Palate Pleasers N Tummy Teasers

It’s Recess(ion) Time and no one’s rushing to The Canteen

And understandably so too. Given that a bowl of Bak Kut Teh can set you back by close to $14 and a bowl of Mee Pok by $16.50, it’s no wonder The Canteen isn’t the venue of choice for most people in the current economic climate Who would pay such ‘exorbitant’ prices for local fare that is easily available for at least half the price in hawker centres, you ask. Lest you think that this is another one of those eateries targeted at tourists, the people behind this mid-market cafe/restaurant of the famed Les Amis group pride themselves on the eatery’s use of quality ingredients and serving local fare with a twist; Factors, they are confident, would be the selling point in attracting local patrons.

What do typical foodies do when they hear of such proclaimations? Head down to check out what the hype is all about, of course

Inrtoducing their duo-of-bestsellers:

(Canteen’s Crab Mee Pok - $16.50)

Innovative pairing of soft shell crab, boiled crabmeat shreds and “homemade crab oil” with the humble mee pok. A pity the noodles were a tad soggy and overcooked Being a huge fan of mee pok, their version of it failed to impress the foodie in me.

 (X.O. Sauce Lo Shi Fun - $16.50)

This dish of Lo Shi Fun (aka Bee Tai Mak), though simple in presentation and ingredients, fared much better in taste than their Mee Pok. The amalgam of flavours from the green beans, century egg and minced pork complemented each other quite nicely Comfort food this is, though I believe the price tagged to it wouldn’t go down comfortably with most.

Don’t expect much variety at The Canteen; their menu is split into 4 main sections - Nibbles, Rice, Noodles and Dessert/Sweet Bites, with just a handful of (mostly local) offerings under each section. Access their menu here.

1 Scotts Road, Shaw Centre

#01-01 A1/A2

Seoul Yummy indeed!

If you’re looking for Korean fare at wallet-friendly prices, keep the phrase “Seoul Yummy” in mind. A no-frills cafe tucked in an inconspicuous corner of Square 2 @ Novena, the food here is surprisingly yum! Its relatively obscure location in the mall just means you won’t have to wrestle a lunch/dinner crowd to get a seat And with a sizeable variety of everything from cold noodles/pasta to rice cake and bibimbap, this is the place to be for homely, comfort food Korean style.

Lest you start wondering if I’ve got a stake in this eatery, I shall leave the pictures to do the promoting

(Platter of cold side dishes that came with our meal)

If you’re familiar with Korean cuisine, you’ll know that no meal is complete without an entire platter of side dishes - sometimes of such a variety that they’ll qualify as a buffet in its own right I particularly favoured the cold tofu, kimchi and potato salad; the former for it’s refreshingly spicy kick and the latter for a nice blend of diced potatoes and egg mayo, which masked the earthy flavours of the cold spuds: just the way I like it

(Grilled Eel Hotpot Rice - $13.80)

Essentially Unagi Bibimbap served in a stone pot - a slight Jap twist on the classic Korean rice dish. Plus points for their generous serving of the well marinated, plump unagi slice

(Pork Cutlet Spicy Ramen with Rice Cakes - $13.80)

Another Jap/Korean fusion dish - this time in the form of combining ramen and rice cakes. The accompanying kimchi sauce turned out more salty than spicy, but X enjoyed the chewy texture of the rice cakes which would give one’s jaw a bit of a workout.

What better way to wash all that spiciness/saltiness down than with a nice, warm glass of Barley Tea ($1.20):

Interesting malt taste that strangely reminded papilles of coffee, but which has since grown to become one of our favoured teas

Seoul Yummy

#03-68 Square 2 (beside Novena Sq)