One Cupcake A Day - Serawa Durian Cupcakes

I am very sure you guys remember our first post on One Cupcake A Day and their super unique Savoury Cupcakes. That means you'll remember that we mentioned that they also make the more traditionally sweet cupcakes too!

Well, just because it's a sweet cupcake does not mean it can't still be creative!

I know there are plenty of bakeries out there now that specialize in cupcakes or desserts with a more traditional twist. By traditional, I'm talking about flavours like Ondeh-Ondeh and all kinds of other Melayu Kueh. But One Cupcake A Day has come up with something completely new.

Serawa Durian Cupcakes

That's right. You read correctly. Serawa Durian Cupcakes!
Maybe I don't go out hunting for cupcakes so often but I do see quite a lot on FB and Instagram and this is the first time I'm hearing of a Serawa Durian cupcake!

What exactly is Serawa Durian anyways?
Well, I guess it's fair to call it a type of jam, like Kaya, but with Durian instead of Coconuts and it's got a bit more texture. Basic recipe will be Durian, coconut milk and sugar I think.

So here we have a Vanilla cupcake with Serawa Durian filling (and you can see it's really generous) and it's topped off with cream cheese frosting and a little bit of santan and gula melaka drizzle.

If you love Durian - this is for you. If you love Serawa Durian - this is for you.
Even if you don't, you should try this because you can't get this anywhere else as far as I know.
It's really a nice bite and great for dessert and also to bring along when visiting people or to bring for a party or pot-luck. Confirmed talking point one!! Confirmed no one else bringing Serawa Durian cupcakes (unless the also ordered from One Cupcake a Day!)

It's $3.50 per cupcake so just nice you can grab a box or 2!
You can check out their Instagram for more great pictures of all the yummy makan they make and you can place your orders via onecupcakeaday@gmail.com

But guess what!! GREAT NEWS!!!

One Cupcake A Day will be at the Pesta Raya 2014 being held at the Esplanade!!

Between 29-31 August, head down to the Esplanade for Pesta Raya 2014 where you can catch some great shows including musical acts and plays too! Som really famous names are going to be there!


But for a famous name in cupcakes - head down to the Pasar Pesta    located at the Esplanade Upper Concourse between 5pm to 9pm and that's where you can get your fix of delicious and unique cupcakes!!


One Cupcake A Day will be featuring not only their superb Serawa Durian cupcakes but also their familiar favourites like Uniquely Melayu (aka the Nasi Lemak Cupcake!!), Gado-Gado Satay and also new and unique flavours like Pengat Pisang, Onde-Onde and Kampong Mix!!


So remember to head down to Pesta Raya not only to catch the great shows and acts on display but also to get some power cupcakes too!! Spread the word to your friends and make an outing with the family that weekend!

One Cupcake A Day

www.onecupcakeaday.com
http://instagram.com/onecupcakeaday

Order at  onecupcakeaday@gmail.com

Satay Boy - SB Mee Rebus and Tahu Goreng

So you all remember our first visit to Satay Boy right?
That's right. This is the place with the #KTTF Wings! Well, we've got something else this time.
And believe it or not - Satay Boy is actually really famous for this dish!

Mee Rebus Paru ($4.00)

Satay Boy's mum actually handles this end of the stall and we are talking about some really old school Mee Rebus here. And you can really make it a full meal if you're up for it!

I guess for Mee Rebus the most important part is the kuah.
Noodles and garnishing is not too complicated but getting the taste and consistency of the kuah is the toughest part of a good serving of Mee Rebus.

I'm glad to say that the Mee Rebus here definitely passes the test! The kuah is tasty and just the right consistency. It's not super thick and it doesn't get too watery too quickly even if you take your time to savour the dish.

The serving of noodles is really generous and to top if off, some Paru aka Beef Lung really hits the spot if you're looking for some extra bite in your Mee Rebus.

But that's not all! They actually have more Mee Rebus Combos for you if you're up for it!
Tetel, Ayam, Hati Ayam, Tongkeng Ayam, Kaki Ayam and even Babat can be added to your Mee Rebus!! Feeling super hungry? Then go for the MEE REBUS ALL OUT which includes everything you see above! LOL paradise for some I'm sure!!

Tahu Goreng ($3.00)

Never realized until today that Mein Brudder is actually the Tahu Goreng guy.
Apparently, he gives this his seal of approval too.

Pretty standard dish of tahu with some peanut gravy which was actually pretty tasty. Generous serving of cucumber and bean sprouts too. I didn't really have much because I was stuffed with the Tahu Goreng but I know the gravy was definitely tasty.

Adam's Verdict:
Mee Rebus Paru 4/5 -- Tahu Goreng 2.5/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Tahu Goreng 3/5

So when you visit Satay Boy, you actually have quite a wide array of choices to choose from.
Besides the #KTTF wings, got Mee Rebus, Soto and even Tahu Goreng. I'll bet you have a hard time choosing when you get there because confirmed wanna makan all LOL.

And don't forget to check out updates on the Satay Boy Instagram page to check if they are open/closed.
http://instagram.com/satayboy#

OKAY HERE'S A BIG UPDATE WE JUST GOT TODAY!!

If you wanna try the SB Mee Rebus, you have to head down ASAP because it is RETIRING!!!
After the 25th of August 2014, you will most likely not be able to buy the famous SB Mee Rebus anymore!!

So head down while you still can before you regret!
The Halal Food Blog Team can proudly say it has tried SB Mee Rebus!

Satay Boy

Inside Hawa Restaurant
Blk 537 Bedok North Street 3

Tel: 9690 4269
www.facebook.com/satayboy88

Operating Hours: 12pm til 9pm Tuesdays til Sundays
Closed on Mondays

The Quest For Briyani Part 7: Bismillah Biryani

So a couple of readers had left some comments on our last installment of The Quest For Briyani Part 6 when we visited Saffron. And the same name kept popping up - Bismillah Biryani.

And it never really clicked until one day, one of our guest reviewers Raffiq, says he wants to bring us to what he calls "the best biryani" in Singapore. "Power!!" he says. Okay sure but where is this place?
And then he says it - "It's called... Bismillah Biryani".

Okay set!

So we make our way one sunny afternoon to Dunlop Street for this famous briyani.
And the first thing we noticed when we arrive at the shop is this sign.

You sure or not? Is it that tasty that we don't need any Dalcha? Is the rice so moist an fluffy that we don't need any gravy?

And then the next thing we noticed was the signboard with the prices. But more on that later.
Time for some briyani!

Kid Goat Biryani ($15.00)

Firstly - Yes. It's Kid Goat as in the young goat.
Secondly - Yes. It costs $15. But more on that later.

Overall, I have to say I found the serving quite small for the price I was paying. The most expensive briyani I've had cost me about $9 and it was a HUGE serving enough for 2 people but this one here looked like I might still be a bit hungry at the end of it.

But since it costs so much and the serving is not that big, that means they must really be confident with the taste of the briyani. So is it really that nice?

As you can see the rice is top grade Basmati. I didn't quite get the fragrant aroma of briyani you get when they first bring you the dish but I got a bit of it later which is actually quite weird. And I was right... the serving was way too small for a big eater.

The kid goat meat was really really tender. Again, the serving of meat was lesser than I expected but the little bit of meat I had was very tender. And not only was there no dalcha, there was no masala on the meat either!

So where exactly does the flavour come from?
Well, it seems they use a lot of dry spices in this briyani. Found lots of peppercorns, star anise, cloves etc in the rice and I guess that's where it comes from. Raffiq could definitely taste the spices and it seemed to be really spicy to him too.

I think the spiciness he was experiencing was from the accompanying dish of yoghurt which has onions and green chilli in it too. I thought yoghurt was normally served to cool you down when eating something spicy.... Hmmmmm...

Chicken Biryani ($8.00)

I think that after seeing how tender the chicken was, there is no doubt that their cooking method must be really solid because the meats here are really tender and well cooked. I guess the only thing I'm having a problem getting used too is the whole flavour issue.

Bismillah Biryani prides itself on its philosophy that it wants to serve you "good tasting" food but wants to make sure it's healthy for you too. "Taste counts but your health matters most".

This will explain why they do not use any Ghee in their briyani and also why there are no accompanying dishes of dalcha or acar and also no masala in their briyani. And somehow along the way of making this healthy dish, the prices seem to have gone through the roof.

I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound like some cheapskate but the briyani here is expensive.
I normally have the mutton (which costs $12 here) but we visited on a day where they only had Kid Goat and Chicken which cost $15 and $8 respectively.

Am I the only one who thinks that the prices are a little bit too much?

And I'm not saying that the briyani tasted bad. Not at all. It may not have been the best briyani I've ever had nor the worst tasting one either. But it's definitely the most expensive!!

Mango Lassi ($5.00)

And to add insult to injury, we wanted to have some coffee or tea after our meal but they didn't have any. So I ordered a Mango Lassi thinking to myself "Wah this Lassi surely gonna be the bomb one!".

So you can imagine my shock when the guy comes back 10 seconds later and plonks this bubble tea cup in front of me with Mango Lassi. And judging by the time he took to come back, this was obviously out a fridge and pre-prepared. I couldn't help but laugh a little...

Adam's Verdict:
Kid Goat Biryani 3/5

Azlan's Verdict:
Chicken Biryani 3.5/5

Raffiq's Verdict:
Chicken Biryani 3.5/5

I guess I'm glad we visited Bismillah Biryani so I could finally get it out of my system since everyone was raving about it. Again I say - there's nothing wrong with the briyani. But you gotta admit that the high price does kind of put you off a little doesn't it?

And I guess my idea of briyani is a little different. This may very well be authentic briyani according to some people. I guess I'll still be going back to joints like Saffron.

And by the way - Raffiq has tried all 3 versions (Kid Goat, Mutton and Chicken) and he says that the Mutton Biryani is actually the best!

Monday / Thursday / Sunday - Kid Goat
Wednesday / Friday / Saturday - Mutton
Every day - Chicken & Vegetarian

Bismillah Biryani

50 Dunlop Street

Operating Hours: 11.30am til 3.00pm / 5.30pm til 9.00pm Daily
Closed on Tuesdays (Unless it's a public holiday)

Satay Boy - SB Wings

So we received a Facebook message from one of our readers months upon months ago to check out this place called Satay Boy located in Bedok.

So what was the draw at Satay Boy? Well, the message said to try the "Kick To The Face Chicken Wings" aka #KTTF Wings and it was accompanied by a picture of some chicken wings. I have to tell you - when someone says there's a food that will "kick you in the face", we gotta try it right!!!

So we tried to pay Satayboy a visit but unfortunately, we dropped by on a day when they were unfortunately closed... :(
But no! We refuse to give up! We want to be 'kicked in the face'!!!

So finally, we made our way down one sunny afternoon.
And to be honest, almost tak jadi because of an electrical fault (no electricity = no oven = no wings) but I guess luck was on our side!

Kick To The Face Chicken Wings ($1.70 per wing)

Take a close look at that picture and you can see why it's called 'Kick to the Face Chicken Wings'.
Can you see the Chilli Padi seeds? That's right. The sauce that coats these wings is made up of Chilli Padi and we're talking about PURE Chilli Padi and no additives!!

When the wings arrived, we got a big whiff and the unmistakeable aroma of the Chilli Padi. It even smelled spicy!! Seriously!!

To be honest I think Mein Brudder and I can handle quite a bit of spice (thanks to our Mum) but even we were feeling a bit worried to be honest. These wings were really living up to their name so far.

One bite and we can safely say that you can definitely taste the Chilli Padi flavour. The wings were tender and so well-cooked that the flesh just tears easily off the bone when you pull. But prepare to get your hands dirty because the best way to eat chicken wings is with your fingers!! Just be careful not to wipe your eyes!

The sauce is definitely spicy! But the good thing is that is not overpoweringly spicy that it's not edible. We've heard about Chicken Wings that have levels of spicy but it's just heat with no flavour.
Glad to say that this is not the case with Satayboy because you get the heat but you can still enjoy the flavour of the chicken and the Chilli Padi.

The heat does dissipate after awhile but you know your mouth has been set on fire for awhile.
I was really sweating let me tell you that!! But when the heat went away, we were so proud of ourselves. Chey! Action like we power like that can tahan. And then we found out that what we had was not the spiciest level yet... Ooops!!

Sweet & Spicy Wings ($1.50 per wing)

But for those of you who are not such 'hantu cili', no problem! Satayboy has you covered!
You can still enjoy the tender and tasty chicken but with a sweet and 'spicy' sauce instead. I know it says 'spicy' but it's really not spicy at all to be honest!

A good choice for those who are not looking for such a spicy kick or maybe even a warm up for those who are looking to tackle the higher levels.

We were graced with Satayboy's aka Luqman's company as we chomped down on our #KTTF wings and we have to say it was nice talking to him. Someone with a good honest idea and looking to carry on a legacy but on his own terms. Good to see the new generation working hard and The Halal Food Blog is more than happy to support!

They have more stuff at Satayboy including their famous SB Mee Rebus which we will try and review in future. And of course - the higher levels of the #KTTF Wings!!!

PS be sure to check out updates on the Satay Boy Instagram page to check if they are open/closed or if the #KTTF wings are in stock. They are so popular that they sell out all the time!
http://instagram.com/satayboy#

Satay Boy

Inside Hawa Restaurant
Blk 537 Bedok North Street 3

Tel: 9690 4269
www.facebook.com/satayboy88

Operating Hours: 12pm til 9pm Tuesdays til Sundays
Closed on Mondays

Texas Chicken: Jalapeño TXtreme Chicken

Saw this poster for Texas Chicken's latest promo offering and I have to say it did actually seem very inviting. But that was around mid-July which meant we'd have to wait til after Ramadhan to get our hands on this chicken to truly enjoy it.

Well, the time had come and we made our way down to Texas Chicken to see if this new promo Jalapeño TXtreme Chicken lived up to its name.

Jalapeño TXtreme Chicken Meal ($8.20)

So the Jalapeño TXtreme Chicken meal comes with 2 pieces of chicken, a side order (choose either French Fries, Mashed Potatoes, Coleslaw or Onion Rings), a drink and also a Honey Butter Biscuit (more on that later) for good measure.

So what exactly makes the Jalapeño TXtreme Chicken so special anyways?
Well, a little research showed that they really take their chicken seriously at Texas Chicken!!

The new Jalapeño TXtreme Chicken boasts 3 things - being Spicy, Juicy and Crunchy! And how do they achieve that? Well first they marinate the chicken in a mix of jalapeño and habanero peppers, plus garlic and a whole load of other spices for no less than 12 hours. Next, they ensure the chicken is hand-battered to make sure each piece of chicken is evenly battered to guarantee the super crunch. And lastly, they sprinkle on some of their signature salsa seasoning on to the chicken.

Signature salsa seasoning

If they're gonna go through all that trouble then it had better be good right...
WELL IT'S REALLY GOOD!

Let me start of by saying that one of the best things we enjoyed about this Jalapeño TXtreme Chicken is that the batter coating is REALLY crunchy! And in a good way! I know we've heard it all before but they're not kidding here and it was great to have some nice crispy and crunchy batter-coated chicken to bite into and feel (and hear) that crunch!

And the chicken was tender and juicy too. I always have the breast meat which I know a lot of people might actually avoid because they say it's always too dry but this was really tender and not dried out at all. Perfect frying technique!

You can definitely taste the spices they have generously incorporated here but those of you who can tahan spicy food probably won't have too much of a problem. I know a few people who will consider this really spicy though so get some extra drinks if you need! Don't be shy!

And I know it's not a new item but since this was the first time I was trying it I thought why not include it here...

Honey Butter Biscuit

I've only had Biscuits with Fried Chicken at Popeyes (as I'm sure most of you have too) and this was the first time I was trying the biscuits at Texas Chicken... And after my first few bites, I suddenly realized that THIS HONEY BUTTER BISCUIT WAS THE BOMB!!

The honey and the butter really give it a delicious taste but not overpowering at all.
The outside was nice and crisp but the inside was still soft and fluffy and tasty. Plus it did not crumble when you tear the biscuit apart too!

I'm even going to go as far as to say that in the Battle of the Biscuits,
TEXAS CHICKEN WINS!!

The Jalapeño TXtreme Chicken is only going to be available for a limited time (no idea when they're gonna end the promo though) so be sure to head down and try some while you can. Texas Chicken has about 10 restaurants island-wide so you can't miss it!!

Texas Chicken

10 restaurants island-wide
http://www.texaschicken.com.sg

Operating Hours: 10.00am til 10.00pm Daily

Koolwerkz Frozen Dessert

Hey everyone! How's your Raya going? Busy I know but surely enjoyable!
Well, here's some light reading for you while in transit and some useful information about something The Halal Food Blog is very happy to support!

Koolwerkz has been around since 2005 and it's a wonder we'd never heard of it sooner.
So what is it exactly they do? Well, they make forzen desserts namely - Ice Cream!!
And what's special about Koolwerks anyways?

For starters, Koolwerkz is actually set-up and run by Temasek Polytechnic!
That's right! This is actually an off-campus manufacturing plant (the first of its kind in Singapore) that gives students a chance to have a hands-on experience! And it's not limited to just TP students either.

And since it's run by the students, this means that pretty much everything comes from their own minds and hard work. The designing of the packaging, the labour in making the ice cream, the packing and the storing - all done by the students!

Students hard at work

By putting the students in charge, this provides broad based entrepreneurship and food manufacturing training for students across various disciplines just like I mentioned earlier.

For now, they make 4 flavours - Dark Chocolate, French Vanilla, Strawberry and Mango!
Pretty fancy right! Not bad if I do say so myself!

I actually got to sample the Strawberry Ice Cream FRESH off the belt and it was the bomb!
Okay so I guess the fact that Strawberry is my favourite ice-cream flavour plays a big part but I also tried the Dark Chocolate and it was good too!

Just one catch though - you can't really buy these commercially for now.
But don't worry - there are other ways you can get your hands on these ice-creams! How?
Well, if you have an event or a school function, why not get these ice-creams for the event?

Sports Day? Open House? Charity Event? Wedding? Birthday Party? The list goes on!
Basically you can have some great ice-cream at your event while supporting this student-run project!
And it's not going to cost you a bomb!

And in case you were still wondering about the ice-cream itself, not only is it yummy, but it's also healthy too! Less fat, less sugar, lower calories, less cholesterol, no trans-fat. It's even got the Health Promotion Board's 'Healthier Choice' logo there! And of course - certified Halal by MUIS!

So why not show some support and have some great ice-cream at the same time.
If you have any enquiries or if you'd like to place an order, you can contact Ms Fatin Lyana via email at flyana@tp.edu.sg or call her at 67804005.

If you want to arrange for a site visit Koolwerks (it'd be a really cool excursion!!) then please contact Mr Wong Yoon Chron at wongyc@tp.edu.sg or 67806429.

Just be prepared to use a hair net! (Yes, I had to wear one!)

So remember to check Koolwerkz out and try them the next time for your event okay!
Support the students!!

The Jelly Hearts

Hey all! Hope it's been a great Raya so far!

So my darling wife and I are always heading to Downtown East to watch a movie every once in awhile and obviously also to have some good eats.

I remember the first time we saw Jelly Hearts was when we went to Yumen Hut to review the food.
Literally along the same row is The Jelly Hearts so we stopped to take a look because the cakes all looked so yummy. But alas, we found out it was not yet certified Halal so we decided to wait.

Well just over half a year later, we are glad to announce that The Jelly Hearts has been officially certified Halal and we can all now whack their goodies lol. But what goodies exactly?

Classic Original Cream Cheese ($3.60 for 2)

So you guys know cheesecake right? I'm talking specifically about the type of cheesecake with a layer of jelly on top? Well, that's what The Jelly Hearts does and they do it well too!

Added creativity by adding fruits and different flavours too! (You'll see what I mean in awhile)

Right below you have a layer of Graham Crackers which gives you that nice cookie crunch.
Next layer is a nice smooth cream cheese. Cheesecake lovers will know the joy of having a tasty cheesecake and this definitely fits the bill! And last but not least, topped off with a layer of jelly and some fruit too.

The Original has Strawberry Jelly with actually Strawberries carved into the shape of a heart!
That's right.. REAL STRAWBERRIES!

And you can see form that picture above alone how precise the art of making these delightful little squares of joy is. Truly work of art... too bad I'm still gonna eat them!!

Well, you can order those little square ones if you'd like. If you've got a big group, you can always buy more for cheaper of course. One square is actually $3.00 but you can buy 25 square for $40.00.
Good deal or what!!

But if you're looking for something bigger, they also have nice big cakes for you too!
Perfect for celebrations and parties. They can even carve the strawberries into alphabets so you can have a special message on the cake!!

A 6" cake is about $28.00 and enough for 6-9 people. You can go all-out and get the 12" for $118.00 and that should feed about 40-50 people. Or just ONE OF ME. (Seriously)

Well if Strawberries are not your thing, there also other choices for you too.
They've got Mango and Lychee! I was lucky to try the latest addition to the range - The Blueberries Cheesecake!

One thing I noticed about the fruits, whether it was strawberries or blurberries, is that they fruit was always sweet! Definitely a good thing since we're having cheesecake!

Besides choosing your fruits, you also have to choose which type of Cheesecake you'd like!
The Classic Original is always a good choice. For more creative ones, check out the Rainbow Cheesecake! Looks good right!

They also have good ol' Chocolate and even Oreo too! Confirmed to be a big hit at parties and gatherings! They actually have a lot more creative ones (like a Mahjong Cake!!!). Check out the full range at their website okay!

I guess this is really something unique and I'm glad they finally decided to get certified Halal.
Yeah I know it's something that we can actually make at home if we have the time but it's not easy to replicate a good quality result and The Jelly Hearts seems to have perfected the art of the Jelly Cheesecake.

Great ideas for parties (especially kids parties), dinner at home with the family or even with colleagues at the office. If you really want to think out of the box, you can order from The Jelly Hearts for your special event like your Bridal/Bay Shower, Engagement or maybe even your wedding too! Definitely something that will make your guests buzz with excitement!

The Jelly Hearts

1 Pasir Ris Close
E!Hub @ Downtown East @02-111

Tel: 6583 8782
www.thejellyhearts.com
www.facebook.com/thejellyhearts

Operating Hours: 11.00am til 9.30pm Daily

The Chicken Rice Chronicles Part 6: Fitra Chicken Rice

Well we're already at the end of Ramadhan and we've run out of special posts for the month so we've decided to release the next installment of The Chicken Rice Chronicles!

"Chicken Rice Chronicles? What the heck is that?"
If you're not sure what we're talking about, you might wanna read THIS first...

And this time we are at another reader-recommended Chicken Rice joint in the East this time!

Chicken Rice (4.50)

Fitra is located in Century Square's Food Junction now (I heard it used to be in the now closed Food Culture) and they serve all kinds of goodies like noodles and the likes. But some of our readers pointed out that the Chicken Rice at Fitra was worth checking out.

And since it's nearby for us, we decided to drop by after some shopping!

Maybe I'm just being fussy but I feel that the guy who cut up my chicken was lazy.
You may not be able to see it in the picture but there was still some parts of the chicken which I guess I don't normally get when I have Chicken Rice at other places. I'm talking about small things like the excess gristle etc.

I guess overall the chicken was quite tender but not as tender as some other places. I am basing this on a Roasted Chicken standard of course. Wasn't too fantastic taste-wise either.

Found the rice a tad dry. You can see from that picture how dry it is.
Not too bad when you eat it all at one go withe the chicken and the chilli though. Add some soup if you must!

Despite all that, I think I was most disappointed with the chilli.
If the chilli is goof, I think I could have been more forgiving with the chicken and the rice.

It was watery and I wasn't really enjoying it very much.
I'm a bit fan of the type of chilli which has quite a bit of vinegar in it but even that could not redeem this one. It does have a bit of a spicy kick to it which might be why some people like it I guess.

Adam's Verdict:
Chicken Rice 1.5/5

Unfortunately this was not the best of the series so fare...
Why oh why do the nice Chicken Rice joints always seem to be so far away!!

Oh well, maybe we'll have more luck next time.

Fitra Chicken Rice

Food Junction @ Century Square
#03-20/29

Tel: 6781 3114

Operating Hours:
10.30am til 9.30pm Daily