Flavour Flings

It's amazing how you can find great food (among other things) without having to go so far out of your way. Nowadays, even your own neighbourhood might already be one of those examples of how normal HDB neighbourhoods can become more than just your run-of-the-mill dwelling areas.

I'm sure you've read about neighbourhoods like Tiong Bahru becoming the new hip enclave where the cool go to their fave cafes to 'chillax' and the likes. Well, seems like Hougang is also a neighbourhood you should be keeping an eye on!

We caught wind of a little nook tucked away where you can tuck into breakfast even at night!!
Flavour Flings is a little cafe in a quiet corner of Hougang and it boasts a menu which makes us wish we had bigger stomachs than our appetites! Example - They even have a section of their menu titled 'The Soft Yolks'... HOW TO RESIST YOU TELL ME??

Okay okay no need talk so much okay let us show you the awesomeness.

Machamp's Breakfast ($18.00)

The Machamp's Breakfast (it's pronounced literally as MAH-CHAMPS) is a complete deal for all your peeps who like a big hearty breakfast. I mean come on look at that thing it's got everything!!
(And I'm not calling it hearty just because of the heart-shaped butter on top)

So let's run it down and see what makes this breakfast of (ma)champions tick.

So you've got your scrambled eggs which were done to perfection by the way (at least to us). Nice and firm but still a little runny and you have a winner. Side that up with Chicken Bratwurst sausage which has been glazed with caramel and also some sauteed mushroom for that nice earthy kick.
And if that's not enough, you've got some toast with 'Onion Marmalade' (which is figured is onions sauteed and caramelized with some balsamic glaze) and to make sure you're full, they add a pair of 'pancake coins' and a side of salad.

Wow what a mouthful right! Wait til you actually put it in your mouth! LOL

The eggs were a delight and mushrooms are always welcome on our plate (and in our tummies). I personally enjoyed piling them on the toast and taking a nice big bite. But let us tell you that those pancake coins are truly something else. Nice and fluffy and tasty especially with the maple syrup and the butter. Yeah yeah we know it's a lot but trust us if you're gonna go big, then let this one be it.

Atlantic Shirred Eggs ($16.00)

Under the section titled 'Egg Caseroles' you'll come across something I was REALLY looking forward to.. I'm talking about Atlantic Shirred Eggs.What exactly does 'SHIR' mean anyways?
Well, it is defined as "to bake (eggs removed from the shell) in a shallow dish or in individual dishes" and that's exactly what they do here! LOL

So you've got cream, spinach, shallots, smoked salmon and (of course like duh) a couple of eggs.
All thrown into a shallow baking dish an plonked into the oven for a nice bake.

I was looking forward to this dish because I'm sure you probably know what a sucker I am for smoked salmon (I'm a sucker for a lot of things apparently) and if you're gonna combine it all in a dish with cream and eggs plus served with some toasty country loaf bread then you had me at hello.

I have to say that the dish comes off as a tad on the salty side probably because of the very generous amount of smoked salmon so maybe sharing might be good because this is actually a very big serving now that I think about it.

And if you're thinking that the eggs are gonna be hard and dry because they're baked, you could not be more wrong! Check this out...

Nice and runny yolk! ZOMG damn power right!

Well if that's not enough eggs for you.. There's more!!

Eggs Royale ($15.00)

You could also go for Flavour Flings' take on the classic Eggs Royale.

You've got the bomb of a poached egg sitting pretty atop some smoked salmon and bathed in Hollandaise sauce. But instead of a muffin, they use some Brioche here so you know you're in for a buttery good bite. Perfect for mopping up the runny eggs! And to round things off, some sausages and potatoes with a side of greens.

You could also go for the Eggs Benedict version which subs out the smoked salmon for some turkey ham if you'd like. Well, whatever you choose, the eggs are the star here!!



Let's take a moment to compose ourselves. And wipe the drool off our faces. LOL
I think it's hard to deny that that's a great poached egg am I right?

So far it seems like their all-day breakfast items are the bombs and they have such a wide variety to choose from. Eggs this and eggs that! All kinds of salads and toast and sandwiches! They've even got pasta!!

And believe or not - they have a section dedicated to French Fries!
They had all kinds of fries on offer but we went with one of our faves...

Beef Chili Cheese Fries ($10.00)

Oh yeah it's Chili time!
There's nothing like a nice big hearty serving of fresh and piping hot fries smothered in beef chili and cheese! YUMMY!

The Chili itself is pretty spicy so prepare for a nice kick but don't worry it'll mellow down when you have it with the fries and the cheese! There are 2 types of cheese in there by the way. We're talking about generous servings of Parmesan and Mozarella for that nice melty cheese feeling.

Just how cheesy are we talking about here exactly?

Oh definitely super cheesy!!

Yeah it ain't easy bein' cheesy we know.
If you're into more like the classic type of cheese fries, go for the Nacho Cheese Fries which is fries, nacho cheese, mayonnaise and spring onions.

They also have something they call Ballpark Garlic Fries (Garlic, Chili Flakes and Extra Virgin Olive Oil) but we felt we should definitely mention their Ice Cream Fries. Wait, PARDON? Yep you read correctly the first time - Ice Cream Fries.

If you remember going to McDonalds as a kid or teen and dipping your fries in your ice-cream sundae then you childhood was awesome! Well, they're giving you the chance to relive that awesomeness at Flavour Flings with a scoop of ice-cream, chocolate sauce and some walnuts.
Ice Cream Fries! Go for it!!!

So we are just about stuffed right about now when suddenly one of the owners comes over and says "Hey how about some pancakes? Why don't I get you some pancakes? I get you 'The Awesome One' okay?".

Well, when someone says they're gonna bring you an Awesome anything, you say YES PLEASE!

The Awesome One ($11.00)

You know that a dish is confirmed power to the max when you're already feeling so full but yet you manage to make space and finish it! After all, they say we have an extra stomach for dessert right?

You've got 2 light and fluffy pancakes that despite being so fluffy, have such a great bite and flavour to them. We just dug into them with our forks and used the knife to scrape on the salted caramel!

And then of course you have the toppings!

You've got some sweet Banana slices with Almond flakes. The powdered sugar is a bonus but the salted caramel is the bomb and goes so well with the banana and the pancakes! If you have a sweet tooth like us then you're gonna love this!

They also have just the Basic Stack (Maple syrup and Butter) if you're into the more simple pancake setup or maybe have it with some ice-cream? Go for the Spam of Nachos pancakes if you're feeling adventurous! It's got nacho cheese and cherry tomatoes with your pancakes!

Other desserts include Creme Brulee, French Toast, Profiteroles and even Macarons.

Caffe Latte ($5.00)

We decided to take different routes to wash down our meal. One hot and one cold!

Mein Bruder aka The Coffee Guy went for the classic Caffe Latte which was not bad apparently.

Iced Chocolate ($6.50)

My Darling Wife and I decided to go for the road often travelled and had the Iced Chocolate.
And boy oh boy was it chocolatey!! This ain't no Chocolate Milk okay!

CHILD FRIENDLY FACTOR
There's not much space in the cafe for kids to run around and it's best for the kids be careful because of all the lovely DIY decor around. But there is a basketball court just outside so tell them makan first then later can go out and play LOL. They do have baby chairs available so bring the little kiddies!

Overall Child Friendly Rating 3/5

Adam's Verdict:
Machamp's Breakfast 4/5 -- Atlantic Shirred Eggs 2.5/5 -- Eggs Royale 4/5
Beef Chili Cheese Fries 3/5 -- The Awesome One 4/5 -- Iced Chocolate 3/5
Maryah's Verdict:
Machamp's Breakfast 4.5/5 -- Atlantic Shirred Eggs 3/5 -- Eggs Royale 4.5/5
Beef Chili Cheese Fries 4/5 -- The Awesome One 4.5/5 -- Iced Chocolate 3/5Azlan's Verdict:
Machamp's Breakfast 4.5/5 -- Atlantic Shirred Eggs 4/5 -- Eggs Royale 4/5
Beef Chili Cheese Fries 3.5/5 -- The Awesome One 4/5 -- Caffe Latte 4/5 -- Iced Chocolate 4/5

It is great to know what there are more and more of such makan spots cropping us so we have a place not only to chillax but also to have some power makan. We had the honour of meeting the co-owners of Flavour Flings, Mr Firdaus and Ms Delphine. Such nice people and a lovely couple and we wish them all the best!

Feel like having breakfast? Brunch? Lunch? Tunch? Tea? Dinner?
Well, at Flavour Flings, all also can! Just make sure you come with a big appetite because you will be spoiled for choice!!

Okay now you can scroll back up and watch the poached egg video again. LOL

Flavour Flings

Blk 121 Hougang Avenue 1 #01-1348
Tel: 6286 0051
www.facebook.com/flavourflings

Operating Hours:
11.00am til 9.00pm Weekdays
9.00am til 9.00pm Weekends
Closed on Tuesdays

Chickano

Hey everyone have you heard the news? Probably not right...
THERE'S A NEW FRIED CHICKEN JOINT IN TOWN!! IT'S CALLED CHICKANO!!

Well, I know we tried to be dramatic but FAILED! LOL

Anyways we actually came across this by pure chance. One of my colleagues, Hamidah, suddenly sends me this tip and says we have to try it. In fact, we tried ordering via the delivery hotline on the site but it wasn't available yet. Well, just so happens my Darling Wife and I were out with baby Alyssa and were decidedly hungry in the Bedok area...

3pcs Fried Chicken Meal ($9.50)

Of course - we had to try the fried chicken at a fried chicken joint right?!
I decided to to go for the 3pc because I was actually really hungry. You could have the 2pcs Friend Chicken Meal ($7.50) if you're not that hungry or maybe the 9pcs Fried Chicken Meal ($24.50) if you're out with the family (or just a really really big eater!!) They also have a roasted alternative if you're interested...

I have to say I really quite enjoyed the fried chicken!
The chicken was superbly cooked - nice and tender and juicy. The skin had a nice crisp to it with good seasoning to match.

The coating isn't the type with a super crunchy bite. I guess it's kinda more like Original Recipe but a bit crispier than usual. best enjoyed hot!!

Home-made Beef Burger ($8.50 for the meal / $6.50 ala carte)

If you're not in the mood for fried chicken, fret not! They also have other items on the menu including some burgers. You have a choice between a Beef Burger and a Chicken Karaage Burger. We decided to go for the beef since we're the meat people.

But... we started to question our decision after awhile...

The beef patty is definitely something they make from scratch here. It had quite a nice seasoning to be honest but for some reason, the top and bottom of the patty was burnt. Not charred... but burnt.

I quite like my burger to have a bit of char but I think this one was left a little too long on the grill. There's a difference between a charred flavour and a burnt taste. And this was really disappointing especially because the meat was quite tasty. If it wasn't so burnt, it's quite a nice burger actually.

Another problem was the bun. If you look at the first picture above, you can see it's actually quite out of sorts. It actually didn't fit the burger because it was so scrunched up like it had been crumpled up for so long. Maybe they should consider not using a bun if it's... errr... like that. It was like the bun had been in a fight and was in a really bad shape.

Besides that, you get some lettuce and cheese. Please note there is no sauce, which is fine because some burgers you just wanna enjoy the pure taste, so add your own if you'd like.

Cheese Fries

When you order a set meal, you get a choice of drink and a side order of fries.
If you're a Cheese Fries person, just add $0.50 and you can upgrade your regular fries to Cheese Fries! Power right!

I must say that the serving of fries was very very generous! It's enough fries to share actually.

But if you don't want fries then you might consider some other more 'traditional' sides with your fried chicken or burger?

Coleslaw ($2.50)

The coleslaw was not bad actually. Nice mix of cabbage and carrots and you even get a few plump and sweet raisins in there. It's on the sweet side so don't expect the sour type of coleslaw.

And what normally accompanies coleslaw?

Mashed Potato ($2.50)

Errrr... something is wrong with that picture...

I think maybe because it was not kept in a warm environment or maybe there was too much thickening agent or something but the brown gravy you normally get with mashed potatoes kinda coagulated on the top. Yeah... it's because a jelly.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the taste but I guess the look of it was kind of a turn off.
Maybe Chickano might take some feedback and either keep their mashed potato in a warmer (if they'd like to pre-pack it) or maybe only scoop in the gravy )being kept warm and fluid) when someone orders it so that it's guaranteed to be at the desired consistency.

And I know some of you might be thinking "No lah can't be that bad until like jelly lah..."

We're really not kidding...

But like I said, absolutely nothing wrong with the taste.

From the counter, you can actually see into the kitchen and I think I saw someone creaming the mashed potato by hand so I guess this is another item they prepare manually which I can very much appreciate.

Adam's Verdict:
Fried Chicken 3.5/5 -- Beef Burger 2.5/5 -- Cheese Fries 2/5
Coleslaw 4/5 -- Mashed Potato 2.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Fried Chicken 3.5/5 -- Beef Burger 2/5 -- Cheese Fries 1.5/5
Coleslaw 2.5/5 -- Mashed Potato 1/5

I like the idea at Chickano because, hey, who doesn't like some fried chicken right?
And I think they have a really good product too. They've got a pretty good fried chicken recipe and some pretty interesting items on the menu. It's nice to see that they are also hand-making a lot of their stuff instead of using instant or prepared ingredients.

When we visited last weekend, Chickano was only about a week old so I'm pretty sure that given a bit of time, they should be able to fine tune certain things after awhile (ahem ahem mashed potato gravy)
Anyways let's support our local brands!

PS you might see a delivery number on their site but that's gonna be operational maybe only next month in October 2014 according to the lady at the counter.

Chickano

Blk 527 Bedok North St 3
#01-520

Tel: 6448 8660
www.facebook.com/ChickanoSG

Operating Hours:
10am to 10pm Daily

KFC: Asam Pedas Zinger and Cheezy Zinger

I happened to chance upon a video that was uploaded on KFC Singapore's Facebook page once day and I could not believe what I was actually seeing...

The fast food joints in Singapore come up with all kinds of promotional items on the menus and sometimes they try to incorporate some local flavour into it. We've had the Rendang Burger (Burger King and McDonalds), Prosperity Burger (McDonalds) and even Chicken Rice (KFC) in the past. And now KFC has come up with something I reckon very few of us would have ever expected.

Time to meet the Zingers!

Asam Pedas Zinger and Cheezy Zinger ($4.50 ala carte or $6.90 for the meal)

Okay so maybe the Cheezy Zinger is not so shocking but Asam Pedas??
That's definitely something very adventurous I'd say.

Asam Pedas Zinger

As usual, it never ever looks like the promo picture am I right?

I actually expected to at least see some of the Asam Pedas sauce dripping off the sides or something.
In fact, some of our readers say that different outlets seem to have different amounts of the Asam Pedas sauce on the burger. Inconsistent!!

No wonder the sauce is not visible. The sauce is on the crown and covered with the lettuce.
Perhaps it would have been a better idea to have the Asam Pedas sauce directly on the Zinger patty instead of the bun. At least maybe the flavour would have been more intense.

The Asam Pedas sauce on its own surprisingly actually tastes like an authentic Asam Pedas!
Well, close enough anyways. I'd say it's a good effort and it's even got a bit of a spicy kick to it (but not much). Unfortunately the flavour of the sauce is lost when you take a bite of the Zinger as a whole.
Perhaps a case of too little sauce?

And what's up with the slice of tomato? I've never has tomato in my Asam Pedas before.

Cheezy Zinger

Looks a bit closer to the promo picture (but not quite).

This is basically exactly what the name implies. You know the KFC Cheese Fries? Well, this is the same thing but on a Zinger. The nacho cheese and mayonnaise on a Zinger patty instead of a bed of fries.

I actually found this one quite boring.
People love the Cheese Fries for the cheesy flavout but somehow that is also lost here with the Zinger.
Perhaps it's because the nacho cheese flavour is not very intense.

I can see how come people might like it but I guess if I wanted to have a cheesy something at KFC then I'd probably just stick to the Cheese Fries.

And speaking of Cheese Fries....

Cheese Fries ($4.50)

BONUS REVIEW!!

Awhile back, KFC decided they were going to change their fries.
This meant a "Thicker, crispier and tastier" french fry. Supposedly a step-up from their old fries?

Well anyways this also means that the fries used in the Cheesy Fries is also changed to the new one.
You can pretty much see the difference in the picture above. The fries are thicker and a lot more solid than the older version and they definitely look a lot more solid and crispy.

I personally feel that as a standalone french fry, the new version is not bad actually.
But in terms of Cheesy Fries, I actually prefer the older version. There's just something special about the fries getting soggy with all the cheese sauce and mayonnaise and starts hanging on your forks as you bring it to your mouth.

Based on the some of the comments on KFC's facebook page, it seems that quite a number of people feel the same way too. But then again, we are merely comparing the new fries to the old. Some people will still enjoy this new version. Guess we will just need to learn to get used to it.

But the Cheese Fries experience still rocks.

Adam's Verdict:
Asam Pedas Zinger 2.5/5 -- Cheezy Zinger 2/5 -- Cheese Fries 3.5/5

I'd say it was actually a pretty good effort with the Asam Pedas Zinger. Not so much with the Cheezy one.
But if I had to choose between all of them, I'd choose the good old original Zinger.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)

Over 80 outlets island-wide

Delivery Hotline: 6222 6111
www.kfc.com.sg

Operating Hours: Varies with each outlet

Yellow Submarines

We definitely welcome recommendations from our readers for makan places for us to visit and most of the time, the suggestions we receive are really good leads! So, when I received the same recommendation from 3 different people within 2 days, we simply had to visit this place ASAP.

Check out the queue...

So there's this place called Yellow Submarines in Toa Payoh which opened in April but was just certified Halal recently. So what exactly do they specialize in? Cheesesteak sandwiches!

I remember seeing a feature on the Food Network about the best Cheesesteak sandwiches in the US. I knew that there were places in SG which sold Philly Cheesesteaks but pretty much all of them were not Halal joints. So my heart (and stomach) still longed for a nice Cheesesteak...

I received the recommendations on Wednesday and Thursday and we made our way to Toa Payoh on Friday evening. That's how excited we were to try it!

But we arrived at one of the busiest times - dinner time! Just check out the queue above! I waited in line for just about over 30 mins before I reached the front. And when I looked back, the line was stretched all the way to the pavement again. And I though to myself "This had better be worth it...".

Hmm.. I wonder what I'm gonna have...

They have quite a few items on the menu which you might be interested in. They've got a few different types of submarines sandwiches including tuna, chicken and even a mushroom one! They've also got a hotdog, a burger and Quesadillas!

But.. we were there... for one thing...

Yellow Submarines Classic ($6.90 ala carte / $9.90 meal)

*drool*
I don't know about you but I'm a meat guy. And I'm also a cheese guy.
So when you put meat and cheese together - I'm the guy who's gonna eat it up!

Nice thin slices of beef which are pan-grilled to tender and juicy perfection. Get a nice soft baguette-roll and pile on the beef atop a bed of  sauteed onions. Finally, top if off with a nice generous slobbering of cheese sauce... And just how much cheese are we talking about?

ZOMG is that a cheese overload or what!! Slurrrppppp!

The roll itself was soft and a good choice because it holds in the cheese sauce. I already mentioned that the beef was tender right? Well let me add that it's also a very generous serving of beef in the sandwich.

When it comes to the cheese, I actually noticed something when I tasted the cheese on its own.
The closest taste I can compare it to is the cheese you get at Long John Silver's. You know when you order the side of potato chips at LJ's and you get a small serving of cheese sauce? Well this is the closest thing I can match it to. I'm not saying it's the same cheese but close enough!

That's actually a good thing because I love this particular cheese! It has just the right flavour to go with the meat but since there's A LOT of the cheese, you'd better prepare yourself!

I've read some comments online that some ask for no onions or less/more cheese when they order.
Well, however you wanna have it - this is one sandwich that really hits the right spot.

And if that's not enough cheese for you...

Torpedo Fries ($3.00)

This was a real winner for me.
How can anyone possible resist Cheese Fries???

The fries were just perfect - crisp on the outside but still fluffy on the inside.
Top it off which a nice dollop of the cheese sauce and you're gonna be digging at it with your fingers instead of with a fork.

I reckon this is one of their best sellers and a definitely must-have!!

Coleslaw ($1.50)

The first thing that came to my mind when I tried the Coleslaw was "Long John's".
Just like the cheese, the Coleslaw was really really similar with the coleslaw served at Long John Silver's!
The noticeable difference was that this version was a little sweeter with some raisins added in.

I say this is a definitely a must have as well especially if you love the coleslaw at LJ's like me!

Adam's Verdict:
Yellow Submarines Classic 4/5 -- Torpedo Fries 4.5/5 -- Coleslaw 4/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Yellow Submarines Classic 4/5 -- Torpedo Fries 4.5/5 -- Coleslaw 4/5

High scores all around!
We have no doubt that a lot of people will be flocking to Yellow Submarines. Yet another superb makan place in Toa Payoh for us to visit!

We're definitely going back to try some other stuff on the menu. Plus a Cheesesteak or 3 :P

PS as a Beatle fan, i give a nod to the name of the joint :)

Yellow Submarines

Blk 177 Toa Payoh Central
#01-110 (Approach from behind NTUC side)
Tel: 6352 7890
www.yellowsubmarines.com.sg

Operating Hours:
10.30am til 10.30pm Daily