The Hungry Bunny

It's been a while since I last ate at Cugini . Dining at its sister restaurant Los Primos reminded me of that. So as soon as I was back in its vicinity, I made sure to pop by for a spot of lunch. As with all the Club Street restaurants, afternoons will find the street a ghost-town of sorts, even though Amoy Street which runs parallel to it is bustling with the CBD lunch throng. It's funny how people can mimic the behaviour of lab rats sometimes, that a street barely a 5-minute stroll away can be such a confounding deterrent. On the upside, this means that lunches at the establishments along Club Street are tranquil and such a peaceful respite from the toils of work. Predictably so,  Cugini 's service was attentive and efficient, while food got churned out lightning-quick. We started with a platter of Selezione di Formaggi Italiani ($21.90), a curated assortment of Italian dairy: gorgonzola, parmiagiano, fontina, and scarmorza, accompanied by honey, walnuts, and a be

This is like the prettiest salad ever, so much so that the most hardcore salad haters would venture a bite. And for something that looks so intricate, it's like the easiest thing ever. Ingredients (feeds 4 pax): 1 avocado, diced 1 box strawberries, quartered 1 ball buffalo mozzarella, sliced 1 cup fresh basil, leaves only 1 box cherry tomatoes, halved salt (I used this red wine flavoured salt I got from Australia) pepper Extra virgin olive oil Directions: 1) Toss the strawberries, avocado, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil and salt. 2) Layer the salad with the mozzarella at the bottom, followed by basil leaves, then marinated mix at step 1, and serve with extra basil leaves on top, and a good lashing of freshly milled black pepper. That'll really make the salad 'pop'.

Ever since the Michelin Guide debuted in Singapore, it's been impossible to secure reservations at Burnt Ends . A galfriend of mine, transiting through Singapore, tried booking for 2 persons, lunch or dinner, a month in advance, but still sorely missed out. They're now booked out for two months solid, and she had to resort to taking away their amazing sanger, just for a taste. Enter Burnt Ends' little cousin, Meat Smith , a smokehouse restaurant that's designed like a cross between an industrial factory and cowboy ranch, along the Telok Ayer/Amoy Street F&B enclave du jour. The food is hearty, big, and robust. If you love your beef and barbecues, Meat Smith 's the perfect spot. Ceilings hang low, and the cramped enclosure is decked out in dark woods, which lends to Meat Smith 's ambience as a caveman's den. Perhaps that's why the restaurant was teeming with boys' night-out types of bunches, and not so much girls' night-out groupies. The

We haven't been to boCHINche for a while, and not since they've moved to new premises in the heart of the business district. The current space is more compact, a little cosier I suppose, but it also means that reservations are now very much more encouraged. The menu's trimmed down too, and tighter, with a decidedly increased focus on the meats, and a more contemporary flair. They've taken off a number of our favourites, like the ox cheeks and pork chops, which are missed, but retained a couple of mainstays like the steaks and updated the grilled market fish. Some changes, I liked, but many, I found disconcerting, to say the least. The steak, raked over a white charcoal grill, is now a little uneven, and I couldn't appreciate that some of my beloved dishes weren't ever making a comeback, but the fish, styled more intricately, is still fantastic. That said, it's nice that the staff remembered us from the Martin Road days. That was quite the personal touc

I don't think I've ever featured pig's organ soup on this my blog before. It's not a dish I'm intimately familiar with, hardly ever having it growing up, so I'm not exactly crazy about it, nor do I ever crave it. Cheng Mun Chee Kee is a name synonymous with pig's organ soup. The coffeeshop, a stone's throw away from the now demolished Lavender Food Centre , had always seemed a full-house everytime we took-away from Kok Kee. The late-night supper spot is open till the wee hours of the night, and so I thought it a viable option when I felt like something soupy and fortifying in the dead of night. The Soup ($6) was a pick-and-mix, so we got a large bowl loaded with beancurd, lean pork, and pork ball, passing on the innards. I'd always thought this would be like a less-oily bak kut teh, but this was nothing like our local pork rib soup. It wasn't peppery or robust one bit, but it was heavy on the porky overtones. Suffice it to say, I'm sti

Sandwiches are my current comfort food go-tos. It just sucks that there's a dearth of halfway decent sandwich shops in Singapore. Then I discovered Park Bench Deli , a sandwich specialist smack dab in middle of the Telok Ayer/Amoy Street dining enclave. In addition to being incredibly accessible, they're also open all day; so we don't just have our lunches here, we eat dinners here too!  The bright and cheery, turquoise-hued deli is directly opposite The Market Grill , a small-ish setup with tiny cocktail-height tables and even tinier stools. You'll never be more acutely aware of your big bum here. Buzzy with executive or young hipster types, the bistro gets fairly packed during peak dining hours. Turnover is high though, as the eatery gets a little stuffy so people don't linger for long. Methinks Park Bench Deli isn't efficiently ventilated or sufficiently air-conditioned. I was sweating up a storm by the time I left the crowded joint. (in this regard, I

Cuppage Plaza may look dodgy AF, but it's a veritable trove of cheap eateries, especially those of the Japanese persuasion. Like, there's one Japanese restaurant for every other fogged-up KTV lounge, which may explain the prevalence of Japanese men thronging the dingy mall. One of the more popular spots is Kaiho Sushi , a tiny cramped space frequented by locals and Japanese expats alike. The 15-odd-seater capacity is a blessing in disguise really, because Kaiho Sushi is a one man show. Seriously. When we were there for lunch, the chef was whizzing about, doubling up as the waiter and sometimes, tripling up as cashier. Halfway through, his dishwasher stepped in to help out with the clearing of tables and cashiering duties. Food-wise, I wouldn't venture that it's the most authentic or exquisite. But, the sushi passed muster, and the cooked fare was commendably executed. Best to pick from the aburi section of the menu, there were a number of standouts here. In all,  K

Xi Yan was a recommendation by a foodie friend who lives in the neighbourhood. The casual offshoot of the Singapore outpost of the lauded Hongkong restaurant is one of his go-tos for family dinners. Tucked away in a neglected corner of the depressingly forlorn Shaw Centre, the small-ish cosy bistro was quiet. Clearly, this part of the mall doesn't get much foot traffic from the throngs of Lido cinema-goers. Other than peak dining hours, the eatery barely packs in a three-quarters' capacity. The fare at Xi Yan is simple, and not particularly fancy or refined. Save for the incredible dan dan noodles, dinner wasn't particularly memorable. Or outstanding. But it had a comfortingly homecooked appeal to it. Likewise with the service, which was a-ok, if a little dull and unmotivated. You can well tell the staff was more enthused about clearing the restaurant than serving the customers. We didn't get any water (tap or bottled). And that ridiculously oily floor between t

We were devastated when Bruno Menard terminated his partnership at &Made . We'd loved the burgers there, and the celebrity chef's Midas touch proved crucial for the burger joint, as its tenure was short-lived after his exit. So it was quite a joyous event when we discovered Potato Head Folk , an offshoot of the famed Bali hot spot. I mean, holy cow! The burgers here were truly ah-mazing: juicy, oozy, messy, drippy and totally scrumptious. Just be sure to have lots of wet-nap on hand, you'll need it to mop the dribble off your chin. The casual bistro is located at the Keong Siak enclave, a 3-storey tower of kitsch decked out with irreverent knick knacks like an ironic burger lamp and frivolous statues. It's fun and playful, just like its approach to burgers. The signature  Truff Ryder ($36), a massive hunk of 120gm A5 Kagoshima Wagyu patty, was layered with a slab of seared foie gras, black truffle cheese, onion jam, and slapped with den miso mayo and ketc

We were looking to avoid the weekend crowd thronging the Orchard malls, and Mitzo , hotel Grand Park Orchard's Chinese offering, fit the bill. The hotel, despite its central location, is markedly underrated, and its standalone structure meant that it has a near-zero shopper traffic. Mitzo , hidden in the bowels of the hotel, is consequently devoid of crowds. Cladded in blacks, greys and rich jewel accents, Mitzo is dark and sleek and sophisticated. And with tables spaced a good distance apart, it'll make a wonderfully private date-night. Not so much for big noisy gatherings though, as the ambience is serene and hushed; and most diners here converse in soft tones. Excellent atmosphere aside, Mitzo's contemporary Chinese cuisine was a mixed bag; while there are a couple of memorable highlights, there were a few dishes that missed the mark. A must-try, the Black Truffle Crispy Roast Duck ($38 for half) was intoxicatingly fragrant. The cardboard-thick skin, lined with