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Fried Hokkien Mee with topping of luscious Pork Fat
Down the road from Block 921 at Yishun Bus Interchange, I found another coffeeshop which had more hustle and bustle than even a school canteen at lunch time. It was a quaint little shoppe located around the bend and a particular sign board caught my eye.
One of the stall's signboard (though it might not have been very obvious) said 921 Yishun Fried Hokkien Mee. See the link? Two 921 Hokkien Mee stalls at two different coffeeshops. Well which is better?
This serving of Hokkien Mee was quite generous in noodle portion and each spoonfull (or chopstick full) carried an air of a heavy seafood stock. Still, I think that for the price of $4.00 they should have given a little more toppings and ingredients, like the sliced pork belly which was all but there.
The chilli though red hot in colour, proved to be inadequate with the quality of the dish. It was somewhat too strong in its prawn paste smell and tasted a little like chilli from the bottle.
Therefore in comparison with this version of Fried Hokkien Mee and the one located at Block 921, it seems that the latter wins this dish hands down. Though it would not hurt to try out different styles of cooking.
Price : $3.50/$4.00
Rating for Fried Hokkien Mee : 3.5/5
Hainanese (Debone) Chicken Rice
The coffeeshop's serving of one of Singapore's most Singaporean Dishes - Hainanese Chicken Rice attracted a queue. In Singaporean terms, anything with a queue must be good.
I ordered the $3.50 serving of the Boneless Chicken Rice to find out what was so good about this stall's speciality. The chicken was served mostly without its skin (excellent for you health junkies) though the ladle of light sauce and sesame oil was a little too heavy for my liking. The meat was soft and a little juicy and pair this with the serving of warm chicken rice, it was good!
I particularly enjoyed their rice. It was grainy but not too hard with each grain being a little oily from the chicken fat. Also it was not overpoweringly fragrant and provided a delicate complement to the meat.
The chilli sauce provided is something I really enjoyed. I presume it was blended from Chilli Padi so even a little dip of it on the meat made the bite fiery hot. For all you spice haters, beware!
Arguably this is one of the better Hainanese Chicken Rice I have eaten though it would be better if they were to go a little easy on the light sauce. It is not the best so far where in the lights of Yet Con along Purvis Street but for a neighbourhood whipping up of the dish and with it boneless, it is deal definitely value for money.
Now I know why there was a queue.
Price : $2.50/3.50
Rating for Hainanese Chicken Rice : 4/5
Dim Sum in a Coffeeshop? Who could have guessed!
Singapore Favourite Foods - Chinese Rojak
Almost every other coffeeshop has a stall selling Chinese Rojak with its crispy You Tiao, tau pok, turnip, cucumber, dried squid all mixed in a big bowl of prawn paste with chopped nuts.
Today's Chinese Rojak called for the addition of Century Eggs - Duck eggs covered in mud and buried underground for 100 days till its ferments. Yummy! The acquired taste of the century eggs is definitely a strong ally with the sweet taste of the prawn paste and couple that with a slice or two of the crispy you tiao, oh my gosh, you are in heaven!
While the prawn paste that coats this Rojak isn't too strong, the chef was a little heavy handed with his use of sugar, so I didn't really enjoy the sweeter version of this popular Singaporean Dish. Now if they threw in a tau pok or two, this would really make a dish value for your money.
Price : $3.00 + $1.20 (century egg)
Rating for Chinese Rojak : 3.5/5
Comments
If you really are craving for an above average value for money deal at a coffeeshop at the Yishun vicinity, you might just want to pop by at this neighbourhood coffeeshop. While it does not serve the food like those in restaurants and posh cafes, it still bodes strongly of the local flavour and you might just be surprised at what dish you could really enjoy!
Location : Yishun 81 Food Court. Near Yishun Bus Interchange.
Dim Sum Delicacies Galore @ The Bird's Nest Cafe & Bar
Mum recommended me this place after having her lunch there a couple of days back, and so I thought why don't we try it today since they are having their Brunch Buffet (1130 - 1700) on the Weekends and Public Holidays.
The walk to the cafe was not too far from Somerset MRT station (next to Centrepoint), and rather convenient (though it is hidden from street view).
My first step into the cafe gave me a very cozy atmosphere. The manager, Sammy, attended to us with his warm and polite gestures. We were immediately served with a unique appetizer : Organic Bittergourds with honey dip.
Organic Bittergourds (very thinly sliced...)
The bittergourds did not taste very bitter on its own and paired very well with the honey. Crisp and refreshing, it whetted my appetite for what was to come.
Ambience : 4/5
Service : 4/5
Now to the real deal. Buffets always had the tendencies of keeping the quality below par as a way of keeping costs low. However, the food (especially the dim sums and desserts) served in this cafe, proved to be excellent. I was impressed with almost all the dim sums (the steamed ones were the best), with their silky smooth texture and crunchy savoury filling.
Serving of Steamed Siew Mai, Ha Kao, and Steamed Jiu Cai Dumpling
Top of my recommendation if you visit this place is to try out their Steamed Siew Mai (pork and shrimp dumpling). Nice and big, the filling was very well done with the prawn pieces so fresh, you could actually taste the ocean. The Siew Mai was garnished with a drop of prawn eggs and bird's nest. A nice compliment to the overall dish.
Steamed Siew Mai Rating : 4.5 /5
The Ha Kao (prawn dumpling) was nice and tender, and it proved an equally appetizing dumpling. Though my only gripe would be that it lacked a little more juice in it for that absolute punch. The Steamed Jiu Cai (Vegetables) Dumpling was quite good with a firm texture that did not have the vegetables falling out. Good quality, excellent dim sum as starters.
Ha Kao Rating : 4/5
Steamed Jiu Cai Dumpling Rating : 3.5 /5
Oolala...Steamed Seafood Beancurd
Now this is a unique creation from the world of Dim Sum. Sliced Egg Tofu (beancurd) topped with seafood mix and steamed to perfection. The crunchy seafood and the soft tofu were miles apart in texture but brought very well together in this fine dish. The sweet and savoury sauce in which it was soaked in (ok not really soaked...but rather placed in) added that lovely hint of sweetness as you bit into the dim sum.
Steamed Seafood Beancurd Rating : 4.5/5
Double Boiled Soup of the Day : Corn with Pork Ribs Soup
What is the first thing most Singaporeans will avoid when it comes to buffets? That is soups!
Soups make you full and you usually won't have enough space in your belly for that dish to maximise your money. But this is one special I won't want you missing. (For the hard core buffet goers..you can share 1 serving with everyone..that way it is still a win-win solution)
The clear soup of Corn with Pork Ribs was refreshing and tasty. It was very well prepared and each sip leaves you wanting for more. There is a generous serving of Pork Ribs (which were soft and tender), slices of corn, red dates, and the little herby crunchy flat thingy that are found in Cheng Tengs. It was herbal soup at its finest.
Double Boiled Soup of the Day Rating : 4.5/5
For the uninitiated, Cheng Tengs are a local herbal dessert and not a place, or a collective noun. When I say collective noun, it can mean a flock of birds (flock is a collective noun). So the crunchy flat thingy that are found in Cheng Tengs are not a collective noun...Get the joke?
Penang Laksa
Penang Laksa is a rare commodity at a Dim Sum Buffet, but this is another dish that is not to be missed. The gravy was excellent with it being thick and sour (asam...mmmm=) The noodles were not overcooked and the garnish of mint leaves went very well with the sourness. Must try.
Penang Laksa Rating : 4/5
Fried Sweet Potato Cake
Now this is one dim sum I don't usually see at High Tea. When I ordered this, I thought it would be sliced Sweet Potato and fried. Never did I expect Sweet Potato Cake to be this soft and jelly like. Very good actually, and with the spiciness (a tad spicy I must add) , it actually startled me when I had the first bite. Nonetheless, a unique and excellent dish, though I must say it is still a little too spicy for my liking.
Fried Sweet Potato Cake Rating : 4.5/5
Nonya Style Spicy Noodles - Belachan Lovers, come and get it!
My first reaction with this serving was "ho hum...nothing too fantastic" Well that was my reaction until I found the sambal belachan (chilli prawn sauce) carefully hidden under all that topping. Once you mix the sambal belachan into the noodles and topping, you obtain an excellent gravy base and noodles that are very very very tasty. It's like your own chemistry experiment where you get a new product once you mix the reactants (which in this case are the sambal belachan and all the rest of the dish)
Nonya Style Spicy Noodles Rating : 4/5
The Buffet Desserts (some of them). Milo Chocolate Mousse(left), Oreo Cheesecake (front), Mango Mousse (right) and another Cheesecake at the back which I cannot remember the name. Wow that's a long name.
These little 4 tartlets, mini pastries, mini cakes, whatever you call them are very good. Hand made and prepared by chef pâtissier Belinda, they were fine edible artworks ("Ahhh! Who will eat ART!" : screams the hard core art enthusiasts ). Each one of those delicacies were not too sweet, and they simply melted in the mouth. I think I ate more than 6 of them!
The Mini Desserts (I conned this cumulative name as these were found in the buffet servings) Rating : 4.5/5
The Final Send Off to an Excellent Meal : Chilled Mango Sago with Pomelo and Bird's Nest
The name sounds ordinary (apart from the Bird's Nest) but the serving was extraordinary. It was Mango Sago, with 'frog eggs' ( that's what the dessert aunty at the Kopitiam calls them but its not frog eggs..duh) and a beautiful serving of Mango Ice Cream. The pomelo bits paired the sweetness of the mango very well with its delectable crunch, bitter sweet taste, and they were in generous portions. A fantastic way to end the meal! Oh, how could I forget the fresh mango in it as well. Mmmmm...I had 2 servings =)
Chilled Mango Sago with Pomelo and Bird's Nest : 4.5/5
Conclusion
What I have shared with all of you are only some of the highlights which this cafe's Brunch Buffet has to offer. There were other delicacies which you should take up the challenge and explore as this is one buffet not to be missed. Priced reasonably at $18.80++(adult) and $11.80++(child), I believe this is one of the more value for money buffets around. They also have an A-la-Carte menu which I have yet to try (But my mum did, and she says its excellent), but for the Brunch Buffet at this restaurant, I give a rating of 4.5/5.
Overall Rating : 4.5/5
Eat All You Can - Weekend High Tea Brunch (Every Sat, Sun, and Public Holidays)
Price :
- Adult - $18.80++
- Child (below 10) - $11.80++
Address : 160 Orchard Road Orchard Point #01-13 (beside OCBC Bank) (Orchard point is next to Centrepoint)
Contact : 6836 6218
