Mia's Food Trail Review: Shin Sapporo Ramen

After my review of Penang Culture and Chicken Up from my Century Square Food Trail, I'm finally putting up the 3rd restaurant review, Shin Sapporo Ramen! 

Being a huge ramen fan, I've tried them out when they first opened at B1 of Century Square and I found them pretty okay.

Wakayama Tonkotsu-Shoyu Ramen - $14.80

It's funny how you put tonkotsu and shoyu together to get a slightly miso-like taste. Alright, I'm over-simplifying it here. The broth is like a thick, flavourful tonktsu broth but packed with more savoury saltiness to it. And as you can see, there's a good drizzle of flavoured oil in the broth as well, so this is probably not the best choice for ladies who prefer a lighter tasting ramen. But for me, who do enjoy a good authentic tasting ramen, this is really not a bad choice.

 Abura Soba - $14.90

One of their latest noodle creation, a dry ramen, tossed in delicious seasoned oil and served with braised charsiu, menma and an onsen egg.

The noodles, more on the salty side, has an amazing sesame oil fagrance with a peppery kick to it, which I absolutely loved. The braised charsiu were tender, and the runny onsen egg just completed the whole dish just like topping a cherry on a glass of magarita. 

I wasn't really that eager to try out a dry ramen, but this really won me over and I'm so glad I tried it. 

 Hiyashi Chuka Soba - $13.80

This cold noodle dish, though really colourful and instagram-worthy, isn't going to be my choice of noodle... at any ramen shop. Not that I'm against cold noodles (I love chasoba, btw) but hiyashi chuka has this distinctive vinegar-ish sour taste that I really do not appreciate. 

I know, something cold and sour does sound really appetizing, but just not for me. 

 Chuka Tofu - $4.80

Another cold dish that didn't go very well with my tastebuds, sadly. The gravy was way too salty, and the tofu too stiff. I was at least expecting a softer, more fluffy bite to the tofu but it came on way too hard, and with this 'raw' icy taste to it. 

Haru Salad - $4.80

With crisp lettuce, fresh cherry tomatoes and yummy sweet corns mixed together in one bowl, it's hard to find anything wrong with this dish. This is a salad so refreshing on the palate that I can easily wolf it down without any form of dressing, olive oil, lemon juice or whatsoever. 

 Chocolate Lava Cake - $8.80

When the staff first recommended their chocolate lava cake to us, saying that many customers specially visit for this cake, I was really skeptical. 

Chocolate lava cake at a ramen shop, really?

It took nothing more than just one bite for me to know why.

Molten, decadent chocolate sauce just oozed out of the soft, moist cake with a slice of the knife. Every single bite of the cake was just moist, rich and extremely chocolatey. If you're a chocolate lover, this is a dessert capable of driving ALL your blues away, no joke. 

Shin-Sapporo Ramen is located at Century Square, B1-10/11

For more information, visit their Facebook HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Mia's Review: Alfero Artisan Gelato [Sponsored]

For those ladies out there who loves to indulge in an ice cream feast once in a while and yet lament over your newly added flabs, did you know that you can actually indulge in a more guilt-free alternative?

The astounding difference between Alfero Gelato and your usual ice cream! Mostly importantly, there's only 2 to 9% fat content compared to the #fatdieme 18 to 30% fat content in a normal ice cream. 

And that's Marco Alfero, owner and founder of Alfero Gelato, who came from Turin, Italy to Singapore in 2009 to deliver us this gelato heaven.

Alfero Artisan Gelato is prepared with a mixture of high quality ingredients – milk, cream, sugar, eggs, fruits, chocolate, nuts, etc. with a high nutritional value. Italian gelato contains less fat than ice cream, has less incorporated air and is served at a higher temperature (-11 degree Celsius). Our gelato provides a greater flavour experience because there is less fat that coats the tongue, more flavour per spoonful (due to less air), and the taste buds are more alive since the temperature is not so cold as to numb the sensitivity. The lower fat content also means fewer calories to burn. 

-credit to Alfero Gelato-

And I got to visit the branch located conveniently at a quiet corner of Marina Square level 2 for this small and cozy food-tasting session with fellow bloggers Finaldust, Hazel, Oyhz and Janel.

And I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they serve coffee as well!

 Macchiato

It comes in a really cute, small sized coffee cup and I felt rather dainty sipping it. Coffee wise, it was pretty good if you enjoy a bitter coffee. Somehow I felt that there's a slight sour aftertaste after I added in the sugar, so I'll probably go sugarless the next time I'm there.

Couldn't help but snap a  picture of the colourful selection of their English Tea from Gryphon Tea Company.

In order to achieve perfection during the conservation phase, a special cabinet called pozzetto is used to store the gelato, where no air and light contamination will affect the quality of the gelato. Marco strongly believes in serving only the best-tasting gelato, which is why he is the only man in Singapore who keeps his gelato covered while on display. 

And of course, this marks the start of our crazy photo-taking session, which truly is a race against time because the gelato melts so quickly! 

And there's Janel with her hugeass DSLR and Oyhz holding on to her pink Samsung camera, the mother of my Samsung NX Mini. *rofl*

The total 11 flavours we've tried from top left in clockwise direction:

Lemon, Bacio, Dark Chocolate, Yuzu, Strawberry Milk, Walnut, Pistachio (both nutty flavours were in a sorry state by then because they were the very first cup to be served), Mango, Durian, Avocado, Passionfruit.

Having tried all with the exception of Durian, I have to say that I really cannot decide on my favourite flavour. 

Despite being a chocolate lover, Dark Chocolate and Bacio, which tasted like Ferrero Rocher, somehow got a little bit 'common' in spite of the rich and creamy texture and I found myself getting addicted to the strong nutty fragrance of Pistachio and Walnut. It felt like I was munching on the roasted nut itself, albeit with a smooth and creamy texture in my mouth.

Strawberry Milk was surprisingly yummy as well, with a slight tangy flavour of fresh strawberry instead of the usual artificial flavouring we taste in the normal ice creams. 

And for ladies with a love for lighter, icy citrus flavours, you can't go wrong with any of the sorbets, with Yuzu, my personal favourite sorbet, and Mango winning the popularity vote at the table. 

Cendol Gelato Waffle

Yes, you saw it right. It's a cendol flavoured gelato, the brain-child of Marco after being introduced to the flavour of Gula Melaka. 

As I'm not a fan of cendol at all, I only took a test-bite of the gelato and found the flavour pretty mild and manageable. But for one who loves a good Cendol with flavours that pack a punch, this might be a little to bland for you, as mentioned by Hazel.

As for the waffle, in spite being pandan-infused, there wasn't much of the distinctive pandan fragrance, which might be a good thing as overpowering pandan flavour tends to be an acquired taste. They were also slightly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, which makes the waffle itself a pretty good choice if you're craving for something more filling.

Brownie with Snow White Gelato

If you're wondering what's a Snow White flavour, it's actually just milk.
Rich milky taste with a smooth creamy texture, I can see that this will be one of the hot favourite for young children, and the generous glob of gelato really did make the dry and crumbly brownie more appetizing.

Alfero Artisan Gelato is located at:

Marina Square #02-226A/B 

81 MacPherson Lane #01-37

Orchard Gateway #B2-06

For more information, visit their website HERE

Till then,
Mia Foo

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Mia's Review: Nine Thirty by Awfully Chocolate

A while back, I posted up a pretty short review of the chocolate cupcake from Nine Thirty by Awfully Chocolate and since that visit, I've revisited their branch at Greenwich V a handful of times and tried out a some other goodies. 

Butterscotch Milk (Hot) - about $7

I first tried this when D told me that it has got some good reviews. I got the hot one while she took the iced version. My advice is, take the hot one. The iced one was made by pouring the hot concoction over a cup full of ice, so it'll be served to you horribly diluted. 

As for my hot butterscotch milk, it was definitely yummy. The rich and smooth milk was deliciously sweetened with a strong dash of butterscotch flavour, topped with chocolate powder and a melting marshmallow. 

White Chocolate Butterscotch Block - $7.90 per 100g

A thick block of creamy, rich and sweet white chocolate moist cake of mousse-like texture with a swirl of chocolate sponge cake centre and topped with a thick layer of butterscotch cream on top. 

This has to be the richest, sweetest, most sinful (white) chocolate cake you can ever find. 

Not recommended for individual consumption, unless you can get the staff to sell you a 50g piece. 

Flourless Chocolate Cake - $6.90

Other than their original chocolate cake and the chocolate cupcake I've reviewed in my previous post (linked above), this has to be the other cake they have that is true to their shop name, Awfully Chocolate. Being flourless, the cake naturally will be more moist, sticky, gooey and richer in taste. It's really like a fudgey brownie that's done over the top. 

For more information on Awfully Chocolate, visit their website HERE

For more information on Nine Thirty by Awfully Chocolate, visit their website HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Mia's Review: Pique Nique

Well, this has got to be the most overdue review post I've ever written. I've first visited Pique Nique a few years ago when they first opened at Ngee Ann City, taking over the McDonald's beside KFC. 

And subsequently, I've re-visited a handful of times, even after I've started blogging on food, but still didn't intend to blog about them. 

But now, I guess I will. 

The cafe is pretty spacious with decorations that somehow hover in between simply chic and pretty IMO. 

Now, let's get started with my first visit with the TK girlies. I remember it was hardly a full house the night we visited, and the internal hoo-haa over their salty caramel pancakes (between J and me only, salted caramel was just beginning to trend back then, I remember) aside, the most memorable experience I can conclude from my first visit was: They have no cups/glasses. 

Yes, despite them serving plain water with no additional charge, we (group of 6) couldn't get a single glass of plain water that night (we stayed there for at least an hour, if not more) because, as according to their server, they ran out of glasses. But no worries if you order a beverage off their menu, they have more than enough cups and glasses for them. 

Really, you might as well charge us 30 or 50 cents for a glass of plain water rather than to tell us you ran out of glasses. 

And then my subsequent visits, though not as eye-rolling unpleasant, were still not rendered service I'll label as good. I remembered standing like an idiot outside the cafe, staring at all the empty tables and the servers just loitering and chit-chatting among themselves, refusing to host me to a table despite seeing me. And of course, all their other services (order taking, order serving, getting the bill and etc) were as slow as the process of bringing you to your table. 

And lastly, on my most recent visit with Airmeli, Oyhz and her friend, it was another short-of-decent service given to us, when I tried to order something directly off the menu for Airmeli, who was late.

"Erm, okay I'll check for you."

And off scurried the server and never returned. Hello, if you said you'll check for me if I can order something that's already stated in the menu, you should still get back to me and let me know if the order is taken in or not, no? 

The order was a cabonara pasta by the way, and by the time Airmeli arrived (about 15 minutes after I ordered), the pasta was still not served and it took another 10 to 15 minutes before the pasta was served. 25 to 30 minutes for a pasta, even when the cafe is not full house? 

Or perhaps the server who said she'll check with the kitchen if it's possible to have an order that's straight up from the menu with no special order, however small, at all, actually didn't place in my order in the first place? 

Hmm, you decide for yourself yeah? And let's get started with their food. 

Chili Seafood Spaghetti - $18.80

Spaghetti tossed with squid, mussels, prawns, white wine and spiced tomato sauce. 

This is definitely a pasta dish that will make me want to re-visit Pique Nique (in spite of the bad service) to have it again. I ordered this without much expectation of the spiciness, and I was definitely surprised! The spiciness level definitely packs a punch, and yet still remains on a comfortable level for me, such that I do not need to keep chugging water while I'm eating it. The seafood, although overcooked, wasn't that much of a disappointment to me for the yummilicious spicy tomato sauce totally made up for the lacking in that area. I mean, I wouldn't mind eating just the pasta without any seafood too, albeit not at the same price tag. 

Farmer's Omelette - $12.80

Made with 3 eggs, sauteed onions, bacons, sausages, potatoes and mushrooms. Served with grilled tomato, toasts and side salad. 

And there's Oyhz taking picture of her food with her pink camera. Haha, feed your camera before you feed yourself. Bloggers' habit. 

Norwegian Benedict - $14

2 poached eggs with toasted english muffins, smoked salmon, sour cream and served with side salad.

We thought this is a double-yolk egg, but it turned out to be just a normal egg. Haha, cheated by the egg whites. 

Hot Iron Waffle with Salty Caramel - $11.80

Freshly baked waffles topped with 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream, 1 dollop of whipped cream and drizzled in yummy salted caramel sauce. 

Oh man, this is good! Even though the waffles isn't exactly those crispy on the outside, moist and fluffy on the inside kind of heavenly waffle, the generosity of the salted caramel sauce (on both my visits for this) made up for the mediocre waffle. Plus, as you can see that scoop of ice cream is pretty big too, definitely worth the price tag, I'll say. 

And I strongly advise that you either order this as a dessert to share after your mains, or just eat it as your mains if you do not like sharing. 

And at Pique Nique, you can find yourself drooling over some pretty looking cupcakes, whoopie pies and cute french macarons! I've bought their macarons on multiple occasions as well and you can find my short and brief review on them HERE along with my review of the now-out-of-the-market Canele Patisserie's macarons. 

Pique Nique is located at Ngee Ann City Tower A B1-01/02.

For more information, visit their website HERE

All store pictures credit to PiqueNique.sg

Till then,

Mia Foo 

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Mia's Review: J's Restaurant

Just recently, during yet another team's dinner with D, YN and A, we very last minute headed down to J's Restaurant (discussion was all on Straits Cafe vs Badoque) for a pre-planned 'impromptu' dinner. 

 I wanted to take a picture of the restaurant, but it was full house! Didn't want to snap pictures of innocent diners, so that's all I have of the restaurant interior. The restaurant is not exactly very small, yet not exactly very spacious so reservation in advance is really recommended. 

With a strong Latin-American influence, there's also an addition of a more refined modern European cuisine. J's menu not only caters for Vegetarians and also removed pork/lard and alcohol for Muslims. A great choice for gatherings with individuals of different dietary requirement! 

And now, let's get on with the food, shall we?

Poppers - $17

Breaded jalapeno peppers stuffed with mozzarella, fried till golden brown. Served with salsa sauce and guacamole sauce.
I was hoping that I can get some spicy kick from this appetizer, but it was more of a sour shock instead. A little way too vinegary sour for my liking, though generously stuffed with cheese that was melted till molten in the process of frying till crispy golden brown.
I didn't eat with much sauce, because out of the two I'll prefer the salsa sauce and I really need no more sourish tangy taste added to this poppers.
Caution: The molten cheese are scalding hot. Bite into these poppers with care!

Chipotle Meatballs - $17

Brasied beef meatballs in spicy chipotle and tomato sauce, served with crispy corn tortilla chips.
I can't comment on this, for I do not take beef. It did look delicious, though.

Paella - $39 (for 2 servings)

A traditional Saffron rice dish, with marinated chicken, salmon and tilapia.

One of my favourite food, 'Spanish fried rice'. The rice was cooked till pretty hard, yet drenched in flavourful  savoury moistness, and topped up with generous amount of chicken, salmon and tilapia. At just $39 for 2 pax, as compared to $28 for 1 pax, this is a definite steal!

Fatijas (Chicken) - $29

Grilled chicken breast with sauteed onions, capsicums, cabbage and mushroom, served with warm tortillas and an array of sauces.

Of course, you don't expect grilled chicken breast to be juicy and tender. But they're still nothing short of being flavourful and tasty. Mushrooms seemed a little sparse as I hardly ate any, but they're obviously (as you can see from the picture) very generous with not just the chicken but also the onions and capsicums. I guess the correct way is to wrap the dish in the tortilla and eat it as a self made wrap with your preferred sauce(s), and so I did. I find that the meat itself is flavourful enough and there's really no need to add on any sauces to further complicate the taste.
However, D was literally piling her serving plate with both the salsa and guacamole sauces. So I guess, to each it's own? :)

Churros with Bananas & Mangoes - $12

Churros, served with salted caramel bananas, fresh mangoes and coconut infused mascarpone sabayon.

The churros are pretty well done, served piping hot right out of the fryer. The outside, dusted in icing sugar and drizzled with yummy chocolate, was crispy and the insides were soft, fluffy and slightly moist.
However, I'm not feeling much for the jar of bananas, mangoes, coconut mascarpone cream though. It was way too creamy and heavy on the tastebuds, and I got pretty sick of it even before I could dig out the salted caramel bananas. Gave up on it after mouthful and mouthful of coconut mascarpone cream with bits of mangoes inside. :(
Other than D, who tends to like richer, creamy and more flavourful food, none of us really like the jar of mascarpone sabayon.
Would have enjoyed this dessert a lot more if it's served with a pot of rich chocolate dip instead!

J's Restaurant is located at 7 Purvis Street.
For more information, visit their website HERE

Till then,
Mia Foo

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