Travel, Itineraries & Guides, Hotel Reviews
Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre was built in 1980 to serve the Clementi Avenue 3 estate. It boasts of 51 food stalls and 92 market stalls. Owing to its large size and importance to the estate, this hawker centre opens relatively early – with most stalls up and running by 6AM.
clementi 448 market and food centre facade
In this list are the recommended and must-try food in Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre, from lor mee to porridge, char kway teow and curry puffs.
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Two days in Melbourne might seem like an awfully short time to explore a fantastic Australian city but if you are faced with limited time as I was when I visited for just over 48 hours a couple months ago, it is still possible to cover a bit of ground when it comes to the sights and eats in this world-class city Down Under.
Here is a suggested itinerary that you can do easily for two days to four days in Melbourne even without renting your own car.
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Ikkagoyo is a new Japanese kaiseki concept that opened along Amoy Street on the 21st of March 2023. Helming the relatively lean kitchen is Chef-Owner Mitsutaka Sakamoto who hails from Hyogo, Japan. The name Ikkagoyo stems from a Japanese proverb which means “one flower opening up to five petals.”
The entrance to the restaurant is relatively obscure. Despite the stated address, one comes in not from Amoy Street itself but from Gemmill Lane at the back.
In Singapore, it seems like the terms “omakase” and “kaiseki” are used interchangeably but there are actually differences between the two. Kaiseki, which Ikkagoyo adheres to, is represented by refined and predetermined set courses using seasonal ingredients. Omakase on the other hand, is also a multi-course meal but with dishes that are selected by the chef depending on diners’ reactions.
It is with this premise that I entered Ikkagoyo and found a uniquely presented printed set menu on top of my plate. Chef Sakamoto is fastidious about the producers and artisans he works with and the left side of the menu shows where he procures his ingredients. During the course of the meal, he is also proud to showcase some of the more unique cutlery and utensils that he uses.
Ikkagoyo occupies a small tube-like space with 8-pax capacity counter seating and private room that can fit another 8 persons. But while the space is small in size, there is definitely nothing miniscule about the service level or the food that they offer. Ikkagoyo’s set menu is priced at S$338++ per person and consists of 12 intricate courses. Most of the cooked dishes are prepared a la minute in front of the diner. Almost all of their dishes are imported from Japan with the exception of a select few such as truffles.
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With the almost full restoration of pre-2020 travel regimes, most travelers have likely already made their rounds to favorite destinations such as Bangkok, Tokyo, Taipei, Bali and Kuala Lumpur in the past 12 months. If you are looking for other ideas on where to go in 2023, check out this list for some of my recommendations on lesser known but accessible destinations to add to your bucket list. Most of these places are situated in countries and territories that are frequently visited and/or have easy flight connections from Singapore.
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Hanazen by Yukuse Takada is a new concept opened on the 12th of March 2023 in Chijmes. The restaurant was founded by Chef Yusuke Takada who is known for the 2-Michelin starred La Cime in Osaka. While La Cime is a French brasserie, Hanazen takes on a different approach. In Hanazen, the kitchen is helmed by Chef Karasawa, the head chef in Singapore.
Hanazen focuses on char-grilled items for its dinner omakase, which it offers for S$250++ for 16 items. The restaurant also has an alfresco space which is planned for serving brasserie-style lunches in the future.
The char-grilled dishes at Hanazen are prepared with French touches. This means that sauces figure heavily in each dish, and as much considered as highlights in their own right. Ingredients are air-flown from Japan multiple times each week so items in the omakase may change from time to time. The dishes mentioned here are representative of the dinner I had at the time of my visit during a preview a couple of days before the restaurant officially opened.
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Path opened to great fanfare in February 2022 in MBFC Tower 3. Back then, it was considered a rather daring move to open right at the heart of the CBD, with only offices surrounding the restaurant. Working from home was still considered commonplace in early 2022 and the Raffles Place / Downtown area was still relatively quiet even during office hours.
Fast forward to today, Path has proved itself to be a dining destination in its own right and has thrived under both the “work from home” and “back to office” regimes. With the passing of a year, the restaurant has also undergone a bit of a refresh – both in the physical and culinary context. The lighting is slightly dimmer, with a slight decrease in the number of tables as well as a new private dining space at the end.
I returned to Path for dinner almost exactly a year after I went for their inaugural menu. The evening meal at the restaurant is now a set menu affair with 2 sets to choose from. Opt for either the 6-course Voyage (S$188++) or 8-course Expedition (S$228++) menu if you wish to explore the best of Path’s offerings. During my visit, I tried the Voyage menu. Aside from the 8-courses, it also included snacks, pre-dessert as well as petit fours.
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Melaka (Malacca) is one of the most historic destinations in all of Malaysia. With an old town that is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Melaka is filled with charming Peranakan shophouses, old churches, unusual-looking mosques and one of the best restored old towns in the country. Tourist attractions aside, Melaka is also known for the food. Chendol, chicken rice balls, Peranakan food and Portuguese cuisines are just some of the things your tastebuds should try while here.
For a practical and efficient weekend trip to Melaka, this itinerary and travel guide aims to tell you how the town should be done within 2 days.
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After my trip around the Balkans, I decided to make a detour to Italy as I wanted to tick one new country off my bucket list. That country was San Marino and to get there, I had to find myself a city interesting enough to serve as my base. Given Italy’s many fast trains, it is entirely possible to base yourself anywhere in Central Italy and be able to do San Marino as a day trip. However, the most practical cities to make that trip with the least possible connections would be Rimini and Bologna. Rimini gets you there the quickest due to a direct bus, but it’s more of a resort town and I wanted a place with some history and good food. I then looked a bit farther at the map and found Bologna, which only required an additional 1 to 1.5 hours from Rimini. So Bologna it was. Bologna is one of Italy’s great cities and is perhaps most well known for its food. Tagliatelle al ragu immediately springs to mind!
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