SUKA MAKAN: HENRI BISTROT DU BOULANGER @ KRETA AYER ROAD

Discovering new places to dine is why I have Sukan Makan in this blog. The enjoyment of food (besides fine music) is what drives us on. In Singapore, there is no shortage of places to enjoy a wide variety of cuisines, in various settings as well as price ranges. Henri Bistrot du Boulanger, a French restaurant, is the discovery of my pianist friend Alyssa Kok, and believe it or not, it sits directly below what used to be Armenian cellist Khachatur Khachatrian's Blumine art gallery.

As fancy French places go, it is informal and friendly. The relatively small menu is inviting, and it has nice choices, and it was not difficult to settle on the set menu, which has an appetiser, main course and dessert. 

Starter: Duck rillette

Starter: Scallop, prawn & vegetables

Speciality of the house.

It was an enjoyable meal, but more importantly is the company of friends, old and new. And this was a very good and quiet place to have conversations.

The fish soup does look quite like the photo!
And it's very tasty too.

Creme brulee

HENRI BISTROT DU BOULANGER

29 Kreta Ayer Road

Singapore 089002

 Wine Bistro | Bakery | Singapore

SUKA MAKAN: WOLFGANG'S STEAKHOUSE @ INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL, ROBERTSON QUAY

This is a classy place. I'm not really used to classy places, but since it's a birthday celebration in the Chang family, it'll do finely. Wolfgang's Steakhouse is not to be confused with Wolfgang Puck, as this is an establishment by another Wolfgang, Wolfgang Zwiener. Whatever, it is a high-end steak place with ambience, excellent service and wonderful cuts of meat.

Quite a few animals were sacrificed for this meal, which were gratefully ingested by all at the table. That's what saying grace is about, thanksgiving. The starters were great, including fresh oysters and the bacon, which were enjoyed immediately And the sides of creamed spinach, Bratkartoffeln (oven-cooked potatoes, you can't get more German than this), mac and cheese were also roundly downed with satisfaction.

This bacon is so sinful!

Vegans now look away. The steaks, including a tomahawk and porterhouse, were thick, juicy and succulent. One can seldom get better than this. And the desserts - apple strudel, lava cake, tiramisu & cheese-cake to add to the calories. To make this a memorable event, a birthday tart and Polaroid photo was added for good measure. Enjoy the food porn while I ponder the next cholesterol test, and where to eat next.

The classic Tomahawk.

Porterhouse steak.

This is no time to count the calories.

Here are some family pics for a happy birthday celebration to remember.

Notice how everybody was attired
in Donald J.Trump Orange.

A nice touch to remember
an evening's at Wolfgang's.

WOLFGANG'S STEAKHOUSE

BY WOLFGANG ZWIENER

InterContinental Hotel,

Robertson Quay

1 Nanson Road

Singapore 238909

Wolfgang's Steakhouse Singapore - by Wolfgang Zwiener

RANDOM HEARTLAND EATS: KIMLY COFFEESHOP @ CLEMENTI AVENUE 5

There are three heartland coffeeshops within 100 metres of each other in Clementi Avenue 5. This is the third one we've visited, Kimly Coffeeshop on Block 345. Even though this food court does not actually have a proper signboard, it is part of the Kimly group which has several other establishments in and around Clementi. If fact, it's the biggest coffeeshop franchise in the land, with 89 shops! 

When we visited after work on one evening, we found it quite well attended, as HDB coffee shops are not just eating places, but where people congregate, sit around and while their time away (occasionally getting into scuffles and fights). We've never witness one of those fisticuffs, we're far away from Yishun anyway. 

The Ginseng chicken
tastes better than it looks.

This coffeeshop has your usual assortment of stalls, but there's an old familiar favourite from Block 380, still doing brisk business. Victor's Western Grill & Pasta is a little more expensive than other stalls of this kind, but he is still popular because his portions are generous and tasty. Having not had his food for a while, he joked that his stall "was lost but now found". I can only say amen to that!

Classic chicken chop with brown sauce
and aglio olio spaghetti.

KIMLY COFFEESHOP

Block 345 Clementi Avenue 5

Singapore 120345

RANDOM HEARTLAND EATS: KEDAI KOPI @ CLEMENTI AVENUE 5

We have eaten here many times, long before this coffee shop became gentrified. Previously, it looked dark and dingy, but the breakfast fare was excellent - wanton mee, pei tan chok, yong tau foo, mee rebus, soto ayam, koay teow tng. For lunch and dinner, there was economy rice, teochew porridge and zichar, Western food, and even earlier, Thai mookata. The prices were cheap, and this place had everything. However, after the pandemic, there was a buyout and the coffeeshop gentrified.

You know the story, the old tenants left or retired and the new stalls had new prices - more expensive. The old faces and air of familiarity evaporated. The old place (we don't even know its name) was anything but halal, but the new establishment was completely halal. It looks much brighter and slicker now. We are still trying to get to grips with the new Kedai Kopi @ Block 380, and getting to enjoy its new dishes bit by bit. We still miss the old stalls, but that's how life is - you learn to move on and adapt. 

Fried Hokkien prawn mee.

Volcano Ayam.
It's actually spicy ramen in all but name.

Here are what we ate, different from what we used to enjoy, but let's give this place a chance. We will soon develop new favourites, and who knows, get hooked all over again.

The goreng pisang was puny,
but the champedak very juicy.

KEDAI KOPI

Bock 380 Clementi Ave 5 #01-376

Singapore 130380

Kedai Kopi | Muslim Friendly Coffeeshop (@kedaikopisg) • Instagram photos and videos

SUKA MAKAN: MA MAISON @ ANCHORPOINT

We're back at Anchorpoint, and this time it's for faux-French cuisine. Ma Maison is a chain eatery, a sort of upmarket version of Saizeriya, and since its French food, it gets to be a little more dear as prices go. For those who can't afford Les Amis, I suppose this will do. 

Ma Maison is French for "My Home". Just slap on a French name to any product, and it will sell for 25% more, possibly even higher. The decor is cutesy but not really French, it's supposed to look Continental but a Japanese version of it as viewed through rose-tinted glasses. There are no wait staff in maid outfits, but the service is good and generally ready to please.

Gratin French Onion Soup.
My cup floweth over, and it looks
so much better with the fake candle.

Ginger Pork. Very tender.

Beef Stroganoff with Beef Katsu,
served with Omurice (omelette & buttered rice).

It's as tasty as it looks, fortunately.

We came for a simple meal, and got just that. No complaints whatsoever. It just looks fancy. These are the pictures, which are actually quite inviting except if you are actually French and will not be fooled. Will we return? In a word, yes. (Because we're not snobs too.)

Did not know that French played cricket.

MA MAISON @ ANCHORPOINT

370 Alexandra Road #01-12

Singapore 159953

AnchorPoint | MA MAISON