The Hungry Bunny

Tucked away in the hip (not hipster) enclave of Ann Siang Hill, Lolla , a notable member of the small plates bandwagon, has been drawing in the crowds with its care-free, fuss-free approach to food. An informal bar-like joint with a theatrical open-kitchen concept (for maximum interaction with the chefs), I liked that the restaurant was a lot less stuffy or pretentious than I'd expected. That said, the food, while good, just wasn't remarkable enough for me to get on board with the small plates movement. It may be that there were a great many things on its carefully curated menu that I don't fancy (like their uni pudding or beef tripe or octopus or bottarga-laced eggs or eel tortilla or beef tongue), which so happen to be their signatures. But, it didn't help that Lolla 's price points aren't quite commensurate with its portioning. Thing is, the food here is rustic while being delicately portioned, but I happen to like my food the other way around, i.e. delicat

The original plan to get Swedish meatballs at Ikea got derailed by the ridiculous hundred metre-long, school-holiday-induced queue. So, we headed opposite to Sakuraya Fish Mart at Anchorpoint, a casual, supermarket-like eatery that's known for its value-for-money Japanese fare. Sakuraya may not be the top of the line, but does serve up decent food that's affordable bang for your buck. Best of all, there's no service charge!   The Bara Chirashi Don ($15), generously laden with an assortment of chopped sashimi on a bed of vinegar-ed sushi rice, was less than sparkling fresh, but interspersed with an unusually luxurious touch, the octopus tako. The Ebi Fry Maki ($10) crispy prawns swaddled in seaweed, crunchy cucumber and moist sushi rice and rolled in sesame seeds and benito passed muster. The Inari Sushi ($2), though humongous, was, however, a smidge too sweet. For a mass-market mid-range Japanese joint, the Ebi Tempura ($7) here was surprisingly refin

A most no-fuss dish that requires only 8 or less ingredients, I love how this can be varied into a meatless option. Just switch out the bacon, up the amount of olive oil and voila, the vegetarians can partake! I've added garlic to my version of this classic, because I find it adds aroma and flavour, and switched up the sequence of ingredients to toss into the pan to prevent clumping. Ingredients (feeds 2): 200 grams linguine (you can use whichever string pasta you prefer) 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 5 strips streaky bacon 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan 100 grams arugula (this is the uncooked measurement)  3 tbsp pinenuts 4 tbsp salt Directions: 1) Heat bacon strips in pan till sizzling and crisp. Remove, cut into 1"-dice and set aside, leaving the bacon renderings in the pan. 2) In the meantime, add pasta into boiling salted water (4 tbsp salt to 4L water) until just before it's al dente, about 3 minutes. 3) Add olive oil t

I'd long heard of the gorgeous and divine creations at Flor Patisserie , a confectionery that blends the minimalist sensibilities of the Japanese and exacting sophistication of the French. Pronounced "fu-ro-ru" in Japanese, the confections here are exquisite and sumptuous.  Their signature, the Berry Berries ($28.25 for 12cm x 12cm cake), an airy-fairy sponge layered with lusciously gossamer fresh cream and studded with summer berries, is a must-order. I loved how wonderfully light this was. A most awesome round-off to a heavy luncheon. The Fruit Tart ($51.35 for 18cm) didn't fare too badly either. Smooth creamy custard was set in a buttery crumbly shell and crowned with a melange of sweet fresh fruits. Rich but nuanced, the Cacao Royale ($6.95) layered chocolate sponge with dark chocolate ganache and hazelnut feuillitine. Flor Patisserie Takashimaya B2 Food Hall Tel: 6737 1789 Open daily from 10am to 9pm Website: www.cakeflor.com.sg

In the sleepy estate of Beo Crescent , there's a hainanese curry rice stall, nameless but oxymoronically well-known. Located in an old-school coffeeshop adjacent to the Beo Crescent hawker centre, it's distinguished by a perpetual queue of fans, and sells out by mid afternoon. We gave this a shot over the weekend, seeing as it's closer to home than our current No. 1 choice at Jalan Bukit Merah. The selection may be a little less extensive than Tian Tian, the coffeeshop's always crowded, it may not be a viable dinner option, BUT it has a decent mix of hits, making a revisit a worthwhile venture. And at about $20 for 6 dishes, it's ridiculously cheap. In spite of its grungy appearance, the plain white rice, slopped with 3 types of gravies, was absolutely sublime, I would have been happy to eat it on its own. The Hainanese Pork Chop was excellent, even if it was 90% batter and 10% meat. Just think of it as a fresher, less stinky version of pork rinds. I l

I hadn't been very impressed with Auntie Kim's Korean Restaurant along Upper Thomson , but decided to give it another go at their southern outpost. This time, we ordered the right stuff, and while I still think their banchan needs work, I finally understand the hype about this place. Some of their dishes, if done right, are executed with aplomb, such that a return visit is now on the cards. The Kimchi fell a little flat. I was hoping for a more piquant kick. The Sigeumchi Namul , seasoned spinach, was bordering on tasteless, save for the metallic taste of the spinach. Like the seasoned spinach above, the Kong Namul , seasoned beansprouts, was lacking in flavour too. The Buhsut Jorim , sauteed mushrooms, with its clear and earthy tones, was one of 2 banchan that was halfway decent. The Doljaban Muchim , seasoned kelp with chilli, while fun to chew, wasn't quite my cup of tea. The Panjeon , a sweet and crunchy vegetable pancake with carrots, was nice