Seafood is best eaten with your bare hands. How else would you be able to taste all that yummy sauce and also get to the crevices where the sweet briny flesh is hiding right? You've heard all about the Louisiana seafood boils in Singapore (I really love the Boiler) but how about one that adds on a zi char flavor to it? Check out Crab in Da Bag then, which has some interesting Asian spices tossed with their fresh seafood. 

The Kallang Wave Sports Hub outpost is the second outlet, because the one at Big Splash has been a hit. This outlet is huge and if you come at the right time, you'll be able to enjoy the gorgeous sunset over the city skyline. 

We started with some not too healthy Crinkled Cauliflower ($8) i.e. deep fried paired with a sourish Tahini sauce. Well at least it's cauliflower and not potatoes..

The Crispy Chewy Baby Squids ($12)  comes right out of a local zi char menu. Gosh these crunchy morsels were irresistible. Tossed in a sticky black sauce with some chili in the mix, they make for a really good beer snack. 

I really love the Ultimate Curry sauce and we had it with the Venus Clams ($21). I'm pretty sure this Northern Malaysian Curry  mix, stir-fried with aromatic curry leaves and chili padi would go well with any seafood of your choice. It's super rich in Indian spices and flavor. I think it would be perfect with prawns too as you can easily mop up the sauce! I'm salivating just thinking about it.

The salted egg Tiger Prawns ($26) has Louisana herbs and spices added to it but I thought it was fairly meh. The lack of salted egg custard was a disappointment for me and the batter was too stodgy. 

The Mum’s Pasta in da Bag  ($16) is a Asian home cook's interpretation of a vongole linguine. How else would you explain this sweet and sour brown gravy with bratwurst thrown in, and a linguine that tastes more like our local Hokkien mee? Anyhow, I could do with a thicker cut sausage but honestly I'd skip this. 

Now the highlight of any seafood boil would be the huge mountain of crustacean and shellfish that the restaurant pours onto your table for the feast. The Titanic Pot ($299 for 4) would feed 6 easily in fact and consists 1 Boston lobster, 2 Sri Lankan crabs, Alaskan king crab legs, yabbies, tiger prawns, Boston Bay mussels, Venus clams, Bratwurst sausages, corn on cob, potatoes, onions and lemons boiled in Louisiana herbs and spices.

Instead of being tossed in the sauce (there is also that option), this massive mountain of seafood is accompanied with 3 dips- Louisiana garlic butter, Malaysian Sambal, and Thai Green Bird. The Asian sauces fare better with more flavors and punch. My favorite was the Thai green chili fish sauce which is piquant and pungent. Well honestly I really wouldn't mind having the entire pot in the Curry sauce! For real. I found it a tad bland to have the seafood this way.

Overall, hits and misses at Crab in Da Bag. I did enjoy some of their special Asian sauces. The other plus is the less crowded environment though it may seem a little sterile. Definitely go with a bunch of friends to enjoy the food better. 

Crab in Da Bag

902 East Coast Parkway, Big Splash Block D #01-25 Singapore 449874 

Tel: +65 6440 0083

8 Stadium Walk

#02-05 Water Sports Centre

Singapore 397699

Tel: +65 6384 3511

It makes my heart skip a beat whenever a new cafe/restaurant is added to my hood! Introducing Holqa Cafe, a new-hole-in-the-wall, blink-and-you'll-miss it cafe along East Coast Road. It's along the stretch of cafes/restaurants like Carvers & Co., Bergs Gourmet Bugers, Rabbit Carrot Gun etc. 

It's easy to miss Holqa because it's right behind the bus stop and there isn't any clear sign. People are also distracted by the new bakery that is just next door. But seek and ye shall find some comfort in this small cafe. 

The Iced Flat White ($5) was a respite to this summer heat. Strong and well balanced it was and provided the much needed boost of energy for more yoga classes. Espresso based coffees are priced between $3 and $5 (add 50c for iced versions). 

A must order here is definitely the Braised Asian Pulled Pork with 3 cheeses sandwich ($15.90).  It used to be served on a bagel bread but now much improved with a brioche bread. Braised pork jowl with Asian spices is layered next and then topped with gruyere, mozzarella and cheddar. Finally, a generous swiggle of gingered mayo.

The brioche was ahmazing and it was more like a brioche cake. This is what a brioche should be btw- buttery and layered. It's a little more airy that the traditional brioche but it was like inhaling butter and that's always a good thing. The exterior was crispy but i didn't see toast marks (did they air fry this?) But whatever it is, it's LOVE. I can finish a plain loaf easily.

That asian style pulled pork was sweet and juicy and worked well with the salty cheese and tangy mayo which had a light hint of ginger. DELICIOUS. 

The rest of the mains are well.. normal i guess. I may go with the regular Eggs Benedict ($15.90) or the Pork Burger ($18.90). Another must have here is the Sns-Ji ($9.90/6pcs), which is like a Korean fried chicken wing dish. Think secret home-made sweet and spicy sticky sauce on crispy skin.

Desserts are on offer too but there's no space left in this tummy since i hardly shared my brunch with S. Haha.

Do check Holqa Cafe out if you're in the East. I'll be back for that brioche. 

The Holqa Cafe

37 East Coast Road Singapore 428755

Tel: +65 6635 7010

Weekdays (closed Wed): 12 - 9pm

Weekends: 9am - 9pm

Added to the decor mood board of my future home is Black & Ink, a cosy monochrome cafe with all my favorite elements- glossy tiles, marble tabletops, dark wood, and a light touch of color (preferably green or brown). 

The space is very tiny, meant for a quick cuppa and a slice before heading back to whatever you're supposed to be doing. I'm sure people wouldn't mind hanging around if the space were bigger. 

Coffee is pulled by Big Roy himself and served in the pretty Bodum Provina Double Wall Glass (which i'm tempted to get for myself). 

Beans are from a local micro-roastery and we had the house blend of Ethiopian Amaro Gayo and Columbian Excelso Timana. Medium bodied with a sweet berry acidity and dark chocolate finish. I always look out for the foam first and this was perfection. Single origins are also available in small quantities and sadly the Kenya Karogoto AB was sold out when we visited.

To accompany your coffee, there are light bites like tea cakes and savory muffins like Turkey Bacon Cheese Lava Egg and Chicken Meatball muffin ($4.50). Reminded me of the Pacific Marketplace's savory muffins. 

What you must certainly order is the Under The Table Cake, Big Roy's own creation. It's named such because it comes from the refrigerator under the table. Yeap. Banana mascaporne (with bits of banana) on a smooth milk chocolate center and a crunchy cookie base. This is more crumble than cake but tasty nonetheless. You cannot go wrong with banana and chocolate. Well, adding PB wouldn't hurt as well. Heh.

Black & Ink is kinda in the middle of nowhere but that's what specialty cafes are about ain't it? Well, they are also a social enterprise and will be working with people at risk, to help them get back and stay on track. Do pop by if you have a chance!

Black & Ink

168 Changi Rd S419730

Daily: 9am - 7pm

Closed Tues

Another waffle cafe that is on the hit list of SG Instagramers is the FATCAT Ice Cream Bar, located in sleepy Bedok. Do a quick Google search and you'll definitely see photo after photo of what i call the the 'Salted egg yolk Pour-over method'. And here's my contributing photo to add to that never ending list. 

Fatcat is known for their waffles first and there are 2 types- Original Waffles ($4) and Gourmet Waffles ($6). The first is a brown butter waffle served with salted caramel, chocolate fudge sauce and a sprinkle of lavender and the latter is slightly more fancy looking with its dark charcoal appearance. It has an added element of salted egg yolk sauce.

I think people are kinda too easily distracted by the waffles. If i can bring your attention to their name, it's Fatcat Ice Cream Bar and not Fatcat Waffles Bar. Get your priorities right people because the ice cream is pretty yums! It's $3.90 for standard flavor (white tag) and $4.50 for premium (black tag). Some of the popular flavors include butter beer, hay and honey and thai milk tea. 

We added pistachio and thai milk tea ice cream to our charcoal waffle. Don't you love the big round spheres of ice cream? The pistachio was very creamy and had an intense nutty flavor. It's a little on the sweet side though. I thought the Thai milk tea was so so, but it's definitely better than Sunday Market's which was more icy and diluted.

I liked the waffle at Fatcat. They are crispy on the outside and didn't get too soggy even with the ice cream. The plus point is that they are CHEAP. I wouldn't mind paying a little more for that extra bit of salt in their batter though. Having tried the charcoal waffle with salted egg sauce, i thought the normal ones would be sufficient. The superb smokey salted caramel and that hint of lavender were more than enough actually (it wasn't like the salted egg sauce was anything close to spectacular. i found it diluted in fact). I would however gladly have more of the salted caramel.

I suppose it's possible to finish 1 waffle on your own.

Fatcat also does a plated dessert menu that changes once every 2-3 weeks. Desserts come with an amuse bouche as well. Well, it's a gimmick that works i guess, though i think that Fatcat's waffles and ice creams can hold their ground. 

FATCAT Ice Cream Bar

Blk 416 Bedok North Avenue 2 #01-25 Singapore 460416

12/1pm till 10/11pm
Closed Tue

Can't complain about the lack of coffee spots in the East anymore with so many sprouting like mushrooms! I actually visited Craftsmen Specialty Coffee at Siglap V, just opposite Siglap Centre, when they first opened (that was months back). Well, it took this long because well.. it's just another cafe... who gets its beans from somewhere else, and in this case from Dutch Colony Coffee Co., which opened its outpost a few streets down... And as the story goes....

There's something real sexy kneading dough with your hands and turning them into delicious buttery wonders and that's what Do.Main Bakery does. French baker Chef Frédéric Deshayes has set up shop in the part shady, part gentrified Tanjong Katong, supplying Easties with authentic French bakes alongside seedy massage shops and residences housing foreign workers.

Upon entering the bakery cafe, I was distractive by the croissants, pain au chocolat, eclairs, tarts and cakes. All these amazing bakes are made using Elle & Vivre butter, Valrhona chocolate and high-quality French flour.

Remember how i was complaining about the dearth of good coffee in the East? Well well, i'm glad to be wrong now because of Carvers & Co, Craftsmen (they have great cakes), and now Dutch Colony Coffee Co. has also opened its outpost right here in Frankel Estate! Yay. Ok, if you don't know where that is, that's perfectly fine with me, DON'T COME. Haha. You guys can just head to the one at Pasarbella. :P

I'm an Eastie and i'm absolutely loving how there is a growing cafe scene in the east, alongside my local favorites. Carvers & Co is one such addition along East Coast Road. This bistro-carvery opened by the people behind One Man Coffee focuses on communal feasting over hearty roasts and comfort food. While roasts are the highlight, let's save that for another time because the time wasn't right and i wanted brunch.

Upon stepping into the shophouse unit, we were greeted by a strong truffle scent. 

First up, my daily dose of coffee. Flat White ($5) with a dry crema. Nutty dark roast with a light sweetness at the end.

Pretty art to boot as well.

A lean brunch menu, with a little more variety than One Man Coffee, is offered. The Paprika Candied Bacon Chips ($6) sounded interesting enough and reviews of it have been good. I do remember liking the toad in the hole at OMC pretty much and the Truffled Eggs Toast sounded like a good upgrade with the bacon chips as well so obviously i had to.

Sadly, S doesn't indulge in breakfast food as i do, else an order of the Earl Grey Custard infused French Toast ($15) would also be on the table.

An arty shot while waiting for the food. The space is pretty tight and we sat at the elevated communal table.

Truffled Eggs Toast ($15) comes with bacon jam, cheddar, sous vide eggs, bacon chips and truffle oil. On hindsight, i think they forgot the bacon chips. I didn't check back with the servers because i thought the chips could be the little bits of bacon that were sprinkled. Disappointing.

The brioche was bouncy and soaked up the egg yolk. I preferred the sunny side up at OMC instead of the sous vide eggs here as they were kinda underdone. The whites were still transparent and i don't think that was how it was supposed to be presented. As usual, loved the sweet bacon jam with a hint of spice. It tasted a bit like hae bee hiam! Truffle oil was well, just truffle oil.

Next trip, i'll be back for the roasts which change every week. Portions are limited and specials written on the board. Do call ahead to book a roast in the event of them running out. Seats are limited as well (40 pax max).

Carvers and Co.

43 East Coast Road Singapore 428764

Tel: +65 6348 0448

Weekdays: 11am - 10pm

Weekends: 8.30am - 10pm (Brunch till 5pm)

Dinner service from 6.30pm

Closed Tues

The food options in the Far East (and by that i mean Changi/Loyang) have been growing, much to my delight. It's amazing how The Coastal Settlement is forever packed considering the ulu location but well the food is pretty ahmazing. So so, they have opened a sister restaurant just across the road (yea you heard it from me). Jubilee Coffee House and Bar serves local and western food in a charming restored bungalow, complete with its little garden. 

As compared to The Coastal Settlement (who also does a mean Mee Goreng), the emphasis is more local flavors with snacks like Battered Otah Sticks ($13). Local delights such as Chicken Satay ($12), Chwee Kueh ($5), Fried Carrot Cake ($10) and even Chicken Porridge ($10), are available. Prices seem to be high for local dishes, well that's the impression until we were served our mains.

It is all about Southern American Cajun seafood boil on our sunny island these days and we checked The Boiler, a gem tucked in the ulu and industrious Tai Seng estate. It's a queer location for a seafood spot but we absolutely dig the cavernous space and their delicious offerings. I guarantee that The Boiler is certainly worth your trek!

Here's the menu. It made perfect sense for us to order the Boiler's Bombdiggity Bag ($139) since there's a huge group of us (we had 3 bags of that). Each bag feeds more than the recommended 4 pax (that or we are small eaters). Dungeness or Brown Crab, prawns, mussels, clams, sausages, and corn are tossed with a sauce of your choice.

Our food were delivered in plastic bags placed in big metal buckets. You can only imagine the excitement at the table when the food was poured over the grease-proofed table mat. Don't worry, plastic bibs are provided to protect your clothes but try not to wear white yea?

For the sauce, there's garlic butter (for the kiddos), pepper butter (for amateurs), mild, medium and raging spice. Of the lot, i thought that the mild worked the best. It was more savory than the bland and boring garlic butter, but not too spicy to give you a heartburn or mar the taste of the seafood. You really don't wanna be eating chili alone (my bad experience at Cajun Kings taught me that. Read review here).

Of the ingredients in the bag, I loved the succulent and juicy prawns, the salty chorizo style sausages, and not to mention the sweet corn! The juicy kernels provided a respite from the spices after a while.

Get a lobster ($49) to go with your meal! Same price as Pince and Pints but without the queue (just make a reservation)! I liked this better than the crabs. Lemon butter was a good choice as the sauce is lighter and simpler, which allowed the freshness of the lobster to come through. The pepper butter can be rather overwhelming with spice in my opinion and not quite suitable for this meat.

Have some sides to go with the seafood. The bags come with fried man tous (buns), which were great to mop up the sauce a la chili crab style. We enjoyed the Cajun Fries ($5.90) with crispy thin batter and substantial filling. On hindsight i would have tried the sweet potato fries ($6.90). The onion rings ($7.90) were made with real onions and gave the meal an added crunch. Luncheon fries ($7.90) are well, luncheon fries.

If you're not up for a seafood feasting, you could also do smaller meals such as fish and chips, chicken and waffles, and hot dogs as well. 

For desserts, we had the Molten Lava cake ($9.90) which remained fairly decent even after all the photo taking. The almond (mocha?) ice cream with Oreo crunch was a hit with us. 

Skip the fried banana and durian fritters ($7.90) with salted caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. It sounded way more exotic than it tasted and certainly not quite worth the price for fried pisang. Plus it had a stale oily taste.

We really enjoyed our meal while it lasted. It was fun passing food around with our bare hands and letting loose at the dining table. However, the gastric reflux was pretty severe and the garlic aftertaste lingered long after the meal concluded. In fact, it's pretty nauseating thinking about it right now. So yes, it's a once in a blue moon indulgence for us.

That said, I'd certainly recommend The Boiler for a gathering with family and friends! What's your favorite seafood boil? 

The Boiler
18 Howard Road
Tel: +65 6635 1285
Sunday - Thu: 5 - 10.30pm

Fri- Sat, Eve PH: 5pm - 12am

Closed Mon