Ninja Cut has stealthily moved in to the vicinity of City Hall! Most of you are familiar with the sister outlet, Ninja Bowl. Ninja Cut, however, has cut its own identity with a menu featuring succulent meats, fresh seafood, and all-day brunch items.

Who doesn’t love brunch items? The best part is that whether you get out of bed at 9 in the morning or 5 in the afternoon, you still get the satisfaction to start the day!

Polenta Mash ($18). The name says it all. You will fall in love with the warm truffle polenta if you adore creamy scrambled eggs. The dish is served with Aburi pork slices, sautéed mushrooms and shaved parmesan cheese. Tucking into truffle polenta with parmesan and mushrooms brought a smile to my face.

But what left me speechless was the Cheeky Cheese ($18). That fluffy and buttery brioche (almost like danish bread) transported me to brioche heaven! With two types of cheddar stuffed between the fluffy pillows, the sandwich is the answer to the perfect brunch. So what’s the cheeky bit? 24-hour braised Japanese curry beef cheek!

Marvellous Matcha ($16), on the other hand, is a feminine and delicate plate of whimsical garden. Topped with a quenelle of ricotta, homemade chewy dango, yuzu peel ‘worms’, speculoos crumble ‘soil’ and anko, the dish is quite a piece of art. The highlight thou, is the instagrammable oozing matcha of the dense matcha ‘hotcake’. Do yourself a favor. Don’t take too long getting that marvelous picture or video. Dig in while it hits the sweet spot.

Celebrate autumn with hairy crabs because it's back in season! I know i'm a little slow in updating while feasting on a lot of Argentinian steaks and Peruvian ceviches but i've not forgotten about the luscious crabs at Shang Palace, Shangri La Hotel Singapore. You still have 2 weeks till the end of Nov 2016 to slurp on that delicious roe!

This luxurious crustacean will be prepared by Chef Steven using various traditional culinary techniques to best showcase its distinctive and delicate flavors. Of course, the traditional steamed option served with ginger tea is available (from $82/pc, choice of male/female crabs) but i prefer my crab shelled and ready to eat, so here are some crabby dishes from the a la carte items.

For something nutritious and healthy tasting, go with the Braised Bird’s Nest, Hairy Crab Meat and Roe ($56/pax). I felt that there wasn't much flavor in the broth. Even the black vinegar that our server repeatedly told us to add to all of our dishes failed to bring out any distinct profiles in this dish. IMO, i thought it was a waste of the bird's nest to be included. 

The Braised Tofu and Hairy Crab Meat & Roe Meatball ($42/portion) was a tad more flavorful, though i had a feeling that the base broth is all the same- a light hairy crab and roe starch base with edamame. The beancurd puffs and meat added more texture (the tofu more so than the delicate minced meat) and some additional flavor to the dish. 

Well, a must order is certainly the Pan-Fried Hairy Crab Meat Stuffed Shell with Shrimp Paste and Pork ($28 /pc). The sticky soy-glazed juicy shrimp and pork patties were full of flavors and before i knew it, i was scrapping the bottom of the crab head! 

We saw the repeat of the same flavor (as with the braised bird's nest and beancurd meatballs) in the Crispy Noodles with Sea Caracol, Hairy Crab Meat and Roe ($24/pax). I imagine it to be extremely boring to have to eat the same thing thrice over. That said, this was the most intensely flavored of the lot and i approve of the crunchy noodles softened by the gravy. My suggestion is to order other non hairy crab dishes from the usual Shang Palace menu (check out the Dim Sum review here).

Otherwise, the six-course Hairy Crab Menu ($138/pax) provides a good mix of dishes alongside your steamed hairy crab e.g. BBQ Kurobuta Pork with shredded lobster roll, claypot braised bird’s nest dumpling, and also a deep fried cod fish with yuzu honey glaze. A complimentary bottle of 8-year-old Chinese yellow wine is served with every four set menus ordered.

Shang Palace

Shangri-La Hotel Singapore 

22 Orange Grove Road Singapore 258350

Tel: +65 6213 4473/4398 

Sarnies, our favorite Aussie cafe in Telok Ayer has turned SIX. To celebrate this milestone and to provide diners with more options, they have now launched a brand new dinner menu on top of their usual comfort cafe grub. But really, there's no need. We'd be more than happy eating their staple of sandwiches and salads than the lackluster dinner mains.

Wholesome bites are expected and the Haloumi Sliders ($13) work. We loved the mix of sweet, salty, and sour flavors from the various components- little browned fluffy brioche buns, squeaky slabs of salty haloumi, and tart onion jam. Absolute deliciousness. We believe that the Pulled Pork with White Slaw & Homemade Barbeque Sauce ($13) version will be equally tasty. Do you know they make every component from scratch, even the buns?!

The Home cured bacon bombs stuffed with mozzarella and truffle mash ($13) sounded delicious but turned out pretty blah. I felt that the mash was a tad too wet and bland in flavor. Perhaps a starchier potato would do the trick, and a stronger cheese perhaps. 

The Spicy Buffalo Wings ($14) were true to Buffalo flavors- crunchy, extremely sour, and spicy burn after. I could only stomach one. Safe to say i'm not a huge fan. 

Bigger plates are also available and we highly recommend the Southern Indian Style Hand-Cut Pappardelle with Prawns, Coconut Milk & Curry Leaves ($19.50). The pasta is made by hand, cooked al dente to order and coated in a light creamy curry sauce. It's a tad salty, but we kept going at it. Perhaps it's because the other mains weren't that great.

We have all our Mexican cravings satisfied by the Loco Group which is now dishing out our favorite tacos from 3 different lovely locations at Lucha Loco at Duxton, Super Loco Robertson Quay, and now the latest at Super Loco Customs House. 

Let's start with the original Lucha Loco, the super chill Taqueria and Garden Bar. Have the winning combination of Elotes and Taco Pescado Snapper ($11) here. 

Juicy cobs of Mexican street style grilled corn topped with chipotle mayo, spices and cotija cheese are excellent snack bites to be chased after by tequilas and cocktails. And whenever ready, the fish taco will fill up the tummy.

Want to chill by the river, then Super Loco Robertson it is, best accompanied by the Alitas De Pollo ($16). It’s better than those Korean wings, imo. Sweet and spicy sums up the wings, though an oversimplification. There’s chipotle, red chilli, pickles, lime and crema, and the subtler spices of coriander seeds, white and black peppers, paprika and salt in the seasoned flour that is used to coat the wings overnight. These mouth-watering wings are amazing and they fly off the plate. Don’t forget the tipple!

Brawn & Brains is one of my favorite cafes in the East (Mountbatten is such a sleepy and charming area). I would squeeze myself into their little cafe just to enjoy one of their cuppas and amazing bakes (love their croissants). Well now that they relocated to around the corner from their original hole-in-the-wall, there's more reason to hang around.  

Jr was a little concerned that there wasn't going to be anything substantial but the food menu has expanded to include more sandwiches and wraps that will fill up a boy's tummy.

I couldn't peel my eyes away from the Oven Baked Molten Eggs ($9.80) which featured 2 golden globes covered with melted cheese. Cut into the soft runny eggs and let the yolks ooze onto the tortilla sheets and send the mess into your mouth. Of course the millenials in us picked this because AVOCADO. I added smoked salmon ($3.50) with this one but there's also bacon.

If you are a bread lover like we are, then you would adore the Open-Faced Toast with soft cooked eggs ($14.90). We are happy to eat the fluffy brioche on its own but who can say no to grilled bacon and eggs to go with? The side salad was a refreshing mix of pear and cucumber with loose leaves. Jr enjoyed this more than the molten eggs (more for me yay). 

For something punchier, try the Curry Chicken Wrap which encases chunky chicken marinated in curry spices and drizzled with a yogurt dressing. Expect bursts of flavors from the herbs, cheese and onions.

Salt Tapas & Bar has been around since when i first started blogging. For a food establishment that has been around for this long in this crazy competitive food scene in Singers, you know that it has to be something. The high standards of food, made with quality produce; laid back Aussie vibe; and attentive service, have the customers coming back again and again.

Under the new Head Chef Jake Kowalewski (who cut his teeth working up the ranks at Luke Mangan as a dishwasher!), the tapas menu has been revamped to feature pretty and hearty plates and there's plenty to love from this list. We started with some refreshing seafood plates. The Cured Tuna ($17) was dressed with spring onion, cucumber, pickled shallot, puffed rice, citrus. I love the bright and juicy flavors. If you like something that has a little more tang, then the White Anchovy on sourdough ($14) will suit you. This was surprisingly not too salty or fishy.

A delicate seafood starter would be the Scallop Tartar ($19) which is a pretty mosaic of plump pink, creamy green (avocado), orange pops (tobiko roe). Send them into your mouth on those squid ink tapioca discs! 

I can never resist cheese and the Burrata with smoked tomato jam ($19.50) has gotten my stamp of approval. The silky milk ball was contrasted with a sweet tomato jam and refreshing basil pesto. I think it makes a perfect brunch dish for one with that lovely sourdough.

Mondo Mio, one of the long-standing restaurants at Robertson Quay, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a freshly revamped menu and off-the-menu specials to showcase the flavors of Southern Italy. Till 15 December 2016, you will be treated to a celebratory four-course set menu priced at just $45 per person. Of course, there is always the a la carte menu if that’s your preference.

Go straight for the mains we say as the starters are nothing special. Pizza con Rucola Pesto ($22) is a standout at Mondo Mio. The homemade pizza dough is topped with rocket pesto, mozzarella, salami, ricotta and cherry tomatoes, and yes! Rucola is used in the pesto instead of the usual basil.

Love homemade pastas and seafood? Gnocchetti in Salsa di Scampi, Zafferano e Gamberoni ($28) is a dish that might suit your tastebuds. Served with prawns, the homemade gnocchetti is cooked in grainy scampi sauce with seafood stock and saffron, resulting in a rich sauce akin to lobster bisque. The gnocchetti is al dente, with enough bite that I love, although I can imagine it to be a jaw exercise for some.

Another homemade pasta dish available is the silky tagliatelle, tossed in unique eggplant sauce that could have easily been mistaken for cream with such viscosity! Tagliatelle Fatte in Casa con Crema di Melanzane e Cicale ($26) is served with sautéed crayfish. Not the freshest crayfish, but manageable with the robust sauce. It is an additional option for those who love pastas sans cream.

A place to restore the self amidst a busy (work or shopping) schedule, Plentyfull offers quick nutritional bowls during midday and loving wholesome plates as the sun sets. With food here made from scratch and cooked from the heart, owner Claudia Sondakh wants to provide patrons with a home-cooked meal away from home. Besides the all-day dining, there is also a small gourmet grocer which you can check out.

What’s a Plentyfull dinner? Plenty-full of food, and goodness of course!

Taking the before meal bread basket to a different level, Plentyfull serves House Flatbread ($10) with funky nori butter and elderflower caramel EVO oil. And it works! Unami soft smooth butter and sweet floral notes compliments the slightly charred flat bread.

You’ll love your vegetables (more) with Little Farm’s Vegetable Dip ($16) with seasonal vegetables. This rainbow platter is definitely a good visual of what nutritionists have been advocating for your daily nutrition. Did you know that purple cauliflower has the antioxidant anthocyanin that can also be found in red wine? (Well, i can’t resist anything remotely linked to wine!) The lightly salted charred vegetables are good on their own, though there are also three dips that can coax a vegetable hater to love the dish. My favorite is the Mediterranean spiced dip with pumpkin seeds.

It's been a while since i last attempted at clearing my New York City food backlog and i think it's really high time that i do it proper. And there's nothing like a comforting bowl of ramen to jumpstart the series of my favorite NYC eats. So here, by far the best ramen i've tasted in NYC [better than Hide-chan (they own that actually) and Ippudo at least]- Totto Ramen, which is also given the stamp of approval by New Yorkers. 

We went before the opening and had to put our names down on the list. Stand around and wait for your name to be called! If you miss it, you can say goodbye to those generous bowls of tummy warming chicken based Paitan broth noodles. The menu is kept short with basic configurations of classic Paitan with soy, miso, spicy or vegetarian konbu shiitake broth and permutations of extras like raw scallion, egg, chicken or pork char siu, konbu nori, and seasoned avocado. 

While waiting for the noodles, go for the starters! I can never resist uni and had to order the Seared Uni Rice ($6.50) but while the glorious chunks of sweet and creamy sea urchin served me well, the rice was too dry and sticky (they should do it the sushi rice way).

It is time to lepak on the Loof again! Singapore’s favorite standalone rooftop bar has been given a face lift and they invited ‘King of Dude-stronomy’, Chef Bjorn Shen of Artichoke and Bird Bird to give the menu a touch of his signature 'Dude-Sin' twist. For the unacquainted, Dude-sin cuisine is bar grub/comfort food that we, pretend-Singaporean-adults (with cravings of a 6 year old) wanna eat in the middle of the night. Inspirations are drawn from our collective childhood memories of mama shop, Zichar stalls, fast food and more.

Credits- Loof

Chips with dips, Skewers, Buns and Bowls, the new menu has a mix of dishes from snacks to fuller heavier meals. 

Old time Loof fav of Chilli Crab Fries ($15) has been given a facelift. The blue crab dip is now served cold, with more citrus lime flavor, and sans cheese. Refreshing it was, but a hot dip may work better to comfort one's soul (i feel the same complains of the regulars). 

What's better than tacos? FRIED WANTON SKIN. Presenting the Asian tacos that is the California Crackers ($14). Glorious golden brown wanton skins will now hold some California roll mayonnaise mix of ebiko, avocado, edamame, and furikake. A bite of this dish will deceive your stomach of its exploding state (after many other dishes) and have you devour more food after. SCARY. The only thing i didn't like was the rather overpowering alkali taste of the wanton skin.