Category: Newly Opened

A Teppanyaki Dinner That Hits All The Right Spots – Teppan Bar Q

Part of a chain of restaurants by the Ishida Kikaku Group, originating from Hakata city in Kyushu, Japan, Teppan Bar Q is the group’s second restaurant in Singapore. This newly opened restaurant is set in the hip and stylish Robertson Quay area.

The founder, Mr Kyota Ishida, also known as Mr K, promotes the taste of Hakata in all his dining ventures. Mr K has been in the industry since he was sixteen when he started working in a French restaurant. His passion for bringing a sense of excitement and discovery to customers through food has led him to open various restaurants around Japan, and now, Singapore.

Teppan Bar Q

Teppan Bar Q is a contemporary teppanyaki restaurant that offers Spanish Tapas with a creative twist. This cosy and inviting diner seats 21 pax around the counter. Indoor and outdoor seatings are available for drinks and light bites. You can also pair a wide selection of wine from Spain to Japan, private-label sakes, fruit liqueurs, cocktail, and beers,  with its dishes.

Roasted Hakata Mentai

One of Hakata region’s speciality is their Roasted Hakata Mentai ($12.90) – marinated roe of Pollock and Cod, specially flown in from Hakata. The roe is sliced into small nuggets, gently roasted on its grill, and topped with capsicum, chilli flakes.

We found this dish a little too savoury for our taste buds. However, it paired well with sake for a full bodied flavour.

Octopus Galician Style

This is an interesting combination – octopus on potatoes ($13.90). The octopus is well-cooked and seasoned to perfection. Topped with paprika powder, olive oil and spring onions on a bed of soft potatoes, this dish tantalised the taste buds. The dish was delightful – tangy, slightly peppery, and just the right amount of savoury.

Foie Gras with Daikon

The Foie Gras with Daikon ($26.80) is our favourite dish and totally stole the limelight. This dish is chef Kyota’s signature Mediterranean-inspired dish. After grilling to perfection, the foie gras is set to rest for 2 minutes. This makes it more juicy and tender.

The smooth and rich foie gras melted in my mouth. The daikon (white radish), soaked in dashi broth, was heavenly. It oozed with unami and dashi and left me wanting more. This is a truly unforgettable dish.

Tonpei Yaki with Rice Cake & Cheese

One of Teppan Bar Q’s must-haves is definitely their Tonpei Yaki with Rice Cake and Cheese ($25.90). The Tonpei Yaki is a thin batter layered with finely chopped cabbage with slivers of pork, egg, and white sauce. The white sauce is a secret mixture of mountain yam paste and mayonnaise. The restaurant’s mayonnaise is homemade with plum-infused soymilk – a healthier choice. Also, good quality eggs from Okinawa are used for this dish. What’s also special is that this dish is served on special earthenware plates. These plates have an infrared effect that draws out the taste of the ingredients evenly. Definitely a must-try dish!

US Ribeye Angus Steak

The US Angus Ribeye Steak ($58.90 for 200g) was cooked to perfection. It was not tough at all and was juicy and tender. Choose from three accompanying sauces – sesame sauce, soy sauce with wasabi, and garlic ginger onion sauce. Out of all the sauces, we felt that the sesame sauce added a punch to the flavour of the beef. If you want to enjoy the natural flavour of the beef, simply opt for the soy sauce with wasabi.

Garlic Fried Rice

A good garlic fried rice consists of loads of garlic fried to a delectable aroma with eggs and rice. This garlic fried rice ($12.90) totally nailed it! On top of all these goodness, the chef added in a fatty portion of the steak from our previous dish which gave our fried rice a surprise burst of flavour for each bite.

Vanilla Ice Cream Kinako

To wrap up your dinner, try their Vanilla Ice Cream Kinako ($6.90). The ice cream is made from kinako – roasted soybean paste which is a healthy option for diners. A brown sugar syrup at the bottom provides a sweet finish to the dessert.

All in all, we love how quaint and cosy this little restaurant bar is. If you’re looking to unwind with friends or would like to have a family gathering in an intimate casual setting, we definitely recommend visiting Teppan Bar Q!

Do note that the servings seen in the pictures are in mini portions as this was an invited food tasting. Besides the ala carte dishes, Teppan Bar Q also offers a set course menu from $60.

In Singapore, Teppanyaki is either found at food courts or at the high-end restaurants. Teppan Bar Q fills the mid-range gap. To find this restaurant, walk along Muhammad Sultan Road instead of Unity Street.

This was an invited food tasting session.

(All photos are taken by the writer)

Teppan Bar Q
11 Unity Street, #01-21/22 Robertson Walk, Singapore 237995
Tel: 65 6235 0629
Opening Hours: Daily, 6pm – 12am

Also, read Decadent Yet Light Cakes You’ll Love – Waku Ghin @ Marina Bay Sands

Knickers+Bockers – Create Your Very Own Pizzas And Eat Them Too!

For regular visitors to the Central Business District (CBD), you will be excited to hear that Sure, it may not the only pizza joint in town, but it is one of the few in Singapore that allows you to construct your own 10” pizza ($12.90) with unlimited topping options. Yeap, you heard that right. Toppings are infinite, limited only by your imagination. This, guys, is every pizza lover’s dream.

Non-veggie lovers, rejoice! With the option to choose your own toppings, no longer will you be judged for not wanting pineapples, capsicum, or whatever veggie there is. However, you may not want to overload your pizza with deli meat, else you’ll be struggling to finish an overly salty pizza.

Toppings aside, you get to pick your desired pizza base (NY Style, NY Herb Crusted, Cali Style and Cali Herb Crusted) as well as sauces (5 to choose from) and cheese (8 kinds of cheese in total).

For the DiscoverSG Pizza (yes, you can name your pizza!), we chose the NY Herb Crusted base. It’s a New York-style pizza with a thin base, thicker crust, and sprinkled with herbs and spices.

With 44 greens, meat and seafood toppings to choose from, the selection is almost endless. We helped ourselves and ticked 16 boxes from the toppings list.

Credit: Knickers+Bockers

The pizza crust was perfect. It’s thin in the middle and tapers out to a slightly thicker crust. The crust could be folded, making it easy for any glutton (ahem, us) to enjoy a pizza slice whole. Despite it being herb-based, the pizza, much to our delight, is void of any unpleasant herby taste that may put some off.  It may, however, be the cheese and the white cream sauce that covered it all up. Well, for lovers of herbs and spices, you get the best of both worlds!

Despite the many toppings, we’re surprised to discover that the ingredients complemented each other. Ingredients were fresh whilst the veggies had retained their juiciness. We’d recommend getting the spicy Italian sausage as it goes well with most seasonings and sauces.

Credit: Knickers+Bockers

If you are not a fan of DIYs or simply can’t decide to save your life, worry not as Knickers + Bockers offers pre-customised pizzas you can choose from, such as the Curry Lovers (pictured above).

Credit: Knickers+Bockers

Aside from pizzas, they do offer breakfast buns ($3.50/bun or $4.50 with coffee, pictured above) and DIY pasta ($8.90).

The breakfast buns are made from the pizza dough but unlike the pizzas, are not customizable. There are four flavours to choose from – Original, Asian Fusion, Curry and Otak Otak. Unless you’re not a fan of local flavours, we’d recommend you to try anything but the Original, which features your classic American breakfast ingredients, like runny eggs and bacon, which is rather boring.

To be honest, we thought the pizzas are more worthy of a try but the buns are a great option for those looking for an on-the-go breakfast option.

Credit: Knickers+Bockers

Similar to the pizzas, the pasta shares the same build-it-yourself concept with 4 kinds of pasta , 3 sauces, 9 kinds of cheese and over 20 toppings to choose from. The pasta portions are relatively small and the two breadsticks that come with it were a little tough for our liking. So if you ask us, it’s definitely back to pizzas.

Overall, Knickers+Bockers is a great dining option for those working in the CBD, especially if you’re looking for something different. They do also offer a delivery service (minimum purchase of $25 with additional $2 delivery charge or free delivery with purchase for $40 and above) through Deliveroo or Foodpanda.

Have you created your own pizza at Knicker+Bockers yet? If so, let us know your favourite way to spice up your pizza or share your creations with us!

(Header image by Daniel Food Diary, words by editor)

Knicker+Bockers (Ocean Financial Centre)

Address: Ocean Financial Centre #B1-10, 10 Collyer Quay S049315 (Raffles Place MRT)
Contact: +65 6509 9247
Opening Hours: 8.30 am – 8pm (Mon – Fri), 9am – 1pm (Sat)

Knickers+Bockers (Leisure Park Kallang)
Address: Leisure Park Kallang #02-04, 5 Stadium Walk S397693
Contact: +65 6241 4480
Opening Hours: 12pm – 9.30pm (Mon – Thurs), 11am – 10pm (Fri-Sat), 11am – 9.30pm (Sun)

This was an invited food tasting session.

Also, read 8 Cool Places For An Ultimate Chill Out Weekend At Kampong Glam

8 Geylang Serai Bazaar Street Snacks Worth Braving The Heat For!

Possibly the most anticipated pasar malam of the year, Geylang Serai Bazaar is here! From household products to apparels to mouth-watering snacks, the Bazaar offers practically everything. With more stalls than before, Geylang Serai Bazaar is back with awesome food that makes all the heat and queues worthwhile.

From fancy rainbow bagels to everyone’s favourite salted egg churros, here’s our list of must-try hipster snacks at this year’s Geylang Serai Bazaar. Be prepared by coming with empty stomachs!

1. Salted Egg Churros

Hands up salted egg yolk lovers! Here’s a new rendition – Churros with Salted Egg Yolk Sauce. Try Locoloco‘s new creation – bite size churros drizzled with salted egg yolk sauce ($6) – for some eggy goodness. Don’t fret if salted egg yolk is not your thing as they offer a variety of flavours ranging from pandan with gula melaka to red velvet. Can’t really decide on a flavour? Get a platter with all the flavours and sauces with an additional dollar for the Salted Egg Yolk Sauce!

What’s more, Locoloco is serving soft serve ice cream with their churros this year – another must-try on our list!

Loco Loco
Location: Next to Mr. Teh Tarik
Price: $4.50/cup, $16 (assortment), $6 (churros with soft serve/salted egg yolk sauce)

2. Rainbow Bagel

Get your sugar fix from this pretty Rainbow Bagel! From the people of WORD., these bagels filled with strawberry cream cheese funfetti and tasty marshmallows are going at $8. A little tip from us: these bagels are best eaten fresh as they tend to turn a little soggy after a while! Queues are fairly long at WORD. but we’d say it’s worth the queueing.

WORD.
Location: Booth 9 at the open space carpark along Engku Aman Road
Price: $8

3. S’mores Dip

These S’mores Dip from Happy Rollies will leave you wanting for more! Consisting of biscuits and marshmallows nested above a bed of chocolate, this snack definitely tastes as yummy as it looks.

This popular stall can be identified through its snaking queue. The waiting time can take as long as 30mins! That said, you can also take the chance to order the Fried Ice-Cream Rolls ($5) with toppings ranging from banana to maple cornflakes.

Happy Rollies
Price: $3.50

4. Watermelon Volcano

The perfect refresher for the sweltering heat, the Watermelon Volcano is a must have when browsing the bazaar. Topped with freshly scooped watermelon balls, condensed milk, syrup and ice served in a watermelon husk, this thirst quencher will definitely cool you down.

The medium Watermelon Volcano is priced at $6.90 and is a good size for sharing among 2-3 people.

Happy Rollies
Price: $6.90 (Medium)/$12.90 (Large)

5. Spicy Korean Yoghurt

Up for a different yoghurt experience? This Spicy Korean Yoghurt is the perfect dessert for you. Topped with chopped almonds, cranberries and spicy Korean hot sauce, this Vanilla Yoghurt ($5) is definitely a new experience for all yoghurt lovers.

Location: Along Haig Road
Price: $5

6. Macaron Ice Cream

What’s better than Macarons and ice-cream? A Macaron Ice Cream obviously. Presented by the folks at Barakah-Fe, the macaron shells are crisp and chewy. Ice cream flavours are available in oreo, vanilla, nutella, chocolate or salted caramel. Not only do you get to taste the best of both worlds, this highly delightful dessert is also very instagram-worthy.

Barakah-Fe
Location: Along Haig Road
Price: $4

7. Fried Oreos

What’s a pasar malam trip without fried food, right? Deep fried to perfection, this snack is a twist to everyone’s childhood snack. Besides its delicious melty chocolate on the inside, choose between icing sugar ($3) and chocolate sauce or condensed milk ($3.50) to complete your perfect dessert!

Price: $3 (With icing sugar)/$3.50 (With chocolate sauce or condensed milk)

8. Cotton Candy Soda

Think over-the-top milkshakes are too much? Think again. Offered by Backalley Bites, this novelty comes with different flavours of soda – Grape, Blueberry and Cherry. Top that off with sweet cotton candy and tadah, the sweetest drink of all time.

Backalley Bites
Price: $3/$2 without cotton candy

Some tips from us for those visiting the bazaar:
Bring a portable fan, wear light clothing and arm yourself with a watermelon volcano. A fair bit of walking will be needed to search for these stalls so a comfortable pair of walking shoes is recommended.

That said, gather as many friends, head down to the Geylang Serai Bazaar this instant and soak up the Hari Raya spirit!

Geylang Serai Bazaar
Date: 4 June – 6 July
Time: 5pm till late
Location: Along the stretch of Changi Road between Joo Chiat and Paya Lebar Road
(Paya Lebar MRT Exit A. Due to construction work this year, turn left and follow the crowd instead of heading in the direction of the Singapore Post Centre)

(Image header by TNP, Spring Tomorrow & Notey)

Also read: Wanna Watch Euro 2016? Here Are 9 Screening Places For Best Vibes

Pokémon Café – An Exclusive Sneak Pik(achu) At Its Menu!

The last time we talked about our childhood dream coming true, it was when we announced the launch of the first Pokémon café in Singapore. Since then, we’ve been curious about the café’s menu. Will there be a local twist to its dishes? How extensive is the menu? After travelling across the land and searching far and wide, we’re proud to say that we’ve found the ultimate prize – the menu of the Pokémon Café. We know, this is totally our destiny.

From 27^th May – 31^st July 2016, the Pokémon Café will be serving an array of Pikachu Pokémon themed mains, desserts and drinks that’ll satisfy the inner Pokémon master in you. Ready to find out what they are? Turn your cap backwards Ash Ketchum style and let’s go!

Mains

The menu may not be extensive, but rest assured that having your rice served in the shape of Pikachu’s face will have you forget that in no time. Amongst the list is the Pikachu Smiling Rice Omelettte with Magma Sauce $25. Pikachu’s face is shaped with saffron rice and is accompanied by omelette ears.

Another intriguing combination is Battle on Pikachu! Level-up with Rare Candy $20, a dish that consists of beef patty, mashed potatoes and vegetables in the shape of a Pokéball. We’re not too sure what the Rare Candy is, but we’re hoping that it’ll level-up the dish.

Equally intriguing is the Special Move “Fire Blast”! $20. A possible rice-in-a-pan dish, this dish is probably one that best fits its name.

Dessert

Talk about seriously adorable-looking desserts. Starting off with Pikachu’s “Thunder Shock” Parfait $15, this sponge cake looks too good to be eaten. Accompanied by a crackling cotton candy ball, this dessert will satisfy your sugar craving for sure.

A cream puff and cotton candy, the Pokéball Cream Puff! $20 even allows customers to decorate the dessert with a choco pen. Not much to do with the theme but this interactive dessert is pretty interesting.

The usual pancakes and maple syrup takes on an adorable twist with Pikachu’s Sweeeeet Pancake $20. On a serious note, we’re hoping that the number of ‘e’s is not representative of the dessert’s sugar level.

Finally something that’s not Pikachu related, the Special Move Hydro Pump $15 is made of jelly, candy, white chocolate, and custard cream in the shape of a Pokéball. We’d have liked it better if the jelly is in the shape of Squirtle but guess Pikachu remains the star of the show.

Drinks

A combination of passion fruit soda and mango sherbet, the “Volt Tackle” Soda promises to give customers a tingling sensation that hopefully is more pleasant than what its name suggests.

If you’re more of a coffee person, you’ll most likely appreciate the Pikachu Latte.

Do note that the Hot $8 and Iced $9 versions come in different forms so if you’re unsure about which to get, you can always make a decision based on the aesthetics.

Ready to eat them all? As aesthetically pleasing as the dishes may be, we have to admit that to pay for them is the real test. As a witty friend of ours so rightly asked, is this Poké-a-hole-in-your-wallet café worth its price tag? We’ll leave it to you to decide.

Pokemon Cafe
Address: #04-05 Bugis Junction, 200 Victoria St, S188021
Tel: 6338 0135
Date: 27 May to 31 July 2016
Opening hours: Daily, 11am to 9:30pm

(Header Image by wallpapercave, words by writer)

Also read: This Candy Store Sells The Most Peculiar Sweets – Sushi, Mahjong Tiles, & More!

Kyushu Pancake – Japan’s Famous Guilt-Free Pancake Is Here In SG

Founded by Koji Muraoka, Kyushu Pancake Café has been Japan’s most famous pancake dessert store since its first opening in 2012. After the initial opening, Kyushu Pancake Café gained so much popularity that it proceeded to open another 8 outlets in Japan and 2 more in Taiwan.

Now, this popular pancake café is going to take Singapore by storm and has launched its first outlet here on 11 May 2016. The pancake fever hit our shores so hard, the store had to start taking reservations 3 months before its opening date!

What makes these mouth-watering pancakes so special? Well the pancakes are made out of the finest Kyushu wheat and grains, which are carefully examined and mixed.

The ingredients that make up the delicious pancakes are a mix of 7 different grains from all over Japan. These grains include fertilizer free wheat, brown rice, millet, pressed barley, non-glutinous rice, purple glutinous rice and red glutenous rice.  Other ingredients such as barley, raw sugar brown sugar are 100% organic and free of additives. This ensures that the pancakes are of premium quality.

The flour mix also brings out a special buttermilk taste that one cannot find at other pancake stores. This is because Kyushu Pancake uses quality buttermilk powder in their mix of ingredients. Mr Muraoka spent 18 months searching for the perfect mixture of grains to make his pancakes with, all of which, are free of artificial additives and processed starch.

This makes Kyushu Pancake fresher and healthier than other pancake brands. Most pancakes on the menu are served with delicious sweet treats such as ice-cream, or savoury sides such as bacon and eggs.

Another reason why the pancakes are so hard to resist is because these pancakes are made in-house. Yep, you heard that right, everything is made in-house. This ensures that the pancakes that you see on your plate are fresh and not pre-made frozen ones. Other toppings such as whipped cream and jams are also whipped up on the spot. Talk about dedication!

The outlet here in sunny Singapore is located along Thomson road, and is just a 3 minute walk away from Novena MRT station. The Japanese-like 42 seater café is filled with dainty decorations and cosy seats.

Order their Signature Buttermilk Classic and be greeted by the pretty pancakes served with homemade white wine honey and fruit syrup. For a sweeter treat, try the Berry-Licious pancake which is a plate-ful of pancakes served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, all kinds of berries on the side, and drizzled with delicious jam.

For something more savoury, try the American Big Breakfast, with bacon, hot dogs and eggs with your pancakes, your tummy is sure to be satisfied. Each meal costs about $20-$25 with drinks.

Their pancake mixes are also available for sale. Now you can enjoy freshly-made pancakes at home or in store without feeling guilty!

Kyushu Pancake Cafe
Address: 275 Thompson Road, #01-08 Novena Regency, Singapore 307645
Tel: +65 6352 6265
Opening Hours: 11am-9pm daily

Also read: 6 Oozing Lava Desserts You’ll Definitely Have A Soft Spot For!

Not Ulu Anymore! Here’s A Peek At Decathlon’s City Square Mall Store

Last month, we wrote about Decathlon’s flagship store. It’s all the way at Bedok, so far away from the rest of Singapore, that we aptly named the article – ‘Decathlon: So Ulu But You Still Must Visit‘. Clearly, we’re great fans of Decathlon.

This French-based sporting goods retailer has brought affordability and a massive variety of sports apparel and equipment to our sunny island. Do you know that all of Decathlon’s products are designed, tested, and manufactured within their own facilities? This enables them to maintain the high quality of their products and keep prices affordable.

Being typical Singaporeans who want to try everything before we buy, Decathlon’s testing zones have been a huge plus point – you can do a test run of a scooter or bicycle before you buy.

So, when we heard about Decathlon opening a new store at City Square Mall, we literally did a little dance. Decathlon is no longer ulu! Thanks to the gracious folks at Decathlon, we were given a sneak little peek at their City Square Mall outlet yesterday. Here goes!

Decathlon City Square Mall

The regular Decathlon store is usually stand-alone, like their flagship store at Bedok. But this new store at City Square Mall is conceptualised as a sMall – a store-in-mall concept to adapt to the dense city scape of Singapore.

Situated at a central location at City Square Mall (closest MRT is Farrer Park), this new outlet is much more convenient than the one at Bedok.

Despite being smaller in size, this store carries almost everything. It boasts about 80-90% of the variety of products offered by the flagship. Both stores also provide sporting gear for more than 50 different sports. From kayaking to hiking, you name it, they have it.

Having visited Decathlon so many times, we’re still amazed at how indisputably affordable Decathlon products are.

Just like this Arpenaz 10 bagpack which costs only $3.90! Cheaper than chicken rice, they say. We wholeheartedly agree!

(Our editor bought this bag in the same colour as the one shown above. When she bought it, it was $4.90.) Decathlon made a decision to further drop the price to $3.90, permanently. Wow, we’re mind-blown.

Just like the Bedok store, testing zones have also been set up for customers. Feel free to get a feel of your product before purchase. This is some next-level customer service, especially for sporting goods retailers.

Also available here is their bicycle workshop where customers can bring in their bicycles for repair and maintenance for a fee, regardless of brand.

Other than this new outlet, Decathlon plans to increase their store-count in Singapore to the 20s within the next 10 years. If you’ve been putting off your visit to this sporting goods mega-store because of its previously ulu location, your excuse is no more!

Decathlon City Square Mall
Opening day: Sat, 21 May 2016
Location: 180 Kitchener Road, #02-03 City Square Mall, S208539
Opening hours: 10am – 10pm daily
Closest MRT Station: Farrer Park MRT (North-East Line)

If you’re still not sure what Decathlon is about, also read Decathlon: So Ulu But You Still Must Visit. Here’re 5 Reasons! to learn more about Decathlon’s affordable prices, wide range of products, and attentive staff, to name a few.

We also enjoyed this funny video of theirs.

Have a blast at Decathlon’s City Square Mall, and let us know how your trip went!

Brought to you by Discover SG x Decathlon.

Also read: Cycle X Makan – 5 Best Food And Night Cycling Paths In SG

NYC’s Wildly Popular Burger Joint Is Here: Booze, Burgers, & More

Burger Joint is known as THE underground burger joint from New York, and their mysterious “anti-gourmet” burgers have finally reached Singapore.

Located along the hip Amoy Street, look for their neon burger sign and find your way in through the back door at Gemmill Lane. Head in and you’ll yourself in a cosy, diner-style space, with scribbles, posters, and graffiti on the walls. Feel free to leave your mark there too!

Burger Joint prides itself in offering unpretentious, all-American burgers; the complete opposite of fancy gourmet burgers. Simplicity and taste reign supreme at this burger spot, with the highlight of each paper-wrapped burger being the ingredients- juicy patties, fresh vegetables, and melted cheese.

Hate tomatoes? Like your beef rare? Customise your burger as per the instructions on the wall, add a few squirts of ketchup and mustard, and voila, you can enjoy your burger exactly the way you want it.

And don’t forget to order up some fries and a milkshake or two. Apart from typical milkshake flavours like strawberry and chocolate, you can also opt for alcoholic versions with additional shots of booze like Baileys and Amaretto.

Speaking of booze, Burger Joint has a selection of craft beers on tap as well. Their selection includes Sweden’s Omnipollo, London’s Weird Beard, California’s Heretic, and more. TGIF, anyone?

While this burger spot has gained fame in The Big Apple, online reviews on the newly opened branch in Singapore seems mixed at the moment, so we say it’s best to try Burger Joint out yourself. And if you do, let us know if you liked it!

For burger fans, this might be your next go-to spot for a good old all-American burger. And with its location along the popular Amoy Street, we’re pretty sure the hipster crowd will be checking this place out too.

Burger Joint SG
Address: #01-03, 115 Amoy St, Singapore 069935
Phone: 6221 8648
Opening hours: 11am – 12am daily

Also read: A.R.C. – The Café All Hipsters Dream About

(Header image credit: original pictures from Burger Joint Singapore, edited by author.)

Craft Beer Lovers, SG’s First Mikkeller Bar Has Just Opened!

This one’s for the craft beer enthusiasts- Copenhagen’s experimental brewery, and tap bar Druggists, the Mikkeller Bar at Deck features 20 taps pouring out the brand’s exclusive brews.

Mainstays on the tap are the house brews Bugis Brown, Prinsep Pilsner and Waterloo Wit. Apart from those, expect to be surprised by their changing creations – craft beer lovers will no doubt be going back on multiple visits to taste the newest brews of this cult beer brand.

Having amassed a firm following in their hometown of Copenhagen and other cities, we’re sure it won’t take long for Mikkeller to develop a following in our tropical city. If the crowd during their opening is any indication, they’ve already started to gain some cult-beer-loving fans.

Mikkeller Bar SG
Address: 120A Prinsep St, Singapore 187937
Opening hours: Daily, 4-11pm
Tel: 6352 0950

Hello Kitty vs Pompompurin – Here’s The Low-down On Both Cafes!

With the recent launch of the Hello Kitty and Pompompurin Cafe, and the upcoming launch of the Pokemon Café later this month (limited time period), character-themed cafes here seem to be facing fierce competition. With so many choices, and so little time, which cafe should you visit? Without further ado, we analyse and compare both cafes, so you can prioritise which to visit!

Pompompurin Cafe

Fans of Sanrio would probably have heard of this café which opened a few weeks back. Like what its name implies, the Pompompurin café’s décor and food are designed after the yellow canine – from the pancakes to the caramel pudding down to the seats and placemats.

Aside from the limited edition Pompompurin merchandise, selected dishes like the signature Bagel’s Special: Pancake Tower ($21.99, pictured bottom right) comes with a Pompompurin mug which you can take home!

[caption id="attachment_7165" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Credit:

Hello Kitty fans rejoice! Now, there is no need to fly overseas to get your Hello Kitty fix because you have a Hello Kitty cafe at your doorstep. And it’s open 24 hours to boot!

Hello Kitty merchandise are displayed and available for purchase. There’s also a limited edition Hello Kitty plushie, which is the first worldwide to feature a double bow, up for grabs (500 pieces only at $49.90 each). Custom Hello Kitty-inspired tea blends ($38.90), and grow-it-yourself plant kits ($34.50) are sold along with other Hello Kitty merchandise.

Since this café is under Europar Specialty Restaurants (S) Pte Ltd, which is under the subsidiary of ABR Holdings Limited who owns Swensen’s, the gelatos ($6 per scoop) and soft serves ($4.90) are a must try. They are my personal favourites out of the whole menu!

This Garden-themed Sanrio café is open around the clock (the first in the world) so night owls now have a new hang out spot!

Hello Kitty Orchid Garden Cafe
Price range: About $15 to $24 per main dish
Location: Arrival Hall Central #01-22, Terminal 3, Singapore Changi Airport
Opening hours: Open 24 hours daily
Maximum seating capacity: 84 pax
Advantages: open 24 hours, quality food (as compared to kawaii food), adult-oriented, merchandise available for purchase, beautiful orchids and plants displayed to keep to Orchid Garden theme, subtle Hello Kitty decor and interior

Verdict: Having analysed and been to both cafes, we’ll have to say that each has its own pros and cons. Pompompurin Cafe is certainly very family friendly and great for kids. Their adorable food will coax and please even the fussiest child to eat. On the other hand, Hello Kitty’s decor and menu is more suited to adults, and their location at Changi Airport makes it convenient to stop for a visit and a bite. Conclusion? It’s a draw!

Also read: Get Your Limited Edition Hello Kitty EZ Link Cards Now!

Yun Xiang Kolo Mee – For Your Authentic M’sian Noodle Craving!

Singapore is a food heaven for noodles lovers. There’s Wanton Mee, Prawn Noodles, Fried Noodles, Curry Noodles, Pan Mee, Cantonese Yi Mee, Bak Chor Mee, and there’s also the Kolo Mee.

Image source: Yun Xiang’s Sarawak Kolomee[/caption]

Priced at $3.50 per bowl, customers have the option to pick between the ‘white’ and ‘red’ sauce (the red is from the charsiew) Kolo noodles. The noodles are well cooked, bouncy and you can feel the ‘Q-ness’ as you take a bite. And the charsiew? It sure is moist and juicier than its look!

[caption id="attachment_6478" align="alignnone" width="960"] Yun Xiang’s Sarawak Laksa[/caption]

If you’re craving for something a little more spicy and tangy, Yun Xiang’s Sarawak Laksa (priced at $4.50 per bowl) will keep your tongue and tummy satisfied.

[caption id="attachment_6479" align="alignnone" width="960"] Small bites to complete your meal[/caption]

Besides the two signature dishes, Yun Xiang offers other dishes such as Wanton Mee (Soup) ($3.50), Rojak ($3-$5), Popiah ($1.40), and light snacks such as Bean Curd, Fritters, Cuttle Fish and Century Eggs ($1-$2 each).

Their operating hours are 8:30am – 8:00pm. Tip: they usually sell out before 8:00pm! Be there early if you want to avoid disappointment!

Yun Xiang Sarawak Kolo Mee
Address: Blk 19 Toa Payoh Lorong 7 #01-264
Operating Hours: Daily, 8:30am – 8:00pm
Tel: 9420 5987
Getting there:
From Toa Payoh interchange, take bus 238 and stop at Blk 23 (52311) – 4 stops in total
From Bishan interchange, take bus 57 and stop at Pei Chun Public School (523241) – 7 stops in total

(Header image and food images: Yun Xiang Sarawak Kolo Mee)

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