The Hungry Bunny

We were dismayed when the local outpost of Kuala Lumpur landmark Restoran Oversea exited our shores. We loved their char siew, and no one else in SG did it with quite as much aplomb as them...How else to get KL-style char siew now? Enter Char . The pre-eminent char siew specialist, which moniker is a decent pun on the subject matter, barbecues pork so outstanding it may actually rival Restoran Oversea's version. I've put off visiting the restaurant for some time now, as reviews of its other offerings were lukewarm at best and I wasn't particularly keen on eating just char siew. But since the installation of a new chef, whose stint in Imperial Treasure is an instant pass in my book, and the roll-out of a slew of Cantonese-styled dishes, I thought it high time to visit the Jalan Besar eatery. An absolute cannot-miss, the Signature Char Siew ($18 for 300gm) was decadent, sinful, and all kinds of delicious. Sticky, luscious, melty, it was redolent of honeyed nuance and

Liang2 Mian4, or cold noodles, is Taiwan's answer to Korea's naengmyeon. Or western pasta salad. Typically eaten during the sweltering Summer months, the noodles are served chilled and doused in a peanut-sesame sauce with a simple garnish of julienned cucumbers. It's refreshing and spritely, and doesn't ever feel too heavy for a carb-centric dish. We were recommended Hong2 Dou4 Liang2 Mian4 , or Red Bean Cold Noodles , in the foodie district of Xinyi. The shop's proprietors are friendly as heck, and are as congenial as their noodles. The Cold Noodles (TWD35), springy and wonderfully devoid of that alkali aftertaste of most other fresh egg noodles, was slicked in a creamy nutty sauce redolent of sesame oil and peanut butter. Aromatic and lively, this was refreshingly scrumptious. While I wasn't a fan of the gigantic pork meatballs, the Egg Drop Miso Soup (TWD35) was velvety and nuanced. The shop front for reference. Hong Dou Liang Mian No. 105

Greyhound Cafe opened to much fanfare in Singapore. Originating from Bangkok, aka the land of smiles, the cafe is a big thing in its homeland and insanely popular with the millennial set. It's now over a year since its launch in Paragon Shopping Centre, the crowds have long dissipated, and I thought it finally time to visit the cafe. You know, Greyhound Cafe is the perfect example of why I don't think an overseas outpost will ever fare as well as the original mothership. Greyhound Cafe may serve great food back in Thailand, but its sister outlet here in little ol' Singapore, was awfully pedestrian. And the business, or lack thereof, speaks for itself. Even with its one-for-one mains promotion for dinner, the cafe rarely operates at a full capacity. Because the cafe hires the hearing-impaired, service at Greyhound requires patience and understanding. On the part of the customer. We weren't aware at first that our waiter was hearing impaired, so we rattled off our

Gua4 Bao1 is Taiwan's answer to the burger. A breakfast staple frequently eaten on-the-go, the modestly sized bun is hearty and rustic. Everyone has their favourite, but one of the most popular offerings can be found in the Wufenpu Garment Wholesale Area of the Xinyi district, along Songshan Road where the shop draws its name. A fluffy steamed bun is stuffed with soy-braised pork belly, fatty and indulgent and all kinds of bad for you, and laced with pickled mustard greens, and overflowing with lashings of peanut powder. It's sweet yet savoury, spicy yet tart, an explosive confluence of contrasting flavours that was at once delightful and wonderful. Each bun is hawked at an affordable (TWD50). The shop front for reference. Songshan Guabao 179 Songshan Road, Xinyi District, Taipei Taiwan Tel: 02 2756 7426 Open daily from 11.30am to 10pm

Apologies for the extended silence. We've been caught up with life. Also, the laptop went on the fritz (again!), and thankfully, all it took was a hard reboot to kick it back into gear this time. On this note, I'm seriously considering replacing it at the year-end Comex Singapore. *hoping that threat scares lappie into submissive performance* We haven't been to Tung Lok Signatures for some time now, and thought a return was in order. The branch at The Central at Clarke Quay is frequently jam-packed, so we headed over to its outlet at Orchard Parade Hotel for dinner instead. I can understand why the Orchard Parade Hotel outpost was noticeably less populous. The food was a hit and miss. Service was excellent though, warm, efficient, and speedy. I don't usually order Sweet & Sour Pork ($22), but we were with Ernie and he eats like a foreigner. Sweet & sour pork is a default order at any Cantonese restaurant. Tung Lok's version, contrasted with the tang