Five Guys in Singapore

Five Guys,  a popular American burger joint has landed in Singapore on 16 December 2019, after Shake Shack, the other popular burger joint. They have more than 1600 outlets worldwide and is famous for serving burgers, hot dogs, fries and milkshakes. They serve only the hand-formed burgers cooked on a grill along with fresh-cut fries cooked in pure peanut oil. The patties have a good ratio of lean to fat meat. The buns are baked fresh by a local bakery.

The burgers, fries, and drinks are to be ordered separately as there are no set meals. Customization can be done for burgers and hot dogs with no hidden cost. The choices for burgers are Hamburger ($13),  Cheeseburger ($15), Bacon Burger ($15), and Bacon Cheese Burger ($17). The choices of fries are the original or with Cajun spices, starting from $7 then $9, and $11 from the hand-cut potatoes. When selecting toppings for the burgers and hot dogs, you go with your choices or simply go with the "all the way" option to have everything included. Some of the most popular toppings are lettuce, pickles, grilled mushrooms, and grilled onions. The famous shakes at $10 can be further customized too, like selecting between with or without whipped cream and mixing in the bacon bits, salted caramel, strawberry, banana, and chocolate with no extra cost. They are to cook everything fresh and not using frozen ingredients.

We decided to go with their Bacon Cheese Burger, regular fries, and coke. There is the free flow of peanuts to keep you occupied while waiting for your number to be called. Your order will be packed in the brown paper bag. 

The "all the way" option came with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, mushroom with mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. 

The burger came with double patties and 2 slices of cheese in between the juicy patties. It was good though not mind-blowing but it is definitely one of the better burgers but it is the expensive ones. 

I would not mind eating it once in a while but not too willing to queue for it. 

FIVE GUYS

68 Orchard Road #01-23 Plaza Singapura SINGAPORE 238839

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 10.00 pm (Daily)

Signs a Taste of Vietnam Pho: by a hearing-impaired couple

Anthony and Angela, the owners, the hearing-impaired couple behind this newly opened hole-in-the-wall eatery at the corner of the basement in Midpoint Orchard. Angela originated from Vietnam and she has been living in Singapore for 8 years. It is definitely a great challenge for Angela to open this shop. And, why did she decide to embark on it? Angela started to cook since she was 8 years old as her mother told her that she must learn how to cook. She kept on practicing till her cooking skills have improved. She often cooked dishes for friends visiting her house and these friends commented that those dishes are delicious. Their compliments encouraged her and planted a thought in her mind of starting a business. She discussed with Anthony but he asked her to wait first as he needed time to think. Eventually, he agreed and they opened this eatery.

Angela is at the shop as early as 9 am to start the preparation process. Their operating hours are long, they operate from 11 am to 9 pm on a daily basis and even so, it is still not as tiring to Angela as she grew up working on the farm, her life was much tougher then. 

Their friend was there when I went for lunch. I was given an order-chit to go through. The menu is simple, there is a selection of different types of Pho, Noodle Salad, and Fresh Spring Rolls and beverages like milkshakes, coffee, juices, and soda. I decided to go with Beef Feast Combo ($8.00), Fresh Spring Roll with Prawns, Chicken & Egg (2 pieces for $5) and a canned of coke ($1.50). I brought along the order-chit to the counter and handed it to that friendly lady. She suggested I should try the Vietnamese smoothie and she recommended Red Dragon Milkshake ($3) but I decided to go with Avocado Milkshake ($4.00). She said, "It is quite different from those out there as no water is added here so the texture is quite thick."

Anthony came out to say hello, he waved at me and gave a big smile.

There are a few choices for Pho and Beef Feast Combo is the most expensive amongst them. It consists of sliced beef Ribeye, sliced beef shin, and beef balls. The broth was lightly flavored and those slices of beef were cooked well to the right texture. It has a comforting taste. 

I was asked, "How did you get to know about us?" I said, "A friend told me about it and urged me to go quickly before they become famous."

Anthony asked me, through sign language, whether I like the food or not. I do not understand sign language but it was easy enough to guess. I gave him a big thumb up, he smiled and nodded his head. I said, "It tasted good, much better than those that I tasted at those popular Vietnamese eateries." Through their friend that helped to translate, Angela said, "The difference between a good pho and the bad one is the use of MSG and that spoilt the taste. We do not use MSG and oil here."

Anthony mentioned that one of their customers came by to try their pho and after tasting it, he liked it so much and he brought along his wife. His wife has never really enjoyed eating pho but fallen in love after she tasted their pho. 

The Vietnamese rolls are freshly made upon order. It has a very clean taste. The roll was packed quite tightly with fresh tasting ingredients like vegetables, vermicelli, chicken, prawn, and egg. Vietnamese dishes are mostly lightly flavored so it is not as fattening as they use mainly vegetables particularly lemon. 

Through their friend, Anthony asked, "Where are you from?" as he saw me taking pictures of the food earlier. I said, "I keep a food blog." Their friend translated and communicated to him through sign language." Through the friend, he said, "I hope you will tell more people about our shop, get them to come by and try it." I asked, "The rental here is expensive." Anthony nodded his head.

I could sense the love that he has for Angela, he is really proud of her and her cooking.

There are many post-it stickers on the wall written by their customers with encouraging messages to Anthony and Angela. These customers have all fallen in love with the unpretentious homely food and their heart-warming service. 

They are trying out for 3 months to determine whether they can make it or not. Please go and support them as they deserve a chance to live their dream.

I can see the joy on their faces. Happiness can be so simple. 

SIGNS A TASTE OF VIETNAM PHO

220 Orchard Road #B1-07 Midpoint Orchard SINGAPORE 238852

Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 9.00 pm (Daily)

B Burger : Forgettable burgers

B Burger is a newly opened burger joint by Benjamin Barker Group, a homegrown menswear label, known for its tailored suits. It is located on the ground floor of Orchard Cineleisure, serving burgers of the combination of classic American with Japanese flavors to set themselves apart from the others.The burgers are made upon order with freshly handmade patties.

I was there on a Saturday for lunch, it was not as crowded as I expected it to be. I decided to go with their single B Burger ($6.90), Bomchika Wow Wow Burger ($10.90) and added $3.50 to include a side and drink. I paid $23.10 in total and I was given a pager for collection later. I waited for about 10 minutes to collect it.

I was asked for the choices for drink and side which I opted for coke and fries, the other choices for sides are Nacho Soup and Wafu Ramen Slaw. 

Bomchika Wow Wow Burger ($10.90), it consists of 2 pieces of nicely fried chicken patties, with a fried egg, cheese, wafu slaw, sriracha honey, truffle mayo and the secret B sauce, served in between charcoal buns, it is quite similar to the Karate Burger ($8.90). Apparently, I could only taste the truffle mayo, not so much of the sriracha honey and the B sauce. The yolk of the fried egg was already broken and flowing, it was a bit messy. 

B Burger ($6.90), it consists of a beef patty, daikon pickles, caramelized onions, cheese, lettuce and B sauce. It tasted just fine and we did not like it as much.

They aim to be the Shake Shack of Singapore but they are still far from achieving it. My dining companion compared their burgers with "Burger Up", another local burger joint and he prefers the latter. 

B BURGER

8 Grange Road #01-01/02 Cathay Cineleisure Orchard SINGAPORE 239695

Operating Hours: 12.00 pm to 10.00 pm (Daily)

Bull Market Noodle Bar : Traditional Beef Noodle at Lucky Plaza

I was their only customer at 11.30 am. The owner was there with his wife and their sons, it is not difficult to tell that he is a family-oriented man. I was telling him that I got to know about his shop on Facebook. I said, "It seems not too many know about your shop." He said, "Only people like you will get to know about." It is, in fact, a little unusual to find such a shop amidst of the others in Lucky Plaza. And, I asked, "Why did you choose to set up a shop in Lucky Plaza?" He said, "The rental here is the cheapest in the whole of Orchard Road."

As it mentioned on their website that their recipe is created by a veteran chef Daniel Tan and it has been handed down from generation to generation since the 1970s, it is in the good hands of the third generation now.

I decided to go with the Bull Market value meal. I did not know the actual name of this value meal at that time. I was telling the friendly owner that I want the set that is with sliced beef and beef balls. I was asked to take a seat.

There are 3 different value meals for selection: Triple Bull ($8.50) with stewed beef shanks, beef tripes and beef tendons, Bull Market ($9.50) with Beef Steak, Bulletto ($8.50) with beef balls and The Big Bull ($16.00) with stewed beef, beef tripes, beef tendons, beef steak and beef brisket. There is a current promotion and these value meals are served at a reduced prices, Triple Bull at $6.50, Bull Market at $7.50, Bulletto at $6.50 and The Big Bull at $12.50. Each value meal is served along with a bowl of soup that consists of 3 pieces of beef balls with a choice of drink from the dispenser.

It consists of a good portion of thick bee hoon served in groovy braised sauce with a few slices of lightly blanched beef that were slightly overcooked thus its texture was a little too chewy for my liking. Those sliced beef are referred to as 'beef steak' in the description on their menu, though slightly too thin but it was quite big pieces. Those beef balls which are likely to be factory made did not taste too memorable but the soup has a distinct beefy flavour.

When I was done eating, Enoch, 4, the oldest of his boys approached me and asked, "Have you finished?" I nodded. He then started to clear the bowls and brought them to the counter. Before I left, I asked, "Your beef balls are handmade or factory made?" And, he replied, "The volume is too big so it is not possible to handmade." Then I said, "Your price is comparable to the Cuppage Beef Noodle but they serve it with very small pieces of beef that I could hardly taste it, unlike those that are served in your beef noodle." Then, I said, "The meat was slightly tough though." He nodded then said, "Do come back more often." He was preparing the orders for delivery at that time. 

BULL MARKET NOODLE BAR

304 Orchard Road #02-54 Lucky Plaza SINGAPORE 268863

Operating Hours: 10.00 am to 8.00 pm (Daily)

Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta, Singapore Vs Japan - World's First Michelin-starred Ramen : Are they equally good?

Chef Yuki Onishi, founded Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta in January 2012, it is a shop nestled in the residential area of Sugamo, Tokyo. They became the first Michelin-starred Ramen restaurant in 2015.

Chef Onishi after giving up a promising corporate career, returned to Kanagawa, his hometown, to follow in his father's footsteps in 1997. He acquired the art of making ramen in his father's ramen shop before moving ahead to pursue his dream of opening a ramen shop. When he started his own shop, his trademark dish is Shoyu Ramen with the signature Shio Ramen. The shoyu broth consists of 3 different types of Shoyu : cedar cask-aged Marudaizu natural soy sauce from Wakayama Prefecture blended together with a naturally brewed, aged Nagano soy sauce and a white soy sauce to intensify the flavor. This is added to the soup stock together with kelp from Hokkaido, pike from Mie, clam stock and other ingredients then boiled to bring forth its full flavors. The noodles are handmade and serving fresh daily using 4 types of whole wheat flour and whole grains.

JAPANESE SOBA NOODLES TSUTA, SINGAPORE
9 Scotts Road #01-01 Pacific Plaza SINGAPORE 228210
Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 10.00 pm (Daily)

Tsuta Singapore has opened on 6 November 2016, it has only 18 counter seats and is located on the ground floor of Pacific Plaza. This is the only outlet of Tsuta, the second in the world after their original shop in Japan. This is a partnership with Hersing Corporation, an investment company which is also behind Tim Ho Wan and Kam's Roast Goose that are located in the same building. 

The queue is outside the restaurant and it started as early as 30 minutes before their operation time. I was the number 7 in the queue when I went there at 10.45 am. 

Their menu also consists of a limited selection of side dishes such as Niku Meshi (diced roasted pork on rice served with onion sauce) at $6, Ro-su Meshi (sliced roasted pork shoulder on rice topped with fragrant butter sauce) at $6 and soup chazuke at $2, the rice can be added to the remaining soup together with bonito flakes and Japanese seaweed. An additional portion of soba noodles is at $1.00, bamboo shoots at $2.00, rice at $1.80, char siu at $2.00 per piece and flavored egg at $1.80.

I decided to go with Ajitama Shoyu Soba at $16.80 which consists of a piece of char siu and a flavored egg. I also ordered Iced Wheat Tea at $1.80 to go along, this tea is selected by Chef Onishi as he feels that it complements his ramen most. 

The tickets were handed over to the service staff before I took my seat at the counter. I actually made an effort to check whether am I allowed to take picture of their kitchen before doing so as this is not allowed at the shop in Japan. 

Each bowl is served with 100 grams of noodles. The noodles are made fresh daily using the same combination of whole wheat and grain flours that are directly imported from Japan. It is known as soba noodles as the noodles are of a higher standard than the more common ramen. And, they cooked it just right. The toppings tasted close to what I had in Japan but it was garnished with spring onions. Pork collar is used to make char siu as it is lower in fat with just the same texture and flavor.

The shoyu ramen is made with the same types of shoyu then topped with a dollop of black truffle pureed in truffle oil. The shio ramen is also made with a chicken-seafood broth with Okinawa sea salt and Mongolian rock salt and topped with green olive pureed in truffle oil. The standards are expected to be the same. 

I waited for about 5 minutes for my shoyu ramen to be served. I frowned when I sipped the soup, it was much saltier as compared to what they served in Japan with a rather overpowering taste of truffle oil. I did not manage to finish the soup which is not quite usual for a soup lover like myself.

The standard is not the same and definitely not as good, it might be good during the initial period when Chef Onishi was around but it is so lacking now. It actually tasted quite ordinary, a far cry from what I had in Sugamo, Tokyo. Apparently, it is not even as good as some of the other options for ramen that are here.

There is also plan to include Miso ramen and Tsukeman, a ramen dish that is served with dipping sauce that is already on their menu in Japan.

JAPANESE SOBA NOODLES TSUTA, JAPAN
1-14-1 Plateau-Saka 1F Sugamo, Toshima-ku, Tokyu
Operating Hours: 11.00 am to 4.00 pm / 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm (Closed on Wednesdays)

This is supposed to be the number one ramen in a city of thousands of ramen joints. Their location is a stone's throw from Sugamo Sation on the Yamanote train line which loops around center of Tokyo. To secure one of those 9 seats at the counter for a bowl of Micheline-starred ramen on the same day, you are expected to be there really early. Tickets for set time slots are distributed from 7 am and you are expected to come back later according to the color of the tickets allocated. The colored ticket represents different timing, at 11.00 am, 12.00 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm and 4 pm respectively. Please take note that everyone in the party is expected to be present to get a ticket. 

You are also required to pay a deposit of ¥1,000 in order to receive a ticket. It will be refunded later when you come back later just before you enter the shop and place your order through the vending machine. Do take note that the vending machine is in Japanese. There are only 150 bowls of ramen to be served daily in the price range of ¥1,000 to ¥1,500 ($13 to $20). There is strictly no picture of the kitchen is allowed and only one bowl of ramen per person, sharing is also not permitted. 

The instructions for the ticketing system is listed out and pasted on the wall at just where the queue is supposed to be, which is at the covered entrance to the apartment next to it. 

Their menu is simple, it consists of either soba or tsuke-soba served in a shoyu and shio varieties. Their Shoyu Soba is a soy sauce ramen that is made from a chicken and seafood stock base, enhanced by a soy sauce blend then topped with their signature black truffle oil and black truffle sauce that intensifies the overall umami experience. The broth of shoyu ramen is rich and complex while the freshly made soba noodles are firm, smooth with a desired chewiness that has a clear and nutty flavor, balanced perfectly with the black truffle oil, the char siu is perfectly roasted too.

The shio ramen is lighter and saltier in flavor. The seafood dashi made from the combination of clam and red seabream and it blended really well into the shio soup, which uses Okinawan sea salt and Mongolian rock salt. It is then topped with Italian white truffle oil, green tapenade, tomato and herbs.

You might want to include a trip to Sugamo when you are visiting Tokyo, this is not just for an affordable Michelin-star dining but also a top-class ramen experience. Ultimately, their ramen is so much better than that in Singapore. 

Jamie's Italian : Good Value Festive Lunch Menu

I went on a Saturday for late lunch. I was told that the waiting time for a table would be 15 minutes. I left my name and was asked to wait in the holding area. I have always been wanting to dine here, it just seems to be a must-do since i am quite a big fan of Jamie Oliver. My name was called in about 5 minutes and we were ushered to a table thereafter, menus were presented upon seated down.

We decide to go with the set lunches at $49.90 per set from their festive lunch menu. We ordered different sets so we would get to try a little bit of everything. 

The set lunch included a glass of champagne each, it might not be of the best quality but it added a little Christmas cheers.

Smoked Salmon Salad. Smoked Salmon serving with salt-roasted beetroot, whipped buffalo ricotta, seeded crackers and freshly grated horseradish. 

Festive Italian Pate. Toasted ciabatta topped with silky smooth free-range chicken liver and vin santo pate and Parmesan. 

Celeriac & Truffle Soup. Finished with black truffle oil and homemade rosemary focaccia.

Chicken Al Mattone. Free-range chicken breast cooked under a brick, served with crispy San Daniele prosciuttto, balsamic onion and pan juicies. 

Italian Flash Steak. Flash-grilled prime sirloin steak served with herby garlic butter, rocket salad and skinny fries.

Sea Bass. Pan-fried sea bass with white wine, chilli, fennel and garlic broth, served with steamed mussels and saffron aioli.

All the 3 set lunches were served with rosemary roast potatoes and roasted root vegetables.

Epic Brownie. Warm fudgy brownie with amaretto ice-cream and caramelised popcorn.

Tangy Lemon Tart. Buttery pastry topped with proper lemon curd, served with whipped vanilla cream, pomegranate and fresh mint. 

Tiramisu Pavlova. Gooey meringue topped with dark chocolate ice-cream, smashed hazelnuts and hot chocolate sauce.

It was a lovely and enjoyable lunch. When comparing to the prices of the same items on their menu, their set lunches are of really good value. 

It is beginning to feel like Christmas. 

JAMIE'S ITALIAN

583 Orchard Road #01-01/04 Forum SINGAPORE 238884

Operating Hours: 11.30 am to 10.00 pm (Mon to Thu & Sun)

11.30 am to 11.00 pm (Fri & Sat)

1 HarbourFront Walk #01-165/167 Vivo City SINGAPORE 098585

Operating Hours: 12.00 pm to 10.00 pm (Mon to Thu) / 12.00 pm to 11.00 pm (Fri) /

11.00 am to 11.00 pm (Sat) / 11.00 am to 10.00 pm (Sun)