Bugis Junction Food Trail 2013: Fish & Co

During my uni days, Fish & Co. used to be the go-to-restaurant whenever we had occasion to celebrate. It's been quite a while, and boy, the menu has undergone some major revamp! (pardon if I sound suaku, but its been many years since I last visited Fish & Co.)

glossy magazine? no, it's da menu

Ok, stop the babbling and let's bring the food out! Starters first.

Clams with Curry Butter (@$11.95++)

(Blue) Mussels with Spicy Marinara Sauce (@$11.95++)

warm bread

Both the clams and mussels were served with warm bread. For light eaters like me, this alone will be enough to fill me up.

Soft Shell Crab Salad (@$11.95++)

Next, for first main course, we sampled a variation of Fish & Chips, the Bombay Fish & Chips. It's like a curried batter with dory fish. Just mild curried flavour. The fish was moist and soft.

Bombay Fish & Chips (@$16.95++)

For people who needs their carbs, here's an aglio olio. Quite liked the Shrimp & Clam Aglio Olio. Tasty and spicy. Probably a good idea to have some iced-cold water on standby. The prawns were firm and cooked just right. However, the amount of oil in this dish seemed a tad too liberal!

Shrimp & Clam Aglio Olio (@$14.95++)

If you must have rice, then how about a Black Pepper Chicken Baked Rice? It's served piping hot, so do be careful with the plates. Rice was fragrant, tasty and very peppery. *sips that iced water*

Black Pepper Chicken Baked Rice (@$13.95++)

black rice

Did I hear someone clamour for more seafood? Here you go:

Grilled Chicken Peri Peri with Scallops (@$18.95++)

Seafood Galore (king prawns, grilled white fish, curry butter clams, chips/rice @$22.95++)

Didn't get to taste any of the scallops as it was snapped up before I could do anything...Hahaa! The peri-peri sauce was nice, but the chicken was under-seasoned hence the flavour depended pretty much on the sauce. The Seafood Galore contained two good sized King Prawns. Impressive-looking.

By the time this post reaches you, Fish & Co. would've launched its new item, the Grilled Fish with Ebiko. Basically grilled white fish slathered generously with ebiko, served with coleslaw and chips. Soft fish, with tiny fish eggs that pops in your mouth? Sounds good. Can't show you the picture as it was already half-devoured by the time I got back to the table.

If you're planning to dine here, do check-out the promotions!

 Fish & Co

Location: #01-90
Tel: 6338 2836
Website: http://www.fish-co.com

Bugis Junction Food Trail 2013: nydc

nydc (or New York Dessert Cafe), was where my friends made me feed mudpie to a stranger, a random guy. That was for a birthday dare. Hahaa, those memories...

Fast forward to April 2013, nydc was our sixth stop of the Bugis Junction Food Trail.  Located at Level 2, we were ushered into the insides of the cafe which was rather cosy.

board menu and red menu

cosy corner

interior decor

Let's start off with some cakes.

Goldmine cheesecake (full size @$68)

Goldmine Cheesecake (@$7.20 per slice)

Boo Boo (@$6.80 per slice / $62 whole)

The Goldmine Cheesecake (New York cheesecake) was compact and dense and loved the choco fudge ontop, while the Boo Boo (chocolate cake) was airy with lots of cream. Good thing all the cakes were not overly sweet. Very nice with a cup of coffee.

Next up, how about having a ménage à trois? What's this proposition! Hahaha, relax. Have a 3-some, a strawberry mudpie where 3 layers of choco chip cookie dough are sandwiched between strawberry, strawberry cheesecake icecream and graham crackers.

3-some (@$11.80 per slice)

Or, may the sweets be with you via the Jedi Mudster, a double choc chip macadamia nut ice-cream on oreo base with homemade cookie chunks, topped with choc fudge and whiped cream.

Jedi Mudster (@$11.80 per slice)

All mudpies should be savoured last! Loved the cold ice, and the sweet sensations that attacks all at once. The bliss.

To further tempt you, scan the QR code below for e-voucher to get 50% off 2nd main course! Promo ends 20 April, so hurry!

NYDC

Location: #02-47/48, Bugis Junction
Website: www.nydc.com.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nydcSG

Bugis Junction Food Trail 2013: Kazokutei

Kazokutei, originated from Osaka, and is well known for its udon. Now, there is no need for us to fly all the way there as we can sample Kazokutei's handmade noodles, right here in Singapore via any of its three outlets; at Bugis Junction, Plaza Singapura and Bishan Junction 8.

menu

from top: zaru soba, sushi and udon (tasting portions only)

cute sushi

Both the soba and udon, were served chilled.

soba

udon

The soba was refreshing and it slides up easily when slurped. Udon was chewier but in a good way. There's just something about the udon that makes you want to eat more.

Here are pictures (showing actual portion) of two items from its menu, courtesy of Kazokutei:

Mix Zaru and Mix Tempura set (@$12.90++)

Shokado Wazen (@$16.90++)

Kazokutei

Location: #02-49, Bugis Junction
Tel: 6338 0187
Website: http://www.kazokutei.com.sg

Bugis Junction Food Trail 2013: Siam Kitchen

Siam Kitchen is located at Level 2 of Bugis Junction and is halal-certified.

Started off with a small bowl of Tom Yum Talay (Tom Yum Seafood Soup). The soup has a tolerable spiciness level that was quite shiok to drink. It's sourness was just right to give it a tangy edge.

Tom Yum Talay

Besides tom yum soup, there were also the salads as appetisers; green papaya salad and mixed salad with beef.

green papaya salad with shrimp flakes (@$7.50++)

Thai mixed salad with NZ beef fillet (Yum Neau Song Kreung) @$8.50++

Both salads are strongly flavoured and I favoured the green papaya salad more for its appetite whetting abilities, while the beef fillets in the Thai mixed salad were tender with a beefy taste.

Also sampled the Deep Fried Whole Garoupa Fish (Pla Gao Tod Sam Road). The fish meat has been filleted out into smaller chunks, so that was quite convenient to eat, and the remaining whole fish bone (including head and tail) was also deep fried to a crisp and presented together on the same plate. Nice. It's quite addictive, popping those fish chunks into the mouth...

Deep Fried Whole Garoupa with chili dip (@$23.90++)

The Siam Siam Grilled Combo Platter comes with four types of meat; chicken, beef, squid and prawns, and grilled to a smokey flavour. Liked the tender chicken, while the beef was slightly dryer.

Siam Siam Grilled Combo Platter (@$22.90++)

Siam Kitchen

Location: #02-46, Bugis Junction
Tel: 6337 3777
Website: www.siamkitchen.com.sg

Bugis Junction Food Trail 2013: Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant （南翔饅頭店）

Located at Level 2 Bugis Junction, right infront of the escalator. Maiden visit! Not sure why, but when I think of Nanxiang, the brain will conjure up a picture of a humongous xiaolong bun, complete with straw to sip up the soup...

Actually, Nanxiang is a town near Shanghai, and is considered the birthplace of xiaolong bao.

restaurant's logo (like a thumbs up~)

table setting

Without further ado, pictures of appetisers:

Nanxiang Drunken Chicken (@$8.50++)

Shanghai Spicy and Sour Soup (@$8.50++)

The drunken chicken was tender and tasted yummy. Not much of wine taste though.

First impression of spicy and sour soup? It was sharply sour! Was informed that the version served here has been tweaked to suit local tastebuds. Meaning that it's less spicy and less oily. Added some black vinegar (available on each table), and the soup's taste became much more agreeable~

Next, was xiaolong mantous or xiao long bao (小笼包).

hot hot hot! Nanxiang Signature Steamed Bun

eat it with vinegar and ginger shreds

Served piping hot, so do eat it with care.

The Nanxiang brand xiao long bao has been around for more than a 100 years, and we're tasting the latest version, so to speak.

鲜肉小笼 (fresh pork dumpling) @$8.80++ for 6 pieces

Dainty little pockets of pork and soup. The soup tasted light with pork meat flavour. The dumpling skin was rather chewy.

Next, was the supersized (comparitively lah..) King Sized Nanxiang Crab Roe Steamed Soup Bun.

King Sized Nanxiang Crab Roe Steamed Soup Bun (蟹黄汤包) @$7.80++

Braving tongue scalding temperatures, we sipped the soup using the straw. Verdict? "鲜"! Which means fresh. Not just any fresh, but sea-fresh. Makes sense? Not the usual strong umami taste of seafood but a lighter sweet kind. Liked this very much!

simply good soup

Next, we sampled the braised lion head (狮子头). Actually thought "狮子头" as a mushroom dish but turned out to be a pork meatballs dish.

braised lion's head

cut section reveals soft, tender meat

Enjoyed the lion's head meatballs, immensely. Tender, bouncy and tasted chestnut bits as well. Sweet,  fresh, and lightly flavoured.

If you need carbs, why not try the "粉皮" (fen pi) dish. It is kway-teow like, but a little firmer and more translucent. Probably tasteless on its own, these starch sheets allowed the crab roe broth to shine through. Eat it with black vinegar for extra oomph. There's a mee sua (rice vermicelli) version of this as well.

fen pi in crab roe broth

almost translucent starch sheets

Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant （南翔饅頭店）

Location: #02-53, Bugis Junction
Website: http://www.nanxiang.com.sg/

Bugis Junction Food Trail 2013: Platypus Kitchen

The good people behind Platypus Kitchen believes that gourmet food should be affordable. Think fresh handmade pasta, quality ingredients, beautifully plated and value-for-money, with all dishes priced below $20. It's also stated in their menu that the food contains no added preservatives, no MSG and made from scratch. Inexpensive, good food made with heart. How's that for your next meal?

One might then wonder if the ambiance is sacrificed? Non. The restaurant is spacious and comfortable with padded seats, and nicely decorated too.

interior

Sampled some dishes from the current Autumn/Winter menu. Plenty of choices for pasta and risotto.

menu

Here are the starters:

Crab Cake and Truffle Fries

Truffle Fries, with generous amount of shaved truffles ($6.90++)

Risotto Balls (@$8.90++)

The Risotto Balls were not much of a looker, but it has quite a nice flavour. Slather on a good amount of pumpkin puree, and you'll get sweet, crunchy, chewy cheesy all in one bite.

mozarella stuffed balls of risotto, breaded in panko and deep fried, with pumpkin puree

Thirsty? Because regular beer is said to be kind of boring, so they've got alcoholic creations such as Momo-Lychee Ale (peach and lychee flavoured) and Smith's Ale (apple and lemon infused). Current beer used is a Mexican beer, Sol.

Momo-Lychee Ale (@$9.90++ ala-carte / $6.90++ as part of a set) 2.9% ABV

Enjoyed the ale. Refreshing on a hot day. Yums. Though pretty low on alcoholic content, do still drink responsibly!

Now, let's take a look at the mains:

Carbonara (egg taglietelle with double smoked bacon in egg-yolk cream sauce @$14.50++)

Squid-ink Scallops Ragout (squid ink taglioni served with seared bay scallops in light garlic-dashi sauce @$16.50++)

Saffron & Caviar Risotto (saffron infused risotto with char-grilled prawns and scallops @$19.90++)

Spicy 'Diablo' Crab & Prawn (egg taglioni with prawns and crab claws tossed in spicy egg sauce @$18.50++)

All the pasta dishes and risotto looked so pretty. The taglietelle was done al-dente and perfect for those who likes chewy, thicker noodles. The carbonara didn't have an overly heavy taste despite the egg-yolk sauce. No worries about teeth stains when having the squid-ink ragout, as the ink has already been incorporated into the dough. In fact, this was a rather light tasting dish. I think I had the risotto a tad too late, as it had turned cold. Sorry chef, next time should eat as soon as it's brought to the table!

Personally, I'd prefer the Spicy 'Diablo' for its less chewy, stronger and more intense flavour (spicy!) and loads of ingredients like that pile of crab claw meat! Lip-smacking good.

For non-pasta main dish, we sampled the Pressed Pork Belly. Tender piece of meat. Belly good! It has a sweet well-rounded flavour from the glaze. Tasty.

Pressed Pork Belly (served with braised apples, carrots, tomatoes in honey & clove apple glaze @19.90++)

Had dessert, the Iced Sea Salt Caramel to round up the meal. Sweet, and crunchy.

Iced Sea Salt Caramel (@$8.90++)

popping candy ontop, and bottom chocolate peanut butter brittle

Platypus Kitchen offers monthly set promotions for both lunch (from $10.90++) and dinner (from $16.90++). Ontop of that, you may want to check-out their facebook page for other claimable offers.

And, continuing the spread of good news...how would you like to get your hands on "Bachelor's Banquet", a cookbook by Nicholas Lin (chef and owner of Platypus restaurants) and Adhika Maxi. Containing 80 elegant recipes and some tips, perfect to recreate an intimate dinner for two.

Just drop me an email to purplerain@gmail.com stating some basic information about yourself (at least tell me your name) and why this cookbook should belong to you. Or, leave your comments here, also can.

Be quick, as there is only one copy to giveaway! (This giveaway is only for people who are residing in Singapore.)

The giveaway is now closed. Thank you for your participation!

Bachelor's Banquet Cookbook

Platypus Kitchen

Location: #03-29, Bugis Junction
Tel: +65 6333 4434
Website: http://www.platypuskitchen.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlatypusKitchen
Twitter: @platypuskitchen