SgCafeHopping

Domino's Singapore...

Simply use my Promo Codes below to enjoy exclusive pizza deals when you make your purchase through online order, call centre and over the counter.

1) "TIN67A" for 2 Regular Pizza + Cheesy Mozzarella Stix at $24 (Usual Price: $51.40)

2) "TIN67B for 2 Large Pizza + Cheesy Mozzarella Stix at $34.50 (Usual Price: $65.40)

3) "TIN67C for 2 Xtra Large Pizza + Cheesy Mozzarella Stix at $45 (Usual Price: $77.40)

Promotion Period: (20 April - 20 May 2016)

Blanco Court Traditional Hainan Beef Noodles...

Over the years, we witnessed many traditional hawker start-ups in Singapore ceasing their operations because nobody in the family was willing to continue running the business. It’s a pity to see all these already established hawkers with a rich and long history, and of course a huge and strong consumer base, not being able to withstand the power and cruelty of time. Running a business in Singapore is really not easy, with so many different things to take into consideration, I can see why the younger generation would rather settle down with a job than landing themselves with so much stress and hardships if they chose to take over their family business.

Mike Loh, owner of Blanco Court Traditional Hainan Beef Noodles, is an exception. Instead of pursuing a career that is related to his Diploma in Sports Science, he chose to take over his family business which has run since 1979. At the age of 24, he encountered so many problems a 24 shouldn’t be facing, or he could have, like anyone of us at this age, enjoyed the freedom of being with friends. His determination and motivation are truly inspiring!

Located in 92 Guillemard Road, about 5-8 minutes’ walk from Mountbatten Mrt station, Blanco Court Traditional Hainan Beef Noodles offers nice, reasonable and authentic Hainan beef noodles as well as some other succulent Zi Char dishes. 

It is actually quite easy to locate the restaurant, just walk from Mountbatten Mrt Station. You can ask the Mrt passenger service if you are still unclear or if not, just use Google Maps.

Mike and his staffs busy cooking in the kitchen. The restaurant was almost full when I was there at 2pm. As you can see, it is not an easy job. 

Look at the amount of orders they have at the docket! There were also many take-away orders!

As I have said earlier, the place was really packed. Mike also mentioned that even though they are barely 4 months old, they have already gained some regulars in the restaurant. He emphasized the importance of having good service, which is very prominent in the friendly interaction the staffs have with the customers. Mike also wished to create a homely environment for his customers. 

 There are 4 different types of beef noodles for you to choose from.

1) Sliced Beef Vermicelli (Dry/Soup): $6

2) Mixed Beef Vermicelli (Dry/Soup): $8

3) Mixed Beef Vermicelli with Tendon (Dry/Soup): $10

4) Beef tendon Vermicelli (Dry/Soup): $10

I got the Dry Sliced Beef Vermicelli because I'm not a fan of beef tendons!

The noodles were very springy! The sauce was not too starchy and you need to sprinkle some peanuts into the noodles because it was so good! I could lick the entire bowl clean if Mike wasn't there. The soup was really tasty! I could taste the essence of the different types of herbs and spices they used in the broth. Very impressive!

They were also very generous in the portion of beef they give. They were tender, juicy and huge. Mike mentioned that the beef they used were from New Zealand and he frequently visits the market with his staffs to get fresh ingredients for his restaurant. 

One thing that they could have perhaps improve on would be the Suan Cai or traditional Chinese Pickled Chinese Cabbage. I thought it wasn't well-marinated because there wasn't much flavours to the Suan Cai, not suan at all and it was not crunchy.

Thank you Mike for inviting me to your restaurant! I had a very satisfying lunch that day and I really learnt a lot from your stories and experiences! Continue to strive hard and work towards your dream! Hurry and bring your families and friends for some delicious beef noodles. It's also a great place for supper since they are open till 3am.

Nearest Mrt Station: Mountbatten Mrt Station

Location: 92 Guillemard Road

What To Order: Beef Noodles

Restaurant Ratings: 3.5/5

Food Ratings: 8/10

Contact: 6348 1708

Additional Info: 12pm-3pm, 6pm-3am (Closed on the last Monday of each month)

Written by: Yong Wei Kai (Follow me on Instagram @yongweikai or @sgcafehopping)

Chok Chai Mookata...

Antoinette @Penhas...

Matcha Croissant ($6)

The matcha was rich and creamy - Antoinette is really generous when it comes to the amount of fillings infused into the croissant. I also like the subtle bitterness aftertaste the croissant had which retains in the mouth. It was really impressive!

Charcoal Kaya Croissant ($6)

This was one of my favourite croissant at Antoinette. The kaya was rich and creamy but not too sweet. I could also smell the kaya when it was brought to my table. Very aromatic! A must-try!

Quatre Fromages (4 Types of Cheese) ($6)

This comes with four different types of cheese which comprises of cheddar, gruyere, parmesan and mozzarella. Perhaps because I'm not a huge fan of cheese, I found it too gelat after awhile but you still can get it if you a cheese-lover!

Bonus:

Salted Egg Croissant ($6.50)

Hands down, this is the best salted egg croissant I've ever tried in Singapore. The salted egg is rich and creamy and you can really taste bits and pieces of salted egg in the croissant itself. The salted egg is legit, not like some other places that I thought the salted egg was too diluted or watery.

Chilli Crab Croissant ($7.50)

The chilli crab fillings were amazing! It tasted really like the real chilli crab! The fillings they gave were generous. It was really flavoursome and it reminded me of my cravings for chilli crab. Yes, this was how good the chilli crab croissant was! 

Nearest Station: Lavender 

Location: 30 Penhas Road, Singapore 208188

What To Order: Kaya Croissant, Salted Egg Croissant, Matcha Croissant, & Chilli Crab Croissant

Cafe Ratings: 4/5

Food Ratings: 8.5/10

Written by: Yong Wei Kai (Follow me on Instagram @yongweikai or @sgcafehopping)

Tony Roma's Singapore...

With a rich history dating back to 1972, Tony Roma’s has a total of 150 branches worldwide. Offering Western cuisine at affordable prices, Tony Roma’s has two outlets in Singapore (Orchard & Suntec). Since their opening in November 1992, many people have been flocking over for American fare, particularly their ribs. I have always wanted to try the ribs at Tony Roma’s after hearing so many positive comments about it and I finally tried it, but this time, I got to taste their newest menu which was made available on 13^th April 2016.

The newly-launched menu revolves around the theme of "Taste the Flavor of Freshness" and as the name suggests, be prepared to be blown away by the fresh and flavoursome food offered in the new menu.

Harvest Fruit & Chicken Salad // $17.90

Succulent grilled chicken breast on a bed of mixed salad, with candied pecans, kiwi fruit, strawberry, pear and pineapple salsa. Served with blue cheese crumbles and a side of 3 Berry Vinaigrette.

I thought this dish was quite refreshing. The fruits were really fresh and the berry vinaigrette sauce balances off the sourness of the strawberry and kiwi. The pineapple salsa added a tiny of spiciness into the entire dish. Vegetables were really crunchy. One thing to note, some people may not like the taste of the blue cheese. I'm one of them, and perhaps you can tell them to put it at the side for you.

Shrimp Tango // $22.90

Grilled bacon-wrapped shrimps with strawberry & radish guacomole. Seved with Sriracha lime sauce.

This dish really makes a great appetizer. The shrimps were really fresh and crunchy. I love the radish guacamole. How can anyone resist guacamole? It's the best thing on Earth. It was so good, probably would finish all the guacamole if nobody's watching. The sriracha lime sauce was refreshing, but would have expected it to be more spicy because the person warned us beforehand and it turned out to be not spicy. 

Coca-Cola Baby Back Ribs // $26.90 for Half, $35.90 for Regular & $41.90 for Full

Tender baby back ribs generously basted with Coca-Cola BBQ sauce. Served with a choice of 2 side dishes. 

This was my favourite out of the five from the new menu. The ribs were really tender and juicy even though we left it on the table for quite a while. I hate it when the ribs are too dry and hard to remove from the bones but the Coca-Cola ribs did not disappoint. One thing I thought could be improved was that perhaps they can add more Coca-Cola onto the ribs since it is supposed to be Coca-Cola inspired because I think I tasted more of smoky BBQ instead of Coca-Cola. Overall, it is still an impressive dish.

Fire-Roasted Ribeye & Quarter Chicken Combo / $35.90

A 200g rib-eye Steak with glazed boubon onions and a quarter chicken with white BBQ sauce. Served with a choice of 2 side dishes.

The steak was disappointing. It was supposed to be medium rare but it was medium when served on our table. Meat was really tough and hard to chew. I didn't also quite like how they marinate the beef. On the other hand, the chicken was not too bad, at least it was juicy and tender but again, more herbs or spices could be added to improve thr fragrance of the chicken.

Strawberry & Peach Cobbler // $14.90

Fresh strawberries and peaches, with cinnamon flavoured cake mix, baked in a skillet pan. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Somehow the taste reminded me of sticy date pudding which is not a bad thing. The cake was really soft and flavoursome and it goes really well with the vanilla ice cream.  Great way to end the meal!

Bonus:

Before the food tasting session, we were given a soup of our choice as well as their famous Onion Loaf.

Mushroom or Baked Potato Soup 

Personally, the baked potato soup was better. Very rich and creamy! Also, some old-school crackers to go with the soup!

Onion Loaf

Everyone who visits Tony Roma's for the first time have to order this. This is so addictive that I had to put it somewhere off my sight.

Good news to everybody! Just follow Tony Roma's Singapore on their Instagram and flash the above post to the counter to enjoy a $15 dollars off the total bill. Terms & Conditions apply! 

Promo Period: April 13 - June 21, 2016

Thank you Tony Roma's Singapore and StarNgage for the invitation. I really enjoyed myself! So hurry and visit Tony Roma's for their new menu now!

Nearest Station: City Hall/Promenade

Location: 3 Temasek Boulevard, #B1-123 Suntec City Mall, Singapore 038983

What To Order: Ribs

Restaurant Ratings: 3.5/5

Food Ratings: 7.5/10

Contact: 6337 9055

Email: suntec@mas-millennium.com.sg

Written by: Yong Wei Kai (Follow me on Instagram @yongweikai or @sgcafehopping)

Zafferano...

Housed on the 43^rd level of Ocean Financial Centre, Zafferano offers a range of delectable contemporary Italian cuisine with warm and attentive service. Set against the Singapore’s skyline, Zafferano also holds panoramic views of the Marina waterfront and at twilight, mesmerising hues of soft pinks, purple and gold as the Sun sets down by Singapore’s horizon. It is definitely the place to visit - be it with your partner, friends or families, because you get to enjoy both delicious food as well as the glowing, romantic sceneries of dusk.

Zafferano, otherwise known as "Saffron" in Italian, is the first name when it comes to an all-round Italian

hospitality experience. Inspired by the prized value of saffron and its flower containing 3 stigmas, called threads, Zafferano focuses on value, and the 3 threads of Food, Service, and Ambience. With its 43rd-storey perch, amazing rooftop bar, and provenance-led, contemporary Italian cuisine, Zafferano is poised as the most vibrant all-occasion destination in the heart of the business district. Zafferano embodies the

Italian spirit of giving, aided by a team dedicated to elegant service in the kitchen anddining floor, and delivers experiences that satisfy as a seamless whole.

I'm so glad that I arrived 15 minutes earlier. I had the whole restaurant to myself. Spent a good 15 minutes admiring at how posh the inside of the restaurant was. The ambience of the restaurant was simply mesmerizing.

They also have an outdoor bar for guests to chill and huddle over drinks. You can also get to see the entire view of the Marina waterfront at the outdoor bar which is really breath-taking. A pity it was too hazy when I was there the other day.

We just had to take a picture at the outdoor bar, featuring my pretty blogger friend, Kaiting (@kaitinghearts).

 These two photos were taken during the evening!

This photo was taken at night!

Just enjoying the amazing view with my all-time favourite Mojito! 

Starters

Diners can expect starters such as Norwegian trout, cured in a brine with lemon, orange and fresh herbs. The dish is delicately plated with boiled quail eggs, topped with caviar, grilled asparagus, and pomegranate seeds and aged balsamic vinegar. Or look for another option of baby lobster bisque, an intensely-flavoured soup concocted from a rich reduction of lobster and house-made tomato sauce. The soup is served with generous chunks of fresh lobster, orange and dill.

trota – rapanelli – melograno – uova di quaglia – caviale

marinated trout, red radish and pomegranate, quail egg, caviar // An exquisite dish with amazing plating. The fish was really fresh and chewy. The salads were well-dressed and refreshing. The quail egg further adds texture and flavour to the dish.

OR

aragostella – arancia – aneto

baby lobster bisque with orange and dill // This was legit delicious! Generous portion of lobster meat. Sorry for the bad photo though!

Mains

For mains, Chef Marco presents a house-made pasta of seafood ‘cavatelli’, a Southern Italian

dish often prepared by his mother. The Zafferano take on the traditional pasta dish sees a

bountiful selection of fresh seafood such as prawn, cod, octopus and crab meat cooked in white

wine and fresh tomato sauce, finished with a dash of aromatic extra virgin oil. There’s also a

treat for meat lover’s – a classic beef ‘tagliata’. The beef sirloin is grilled to a ju icy medium rare,

served with a smooth and buttery celery root purée, veal jus and artichoke sautéed with onions

and herbs.

cavatelli – frutti di mare

homemade ‘cavatelli’, fresh seafood in white wine sauce and tomatoes // The pasta was flavoursome, with a good mix of white wine and tomato sauce. The tomatoes were not too overwhelming (I hate it when my pasta tastes like tomato). Perfect with a glass of sparkling wine!

OR

manzo – sedano rapa – carciofi

beef ‘tagliata’, celery root, sautéed artichokes, veal jus // This was really good! The beef was so tender and juicy and the artichokes were out of the world. I think this was one of the best steak I've ever had in my life. Very impressive!

Desserts

As a finale to the satisfying meal, the menu offers an option of two desserts. The Sunset Dining

presents a creamy caramel dome, glazed with dark caramel. The dessert is adorned with edible

gold leaf, dark chocolate tuile and raspberry coulis. Diners may also enjoy a choice of two out

of three house-made gelati, strawberry, peach or lemon, served with fresh berries.

gelati – sorbetti

freshly made ice cream and sorbet, fresh berry // The lime and strawberry sorbet were so good. A mix of sour and sweet which brings phenomenal pleasure to the tastebuds. 

OR

caramello – frutto della passione – lampone

creamy caramel dome, passion fruit jelly, raspberry coulis // My favourite dish of the night. The dome was so good. I couldn't resist myself to stop eathing this. I think I could eat like three of this. Perhaps the restaurant could make this bigger? Haha!

The Sunset Dining menu is priced at $55++ per person and is available from 5.30pm to 7.30pm every Monday to Saturday!

Thank you Starngage and Zafferano for the invitation. I really enjoyed myself and it was also great to meet new food bloggers!

Nearest Mrt Station: Raffles Place

Location: Ocean Financial Centre 10 Collyer Quay Level 43 Singapore 049315

What To Order: Sunset Dining Menu

Restaurant Ratings: 9.5/10

Food Ratings: 9/10

Contact: +65 6509 1488 info@zafferano.sg

Written by: Yong Wei Kai (Follow me on Instagram @yongweikai or @sgcafehopping)