Bus)

Also, read 9 New Desserts So Wacky, You Need To Try Them At Least Once!

9 New Desserts So Wacky, You Need To Try Them At Least Once!

Desserts are sinful because they pile excess calories on you and make you fat. Hence, you’ve been trying to shun these sweet “harmful” delights because you seriously need to diet.

But wait, desserts is STRESSED spelled backwards. With so much stress everyday, surely you need some relief from it all? After all, a bite into your favourite dessert will make you happy.

Check out these top 9 best new desserts that are not only very instagrammable, but also amazingly delish. They’re so incredibly tempting, you just have to shelf your diet plans till you try them all!

TOWN/ CENTRAL

1. Matchaya

Singaporeans love Japanese matcha and hence, the number of matcha-themed cafes proliferate. Operating as a pop-up concept store previously, Matchaya now occupies an oh-so-Japanese wooden shopfront at Icon Village.

Riding on the success of their matcha and houjicha milk teas, Matchaya has recently introduced the uber-pretty Cha Cha Pop to its desserts menu. This Magnum lookalike popiscle is first dipped in black honey and houjicha feuilletine, followed by a matcha dip topped with toasted sesame. Every bite of the popiscle is not just crunchy, but also heavenly!

Matchaya
Address: 12 Gopeng Street #01-72 Icon Village
Open: 9 am to 9 pm (Mon to Fri); 10 am to 7 pm (Sat to Sun)
Official website: https://www.facebook.com/matchayasg

2. Niceday Taiwan Snow & Grass Jelly Desserts

No, I’m not recommending you any Korean Bingsu. I know you’ve seen enough of the Kimchi-Land dessert.

This lovely Purple Sweet Potato Milky Snow Mountain is the proud creation of Niceday Taiwan Snow & Grass Jelly Desserts. The base is made using silky smooth grass jelly all the way from Taiwan, covered with a mountain of fluffy ice shavings and chewy balls.

Imagine yourself in Taipei as you enjoy the pleasant bowl of dessert. Notice a small bowl of Taro Q mix and mochi balls in a separate bowl? Add in the balls to your dessert when you wish, otherwise the balls may become stiff in the icy bowl if they are put together.

So thoughtful of the owner to make sure the dessert is served in the best condition!

Niceday Taiwan Snow & Grass Jelly Desserts
Address: 302 Tiong Bahru Road #02-111A Tiong Bahru Plaza (Food Street)
Open: 11 am to 10.30 pm
Official website: https://www.facebook.com/NicedayDessert/

3. Sugar Lips

Sugar Lips the latest addition to the myriad of dessert cafes in Singapore. In fact, they are currently in their soft launch opening week 1-for-1 promotion from 9 to 16 September.

Enjoy the visual feast of the gorgeous dessert platters, and sink your teeth into sweet favourites such as Rainbow Fantasy and Chocolate Seduction Truffle Cake. Life’s short, so eat dessert first and enjoy. 🙂

Sugar Lips
Address: 277 Orchard Road #02-01, Orchard Gateway
Open: 11 am to 10 pm
Official website: https://www.facebook.com/eatsugarlips

4. Meet & Melt

*NEW* Curry Lava Toast

*NEW* Mentaiko Lava Toast

Who says desserts can only be sweet? Visit Meet & Melt and you will be delighted to find novel savoury creations of their toasts. Previously located in ulu Tampines, they have just opened a second outlet near Somerset MRT at *SCAPE.

To celebrate their new outlet opening, the folks at Meet & Melt have introduced 2 new desserts – the Curry Lava Toast, as well as the Mentaiko Lava Toast!

Singaporeans love their curry with bread, and the Curry Lava Toast is an amazingly yummy delight you can eat anytime of the day. The Mentaiko Lava Toast is another remarkable creation that not only smells delicious, but also tastes great with the Sea Salt Gula Melaka ice cream. We wonder why no one thought about such divine concoctions earlier!

Meet & Melt
Address: 2 Orchard Link #02-33/34, *SCAPE; Blk 915 Tampines St 91 #01-49
Open: 1 pm to 10 pm (*SCAPE outlet); 2 pm to 10 pm (Tampines outlet)
Official website: https://www.facebook.com/meetandmelt

5. Epicurious Cafe

First it was rainbow cake making the Insta-rounds. Then earlier in the year, videos of rainbow-coloured cheeses stretching in various postures went viral, thanks to Kala Toast in Hong Kong. And now, our own Epicurious Cafe has also created the first Rainbow Cheese Toastie in Singapore.

The rainbow is made up of 5 different colours and flavours: Pink (beetroot), Orange (carrot), Green (Spinach), Blue (potato and garlic with butterfly pea) and Violet (eggplant and red cabbage).

Great to know that it’s made using natural ingredients and minimal colouring. At least we can eat this appealing cheese toastie at ease! Have fun stretching your rainbow for the best shots before you tuck in to the crispy and buttery toast!

Epicurious Cafe
Address: 81 Clemenceau Ave #01-13 UE Square Shopping Mall
Open: Lunch – 11.30 am to 2.30 pm (Tue to Fri), Dinner – 6 pm to 10 pm (Tue to Sun), Brunch – 9 am to 5 pm (Weekend/ Public Holiday)
Official website: 

Located in a shop unit of the first floor in the old commercial Sultan Plaza building, The Pound‘s classier decor makes it stand out from the rest of the shops. The Pound is a small cafe specializing in premium Dutch Iced Coffees and homemade cakes. Unlike other Korean-owned cafes, they do not sell the Korean Bingsu.

What you will find here is roll cakes that look so delicately tasteful. Leave some stomach space after a satisfying kopitiam meal nearby for their Earl Grey Roll Cake. Light with a chiffon-like texture, the earl grey flavour was subtle and a perfect dessert for a complete meal.

The Pound
Address: 100 Jalan Sultan, #01-17B Sultan Plaza
Open: 9.30 am to 6.30 pm (Mon to Sat)

HEARTLANDS

7. Birds Of Paradise Gelato Boutique

Located opposite the Roxy Square, Birds of Paradise Gelato Boutique is a sleek and tastefully furbished boutique in a restored shophouse along East Coast Road. The unique point of Birds Of Paradise lies in its 9 gelato flavours inspired by botanical flavours.

Think fruits, flowers, pods, herbs, and spices. Instead of your usual chocolate and strawberry flavours, get the garden taste on their special homemade thyme ice cream cones! Exquisite flavours include Basil, Lychee Raspberry, Spiced Pear, Mint Cacao, Strawberry Basil, Pandan and White Chrysanthemum.

Birds of Paradise Gelato Boutique
Address: 63 East Coast Road #01-05
Open: 4.30 pm to 10 pm (Tue to Fri), 12 pm to 10 pm (Sat to Sun)
Official website: https://www.facebook.com/bopgelato/

8. KOOKS Creamery

KOOKS Creamery is not just your ordinary ice cream cafe in the heartlands. They specialise in molten lava cookies (or KOOKS as the folks call them) and ice cream.

KOOKS may be just a small cosy 20-seater cafe, but they whip up a total of 18 ice cream flavours. Some of the unique flavours include Lemon Curd, Milk Cereal, Nougat and Brown Butter.

Top the smooth and creamy ice cream on the thin yet crispy lava cookie, and ta-da! Here’s your oozing sweet Molten Lava Kooks treat!

KOOKS Creamery
Address: 211 Serangoon Ave 4 #01-02
Open: 12 pm to 10 pm (Tue to Thu, Sun), 12 pm to 11 pm (Fri to Sat)
Official website: https://www.facebook.com/kookscreamery/

9. The Workbench Bistro

*NEW* Red & Blue Velvet S’morffles

*NEW* Purple Japanese Sweet Potato Waffles

Located in a quiet part of Ang Mo Kio at least 10 minutes’ walk away from the MRT, The Workbench Bistro (TWB) is an unassuming neighbourhood cafe that has recently gone through a menu overhaul. Its latest original dessert creation – the Blue & Red Velvet S’moreffles seems to be flooding all the Instagram feeds.

In case you still do not know what s’moreffles is, it’s actually s’mores baked in waffles. How cool and sinful is that?! Sandwiched between two quarters of the crisp waffles are melted fluffy marshallows, drizzled with graham cracker crumbs within the waffles. Topped with big scoop of ice cream and generous chocolate sauce, this insanely awesome dessert is worth every penny and calorie!

As if the Blue & Red Velvet S’moreffles isn’t sinful enough, TWB has also introduced another irresistible dessert to their menu – the Purple Japanese Sweet Potato Waffles.

This pretty waffles is made using fresh purple sweet potato with no additional colourings. Savour the sweet potato bits in this yummy waffles drizzled with homemade Gula Melaka sauce and topped with ice cream. Don’t count the carbs, just enjoy first!

The Workbench Bistro
Address: Blk 332 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 #01-1881
Open: 12 pm to 10 pm (Mon to Thu), 12 pm to 11 pm (Fri), 10 am to 11 pm (Sat) and 10 am to 10 pm (Sun)
Official website: https://www.facebook.com/theworkbenchbistro/

Don’t you agree these 9 new dessert creations are so tempting and irresistible? Not only do they look wonderful on the pictures, they are also incredibly palatable!

Don’t just drool over your phone, iPad or laptop. Make a move to these cool cafes right now to taste the real stuff. You can always resume your diet plan after you have try them all!

Also, read K.F Seetoh Is Bringing Singaporean Favourites To A Brand New Destination – Manila!

Header image credit: Danielfooddiary.com

K.F Seetoh Is Bringing Singaporean Favourites To A Brand New Destination – Manila!

Hands up if you’ve travelled abroad, gone into an Asian restaurant and seen ‘Singapore Fried Rice’ or ‘Singapore Fried Noodles’ on the menu. I’ve seen it EVERY SINGLE TIME I’ve stepped into an Asian eatery while on holiday. I feel bemused when I see this in the menu, and then I feel disappointed when I can’t seem to find anything that’s ‘Singaporean enough’ on the menu.

Good news for Singaporeans living and travelling to Manilla, you can say goodbye to seeing dishes like ‘Singapore Style Fried Rice’. K.F Seetoh the food connoisseur behind Makansutra, together with established chefs JJ Yulo and Him Uy De Baron (both hailing from Phillipines) are opening up Makansutra Hawkers at SM Megamall, located conveniently in the business district of Manilla.

Serving up some of Singapore’s local favourites, this Singaporean style hawker center covers 14,000 square feet. Makansutra Hawkers houses 12 stalls dishing up your favourite local food! Sitting up to 500 diners this eatery is perfect for a casual meal amongst friends and family.

Authentic Local Food

(image credit: )

Also Read: Have You Thanked The Hawker Who Served You Food Today?

Better Than A Power Nap – Freedom Yoga Energises You In Just 30 Minutes!

A common excuse I give for not being able to clock in a workout is that “I’m too busy” – and I’m sure I’m not the only one guilty of this. We neglect our bodies because we get so caught up with work sometimes. It’s important to strive to sweat once a day. That’s why Elvina Cheong, founder of Freedom Yoga, decided to put in place a 30-minute Energiser Express class. It’s perfect for busy individuals like you and me.

The Space

To cater to the corporate crowd, Freedom Yoga is strategically situated in the heart of the CBD. Its large, minimalistic interior, cosy chill out space, and high ceilings are a breath of fresh air – a change from the confines of a cramped office.

It is the perfect place to retreat to when you need a pick-me-up during your lunch break or a nice, long stretch after spending the day crouched over your desk.

The Energiser Express

I popped by Freedom Yoga at lunchtime on a weekday to clock in my 30-minute sweat. I love a strong practice, but I entered the class with no expectations of a challenging sequence.

I thought, “Just how challenging can a 30-minute class be?” But boy, was I wrong.

Elvina made the most of the 30 minutes, and worked every muscle in my body. There were no warm-ups to begin with, just a few vinyasa flows before we dived right into it.

“Plank, right knee to elbow, right knee to wrist, right knee to opposite elbow, right knee to opposite wrist, three-legged dog!”

My core was crying, but Elvina reminded us that we had to repeat the same sequence on our left side as well. She even managed to squeeze in an arm balance – my favourite crow pose, before transitioning into a vinyasa.

Talk about a quick and powerful workout!

The 30-minute class didn’t kill me like a 90-minute class would, but it sure made me work extra hard to burn as many calories in that little amount of time.

Thank goodness for shower rooms, because I surprisingly worked up a sweat in that 30 minutes (and I don’t even sweat easily!). I was refreshed, awake, and ready to take on the rest of the day. Looks like the Energiser Express class truly lives up to its name!

Freedom Yoga
Location: 137 Cecil Street, #12-01, Singapore 069537.
Website Mid-Autumn Fest: 5 Romantic Places To Visit With Your Date That Will Set Your Heart Aflutter

Brought to you by Discover SG x Collette Miles.

World’s First Marks & Spencer Cafe At Wheelock Place – Perfect For That Quick Weekday Lunch

M&S Cafe

Great news for Marks & Spencer fans out there, Marks & Spencer Singapore has just opened their first sit down cafe right in the heart of the Orchard Road! The first M&S Singapore cafe opened its doors last Friday (2 September) at its new home in Wheelock Place.

(image credit:
(image credit:
(image credit: Marks and Spencer Singapore)

(image credit: Marks and Spencer Singapore)

If you love Marks & Spencer’s Food Hall and their freshly baked breads, great news! M&S Singapore is bringing its chilled food range to Wheelock’s Food Hall! With over 600 new chilled products you’ll be spoiled for choice. Choose from healthy salads, ready made soups, cheeses, exotic dips and juices! If you’re craving for something sweet, you’ll not be disappointed! Cheesecakes, puddings and yoghurts are the sweetest addition to Wheelock’s Food Hall!

Wheelock’s new M&S cafe and chilled food range means there’s no excuse to binge on unhealthy fast foods or fried snacks while walking the streets of Orchard Road!

Marks & Spencer Cafe
501 Orchard Road, #01-01 Wheelock Place, S238880
Opening Hours: Sun – Thu 8:30am-10pm; Fri-Sat 8:30am-10:30pm
Contact: +65 6733 8122

(Feature image: Yahoo)

Also Read: Orchard Central Is Home To UNIQLO’s Brand New 3 Storey Flagship Store!

Romance Yourself This Weekend With Wine, Cheese, Oysters & More At Savour Wines!

Sometimes all you need at the end of a crazy workweek is a glass of quality wine. If that’s what you’re after, then you’re in luck! Having garnered a reputation as one of the world’s best gourmet festivals, SAVOUR is once again back in town with SAVOUR Wines.

As the second instalment in the SAVOUR festival series this year, we’re going to tell you why you’ll want to check out Savour Wines this weekend (9 – 11 Sept 2016).

Image Credits:

Image Credits:

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Image Credits:

Image Credits: Sunset Station

If all these sound pretty pricey, then you’re in for a pleasant surprise!

Tickets go from $15 for 10 wine tastings, complimentary Badoit sparkling water as well as a limited edition wine glass if you book online.

You can also purchase tickets at the venue directly from $10 for 10 wine tastings (wine glass not included). However, those tickets are subjected to availability.

Entry to the Gourmet Village is free.

Do note that only 700 places are available for the Wine Market, so do book your tickets ASAP if possible. For a more detailed breakdown of the ticket prices, click

Image Credits: 9 Sept (Friday): 1800-2300
10 & 11 Sept (Saturday & Sunday): 1100-1600 & 1800-2300
For more information, click Have You Thanked The Hawker Who Served You Food Today?

Header image credit:

Jay Chou Opens First International PHANTACi At Orchard Gateway!

If you’re a Jay Chou fan you would have gotten tickets to see his “The Invincible” concert going on later tonight at the Indoor Stadium. But if you’re a HUGE devotee of Jay Chou, you would have been part of a large crowd of about 250 to 300 at his clothing store PHANTACi on Friday.

Jay Chou was the guest of honour at the grand opening of his clothing store located at (Image credit: Yahoo Lifestyle)

Also Read: Orchard Central Is Home To UNIQLO’s Brand New 3 Storey Flagship Store!