Buttercake n Cream @ Sunset Way, Singapore

A few days ago on Labour Day, I was searching for a nice cafe to treat my mother, as a thanks for bearing labour pains. The true meaning of this day is definitely not as such, but I don't think we need a reason to treat our mummies to a meal. To be honest, I have been to Buttercake n Cream quite a few times, and I still constantly mispronounce it as "buttercream and cake". This cafe is located in one of the ulu (rural) places in West Singapore, Sunset Way, and serves affordable food and pretty desserts.

Sushi Tei @ West Coast Plaza, Singapore

Sushi Tei has been around in Singapore since 1994, serving authentic Japanese cuisine with much affordable prices compared to many other restaurants. Why do people love it? First, there's the great value. Second, there's the quality. If you still have doubts, simply head down to any of their outlets during meal hours and see for yourself.

Their dishes never fail to impress me. A mix of innovation and creativity is probably how I would described their offerings. Take Rainbow Roll (S$13.80) for example, a classic presentation of colours in one single dish, topped with roes and drizzled with Japanese mayonnaise. Not to even mention the mouth-gasm that goes along each and every piece of sushi. Another sushi dish I highly recommend would be their Dragon Roll (S$14, S$9 for mini) - a beautiful combination of avocado slices and deep fried prawn. The thing is, I don't usually take avocado, but the complement of flavours was a true surprise for everyone on the table.

Ichiban Sushi @ Clementi Mall

With highly accessible outlets throughout Singapore, I wouldn't be at the least surprised if Ichiban Sushi comes straight to your mind when someone mentions Japanese cuisine. At Ichiban Sushi, one might opt for a wide range of conveyor belt sushi and sashimi, a la carte, as well as various promotional platters, udon and rice sets.

It was quite some time I visited Ichiban, and I thought why not have a good dinner before my wisdom teeth surgery? And so I did. I am sure that those who had their's plucked out would understand the agony of not being to savour any kinds of food. Before the dishes and hot ocha had even arrived, the waiter(esse)s had already scored high, impressing us with their amiable and pleasant services.

Tian Jia Fu @ Sunset Way, Singapore

Immersed with tranquility in the  early hours, Sunset Way becomes an area like no other place in Singapore. In some ways, you might find similarities in the bustling night areas such as Holland Village or Dempsey Hill, however the uniqueness of Sunset Way lies in its al-fresco dining within the residential area of Clementi. Just imagine the privilege of finer dining just below your flat. Convenient eh?

Tze Char restaurant, Tian Jia Fu is among one of the few tenants which was opened for business on the third day of Lunar New Year, so we decided to walk in to see what they have in-store for us. Hotplate Beancurd (S$12.00) was a delight for sure. Filled with big chunks of beancurd, crunchy vegetables and fresh shrimps, but somehow I thought that the omelette was pathetic, in terms of quantity.

Crabs cooked with savoury salted yolk sauce, yes, but to be honest, it was my virgin experience with eating Salted Egg Prawns (S$27.00). Quantity for the pricey tag was a minus as well, but I liked how they infused the salted yolk flavour into the juicy prawn meat.

If you prefer Indian curry over the Chinese's version, you would probably love their Curry Fish Head (S$20.00), which has a higher curry powder to coconut milk ratio than normal. Tantalizing enough.

Their signature Golden Dragon Chicken (S$28.00 for whole) was over-rated. One, the price was too hefty for what was served. Two, we felt cheated when we saw that the chicken was in thin slices (like how roasted suckling pig is served). Three, there is nothing to rave about this dish, except the incorporation of shrimp meat in it, or so it tasted.

The total bill was S$138.60 for 6 persons. Affordable? Might be, but definitely a no-no for value. Looking at the vast dining area with lots of tables, it would've attracted more of the dinner crowd. Perhaps the chef wasn't in a good mood previously. But looking at the current state, it would be a long climb before we visit it again.

Tian Jia Fu

Tel: 6872 5860

106 Clementi St 12
#01-38A/B

Paradise Inn @ West Coast Plaza, Singapore

Besides having Soup Restaurant for our weekly family dinner, Paradise Inn is another one of the choices we frequent much. Under one of Singapore's largest restaurant chains - Paradise Group (which houses Paradise Dynasty, Canton Paradise, Kungfu Paradise etc.),  Paradise Inn is a casual dining concept with authentic, yet affordable Chinese cuisine served in a nostalgic teahouse setting.

 

Please kindly note that all prices listed below is based on the smallest size available for each individual dish without promotions or sets.

 

Paradise Inn serves the best Chinese Style Pan-Fried Beef Fillet (S$14.90). Succulent beef fillets cut into bite-size slices. Tender, juicy and pan-fried to just the right doneness, what else are you looking?

 

Stewed 'Dong Po' Pork (S$12.90 per portion) which consist a ratio of half-fat and half-lean meat pork belly stewed traditionally in Chinese condiments, including wine. This dish was oily but not greasy, however the lean part of the meat was a tad overcooked.

 

Supreme Seafood Rice (S$12.90) is a must-try - fragrant rice fried with a generous portion of shrimps and roes. We also had the Soup of the Day: Double-boiled Spare Ribs with Winter Melon and Dried Canpoy (S$17.90) which apparently "helps to lower blood pressure, nourishes 'yin' and improves functionalities of stomach and kidney.

 

Their vege-superstar Poached Chinese Spinach with Egg Trio and Minced Pork in Superior Stock (S$14.90) was awesome. In case, if you're wondering what is Egg Trio, it is Creamy Egg White, Century Egg and Salted Egg Yolk. They complemented the spinach really well. We always cleaned up this dish in a matter of minutes.

Braised Home-made Tofu (S$10.90) served with Golden Mushroom and Minced Pork was good, but nothing much to rave about.

 A small portion of desserts is included if you ordered their set meal. In our case, we had the Chilled Lemongrass Jelly with Lemonade (S$3.50). Minty, refreshing and thirst-quenching. It probably summarized up what one would like for a hot and humid day.

 

Paradise Inn is usually crowded with diners who are looking for a place to have their family dinner or for discussing business over a good pot of tea or desserts. Therefore, placing reservations is highly recommended if you were to visit during dinner hours at weekends.

 

 

 

 

Paradise Inn

 

Tel: 67779950

 

Opening Hours

Daily: 11:30 - 22:00
Last Order at 21:30.

 

154 West Coast Road

#B1-48

West Coast Plaza

Soup Restaurant 三盅两件 @ Clementi Mall, Singapore

With origins tracing back to more than a decade and 15 outlets in local-wide, I am sure that Soup Restaurant or better known as 三盅两件 for the older generations, is not a stranger to most of you. Mama Kook loves their traditional "Chinatown heritage cuisine", especially their Samsui Ginger Chicken, Beggar's Bowl Tofu and Ah Gong Potato Leaves, just to name some. Hence more often than not, we frequent this restaurant for our weekly family dinner.

Soup Restaurant's highly-recommended, signature dish - Samsui Ginger Chicken (S$15.90) is savoury and flavourful. The tender chicken meat  was steamed with simple seasoning and is served boneless for easier consumption. The secret lies with their special ginger sauce, a fragrant but not too over-powering mix which complemented the chicken well. Seemingly less oily than the usual hawker chicken, it proves to be a healtier alternative as well.

One way to savour this dish is to wrap it with fresh crunchy lettuce, topped with a slice of cucumber and generous amount of ginger sauce. As seen below:

We also ordered the Hometown Tofu (S$8.90) - freshly hand-made tofu garnished with greens. The tofu skin is slightly crisp, but the inside remains soft and silky. However, I still prefer their Beggar's Bowl Tofu.

Another speciality, Ah Gong Potato Leaves (S$8.50) - sweet potato leaves sauteed with sambal belachan (spicy shrimp paste). We never failed to order this dish whenever we visited. It also comes in a non-spicy verson - Ah Ma Potato Leaves.

Soup Restaurant only dishes up 30 servings of Hand Chopped Minced Pork w/ Salted Fish (S$8.90) per day. It is tender, flavourful and has just the right amount of saltiness. The addition of chestnuts into the minced mixture provide an irresistible crunch.

Peiyi ordered the Double Boiled Tian Chee Chicken Soup (S$7.90) which helps to detox/cleanse and rejuvenate one's body. It is a tad bland for my liking, I reckon the amount of herbs (especially Tian Chee) used is of small quantities.

Soup Restaurant is generally worth the bucks and is likely to be popular especially among the older generations who lived through the "samsui" era, as the flavours would probably evoke their nostalgic memories. For the younger generations like me, while taking a bite of that succulent Samsui Chicken, try to understand the stories and heritage of our ancestors, and savour a piece of history.

Soup Restaurant 三盅两件

Tel: +65 6659 3688

Opening Hours
Mon - Fri: 11:30 - 14:30
Mon - Fri: 17:30 - 22:00
Sat, Sun & PH: 11:30 - 22:00

3155 Commonwealth Ave West
#03-62/63
The Clementi Mall