There are typically two main types of egg tarts: the Portuguese version that is modified from the original Portuguese pastéis de nata, and the Chinese rendition. Which do you prefer? For me, I go for the former exclusively. The easiest way to identify it is by the signature dark brown burn spots that crater its yellow custard surface. It also has a more flakey, less crumbly pie-crust as compared to its Chinese counterpart.

Portuguese egg tarts
SGD9 (6 in a box)

You can get these pastries in two sizes at Madeleine’s. The regular is about the size of your palm, while the small one is half the size. I prefer the regular as I get to enjoy more of the egg custard!

With an egg custard filling that is melt-in-your-mouth soft, you simply can’t stop at just one! The tarts use just the right amount of sugar so that you get to taste the natural flavors of the ingredients rather than sugary sweetness. The flakey crust is not very thick, although I would prefer it to be thinner still.

Portuguese egg tarts (small)
SGD9.60 (12 in a box)

The small egg tarts come in a box of 12, perfect for sharing among family and friends.

Imagine having an egg tart that is freshly baked from the oven. (they were still warm when I got them.) toss in a piping hot cup of traditional kopi (coffee) and you’ve got yourself a delightful teatime snack!

Madeleine’s is one of the few places that specialise in these delectable Portuguese egg tarts. Is there any other shop you know of that sell very delicious egg tarts? Do leave a comment!

Posted by Veron in Food category | bakery, egg, Macanese, takeout

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/madeleines-portuguese-egg-tart/ | 17 comments

You are reading the original content of Sparklette.
Republishing of content, photographs, design or RSS feed, whether in part or in full, is strictly not allowed.

© 2003-2010 Sparklette

If you have passed by the golden arches recently, you may have noticed their new wasabi range of filet-o-fish and shaker fries. The restaurant promises it would give you a “karai sensation”. So far, these wasabi items appear to be available only in mcdonald’s Singapore.

But wait a minute, wasabi on a battered fish patty? Wouldn’t that taste kind of… Weird? Well, curiosity and my love for wasabi got the better of me! For $4.10 I got a wasabi filet-o-fish, complete with a brand new lime green sticker that screams “wasabi” pasted on the box.

Wasabi Filet-O-Fish
SGD4.10

The burger retains the same fish filet, veggies and cheese, with the newly-added wasabi in the form of wasabi-flavored mayonnaise. Okay, so that may not be the most beautiful burger in the world. But we’re not paying for food presentation here, are we?

What surprises me is that the wasabi is actually nostril-searing hot! I would expect to get just a slight tinge of wasabi, and that’s it. But this one really gives you that kick! I had tears in my eyes! The pastel green sauce looks and tastes pretty much similar to the wasabi mayo prawns that have swam their way into many posh restaurants here in the past couple of years. Oishii!

So, if you love wasabi like I do, do give this one a try. If it’s like their previous specialty burgers such as the black pepper burger, rice burgers, or the kampong burger that I miss so much, this one would probably be here for just a limited time period.

I have yet to try the wasabi shaker fries. The thought of mixing wasabi in the form of a sachet of powder just doesn’t sound too appealing to me. Let me know if it’s any good. I might change my mind!

McDonald’s ( Halal certified)
Various outlets in Singapore
www.mcdonalds.com.sg

Posted by Veron in Food category | burger, fast food, Halal, takeout, Western

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/mcdonalds-wasabi-filet-o-fish/ | 10 comments

You are reading the original content of Sparklette.
Republishing of content, photographs, design or RSS feed, whether in part or in full, is strictly not allowed.

© 2003-2010 Sparklette

This air-conditioned shop is run by an elderly madam chia siew yin, who oversees that all her kueh are freshly handmade daily.

A crowd favorite is the ang ku kueh that comes in a dazzling array of more than a dozen flavors with attractive colors to match.

Ang Ku Kueh
SGD0.60 per piece

With popular flavors that include green tea, coconut, peanut and even durian, each priced at an affordable 60 cents, it’s no wonder that customers are buying these pastries by the dozen! I like that the kueh isn’t too sweet, and I can eat a few of these at one go without getting tired of the taste.

Soon Kueh
SGD6.50 for a box of 5

soon kueh is a form of a steamed Chinese dumpling made of rice flour skin. It is eaten with sweet dark soy sauce and chili paste. Most modern renditions of the dumpling have chopped turnip strips as filling. But at kuehs and snacks, the soon kueh is made the traditional way with soon (bamboo shoots) as filling.

At $6.50 for a box of 5, the soon kueh here tends towards the pricey side. But you do get your money’s worth. Each one is a chunky piece overloaded with delicious filling. Even with the ample ingredients, the chewy and elastic thin skin is somehow able to hold the generous filling without breaking.

Peng Kueh (Glutinous rice snack)
SGD0.90 per piece

When it comes to Teochew kueh, the beautiful pink peng kueh is a staple. Stuffed with glutinous rice, this kueh is normally eaten with the same sweet dark soy sauce and chili paste as the soon kueh.

I find the peng kueh here to be rather dull though. While I have no complaints about the texture which is soft and just nice, the ingredients are rather bland with just a wee bit of peanuts and nothing else.

What I have yet to try is this novelty item, the black kueh. It resembles the peng kueh, except that it has an uncommon black skin like its name suggests. Made with a special Chinese herb, this is perhaps one of the most unusual kueh you would find! If you have tried this, let me know what it’s like. I’m quite curious about the taste.

Posted by Veron in Food category | Alexandra Village, Chinese, pastry, Singaporean, takeout, Teochew

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/kuehs-and-snacks/ | 8 comments

You are reading the original content of Sparklette.
Republishing of content, photographs, design or RSS feed, whether in part or in full, is strictly not allowed.

© 2003-2010 Sparklette

But did you know that the curry puffs and char siew (barbecued pork) crispy cakes here are real delights too?

My Mom and I have been big fans of these handmade pastries ever since my brother started buying them about five years ago. I have a personal weakness for their curry puffs in particular.

Curry Puff
SGD1 each

These curry puffs are somewhat roundish in shape with a glazed surface. The curry filling has the most unique taste I’ve ever had in any curry puff!

It is wonderfully sweet, with a tinge of spice. People that are used to the taste and spice of traditional curry would be surprised by this sweetened version. Not everyone would like it, but I totally dig it!

The crust is rather thick and flaky though, and I would have awarded it all five drumsticks had it been thinner or lighter.

Char Siew (Barbecued Pork) Crispy Cake
SGD1 each

My Mom loves the char siew crispy cake, although I’m not exactly a fan since I generally do not like the taste of char siew.

In each crispy cake, there is an ample amount of the moist char siew filling. So people that love char siew would naturally be a fan of this tasty treat.

(Note: I have indicated the price of each pastry as $1. I can’t be 100 percent sure though since it’s always my brother that buys them. If this is inaccurate, please let me know!)

Like any good ol’ traditional Chinese pastries, Tong Heng serves theirs in cardboard boxes that have Chinese characters all over. After five years of eating Tong Heng pastries, the design of the box hasn’t changed once, not even when new outlets opened. I do think I have seen it in different color variations other than red though.

Nonetheless, each time I see a box like this in our kitchen, it always means a very pleasant surprise!

Posted by Veron in Food category | Chinatown, Chinese, pastry, takeout

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/tong-heng/ | 19 comments

You are reading the original content of Sparklette.
Republishing of content, photographs, design or RSS feed, whether in part or in full, is strictly not allowed.

© 2003-2010 Sparklette

And that’s the rich & good cake shop! That’s what they call themselves. My, rather ambitious aren’t they? This 16 year old bakery specialises in Swiss rolls, and has my Mom and I as die-hard fans! My bro would get these puffy and spongy pasteries for us each time he passes by Arab street.

Not to be missed is the kaya (creamy coconut jam) Swiss roll. It’s not the hottest-selling flavor for nothing.

Photo by shimmertje

Kaya Swiss Roll
SGD12 for a box of 2

The creamy kaya filling tastes rich and fragrant, without being too sweet at the same time. Ahhh… Pure joy!

You know how you sometimes get that dry mouth feel after eating cake? You wouldn’t get that from eating the Swiss rolls here. They have such ample layers of moist filling that you would just keep eating more and more!

Photo by shimmertje

Durian Swiss Roll
SGD12 for a box of 2

Durians, you either love ‘em or hate ‘em. I belong to the latter camp but the people I love love durians! I haven’t personally sampled the durian rolls but I know that durian fans would find these irresistable. Made with authentic d24 durians, you can actually see and taste the chunks of durian flesh within the rolls!

Photo by buttshaker

One interesting thing about the Swiss rolls here is that they are sold in their whole, uncut forms. So for $10 to $12, you get two foot-long rolls of the delicious yummies! They come in long boxes colored in a gentle shade of baby pink too. Sweet!

Here’s a complete list of the available flavors:

- blueberry
- chocolate
- coffee
- durian
- kaya
- mango
- strawberry
- others

Hmm… I wonder what these mysterious “others” might possibly be. If anyone finds out, please let me know!

Posted by Veron in Food category | cake, Kampong Glam, pastry, takeout

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/swiss-rolls/ | 23 comments

You are reading the original content of Sparklette.
Republishing of content, photographs, design or RSS feed, whether in part or in full, is strictly not allowed.

© 2003-2010 Sparklette

The first venue of the day was Blue Magnolia along macpherson road. It’s a petite little cafe with 80 percent of its space utilised as the kitchen, and the remaining 20 percent for dining customers.

Blue magnolia sells freshly baked cakes and cookies under the product line of d’gourmetco. Recently, they are also seeking a slice of the crêpes market, offering diners a range of delightful crêpes with a large choice of fillings. But cakes are still their main draw!

New York Cheesecake
SGD32 (1 kg)+

The classic New York cheesecake is one crowd pleaser! Some customers even proclaim this to be equivalent to Hilton hotel’s famous cheesecake, said to be the best cheesecake in town! Whoa! It’s yummy alright — creamy and dreamy, rich and light at the same time!

For those of you that have more of a sweet tooth for chocolate (like I do), you can indulge in their signature chocolate cake. Note that both cakes are sold at very reasonable prices!

Pretty cakes! These are made in cute bite-sized quantities so that you get to sample a bit of everything. Don’t they look quaint? My personal favorite is the rocky road, which has a soft layer of mini marshmallows drizzled with chocolate syrup, atop another layer of rich chocolate brownie. If that’s not the ultimate comfort food, I don’t know what is.

If you’re wondering how the “blue” in “Blue Magnolia” came about (since magnolia flowers are hardly blue), here’s the answer. Blue happens to be the favorite color of denny, the owner of Blue Magnolia. All cakes are packaged in cute boxes like this, colored in his favorite blue and white.

Doesn’t that look sweet? Customers are encouraged to place their orders 3 days in advance to ensure that their cakes would be freshly baked in time! If you’re looking to order cakes for an upcoming celebration, or just to indulge in on a nice Sunday afternoon, you now have another option!

Posted by Veron in Food category | bakery, takeout

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/blue-magnolia/ | 20 comments

You are reading the original content of Sparklette.
Republishing of content, photographs, design or RSS feed, whether in part or in full, is strictly not allowed.

© 2003-2010 Sparklette

Strategically based in robinson road, pret is a hot spot for office workers that are too busy to sit down for a meal. People in a hurry can simply pop by and grab a sandwich to go. All sandwiches are pre-made early in the day. Customers can then choose from the assortment of sandwiches that are placed neatly in racks of chillers. Besides being fuss-free, pret also prides itself in using all-natural ingredients with absolutely no preservatives added.

But more importantly, are they any good?

I was there with a friend recently. We found that they had some very interesting fillings for their sandwiches, baguettes and wraps. I was especially keen to try out their crayfish & roquette sandwich. Anything with crayfish is an instant favorite with me!

Crayfish & Roquette Sandwich
SGD3.90

$3.90 for a two-inch-thick crayfish sandwich is a steal isn’t it? I had expected the price to be much steeper than this. The sandwich was good. Wheat bread, nice. Crayfish, yum. I didn’t even mind the roquette despite not being a fan of vegetables.

All sandwiches come in these cute triangular “pretboxes” with clear windows. Pret really took pain to guarantee that all their food is fresh. At the end of each day, all unsold food is donated to the Singapore council of women’s organisation’s star shelter, a home for abused women.

Coronation Chicken Sandwich
SGD3.80

Even though the pretboxes are labelled “pret petit” and the sandwiches are really half-size sandwiches, the portions are certainly not “petit”. I had trouble finishing mine!

Tandoori Chicken Wrap
SGD7.50

My favorite was the tandoori chicken wrap. It had obviously been created to suit Asian tastebuds. The wrap was huge and came in two smaller separate portions. I guess a person would have trouble finishing the whole thing alone. More people should get to enjoy this anyway. It’s very flavorful and very tasty! I loved it!

Hot Mocha
SGD5

The drinks are the cutest of all. Note how they had decorated our hot mocha with chocolate powdered stars. How very adorable!

Then, my friend whipped out the new kenny g album (I am a huge fan) out of nowhere. The pret folks gamely played it for us as their background music! Now, that’s good service for you! Pret has definitely won me over.

One last interesting tidbit: pret works with well-known jewellers tiffany & co. To make solid silver stars. Each star is used to reward a particular staff member whenever a customer writes or calls to commend him or her for good service. Wow!

February 3, 2007: My list of Best (& Worst) Restaurants in Singapore for 2006
- Runner-up for “Best Take-out”
January 2, 2008: I’m sad to note that as of today, the sole Pret outlet in Singapore has closed.

Posted by Veron in Food category | English, Lau Pa Sat, takeout, Western

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/pret-a-manger/ | 16 comments

You are reading the original content of Sparklette.
Republishing of content, photographs, design or RSS feed, whether in part or in full, is strictly not allowed.

© 2003-2010 Sparklette

It’s Chippy British Take Away! With that striking union jack, the cheery name, and so many sinful treats such as fried Mars Bars and beer-battered fish, tell me, how could I resist?

The food is seriously dirt cheap. I did a double take when I found that the yummy-sounding cheesy curry chicken cost just $3.45! Was the portion small? Not at all! Chippy promised 35 (or was it 45) pieces of chicken and definitely did not scringe on the portion.

So I asked for “extra spicy chicken”, paid my $3.45, watched the crew deep-fry my chicken pieces right in front of me and waited eagerly for the chicken to be ready. I got real worried when I saw how oily it was. This was definitely not meant for everyday consumption!

Cheesy Curry Chicken (Extra Spicy)
SGD3.45

But boy was it good. It was lip-smackingly good! The food was cooked only upon each order placed, which explains why the chicken was still hot and crispy and packed with spices. As if that wasn’t enough, the little tub of cheese dip that came along was perfect for the chicken. It had a sweet and sour now-you-taste-it-now-you-don’t quality to it. Rather intriguing! Man, just thinking about the chicken makes me salivate already.

Even though this place is meant for take-aways, they do have some standing and sitting space reserved for customers. I like the colorful photo montage mural that decorated one side of the wall. I like the fact that the prices are cheap and the food is so yummilicious. Basically I like everything about the place! Chippy has totally won me over!

Gonna try out a couple of those fried Mars Bars next time!

February 3, 2007: My list of Best (& Worst) Restaurants in Singapore for 2006
- Winner of “Best Take-out”

Posted by Veron in Food category | English, Raffles City, takeout, Western

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/chippy-british-take-away/ | 14 comments

You are reading the original content of Sparklette.
Republishing of content, photographs, design or RSS feed, whether in part or in full, is strictly not allowed.

© 2003-2010 Sparklette

Nonya Rice Dumplings (粽子)
Where to buy: Daun Pandan Rice Dumpling
$1.40 each

For the less informed, rice dumplings are cute little pyramids made of glutinous rice (a.k.a. sticky rice) and wrapped in dried bamboo or pandan leaves. Stuffed within the rice is a savory filling that may be salted egg yolk, mushroom, chestnut, pork, chicken, etc.

My favorite is the Nonya variety that has a marinated minced pork filling. The daun pandan rice dumpling franchise sells the best dumplings in town. My Dad buys a few of these from the Toa Payoh branch each time. Seriously, their sweet pork filling is second to none.

Most days after work I am too exhausted to cook or even buy dinner. Each of these dumplings are amply portioned. They don’t even need to be prepared or cooked, just steamed. Perfect for filling an empty stomach!

February 3, 2007: My list of Best (& Worst) Restaurants in Singapore for 2006
- Nominated for “Best Take-out”

Posted by Veron in Food category | Dumpling, Peranakan, takeout

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/daun-pandan-rice-dumpling/ | 9 comments

You are reading the original content of Sparklette.
Republishing of content, photographs, design or RSS feed, whether in part or in full, is strictly not allowed.

© 2003-2010 Sparklette

I love Canadian Pizza for their huge variety of pizza flavours. They have a permanent 2-for-1 pizza promotion. The cheapest pizza starts from $21.90.

I ordered the teriyaki chicken pizza…

…as well as the BBQ chicken bonanza. That’s my all-time favorite pizza!

Way better than Pizza Hut! Call 6241 0241 for delivery. Get it? 241? 2-for-1?

Canadian Pizza ( Halal certified)
(65) 6241 0241
www.canadian-pizza.com

Posted by Veron in Food category | Halal, pizza, takeout, Western

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/food/canadian-pizza/ | 7 comments

You are reading the original content of Sparklette.
Republishing of content, photographs, design or RSS feed, whether in part or in full, is strictly not allowed.

© 2003-2010 Sparklette