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

Popeyes - Chili Garlic Wicked Chicken

So I received this brochure with the coupons in my mail for some goodies at Popeyes.
As soon as I saw the latest 'promo' item on the front, I thought to myself (in the immortal words of my good buddy, Joseph) "Mmmm... I want somma that!!" (or something along those lines).

In all honesty, that looked like some mighty fine chicken and the thought of the 'Chili Garlic' flavour really made my mouth water. In fact, I was so eager that I stepped out for lunch one day and hopped over to the nearest Popeyes at Bedok Point.

And this is what I got...

Chili Garlic Wicked Chicken with Red Rice ($6.90)

Let's take a closer look at that from above...
Just to show you the whole platter in case you think you're missing the big picture.

Okay now scroll back up to the top of the post and compare those two pictures with the first one of the brochure. Does it look like the same dish in those photos? Because the name is the same so it has to be the same dish in all 3 photos right? But why do they look so different???

Listen. I don't mean to be nit-picky and look at all the small stuff but hey - the picture on the brochure shows the chicken completely covered in the Chili Garlic sauce and that's what I thought I'd be getting. Sorry but I'm the 'Sauce Guy' and I wanted to try this dish because of the sauce.

Anyways, the chicken is the type which is the flat chicken strips so it tends to be a bit dry. Which is why the sauce would have been nice. And to be honest - the sauce was not bad! Only too little!!

Maybe if they are finding it a challenge to completely coat the chicken strips in the sauce, they should just serve the chicken and rice with a bowl of the sauce on the side so that we can just dip it in ourselves and at least be content with the amount of sauce on our chicken.

Okay fine. Enough about the chicken...

Yes. The 'Red Rice' is white.
I read on Popeyes Facebook page that the 'Red' in 'Red Rice' actually refers to the spices and seasoning to give the 'Red Rice' it's unique flavour that will go well with the Wicked Chicken.

Well, the rice I got was neither red in colour nor the taste.
It tasted just like normal white rice!!

And then I read further on Popeyes Facebook page and realized that I was not the only one who had a problem... Plenty of other people were leaving comments and feedback about this as well. I guess maybe something went wrong somewhere because there didn't seem to be a whole lot of Red Rice anywhere... And that price of $6.90 did not even include any drink or side order...

Mashed Potato

Luckily for me, I opted to top-up $2.90 for a drink and a side order of Popeyes famous Mashed Potato which is probably the best mashed potato you can find in any fast food joint in Singapore.

Well, at least my whole meal wasn't too bad. A little too pricey for something where you're not satisfied at the end of it I say.

Adam's Verdict:
Chili Garlic Wicked Chicken 1.5/5

I used to think that Burger King was at the bottom of my list when it came to fast food standards but they recently redeemed themselves with their King Dogs.
Looks like Popeyes has a lot to do to buck up.

Popeyes

Bedok Point
799 Upper Changi Road
#03-06

Tel: 6448 9312
www.popeyes.com.sg

Operating Hours: 10am to 10pm Daily

Pezzo

Remember awhile back we posted on our FB page regarding the confusion when we called to order pizza one evening? Hotline this and website that. Confusion when all we wanted was some delicious pizza am I right?

Well, after all the dust has settled, we are glad to (re)introduce you to - Pezzo.

As we all know, there are so many places for us to get (Halal) pizza in Singapore. I can think of at least 7 different pizza chains off the top of my head. No doubt some of them do have some very tasty and innovative items on their menu and have been around for quite awhile.

So how does a relatively new name like Pezzo match up?

We first chanced upon Pezzo while walking around Ion Orchard and I can tell you that they've definitely grown and generated a lot of buzz since then! They have more than 15 different types of pizza ranging from classics like Hawaiian to exciting ones like Hot Chick and Sambal Ikan Bilis!

Yes. That's right. Sambal Ikan Bilis Pizza which we inadvertently tried if you can remember.
AND IT WAS THE BOMB! (read more about it below okay)

Freshly made Pizza dough!

Hand-made with Love and a smile :)

I think another reason why people are raving about Pezzo is the quality of their product aka PIZZA!
The pizza dough is made freshly on-site (and rests before your very eyes) and at the Ion kiosk, we even had the pleasure of seeing them prepare their pizza fresh from scratch! Hand-made with Love!

I'm not saying that other pizza chains are inferior or that they do not use fresh ingredients etc.
I just feel that standards have dropped over the years and it's nice to see a new player in the game who seem intent on giving the people some tasty and quality treats.

Hot Chick ($4.50 per slice)

One of the more 'fierce' pizzas they have is called the Hot Chick.
Spicy chicken with red chillies and chilli sauce, green and red capsicum, roast garlic and 2 types of cheese (Cheddar and Mozzarella) to top it off. Now that doesn't sound like a yummy slice of pizza!

The chillies and garlic really come through on this one and the chili sauce gives an added kick.
All you cheese lovers can join me in celebrating because the 2-cheese tactic is really a good one. Take a nice big bite of this and enjoy the flavour-fest in your mouth!

Chicken Delight ($4.50 per slice)

For those looking for something with a less-spicy flavour to it, you might consider the Chicken Delight.

Chicken breast strips, white onions, mushrooms and turkey bacon for those who are looking for something milder. I guess you could always go for a classic non-spicy flavour like their Hola Hawaiian but why not try something different? You might like it.

Well, you guys know me. I'm more of a "hit me with your best shot" kinda guy so I'm always gonna go all-out if I have a choice in choosing some pizza.

Pepperoni Party ($4.50 per slice)

I'll tell you where the party is - in my belly!

One of my all time fave pizzas is a good hearty meaty Pepperoni pizza! Pezzo does not disappoint here with a nice generous helping of Pepperoni slices to satisfy all you meat lovers! But if you want something with even MORE meat - try the Meat Munchers or the Meat Sicilian.

Since their re-launch, Pezzo has about 13 outlets running with more on the way. Plus with a delivery hotline already up and running, there's no reason why you shouldn't give it a try. Prices at the kiosks range from $4.50 per slice to $22.90 for a full pan.

Some things to note - the flavours at the kiosks may differ slightly from the flavours in the delivery menu.
Take a close look before you make a decision. But then again, with such a big menu of pizzas to choose from, there's bound to be something to suit everyone's taste! And it's 2-for-1 for selected pizzas!!

In fact, they've just re-vamped the website too and it's now up and running!
Check it out at www.pezzo.com.sg to take a look at their entire menu (with mouth-watering pics) and also keep up-to-date with any promos they might have!

Adam's Verdict:
Hot Chick 3.5/5 -- Chicken Delight 3/5 -- Pepperoni Party 4/5

Only tried 3 so far and so many more to go!
Top of my list is the Cheesy Cheese (with FIVE different cheeses!) and the proven-fave Sambal Ikan Bilis (you simply must try it to believe it!) so I foresee a few more visits and few calls to the Pezzo hotline soon.

Pezzo

13 kiosks island-wide
6 delivery outlets

Delivery Hotline: 666 56565
www.pezzo.com.sg

Operating Hours: 10am til 10pm Daily