DanielFoodDiary.com

It is really strange that Singaporeans really love their hotpot considering how warm the weather is. There was even a short queue outside newly-opened hotpot restaurant Shabu Sai at Orchard Central (right opposite Kiseki Buffet). Hotpot brings people together. Hotpot brings out gossips, I mean conversations. Nevermind its mildly offensive name when called in Hokkien, [...]

“OMG. It’s Madam Kwan serving me!” I got a bit of a pleasant disbelief when I saw Madam Kwan herself passing me the menu, complete with her signature grin, mole under her lips, specs and khaki-coloured hat. It was really her. “Thank you for coming. I hope you like our food.” She reminds me of [...]

Don’t get me wrong. I am all for upping the status of Singapore street side food, making it more ‘atas’ and upmarket. While many are willing to pay bigger bucks for easier-to-prepare food, such as burgers and pastas, the same cannot be said local food such as satays and Hokkien mee – which can be [...]

KHA has a new chef. And all the difference it makes. Seriously, my main lament against Thai food in Singapore is not because it is not delicious, but that it is all watered and muted down – losing that main spirit of Thai cuisine. Thai food loves to be intense, perhaps the only type of [...]

Sicilian cuisine has always been unfamiliar ground to me. My main knowledge it that while it is predominantly Italian, it also has Spanish, Greek and Arab influences because Sicily only became part of Italy in 1860. Gattopardo Italian Restaurant & Pizzabar at Hotel Fort Canning is one place to appreciate authentic Sicilian cuisine to fuller [...]

What do you look for in a Japanese fine dining restaurant? Really nothing short of brilliant – Quality cuisine, freshness and skills, attention to details, premium service experience, and that unspeakable X-factor. EZOCA at Quayside Isle has almost all of that, especially when it comes to authenticness. As what EZOCA’s owner Katsutaka Kobayashi says, “Many [...]

Artisanal coffee house Jewel Coffee opens its Café + Bar concept at Rangoon Road in the heart of Little India. I am very curious, why ‘Jewel’? Owner Adrian Khong replied in jest, “I was praying very hard for a name. Then while worshipping in Mandarin, I kept singing ‘Zhu-Ah, Zhu-Ah’ (stands for God). ‘Zhu-Ah’ sounds [...]

The true Ramen Champion Keisuke Takeda does not repeat concepts and ramen. Not at all. From his signature Ebi Soba Prawn Ramen in Japan, to his other three Singapore branches – Crab Broth Ramen at Millenia Walk, Tontotsu King at Orchid Hotel and Tori King at 100AM Amara Hotel, every bowl of ramen is distinctly [...]

Does Singapore need another coffee joint? The answer apparantly is YES. This new kid on a block is not exactly a stranger to the café scene as owner Andrew Lek is former barista from Strangers’ Reunion. Department of Caffeine, otherwise known as D.O.C, took over the defunct Broadway Café at Duxton Hill and upped its [...]

You have to give it to Cocotte’s Head Chef Anthony Yeoh, young at 30-something, but creates some very creative and mouth-watering dishes. He not only innovates for the sake of being innovative and different, the dishes actually taste superb. Cocotte, which means ‘pot’ or emmm… ‘prostitute’ in French has offerings which is a melting pot [...]