Food

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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Maxwell Food Centre is one of those rare hawker centers in Singapore that is highly popular with tourists and at the same time, is held in high esteem by locals for its authentic and traditional hawker dishes. The main reason for this is that Maxwell Food Centre is the current home of a myriad of age-old street stalls that originally plied the area around China Square (now part of the CBD). Many of these establishments have been around for 80 years or more and continue to be managed by the same family, albeit the 2nd or 3rd generation. Other than that, patrons can find quite a number of relatively rare hawker dishes here such as Fuzhou-style oyster cake, peanut pancake and more and at any given day, one can find Singaporeans from near and far descending upon this humble-looking hawker center queueing for various specialties.

Personally, Maxwell Food Centre is one of my most frequently-visited hawker centers in Singapore as I enjoy walking to this place during my lunch hour whenever I am looking to clock in more steps. My favorites here are a mix of some of the original China Square hawker stalls as well as newer ones started by enterprising youngsters. Without further ado, here are some of the food you should try the next time you find yourself at Maxwell Food Centre.

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Hari Raya Puasa or Eid al-Fitr this year falls on 22nd April 2023. This is a major holiday for the Islamic community because it marks the end of a month-long fasting from dawn until sunset during Ramadan. This is the time when people visit their families in what is known as balik kampung. In larger countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, people would travel hundreds of miles back to their hometown. In Singapore, it’s a lot simpler, often requiring a bus or MRT ride back to their elders’ homes. By custom, people gather during this time and ask for forgiveness from parents and grandparents.

Gatherings usually involves eating plenty of goodies or kuih raya – whether those given as gifts or those laid out for visitors to sample. Traditional cookies include Kuih Semperit (Custard Butter Cookies), Kuih Bangkit (Tapioca Cookies) and Kuih Makmur (Peanut Cookies) although a lot of creative variations have popped up over the years. 

Below you will find a list of some of the more unique hari raya cookies I have found along with traditional ones. This will be a growing list, with new items and shops listed as the season progresses.

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Few other things are as evocative of the leisurely life as spending the afternoon socializing with friends and family over scones, cakes and finger sandwiches laid out nicely on a three-tier stand. Afternoon teas have only increased in popularity following the new normal as more folks take it slow and focus more on personal wellness.

In this article, I try to show all the updated afternoon tea offerings at the moment. Afternoon tea sets tend to get refreshed every few months so without further ado, these are the promotions you can check out this month.

You can also join our telegram channel here and receive updates on NEW afternoon tea offerings, exclusive promotions not found anywhere else as well as other F&B flash deals.

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With further relaxing of measures, the idea of diners looking up their favorite dishes from the buffet spread seems to have made a return in many dining outlets for now. Regardless whether you prefer the ala carte buffet from the last 2 years or checking out your favorites through live stations, the all-you-can eat concept remains alive and well and I checked out a number of different hotels to see how they have adapted to the new normal – some through the clever use of technology while others through age-old hospitality practices. 

You can also join our newly-launched telegram channel here and receive updates on NEW buffet offerings, exclusive promotions not found anywhere else as well as other F&B flash deals.

Without further ado, here are some noteworthy hotel buffet dining promotions to check out this month:

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Marine Parade Central Market & Food Centre located in 84 Marine Parade Central is one of the most visited hawker centers in Singapore’s east coast. The market itself dates back from the 1970s and serves the Joo Chiat / Katong area. Its proximity to Parkway Parade means that it also regularly gets diners from others parts of Singapore. 

The hawker centre which is widely known for char kway teow, dimsum, curry puff and chendol had undergone a major revamp in 2019. This revamp is quite evident to visitors who will find it looking much neater than most hawker centers in the island. It’s also quite spacious so one can pretty much find a seat despite visiting on weekend peak periods. 

Here, I aim to list down some of my favorite stalls at Marine Parade Central Food Centre.

Emmanuel Peranakan Cuisine

Although styled as “Peranakan,” many of the dishes at Emmanuel’s are actually similar to what you’d find in other economic rice stalls. What sets them apart is the blue pea rice that they put into their nasi lemak which comes fragrant with a tinge of coconut. The lady who mans the stall used to cook at Xing Long Cooked Food – another stall at Marine Parade Central Food Centre. 

Stall Number: #01-30

Opening Hours: Daily except Wednesday and Thursday, 9AM to 3PM

Four Seasons Chendol

Four Seasons Chendol has a number of outlets scattered all over Singapore and while they don’t sell durian chendol in the Marine Parade outlet, business is still usually brisk as their chendol comes in a relatively generous portion. While each bowl does not look particularly photogenic (the ingredients are all hidden inside the ice), one can be rest assured of attap seeds, green jelly and red bean beneath. I also liked that the chendol was not too sweet, with just the right amount of gula melaka drenched on the ice.

Stall Number: #01-31

Opening Hours: Daily except Thursday, 8AM to 5PM

Du Du Hao Hot and Cold Drinks

While there are a number of drinks stalls in Marine Parade Central Food Centre, Du Du Hao – tucked away at the end near the dry goods section of the market – is notable for its cheap but strong beverages. A coffee costs just S$1 as of this writing while their Kaya Toast Set (S$3) is of great value. The bread is sliced thinly before toasting, and possesses a highly crispy texture. 

Stall Number: #01-51

Opening Hours: Daily, 5:30AM to 7:30PM

Feng Xin Dim Sum

Feng Xin Dim Sum is a relatively newer stall in Marine Parade Central Food Centre. It is located in the same row and just a few stalls from Neptune Dimsum a few stalls down. The menu, consisting of about 20 items, is quite similar to Neptune’s. There’s a good mix of steamed and fried items. At the time of my visit, I tried their Crystal Dumplings, Siu Mai, Spareribs Rice and Chee Cheong Fun. The Crystal Dumplings were quite notable, and came with a hearty amount of vegetable fillings. The Spareribs Rice was good, too. I did not the relatively lean cut of ribs used as well as the tasty sauce used on the white rice. The Chee Cheong Fun skin was not as thin as I hoped but the prawn filling was decent in amount and the sauce was good too.

Stall Number: #01-32

Opening Hours: Daily except Thursday, 7AM to 7PM (until 7:30PM on Saturday)

Neptune Hong Kong Dimsum

Neptune is the older among the two dimsum stalls in Marine Parade Central Food Centre. Their dimsum menu consists of staples like Siu Mai, Xiao Long Bao, Chicken Feet and Spring Rolls. There are also a few notable items like Hakka Yong Tau Fu and Durian Spring Roll. The dishes are still served in the traditional way, inside round baskets. Other notable items include their Shanghai Fried Dumplings, Custard Bun and Beancurd Roll.

Stall Number: #01-26

Opening Hours: Monday to Wednesday 10:30AM to 9:30PM; Thursday 8:30AM to 9:30PM; Friday to Sunday 9:30AM to 9PM

D’Authentic Nasi Lemak

D’Authentic Nasi Lemak serves customizable nasi lemak where all the toppings can be ordered ala carte. This means you can choose to have as much (or as little) as you want with toppings such as beancurd, tempeh, four different types of eggs like sambal, achar, salted or fried as well as proteins like chicken wing or chicken rendang. 

Stall Number: #01-36

Opening Hours: Daily except Friday, 7AM to 2PM

Whampoa Soya Bean

Whampoa Soya Bean is known for its smooth beancurd desserts and drinks. Go for the Gingko Beancurd which is generously topped with gingko nuts for just S$2! You can also choose to have the beancurd plain or with other toppings such as grass jelly or red bean. They also sell other desserts such as Grass Jelly, Grass Jelly with Longan, Grass Jelly with Lychee or with Attap Seeds.

Stall Number: #01-19

Opening Hours: Daily, 6:30AM to 9:30PM

Ma Bo Lor Mee

If you’re looking to get filled with delicious food at a low price, look no further than Ma Bo Lor Mee. Their Marine Parade stall offers bowls of the starchy noodle for as low as S$3.50 (as of this writing). You can also choose to luxe it up a bit and order the most expensive bowl at S$5 with plenty of toppings to choose from such as fish cakes, fried fish, chicken cutlet and more.

Stall Number: #01-18

Opening Hours:

Hup Lee

Hup Lee serves up reliable plates of economic bee hoon and nasi lemak if you are looking at something heavy for your morning meal. Other items to add to your bee hoon include fried spring rolls and various types of vegetables. This stall did not have a queue despite my visit during peak timing and may be a stall to consider if you want to grab a bite somewhere without having to wait long. 

Stall Number: #01-53

Opening Hours: Daily, 6:30AM to 2PM

Taste of Vegetarian

Taste of Vegetarian is your quintessential hawker stall for all things plant-based in Marine Parade. Items are mostly served economic rice style so expect a rotating number of dishes each day. The exception would be their small number of staples such as Vegetarian Bee Hoon, Brown Rice Porridge, Vegetarian Chee Cheong Fun and Vegetarian Chwee Kueh.

Stall Number: #01-50

Opening Hours: Daily except Thursday, 6AM to 2PM

Jian Bo Tiong Bahru Shui Kueh

A branch of the popular stall in Tiong Bahru, Jian Bo dishes out local breakfast staples such as Chwee Kueh with delectable portions of chye poh or preserved radish. Although they’re more well known for the steamed rice cakes, Jian Bo also sells bak chang and various types of Nyonya Kueh.

Stall Number: #01-44

Opening Hours: Daily, 6AM to 4:30PM

Fukudon

Fukudon is the type of stall that one wouldn’t expect to find in a neighborhood hawker but I suppose its proximity to Parkway Parade attracts a more “sophisticated” crowd than other food courts. Fukudon is opened by young hawkers and they serve Japanese-style rice bowls at an affordable price. Popular items in their menu include Shoyu Glazed Salmon Don, Pork Belly Katsu Don, Spicy Garlic Pork Collar Don and for the health conscious – Chicken Breast Oyako Don. All their rice bowls are priced well below S$10. 

Stall Number: #01-48

Opening Hours: Daily, 11AM to 8PM

Zengji Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice

While there is quite a wide variety of hawker cuisine in Marine Parade Central Food Centre, there seems to be a dearth of chicken rice stalls. Zengji fills that gap with its selection of Hainanese Chicken and Roast Chicken. The former is especially popular with its juicy and plump meat and fragrant rice. 

Stall Number: #01-28

Opening Hours: Daily except Monday, 10AM to 6PM

Tip Top Western Food

There are two Tip Top stalls in Marine Parade Central Food Centre – one specializes in curry puffs while this one serves reliable Western fare. Choose among their bestsellers such as the Chicken Bolognese Spaghetti, Half Spring Chicken, Grilled Fish or Chicken Alfredo. If you are feeling fancy, try their Beef Steak which comes with coleslaw and fries. 

Stall Number: #01-22

Opening Hours: Daily except Monday, 1PM to 9PM

Most Singapore residents love a good omakase and the proliferation of venues serving this multi-course Japanese meal attests to that. When it comes to great omakase places, restaurants like Shinji, Ki-sho and Sushi Jiro easily come to mind. For those on a budget and looking for cheap omakase options on the other hand, names like Ryo Sushi and Teppei often pop up. 

I have tried my fair share of omakase in Singapore and after some time, I realized you don’t really need to go to those familiar names to enjoy a great meal. Without further ado, I present some of my favorite restaurants which are relatively under-the-radar. Some are new, others have been around for ages but they are all not as popular as the big names despite having great propositions in their own right. 

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