Friday, February 22, 2019

Nagoya - To Eat (22Feb2019 Umegaoka Sushi no Midori-Sohonten)

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Umegaoka Sushi no Midori-Sohonten
Opens from 11am-10/1030/11pmLocated on the 12thfloor of JR Gate Tower (Nagoya station connected to Takashimaya)
Click here for ABBA location of Umegaoka Sushi no Midori-Sohonten, 〒450-6612 Aichi-ken, Nagoya-shi, Nakamura-ku, Meieki, 1 Chome−1, 名古屋市中村区名駅1−1−3 JRゲートタワー12階レストランプラザ
There’s a plethora of food options located on the 12th and 13th floor of JR Gate Tower Mall. Midori-Sohonten came recommended by hotel concierge staff for good sushi!

Arrived just before 11am and I must say after wasting time waiting for my queue number that this place had one of the longest queue of locals. Ticket number 31 gotten at 1055LT.
ABBATIP: Remember to get your queue number and await your turn!
Arrived at 1055 but waited till 12pm to get in on a Friday!
 
 

Ordered On:
22Feb2019
¥2600set comes with complimentary soup, chawanmushi and even a dessert!
Do as the locals do and order this set! The counter sushi chefs were pumping them out one after the other.

 Locals ordering the exact same thing to the left and right of me.
 Expectations
 *Expectations met*
 *Most of your usual Sushi sampling plates are just that. However here at Midori-Sohonten each of the sushi, already quality in its own right has that extra omph which comes in the forms of crab paste, fish eggs, ankimo and many more. These little touches bring the already good dishes to the next level. The set even comes with appetizer, soup and a dessert which was a pleasant surprise!*


Added on
Suckers of Live Octopus ¥50

*Beautiful texture and sweetness coming from the Octopus suckers. Worth the order to give a try.*
Monkfish Liver ¥250
*Pretty alright. Would have preferred if they hadn’t processed it.*
Total Fed 1 at ¥3132 

Ambience 3.5/5
Food 4/5
*Never had an equivalent of that extra omph for Sushi sampling. With all the additional trimmings of appetizer, soup and dessert, it a complete and fulfilling dining experience.*
Value 4.5/5
*I think for the quality and for that set its the most value and enjoyable experience had by far! Beats Edokko (NRT Village)sushi dining experience.*

Service 4/5
*Although I was a single seater, they gave me a table meant for two. The restaurant didn't rush-in all the patrons at once. In fact presumably to maintain standards and order, they progressively filled half the place at a time and called out for new entrants at approximately 30mins intervals*

 *Sushi chefs just keep pumping out set after set after set.*
Wow! Rarely do I get a meal that makes me keep thinking about it after the meal. This will definitely be a return to and recommended joint to come back for affordable and amazing sushi with that little extra punch. Have yet to try their other seasonal options.

I personally have yet to try fine dining sushi to have it as a comparative standard but this is place in my opinion out does Eddoko Sushi Narata by way of value for sure. Quality maybe matching or slightly lower depending on what you order. For the pricing, absolutely greater quality than another personal value favorite Chio Si Maru (Nartia Outside Aeon mall).

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Singapore - To Eat 11Feb2019 (Supply & Demand)

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Supply & Demand
Recommended in Singapore Top100 restaurants 2018 edition.
 500m walk from Esplanade MRT Station

 


Located along the very picturesque and ever changing landscape of Singapore's Marina Bay Sands area and along Esplanade drive is this casual, mostly specializing in Pizzas and Pasta Italian joint. Supply & Demand.
Ordered on:
11Feb2019
Half and half pizza for additional SGD2.50 The morning after & parma ham SGD25


*Well worth order especially you get two flavours for the price of one. A decent serving size for two to share. The only probable complaint is that they failed to mention the 30min wait time prior the order. Their signature is the morning after with a healthy serving of toppings. The runny yolk just gives that umami and richness. Well worth. The parma ham pizza is fairly standard.*
Aramatricina SGD20


*So-so tomato based bacon penne pasta dish*
Ambience 3.5/5
*Its location is pretty nice, especially so that it faces the every changing Singapore Skyline. There’s also an alfresco dining on the second floor, perfect for catching the sunset.
Food 3/5
Service 2.5/5

(The staff that tended to us didn’t know the menu well and couldn’t really sell us on the menu. Glasses were mostly only on request and considering the off peak dining and top 100, they seemed somewhat aloof and not too friendly. A disappointment.*
Value 3.5/5
Fed 2 at SGD55.91

Nice location especially in the esplanade area to grab decent affordable bites. The sunset view does give that special x-factor. The lighting inside isn’t too dark and great for a casual dining or get together experience.

Service honestly was lacking and to be of the top100 entrant in Singapore is disappointing. Compared to Creatures(also top 100 and very creative and fresh take and traditional eats) / Luka (fusion Italian joint), this is a very distant second placing.

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Perth - To Eat 05Feb2019 (Grand Lane Fish House)

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Grand Lane Fish House
Researched and finally got to go
Best fish and Chips in Perth so far?


 Click here for ABBA location of Grand Lane is behind, 135 Barrack St, Perth WA 6000
Just located beside popular toasties joint, Toast Face Grillah, is Grand Lane Fish House. Located in an Alley way justoff the main walking streets. A great tucked away find. 

The owner whom I spoke to really knows his stuff and went through the Fish choices. Hake is from S.Africa and has a very milld flavored fish perfect for kids. Cod a nice creamy flavor and Darwin Threadfish, a rarer cut but a stronger flavor overall. Baramundi best enjoyed as a pan fry. He also had some seasonal special which I personally went for. Why be like other Fish and Chips store he said? Most of their sauces are home made and come at an additional AUD1.50.
Ordered On:
05Feb2019
Smoked Atlantic Cod with Coleslaw

Total AUD21*The smoked cod was really something different that I didn't really get to try at any other fish and chips store. The smoky flavor and creaminess of the cod both packed delightful punch, and is one of the best fried battered fish had thus far in Perth. The battered fish here can give Hobson's Fish and Chips located in London a run for its money. The fries though bountiful, could be crispier but fairly enjoyable. Season to taste. Additional Coleslaw AUD4 was fresh, enjoyable and a good balance to the fry. Worth to try!*
Ambience 3/5
Food 4/5
Service na
Value 3/5 

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Mile High Shot 21Jan2019 Vietnam Airspace



Sunday, January 20, 2019

Fukuoka - To Eat 19Jan2019 (Sho La Ku Montunabe, Mark IS Food Court Options)

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Sho La Ku
もつ鍋 笑楽 天神店

Motunabe
 Located at B2 of Solaria Stage
(Tenjin Area. Main shopping place)

Getting To Tenjin Area
There's two shuttle buses to the Tenjin Area from Hilton Seahawk with regular timings and ea displays. The express W1bus takes about 20mins to get to town while the regular service takes a little longer. Return stops just in front of Mark IS Mall and the other In Front of Hilton Seahawk. Bus Does not pull back into the drop of point of the hotel.
Sho La Ku
もつ鍋 笑楽 天神店

Motunabe
 Located at B2 of Solaria Stage
(Tenjin Area. Main shopping place)

Stumbling into Sho La Ku was kind of a third choice. After having passed Ganso Hakata Mentaiju, which after asking the local long queue lines which started at 1030am, and even longer by 1230pm that the place is apparently famous for Mentaiko.
The second was Hyotan sushi located on the same floor not too far from Sho La Ku. A (researched) popular local sushi joint, Hyotan Sushi which also had a long queue when we reached. Hence the third choice of Sho La Ku.


Here at Sho La Ku, one can get to try to of the main things which Fukuoka are known for. The first being MENTAIKO Spicy cod roe. This is famous in Fukuoka and is commonly served as a side dish everywhere from yatai food stalls to izakaya and even ramen shops. Secondly is Motunabe which is Another affordable yet satisfying soul food or innards hotpot. The beef or pork tripe is topped with lots of chives and cabbage and boiled in a spicy miso broth. Noodles or rice are added to the soup to round off the meal. This is a winter favorite but served and eaten year-round.
Ordered On:
19Jan2019
Special Lunch and Offal Hotpot with choice of Soy Sauce Based Soup.

On the menu it was stated that Shoyu was the most popular soup since its opening and it did not disappoint at all!
 
You can order different sets as the main shared dish is the same.
The only difference between the two is the addition of Horse Meat Shashimi (nothing spectacular), Vinegar Offal (the ponzu and vinegar tends to overpower everything else. More of a textural thing). The surprisingly welcome dish was the serving of Champion noodles which was typically an asian Birthday noodles that goes into together with that delicious rolling broth.

The main hotpot itself is quite unique. Though there isn't a lot of inert, but it does have a flavorful, almost fatty texture and consistency. Very delicious but not too filling like eating pork fat. Same same, but slightly different.

Fed 2 at 3260Yen
Food 3/5
Ambience 3.5/5
Value 3.5/5 (For basic set probably)
Service 3/5

For a first time experience of Montunabe, this was really quite enjoyable. Not much comparison to others, nor suggesting this is a famous or known one. A great exposure to one of Fukuoka's dishes that was throughly enjoyed. 

Mark IS Food Court
Ordered On
19Jan2019

Drive In Tori


Food 3/5
Value 3/5

Ramen
located beside Udon Stall

(Staff from the Drive In Tori stall said this was the better one of the two ramen stalls within the food court.)
Food 3-3.5/5
Value 3/5

Okay nothing special. Survival.


Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Singapore - To Eat Top 50 Hawkers of 2018 Singapore

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Last year 2018 top 50 hawker food

2018年...50家新上榜小贩摊位/餐馆
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
🇸🇬柴船头羊肉汤
Chai Chuan Tou Yang Rou Tang (Bukit Merah View Food Centre)
 163 Bukit Merah Central #01-51 S150163
🇸🇬全記
Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck (Ghim Moh Market & Food Centre)
 20 Ghim Moh Road #01-161 S270020
🇸🇬明辉田鸡粥海鮮煮炒店
Eminent Frog Porridge & Seafood
 323 Geylang Rd S389359
🇸🇬知味鮮大蝦面
Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle (Zion Riverside Food Centre)
 70 Zion Rd S247792
🇸🇬兴
Heng (Newton Food Centre)
 500 Clemenceau Avenue North #01-28 S229495
🇸🇬真之味香港靚汤
Hong Kong Yummy Soup (Alexandra Village Food Centre)
 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1 S150120
🇸🇬老夫子炒粿条
Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway Teow (Old Airport Road Food Centre)
 51 Old Airport Rd #01-12 S390051
🇸🇬联合本记煲饭
Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice (Chinatown Complex)
 335 Smith Street 02-197/198/199 S050335
🇸🇬印度菜
Muthu's Curry (Little India)
 138 Race Course Rd #01-01 S218591
🇸🇬欧南园炒粿条面
Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee (Hong Lim Market & Food Centre)
 531A Upper Cross St S051531
🇸🇬Rolina Traditional Hainanese Curry Puff (Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market & Food Centre)
 Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market and Food Centre, 6 Tanjong Pagar Plaza #02-15, Singapore 081006
🇸🇬食为大潮州糜
Shi Wei Da (Fengshan Market and Food Centre)
 Fengshan Market and Food Centre, Blk 85 Bedok North Street 4 #01-236, S460085
🇸🇬吃饱先
Sik Bao Sin (Desmond's Creation)
 592 Geylang Road S389531
🇸🇬新记
Sin Kee Famous Cantonese Chicken Rice (Holland Drive)
 40 Holland Drive S270040
🇸🇬大华肉脞面
Tai Wah Pork Noodle (Hong Lim Market & Food Centre)
 531A Upper Cross St #02-16 S051531
🇸🇬椰子俱乐部
The Coconut Club
 6 Ann Siang Hill S069787
🇸🇬中峇鲁益生炒福建虾面
Tiong Bahru Yi Sheng Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee (ABC Brickworks Food Centre)
 6 Jalan Bukit Merah #01-13 S150006
🇸🇬超好面
A Noodle Story
 7 Maxwell Rd, 01-39 S069111
🇸🇬联合海鲜烧烤
Alliance Seafood
 500 Clemenceau Avenue North Newton Circus Food Centre #01-27 S229495
🇸🇬阿2老火汤
 6 Jalan Bukit Merah, Singapore 150006
🇸🇬豪华罗杂
Balestier Road Hoover Rojak
 90 Whampoa Dr S320090
🇸🇬Bar-Roque Grill
 165 Tanjong Pagar Road #01-00, 088539
🇸🇬Bismillah Biryani
 50 Dunlop St S209379
🇸🇬青山菜头粿 (8月重新开张)
Chey Sua Carrot Cake
 127 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh S310127
🇸🇬德普路真善美驰名砂煲叻沙
Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa
 120 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-75 Alexandra Village, S151120
🇸🇬驰名结霜桥三轮车叻沙
Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa
 531A Upper Cross Street, #02-66 Hong Lim Food Centre, S051531
🇸🇬鸿兴炒苏东虾面
Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee
 30 Seng Poh Road #02-01 Tiong Bahru Market S168898
🇸🇬桐记牛肉粿条
Hong Kee Beef Noodle
 7 Maxwell Rd, #01-42 Amoy Street Food Centre, S069111
🇸🇬和记肉粽
Hoo Kee Bak Chang
 161 Bukit Merah Central #01-3735 S150161
🇸🇬驰名香脆咖喱卜
J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff
 7 Maxwell Rd #01-21 S069111
🇸🇬家嫂
Ka-Soh
 96 Amoy St S069916
🇸🇬国成球记餐室
Kok Sen Restaurant
 30 Keong Saik Rd S089137
🇸🇬Lagnaa
 6 Upper Dickson Rd, S207466
🇸🇬了凡香港油鸡饭.面
Liao Fan Hawker Chan
 78 Smith St, S058972
🇸🇬鰻满
Man Man
 #01-01, 1 Keong Saik Road, S089109
🇸🇬南南家咖哩
Na Na Homemade Curry
 Blk 115 Bukit Merah View, #01-47 S151115
🇸🇬新鸿运瓦煲饭
New Lucky Claypot Rice
 44 Holland Drive #02-19 Holland Drive Market & Food Centre S270044
🇸🇬New Ubin Seafood
 63 Hillview Avenue Level 6 Lam Soon Industrial Building S669569
🇸🇬实惠园
Shi Hui Yuan
 159 Mei Chin Road #02-33 Mei Ling Market & Food Centre S140159
🇸🇬新发餐厅
Sin Huat Eating House
 659/661 Geylang Road, S389589
🇸🇬松发肉骨茶
Song Fa Bak Kut Teh
 #01-01 11 New Bridge Rd, S059383
🇸🇬The Blue Ginger
 97 Tanjong Pagar Road, S088518
🇸🇬天天海南鸡饭
Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice
 #01-10/11 Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur Street, S069184
🇸🇬中峇鲁海南起骨鸡饭
Tiong Bahru Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice
 #02-82 Tiong Bahru Market, 30 Seng Poh Road, S168898
🇸🇬酉玉白金
Shirokane Tori-tama
 #01-02 Robertson Walk, 11 Unity Street, S237995
🇸🇬True Blue Cuisine
 47/49 Armenian Street S179937
🇸🇬环界
Whole Earth
 76 Peck Seah Street S079331
🇸🇬银泰
Yhingthai Palace
 #01-04, 36 Purvis Street, S188613
🇸🇬Zaffron Kitchen
 135/137 East Coast Road, S428822
🇸🇬载顺咖喱鱼头
Zai Shun Curry Fish Head
 253 Jurong East Street 24 #01-205 S600253

Nagoya - To Eat (08Jan2019Tonpachi - Nagoya miso and-pork cutlet specialty)

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Tonpachi
(Nagoya Miso and Pork Cutlet Speciality)
Recommended by Lim P H

Its all in the sauce! Wow. That sauce is just so good and totally different from the other famous chained Miso porkcutlet joint Misokatsu Yabadon in Nagoya.
Literally a local, corner in the wall shop which seems to be operated by a family.
 
Ordered On:
 08Jan2019
 Miso Hirekatsu Set 1550Yen for normal
 
*Hirekatsu seems to be a serving of three cutlets of super tender pork. That Red Miso sauce is quite unique. A complex, deep multi layered sauce thats amazing. Its not overly salty or sweet and seems to carry with it a tinge of coffee richness to it. Something like Coffee Pork Ribs dish in Singapore. Really finger licking good. Not enough pork cutlet to clean up all that sauce.* 
Total 1550YenFed 1
Food 3.5/5 Sauce 4/5
Value 3/5
Service 3.5/5
Ambience 3.5/5
For the price, compared to many other Tonkatsu places it is a little on the steep side. But that, deep, sweet, coffeeish miso roast sauce is fantastic. This small outlet is prepped with love as the chef beats fresh eggs for the batter, tenderizes the meat before sending it for a fry. Great Red Miso dining experience and a different flavor profile from that of Misokatsu Yabadon in Nagoya.