BEST FOOD DISCUSSION - Palatable, Savory, Delicious Food Found In ASEAN

[GR888]

Just wondering if there are any avid hipster cafe hoppers in the SBF community. Not advertising anything, just wanted to share some pics of my favourite bibliotheque-themed cafe... The Reading Room @ 19 Bukit Pasoh Rd. A real gem nestled in a quiet part of town.

My masseuse Busty Bonanza simply fell in love with this place after I brought her here the first time. The colourful collection of books, the eclectic mish-mash of interesting vintage knick knacks & a comfy living room style environment really gave this place a cosy & relaxing ambiance. She’s so smitten with this place until it has turned into one of our favourite hangouts in our regular meet ups. Unlike most hipster cafes, this place opens till late every night so it suits our schedules just fine.

The menu is quite comprehensive encompassing pastas, burgers, tapas, sharing plates on top of the usual cafe grub, cakes & coffees/tea. Wide range of alcoholic beverages available too (I don’t drink so can’t comment more on that). Prices are on the high side though, which is expected given the town location.

The food is decent & nice but not particularly mind-blowing nor fantastic. But that’s not a walkaway issue for us as the quirky decor & chillax vibes more than made up for that. Besides, the owners are very friendly & engaging folks who make us feel at home on every visit. The pinoy service crew can be prone to occasional lapses but the one upside is that they accept reservations so I can always call ahead to book our favourite table that affords us a good deal of privacy, heehee!

For those who don’t drive, the place is easily accessible via public transport as it is located just steps away from Outram MRT. Here are some pics of the place to share. The only thing missing is a rooftop garden and a great view, haha! Food pics to follow shortly.



A colourful bar counter greets customers as they walk in.



The view of the cafe past the bar counter. There’s more seating at the back under the air well. My buddies & I have organised small group parties & events here previously.



The view coming out from the back of the cafe.



Books galore... some great titles here!



Our favourite table... nice cosy corner flanked by a bookshelf on one side & the partition wall on the other. Privacy guaranteed! When the lights are dimmed in the evening, it’s really nice & romantic.



The partition wall next to our favourite table, with soothing lighting & an array of funky vintage stuff!



Comfy sofa seats line the side of the cafe.



Btw, in case I haven’t mentioned... there’s free wifi available for all customers too!

[GR888]

The Reading Room makan pics...

Maine Lobster Eggs Benedict $28.80 (weekend brunch only)



Striploin Steak & Eggs $28.80 (weekend brunch only)



Lobster Linguine in White White Sauce $28.80



Saffron Pasta with Tiger Prawns $24.80



Aussie Burger With The Lot $26.80



Martini Grilled Pork $15.80 (daily lunch special, includes drink)



6 pc Spicy Hot Wings $8.80



Handcut Fries $8.80 (ask for garlic aioli to go with it)



Can’t seem to find pics of the burrata cheese platter, tuscan chicken, tapas & buttermilk pancakes... yikes!!

[GR888]

Menu pics, hope the words are visible...

[VVDReds]

Tks for sharing all my favorite food.

[GR888]

Speaking of retro cafes, C.A.N. Cafe @ 730 Upper Serangoon Rd is another sure bet for me. Located along the same stretch as Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre, it used to occupy a nice central location on Liang Seah Street until high rentals forced the relocation.

This cafe simply overflows with vintage funkiness & exudes pure nostalgia.... truly a walk down memory lane for me (though I admit I’m not old, lol!) All the retro stuff & classic decor items here are part of the owner’s personal collection from his travels over the years. Looks cluttered but admittedly, I find that everything falls into place nicely in some sort of an “spontaneous but organized mess”, haha!

My masseuse Busty Bonanza & I will never fail to drop by & bask in the strong nostalgic vibes after our private sessions at the nearby Hotel 81 Kovan. Great place to grab some nice chow & chill a bit after some rubba rubba & great sex.

The Singaporean owner & his Japanese wife have named the place after their two daughters Christa & Naomi, hence the C.A.N. appellation. The food served here is simple no frills home-cooked stuff but uber delish & definitely yumz!

Prices are also more reasonable than those found in many other cafes. Service can be a bit slow at times because the owner runs a one-man kitchen show but it’s not a big deal for me at all. After all, I’m here to chill, not whack fast food, keke!

There are just a handful of such vintage cafes left in SG, so this one is definitely a keeper for those of us cafe hoppers who are entranced by the mystique of yesteryear.

Some pics for you folks to enjoy. Again, I’m not advertising anything. Just like to share nice cafes & makan joints with fellow foodies. Feel free to PM me (like some samsters have done) if you don’t wish to clutter the thread with queries.

Non-descript entrance to a treasure trove, lol!



What a sight!!



Every nook & cranny from floor to ceiling filled with stuff each with a story to tell!



Enjoyed many memorable conversations with kakis at this table over meals previously.



Dentist chair, haha! Or is it barber’s chair?



Very homely & cosy room at the back of the cafe... did a simple small group birthday gathering for my masseuse & a few of her kakis last year.



Simply amazing... vintage stuff & funky antiques from just about every corner of the world.



Seating at the front section of the cafe. Ideal for gatherings & chit chat sessions.

[GR888]

C.A.N. Cafe @ 730 Upper Serangoon Rd... more pics to enjoy!!

The cafe “command centre” where the boss works his magic!



1970s style passenger aircraft seats, pretty cool huh?



I’m pretty sure many, if not all the stuff here are older than me!



Harley Davidson fans fall in please!



Scenes of belle epoque Paris! Nice!!



Have seen many loving couples at this window seat during past visits, including one where the gentleman made a marriage proposal to his beautiful partner... it was such a touching moment.



Every corner of the cafe seems filled with all sorts of interesting & funny stuff.



Not an original float from the Titantic, but a well-made replica... keke!

[GR888]

OK, here are some food pics from the C.A.N. Cafe...

Beefilicious Burger $11.00



Pork Katsu Curry Rice $11.00



Traditional Teochew Braised Duck $7.50... this one is awesome!



Blueberry Cheesecake & Ice Cream $6.00



Pink Passion Lemonade Soda with Ice Cream $6.00



Mango Smoothie $6.00



Iced Coffee Cubes $6.00



This is my favourite piece of furniture there...
whimsical & rustic scratch built coffee table, only one of it’s kind!!

[GR888]

Forgot to mention some advice for those planning to head to C.A.N. Cafe by public transport. The cafe is located one bus stop away from Serangoon MRT station. Bus services listed as follows.



I shall leave you with these words of wisdom... heh!

[PeterBeardsley]

So many fav food, tks all.

[sionglim]

Curry fish head gomez style have? Sporean original.using red bream fish

[GR888]

GR888’s Best Yong Tau Foo Selection in Singapore’s Central District - Part 1

Great sex & great food go hand in hand together. The two are symbiotic & inseparable. Good food whets my sexual appetite, and great sex after a good meal helps burn off unwanted calories! And for me, great food doesn’t come any closer than a hearty & delicious bowl of yong tau foo... regardless of the weather in Singapore, lol!

It just happens that my masseuse Busty Bonanza loves YTF too. So we’ve gone exploring the YTF scene together over the last few months. There’s no doubt that YTF remains a firm local favourite amidst a dynamic & ever evolving hawker landscape. Also, different dialect groups have conjured up various styles & introduced new ingredients to traditional YTF over the years, such that YTF come in a number of variations today.

So here’s my humble contribution... 8 famous yong tau foo joints in the CBD/town area. Not in any order ranking order. After all, we each have different palettes & preferences. I’ll leave it to other experts to fill in on YTF joints in the outskirts & heartlands.


Xiu Ji (秀记) Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Foo @ Chinatown Complex... probably needs no intro amongst the YTF afficionados here. Those of us who grew up in Chinatown probably had fond memories of tucking into those bouncy wolf herring fishballs & meaty chunks of beancurd with noodles, a dash of caramelised ikan bilis & their signature chili sauce. Decades on, it’s run by the second generation and is just as good. What’s more, at just 3 bucks, it’s a steal!






Amoy Street (厦门街) Hakka Yong Tau Foo @ Amoy Street Food Centre... probably the one stall that sells YTF with chee cheong fun (steamed rice rolls).... at very reasonable prices too! The YTF is also unique because the fish stuffing comes with bits of minced carrots. Hence, the soup has a very wholesome veggie twist to the taste. Prices are also reasonable & this stall has gained quite a following over the years.

[GR888]

GR888’s Best Yong Tau Foo Selection in Singapore’s Central District - Part 2

Yong Xiang Xing (永祥兴) @ People’s Park Complex Food Centre... People’s Park Complex hosts two famous YTF stalls, one of which is Yong Xiang Xing. This stall is unique in that it serves only YTF in soup, without rice nor noodles. And it only opens for a few hours in the afternoon on most days in the week. The soup tastes lighter than the competition but their fried items are quite nicely done.




Poy Kee (培记) @ People’s Park Complex... Soupy YTF with an accompanying bowl of noodles & fried crispy ikan bilis at affordable prices ($3.30, $4.30 & $5.30). Another Chinatown favourite but it has somehow been playing second fiddle to the other more popular stalls nearby. Opens well into dinner time daily, so it absorbs a lot of spillover business from Xiu Ji & Yong Xiang Xing.

[GR888]

GR888’s Best Yong Tau Foo Selection in Singapore’s Central District - Part 3

Bai Nian (百年) Yong Tau Foo @ Albert Complex Food Centre... Like People’s Park, Albert Complex is home to two popular YTF stalls. Judging by the long queues from the crack of dawn till supper time, Bai Nian is definitely the trailblazer of the local YTF scene. The yummy & addictive minced squid & prawn chunks, generously stuffed fried bittergourd pieces & handmade meatballs with wood ear bits are highly popular items and the embodiment of it’s quality offerings. Be sure to eat their YTF with their fragrant and unique sriracha style chili sauce.







Spinach (苋菜) Yong Tau Foo @ Albert Complex Food Centre... Despite having to compete with Bai Nian in the same food centre, this spinach YTF stall has managed to hold it’s own... thanks to it’s rich & tasty spinach-flavoured fish soup & it’s wide range of fried & blanched YTF items. The fried stuffed chilis, bittergourd & eggplants are a must try.

[GR888]

GR888’s Best Yong Tau Foo Selection in Singapore’s Central District - Part 4

Freshly Made Yong Tau Foo @ Hong Lim Food Centre... the newest kid on the block but it’s generous portions of fresh fish meat YTF stuffing & tasty fish-based stock is fast gaining popularity with YTF fans. Fried YTF items & popular staple snacks like prawn meat roll (虾枣) complete their menu. Would be a force to be reckoned with if they can maintain their standards.






Rong Xing (荣兴) Hakka Yong Tau Foo @ Tanjong Pagar Market... A Tg Pagar icon, Rong Xing has been selling YTF for as long as I can remember. Popular for their wide choice of YTF items like succulent pork skin, handmade meat balls, juicy pig intestines & chunky stuffed chilis (to name a few) as well as their aromatic sambal chili sauce & crispy fried ikan bilis. You can’t go wrong in your YTF experience with them.

[GR888]

GR888’s Best Yong Tau Foo Selection in Singapore’s Central District - Part 5

The verdict....

Let me preface my personal verdict by stating that my opinions are not authoritative. I’m not a food expert nor a gourmet critic. Neither do I run a food blog nor am I in the F&B business. Basically, I just enjoy eating what rocks my boat.

As for yong tau foo, I look for the following features & qualities. One, I prefer the flavourful wolf herring over the cheaper & more commonly used batang fish meat for the stuffing anytime. Two, I prefer my soup to have a distinctive fish & soya bean flavour. MSG is a no no for me.

Three, the accompanying chili sauce is the next most important ingredient. I have no preference for any particular chili type but it has to be aromatic & sufficiently spicy without being overpowering Finally, I love ikan bilis. It’s not a deal breaker but I am more likely to go for stalls that dish out crispy fried ikan bilis with their YTF.

With that as my general guide, Xiu Ji is my number one choice, followed very closely by Rong Xing & Bai Nian. Busty Bonanza begs to differ though. She felt that Bai Nian YTF gives her orgasms, while Yong Xiang Xing & Xiu Ji YTF tickle her pussy!! Haha!!