Category Archives: exploreSG

Jewel Café + Bar at Rangoon Road

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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Artisanal coffee house, Jewel Coffee, sees the launch of its second outlet – Jewel Café + Bar – in March 2013. Located in the heart of Little India on Rangoon Road, this all-day casual dining concept offers a menu devoted to comfort food, unique creations, original cocktails as well as its artfully crafted specialty coffee.

It was after much searching that owner Adrian Khong has finally found a suitable space for a second Jewel outlet that will accommodate a roasting facility, café and bar.

Embellishing the bare concrete ceilings are jewel-inspired elements, such as glittering crystal light, warm brass and copper plates. Continue reading →

Dinner at The Halia at Raffles Hotel

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A name familiar to regular visitors of Singapore Botanic Gardens, The Halia sees the opening of a new outlet at Raffles Hotel. The Halia Group has reaped tremendous recognition and several awards since its launch in 2001. Following the group’s expansion with the opening of Villa Halia, The Halia in Hanoi is its first venture out of Singapore.

The Halia at Raffles Hotel is housed in the premises of the former Seah Street Deli, where most elements of the old interior such as the checkered floor tiles and classic French windows are retained. Adapting to the colonial charm without refashioning the entire space into an unrecognisable state, the Halia Group brings in its distinctive traits such as lush planted foliage and rustic wood-carved tables to bring the garden setting into the indoors.


Cured Hiramasa Kingfish ($25)

The menu is divided into “small plates”, “large plates”, sides, desserts, and drinks.

Under the “small plates” segment, the appetising starter of Cured Hiramasa Kingfish is not only striking to look at, but thanks to the glorious interplay of paprika, citrus, espelette pepper, lemon, daikon and sauce vierge, your appetite is bound to be enlivened. Continue reading →

(May-June 2013 Dining Destination Feature: The Grandstand) The Ascot

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By now you should be familiar with The Grandstand, especially after Omakase Burger shot to fame, followed by the groundbreaking launch of Pasar Bella.

Ensconced humbly at the corner-most of the long stretch of dining establishments is The Ascot, rustling up English comfort food and dispensing a host of alcoholic libations for patrons in search of a real British pub experience.

Alcoholic beverages include Fullers London Pride, Pure Blond and Crown Lager, house pour spirits such as Cruzan Light Rum, as well as a diverse range of beers imported from England, Australia and other parts of Europe. The Ascot’s variety of beers changes weekly.

To complete the English experience, patrons can watch football matches on the large-screen TV, play board games, or simply unwind at the alfresco beer garden facing The Grandstand’s football field and watch live football matches, while knocking back a few pints.


Weekend Roast served with Yorkshire Pudding ($32)

On a breezy Sunday afternoon, we enjoyed a hearty Weekend Roast, which feature medium rare slices of beef, teamed with a completely engaging brown sauce, and accompanied by Yorkshire pudding and vegetables. Other meat options include roasted chicken and lamb. Continue reading →

STREET 50 Restaurant & Bar; Hotpot Meal for Two

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Have you participated in the Hotpot Vouchers Giveaway? There are 5 sets of Hotpot for 2 worth $32 each to be won. Giveaway ends 12 June! Find out how to win here: https://melicacy.com/?p=5596

For those who have joined the giveaway, here’s what to anticipate: Premium meat, seafood and vegetable platters, noodles, rice, an infinite refill of your preferred soup base, and a broad array of dipping choices.

The comfort factor definitely enters into the equation, and so is the convenience factor. Just a few steps away from the zoo-like atmosphere of the bustling Vivocity, SREET 50 Restaurant & Bar at Bay Hotel offers a calm respite at a decidedly unhurried pace.

Read about my previous dining experience at STREET 50 (here), where I sampled a selection of globally inspired items from the a la carte menu.

Hotpot joints are not an unusual sight in Singapore. It is one of Singaporeans’ favourite recreational activities amongst others such as sports, movies and karaokes. We can spend the entire evening just exchanging conversations while cooking our favourite ingredients in a boiling pot of soup.

While there is an escalating number of hotpot options island-wide, STREET 50 stands out with its antique-looking hotpot that uses actual flame rather than gas. Also, what distinguishes a superior hotpot from the rest boils down to the quality and freshness of the ingredients. The soup base is another deciding factor that can easily make or break the meal. Continue reading →

Singapore Favourite Food 2013

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Brace your appetites this July, because the highly anticipated annual Singapore Food Festival is back! This year, the excitement surges as we celebrate its 20th anniversary at the Singapore Favourite Food Village (SFF Village), which will be taking place from 12 to 21 July at Bayfront Avenue (Marina Bay).

This 10-day festival is organised by the Singapore Food & Beverage Alliance (SFBA), with the objective of raising awareness about Singapore’s rich culinary heritage.

Uniting a selection of hawkers and eateries during this celebration, the 2013 edition will showcase Singapore’s favourite dishes such as chilli crab, carrot cake, rojak, laksa, roti prate and tau huay.

Vote online for your favourite local vendors to be at SFF Village

You, food lovers, have a chance to contribute to this significant event. Vote online from now till 2 June 2013 for your favourite local vendors this year. A total of 60 popular hawkers, eateries and restaurants were shortlisted by the SFBA organising committee and advisory panel. The 20 vendors who garner the most votes in each category will proceed to showcase their triumphant fares at the Singapore Favourite Food Village.

Voting is open for the public from now till 2 June 2013 at http://sg.openrice.com/sff and voters stand to win attractive prizes such as:

1st Prize: Limited edition Singapore Favourite Food 2013 FlashPay Card worth $1,500
2nd Prize: One year supply of Taiwan Fruit Beer worth $1,200
3rd Prize: Zonin hamper of Italian Prosecco wines worth $500
Weekly Prizes: $100 cash vouchers. A total of 12 will be given out over four weeks.

Here are some pictures of the participating vendors’ dishes that I’ve tried during a media food trail. Continue reading →

Ju Chun Yuan –Dim Sum Buffet at $18+ for a limited time only! (Usual price at $24+)

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Dim sum lovers, you’re in for a treat. At just $18+ (no service charge), you get to enjoy a plethora of over 50 dim sum varieties, from 11.30am till 3.30pm, any day of the week. Where can you get such a good deal? The answer is no other than Ju Chun Yuan, located at Far East Square.

Housed in a heritage site, in the former Chui Eng Free School built in 1854 (one of the first Chinese free schools to provide free education to the poor), Ju Chun Yuan’s ancient-looking façade is stunningly elegant and very well preserved. A great backdrop for touristy group photos –I totally witnessed that. Wade past prevailing tourists (if any) whom might be blocking the entrance, and walk through the elegant bamboo courtyard that leads to the restaurant.

The two-storey 140-seater restaurant is dressed in a classic Chinese décor, replete with 4 well-appointed private rooms that are perfect for intimate gatherings and parties.

I visited Ju Chun Yuan twice for the value-for-money dim sum buffet, and both visits were exceedingly fulfilling.

On the regular menu, tasteful renditions of Min cuisine (also known as Fujian cuisine) predominate.

Oh how I love dim sum. With the desire of wanting to order every single item on the menu, my eyes would excitedly scour the extensive list of familiar dim sum items, and my hand, gripping onto a pen, would instinctually tick away, filling the order chit with numerous strokes that scream greed.

I have compiled pictures taken from both visits. I used a compact camera during my second visit, thus the quality difference. You could possibly derive vicarious pleasure from the following food porn –or at least, I hope my photos did justice to the dishes. Enjoy. Continue reading →

(May-June 2013 Dining Destination Feature: The Grandstand) HANSANG Korean Restaurant -revisit

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HANSANG Korean Restaurant at Grandstand proudly and rightfully claims to be Singapore’s biggest Korean restaurant till date. This flagship outlet is the establishment’s third outlet, after its Novena Square 2 and outlets.

Read the full review here: https://melicacy.com/?p=5332

My revisit to HANSANG was no less satisfactory. Here’s a pictorial piece, with photos taken using the small and compact but outstanding Sony NEX-3N.

Unlike Sarang Korean Bistro, HANSANG serves up traditional affair that’s close to the hearts of Koreans residing in Singapore. Continue reading →

(May-June 2013 Dining Destination Feature: The Grandstand) Grill-Out!

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Cold Angel Hair Pasta ($13)

We are seeing an escalating volume of food-seeking crowd flocking to the Grandstand. In this May-June 2013 Dining Destination Feature on Melicacy, I will be spotlighting on noteworthy restaurants situated at the Grandstand.

I have written about a vegan option at the Grandstand (Veganburg), so here’s one for the meat-lovers whom I’ve neglected.


Deep-fried US Corn-fed Pork Jowl ($10)

Lusted by carnivores, Grill-Out offers a wide range of meats, from beef and pork to lamb. Seafood lovers are not forsaken. The restaurant first started out at Sunset Way in the heartlands of Clementi, approximately 5 years ago, and has recently relocated to Grandstand due to high rental increase.


Barramundi San Sebastian Style ($28)

Grill-Out remains popular wherever it’s located; distance is not an issue for loyal fans. Regulars are predominantly families and working adults.


Pan-fried US Kurobuta Pork Collar ($26)

Their main focus is to offer quality meats at affordable prices. Being an importer of premium meat, they’re able to convey the affordable cost to consumers’ wallets. Beef, lamb and pork are imported from the US, Australia and Canada on a bi-weekly basis, chilled. Continue reading →

SHATEC celebrates its 30th Anniversary with a 4-Course Dinner Menu

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SHATEC celebrates its 30th Anniversary with a 4-Course Dinner Menu at RECIPES Bistro

SHATEC, one of Singapore’s largest and most established training institutes for the hospitality and tourism industries, celebrates its 30th Anniversary on 2nd July 2013. To mark this significant occasion, an exclusive 4-Course Anniversary Dinner Menu created by four lauded alumni will be showcased at RECIPES Bistro on 7th and 14th June 2013.

The entire restaurant will take a respite from serving items in the a la carte menu, and serve only the 4-Course Anniversary Dinner Menu throughout the two celebratory evenings. Contributing their skills and names to the menu are chefs Eric Teo, Pang Kok Kheng, Tony Khoo and Randy Chow, who are no strangers to the local food scene. Continue reading →

Third & Sixth Bistro Bar at Seah Street

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Story of Lapel:

“Tall one met fat one, engaged in a conversation on music, and ended up joining fat one’s band where the pale one is the bassist. Together, with other band members, they wrote songs, performed at various gigs, and even won competitions. Sadly, the band disbanded when the pale one went to serve the nation, but they all remained close friends, as close as family.”

“And one day, the three good friends decided to TOTALLY OPEN A BAR!” And so, Lapel was born.


Didn’t realise that all three of them, ‘tall’,’fat’ and ‘pale’, were in the background when I took this shot!

Third & Sixth is Lapel’s first-ever bistro-bar outlet. It represents what the Lapel guys love and stand for –great food (their definition of great food is sinful and tasty), copious amount of alcohol (especially beers), and quality according-to-them-balls-out music (especially from the ‘90s).

The name Third & Sixth simply comes from its unit number, 36 Seah Street. This no-frills, chill-out enclave is where you can unwind and bask in the miscellany of handpicked music selection.

Three of them come from different cultures and backgrounds. Adam, the tall one, and the alcoholic one, comes from Burma. Pio, the fat one (I can’t bring myself to call someone fat, but this was how they described him as), is a Portuguese-Indian mix, hailing from Malaysia, who has accumulated a breadth of culinary experiences from working at several esteemed F&B restaurants in Singapore. Eddy, the pale one, is a Singaporean-Chinese and Korean mix, whose mum owns a couple of Korean restaurants in Singapore. Their diverse ethnic backgrounds are reflects on the varied menu. The kimchi that they serve/incorporated into their dishes is stolen (okay, taken) from Eddy’s mum’s restaurant.

Being the music lovers that they are, the names on the menu are also music-inspired and some are names that remind them of childhood, such as ‘Made for Mario’ and ‘Found Nemo’.


Nachooo Libre ($6)

For a perfect way to start off the evening, munch on the Nachooo Libre. Crunchy corn chips are topped with homemade pico de gallo, melted cheese and sour cream. This is sinfully good. Top up $3 to add chilli con carne. This is the cherry on top of the cake.


Yomomoso ($10 for 6 pcs/$18 for 12 pcs)

The highly raved Yomomoso lives up to its standards. Slightly spicy, sweet and savoury, the thick coat of Korean homemade yomomoso sauce encrusting juicy meat hits the spot. Continue reading →

(May-June 2013 Dining Destination Feature: The Grandstand) Veganburg

Posted on by Melissa Koh
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The Grandstand is an up-and-coming dining destination; a respite from the accustomed hustle; and a realm very unlike the malls in the city that’s thronged with shoppers.

It is a destination where one would deliberately travel the distance for a particular favourite dining spot; it is a destination for the adventurous to explore unfamiliar premises, which may soon be added to the list of regular hangout spots.

Your tummies are assured of being well fed; with the growing number of dining joints, you’re left spoilt for choice.

Before I begin introducing the more indulgent options around the locality of the Grandstand, I would like to highlight the importance of a healthy lifestyle that I myself have barely any self-restraint in the sense of overindulgence.

I personally can’t survive a day without meat –not that my body relies heavily on meat for survival, but it is the sensual gratification I get upon setting my teeth into succulent meat that I can’t do without.

Thankfully with the introduction of Veganburg, I can do without meat for an entire day without realising so. Continue reading →

ROOM coffee.bar

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For those who live on the other end of Singapore, a long drive away from the Alexandra precinct, like myself, you probably have not been to (or heard of) ARC –Alexandra Retail Centre. To my surprise, the mall is bustling with crowd.

On weekends, activities at the atrium keep the noise level at a constant high –but not excessive to the point of disturbance. We see mostly families with children during weekends, while the working crowd brings life to the mall on weekdays. It’s not surprising to see children’s activities abound; there are enrichment and education centres located within the mall, such as Art Boot Camp, Berries World of Learning School and Cristofori Music School.


Cappuccino ($5.50)

To ardent coffee lovers, I have a piece of good new to share: you have one more place to add to your to-go list –ROOM coffee.bar. Serving up cups of organic USDA Certified coffee that also sport the Rainforest Alliance certification, discerning coffee drinkers will be pleased.


Taylors of Harrogate Tea, Blackberry & Elderflower ($5)

Non-coffee drinkers can also sip on quality Taylors of Harrogate teas, imported from the UK.

What attracts me most to this place is the atmosphere. The façade suggests happiness –something beautiful and soothing. The interior immediately gives off a relaxing and comfortable vibe. The owner describes this look as ‘Scandinavian Chic’.

Regulars of ROOM coffee.bar include senior executives, expatriates, ladies-of-leisure, coffee hunters and Internet geeks.

Don’t be shy to make use of their complimentary WiFi and power point sockets. Dwell in its unhurried pace and laid-back setting, and enjoy an aromatic cup of your favourite brew at your own leisure. Continue reading →

Food Republic @ Suntec City

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Located in one of Asia’s busiest hubs within the Marina Bay precinct and Central Business District, Suntec City Mall spans over 7 million square feet of space, replete with an international convention and exhibition centre, five office towers, and a four-level shopping mall that boasts over 300 retail outlets, 50 pushcarts and a multitude of dining establishments.

Injecting new life to the Fountain Terrace, Food Republic Suntec’s White Garden theme is awash with a minimalist contemporary design, swathed in white.

For a taste of local flavours, hungry shoppers and convention delegates can head over to Food Republic for affordable options. Recently reopened after a major makeover, this iconic food atrium occupies a space approximately 16,000 square feet. Offering high quality food in a comfortable, chic and inviting environment, the line-up of 18 stalls and 3 mini restaurants offers a diverse range of cuisines to cater to a wide audience. Continue reading →