Kedai Kopi Lai Foong, Kuala Lumpur…lala bihun combines fragrance with fiery punch

Heat freaks, your struggle to find a dish that is actually, properly hot is about to get a little easier.

The Lala bihun here will give you the fiery, eye watering addictive burn you crave. It is rice vermicelli in a bowl of ‘xiong tong lala’ (superior clam soup) flavoured liberally with ginger, chopped red chillis, scallions and Shaoxing wine. It’s definitely very fragrant but also very spicy and to me it’s actually a food challenge.

That stuff is nuclear. You might want to get some water… This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

2am dessert bar, Singapore…over hyped and underwhelming

There will always be some places that you Just Don’t Get, even though everyone else seems to love them. And that’s okay. This is mine.

2am dessert bar is not impressive: It’s pretty, but lacks everything else. Cassis Plum – cassis bombe, elderflower yogurt foam, choya granita, yuzu pearls, yuzu rubies is potentially the world’s most dazzlingly lacklustre dessert. Dolce Vita – amaretto vanilla bean ice cream cacao, Rocher chocolate mousse, chocolate cake bar, salted caramel texture, pistachio white truffle crumble, caramelized hazelnut. Inspired by her recent travels to Italy for the Top Chefs Season 17 finale, Chef Janice Wong created this new special dessert featuring ingredients from Italy. It is inoffensively fine but there’s something fundamentally missing.

Although service was good, I left very, very disappointed. I can think of 50 other places I’d rather drop $60 on dessert. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Nam Heong, Johor Bahru…one dish wonder

Nam Heong is a restaurant that specializes in one dish.

The chicken hor fun here is spectacular. Super smooth flat rice noodle, shredded poached chicken, boiled prawns, garnished with fried shalllots in a bowl of incredibly flavoursome soup. I found myself downing the bowl in record time; slurping up every strand of the noodle and drinking up every drop of soup. But don’t get your hopes up, though. The rest of the menu were underwhelming, occasionally disastrous dishes. The mediocre chicken rice tastes like something left over from the night before, which may just have had its moment 12 hours ago.

To reiterate my opening sentence, Nam Heong does one thing really, really well. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Mosanco Enchanted café, Singapore…a welcome surprise

Singapore’s obsession with cafés is showing no signs of slowing. Across the island, cafés and tiny, hole-in-the-wall joints are constantly popping up.

Mosanco is an exceptionally enjoyable place to drink, eat and while away the hours. The truffled mushroom with scrambled egg toast. Served with mixed salad, it’s a classic that’s done without fault. Gooey, creamy curds of scrambled egg, a nicely-toasted sourdough with homemade garlic spread, torched mayo topped with bonito flakes and smoked salmon. Yes, it’s got the calories of more than two Big Macs, but it’s certainly more than twice as tasty. Avocado toast with hummus (vegan) – toasted sourdough with hummus spread, topped with avocado, pumpkin seeds, chopped almonds. Served with mixed salad, sliced lemon is such a delightful treat. The mashed avocado and hummus provide an excellent textural contrast to the toast.

And the coffee? Well, if you like cold brew, you’ll love this place – heaven in a tiny bottle. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Nasi Lemak Famous, Kuala Lumpur…will make your mouth water and your mum proud.

Some of the best food in KL is dished up on the street, kerbside. Sitting round the corner on Jalan Telawi 4, Bangsar, you’ll find Nasi Lemak Famous and have these guys got it going on.

The name says it all. Hell, taste the crunchy, dark auburn deliciousness that is its ayam goreng rempah and you’d probably come to the same conclusion. For the full artery-busting package, scoop some crisp chunks of fried batter onto your plate. But it’s actually the sweetness of the sambal on the lightly lemak and pandan-flavoured rice that will make your mouth water and your mum proud . Such exciting flavours. Check it out if you don’t believe me.

Pack wet wipes. YUM. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Sky Premium, Singapore…It will be tough to eat other melons after having tasted a Crown Melon, believe me!

Believe it or not, there are celebrities who have the heart of gold. Bless Allan Wu and his big heart. He has done a lot of nice things for his fans but sending me a Harvest of the Season Fruits from Sky Premium during the Great Lockdown was a crazy sweet gesture. Although he definitely didn’t have to, this act of kindness, compassion and generosity was adorable.

The box was stuffed with exotic treats and taste sensations. It’s a relief to be presented with a hamper full of goodies that aren’t bad for you. If you rate quality over quantity, then this fruits-only bundle is spot on. The crown muskmelon from Shizuoka and the small water melon from Gunma were my favourites. The crown melon is definitely different from other melon, from the scent of it to the texture of it. The flesh of the crown melon was just perfect with a fine smooth grain, juices bursting out but with just the perfect firmness!

It will be tough to eat other melons after having tasted a Crown Melon, believe me! This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Putu Piring Melaka…it’s darn good, but the queue is ridiculous

I’d never seen anything like it. This place is a takeaway, but the queue it attracts is impressive by any standards. The queue stretched out of this compact shop door but this queue is for a good reason.

Putu piring for the unacquainted is steamed rice cakes with melted palm sugar or gula melaka and topped with coconut shavings. Portions of gula Melaka are very generous, and there’s no lovelier sight than a table piled high these putu pirings. Fluffily soft, packed with flavour and super-yummy, it’s no surprise that this Tengkera venue draws a crowd.

OK, the the putu piring is pretty darn good, but the queue is ridiculous. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Le Petit Chef, Singapore…Eating out just got a futuristic makeover

Eating out just got a futuristic makeover.

Diners take their place with a blank book is placed in front of them. Though nothing is written there, we follow the adventures of a tiny chef – an augmented reality thumbsize Frenchman character – as he embarks on a journey from Marseilles to Arabia, India, the Himalayas and China. Of all the dishes, only dessert sees the Frenchman ‘preparing the meal’. He pulls up all the spices and ingredients to whip up one final sweet treat. He does expense all effort, laboriously hauling the weight of stirring-spoons and the ingredients.

Is the experience worth it? It’s not cheap and with the food was a mix of hits and misses, so it would have been worth it only if you’re deep-pocketed enough and the entire meal was as fun to watch as the dessert. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam, Kuala Lumpur…classic old-school

Once inside it’s impossible not to smile – especially for a diner of a certain age. This joint  feels – not only right at home in its Chinatown neighbourhood but it even evokes warm nostalgia for the era of Charlie’s Angels and disco.

Have you, erm, heard of half boiled egg curry banjir toast? No? The entire toast crowned with the soft-boiled egg is flooded with curry. If your toast and egg obsession is level 99, this will be the most exciting thing you’ve for a long, long time. The only question is this: how much exercise are you willing to do after consuming this?

Even though I will never become a “regular”, I’ll definitely return. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…

Merci Marcel, Singapore…look good but needs to taste better

Merci Marcel brings a bit of Paris to this corner of Singapore. The space is light and airy; plants give it a ‘conservatory’ feel. Staff are on point, but equally laid back; diners are immediately disarmed and relaxed.

When it comes to eating, though, the French toast fails to excite with its plain and dry slices of brioche. There is none of the France-iness of real French toast. Still, I’m having a good time. The eggs benedict is thankfully a saving grace.

Style clearly reigns over substance. This is the true truth as I say it as it is…