Machicon

Invited Food Tasting

X and I were really honoured to be invited to the first ever Machicon event held in Singapore! Machicon is a large scale dating event where participants can meet new people, and possibly their future partners! It has been really popular in Japan since 2011. It has finally reached the shores of our little island and brought along with it much hype and anticipation!





It was drizzling when X and I got to Katanashi which is located at Boat Quay. Katanashi is the first stop for all participants of Machicon. There are 9 other participating Japanese restaurants within the vicinity where the participants of Machicon can choose to go to after Katanashi. Every restaurant features a different menu and free flow drinks






The original plan for the bloggers was changed and we were given these tickets and wrist tags and we went about as "participants"


A small platter for four to share


Tuna and avocado tartar
The pepper taste was overwhelming and the tuna was unfortunately, masked by it.


King of Cream Cheese


Tebasaki(Chicken wings)
The wings were crispy and tasty. Much effort must have been put into marinating it!


Simesaba(Mackerel)
The mackerel was torched right in front of us and everyone was really impressed haha.


Soft and slightly crispy mackerel which was very savory and palatable! My favourite of the lot!


Kakuni (Japanese Braised Pork)
This seemed to be everyone's favourite dish! It wasn't difficult understanding why when every bite of the soft and juicy meat melted in our mouths. I probably was the only one who liked the mackerel more haha


Participants getting to know each other


We moved on to Orihara Shoten at Robertson Quay after hearing that the sake and shochu there is very good. It was quite a distance away so we took a cab!

Oden
A satisfying and comforting dish which features a clear and light soup and simple ingredients. Great for a cold night!


Amaebi
We were taught by our new found Japanese friends that we were supposed to eat these with our hands and to just put the whole thing into our mouths, including the head! Haha I was like eating it super slowly because I was afraid of the feelers and all piercing into my lips or tongue HAHA. There's a slight sweetness and saltiness when you bite into the middle of the prawns. A great dish to accompany your sake and shochu!


Inaniwa Udon
I liked the udon! The noodles were springy and smooth and even in all its simplicity, it was refreshing and yummy


Kawahagi
Pieces of Filefish fried till crisp and hard and served with a dollop of Japanese mayo. Salty, sweet and a little sour. A great dish to have alongside your alcohol!


Our new found Japanese friends and Qingyang(act Japanese HAHA)

It was really fun getting to know them! They were really humorous and it was nice learning more about Japan and their experiences in Singapore!


Our third and last stop : En Grill & Bar



Calamansi Sour
This was basically, lime juice



California Maki


Avocado and soft shell crab roll

Skewers
Bacon-wrapped enokitake, bacon wrapped oysters, meatballs etc

The food at En Grill & Bar was decent and the alfresco area was pretty chill.

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Despite initial confusion, the night improved as it went along and we made new friends. Being a part of Machicon was definitely a unique experience and we are really thankful that we had this opportunity to taste authentic and traditional Japanese dishes!

We'll like to thank Jerome and the people behind Machicon for inviting us! [:


Katanashi
77 Boat Quay
Mon - Sun: 12:00 - 11:30

Orihara Shoten

11 Unity Street

#01-02 Robertson Walk

Mon - Wed: 19:00 - 00:00
Thu - Sat: 19:00 - 01:30
Closed on every Monday of the month

En Grill & Bar

207 River Valley Road

#01-59/60 UE Square

Daily: 19:00 - 03:00

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Love, K

(CLOSED) Societe Canteen

I used to go to Cluny Court like every week and it has really changed a great deal since a good 4 years ago. Many shops have come and go and Societe Canteen is one of the newer kids on the block. It is located where Marble Slab used to be.

Parking is available in Cluny Court itself and Serene Centre but you could also try the private housing estate just round the corner


Opened by an Australian, Societe Canteen aims to bring you a piece of Australia's coffee and cafe culture.





Simple design with an open kitchen concept


Unique items on sale


Menu painted on the wall


Iced Latte - $6.50
Decent coffee but a little too acidic


Iced Chocolate - $6.50
We liked the latte better than the chocolate. We didn't quite like the texture of the drink and perhaps, we would have preferred a little more milk


Eggs Benedict - $16
Poached eggs with bacon and hollandaise sauce on brioche

The baked beans in tomato puree were really delicious! They were savory, sweet and delightful. The brioche was good too! The first poached egg that X dug into was quite overcooked and we were disappointed but the second egg was perfectly done and saved the day haha. But the highlight for us would definitely be the baked beans!


Salted Caramel Pancakes with Bananas - $13
Three fluffy pancakes with homemade salted caramel sauce and fresh banana slices

When I saw salted caramel, I knew I was gonna get this! Three thick pieces of fluffy pancakes with delicious salted caramel! The portion was too huge for me and I was already bursting after the second piece. A great item for brunch especially when it's so affordable! I'm sure diners could do with a little more bananas and salted caramel though!

The cafe also has cupcakes and pastries. I was wondering if their pastries are from Tiong Bahru Bakery when I saw Kouign Aman on the menu haha.

Societe Canteen is a good place for catch-ups and lazy afternoons with its laidback vibe and reasonably priced fare. The staff were bright and cheery too and the food was served relatively quickly. The only thing that I really didn't like about the place was how our table had quite a number of bigger-than-usual ants.. Hope they would do something about it!

501 Bukit Timah

#01-05B Cluny Court

Tue - Fri: 10:00 - 19:00
Sat - Sun: 08:00 - 20:00

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Love, K

K's rating of SC : 6.5/10

Happy Boy Soya Bean

Invited Food Tasting

Happy Boy Soya Bean (Kai Xin Dou Hua) hasn't been around for a very long time but it has already won a few awards for it's tauhuey.

Happy Boy currently has 6 outlets and two distribution points in NUS. 
As I'm still studying in NUS, the nearest outlet/distribution point for me to visit was Dily's, which is located at Engineering Drive 1 Blk E3 Level 6.

There are 11 flavours (wow!) in total and I was shocked when I was told that I would be given every flavour to try HAHA. We brought along 3 friends who love tauhuey and who knew how to get to Dily's!

The good people of Happy Boy had already prepared and packed 12 boxes of tauhuey and 2 cups of soyabean drink for us when we got there. 

The goodness of Happy Boy's tauhuey does not only lie in its rich flavour and smooth, silky texture but it's also freshly made from high-grade beans! In addition, it has lesser sugar, does not contain gypsum, gelatine or any preservatives so it's definitely a healthy dessert!





Original - $1.50

Almond- $2


Strawberry - $2.50


Mango- $2.50


Blueberry - $2.50


Honeydew- $2.50


Green Apple- $2.50


Durian- $2.50


Taro- $2.50


Milo- $2.50


Matcha Green Tea- $2.50


Soya Bean Drink - $1.50

After trying all the tauhuey, we each picked our favourites! Being very conservative, my favourite was the original one HAHA, followed by mango and I like the soyabean drink too! My friends really liked the durian, mango and the milo ones! The tauhuey is truly very smooth and silky but I would prefer it to be a little more "solid" though but the large variety of flavours is really amazing!

It sure was an experience eating so much tauhuey at one go!  

We'll like to thank Joanne for having us! 


-592 Geylang Road (Between Lor.34 and Lor.36)
-Blk 51 Old Airport Road #01-109, Old Airport Market & Food Centre
-Blk 724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 #01-44, Ang Mo Kio Food Centre
-505 Beach Road, #B1-36, Golden Mile Food Centre 
-Blk 221B Boon Lay Place #01-163, Boon Lay Place Market & Food Centre (S642221)
-Blk 85 Bedok North Street 4 #01-52, Feng Shan Centre (S460085)

Daily: 09:00 - 21:00

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Love, K

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Dear readers, here's Waffles wishing you a very blessed and prosperous lunar new year!

May the new year bring you and your family wealth and health! [:

Quarter to Three

Invited Food Tasting

"If I'd been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door,
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?"

Do these lyrics ring a bell?

If you're a fan of The Beatles, just like the co-owner of Quarter to Three, you'll definitely know these lyrics. Sitting along the busy Tanjong Pagar Road, Quarter to Three is a cafe which might not be that eye-catching, but it's definitely worth a visit. 





Already a popular haunt, the cafe was full when we arrived.





As we looked at the display of cakes, we can't help but wonder how the cakes have gotten their unique names. After an explanation from Marilyn, the co-owner of Quarter to Three, we found out that not only is the name of the cafe linked to the beatles, so are the names of the cakes! The names of the cakes are also very relevant to the physical attributes of the cakes. For example, their rich chocolate cake is called 'She's So Heavy'


Her Majesty - $7.90
Red Velvet Cake


The red velvet cake was moist and soft and it's amazing how the texture of the cake can be this consistent when this cake is so huge and tall! The cream cheese frosting was also very light and doesn't outshine the mild flavour of the red velvet. This is the first red velvet cake that I actually like!


She's So Heavy - $7.90
Very Rich Chocolate Cake


Like the Red Velvet, the chocolate sponge cake was moist and soft! Digging into the delectable cake with chocolate balls hidden in them and fudge oozing out from the layers, hmm, sinful. Really great piece of chocolate cake! As the portion is very big, we weren't able to finish the cake as it's really very rich and heavy!


Good Day Sunshine -$7.90
Mango Cheese Sponge Cake


Here's a very delightful mango cake that has won the hearts of many! In place of the usual vanilla sponge, Good Day Sunshine features an incredibly light cheese sponge that melts in your mouth! With fresh cream decked between the layers of sponge and topped with fresh honeyed mangoes, trust me, this sweet, soft and fresh mixture will have you grinning from ear to ear!


Panna Cotta - $4.50




Lightly sweetened, deliciously smooth and and rich, this panna cotta is not as "hard" as the ones we've tried before. It's less custardy and the texture is more cream-like. Can't help but adore the texture! Panna Cotta lovers, you've to try this!


Three-month old Quarter to Three has already made its way onto different forms of media for their wonderful Durian, Mango and Strawberry cakes. Their menu boasts of other goodies such as Tiramisu, Creme Brulee, Brownies, Artisan bread, Salads and Sandwiches too. They have also recently come up with Chinese New Year goodies which have received tremendous support and positive reviews. Their kueh lapis cake has become so popular that customers have requested for it to become a staple and also to be made into a cake!

The cakes at Quarter to Three do not only look good, taste good, but they are also good for your wallets! The cakes are affordable and their portions are so huge that a slice of cake can be shared by 2-4 people! With 13 cakes to choose from, there is definitely something for everyone!

Also, if you're looking for customized cakes, do check Quarter to Three out!

We'll like to thank Marilyn for a great afternoon and the really awesome cakes! [:


88 Tanjong Pagar Road

Monday to Saturday: 12.00pm - 11.00pm
Sunday: Closed 

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Love, K