FIX

Image courtesy of FIX

All you cafe lovers are gonna be so hyped about this one I tell you.
I am personally not a cafe guy myself but boy oh boy did we enjoy ourselves at FIX!

Have you guys passed by a place called GRUB located at Bishan Park? Well, if you have and you long to eat there, unfortunately it's NOT certified Halal... But the great news is that the same people who brought GRUB to life have opened a new hotspot!

Located at the HomeTeamNS-JOM Clubhouse in Balestier, FIX is a great little cafe set by the poolside (YES! POOLSIDE!) and offers "Original Handmade Goods" for our enjoyment. Well, they can handmake everything but more importantly - it's gotta be delicious right?

Well, it IS!!
Let us give you a rundown on some of the goodies!

Brunch FIX ($14.00)

All you breakfast/brunch kakis can rejoice! Got something good for you here...
If I'm gonna have breakfast/brunch (especially early on the weekends), it had better really really good to make me wanna drag myself out of bed...

A nice hearty start to the day with the Brunch FIX!
A nice big serving of scrambled eggs, a nice thick cut of smoked turkey ham, sauteed mushrooms and a slice of Brioche french toast is definitely enough to drag my lazy butt out of bed!!

The brioche was nice and soft and buttery I wish they had more than one slice so I can pile on the eggs and take a nice big chomp. Mushrooms are always welcome on my plate (and in my tummy) but I think my favourite part of the platter was the smoked turkey ham!

ZOMG that's a nice thick slice of smoked turkey ham how can I say no to that.
Nice and tasty flavour. Nice and just the right touch of salty. I'm sure you know what I mean right.

But if you're the 'get-your-hands-on-the-food' kind of person, FIX has just the thing...

Beef and Kimchi Naanwich ($10.00)

Chicken Tikka Naanwich ($10.00)

Mushroom and Feta Naanwich ($10.00)

Smoked Turkey Ham and Cheese Naanwich ($10.00)

Lo an behold! The Naanwich!!

The Naanwich is a cross between a sandwich and a wrap so you can choose either to have it as an open-faced sandwich and be neat with a fork and knife or you can get down and dirty and have it a wrap. And the bread is basically a, you guessed it, Naan!

I honestly tried the gentlemanly approach and started out with the knife and fork but after awhile, I realized that the best way to enjoy this was to just pick it up and take nice big chomps!!

The Beef and Kimchi was a big surprise! First of all, when you mention beef in a Korean style, you're gonna expect a Beef Bulgogi kinda deal but these were nice and big chunks of tender beef! And the kimchi went really well to give you a nice full flavour! A must have if you're a fan of kimchi and Korean food!

Chicken Tikka and Naan together like... Chicken Tikka and Naan!
Add in a nice tangy Acar in there and you have a winner! This was my Darling Wife's favourite Naanwich!!

The Smoked Turkey Ham and Cheese Naanwich was my fave of the day. I just simply could not get enough of that smoked turkey ham!! But if they had added some of those sauteed mushrooms in there... FUYOH!!

I also thought the Mushroom and Feta Naanwich was really nice because it had 2 of my fave things but maybe I was looking for something with a bit more bite since I was so hungry! This Naanwich is actually suitable for vegetarians!!

Anyways, in case you didn't spot it, there's a nice 3/4 boiled egg on the top for you.
Perfect eggy-creamy topping!

PS don't forget your side order of Nachos!

3-Cheese Penne Gratin ($10.00)

But if Naanwiches aren't your thing (how can they not be?!), fret not!
Besides alternative mains like the Butternut, Feta and Spinach Quiche and the Fish $ Chips, why not take the creamier (a little more sinful) route?

I'm not sure what are the 3 different cheeses in the 3-Cheese Penne Gratin but I don't think it matters that much if you're a cheese lover like me because as long as there is cheese, you can't go wrong. And all the better if it's a nice and gooey cheese!

Just how gooey do we mean?

REALLY GOOEY!!

Crispy Soy Chicken Drumlets ($7.00)

If a lighter snack is what you are after, we highly recommend the Crispy Soy Chicken Drumlets!
These drumlets are coated perfectly to give you a nice crispy crunch when you chomp down. Even if you're taking your time with your meal, these drumlets still retain their crunch even after they have cooled down a little. A sign of a truly good crispy coating! (That means wanna bungkus also can!)

The soy glaze that coats the chicken is not at all overpowering and has a nice flavour. I think it's good that they don't completely cover the chicken drumlets with the sauce/glaze.

Now if only they'd release a winglets version... *hint hint*

Lemon Curd Milkshake ($7.00)

Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Banana Milkshake ($7.00)

Black Sesame with Brittle Milkshake ($7.00)

Butterscotch with Toasted Coconut Milkshake ($7.00)

FIX also has a series of Specialty Milkshakes to suit all tastes with some really unique and interesting flavours that you'd be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

I personally like the Lemon Curd Milkshake while my Darling Wife preferred the Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Banana Milkshake. Mein Brudder, in the biggest surprise of the day, chose the Black Sesame with Brittle Milkshake as his favourite!

So you can see that there's something for everyone! And you might even find something you never thought you'd like!

But if wanna minum air panas also got!!

They've got a selection of coffees and teas to suit your tastes if you don't feel like a milkshake.
Or perhaps some 'homemade' drinks like Iced Lemon Tea or Iced Lemongrass Tea?

But let me tell you something you should definitely not miss...

Pick your choice of dessert!

Butterscotch Arabica Choux ($6.00)

This is not your average dainty bite-sized Choux (pronounced Shoo). As you can see it almost matches up the coffee cup!

You'll get a hint of coffee in the Chantilly cream which is generously piped in and a caramel surprise awaits you in the middle! This is definitely going to be one of the more popular options especially if you're a coffee lover.

Twice-Baked Sourcream Cheesecake ($7.00)

Passionfruit, Mango and Coconut Chiffon Cake ($7.00)

Cheesecake lovers (like me) will have a hard time saying no to the Twice-Baked Sourcream Cheesecake because it not only looks good and sounds good but it tastes so good too! Definitely a must have in my book.

Looking for a more fruity flavour? Then try the Passionfruit, Mango and Coconut Chiffon Cake. I was surprised at how light this cake was but yet still so full of flavour. The combination of Passionfruit and Mango really do go well together!

Strawberry Pistachio Rose Tart ($6.00)

For something a little more on the heavy side of dessert, why not try the Strawberry Pistachio Rose Tart which has a Pistachio-based tart and stopped off with some fresh sweet Strawberries. And where is the 'rose' bit you ask? Well, the pink cream you see on top is a very delicate rose-flavoured cream which will mellow down the tang of the strawberries for you.

Try it and you will see what we mean :)
PS that's one of my favourite pictures in this whole post LOL

Cacao Barry Chocolate Truffle Cake ($7.00)

Don't worry... FIX has not forgotten all you chocolate lovers out there...
I could almost hear the whispers of "Eh why no chocolate cake ah?"...

Well, this is a really really rich and decadent slice of chocolate cake let me tell you that!
Every bite we took was really a mouthful of chocolate goodness! You definitely won't be complaining about any lack of chocolate after a slice of this!

Donuts ($7.00)

But the surprise hit among the desserts we had was the Donuts.
Can you believe it? The Donuts came out of nowhere and knocked our socks off!

They're little bite-sized donuts that are covered with powdered sugar and you have a choice of dips which is where the fun really begins...

Lemon Custard Dip & Salted Egg Yolk Dip

Yes. That's right. SALTED EGG YOLK DIP.

The Lemon Custard was bursting with zesty and tangy lemon flavour and definitely makes you pucker up when the sour notes hit you. So if that's not your thing, then try the Salted Egg Yolk Dip.

Most of you will probably know that we have a thing for Salted Egg Yolk...
We've had it with our seafood and even as the filling in a pau but this was the first time we've had it as a dip (and for donuts no less) and it definitely won't be the last time!

The Salted Egg Yolk flavour really shines through and is not overly sweet at all. It went so well with the donuts and we were so surprised! Perhaps it has to do with the quality of the ingredients and they are not afraid to ensure you get a high quality meal!

Just look at that consistency! Not at all watery!
Full marks for the idea and full marks for the taste! Simply put - THIS WAS THE BOMB!!

Another thing we really like about FIX was the whole concept of the place.
The food was 'handmade' and so was most of the furniture and decor too!

FIX has got a bit of an industrial / DIY / built-to-last kind of feel and we feel their message comes through loud and clear not only in the decor but even in their food too. For example - the Naanwich.
You can choose how you wanna eat it. You can have it as is or you can choose to FIX it up.
See what we mean?

I can just imagine dropping by and having some great food by the poolside. Might even take a dip and enjoy a nice cool milkshake while soaking in the sunshine.

In need of some good food? In need of a chillax session? In need of a FIX?
Head down to Balestier now. You won't regret it.

PS please note that FIX is in the midst of receiving their Halal certification.
We will update again once the certificate has arrived! Won't be long now we hope!

FIX

31 Ah Hood Rd
HomeTeamNS-JOM Clubhouse

Tel: 6256 1484
www.facebook.com/fixsg

Operating Hours:
9:30am - 10:30pm Daily

Ramadhan Special 2014: The Manhattan FISH MARKET

That's right kiddos! Time for another special Ramadhan menu and this time it comes from one of the more popular names in town! The Manhattan FISH MARKET!

And until the end of July, we've got the chance to enjoy a special platter and also some special desserts too! So let's see what we've got!

They have some dishes suitable for single-person servings but at The Halal Food Blog, we like to go straight to the big stuff!

Lamb Stew & Fish Rendang Platter ($37.95)

Check it out! That's enough to feed 2-3 people! Or maybe it may even be just you alone if you're REALLY hungry! Hehehe

So what exactly do we have have on this platter fit for a group?
It seems like a whole lot of stuff so let's break it down for you okay.

Sambal Mussels

For a start, we have some Sambal Mussels to get your appetite going.
Fresh mussels smothered with a tasty and spicy sambal is a sure winner! It's got a spicy kick but don't worry it's not going to burn your mouth off.

Grilled Calamari

All you Sotong lovers can rejoice. They've got a nice and generous serving of Grilled Calamari for you to chomp down on. Nice and succulent and grilled to perfection.

And now on to the stars of the platter!

Lamb Stew

Succulent lamb stewed with some veggies like Celery and Carrots all bathing in delicious stock.
Sounds good doesn't it! The lamb was tender to the bite and it was a very tasty stew. Nice and hearty especially if it happens to be a cold day!

Fish Rendang

This was something new that we've never tried at Manhattan FISH MARKET before. A little local flavour in the form of Fish Rendang! Quite interesting right?

Well, there's a very intense flavour to this and if you're a lover of Rendang and spicy food, I guess you'll probably like this. Bite-sized chunks of Redfish in a special sauce waiting for you!

And all of these resting on some Garlic Herb Rice!

So you actually have a mix of lamb and seafood so I guess this kind of makes this an alternative version of Surf N' Turf if you think about it.

Lamb Stew and Grilled Dory ($16.95)

Fish Rendang ($13.95)

They also have some individual meals like we mentioned earlier.
Just nice if you don't want to have anything too heavy like a platter or you're just looking for something specific.

Well, with the spicy and tasty it's always good to wash it down with some desserts!

Sizzling Banana Fritters with Ice-Cream ($5.90)

Is your mouth watering right now? Cos mine is!
Imagine the warm banana with ice-cream and coconut cream! Tastes delicious! And the sizzling experience makes it all the more appetizing!

This was actually my fave of the night!

Strawberry Peach Poppers ($5.90)

So if Bananas or Coconut Cream are not your thing, they have something else that might be more suitable for your taste.

There's still ice-cream but this time with strawberries and peaches and completely smothered with marshmallows. And they torch the marshmallows! That means they'll be nice and soft and toasty when you dig in!

Well, whatever your tastes, you can see they have quite a selection for you this Ramadhan at Manhattan FISH MARKET. And remember - they still have their usual selection of great dishes for you to whack too!

The Manhattan FISH MARKET

16 restaurants island-wide
www.manhattanfishmarket.com

Operating Hours: 11.00am til 10.00pm Daily

Phuket Power! Part 1: Banana Pancake

Just across the street from our hotel (White Sand Resortel), there's this guy and his cart.
And he sells pancakes.

Muhammad Hassan is his name. Remember his face.
He actually used to work in Singapore making (you guessed it) pratas!
So by Banana Pancake, we meat the sorta-like-prata type not the flour-crepe type.

Banana Nutella Pancake (฿60)

Tell me that doesn't looks appetizing.
You've got Banana and Nutella wrapped in the thin crisp pancake and condensed milk drizzled on top.
YUMMY!

If the first picture didn't get you then I'm sure this one did.

You actually have a wide range of choices for your pancake.
He's got

Banana + Chocolate

Banana + Nutella

Banana + Honey

Banana + Cinnamon

Banana + Peanut Butter

Honey + Lemon + Sugar

Coconut + Chocolate

Banana + Coconut

Banana + Chocolate + Coconut

Egg + Banana + Chocolate

Banana + Blueberry + Chocolate

Banana + Pineapple + Chocolate

Banana + Honey + Starwberry

Egg + Cheese + Cinnamon

Egg + Banana + Raisins

Banana + Nutella + Chocolate

OMG. Choose wisely because you probably can't try every single one in your one trip.

No bananas were harmed in the making of this pancake.
And even if there were, they all went to heaven.

Banana Chocolate Pancake (฿40)

There's a difference between Nutella and Chocolate obviously.
If you can't decide, then maybe you can try the Nutella + Chocolate + Banana one.
I wish I had...

I actually tried the Honey + Lemon + Sugar pancake.
It was pretty tasty and definitely different but it didn't have the same kick because there was no filling.
I'm guessing anything with Banana would be a minimum choice.

Adam's Verdict:
Banana Nutella Pancake 4/5 -- Honey Lemon Sugar Pancake 2/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Banana Nutella Pancake 4/5 

Raffiq's Verdict:
Banana Chocolate Pancake 3.5/5

John's Verdict:
Banana Chocolate Pancake 5/5

If you're in Phuket, this is a must try!
There'll be plenty of the same type of stalls but not all Halal so look carefully okay.

Banana Pancake

Cross Junction of Sawatdirak Road headed to Patong Beach
Patong, Phuket, Thailand

Operating Hours: 12.00pm til 9.30pm Daily

Image from Google Maps