From The Straits Times    |


SUNDAY MARKET
22 Lim Tua Tow Road, tel: 6287-8880. Open Mon, Tue & Thu, 12-10pm; Fri, 12-11pm; Sat, 9.30am-11pm; Sun, 9.30am-9pm. Closed on Wed.
Located at a lane off Upper Serangoon Road, Sunday Market is a café with an industrial-themed decor, serving up Asian fusion food.

What we love:
• The star of our meal was the Bangkok Toast ($10.90), a thick, crisp rectangular cinnamon toast with delicious brown sugar coating, and filled with custard. It’s served with matcha green tea custard and Thai milk tea ice cream – elements that all work well together.
• The Beef Rendang Toast ($15.90) comes with soft and buttery homemade brioche toast to dip into an aromatic rendang gravy filled with chunks of tender beef brisket.
• A savoury pancake, the Roasted Duck with Garlic Hoisin Crispy Eggs ($12.90) is stuffed with shredded pulled duck, with flavours that reminded us of Peking duck, and slathered with a sweet garlic hoisin sauce.
• Popular drinks include the Honey Melon Tea ($5) and the house-brewed Thai Milk Tea ($7). The former is a refreshing fruit tea while the latter is a reworked formula of traditional Thai milk tea – less saccharine and easier to down.

SIN LEE FOODS
4 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee, tel: 6377-3170. Open Tue-Fri, 11am-9pm; Sat, 9.30am-9pm; Sun, 9.30am-6pm. Closed on Mon.
A short walk from hipster enclave Tiong Bahru, Sin Lee Foods sits on the ground floor of a HDB block in a sleepy neighbourhood, and retains the iconic, retro signboard of its kopitiam predecessor.

What we love:
• The cafe’s signature dish: Sin Lee’s Fried Chicken & Waffles ($21.90) – a light, fluffy waffle topped with a big slab of juicy deep-fried chicken with a tasty batter. It’s mouthwateringly good.
• We couldn’t get enough of the Salted Egg Sweet Potato Fries ($12), a perfect blend of sweet-salty from the sweet potato fries and house-made salted duck’s egg sauce. The crispy curry leaves add crunch and more flavour.
• A dish to convert non-broccoli lovers, the Aburi Broccoli Salad ($12) is made of torched broccoli florets, combined with creamy white balsamic, red sugar and crunchy papadum.
• The Smoked Salmon Hash ($18) is packed with a delicious herby flavour, complemented by the smoky pan-roasted bacon and potato hash, and a runny egg in the centre.

SLAKE
15 Swan Lake Avenue, tel: 6243-6220. Open Mon-Thu, 6-11pm; Fri-Sat, 5pm-late. Closed on Sun.

A gastro-pub nestled in the quiet Opera Estate at Siglap, the dishes at Slake are influenced by the cooking styles and ingredients of Vietnamese and Peranakan cuisines. 

What we love:
• Marinated with a sweet in-house kechap manis sauce, the Pork Ribs ($24) are tender, flavourful and don’t have a porky aftertaste.
• Generously littered with chunks of juicy chicken breast, the Asian Pesto Noodles ($18) serve up oodles of thick rice vermicelli (the type used in laksa) with a fresh pesto of basil, mint, coriander and spring onion.
• The whole Mackerel ($35) – well-cooked and not flaky – is served with tomato chutney, mustard greens, spicy mayonnaise, seasoned edamame and pomegranate seeds for a bright burst of flavour, accompanied by some to-die-for sweet potato truffle fries.
• The Sticky Date Pudding with Candied Bacon Ice Cream ($8) makes a delightful dessert – the creamy caramel is sweet but not overwhelming, and goes well with the umami of the candied bacon ice cream.

This article was originally published in Simply Her March 2015.