Pizza Hut - Squid Ink Linguine & Traditional Bolognaise

Yeah okay we know. Kinda unexpected to suddenly post about Pizza Hut when it's not a special item like the last time we posted on their special Hand-stretched Signature Series.

But hey. We passed by a Pizza Hut and ate there so we figured we'd post it.
After all, we love to eat right?

Squid Ink Lunguine ($15.50)

Okay I have to be perfectly honest and say this is not what I was expecting at all.
When I see pictures of Squid Ink pasta dishes, the squid ink is normally incorporated into the pasta during the actual making of the pasts which results in a black-coloured noodle.

I had no idea that sometimes, the squid ink was made into the sauce!
It was so unbelievable to me that I had to ask a few 'experts' who worked in restaurants that served Squid Ink pasta to confirm it. Yeah I know I'm a jakun. Anyways I'm not sure why I was making such a big deal about it since it was Mein Bruder who ordered it.

The sauce was very 'lemak' because of the cream but kinda lacked any seasoning. Maybe a little bit more could have been added to the sauce to give it some taste instead of just relying on the black squid ink.

There were some prawns and slices of squid to go along to for an extra bite by the way.
And a word of advice - the stuff stains your mouth and teeth so be sure to wipe to avoid any possible embarassment!

When they say Black Squid Ink, they mean BLACK Squid Ink!!

Traditional Bolognaise ($11.50)

I went for a safer bet and had the Traditional Bolognaise (said in my best Italiano accent).
Yeah I know. Kinda boring right? But I guess I just felt like going the traditional route for lunch.

The Bolognaise was pretty standard and it comes with 3 (kinda small) beef meatballs.
Serving was just nice for 1 and made for a pretty hearty meal. Meatballs were nice too and reminded me of the meatballs at Swensen's but without the black pepper kick.

Adam's Verdict:
Traditional Bolognaise 3/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Squid Ink Linguine  3/5

All in all a pretty standard set at Pizza Hut. I guess technically it's still fast food right?
A great tip is to go during lunch so you can have the Lunch Set Meals.

The cost between $9.90 and $13.90 (depending on your choice of dish) and comes with soup and a drink too! Well worth it! And for the record, the Traditional Bolognaise was part of the $9.90 set and the Squid Ink Linguine was part of the $13.92 set.

Pizza Hut

26 Restaurants Island-wide

Delivery Hotline: 62353535
www.pizzahut.com.sg

Swensen's - Sides Part I

Swensen's is a pretty popular brand in Singapore and quite a favourite choice sometimes.
And I know most of us go like "Oh I prefer somewhere more unique" or "Swensen's? No better place meh?" but the truth is - Swensen's is actually not that bad to be honest.

We've already covered a few of their breakfast dishes and also the soups and salads.
Luckily for us, they also have an extensive Sides menu. So extensive that we need to split it up!!
Anyways, if you're gonna eat there, maybe this might help you choose on some side dishes to go along with your main course!

Meatballs in Pepper Sauce ($9.40)

In what was probably the biggest surprise food-wise in quite awhile, these are actually the bomb!
I really was expecting just another generic dish and it was probably not going to be anything special but oh boy was I completely wrong on this one!

The mashed potatoes were an absolute dream.
I can't be sure if they're instant or if they're made scratch from actual potatoes but whatever the case, they were definitely put through the ricer again which results in an absolutely creamy texture and enriched with a nice hearty buttery taste.

The meatballs themselves were absolutely divine.
A combination of chicken and beef, these were cooked to perfection and were not overdone at all. The meat remained juicy and soft and the pepper sauce went together perfectly.

I know you think I'm probably exaggerating but I seriously enjoyed every last bite of this dish.

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks ($8.40)

Something pretty basic like this can still be easy to mess up.
(Trust me I've had some bad fried cheese sticks in the past. That's right I'm looking at YOU Pastamania!)
But at Swensen's, they pleasantly surprise.

One of the main plus points - it's not oily despite being deep fried.
I literally ate these with my fingers and had little or no oil residue on my fingers at all. And I know it was fried because I got the oil when I bit into the cheese.

The outer-coating remained crispy and managed to maintain its integrity by not falling apart or going soggy. The cheese melted a little bit but you still get a bit of the chewy texture you'd expect from some mozza. And the salty flavour of the cheese is definitely evident here. Minimal seasoning lets you enjoy the cheese!

I'm certain that all you cheese lovers out there will enjoy this!
But cheese is always heavy on the palate so maybe this one might be best to share.

Adam's Verdict:
Meatballs in Pepper Sauce 5/5 -- Mozzarella Cheese Sticks 4/5

If the sides are this good, then I might just have these without ordering any mains!
Let's see what else they have on the Sides menu... Will report back soon!

Swensen's (Bedok Mall)

Bedok Mall
311 New Upper Changi Road
#1-77

Operating Hours:
10.30am til 10.30pm Weekdays
8.00am til 10.30pm Weekends
(Last Order at 10.15pm)

Ikea: Swedish Meatballs

I've heard so much about the Swedish Meatballs at Ikea.

For so long, they were not available to us as the original version consists of beef and pork.
But, I'm glad to say that Ikea has their own ' Halal' section in the food hall which means we have a chnace to sample some of their offerings.

They may not offer the exact same items as you might find on their non-Halal line... and I know it's kinda weird to see that they offer traditional favourites like Mee Siam (seriously) and Nasi Lemak in their Halal line-up.

But hey. We're here for the meatballs.

Swedish Meatballs ($5.50 for 10 pieces)

So the Halal version of their Swedish Meatballs consists of beef and chicken.
It's served with some boiled potatoes, Lingonberry jam and the balls are doused in a basic brown gravy.

The meatballs themselves were actually very well seasoned.
A little on the chewy side but still quite tasty nonetheless and the gravy gives a peppery kick.

I have to say I quite enjoyed the Lingonberry jam together with the meatballs.
Lingonberries are actually common in Sweden and you can even buy a jar of the jam at the Ikea Markethall.
They give a nice sweet/sour contrast to the meat and the brown gravy.

Don't expect to much of the potatoes though. They're just boiled with perhaps a little salt for seasoning.
But I love potatoes so I still whacked them all the same.

I actually dropped by to try these little balls when Ikea was having their great '10-cents Meatball' frenzy.
Normal price for 10 is $5.50 but you also have the options of 5 for $2.90, 15 for $8 or, if you're really hungry, $9.50 for 20 meatballs!

Photo by Eriyana

My great curiosity with the Swedish Meatballs came about when my sister-in-law had lunch with my brother at Ikea and sent me this picture. And it looked damn delicious!!

I think like more than a year later and I finally went down to have it lah.

Adam's Verdict:
Swedish Meatballs 3/5

If we ever do go down to Ikea, I'm not sure if we'll makan there.
But if we did, I'd probably have the Swedish Meatballs over the Mee Siam.

Ikea (Tampines)

60 Tampines North Drive 2
Tel: 6786 6868
www.ikea.com

Operating Hours: 9.30am - 10.30pm Daily