Daikokuya Ramen Dining

Daikokuya, which means 'God of Wealth' in Japanese, is a modern version of a ramen-ya that specialises in ramen dishes in a contemporary and relaxing atmosphere. Alongside ramen, Daikoyuya features a variety of tempting dishes such as gyoza (pan-fried dumplings), appetizers and Japanese curry rice.

Went to the Raffles City outlet. The name of the place is 大黑屋 which in english means big black house. Certainly lived to its name as the whole restaurant was really dim. Nice ramen but found the restaurant really small and crampy.

Menu cover

Tori Chawanmushi $5.80

Comments: Really salty. But egg was smooth.

Agedeshitofu (Fried Tofu) $4.80

Comments: Nice serving, soft and crispy. The sauce not very salty

Spicy Chicken Karaage $9.00

Comments: Slightly dry, more sweet then spicy. That lemon wedge kills the taste, but the mayo enhances it.

Spicy Miso Ramen $15.20

Original Miso Ramen $14.90

Comments: The noodles is tangy. I prefer the original compared to the spicy as spicy really killed all the taste of the ramen and soup. Love the hard boiled soft yolk egg, although not the best I've eaten, but still delicious.

Overall review: I don't recommend this place for a big gathering. Dinner dates would be better. They have mini versions for their food, and if you want to try more food, I suggest getting the mini versions. Sometimes it may be difficult to get a seat during dinner time.

Details of the place: Daikokuya Outlets

Recommendation: 6/10

Dian Xiao Er/店小二

A nice place for lunch or dinner, most famous for their ducks. But I feel their standards have kinda drop because their ducks no longer have tender meat, but still full of flavor. Introducing Dian Xiao Er 店小二, which has many outlets all over Singapore. I normally go for the Set B and change the Stir Fried Bitter Gourd & Pumpkin to Baby Kai-Lan with Salted Fish and Lime and choose the 东坡肉/Dong Po Rou over the Mongolian Pork Ribs.

Ten Wonder Duck

Comments: My favorite version of their duck. Sweet and slightly salty taste.

Golden Tofu

Comments: Nothing fantastic, the tofu is not the egg tofu type where it's soft. This is quite filling and slightly dry

东坡肉/Dong Po Rou

Comments: Has that layer of fat but the meat is mostly overcooked, leaving it dry and difficult to chew

Baby Kai-Lan with Salted Fish and Lime

Comments: Sometimes they overdose on the lime which makes it too sour and killing all of the taste of what is suppose to be a nice vegetable dish.

Poached Bamboo Pith with Asparagus

Comments: Don't really like the dish but don't hate it. At least the asparagus was crunchy.

Angelica Duck $24.30 (M)

Comments: This duck has loads of herbs taste in it. That bitter sweet taste on a well-roasted duck with the sauce mixed with rice is just delicious.

Overall review: The set B costs $82 for 4 people. Dian Xiao Er is a good place for small gatherings with friends for dinner. Although their duck is not as fantastic as compared to other places, probably because they rush through their cooking, it is decent enough to have an enjoyable meal. 

Details of the place: Dian Xiao Er Outlets

Recommendation: 7/10

Jalan Tua Kong Lau Lim Mee Pok

Introducing my favorite breakfast joint. When I was studying overseas, this was the food that I missed the most. And when I came back, it was the 1st place I went to for a meal.

Half-boiled Egg $0.60 

Comments: At $0.60, it's probably a bit more expensive than most places which sells eggs at $0.50, but the egg is also bigger. They are always made nicely. Add dark soy sauce and a bit of pepper for maximum pleasure.

Pork Lard (free flow)

Comments: You either love it or you hate it. To me, it's the former. 

Mee Pok Dry $4.80 (M)

Comments: What makes this noodles so delicious is actually the chilli. The timing of the noodles is boiled just nice, making it soft and tender. You may choose to remove the beansprouts if you don't like it.

I normally order it medium, add noodles (not add ingredients), dry, chilli with the ingredients separate in a large bowl of soup. This allow me to stir and mix the noodles properly before I eat. The ingredients normally consist of minced pork, prawns, fish-cake and fish balls.

Overall review: Definitely my favorite food of all time. Although they have risen their prices to being quite expensive for a bowl of noodles, I would still go eat at this stall. In fact, most mornings, especially during the weekend, you may have to wait at least 30 - 45 mins.

Details of the place: 308 Bedok Road, Bedok Shopping Centre Singapore. (Basically Simpang Bedok)
Opening Hours: 7.30 am - 5 pm

Recommendation: 9/10

Lenas by MOF

A trip to Lenas is always a headache. Why? Because they a superbly wide variety of food. The menu has so many pages, you'll have a big dilemma on what to choose and being there so many times, I can safely say the food is nice. Which is also why I like to go there for a meal, especially with a big group of friends. Anyway went there for lunch 1 day with 2 friends and this is what we ordered.

 Iced Mint Pompelmo Tea $5

Comments: This tasted something like a mojito. Except for the lack of alcohol. Definitely lot of mint in it. A nice refreshing drink on a hot day. A bit expensive though, would rather drink their hoegarden, which is always on promotion.

Mixed Mushroom Pasta add Egg $13.90 + $1

Comments: A personal favorite. In fact I always like pasta with mushrooms and cream sauce. The egg yolk is only for visual effect actually, because it does not really add any flavor to the pasta. The sauce was slightly salty though, as is with most cream sauce, but the noodles are cooked nicely. A nice dish overall.

White Wine Vongole Hot Pan + Pilaf Rice $12.80 + $2

Comments: Tried a bit of this dish, the rice was fragrant by at $2, I feel it's kinda expensive. The stock was did not have a strong smell of white wine though. The vongole had quite a nice portion and the fire kept the stock hot.

Italian Sausage Pizza $14.50 for 8"

Comments: Their pizzas are the thin type. Sausages slightly over baked but overall it must have been nice because my friend managed to finish it even though she said she was not that hungry. 

Overall review: Actually this is only a tiny percentage of the food available in that place. I would recommend getting their membership card if you will frequent the place. A lot of promotions and offers as a member at only $10. The 10% disc should be enough to cover and it can be used at other MOF outlets all over Asia.

Details of the place: You may get more details at their website by clicking -->MOF as they have a few outlets.

Recommendation: 7/10

Nakhon Kitchen at Hougang St. 21

Nakhon Kitchen at Hougang St.21 #01-341 is the original restaurant. They currently have another branch in Bedok. Heard of this place since forever but have never got the chance to try it, one day my buddy decided to have Thai Cuisine and we decided on this place. Read a few bad reviews about the place, mainly because of the long queue. But they normally say, when there's a queue, the food is normally good and this place definitely did not disappoint.

Pineapple Fried Rice $6

Comments: This is probably their star dish. The pork floss add together with the pineapple rice and raisins is superbly delicious. Actually the Green Curry would be the partner-in-crime as adding it in would be a perfect combo to satisfy your taste-buds.

Clear Tom Yum Soup (Chicken) $6

Comments: As a fan of Tom Yum soup with milk, I found this really refreshing. A good tom yum soup has equal spicy and sour feeling and this soup definitely has equal of both. Definitely won't be disappointed.

Tom Yum Soup (with milk) with Seafood $6

Comments: Of course I had to order 1 with milk in it, but it tasted just like any normal tom yum soup. The fillings of sliced fish and prawns were fresh though, which was a plus point.

Green Curry with Chicken $8

Comments: Really liked this dish. The texture of the green curry was smooth and tasted really nice, the chicken was tender and the flavors were not too strong. I found myself drinking it as if it was like soup.

 Thai Style Kang Kong $6

Comments: This was SO GOOD we ordered it twice. Nuff said.

Kway Teow Moo (Flat Noodles Soup with Pork)  *think*$6

Comments: Not very nice, although the soup was sweet, the meat was mediocre to say the least.

Kai Dao (Fried Egg Sunny-Side-Up)

Comments: Must be wondering, why order egg? Actually it's just because I like the way the Thai fry their eggs. Fluffy at the side. Sadly the yolk was over cooked, probably because the chef did not have time to see due to a huge crowd.

Pandan Chicken 4 for $6

Comments: The chicken is bite-size, which means that once entered the mouth it's gone. So be sure to slowly eat this well-marinated chicken. Can eat with or without the Thai Chilli Sauce.

Larp Moo (Fried Minced Pork with Onion, Garlic and Basil; served with Long Beans) $6

Comments: Eat this with rice and you'll never go wrong, eating it alone and it may taste a bit too acidic.

"Cha Yen" (Thai Milk Tea) $3

Comments: When I eat Thai Food, I must drink their Milk Tea, but it was not that fantastic, probably because they did not want to make it too sweet and it's a bit over-priced.

Overall Review: Although you may take a while to queue, my advise is not to go at the peak hour (7-8pm) as the queue may be very long. The idea of taking order while queuing is good as once you take your seats, the food will be served shortly. A place that has a vibrant atmosphere and serves authentic Thai Food. 

Recommendation: 8/10

Details of the place: 

Blk 212 Hougang Street 21 #01-341

Singapore 530212

Opens Daily: 12pm - 3pm & 5.30pm - 10pm

Tel: +65 6286 8786 (Hougang)

Tel: +65 6245 5548 (Bedok)

Note: They don't do reservations but you can call to place order for takeaway and collect.

Awesome Porridge at Pipit Road Market

This is a secret find, but my favorite place after a night of clubbing. It has probably the cheapest porridge in Singapore and the plate of "Yu Sheng" (raw fish) is super worth it. 

 皮蛋瘦肉粥Century Egg and Minced Pork Porridge $2.50 + $0.50 egg

Plate of raw fish: $2.50

Comments: The porridge is very smooth and tasty. Nothing beats that for breakfast. At $2.50 a plate of Yu Sheng, you may go, "So cheap!" but the fact is, it's not only cheap, it's a plate full of fish and not mix with vegetables.

Overall review: Cheap and Good Food, friends that have been brought there have never once said they don't like the food. Even people who normally don't eat raw fish end up getting a plate too.

Must try: 10/10

Details of the place:

It's at the market along Pipit Road, at the back row. Opens at 4.30 a.m till noon or 1p.m

Min Jiang Restaurant at Goodwood Park Hotel

Introducing Min Jiang Restaurant. A place with delicious cantonese/szechuan food. The price tag may be high, but it's every penny's worth. Introducing some of the dishes I ate.

 White Sea Cucumber(hidden underneath) with Pan Seared scallops on a bed of egg-white with black truffle oil. $13.00

Comments: This dish is absolutely delicious. A must try. The egg-white with the black truffle oil mixes real well and the scallops are pan-seared perfectly (as Gordan Ramsey would say).

Egg beancurd with Assorted Seafood in a Claypot $22 (S)

Comments: As a fan of egg tofu, I really like this dish too, the tofu was soft, the seafood was fresh and the sauce was not too salty.

 Sliced pork with Buddha Gourd Melon $20 (S)

Comments: This dish was normal tasting, but it was my first time trying a melon called Buddha Gourd and it was nice and crunchy

Kurabuta (black pork) braised Chinese Style $12 for 1 

Comments: The black pork is nice and tender. With the sauce, the taste kinda explodes in your mouth.

Mini Pork Belly 东坡肉/Dong Po Rou $10 for 1

Comments: Kinda disappointed with this dish because the meat was too lean. The Dong Po Rou had to be chewed, but the ones I like melts in your mouth. Captain said, if you want fat ones, have to call and reserve.

 "4 Treasure" vegetables $22 (S)

Comments: Why choose just 1 vegetable dish when we could have 4 at the same time. Kai Lan, Asparagus, Chye Sim and Japanese Musroom all in 1 plate. Served with delicious sauce.

Sliced Fish served in Chinese Wine with Black Fungus $20 (S) 

Comments: A MUST ORDER! Probably the best fish dish I've eaten in a long time. The fish is "lou yu", comes from the same family as the cod, but the fish has a lot of collagen and it melts in your mouth. Add the chinese wine stock, match made in heaven.

Cream Avocado with Chocolate Ice Cream in a Coconut $14 each

Comments: If you're a fan of Avocado, this is the thing you would like to try. The creamy Avocado with the chocolate ice cream mixes well and the ice cream also chills the Avocado. A bit expensive though.

Durian Pudding $7 each

Comments: Ordered by my dad, did not get to try it but it was finished in 2 mins. Must have been delicious

Overall review: A place with really good food but pricing kinda expensive. Can go there on a special occasion, saw many people celebrate birthday there. The atmosphere is good and the service staff are polite.

Highly recommended: 9/10

Details of the place: 22 Scotts Road, Goodwood Park Hotel

Tel: +65 6730 1704

Current Promotion:

Sep: 15% with UOB card.

Asia Grand Restaurant at Odeon Towers

Asia Grand Restaurant is always famous for their Peking Duck and they are always packed. They are also famous for their afternoon Dim Sum, I may cover it on another date. But this post would be on their ala-carte dinner menu. Sorry but I do not have prices for the dishes I ate but it is quite reasonable.

Entrance to the restaurant. Ignore the date.

Bamboo Clam

Comments: The Bamboo Clam was cooked nicely, not too hard nor too chewy. Not fantastic but ordered it because it was on discount.

Peking Duck

Comments: A fan favorite and MUST ORDER when you are there. The duck is delicious, the skin is crisp. Add a tad of the sauce and let the flavors just explode in your mouth. It helps when there's crispy prawn crackers too.

 Suckling Pig

Comments: I believe we ordered this because it was on promo. The skin was not that crispy at some parts though. Only order if you feel like indulging in something more fatty that day. If not can skip.

 Salted Egg-Yolk Prawns

Comments: A personal favorite. The salted egg-yolk covers the whole prawn and the prawn used were really fresh. Just be careful when biting straight into it once it comes, because somehow heat is trapped inside and it's really hot on 1st bite. Alternative to this dish would be the wasabi prawns.

 White Eel cooked in White Wine

Comments: A really expensive dish as White Eel is known to be expensive. Ordered it as my grandma wanted to try. A tasteful dish, eel nicely boiled and cooked. If ordered, careful of small bones.

 (can't remember the name but should be) Vegetables in claypot

Comments: A normal vegetarian dish, with hei bi hiam (dried prawns) and kind just boiled in a claypot. The stock was quite tasteful though

 Deep Fried Soon Hock

Comments: The fish is crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. A really nice dish if you like a different type of fish instead of the usual steamed ones.

Remains of the Suckling Pig

Comments: After eating the skin of the Suckling Pig, we did not let the remains of the pig go wasted. It was chopped up and deep-fried into chunks. WARNING: Really sinful and fattening.

Stir-fried "Shang Mee" (crispy noodle) with sliced chicken or pork (apologies can't really remember the dish)

Comments: Really delicious noodles. Instead of the normal "wa-dan hoi xin Shang Mee"(crispy noodle with seafood and egg broth), had a change of taste and it did not disappoint.

Overall Review: A nice place for family dinner, really crowded, reservations advised. Normal restaurant prices, a noisy and vibrant place. Servings are quite big so don't order too much :)

Recommendation: 7 / 10

Details of the place: 331 North Bridge Road, #01-02 & #01-05/08 Odeon Towers

Tel: +65 6887 0010