Nice coffee @Highlander Coffee Bar

Decked in the remote stretch of conservation area along Kampong Bahru, it was not easy to locate Highlander Coffee bar. Doubt that we could find this hidden coffee place if not for a colleague to lead the way.

The setting wasn't like the usual coffee place - Starbucks or Coffee Bean, no cozy sofa but uncomfortable stools in a small cramped area. It doesn't matters as we were intending to have take-away.

Highlander Coffee Bar

I ordered a Macadamia latte @$5.50. While they were preparing the coffee, besides the aromatic coffee, there were also traces of macadamia fragrant in the air.

The macadamia latte was very smooth, rich and fragrant. It was with just the right amount of sugar as the coffee was smooth and there wasn't a need to hide bitterness or sourness with more sugar. It was served lukewarm, not too hot and just nice for drinking immediately. 

 Macadamia latte

Although I am no coffee connoisseur, but I believe the latte I just had is good enough to impress a number of coffee lovers.

Highlander Coffee
http://highlandercoffee.com/
49 Kampong Bahru Road, Singapore
Tel: +65 6223 7102

Chinese Cuisine Fine Dining @TungLok Signatures

Fine dining can be for Chinese Cuisine as well, TungLok Signatures delivers that.  Dishes in Chinese cuisine are to be shared and thus usually comes in bigger portion. To cater for smaller dining group, TungLok offered cuisine by per piece or per portion such that you can still enjoy variety of dishes.

We bought from Groupon $25 worth of TungLok Group dining vouchers at $12.50. Each visit can utilise up to 2 groupons.

Pan-fried French Foie Gras 

Pan-fried French Foie Gras and Beancurd Skin served with Pancake 香煎法国鹅肝素方薄饼 ($14.80 per piece).  The foie gras and beancurd skin are to be wrapped in the pancake, similar to how we eat  peking duck. The foie gras was rich and flavourful.  The slightly charred outside and soft fatty fat within were perfectly complimented with a slice of fresh juicy cucumber and a piece of beancurd skin which give the wrap an extra crisp.  Simply yummy!

Pan-fried Foie Gras
Rating: 4.5/5

Kurobuta Pork

Pan-fried Japanese Kurobuta Pork 香煎鹿儿岛和豚 ($14.80 per piece) 

Although it was a small thin slice of pork, but it was enough to give you the oomphs.  Pan-fried bring out the fat from the marbled fat pork to give it a nice slight burnt taste. The tender kurobuta tasted much richer than normal pork and goes really well with rice. 

Kurobuta Pork
Rating: 4.5/5

Poach Cabbage

Poached Cabbage with Ham 云肘翠玉 ($6 per portion)

Poached cabbage artistically arranged and served with a piece of Chinese ham (金華火腿).  It came with a nice broth as well.

Poach Cabbage
Rating: 3.75/5

Rack of Lamb  

Pan-Fried Rack of Lamb with Special Homemade Sauce  香煎澳洲乳羊 ($10 per portion)

We had very high expectation of the lamb as it looked really good from the picture.  We were kind of disappointed, its not really tender for a sucking lamb mutton and not as flavourful as the thin slice of Kurobuta pork. Neither the homemade sauce nor the fried ring was a saving grace.

Rack of Lamb
Rating: 3.75/5

The total bill was around S$60.  With the 2 groupons, practically we paid S$35 for the meal. Quite a good deal!

TungLok Signatures

http://www.tungloksignatures.com/ 

VivoCity #01-571 HarbourFront Walk

Singapore 098585

Tel : +65 6376 9555

Opening Hours :

Lunch : 11.30AM – 3.00PM (Mon to Sat)

             11.00AM – 3.30PM (Sun & PHs)

Dinner : 6.00PM – 10.30PM (Daily)

Snack @ iLoveTaiMei, Bugis

Happened to pass by this I Love Taimei 我愛台妹 Taiwanese stall/kiosk at Bugis Junction for the past few weeks.  Noticed that business for this stall had started to improve and long queues are formed recently.

I Love Taimei Stall/Kiosk

Finally I got the chance to try this store while waiting for a friend that day.  Their marketing strategy of using celebrities on the menu successfully captured attention (at least mine!). Wonder whether there are any copyright/trademark infringement and how the fans feels seeing how their idols are associated to the different snacks.

Celebrity Menu

There are a variety of snacks offered, Selina - BBQ Crispy Chicken, Ella - extra crispy chicken, Hebe - Lemon Crispy Chicken, 小S - Popcorn chicken, 侯佩岑-Taiwan Tempura,  大S - mushroom combo and some other side dish like 七里香 chicken tail and shake2 fries.

I ordered a packet of 大S, fried mushroom combo @$3.50. The "crew" take a packet of mushroom, dip them into the diluted batter with his bare hands and tossed them in a container to coat with flour before frying it. Hygiene can be improved if the staff use some utensil or wear a pair of gloves while handling the food.

The mushroom was served pipping hot which blurred my camera lens when I try to take a picture. Chilli powder will be sprinkled on your order if you requested it to be spicy upon ordering. The mushroom was crispy fried and I love the fragrant peppery salty coating on the mushroom! Its as good as the 椒盐 fried stuffs we had in Taiwan.  The mushroom combo consists of the mushroom cap and stalk and they are both juicy and complement the stronger taste crispy batter well. Yummy!

大S  Fried Mushroom Combo
Rating: 4.25/5

Will definitely patronize this stall again to try their bubble milk tea with Taro Q, Lemon Ice Jelly with Perl, BBQ crispy chicken and 七里香.

I Love TaiMei
http://www.ilovetaimei.com.sg/
Bugis Junction

Set Lunch @White Dog Cafe

Cheap and nice 3 course lunch set from $10.90++, include a White Dog Waldorf Salad, a soup and a main course.
White dog cafe offered a variety of choices (~18) for the main course, much more than what is usually offered in other restaurants.

Set Lunch Menu

White dog Waldorf Salad and Soup of your choice
You can choose Veloute of White Dory or Barley Chicken Broth. White dory cream soup sounds fishy and weird initially, but it turn out to be quite ok, quite smooth and not fishy. There is a slice of garlic bread to go with the soup, quite crispy and nice.
Nothing much about the salad, but the walnut did add some contrast to the greens.

Soup and Salad

Grilled Pork Chop with Prune and Apple Salsa
Pork was nicely charred, not too tough and quite fragrant. The prune and apple salsa doesn't look appetizing but it does compliment the pork well and is not too sweet. Portion of the meat was small, but should be sufficient for the average as the mains are served with a small portion of raisin organic brown rice.

Grilled Pork Chop

Beer-battered Pacific Dory with Tartar Sauce
My friend ordered the beer-battered dory, only had a bite and it was quite nice. Although its not as crispy as some of the fish and chips, but it does taste fresh and goes well with the creamy tartar sauce.

Beer-battered Pacific Dory

There is much room for improvement for their service. Never sight a single smile from the gloomy waitresses and it also took quite a while for them to settle the bill.

Nonetheless, will still be back again as the food is relatively cheap.

Great Lunch Deal, cheap lunch deal.