Long Ji 龙记 @ 253 Outram Road

Mention Long Ji and almost automatically, one would associate it with wok hei crab bee hoon (龙记螃蟹米粉). A group of us foodies decided to trudge to this place to try out this popular dish. Reservations is necessary. The restaurant seemed to be favoured by tourists and there were many tables of foreign friends enjoying their meal day on our day of visit. Why, we too brought our foreign friends to try the famed dishes together!

menu

For a table of 11 pax, we ordered two plates of Long Ji Bee Hoon Crab with estimated price for each plate of crab bee hoon to be $70++ per plate, with the crab weighing in at 1kg each. Other dishes include deep fried tofu with cereal and pumpkin sauce, salted egg yolk fried pumpkin strips, green dragon vegetables, prawn paste chicken and fermented pork belly.

cover charge

The noise level in this restaurant was so high till normal conversation with your table mates were almost impossible. We could either shout till our voice gone hoarse, or just eat our meal in silence. The restaurant staff seemed harried as well and at times, could be quite difficult to get their attention.

Plates after plates of bee hoon crab were seen at each of the tables. It's almost certain that everyone who's here at Long Ji would be ordering this. Similarly, our cameras started working once the star dish arrived.

Long Ji Bee Hoon Crab 龙记螃蟹米粉 @ $70++

The first time that I had dry version of crab bee hoon was at De Classic Golden Spoon at Seng Poh Lane. The sauce was of a darker colour and minimal excess as most would have been soaked up by the bee hoon and the wok hei was the best then. That was the epitome of dry bee hoon crab for me. With that gold standard, I was eager to try the Long Ji version. Not sure if the kitchen was in a hurry that day, but while the broth was sweet it just didn't packed that umami punch. The bee hoon could have been braised a tad longer too. Thought the chili sauce provided along with this dish was really good and did its job to elevate the taste of the bee hoon with its spicy-kick and tangy-ness.

Shrimp Paste Chicken 虾酱鸡 @$18++

Shrimp paste chicken was well-fried with juicy moist meat but the shrimp paste taste was a tad lacking. This would be rather suitable for friends who dislike the strong pungent smell of shrimp paste.

The Green Dragon Vegetables is from the chives family. Reminds me of char kway teow, ee-fu noodles, kuchai kueh and the likes. Fried with bean sprouts and offered a refreshing change from the meat-heavy dishes.

Green Dragon Vegetable 青龙菜@$18++

Fermented Pork Belly @$20++

The appetiser somehow managed to appear along with all the main courses. Nevertheless, the Salted Egg Pumpkin was rather enjoyable. Golden brown, thick cut slices of deep fried pumpkin, well coated with that grainy tasty salted egg yolk sauce. Another well loved dish was the deep fried tofu with cereal and pumpkin sauce. There's something about golden deep fried that they did very well here.

Salted Egg Pumpkin 咸蛋金瓜 @$18++

Deep Fried Tofu with Cereal and Pumpkin Sauce 麦香豆腐 @$16++

All in all, it was great dining with fellow foodies. Great to have met @batamliciouz and @singaporeliciouz
and it was a pleasure to have gathered with Damien, Jennifer, Justin, Kris, Ivan, Shermaine and Tiara.

Expect to spend about $30 per pax for a group of 10 pax.

Long Ji 龙记

Address: 253 Outram Rd, 169049
Contact: 9790 5682
Opening Hours: 
Daily 5pm to 10.30pm

JB Ah Meng Kitchen 新山亚明小厨 @ 2 Lorong 23 Geylang

It was ripe time again for a zhichar gathering. All it took was for one party to suggest and the rest of us to come to an agreed date and time. Gotta love my foodie pals!

This time round, we explored the foodie haven of Geylang. Ok. The word 'explored' was probably exaggerated as all we did was to convene at this one place; JB Ah Meng.

Took a cab there and discovered that Lorong 23 has 2 stretch of road and hence, was unceremoniously dropped off by taxi uncle as he said he doesn't know where it is. Sure, I just needed to choose one side and walk ahead. Headed towards where the bright lights were (away from the industrial buildings) and soon enough, found the place at the end of Lorong 23.

Imagine dingy backlane, warm stuffy air, hot tasty food and sometimes someone running away from something. Yeah, this is the place to experience all those.

glimpse into the kitchen

I was the last one to arrive and at a good timing too as food was just served and ready to eat. Let's see what we had. Here's our menu for that night:

• J.B San Lou Meehoon (L)
• Salted Egg Prawn Ball (M)
• Crab Roll Fritter (S)
• Snake Beans with Lotus Roots (M)
• Fried Black Hokkien Noodles (M)
• White Pepper Crabs (2 pieces)
• Kurobuta Boneless Pork Collar (S)
• Fermented Bean with Belly Pork (S)

Amazing selection, and am even more amazed as all the above were consumed by just the 6 of us. Two guys and 4 gals. Wow!

Let the feast begin. The plate of beehoon was nondescript. Not as charred nor 'chaotar' as initially thought. There were some greens that was hidden in the mid-section of the dish. Otherwise, it was just charred rice vermicelli with sprouts, eggs and leafy greens.

JB San Lou Meehoon (新山三楼米粉) @$14  (Large)

Crab Roll Friter (蟹冬双拼) @$12 (Small)

The crab roll fritter was quite interesting, especially the crispy stuff. Tapioca? Nah. It was actually deep fried kway teow sheets. Sweet, spicy and the texture of the crab roll was actually soft.

Fermented Bean with Belly Pork (南乳炸花肉) @$12 small)

The deep fried pork belly in fermented bean curd paste was rather light. Pleasant and enjoyable but wished its taste could be stronger.

The deep fried salted egg prawn ball was a pretty huge plate for a medium. The prawns were plump but overly firm. Tasted like pork! So bouncy. Haha! Interesting corn kernels in there but was probably there for crispy texture.

Salted Egg Prawn Ball (咸蛋虾球) @$30 (Medium)

Hokkien Black Noodles @$9 (Medium)

I think we made a mistake in ordering two carbs. But the fried hokkien noodles was rather value for money with a medium sized plate going for just $9! Medium for this is similar to a large plate. It has some pork slices, vege and small prawns in it. If only the sauce was darker, its noodles rounder and perhaps some chicken liver and gizzard in there, plus a bit of lard or two...then it would be even more similar to KL style fried hokkien mee. Well, a girl can only wish...

And for our customary vegetable dish, thought we ordered something interesting as I never had 'snake beans' before. However, it turned out to be....french beans. Oh, alright.... (did you sense the disappointment?)
That aside, I kind of liked this dish. There was french beans, some celery and deep fried lotus roots crisp.
But it was kind of a small plate for $18, so probably not value for money.

Snake Beans with Lotus Roots (蛇豆炒莲藕) @$18 (Medium)

Next up, if you're having white rice, then this next dish would be the perfect combi. The stir-fried kurobuta pork collar in black pepper sauce. Tender slices of pork, in rich strongly flavoured sauce and capsicums. 给我多一碗饭吧！But then, we still have the noodles...oops!

Kurobuta Boneless Pork Collar @$20

Weather was so warm and humid that it demands for some cooling drink. I had the oldenlandia (白花蛇草). An old school favourite with a sprinkling of salt.

drinks, COD

And did you think we were done? Am saving the best for last. My favourite dish of the night, goes to....
Yes, you are right. The white pepper crabs! WooOOhOOo!

White Pepper Crabs @$48

back view

Good sauce, not overpowering, plenty of spring onions and fresh, sweet meaty crab. Not that big in size but it was fresh and sweet. So yummy.

Tummies full, and plates emptied. Backlane eats, our zhichar story. Special thanks goes to foodie gang; Shermaine, Kris, Jennifer, Ivan and Hence. Shared calories, shared memories. Thank you guys!

Elemen 元素 @ Millenia Walk

For our foodies get-together, Elemen @ Millenia Walk was suggested. Rather unusual choice but we gave it a try. One of our new friend liked the place quite a bit and has been there for a few times already. Reservations were made (which we later learnt was quite a necessity) and at the appointed date, we turned up for brunch at Elemen.

Elemen is located at Level 1 of Millenia Walk and was quite easy to find. The shop ambiance was refreshing with a rather spacious dining area.

shopfront

interior

Once seated, diners could peruse the paper menu or via the tablet. When ready, just order via the tablet device. One could opt for course set menus of 5-courses @$23.80++ or 8-courses @$32.80++, or go ala-carte.

menu cum ordering pad

traditional menu

Basically the items in ala-carte are the same as those that you can mix and match into the course sets. For ala-carte menu, the starters price ranges from $2.80++, salads goes for $5.80++ while soups can be as high as $8.80++. Main courses generally either $12.80++ or $15.80++ while desserts are priced at $5.80++, $6.80++ and $8.80++.

Liked the restaurant's versatility in terms of not making it compulsory for everyone at the same table to order all ala-cartes or all course sets. For our group of 9 pax, we ordered 2 x 8-courses set and a few ala-carte mains.

rosemary infused water

(included in 8-Course Set) Elemen Appetiser @$4.80++ and apple cider

Didn't manage to taste the Elemen Appetiser except for the small squares of sesame pudding. Nice intense sesame flavours in the beginning but it finishes with a burnt after taste. The apple cider tasted like a sharp version of apple juice.

tomato looks inviting

Wild Mushroom Cream Soup with Truffle Oil

Double Boiled Maca Soup @$8.80++

We chose soups from western and asian influenced. The mushroom cream soup was thick and not too overpowering. It was unfortunate that by the time I managed to get a sip, the soup had turned cold. With all the items served on the table, it was tough to pay equal attention to each dish. The Asian styled Maca soup was pleasant and tasty.

Avocado Salad with BBQ sauce @$5.80++

Mushroom Salad @$5.80++

Gosh, I think I might had missed out on the avocado salad! Haha, what a bummer. Nevertheless, managed to have a bite of the mushroom salad. It looked pretty cute with the plump stem. Light earthy flavour.

For mains, we ordered mostly Asian items. We tried the Tempura Tofu with Avocado Roll, Oven Baked Mountain Yam with Walnut, Braised Pumpkin with Glutinous Rice in Hot Stone and a relatively new item at Elemen, the Japanese Curry Noodles with Beancurd Roll.

Tempura Tofu with Avocado Roll @$15.80++

The Tempura Tofu with Avocado Roll was done up very nicely. Easy to share too! The sushi rice was good and it goes well with the fried bits and the sauce.  Yummy and quite worthwhile to get it in a set. Tasted like something one could get from a Japanese restaurant.

Yet, another Japanese-inspired dish. Japanese Curry Udon with Beancurd Roll may not look pretty but it tasted quite likeable. The sweetish Japanese curry that wasn't too thick, the strands of thin udon that required a bath in the curry gravy, ample leafy greens and lovely beancurd roll too. Surprise find was the chestnuts. 

Japanese Curry Noodles with Beancurd Roll @$12.80++

Next, two dishes that were recommended by foodie friend that had dined at Elemen before. The Wild Mushroom and White Truffle Pizza and the Braised Pumpkin with Glutinous Rice in HotStone.

The pizza was thin-crusted and crispy round its edges. The toppings were not overpowering and great for sharing.

Wild Mushroom and White Truffle Pizza @$15.80++

Braised Pumpkin with Glutinous Rice in Hot Stone @$15.80++

The braised pumpkin hotstone pot was served bubbling. There's green apples, pumpkin, and king oyster mushroom in there. The sauce is made of red wine and teriyaki sauce. The crispy glutinous rice would soften once its soaked enough in the pot.

yuzu mint mojito @$4.80++

For drinks, there are four choices in each of the hot or cold beverage categories. Chose Yuzu Mint Mojito for something cold and the Lychee Black Tea from the hot selection.

The cold yuzu mint mojito had a tad too much ice in it and that kind of diluted it a little. Nevertheless, it was refreshing on a warm day.

The hot Lychee Black Tea was served in lovely black teapot that was pretty heavy. The tea has been properly infused and the fragrance of lychee was noticeable.

Lychee Black Tea @$4.80++

For the Course Sets, we got ourselves desserts; the interesting purple-coloured Sweet Potato Puree and the previously most-ordered cafe dessert of chocolate lava cake served with gelato.

The Sweet Potato Puree offered an unadulterated taste of sweet potato. Mild and light. As for the chocolate lava cake, it was decent and pretty enjoyable. Just don't expect the lava to flow out.

Sweet Potato Puree @$5.80++

Chocolate Lava Cake with Gelato @$8.80++

On the overall, we thought it was quite a good value to get the course-set when you're dining at Elemen.

For a 5-Course Set @$23.80++, one gets:

• 1x Elemen Appetiser
• 1x Salad/Soup
• 1x Main
• 1x Dessert
• 1x Drink

For 8-Course Set @$32.80++, one gets:

• 1x Elemen Appetiser
• 1x Rosemary Breadstick with yoghurt sauce
• 1x Salad
• 1x Soup
• 1x Apple Cider
• 1x Main
• 1x Dessert
• 1x Drink

Recommended for families, large groups or anyone that would like to dine in a comfortable environment to enjoy meatless dishes.

Badoque Cafe @ 298 Bedok Road

We had a mission to accomplish. That particular mission was a quest to sample the Tomahawk at Badoque that's located near Simpang Bedok. Heard many good things about this cafe from Ivan and it sure piqued our interest! Getting to Badoque is not difficult, just that it was really far for a westie. Took the train to Tanah Merah and then head towards the bus stop across the station and take bus #9. Stop at opposite of Bedok Marketplace and walk for about 5 minutes to reach the cafe.

inside the cafe

Badoque has both indoor and outdoor seats. It was kinda windy and hot on our day of visit, so we opted for the cooler but darker (in terms of lighting) indoor dining. Unfortunately for us, the Tomahawk remained elusive as it is only available after 3pm.

For lunch, there are still quite a number of selections to choose from, so we ordered two ribs, a fish & chips and some fiery chicken wings to try. Was warned that the wings are so spicy that the Chef, himself had difficulty in handling. Ok, bring it on!

But, in any case, we still ordered plenty of ice blended drinks in preparation to douse the 'fire' on our tongues when necessary.

(from left to right) ice lemon tea ($5.50+), frangipani ($8.50+), mojito ($8.50+) and salted caramel ($8.50+)

Liked the Frangipani the most. Made of soda, blood orange and lemonade. Such a pretty shade of reddish pink. Sweet and refreshing. The Salted Caramel tasted like milk, mostly.

One could already smell the 'kepak bing bing' before it actually reached the table! The aromatically pungent and enticing smell of belachan, plus look at the amount of chili seeds... No joke.

Kepak Bing Bing @$12.50+

do you dare?

The spices hit fast and lingered for quite a bit. Taking sips of the ice blended frangipani was actually, not a good idea because it felt even spicier after that. Keke! But pretty shioks though.

When the beef ribs arrived, it most certainly elicited some "oohs" and "aahs". A humongous and thick slab of ribs. It was really my first time in seeing such a big portion of any ribs.

Badoque Ribs @$36++

The Badoque Ribs were indeed tender and fall-off-the-bones type and served with BBQ sauce. Tangy and appetising. Liked the green beans and potatoes.

We also tried the Iga Bakar, which was the Indonesian styled beef ribs. More ribs? Yeah! It was as if we were on a meatatarian rampage. Similarly, the serving was huge and meant to be shared amongst two pax. Loved the savoury sweet sauce and the rice was so good. And that achar too. All tasted good. Yummy!

Iga Bakar @$36++

really lovely achar, so it deserved a shot on its own

If you're not into beef, no worries. The Flounder Fish and Chippies is worth ordering. Two large slabs of thinly battered and expertly fried till crisp and golden. The fish flesh was soft and tasty. It was good.

Flounder Fish & Chippies @$24++

Two guys and three ladies shared the above meal and drinks. I think the food could feed another person easily and all of us would still ended up feeling quite full.

Paid about $29 per pax each. Thank you fellow foodies for sharing the calories and Ivan for organizing!

Service staff were friendly, price was reasonable and food portion was generous. Recommended and value for money.