Junshin Express

So I heard about this new Halal sushi place at Bedok Mall selling sushi that costs only 50 cents.
That's right - FIFTY CENTS!! But the catch is that it's all takeaway so don't have any ideas about sitting down and picking sushi up off a conveyor belt.

The worst thing is - it's so close to my workplace!!
Normally that's a good thing right? Well, for some reason, the closer something is to my workplace or home, the more likely I'm not gonna go to that place for some time. Not on purpose or anything but I guess I just happen to pass it by because I think I can always go another time since it's so close to me.

Well, I finally managed to make my way down to Bedok Mall one morning.

So the concept is really simple - Sushi is 50 cents and it's all takeaway.
They also have stuff that costs more (between $1.80-$4.80) but that's big stuff like Temaki (Handrolls), Sashimi and even Chuka Idako.

But I'm guessing we're all gonna be like sharks going after the 50 cent Sushi.

Imagine like 7 or 8 of those displays for you to choose from!

You have your pick of familiar favourites like Sake Sushi (Salmon), Maguro (Tuna), Red or Yellow Ebiko (Capelin Roe), Kani Salad (Crabmeat), Shiromi (White Fish) and Tamago (Egg) among other things.

But there are also some other sushi which is definitely not something you come across everyday.
More on that later.

One of the things I noticed about the Sushi at Junshin Express is how neatly everything is packed. So Easy to just pick up and go. Smaller sushi like the Gunkan and Nigiri Sushi are individually packed in plastic and the bigger ones like the California Roll are packed in plastic boxes.

Besides the usual Sushi, they also introduce new items on the menu from time to time.
Specials like the Teriyaki Salmon and the Aburi Black Pepper Salmon Sushi are two of the best-sellers!! Don't worry I get to try them later.... hehehe

And even the special Sushi is 50 cents each!!!

Even the Gari (Pickled Ginger) and Wasabi are 50 cents each!!
Don't worry you get some Shoyu and Wasabi when you buy your sushi but if you're hardcore like us, you're definitely gonna want a lot of Wasabi!!

But ready-to-eat Sushi is not all that Junshin Express has to offer -

Teriyaki Sauce ($4.60)

Shoyu ($3.60)

Sushi Vinegar ($3.30)

If you're into making your own Sushi or into some Japanese masak-masak, they also have some Halal-certified ingredients for you too! No need to hunt so high and low anymore!

Anyways, enough build-up because it's time for the Sushi!!

Remember that I mentioned that they have some Sushi that we probably familiar with and then they also have some Sushi that may be new to us because they're actually pretty unique. Well, they were nice enough to let me sample some of the more unique types of Sushi they had and here I am to tell you more about it!

Junshin Express actually has a whole range of Sushi which is pretty much fruits and/or vegetables.
That's right. It's not a typo. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES SUSHI!!

But before that, I simply had to try 2 of their best-sellers...

Aburi Black Pepper Salmon Sushi ($0.50 each)

This is supposed to be #1 and the most popular Sushi they have and it's quite easy to see why.
'Aburi' basically means 'Grilled' so this salmon is cooked. The black pepper give it a nice kick but it is not too overpowering so you can still enjoy the flavour of the salmon and the sushi rice as well.

This would actually be a great start especially if you're having sushi for the first time. I think even those people who are afraid to try Sushi would have no problem with this!

Teriyaki Salmon Sushi ($0.50 each)

The salmon here is also cooked and coated with some yummy Teriyaki sauce.
A definite must-try for Teriyaki lovers (like me!!)

And then I started on the more unique ones...

Shimeji Mushroom Sushi

Burdock Sushi

Mountain Vegetables

Firstly, let me assure you, these are not as scary or unusual as you might think.

Burdock is a root and the Mountain Vegetables is made up mostly of mushrooms so there's nothing to be worried about. In fact, after you take a bite, you'll actually see they are really tasty. If you are fans of mushroom and the woody flavour you normally get with mushrooms, then you'll definitely want to try these three.

Yellow, Red and Green Bell Peppers Sushi ($0.50 each)

Bell peppers drizzled with some Teriyaki sauce. It's not as spicy or overpowering as you might think. But I guess this is more for the health conscious who wanna stick to all-veggies only!

Enough veggies how about some fruits!!

Strawberry Sushi

Kiwi Sushi

Red Apple Salad Sushi

Green Apple Sushi

Dragonfruit Sushi

Aburi Banana Sushi

I know you're probably had those fruits before but can you tell me that you've had those fruits as sushi before?? Well, here's your chance!!

The sweetness of the fruits versus the slightly-sour vinegar flavour of the Sushi rice is actually quite a good combination! And when they brulee fruits like the banana, it unlocks even more sweetness!

To be perfectly honest, I actually could not believe that they had sushi made up of fruit. I only realized how great it was when I actually tried it. It may seem like a strange idea but it's actually really good! Affordable and healthy and something new for you to try! I'm pretty sure the kids will love it! (Especially the Aburi Banana Sushi!!)

They even have other fruits like Rock Melon and Jackfruit Sushi!

But don't worry! I also bought some of the more usual (or maybe not all so usual) Sushi to being home and sample just to confirm that Junshin Sushi was the real deal!

California Maki ($0.50 each)

Chuka Idako (Baby Octopus)

Wakame Sushi

Sake Sushi ($0.50 each)

Kani Tamago

Otah Sushi

That's right. Otah Sushi!
The Otah itself actually had a bit of a spicy taste to it which was really tasty/ Definitely not something you see on Sushi everyday am I right?

The usual suspects like California Maki, Sake Sushi, Chuka Idako and Wakame (Seaweed) Sushi all make an appearance on the displays but they also mix things up a little with classic Sushi.
For example, instead of just Kani (Crabstick), they add some Tamago in and make it a 2-in-1 Kani Tamago Sushi.

And by the way, they also have 2 types of Crabstick sushi.
One is the Crab-flavoured fish sticks and the other is the real deal crab meat. So you have a choice depending on your preference.

I guess whether you are a seasoned Sushi eater or something just starting out (maybe even trying for the first time!), you definitely would not mind dropping by Junshin Express for some sushi.

It's convenient, the quality is good and of course - the price is really affordable.
You can even grab a whole boxful and bring it home for the family or even back to the office to share with colleague for lunch!

It's nice to have an alternative Sushi place where we need a quick on-the-go Sushi fix when we don't have the time to sit down and have a proper Sushi meal. Think Express... Junshin Express!

Junshin Express

Bedok Mall
311 New Upper Changi Road
#B2-20

Tel: 6844 9448
www.junshinexpress.com.sg

Operating Hours:
10am to 10pm Daily

Magic Wok

So we were looking for a quick fix after grocery shopping at Downtown Eat on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Fast food? Naaahhhh. Let's try a place upstairs my darling wife suggests. Sure why not!

Magic Wok is not a new name when it comes to makan. I remember having visited several outlets as far back at more than 10 years ago. I remember one in City Hall if I'm not wrong and back then it was great because there were not many places selling Halal Thai-Chinese cuisine.
I'm not sure if it's the same people running the brand now but the name is still around and hopefully the food is still at a level to satisfy the public!

Just our luck - noodles were out when we visited! So it had to be rice dishes!!

Thai Pineapple Rice ($4.80)

Don't ask me why but when I think of Thai food, somehow or rather I'll think of Pineapple Rice.
And the weird thing is - I know that Pineapple Rice is actually a Singaporean invention! Not even Thai!!

Well, as you can see, they don't serve it in the pineapple as some places do for the gimmick of it. But I have to say the serving was actually pretty generous. An extra big heapful of rice! Topped off with Shrimp Floss!
Unfortunately the Shrimp Floss is where most of the flavour came from. The rice wasn't very tasty.

Tom Yam Fried Rice ($4.80)

So my darling wife was hoping for a better result with her (more authentic-Thai) Tom Yam Fried Rice.
But I'm afraid no such luck. A little bit still in the bland department here. Yeah sure you could taste a bit of the Tom Yam flavour but not much actually... There was also some seafood in there but it didn't help much.

Fried Mixed Vegetable ($6.00)

So we have to get some veggies right??

They have 3 difference sizes for this. Small at $6.00, Medium at $10.00 and $14.00 for the Large.
We took the Small since there were only 2 of us so you can adjust accordingly depending on the size of your dining party.

Taste was okay I guess. Nothing spectacular but at least it had taste (compared to out 2 rice dishes).
But I have to say that I found it a bit on the pricey side to be honest. 6 bucks for that???

Thai Fried Baby Squid ($8.00)

Again, we took the small. They have Medium and Large at $12.00 and $16.00 respectively.

You guys know I'm a sucker for Fried Baby Squid right?
Well, this is a new one because they add the word 'Thai' in front. How exactly do they make it 'Thai'?
Looks like it's by adding some Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce to the dish.

I guess this does give the dish a bit more of a spicy kick. There's also some pineapple chunks in there to give you a sweet edge at the same time. So it's kinda like Sweet and Sour Fried Baby Squid.

Anyways, if you find the food to be a little bit too bland (like we did), then please do help yourself to the condiments available for you!!

Adam's Verdict:
Thai Pineapple Rice 2/5 -- Fried Mixed Vegetable 2.5/5 -- Thai Fried Baby Squid 2.5/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Tom Yam Fried Rice 2/5 -- Fried Mixed Vegetable 3/5 -- Thai Fried Baby Squid 1/5

Well, I only used to have the noodles back then so I'm really not sure if the standards have dropped (for the rice dishes) or something is terribly wrong. Maybe we're just being fussy because we didn't get what we expected especially for the prices we paid.

Anyways I'm sure we will visit again soon once day and hopefully it'll be a better experience.

Magic Wok

Downtown East
1 Pasir Ris Close
#03-101




Tel: 6582 8928

Operating Hours:
11.30am til 10.00pm Daily

Royal Kublai Khan Steamboat Buffet & Seafood Restaurant Part II

So do you people remember the post we had about Royal Kublai Khan Steamboat Buffet & Seafood Restaurant right? Yes, the one featured on Jus! :P

Well, as previously mentioned, they not only have a Steamboat Buffet spread to offer but also some ala carte food items for you to choose from. And to be honest, I was quite surprised at the variety that was offered on top of the Steamboat Buffet spread.

You've got the works. Beef, chicken, seafood and vegetables among other things.
They even have a wide selection of crab dishes for you to choose from including Chilli Crab and Black Pepper Crab. The most interesting of the lot is actually the Cheese Crab!

Well, we didn't have any crabs. But we did have something new though.

We actually ordered this special set menu offer that they had.
For $8 per pax, you get to choose from a wide range of dishes from this special menu.
The great thing is, the more people eating, the more dishes you get to choose. Consfused?
Well, 2-4 pax get to choose 3 dishes, 5-7 pax get 5 dishes and 8-10 pax get 7 dishes. Not bad right?
And all come with soup and rice!

Spring Onion Beef

OMG you actually won't believe how delicious this dish was. Something so simple as that was actually probably the most delicious thing we had during our whole meal.

The meat was super duper tender and it was drowning in any sauce. Stir-fried simply to perfections with some spring onions and carrots. I still can't get over how tender the beef was.
Even if we didn't have the set meal, we'd probably order this ala carte because it's a must have!

Anyways the only other beef dish you can choose from the set menu is Black Pepper Beef.

Coffee Chicken

I was in the mood to try something new and since we were not having any Cheese Crab, we decided to try the Coffee Chicken. I've heard and seen people cooking with coffee before but this would be the first time I was actually trying something cooked with coffee.

To be honest, it was actually pretty nice.
The chicken was tender and the sauce was not overpowering. It really tasted like coffee!
To closest thing I can compare the taste with is that Roti Boy bread because of the coffee and butter combination going on.

Not in the mood for coffee? Well you can also choose from more classic options like Kung Po Chicken and Mango Chicken.

Fried Chili Prawn

So Fried Chili is actually Sambal so I have no idea why not just call it Sambal Prawns.

By the way, the prawns actually look bigger in the picture than in real life. They're not the big tiger prawns you might be expecting but they're medium sized, fresh and definitely reasonable. The sambal itself was quite tasty and not too spicy.

Bring the lazy guy I am, I would have preferred if the prawns were peeled... :P

Other seafood options include Curry Fish, Black Pepper Butter Prawn, Sweet and Sour Fish, Cereal Prawn and the simple Salt and Pepper Prawn. You can also order side dishes like several Tofu dishes, Ngoh Hiang or Spring Roll as well.

As you can see, being the greedy buggers that we are, we ordered all meat for our 3 dish choices and no veggies at all! But we can't have a good meal without some veggies right??

Sambal Kangkong ($8.00)

Our first choice was actually the Salted Egg Lotus but it was unfortunately not available so we decided to have a classic veggie dish that everyone is familiar with. Sambal Kangkong!!

Okay so this was pretty okay lah. Nothing like super spectacular in my view. Most probably because I like my Sambal Kangkong to be a little wetter. As you can see from the picture above, it's kinda dry...
But if you're like my brother, you'll probably like it...

Adam's Verdict:
Spring Onion Beef 5/5 -- Coffee Chicken 4/5 -- Fried Chili Prawn 2.5/5
Sambal Kangkong 3/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Spring Onion Beef 5/5 -- Coffee Chicken 4/5 -- Fried Chili Prawn 3/5
Sambal Kangkong 4/5
Wow let me tell you this.
Steamboat Buffet? Superb! Don't feel like Steamboat? No problem! Because their ala carte rocks too!

Maybe next time it's time for the crabs...

Royal Kublai Khan Steamboat & Seafood Restaurant

175 Bencoolen Street
#01-56 Burlington Square (facing La Salle)
Tel: 6836 2389

http://kublaikhanbbq.com/royalkublaikhan

Operating Hours:
11.30am til 10.00pm Daily
Steamboat Buffet starts at 5.30pm

Yumen Hut

Tucked away in a little corner of EHub Downtown East, there sits a little eatery called Yumen Hut.
My darling wife and I visit EHub quite often to watch movies and go makan and what nots and we passed by Yumen Hut so many times.

One day, we suddenly noticed that it was actually certified Halal!
The place serves mostly Chinese cuisine so we didn't really take notice whenever we passed by but it definitely seems like it was worth a trip now that we know!

Veggie Crackers (Complimentary)

After we placed our orders, we were served this small dish.
I really had no idea whether it was a snack or if we were supposed to use it as a garnish for our food later.
Turns out it's actually Fish Crackers in strip form!

Anyways, when we sat down an took a look at the menu, we noticed that all the noodle dishes had different and special noodles to go along...

They also had  dishes that used Paprika Noodles, Carrot Noodles, Spinach Noodles, Mushroom Noodles and even something called Two Ply Noodles.
Interesting right? Special noodles to compliment the specific dish!

We later found out that the owner of Yumen Hut was also a noodle manufacturer! No wonder he had such a wide variety of noodles to offer... You can even buy the noodles to cook at home!

Laksa with Paprika Noodles ($4.50)

Anyways, my darling wife has the Laksa which was paired with Paprika noodles.
Look at that colour!

The Laksa gravy is lighter than usual which probably means it's less sinful. It's light but still very tasty.
The Paprika noodles actually do have a but of taste but it's not as spicy as you'd expect. I actually though it was a very good healthy alternative for those that want Laksa flavour without having to indulge too much.

Overall a very enjoyable dish!

Fried Chicken with Carrot Noodle ($3.80)

Truth be told, this wasn't my first choice.
The Cold Sauce Two Ply Noodles were sold out. And so were the Fried Mushroom and Stewed Chicken Noodles. So I decided to settle on something that seemed like I might enjoy it.

Well, not too bad actually!
Maybe it's just me but I felt super healthy just eating the Carrot noodles! Hahaha!
They really have a nice and springy texture and I can actually get the veggie taste.
The fried chicken was just an add-on to me because the star of the dish was definitely the noodles.

And it's quite a big serving of noodles mind you!

Fried Dumplings ($3.00)

Well no meal is complete without some side dishes am I right or am I right?
(Or maybe that's just something I say!)

Quite a selection to choose from including Calamari (Which they call Blur Rings), Ngoh Hiang, Otah Otah, Fried Crab Claws, Fried Mushrooms and even Durian Rolls.

We decided to have something that would go well with the noodles.
And that means dumplings!!

The Fried Dumplings were actually really nice.
A nice whole prawn with veggies wrapped up in wanton skin and fried to a crispy goodness.
The chilli given is the normal chicken rice chilli which wasn't really that good though.

But are you wondering why the dumplings are coloured green and orange?
That's right! Spinach and Carrot incorporated into the skin! Genius!

Adam's Verdict:
Fried Chicken with Carrot Noodle 3.5/5 -- Fried Dumplings 3/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Laksa with Paprika Noodles 4/5 -- Fried Dumplings 2.5/5

This is truly one of those hidden gems that you would not even notice without looking twice.
Nice and quiet place with some good food! And a healthy choice! Definitely worth another visit!

Yumen Hut

Downtown East 1 Pasir Ris Close #02-113
Tel: 6581 5191

Operating Hours:
11.00am til 10.00pm Daily
Closed on Chinese New Year

KL Sedap Part 6: Pepper Lunch

Pepper Lunch is a very popular Japanese-style makan place that has been around for many years. The outlets in Singapore however are not certified Halal.

Well, luckily for us - the outlets in Malaysia are certified Halal!

So the concept is really simple but something that is still so attractive.
You get to cook your own food on a hotplate! I'm not talking about steamboat style or the kind of hotplate that is perpetually hot (like table BBQ). This kind of hotplate is heated up (to 260 degrees!!) so that you can cook the meat to your liking and then after awhile, the cooking stops as the heat stops as well.

If you like your meat medium rare, put it atop the vegetables to stop the cooking but if you're like me and you like it well done, leave it on the hotplate to cook through all the way to the end.

Check out this promotional video that also plays at the Pepper Lunch outlets. It's actually like an instructional video that shows how to cook the different menu items they have.



Looks good eh? Looks fun eh? Well it is!
It's always fun to play a part in cooking your food the way you like.

But they seem to have forgotten one item on the menu which also happens to be my favourite!
Let's take a look at how the expert does it...



Yummy! Absolutely mouth-watering I say...

Ribeye Steak (RM36.80)

So for those with a bigger appetite for meat (like me) then you should go for the Ribeye Steak.
It comes with a combo which includes rice and veggies so you get a balanced meal. Also includes a side of mashed potatoes (which isn't really anything special to be honest)

The meat is really really as tender as you would expect and of course, you are responsible for how well you meat is cooked so you can stop at medium rare or medium well if you'd like. I personally always go all the way for well done.

And yes - it really is as big as it looks in the photo.

Pepper Steak (RM29.80)

For those who prefer something a little smaller, go for the Pepper Steak.
This is basically a smaller size piece of meat (which happens to be a Sirloin cut by the way) plus all the additional sides as well.

The meat is still tender and not too bad considering it's fast food.
But the serving is much smaller compared to the Ribeye so if you're hungry, we suggest you go big.
Plus, for the minimal price difference, you might as well top-up.

But a word of advice though...

You will have to add these two sauces to your meat while it's cooking on the hotplate.
Your initial instincts will be to taste them first which is fine because they don't taste too strong when you taste them on their own.

But when you start putting it on the meat, please don't overdo it!
Being the hero that I am, I went all out and thought to myself "the more the merrier".
That was a mistake! Too much will make your dish very very very very very salty so go slow okay!

Seafood Aglio Olio (RM18.80)

No likey the meaty? No problem!

Pepper Lunch also offers alternatives which involves no beef or chicken at all. And one of them is the Seafood Aglio Olio for all you pasta lovers.

When we first saw it, our initial reaction was "Pasta on a hotplate is not a good idea" but we were willing to give it a try so that all our readers have a heads-up!

They give you a small dish of seasoning and olive oil which you are supposed to pour all over your pasta while it cooks on the hotplate and is probably supposed to keep it from burning.

Well it doesn't really burn but as you can see, it does tend to get a bit dry.
Maybe a little (or a lot) more olive oil would have been helpful?
Come to think of it, maybe you should think twice before having pasta on a hotplate.

Don't get us wrong. The taste itself was not too bad actually. But the dried up dish wasn't a hit.
So it's either you eat really fast before it dries up or maybe ask for extra olive oil.

PS don't bother asking for Tabasco sauce - they've never heard of it.
(Reminder -  this is Japanese pasta not Italian pasta)

Adam's Verdict:
Ribeye Steak 4/5

Maryah's Verdict:
Ribeye Steak 4/5

Razali's Verdict:
Seafood Aglio Olio 3.5/5

Azim's Verdict:
Pepper Steak 4/5

Pepper Lunch is definitely worth a try if you're in Malaysia. Wonder if they will apply for Halal certification in SG in future maybe?

Pepper Lunch

Pavilion KL
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Level 1, Lot 1.54
Tel: 60 3 21410228

Operating Hours:
10.30am til 10.30pm Daily