Gyoza no Ohsho Singapore

Tucked away at Cuppage Plaza in the side roads of Orchard Road, Gyoza no Ohsho appears to have affiliations with the Osaka Ohsho Co. who is known for their wildly popular gyoza and ramen chain in Japan. However, in Singapore they’re part of the Sential group who’s also behind the nearby Tamaya, Diamond Dust, and Cable Car. I’ve chanced upon Ohsho many a time, but my tummy somehow always led me to the nearby Ken Ramen House instead. Last night, K & I decided to walk over from Orchard Cineleisure to try out their ramen.

It turns out they’ve got dishes like Curry Udon ($11), Tom Yam Ramen ($13), and Mapo Tofu ($8) to cater to our spicy food inclinations. K ordered their Tom Yamen Ramen [***] pictured above, which had a very thick soup base enriched with lots of coconut milk, and was moderately spicy on the whole. But please don’t use my tastebuds for chilli as a gauge unless you’re a chilli lover yourself…I wouldn’t want any of you to be in dire need of milk or water to put out the flames. The downside to it was the prawns were rather overcooked, but the overall portion of ingredients was all right. Perhaps some things were overcooked at high temperatures (to cook faster) in order to accomodate the high turnover rate of tables at their tiny branch. In any case the soup was served piping hot, but the ramen itself was a tad too thin for my liking. I prefer my ramen noodle to be eggy, thick, smooth, and springy.

Therefore, I chose their Shio Ramen ($11) [***] which is ramen in a savoury soup base to get a real taste of the ramen noodle on its own. While I really liked the light and savoury broth, I didn’t quite fancy the ramen mostly because it was thin. Other than the ones mentioned above, they’ve also got the typical Miso Ramen ($11), Shoyu Ramen ($11), and Tamago Ramen ($13) amongst a number of others. It was a pity that we missed out on the gyoza and half-portions of Chahan [Japanese fried rice] that come in their sets (with their limited seating capacity and all we both felt compelled to leave earlier). For $15 or so one can get a selected bowl of ramen with a half portion of Japanese fried rice or a small portion of gyoza. It’s ideal for sharing if you’re not too hungry or if you don’t want to order their ala carte gyoza.

Perhaps next time I’ll return just for the gyoza. Simply because I’ve got a terrible craving for some right now.

/all prices are nett. No GST or Svc Charge

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 6/10
Price – $-$$
Service – 6/10
Ambience – 6/10
Accessibility – 7/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Address:
5 Koek Road #01-10
Cuppage Plaza Singapore 228796

38 Circular Road Singapore 049394

Tel: +65 6735 7068

Website: http://www.sential.com.sg

Opening hours:
Mon – Sat: 11.30am to 2am | Sun & P.H. days: 12pm to 12am

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Somerset

Buses: 123, 143, 65, 162, 124, 77…

Simpang Bedok I

This was actually my second trip to Simpang Bedok, the first was a lunch visit with D to Spize The Supperclub (uh-huh, didn’t occur to her – it’s ok I still love you D). So to make things right, we made our first official visit to Spize for a late dinner over the weekend. Therefore, the following will be a review of Spize and Badoque (where we had dessert).

For the record, Simpang Bedok is a hotspot for halal food with places like Tang Tea House [357/359 Bedok Road (Opp. Simpang Bedok Post Off) Tel: 6445 9100], Asian Fare & Grill [282, Bedok Road, Tel: 6445 9987] and Badoque among others. And those of you who are wondering where Foo House Cafe & Bar (the place with wonderful Irish-Hainanese food prev. at Jln Pari Burong in Simpang Bedok) has moved to, they are now at Tanjong Katong next to Full House (a Korean restaurant/cafe).

Without further adue, we’ve got Spize’s Chicken Shawarma ($5) [***.] in a warm tortilla wrap (there’s also the option of pita bread) served with wasabi chips. Value for money I must say. The chicken was very tender and juicy, but they could’ve cut back a little on mayonnaise. The wasabi chips were an unusual addition, but I like them because they go well with the wrap.

D had Spize’s signature Bullet Pepper Steak ($14.90) [****] pictured here. Served on a grill plate, there was mashed potato, a corn cob and vegetables accompanying the very very juicy piece of steak. Each morsel of beef oozed savoury goodness…yums. Grilled meats are definitely one of their specials as they claim. Our food was so good it didn’t matter that we were seated at a table by the road across the petrol station. Spize actually has a front and back seating area, but we were out front because we wanted to avoid the human congestion out back.

Our next stop after our leisurely post-dinner walk around Simpang Bedok was Badoque for dessert. With celebrity chef, Rizal, who writes for Berita Minggu fortnightly at the helm, we wanted to get a taste of their desserts (I’d like to try their tapas & main courses another time).

They close around 11 pm on saturday nights, so we were pretty lucky dessert was still on the cards when we got there around 10 plus. We ordered their Ice-cream and Cakes Sundae ($8.50) [***] - a sweet combination of 3 scoops of ice-cream and 3 cakes – to share. All in all there was a summer berry topping, raspberry ripple, caramel, strawberry, marquise cake, oreo cake and chocolate banana cake. As a whole, what we selected complemented each other, but when I tasted each individually I wasn’t impressed. It seemed that their ice-cream wasn’t made in-house (perhaps I’m wrong but it’s taste suggested otherwise), while their cakes were at best fairly good. Therefore, I thought it was smart of them to offer a mix & match.

/all prices stated above are nett (no service charge & GST)

The I-wanna-know[s]:
Taste – refer to individual ratings above
Price – $ to $$
Service – 6/10
Ambience – 6/10
Accessibility – 6/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Tel: +65 6445 3211 (Spize) | +65 6446 6928 (Badoque)

Website: http://spizeconcepts.com | Badoque’s Facebook Page

Address:
(Spize The Supperclub) 336 Bedok Road, Singapore 469512
(Badoque) 298 Bedok Rd – behind Shop & Save

Opening hours:
(Spize) – Weekdays: 2pm – 4am | Weekends: 2pm – 4.30pm
(Badoque) – to be confirmed

Dress code: Casual

Nearest MRT: Tanah Merah

Buses: 9, 10, 2…

U.d.d.e.r.s Ice-cream

U.d.d.e.r.s Ice-cream

U.d.d.e.r.s’ liquer ice-creams are fantastic! Check them out at the Takashimaya Food Fest now till 13 July (Sun), or chill-out at their outlet in Goldhill Shopping Centre beside United Square (opp. Starbucks). Isn’t their name real cute? It was named to reflect the freshness of their ice-cream. Their logo’s great for brand recall too in my opinion. I’m sure they’ll be a hit with students and children. But this smart brand also targets older customers with their substantial liquer ice-cream range. I tried their Cherry Bomb [****] and Rum Rum & Raisin [****] flavours, and it was love at first lick. These liquer bottles you see aren’t for mere display…they certainly use sizeable amounts of them in their ice-creams. Alcohol lovers will be glad to know that the aftertaste of alcohol from the ice-creams will linger on your tastebuds, leaving a smooth and light finish to your dessert. I must also highlight that their “scoopers” or ice-cream crew give excellent service. They know their product inside out and give great recommendations for the ice-creams.

Since my first visit to U.d.d.e.r.s was at the Takashimaya Food Fest, and I’ve not gotten the chance to see their outlet…I’ll definitely pop by soon. Especially since their ice-cream is available till 12 midnight! I love the thought of sweet treats at queer hours…knowing how my food cravings can be rather random. So do pop by to visit them if you’re in the vicinity or craving some late-night ice-cream…

U.d.d.e.r.s at Goldhill Shopping Centre

/Update: I’ve visited U.d.d.e.r.s thrice since I first typed this entry. Their Orange & Bitters (Dark Choc with Triple Sec) [****], Lychee Martini [***.], Baileys & Bourbon [****], Nutella Version 1 [***.], and Mao Shan Wang [****] (Cat Mountain King) Durian flavours were awesome! They’ve also got a really cute cow udders water dispenser at the side of their ice-cream counter. Games like Taboo, Taboo Singapore, Cluedo, Battleship and more are readily available too. To top it all off, they’ve got free WiFi! What more can one ask for?

Lychee Martini & Cherry Bomb

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – $
Service – 8/10
Ambience – 7/10
Accessibility – 7/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Tel/Fax: +65 6254 6629

Address:
155 Thomson Road, Goldhill Shopping Centre, Singapore 307608 (24-hr parking at Goldhill Plaza)

Website:
http://www.udders.com.sg

Opening hours:
Sun-Thu: 12noon – 11pm
Fri, Sat & Eve of PH: 12noon – 12am

Buses: 56, 57, 143, 21, 851, 166…
Nearest MRT: Novena

Crab Shack

Don’t be fooled by this place by day just because it resembles your typial kopitiam. By night, the tables will line the corridor and they’ll look exactly like what you see here:
That quirky wooden table plaque has a different fast fact about crabs carved at the bottom. It reminded me of Snapple bottle caps…and rest assured, your table will also be stocked with all the crab-shelling tools you’ll need for your meal!

Crab Shack has a very enticing menu in store for crab aficionados. The ONLY non-crab dish happens to be a Chef’s Recommendation, and that would be their 1/2 dozen Gratinated Oysters ($8.90) – topped with mayonnaise & breadcrumbs then baked. However how was I to be tempted by that when I could order the Crab Au Gratin ($3.20) [****.] and the 6-pc Crab Croquettes ($2.95) [***.] amongst MANY MANY other mouth-watering steals?! The Crab Au Gratin was an interesting appetiser that consisted of flower crabmeat with creamy mayo, waterchestnut & cheese grilled to perfection. The grilled cheese formed a thin slightly crisp crust, juxtaposing the deliciously creamy centre within. Check it out in the picture below: Next up, their Crab Spaghetti ($7.50)! [***] This dish didn’t give me a good first impression. But we all know that first impressions hardly matter these days…and it turned out better than I expected taste-wise. What I didn’t particularly like about the spaghetti sauce was that it was a tad too sweet, but great nonetheless because I’m a fan of sundried tomatoes. There were rather generous portions of crabmeat in the spaghetti too. If you have the chance, do give their 2-pc Softshell Crab ($5.80) [****] a try: it’s topped with chicken floss, a rather interesting combination I must say. For those who love their rice, tease your tastebuds with the Crab Baked Rice ($6.50) [***.].

At this point, I was flipping through the part of the menu where it all started to resemble a MacDonald’s Value Meal selection, only better. Choose from an option of a 2-pc ($5.95), 3-pc ($7.95) or 8-pc ($21.95) value meal – complete with a selection of sides such as crinkle-cut fries, corn on a cob & baked beans. The 8-pc set comes with a choice of 2 sides + croquettes to boot. The picture below features their 3-pc set.
The crabs are indeed very sweet & fresh, steamed and drizzled with a hint of lemon to bring out the taste of the meat. Their self-made tangy-sweet chilli sauce will complement your value meal rather well in my opinion. Kudos to the owner Mr Elger Kua, 26, who catches the flower crabs for your dinner from a kelong off Pasir Ris Park, near Pulau Ubin every other day.

Go ahead, visit this place at least once. It’s got my thumbs up.

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Taste – 8/10
Price – $ to $$
Service – 6/10
Ambience – 7/10
Accessibility – 7/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)

Tel: +65 9451 9040

Address:
Crab Shack in the City – 12 Prince Edward Road, Bestway Building

Opening hours:
Dinner only: 5 pm – 12 midnight daily

Dress code: casual
Buses: 162, 167, 410, 163…

Timbré at Substation

I cannot believe that I took more than a year to stumble upon this place. Timbré is a bistro music bar that was started in July 2005. The place features local bands as part of their music line-up. On Wednesday nights they’ve got EIC! -cue huge grin- Juan & I were lost in their music just a while ago..they did songs by Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Hootie & the Blowfish, Barenaked Ladies, Red Hot Chilli Peppers & Augustana. For that alone, you ought to visit the place. For weekends, we have been forewarned: you should make reservations at http://www.timbre.com.sg

Their drinks menu looked decent enough, though their Cosmopolitan wasn’t strong. I tried their champagne cocktail Sweet Lady ($12) and their Red Ruby Martini ($10) their martini special for tonight. Kudos to them for a great champagne cocktail!

Inevitably, Juan & I got hungry after all the drinks..so I ‘grudgingly’ agreed to compromise with Ms. Carnivore & order Timbré’s Chicken Fingers ($8) [***.]. The portion was enough for 2. The chicken was encrusted in a lightly spiced batter. yums.
I’d check out their webby for their ongoing promotions..cos they’ve got pretty good deals for those dining in groups. Last but not lease, Timbre’s thin-crust pizzas are not to be missed! [****.]

//prices are subjected to +++

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Food – 8/10
Price – $$ to $$$
Service – 8/10
Ambience – 9/10
Accessibility – 6.5/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Address: 45 Armenian Street, Singapore 179936 (Substation Garden)
Email: info@timbre.com.sg

Opening hours: open daily from 6pm except Sunday
Dress code: casual
Buses: 16, 147, 857, 162..

Ken Ramen House

Ken Ramen House, or more affectionately known as Noodle House Ken, is an authentic Japanese ramen place in a relatively obscure part of town. Lemme point you in the right direction. It’s along Koek Rd, beneath an overhead bridge of sorts connected to Cuppage Plaza. In other words, cross the road from OG Orchard Point, turn left & walk straight down. It’s easy peasy.
They’ve got outdoor seating, a really small indoor seating capacity AND an air-conditioned area elsewhere (bar seating, not tables). If you’re expecting chicken karaage ramen or tempura ramen, you aint gonna find it here. This place serves up the real deal with little fancy ingredients. Yeah that’s right, they don’t really care all that much about local preferences..which is what sets them apart.

I felt like I wasn’t in Singapore, to be honest. The place didn’t have the typical feel of a local eatery. Anyways we set our eyes on their 1. Stewed Egg Ramen ($13.20) [****.] and the 2. Miso Ramen ($13.20) [****].

1. For this the noodles were springy and tasted NOTHING like maggi mee, egg noodle or any other strange substitute that other places often use to rip us off. The soup has been known to be double-boiled for 8 hrs. Hmm..well it lacked punch for me though & my date agreed likewise. Kudos to them though for a great Japanese stewed egg!

2.This Miso Ramen over here, was yummy I must say. Taking into consideration the fact that my date had already eaten his dinner & yet he polished clean the entire bowl. There’s chunks of meat, corn, spring onions & bamboo shoot & ramen in this bowl if you can’t tell from the picture.

//prices stated above are inclusive of 10% svc charge

The I-wanna-know[s]:

Food – 8/10
Price – $$
Service – 7/10
Ambience – 6.5/10
Accessibility – 6/10

Legend:
[$]-cheap like peanuts: ($10 & below/person)
[$$]-average Jane ($15-$25/person)
[$$$]-you might wanna tke tht card out..($30-$60/person)
[$$$$]-extremely exorbitant ($70 & above/person)
[* to *****] – rating(s) for individual dishes

Address: Orchard Plaza #01-17/18 (opp cuppage plaza)
Tel: 6235 5540

Opening hours:
Weekdays Lunch 12pm-2.30pm
Weekdays Dinner 6pm-2am
Sat 12pm-2am
Sun/PH 12pm-10pm