Jang Won Korean Restaurant @ Mosque Street

This was one of the suggestions from Hence and Tracy when I asked about Korean restaurants to try. This shop was quite peculiarly situated as it is nestled amongst the many Chinese eateries in the area. Directly opposite of Hotel Mono, if you need any landmark.

outdoor signage

ooh, looks like a KBBQ place

Another discovery, was that its actual menu is different from the online menu. When enquired, staff informed that there was a slight change in menu and the online version have not been updated. Hmmph... was disappointed as I wanted to eat the gyeran mari (rolled omelette) which is now not in the menu.

Nevertheless, settled on trying their KBBQ Pork and Beef Set for 2 pax (@$78++), which came with banchans, a small gyeran jjim and a small stew (limited selections).

And, of course, I added a beer. This time, trying out Terra which the staff said is the trending brand in Korea. Oooh, looks like Terra is from the same company as Hite.

Terra Beer @$12++

The beer is a pure lager, and tasted refreshing in our hot humid weather. Lovely.

getting ready to BBQ!

Six banchans were served and there's cabbage kimchi, cucumber kimchi, beansprouts, fish cake strips, potato strips and boiled broccoli.

banchans

kimchi and cucumber

big flavours potato

The steamed egg and the small stew were served piping hot.

Steamed Egg (gyeran jjim 계란찜)

Wendy was feeling adventurous that day, and she opted for fermented bean paste stew (cheonggukjang). We could smell it when it was brought out and before reaching our table.

The boss was amused and enquired if we had tried this before. We shook our heads and he went on to explain the nutritional and flavour of the dish. Keke.

Fermented Bean Paste Stew (cheonggukjang 청국장)

There was plenty of ingredients inside, like small tofu cubes, diced onions and radish, spring onions and fermented beans. Tasted like doenjang but hits your nostrils with a somewhat pungent but bearable smell before you take a taste. Hahaaa, healthy wholesome flavours.

pork belly and prime ribs on the grill

all the yums

The marinated meats at Jang Won was rather mild. Definitely needed the ssamjang or the sesame oil with salt dip. The meat texture was good and the grill could get pretty hot at times hence, be careful not to leave out the meat too long otherwise, it'd char at the bottom.

Another discovery was... the ssamjang sauce and the kimchi, were all not spicy. Not sure why though as I forgot to ask about it.

pork collar

I enjoyed the pork collar texture more than the pork belly. Overall, it was nice if you don't mind the milder flavours.

And yes, we smelled like BBQ after the meal. While we were there, I spied other tables who ate non-BBQ stuffs like rice meal, or japchae with rice. The japchae smelled really nice. Maybe, next time I'll try that.

Jang Won

Address: 44 Mosque St, #01-01, Singapore 059522

Website: http://www.jangwon.com.sg/

Contact: 6532 6949

Business Hours:

Daily:  11:30am–2:30pm, 5:30–10pm

Dim Sum Brunch at Spring Court 詠春园 Upper Cross Street

It was those days when dining in was possible in maximum groups of five. Public holidays and weekends are sure recipe for maximum headache when finding a place to dine out. Had a craving for dim sum and most places were already fully booked, but managed to secure a table at Spring Court for 11am. Had dined here prior with the makan kakis, so came back to try some other items.

Arrived before 11am and already there was a queue to get in. They were not opened for business yet, so the young and old were queuing outside and seemed like there were two lines. I opted for the one that was in the shaded area.

finally at the entrance

Was finally let in after queuing for half hour. The staff checked the reservation and informed that the seating time limit was just one hour. This came as a surprise as the reservation site did not indicate as such. Hence, he relented and added another half hour. Ok, thank you for accommodating but best if it was stated clearly during reservation to avoid any future frustrations.

So, the game plan is to order quickly so that we have time to enjoy the food. The place was really packed and bustling with families, mostly. Some, looks like all three generations are present.

condiments tray (removed shortly after)

yummy pickled radish

Tea and pickles are chargeable at $3.30++ per head. Tea is refillable (add water to the pot), but not sure about the pickles though. I liked the pickles, and don't mind if I can have another portion. Hehe.

Baked Char Siew Bun @$3.80++

Baked Char Siew Bun (insides)

The staff said the baked buns are weekends limited edition. Ok, can. Am easily convinced. Smallish and tasted sweet savoury. Liked that it was non-oily. 

When ordering dim sum, the de facto would be har gao and siew mai, so we got those. And also one, basket of xiao long bao to try.

Ha Kau Dumpling @$5.80++

Siew Mai @$6.20++

Shanghai Dumpling @$4.80++

We ate the har gao and siew mai first, then the Shanghai dumplings. By then, the skin on the Shanghai dumplings had hardened considerably with the top fold, being thick. Hence, least enjoyed this item.

Beef Innards Claypot @$12.80++

Best dish that day for me, was the comforting beef innards claypot because it was served hot. There's tripe, some brisket, fried beancurd and vegetables. Lovely with a hint of herbal.

Next up, a dish that everyone liked. The Wafer Prawn Chee Cheong Fun. There's thin crispy fried fritters inside wrapped within those silky smooth rice flour sheets and drizzled with soy. It was good the last time we tried it, and still good this time round.

Wafer Prawn Chee Cheong Fun @$6.80++

And for desserts, the custard lava buns. Super good but very intense. One is enough.

Liu Sha Bun @$4.80++

dripping good

At that time, there was credit card promotion for OCBC card holders and we got 15% off the bill. Nice!

Spring Court 詠春园

Address: 52-56 Upper Cross St, Singapore 058348

Website: https://www.springcourt.com.sg/

Contact: 6449 5030

Business Hours:

Mon - Thurs: 11am–2:30pm, 6–10pm

Fri - Sun: 11am–2:30pm, 5:30–10pm

[Tasting] Kakurega (The Lair ) 隠れ家 Japanese Sake Bar @ 12 Smith Street

"Ms, do you want to drop at Temple side or, which side? Smith Street, there's two sides." The Grab driver asked. My mind whirled for a few seconds before I answered, "I'm not sure. But I'd be going there to eat." He nodded knowingly.

Well, the street sign stated "Smith Street", so I was at the right drop-off. If walk towards my left, the unit numbers seemed to be getting bigger. Ok, let's turn on the Google map for directions. I was just one minute away from Kakurega. The restaurant is within the Food Street.

shopfront

yes, I'd be at Level 2

neighbouring shops

And so, Safe Entry and temperature checked, before guests were ushered to their table. There are tables at Level 1 to Level 3. The washrooms are at Level 1 and Level 2.

into the Lair

interior

online menu

As with any drinking places, let's start with some Zensai 前菜. There's Eihire (stingray fin), Kawahagi (dried leather jacket) and Kawaebi Karaage (deep fried shrimps).

(top to bottom) Kawahagi かわはぎ, Kawaebi かわえび and Eihire エイヒレ

かわえび @$7.80

かわはぎ @$6.80

エイヒレ @$7.80

My favourite snack was the Eihire as it had both savoury and sweet flavours. The Kawahagi came close at second place especially the tasty 'burnt' parts.

what would you like to drink today?

For our table, we tried the Issyou Koufuku Junmai Ginjo 一生幸福純米 sake @ $98/$168 for 720ml/1800ml. The sake is from Yamagata Prefecture and with polishing of 50%.

staff explaining more about the sake

let's choose a pretty cup

sake

The sake was nicely smooth and easy to drink. Sweet too. But be aware of its 15% ABV, so a few cups of it would already set one up for a good buzz. The Shime Saba Aburi (lightly torched cured mackerel), paired well with the sake.

Shime Saba Aburi (Flame-Seared Cured Mackerel) @ $10.80  

meaty

If you are in the mood for skewers (yakitori), here are some photos of what we had. Was surprised by the light tasting Tori Momo and was informed that this was intentional, due to past feedback from patrons. Healthier taste.

It was somewhat unfortunate that the Mozzarella Chizu Maki that I had, was overcooked (burnt) that night.

Aspara Bacon (Asparagus wrapped in Bacon) @ $3.80 - per skewer

Tori Momo (Chicken Thigh) and Buta Enoki (Enoki Mushroom wrapped in Pork) @ $3.80 per skewer

Mozzarella Chizu Maki (Creamy Mozzarella wrapped in Beef Short Plate) @$6.80 per skewer

Chashu Ringo Sauce (Pork Belly with Apple Sauce) - $6.80

I prefer the pork belly skewer with apple sauce as the flavours were stronger. However, the fats could be grilled a tad more.

Another popular item to order at Japanese Sake Bar, would be the tori karaage. True enough, the other tables on my day of visit, seemed to have ordered this as well.

Niwatori Karaage (Deep-Fried Chicken with Sesame Dressing) @ $6.80

My favourite charcoal grilled item that night, was the Hotate Mentai. Served aplenty with umami mentaiko sauce.

Hotate Mentai (Scallop with Mentai Sauce) @ $6.80

yummy

If you prefer beef, there's the Gyu Tataki plate. If not wrong, there's an on-going promo with UOB credit card holders with offer of 1-for-1. Do enquire from the restaurant on the terms and conditions.

Gyu Tataki (230g Meltique Beef with Garlic Chips) @ $18.80

Staff are friendly and accommodating. Be careful when you are exiting from the Level 1 washroom, as the door swings outwards.

The ambiance at Kakurega is cosy and I have enjoyed the sake, the zensai and items from the charcoal grill such as the hotate mentai.

Thank you Jennifer for the invitation and Kakurega for hosting the tasting.

***PROMO ALERT***

All-You-Can-Drink Liquid Buffet @ $59

• 2 Hours Free Flow of Selected Japanese Sake & Asahi Beer
• Yamagata Issyou Koufuku Junmai
• Yamagata Issyou Koufuku Junmai Ginjo
• Hakkaisan Honjozo
• Asahi Draft Beer

Available Monday to Saturday, 5pm -10.30pm

Reserve now on http://bit.ly/3faL52v

**************************

Kakurega (The Lair ) 隠れ家

Address: 12 Smith St, Singapore 058926

Website: https://www.kakurega.com.sg/

Contact:  6223 0102

Business Hours:

Sun: Closed

Mon - Sat: 5pm–10:30pm

Lunch at Spring Court 詠春园 @ Upper Cross Street

After we had checked-out from Parkroyal Collections Pickering, the gang decided to have lunch nearby. Dim sum was a good idea and thus, we walked to Spring Court.

Spring Court is an establishment that has been around since 1929 but I have never gotten a chance to dine here for all my life in Singapore. Now thanks to Ivan, Tracy and Hence, I have the great opportunity to share a meal together in this restaurant.

interior

Specials and free wifi

dim sum menu

Chef's recommendation

We ordered some dim sum and some mains. While we waited for the food, the pickles at Spring Court was so so good. Could finish one whole plate on my own.

pickles

Ju-pu (chrysanthemum and pu-er)

For starters, we tried the traditional popiah. Oh, this was by far, the largest roll of popiah I have ever been served with. Ivan called it a burrito. Agreed!

Spring Court Traditional Popiah @$8.20

peekaboo

Crab Meat Roll with Chicken Liver and Salted Egg @$13.80

Another appetiser that we had was the crab meat roll with chicken liver and salted egg. Quite rare to see this. But a tad dry.

Stir Fried Carrot Cake with XO Sauce @$5.80

Recommend the stir fried carrot cake with XO sauce. Tasty and loved the chunky cubes.

For dim sum, what are your must-order? For me, it'd be siew mai and chicken feet. And, char siew bao to know if the place is good. The bao must be fluffy and the fillings should be moist, not too fatty and not too sweet.

siew mai @$5.80

har gao @$5.80

phoenix claw with bean sauce @$4.50

char siew bao @$4.50

piping hot~

Oh, and must order the Cheong Fun with the crispy wafer prawns. There's something about the silky smooth sheet of rice flour, drizzled with savoury soy and each bite yielded crunchy bits of well fried fritter batter and juicy sweet prawns.

Cheong Fun with Crispy Wafer Prawns @$6.20

so good

lunch

Tracy ordered something special. Lamb brisket in claypot. I don't think I've ever came across this dish before! The meat was tender and not too gamey. There's a special sauce that goes with this dish but I'd prefer it without.

Lamb Brisket in Claypot @$24

Last dish was the fried mee sua with seafood. Small size is quite a lot. This was pretty good. Though I was full, still polished off one bowl. Yums!

Stir Fried Mee Sua with Seafood @22 (small)

Wow. Didn't realise we had 10 dishes shared amongst us. Keke, fierce!

Sweet Yam Paste with Gingko Nuts (Orh Nee) @$6.30

Spent about $35 per pax for such hearty lunch! Appreciate the time spent and looking forward to more makan sessions. Thank you guys!

Spring Court 詠春园

Address: 52-56 Upper Cross St, Singapore 058348

Website: https://www.springcourt.com.sg/

Contact: 6449 5030

Business Hours:

Mon - Thurs: 11am–2:30pm, 6–10pm

Fri - Sun: 11am–2:30pm, 5:30–10pm