Did you say FYR?

FYR Cycene and Drink. It's pronounced "Fire Kitchen and Drink". I believe this is a pretty new establishment who recently rooted itself early this year in the up-and-coming hip area of Boon Tat/Telok Ayer/Amoy. As they described on their Facebook page, "Modern European cuisine by spices and herbs of South East Asia. All our menu are prepared using our Josper charcoal oven." You may ask what on earth is a Josper oven. I did too. After a quick read-up on Google, I learnt that a Josper oven, to the culinary world, is akin to a Himalayan Crocodile Hermes in the world of tai-tais. Well, not quite, the you can buy many Jospers with that ONE Himalayan Crocodile Hermes, but ya, you get the idea. FYR prides themselves with cooking up their very Instagram-worthy dishes with Lychee Wood fired up in Josper ovens. The result? The grilled meat that fed me achieved that "grit" and earthiness that only wood fire can give. One word - sublime.
Reddy will be back. RaRa you should come along too, ok?

Main of DeRazza Iberico Pork Collar (top up $13.00 on top of the $25++ or $29++ pricing)

Set Lunch is served Monday - Friday 11.30am - 2.30pm. They offer options of 2 course ($25++) and 3 course ($29++) meals. The Set Lunch menu changes on a monthly basis, just so you know :)

Ding Dong! Are you there?

Another feather added to the cap of the super uber creative chef of modern Asian gastronomy, Chef Ryan Clift, of the infamous Tippling Club. Ding Dong is not new to the scene, but it has joined the ranks of a stellar line up helmed by Chef Ryan. Be prepared to be wowed by elegant dishes infused with the local flavours from our daily lives and from neighbouring regions. Having read only nothing short of spectacular reviews of Ding Dong, I headed up (a short hop from Where-I-Earn-A-Living) there with quite a biased expectation. And no, after being immensely impressed with a mere teaser of what more they have to offer, my expectations were not biased at all. They ARE good. And yes, Reddy will return for more. Hopefully RaRa will be more keen to explore new foods, to join Reddy on the next visit.

Main of Asam Pedas Saltwater Barramundi with Okra & Baby Eggplant

This came as part of a (very affordable) set lunch @ $25.00 per person, with an option of adding on $10.00++ more for a glass of wine or suntory premium malt.

Set lunch is available weekdays, Mondays - Fridays, from 12.00pm - 3.00pm. 

Carrying On The Legacy - Coffee Break @ Amoy Food Center **Updated 24/8/2015**

We are living in the time and age where traditional ways are slowly disappearing in the wake of modernity and rapid development. The same can be said about traditional food, and of late, about hawkers plying their trade with old school traditional cuisine. Being a hawker is an arduous job, you wake before the sun rises for prep work and you work non-stop tirelessly churning out your goods (in machine perfect timing). The pay off is not in the midst of gargantuan corporate profit margins, this is a job that requires passion to continue, loads of passion. That is exactly what the 2 youngsters have, Passion. Passion to continue the legacy of providing comfort food to the people. That, folks, to me is what we need to preserve a dying culture.

*Updated 24th August 2015*

Yes, I did it. Braved adding on another inch to a growing waistline. Finally got hold of this gorgeous baby, and yes, it was worth every bit of calorie. The taro paste is thick and creamy, and most importantly, not TOO SWEET! Coupled together with cold cuts of butter? Yummeh!

RaRa and Reddy's Sensory Treat - SG50 Light Show

This is the year our Lady Singapore turn 50. We were not able to catch any fireworks though... but managed to catch this light show spectacle smack right in front of our seats (on a wooden patio in front of Marina Bay Shoppes). The light show is actually a nightly affair at MBS, but just for this year's Jubilee celebration, Fullerton Hotel concurrently doubled up as a backdrop for projected images to tell a story along with the light show. We couldn't have picked a better seat, the water fountains were sprouting right in front of us (it was a 3D sensory extravagance as well haha, we could feel the sprinkles of water as the show went full swing!), flames swooshed majestically and the lights danced along with the melodious tunes.

Very Bellagio!

Treat Time! - Koko Ice Cream @ Amoy Food Center **Closed at Amoy. Now shifted to The Star Vista, #B1-37D**

The famed coconut ice cream that travellers to Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok swoon about can now be found on our shores. Served typically in a coconut husk with toppings such as Red Ruby, Palm Seeds, Corn, Sweet Sticky Rice, Roasted Peanuts and Chendol-like "green noodles", just to name a few. Koko Ice Cream has the honour to be among the few here that offers this simple but delicious tropical heat buster. They do not offer the traditional toppings, but they have Roasted Peanuts, Sweet Corn, Rainbow Sprinkles and Chocolate Balls. There is even a choice of sauces, ranging from honey to Hershey's chocolate sauce. Pricing seems inclined on the steep side though, a single scoop at $3.00 and double at $4.00, but hey, think of all the hardwork that goes into each scoop you take! Each portion comes with a refreshing drink of chilled fresh coconut juice, a welcome treat to complement the already tasty treat.

Going basic - Honey drizzles and Roasted Coconut toppings. Oh, there is young coconut flesh nicely scrapped up for easy picking as well! This is a single scoop portion @ $3.00.

A Taste Of Mainland China - Wen Jia Bao @ Pasir Ris Interchange

Barely a few months old and already drawing in queues (in SG that can mean that it's worth queuing for, haha), Wen Jia Bao dishes out handmade comfort food for those in a hurry to work and those weary from a day's hardwork. Located in between the MRT and the bus interchange at Pasir Ris, they seem to be popular with the rush hour crowd hoping to grab a hot bite. Prep work is done in a tiny workspace just behind the mouthwatering glass display of freshly made goodies. The base of each bao is the familiar bread-like texture. But once fried and stuffed with a multitude of stuffing, each bao holds it's own identity.

I am not Mandarin literate, so I will have to describe this according to their signboard. "Biscuits with Meat and Egg" @ $2.00, huge chunk of juicy minced pork sits in between the fried bao dough. Very nicely marinated, with hints of garlic (that is about it I could make out! Haha!)

RaRa and Reddy's Weekend Treat - Oh My Bacon @ Dunlop Street ***Closed. Updated Aug 2017***

Joining the ranks of the new-kids-on-the-cafe-block scene just early this year, Oh My Bacon (OMB) has managed to pique the interest of bacon lovers on this LittleRedDot. As the name implies, yes, Bacon, those smokey salty strips of heaven sent waistline busters, Bacon is THE star in this new player. Anything and everything the imagination can yield is translated into sweet and savoury sinful comfort food. Being ardent fans of everything bacon, this proved to be an exciting find!

Bacon Jam on Baguette @ $2.00 for 2 slices.
Reminds one of Bak Kwa! Sweet, salty and infused with whisky. There is a slight alcohol"kick" after taste, which makes this so worthy of 'em sinful calories.

RaRa and Reddy's Adventure Walk - Marina South Pier

"Come Mommy, let's go to Marina South Pier for a look, there is very nice scenery there". And that was what The Kid said to The Mommy. Never have The Mommy heard of such from me. She thinks that maybe I am growing up a little bit too fast, that scenery and kids don't make an equation ever. We took the trusty old MRT to the end of the line - Marina South Pier. One of the most deserted MRT station ever, not a soul in sight, except an for a few families and couples headed to the seaside or cruise terminal, and a security Uncle whom is possibly ever-so-lonely. Everything here is built on reclaimed land, not too long ago this would all been just the sea.

This was the view that greeted us once we made our way out of the underground MRT enclave. The Kid is right. This is very scenic.

RaRa and Reddy's Day out - Riders Cafe @ Fairways Drive

A little piece of heaven tucked away in a I-Don't -Know-Where-Corner of LittleRedDot. Best seats are by the balcony (do try to put a request in when you made your reservation, and yes, please reserve ahead for Brunch, they are usually full), but be prepared to be one with the smell of "nature". If you can look past that, then you are in utopia unbeknownst to city folks.
*Tried and Tested and Adored*

#Rehashed from Facebook post. More pictures can be viewed at our Facebook page :)

A constant staple of mine..
Brioche French Toast with Berries Compote and Hazelnut Chocolate Mascarpone (codename Nutella haha)

Treat Time - Going Local with Rich and Good Cake Shop

Life is short, there is always room for cake. In the spirit of the upcoming Jubilee weekend celebration in our LittleRedDot, a group of colleagues decided to create a pooled order of those infamous Swiss Rolls from Rich and Good Cake Shop. And boy did we order! They serve a multitude of flavours, with Kaya being their signature offering.

Kaya flavour $8.00 for a slim roll of approximately 30cm in length. Now who does not love a good Kaya! Oh, for those not-in-the-know, Kaya is basically an egg and coconut custard painstakingly made by stirring continuously over low flame to achieve that thick, smooth, velvety texture.