Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014

Hoy hoy! Great news everyone! Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 is coming up soon (this weekend!!) and we're gonna run down some Halal options for you to head down and check out!

This is the 3rd year the event is running and this year promises to be even bigger and better. We're talking about some of the best hawker fare out there and great to see that there are some Halal options featured which look set to be big hits!!

And best of all - everyone can do their part for charity!
All profits will go to 32,000 beneficiaries under Touch Community Service!!

So what exactly can we expect in terms of Halal fare at the festival?

Prata with Poached Egg and Indian Hollandaise Sauce ($10.00)

The Ultimate Hawker Fest is not just about showcasing the bestest and most power hawker food in our beloved Singapore but also a chance for the masters to showcase their skill and creativity by incorporating new and unique ingredients and cooking methods to create fantastic spin-offs of our favourite dishes.

The masters at The Prata Place - one of the most popular prata joints in Singapore - have truly outdone themselves with this dish which will remind you of Eggs Benedict or Eggs Royale when you take a look at it.

So you have a Prata Kosong as your base (and yes, it's still good ol' crispy prata!) and on top of that you have a slice of turkey ham for an extra bite and some savoury flavour. Next, you have a poached egg which is super power when you break into it and the yolk runs all over the shop. *drool*
If that's not enough, they top it off with an Indian Hollandaise Sauce which incorporates curry and spices and gives you a unique flavour kick like no other!

And just how power is the poached egg???

ZOMG DAMN POWER RIGHT!!!!
You know we have a thing for poached eggs and this one does not disappoint at all!!
And the finished product when you're about to dig in?

Looks like a big yummy mess! I am sure some of you are going ZOINKS just about now.
We had our doubts when we first heard the idea but we hail to this excellent food invention!
Don't be put off by the idea - just try and it and you'll know just how power it is!!

The Prata Place has been at the festival for 3 years straight and has always been a big hit.
First it was The Ultimate Murtabak and then it was The Murta-burger (which we will review separatelt very very soon!) and this year they have come up with yet another sure hit!

Look out for another Halal choice too!
Asam Tree Cafe will be there at the festival with their offering - 'Longtong!!

Well, trust us - the Prata with Poached Egg and Indian Hollandaise Sauce is more than enough reason to go! We still can't get over how surprisingly power this dish was! LOL

A unique twist on classic dishes and so delicious - that's what Ultimate Hawker Fest is all about!!

The Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 will be held this weekend, Saturday 22 November 2014 at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre Halls 401-402. Festival will run between 11am til 5pm but take this tip from us - head down early to grab some of this prata fast because it's confirmed gonna sell out fast we tell you!!

Entry is free but you'll need to buy coupons to get your hands on the food.
Coupons can be purchased at www.ultimatehawkerfest.sg and you can collect them at TOUCH Community Services at Bukit Merah Central or at the event booth at Suntec on the day itself.
You can also make a donation at the site! Let's do our part to help out while enjoying some makan!!

Special thanks to one of our idols, Ms Maureen Ow aka Miss Tam Chiak and also Derrick Tan from SGFoodOnFoot and Ian Low from The Silver Chef who happen to be curators of this year's festival. With these names involved, you can confirm it's gonna be power!

And a special hearty thanks to Mr Guna from The Prata Place for blowing our minds with the prata!!

See you all at  Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014 this weekend okay!! YES YOU!!

Ultimate Hawker Fest 2014

Saturday 22 November 2014
Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre Halls 401-402
11.00am til 5.00pm

www.ultimatehawkerfest.sg

Badoque Part II

Okay so I'm sure you all remember our first visit to Badoque right?
After so long talking about it, we finally made our way there but I guess a lot of you were still expecting us to try dishes that might be considered their 'signature' dishes?

Well, we went back. And we did.

Badoque Beef Ribs ($28.00)

Oh yeah. We decided to try the "Daging Gedegak" as they affectionately refer to it. Seen so many Instagram pictures of people holding up what seemed to be dinosaur bones and we finally had one in front of us!

Firstly, let me confirm that the Beef Ribs are as big as they look like in the picture. In fact, they look bigger in person! *GULP*

And we are talking about the real deal here. No pussyfooting around here. It's a huge chunk of meat still on bone and smoking hot waiting to be devoured. It's actually pretty intimidating LOL
Heard a few friends say they tried before and could not finish and I can see why.

It's predominantly a BBQ-sauce flavour because that's what the sauce is but beef ribs are definitely power when it's BBQ right. And you get a nice serving of roasted seasonal vegetables (which you might not be able to finish) but I have seen some shots where the ribs are served with some potato fores instead. Oh and there's a salad too. But I'm guessing you'll be concentrating on finishing the meat first!

If you're in the mood for a fiesta of meat on your plate, then look no further. This is probably the best beef ribs I've had in Singapore so far and so worth the price. If it's too much, then share it between two people also can should be just nice.

Don't think I need to remind you guys to skip lunch if you're planning to have this for dinner right?

Naughty Mojito ($7.50)

I was actually planning to have the famous Iced Salted Caramel since I enjoyed it so much the last time but I saw something on their daily menu board which caught my eye...

A mocktail called the Naughty Mojito sounded nice and refreshing. Nothing like a nice lime icy drink to wash down my maximum beef ribs experience right?

Well it's definitely got a strong lime flavour so if you like your drinks like Calamansi and the likes then you're definitely gonna enjoy this. A nice cool beverage! Not as naughty as the name implies but definitely something to try if you're looking for a drink to perk up your tastebuds.

Adam's Verdict:
Badoque Beef Ribs 4.5/5 -- Naughty Mojito 3/5

Well, so far it seems like everything I've tried so far at Badoque has gone down really well. And the best thing is there are still so many more dishes that seem like the bomb! I guess more visits are in order and I've gotta try really hard to resist the Badoque Beef Ribs if I want to have any chance of trying other stuff on the menu.

PS the staff are still super friendly!

Badoque

298 Bedok Road (Simpang Bedok)

Tel: 64466928
www.facebook.com/badoquecafeSG

Operating Hours:
12pm to 10pm Daily

Badoque

So I've known about Badoque for a damn long time. Seriously long.
I have no idea what took me so long to visit because pretty much every single person who told me about Badoque has told me to visit ASAP cos it apparently rocks.

I guess maybe I was waiting for the right time? Or maybe that's just an excuse?
Well, I finally decided the time had arrived when the HungryGoWhere project came around and I thought what better time to finally visit Badoque.

And I know I only mentioned the pasta in my HungryGoWhere Guest Instagrammer feature but the truth is - I had more than just pasta!

Garlic Chilli Chuka ($7.50)

When they say "Chuka" here, they mean the baby octopus. Yes, it took me awhile to get it (I was thinking of cuka as in vinegar... I'm slow I know... LOL). But for those of you who love baby octopus (maybe in your sushi?), this is a must have.

The baby octopus was cooked to perfection and not tough or chewy at all. Had a great bite to it and you could definitely get the hints of the chilli without being to spicy. Scoop it up with some of the chopped garlic there for a great mouthful. If you're a fan of garlic like me, you're gonna wish they gave more garlic.

Smoked Duck Pasta Putanesca ($24.00)

This was the reason I made my way down to Badoque during Ramadhan to iftar on a rainy evening.
It was either this or the Squid Ink Pasta. I decided on the duck because I was feeling a bit quacky.

I'll be honest and say that the pasta and the accompanying tomato sauce was pretty okay. I mean, there wasn't anything wrong with it but I guess it was overshadowed by the smoked duck. That's right, the star of this dish is definitely the smoke duck (like duh it's in the name right).

It is not easy to find Halal duck anything these days let alone Halal duck that is prepared well. And this smoked duck is super duper in my books. Some might say it's a little tough but I think it's pretty okay actually and I really enjoyed the smokey flavour.

So if you're a fan of duck or smoked meats for that matter, you should try this dish.
No doubt, it may not be for everyone but I think quite a lot of people love this (especially judging by Badoque's Instagram page!)

And they are super generous with the serving of smoked duck and also the pasta. Actually, I guess they'd better be with a $24 price tag on this dish.

Iced Salted Caramel ($7.50)

To wash it all down, I decided on another item I kept seeing on Badoque's Instagram page.
And boy oh boy I found out why this was so popular.

If you have a sweet tooth, you're gonna love this. It's sweet and a hint of salty with the caramel flavour completely taking you in. Nice and refreshing and you're going to find it hard to just sip this slowly. I ended up taking bigger and bigger gulps each time.

And they are not stingy with the caramel either.

Adam's Verdict:
Garlic Chilli Chuka 3.5/5 -- Smoked Duck Pasta Putanesca 4/5 -- Iced Salted Caramel 3.5/5

I'd heard mixed feedback about the service at Badoque with some reviews online saying that the staff was top notch and the rest saying the opposite. Well, my experience was power! The crew were very friendly and even took the time to chat for a bit while waiting for my food, checking if everything was okay while I was eating and even after I'd paid and was ready to go. And it was a full house too and it seems like the managed pretty well.

I think one of the reasons for Badoque's popularity (besides the food) is that it's run by people who love what they do and they're not afraid to have some fun while they do it. They try to inject a light-hearted mood into your experience without being too irritating. One good example is the menu. Quirky quotes and making small jokes is a winner in my book. PS that's my uncle in the picture.

Lots more on the menu to try at Badoque so I foresee visiting lots more times. Next in my sights is their Ribs aka Monster Ribs aka Daging Gedegak!!

PS they have 2 outlets - one is Simpang Bedok and one in Thomson - and some items are available only at one store and not the other so check first.

And don't forget to read the article on HungryGoWhere.com!!

Badoque

298 Bedok Road (Simpang Bedok)

Tel: 64466928
www.facebook.com/badoquecafeSG

Operating Hours:
12pm to 10pm Daily

Hei Sushi

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Irrashaimase!!

Hei Sushi, Singapore's 1st Halal Sushi Belt Restaurant, is a firm favourite whenever we feel like having some good quality Sushi at affordable prices. And of course, it is still the #1 name when it comes to Halal sushi on a conveyor belt (we lovvveeee the conveyor belt!).

Did you know that they actually had 4 resturants?
One at Downtown East, one at Sembawang Shopping Centre, one at the Sakae Building in Tai Seng and also one at IMM. Of all the 4, we've only been to the on at Downtown Eat since we are based in the East.

But there's good news - a 5th restaurant is now open at Bedok Point!!
And on top of that, they've also refreshed their menu with lots of favourites and also some new and creative offerings to satisfy your cravings!!

 Let's start slow...

Chilled Spicy Asari ($2.38)

Are you big fans of clams like we are? Then you're gonna love this!
It's such a simple dish of clams in some flavoured dark sauce and given a bit of a spicy kick with chilli padi (which you can see there).

Definitely a good start!

Wagyu Cheese Neta ($4.38)

I dedicate this dish to my good friend Mr Firdhaus Jab who first texted me about this dish a few months ago. And it is fantastic.

So it's basically a Fried Maki on the bottom with some cheese and then topped off with some Wagyu Beef in sweet soy sauce. Sounds familiar?

They call it the Wagyu Cheese Neta but I call it the CHEESEBURGER SUSHI!!
And it's really delicious! I think I can keep wolfing these down non-stop! That Wagyu Beef is simply the bomb I tell you!

Sunshine Maki ($8.88)

A nice and crispy Fried Breaded Ebi (Prawn) wrapped up in a maki and topped-off with slices of mango! We've also tried the Dragon Roll Maki which has Avocado!

Definitely one of the more interesting bites at Hei Sushi!

Soft Shell Ebi ($4.88)

If your taste is for things a little more simple and traditional, then don't worry!
This is a soft shell prawn that they coat and deep fry to a prefect crisp! It's cooked through and the soft shell means you can pop the whole prawn in your mouth and eat it all! Head, shell and all!!

Shake Sashimi ($9.38)

And of course, there is the all-time favourite - Sashimi!

We are talking about premium slices of fresh Sashimi here! If salmon is not enough for you, then you have other choices too like Ika (squid), Kaki (oyster), Tako (octopus), Mekajiki (Swordfish), Hamachi (Yellowtail) and Maguro (Tuna)!

Hot Bean Hotate ($7.38 for 2 pieces)

Here is another must-try! Some Yakimono for you!

Scallop smothered in a hot bean paste and given a nice brulee so you have a nice charred layer on top.
The paste itself has actually got a nice spicy kick to it and kind of reminded me of Ikan Pari Bakar to a certain extent.

Unagi Yanagawa ($17.88)

Here's one for you to share.
Unagi (River eel) in a hotplate with some vegetables and egg. I'm not much of an Unagi guy but I know some people who definitely are!

Aji Shioyaki (Grilled Jack Mackerel) ($18.88)

This was probably my favourite dish of all the stuff we tried. And boy did we try a lot!
Everything was delicious but I guess sometimes I enjoy the simple things the most.

Here's an air-flown Jack Mackerel that they season simply with some salt and then grill it to sheer perfection and you just end up picking at it over and over again with your chopsticks. No fishy taste to be found here, only simple delicious grilled fish!

Just look at how perfect it is!

Spicy Shake Baked Rice ($4.88)

One of the newer sections in the menu is the Mini Baked Rice.
We tried the Spicy Shake (Salmon) Baked Rice which was delightful. There's a nice creamy cheesy layer on top but don't expect any cream mixed in with the rice okay.

And if salmon is not your thing, they also have Scallop, Eel, Soft Shell Crab and Sashimi Baked Rice for your dining pleasure!

Wagyu Ramen ($17.88)

Looking for something a little more hearty and soupy?
It's Ramen time!

The Wagyu Ramen was excellent and the beef was super tender. Tasty! And you have a choice of the flavour of soup stock for your Ramen! Choose from either Chicken, Curry or Kimchi!

Zarigani Udon ($16.88)

Another new section in the menu you'll notice is the Fusion Udon section.
They still have the traditional Udon and Soba dishes but if you're looking to try something new, then you'll definitely want to try some of these new dishes!

The Zarigani (Crayfish) Udon was actually my Brother's fave dish of the whole visit.
He literally cleaned the plate! That is how tasty it was! Black pepper crayfish with a creamy Udon so you can see how one might enjoy!

Check out the rest of their Fusion Udon dishes too!

Mango Avocado Milkshake ($4.98)

I decided to wash down my massive meal with a Mango Avocado Milkshake.
This really hit the spot and was so refreshing! And it was not too sweet so I was still able to savour the flavours of my food.

Hei Sushi's new menu has lots to choose from.
Sashimi, Salads, Sushi (Makimono, Nigiri, Gunkan, Aburi, Neta, Temaki, Inari), Tempura, Agemono, Yakimono, Ju, Ramen, Baked Rice, Soba, Udon, Nabemono, Habachi, Desserts and even Kiddy Sets!
And of course, you can always sit at the conveyor belt and take your pick of what comes along which is always a fun part of eating at a sushi restaurant.

Japanese cuisine is definitely one of our faves and we can see that it's really caught on as well. Thankfully we have Hei Sushi to bring us a wide spread of Halal Japanese food!

Visit their newest restaurant at Bedok Point today and bring your friends and family as well!
And don't forget the Wasabi!!

Hei Sushi

Bedok Point
799 New Upper Changi Road

Tel: 6441 0760
www.heisushi.com

Operating Hours:
11.30am to 10.00pm Daily

Delifrance: Le Paris-Singapore

To celebrate 50 years in Asia, Delifrance decided it would be a good idea to commemorate the occasion by releasing a special edition sandwich!

So they got a pair of 1-star Michelin chefs, Jacques & Laurent Pourcel (they are brothers by the way in case you didn't notice), to come up with something special to mark this momentous milestone.

So they came up with the Le Paris-Singapore.

Le Paris-Singapore ($10.80 ala carte)

The bread used is a Rustic Baguette which is not what you'd normally have at Delifrance I guess.
It's got a slightly harder crust for a bigger bite. I think the best way for me to describe it is a cross between a baguette and a ciabatta bun. Not too bad actually.

Inside, you've got oyster sauce and mayonnaise as your base. On top of that, you've got chicken breast with chilli sauce, pieces of pineapple and also wakame (seaweed).

Let me just say that I didn't really get this sandwich.
Chicken breast is fine. The chili sauce was basically a sweet Thai chili sauce. Pineapple gave it a nice tang when you bite down. But the biggest shocker was the wakame.

If the sweet chili sauce seemed like a weird choice, the wakame really takes the cake. I love Japanese food and I definitely have no problems with seaweed but a sandwich is just a weird place to find seaweed!
They claim it gives the sandwich 'walnut notes'. Well, they should have just put walnuts then.
I give them full marks for trying something different. But definitely no marks for thinking about it first.

And with a name like Le Paris-Singapore, I really expected to have a sandwich that has flavours from France or Singapore at least. After all, it's not called Le-Paris-Singapore-Bangkok-Tokyo.
So much for the 1-star Michelin chefs. Pffft.

Adam's Verdict:
Le Paris-Singapore 2/5

Don't get me wrong. This is still an eatable sandwich. You just have to not think about what's inside.
Because the disappointing part will be when you think about what you expected instead. If you just eat it as any other sandwich, then maybe it's not so bad.

That being said, maybe it'll be more satisfying (and cheaper) to stick to a Chicken Mayonnaise Croissant.

Delifrance

Tampines Mall #01-38
Tel: 62608552
www.delifrance.com.sg

Operating Hours:
8.00am til 10.00pm Daily