Carol Mel Cafe...

The first time I visited Carol Mel Café was ages ago when they were new to the café scene. Back then, they only serve a fair range of cakes and beverages. They probably had some light bites which I can’t seem to recall at all. The only thing I could remember was their lovely Lychee Martini Cake.

Recently, I re-visited Carol Mel Café and found out that they now offer an extensive range of Western-Asian fusion dishes which were impressive for a café standard. I was particularly drawn to their addictive Zi-Char Salted Egg Luncheon Fries! Also, they serve really good and affordable coffee that comes with adorable coffee art. Located near Tai Seng Mrt, Carol Mel Café is a cosy, quiet and dainty café where you can relax and spend some quality time alone or with your friends over a good cup of coffee.

Zhi-Char Salted Egg Luncheon Fries // $12
Only available after 2pm, this dish is my bias and my favourite at Carol Mel Café because it was so addictive that I do not wish to share it with anyone. It has the best of both world – Salted Egg & Luncheon Meat. This combination is deadly. The staff was right. He warned us on the addictive level of the fries. We couldn’t stop ourselves from finishing the entire bowl. Also almost wanted to get ourselves another bowl of this goodness! A must-try!



Buttermilk Waffle with Cheese Curry Katsu // $17
The name of this dish caught my attention immediately. I have yet to come across any place that serves their chicken & waffle with Cheese Curry Katsu. Most places only serve it with maple syrup. This is definitely a first. The buttermilk waffle was fragrant and very crispy. The fried chicken was very well-marinated; the skin was crispy & the meat was tender and juicy. The best part was probably the cheese curry katsu sauce which was so addictive! It was sweet and flavourful. The cheese also added flavour and texture to the overall sauce.



Neptune's White Laksa Pasta // $15
I could already smell the aroma of the laksa even though it was a distance away. The dish looked really simple but it was bursting with flavours. The spaghetti reeked strongly of laksa and to my surprise, it wasn’t as spicy as it looks. The only thing that I disliked about the dish was the fried tau pok which tasted a little weird to me. Other than that, this is definitely worth trying.


Carol Mel's Classic Fish & Chips // $17
The fish & chips were not too bad. It was crispy and flavourful. The fries were really nice as well. Remember to eat this while it’s hot.

Baby Creme Brulee // $3
This mini crème brulee was the perfect way to end the meal. All the ladies need not worry about watching their diet. The texture of the crème brulee was just right; it was not too soft or hard. Eating it chilled was simply shiok!
Besides their Western-Asian fusion dishes, Carol Mel Café also serves really good and affordable coffee. Just look at that cute latte art!



They also have these captivating colour-changing drinks which are so good during the scorching hot weather. You can request the staff for these refreshing drinks!



Nearest Mrt Station: Tai Seng
Location: The Commerze @ Irving, #01-30, 1 Irving Pl, Singapore 369546What To Order: Buttermilk Waffle with Cheese Curry Katsu, Laksa Pasta & Salted Egg Luncheon Fries
Café Rating: 3.5/5
Food Ratings: 8/10

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

House of Seafood...

Known for serving the best Black Pepper Crab in town, House of Seafood has always been a popular choice among Singaporeans for their fresh and fine seafood even up till today. Clinching several prestigious awards such as the 2015 Singapore Prestige Brand Award, House of Seafood has also made a name for itself internationally, and has since expanded to Southeast Asia countries such as Cambodia and Malaysia.

Now, House of Seafood is causing another huge commotion in Singapore with their “Beauty in Seafood Pot” that mainly features their healthy and revitalising collagen soup alongside other premium seafood at an affordable price. Not only is House of Seafood the first to come out with the original seafood tower with collagen soup in Singapore, it is also the first to offer island wide delivery service when you purchase their Beauty in Seafood Pot. 

Away from the hustle and bustle, House of Seafood is definitely the perfect place for any form of gatherings. You get to feast on delicious seafood while overseeing the mesmerizing sea view.

In frame, House of Seafood’s Beauty in Seafood Pot that is priced at $318 for 6 people and $438 for 10 people. A delivery charge of $16 is included if you order take-away. The Beauty in Seafood Pot which consists of 1) Rich Golden Collagen Chicken Stock, 2) Stock is stewed and doubled boiled more than 12 hours, 3) Chicken bones comprising sharks cartilage are fully dissolved, 4) Smooth and silky collagen pudding in soup, 5) Filled with freshest vegetables, seafood and chicken, 6) Valuable herbs used like red dates and wolfberries is said to give you firmer, revitalizing and nourished skin which I believe all the ladies will be very interested in. 


They have 18 different types of sauces for you to choose from. But if you mix and match the sauces together, you can get more than 90 different combination. My favourite has to be their home-made chilli sauce which is extremely addictive!

Below are some pictures of the seafood that comes when you order their Beauty in Seafood Pot. I can guarantee that you will like every single one of them. The seafood, in general, were really tender and juicy. You will also be thrown aback by the natural sweetness of the seafood which is so irresistible!








The collagen soup was so rich and flavourful that everyone had at least two bowls of it. All the essence from the seafood are inside the soup after steaming the seafood on top of the broth. The lalas tasted extremely delicious with the collagen soup. 

Bonus

How can we miss this when it is voted the best Black Pepper Crab in Singapore?  
The sauce was definitely peppery and flavourful, with a tint of spiciness which is generally tolerable. It was also not too starchy and the crab was huge! The meat was tender and juicy! Finger-licking good!

Thank you House of Seafood for the invitation! It was a very satisfying meal with my #slaysquadsix!



Nearest Mrt Station: Punggol (Take Bus 84 at Punggol Interchange)
Location: 3 Punggol Point Road, Singapore 828694 The Punggol Settlement #01-01 & #01-02
What To Order: Beauty in Seafood Pot
Restaurant Rating: 4/5
Food Ratings: 8.5/10
Opening Days/Hours: Monday - Sunday: 11am - 2pm, 5pm - 11pm
Tel: 6466 9000

Other Outlet: 756 Upper Serangoon Road #03-33, Singapore 534626


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

The Quarters...

When it comes to infusing and incorporating local flavours into their menu, the Quarters is the first café that comes into my mind. Dedicated to promote and showcase ‘Shiok’ local food, the Quarters has never failed to impress me with their modern rendition of traditional classics. In short, they are always able to create a seemingly simple dish but with an unexpected twist, in terms of both texture and flavour. 

The Quarters has yet again raised the bar by rolling out a brand new communal dining format that focuses on traditional classics but with a refreshing touch. Priced at $68 nett per head, this communal dining format will start at 1930hrs every Friday and Saturday with up to 10 thrilling food dishes to be served. Besides indulging in the locally-inspired dishes, you also get the chance to meet and interact with new friends. In other words, you are killing two birds with one stone! So, hurry and get your Quarters Experience today!

The Quarters Experience includes Achar, Shiok Bak, Har Lok, Ooh La La, Bibik’s Chicken, Mum’s Cabbage, Quarter’s Fried Rice, ‘Nai You’ Lobster, Duriancanboleh and Profiterole. Honestly speaking, this is really very value-for-money! I also made some new friends!

You can enjpy The Quarters Experience only by RESERVATION! You can call them at 6834 4174 or visit their website at http://www.thequarters.sg/quartersexperience by the Wednesday of each week!

Achar
The spiced pickles were flavourful and very crunchy. It wasn’t very spicy and it goes well with the crispy pastry. A good appetiser to kick start the feast!


Shiok Bak
Similar to its name, the Sio Bak was indeed very shiok. There wasn’t a lot of fats in the fried pork belly and it was extremely crispy. You can hear the crackling sound when you gently bite on the meat. It wasn’t oily as well (not like those that have oil dripping down from the meat). Buns were really soft. The best thing about this dish is their home-made spicy rempah which was flavourful. Its saltiness and spiciness complemented the crispy pork belly very well. So good that I stomached three of them!


Har Lok
Contrary to its simplistic presentation, these Cantonese chargrilled prawns were delicious. There’s a subtle smoky flavour at the very end and the prawns were so sweet and crunchy. 

Ooh La La
This was one of my favourite dish from the Quarters Experience. I literally screamed ‘Ooh La La’ in my heart because of the chilli crab sauce. It was spicy yet very addictive. Even though my mouth was burning, I couldn’t stop myself from dipping the fresh clams with the chilli crab sauce. The croutons was a good substitute to the usual mantou we can find elsewhere because it was crispier and of course, more shiok! Give me a bowl of rice to go with this please!


Bibik's Chicken
The chargrilled chicken alone was delicious, even without the Buah Keluar sauce. It was tender and flavourful. The sauce added an extra saltiness and flavour to the chicken which I would strongly recommend you to dip the chicken into the sauce.

Mum's Cabbage
This definitely tasted very homely. The vegetable were well-marinated and well-mixed. If you are a fan of Hei Bi (Dried Shrimps), you will love this. Since I’m not really a fan of Hei Bi, I’ll probably take a few bite of this!

Quarter's Fried Rice
The fried rice was very aromatic. It wasn’t too hard or too sticky. The rice was really flavourful, especially the salted fish!


'Nai You' Lobster
This was the highlight of the dinner! The Canadian lobster’s meat was really sweet and fresh. It was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The buttered taste was distinct and it went well with the prawns. Very addictive!





Duriancanboleh
One is never enough! I had this everytime I visit them. The Mao Shan Wang Durian Crème Brulee was jaw-dropping and mind-blowing. It was definitely aromatic. The torched crème brulee was crispy on the outside (top layer) and very soft on the inside. I’m craving for durian now! A MUST TRY! I COULDN"T EMPHASIZE MORE!

Profiterole
These are cream puffs stuffed with thick and creamy Kaya fillings. The kaya fillings were fragrant. A good way to end the entire meal! 

Thank you Deming and Quarters for the great hospitality!



Nearest Mrt Station: Tanjong Pagar
Location: 16 Enggor Street #01-09 Singapore 079717
What To Order: The Quarters Experience
Café Rating: 3.5/5
Food Ratings: 8.5/10
Contact No: 6834 4174

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

Porta SG...

Ran out of ideas on how and where to celebrate your anniversary? Why not treat yourself and your spouse to a romantic dinner to commemorate the special day? Located within Park Hotel Clarke Quay, Porta is a brand new dining concept that serves carefully-curated and exquisite modern European dishes with a focused ala-carte menu designed by their newly appointed and very experienced 31 year-old Executive Chef – Michael Suyanto. 

Besides their ingenious dishes, Porta’s warm and cosy interior also adds a quixotic element to your overall dining experience. So, what are you waiting for? Impress your partner with a romantic dinner at Porta today!

PORTA Fine Food & Import Company, the doorway to an eclectic haven of modern European cuisine and inspiring epicurean treasures from around the world has open its doors at Park Hotel Clarke Quay. Diners can expect dishes that skillfully combine fresh produce and seasonal flavours, as well as a retail area that will inspire one to create a wholesome meal worth savouring. In frame, some of Porta’s popular & signature dishes - Chilled Angel Hair Pasta, Spanish Octopus, Foie Gras, Ravioles de Royans, Iberian Pork Secreto, Porta Burger, Coconut Blancmange and Valrhona Chocolate. The dishes definitely exceeded my expectations, both in taste & price. A great place for a romantic dinner with your boyfriend or girlfriend!

Chilled Angel Hair Pasta with Avruga Caviar
This pasta is only available in Porta’s set lunches – 2 Course for $18++ & 3 Course for $22++. It’s really a good deal. The truffle smell and flavour stood out the most. The pasta was soft and flavourful. Very appetising indeed!

Spanish Octopus // $18
The grilled octopus were really flavourful, leaving a subtle smoky aftertaste. The texture was amazing – it was not too hard or too chewy! It definitely went well with the cold and soft Idaho potatoes which had an addictive tangy flavour.

Ravioles de Royans // $22
The ravioles were soft and very cheesy – which I really liked. The tomato sauce was not overwhelming as well.

Foie Gras // $24
The pan-seared foie gras was crispy on the outside, and tender from the inside. There isn’t any taste of rawness which I am always afraid of. The onion marmalade neutralises the rawness of the foie gras, making the overall taste very complex and flavourful. The crushed almond added an extra crunch to the foie gras!

Iberian Pork Secreto // $26
The slow-roasted pork was bursting with flavour and it literally melts in your mouth. It paired well with the creamy tangy honey mustard mash. Also, the cherry tomatoes were soft and sweet. Just a small bite and your mouth will be filled with the tomato flavour and juice! This is a must-try!


Porta Burger // $23
The burger was massive! The Stanbroke Angus beef patty was tender and juicy. Also, it is served with a small bottle of Alain Milliat premium ketchup which to me, was the best tomato sauce I have ever tasted. The only thing that I thought could be improved would be the fries. It would have tasted better if they added more salt to the fries. I almost forgot! The candied bacons were delicious as well!

Coconut Blancmange // $12
Coconut-lovers will go crazy for this! The custard was smooth, creamy and has a strong coconut flavour. They also added passionfruit to give a sour flavour to the already sweet coconut custard. The crumbles on top gave an extra crunch to the dessert!


Valrhona Chocolate // $14
This classic chocolate lava cake will never ever go wrong! Still one of my comfort food when I’m feeling down! In love with the strong chocolate flavour and oozing chocolate lava! The classic vanilla ice cream is a good complement for the lava cake! YUMMY!



Nearest Mrt Station: Clarke Quay
Location: 1 Unity Street, Level 1 of Park Hotel Clarke Quay
What To Order: Porta Burger, Foie Gras, Chilled Angel Hair Pasta & Iberian Pork Secreto
Restaurant Rating: 4.5/5
Food Ratings: 8/10

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