The Hungry Bunny

Ever since we had that transformative steak frites at the sublime Restaurant Hubert in Sydney, we've been on the hunt for the best steak frites in Singapore. Tbh, I've never been a fan of French cuisine. But that steak, slathered in the most insanely scrumptious sauce ever, changed my life. That plate was honestly one of the best things I've ever had. My friend Addie, who spent almost a decade in Paris, says the best is homecooked. Specifically, by her. But since her kitchen isn't always available, we've taken to the streets, running down the list of French restaurants to dine at. You know, in our quest to discover a worthwhile substitute for Restaurant Hubert's amazing steak frites. Brasserie Gavroche , located along the buzzy dining enclave of Tras Street, was first on the list. The food, classic and unfussy, was decent, but less-than-mind-blowing. There were a couple of standouts, but the steak frites was disappointingly pedestrian. A must-try, the Tart

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

Our virgin trip to Taipei is forever marked by a life-changing appreciation for scallion pancake. This revelation was most surprising, most of all to myself, as anyone who's read this blog will know that I absolutely detest the trio of herbs: coriander leaves/cilantro, parsley and spring onions. I don't know how the Taiwanese do it, but the liberal lacing of spring onions in their scallion pancake, or cong1 you2 bing3, didn't bother me one bit. I thought I'd take at least one bite for posterity's sake, and then offload the rest to the Hubs, but it was so damn good I ended up finishing the whole thing on my own. One of the very best renditions of this Taiwanese street food can be found at the morning market of Yong3 Chun1 Market , where its exquisite millefeuille-like folds have given it the moniker of ' Thousand Layer Scallion Pancake ". This was remarkable, toasted till crisp and golden on the crust and delightfully chewy within. The spring onions, chopp

Mandarin Oriental Hotel is my favourite hotel for its in-house restaurant options. There's the best-in-class Japanese Teppan-Ya , illustrious grand dame of Chinese fine-dining Cherry Garden , renowned steakhouse Morton's , the immensely popular buffets at Melt ....and then there's Dolce Vita , the long-timer Italian trattoria. Perched on the 5th floor overlooking the bay, the glass enclosure of a restaurant flanks the hotel pool, so you get glistening bodies oiled up and soaking up the sun's rays in the foreground, against the azure expanse of the Marina Bay in the background. I like the ambience Dolce Vita affords, it's breezy, casual, and tranquil. Being on the fringes of the madding CBD and bustling Orchard Road shopping belt is evidently conducive for a relaxed vibe. Which is why a bunch of us from work drove out of the city for a languid Friday lunch. And also, because TGIF!! Also, the Set Lunch ($36 for 2-courses, $42 for 3-courses, and $52 for 4-course

Everyone knows about Din Tai Fung. The world renowned, Michelin-starred international-chain restaurant synonymous with xiao3 long2 bao1 draws the tourist horde to its ten stores throughout Taipei city. But the Taiwanese know Din Tai Fung isn't the exclusive paragon for xiao long bao. Ask any local, and they'll direct you to a Kao Chi chain restaurant instead. Kao3 Chi1 , with an even more enduring legacy than Din Tai Fung, is the less touristy, less commercial, but just as exceptional, compeer to Din Tai Fung. The restaurant may be less prominent than DTF, but the Shanghainese fare is no mousy imitation of its world-famous counterpart. Just about every one of its four branches does a roaring business, largely sustained by the local populace. Obviously, reservations are a must. Or be prepared to wait in line for an hour or so. The Xiao Long Bao (NT$220), or soup dumpling, was exquisitely nuanced. The skin is a smidge thicker than DTF's standard, but it was still thin

This is a Korean take on roasted cauliflower. Using a base of gochujang and lashings of sesame oil, I made this a sweet-spicy nibbler that's great for healthy snacking. But because it's coated in a thick emulsion, you'll need to roast this at a lower temperature of 190C (400F) to ensure it doesn't burn. Chunk it up with fried tofu, or an egg, like I did here. Ingredients (feeds 4): 3 heads cauliflower, cut into florets 1 tbsp canola oil for pre-oiling the roasting pan sesame seeds or furikake for garnishing optional: fried egg Marinade: 3 tbsp guk kanjang (switch it with Chinese light soy in a pinch) 5 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) 1 tsp rice vinegar 3 tbsp Korean sesame oil 1 tbsp maple syrup 3 tbsp mirin 1 tbsp minced garlic 2 tsp grated ginger Directions: 1) Mix the marinade. 2) Toss the cauliflower in the marinade. 3) Spread it out in a pre-oiled roasting tin, and roast for 40 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 190C, tossin