Pine Garden Lychee Martini Cake

Although I was never a fan of cakes and pastry, this lychee martini cake from Pine Garden's Cakes at Ang Mo Kio Ave 10 left me with such a lasting impression that I wanted to return for more.


Topped with a fresh lychee, a piece of lychee martini cake, which is reasonably priced at $2.50, comes with smooth sponge cake layered with fragrant cream and filled with small lychee pieces coated with martini. What I enjoyed most about this lychee martini cake is its irresistible sweetness that leaves a lingering aftertaste on the taste buds.

Besides its famous lychee martini cake, Pine Garden also has many other specially created cakes eg brandy cherry cake, baileys chocolate crunch cake, mango passionfruit cake etc. Check out its website at http://www.pgcake.com/

8/10

Pine Garden's Cakes
Blk 529 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10
#01-2369

Katong Chicken Curry Puff

One of the more famous curry puffs in Singapore, I was initially doubtful if Katong Chicken Curry Puff really existed. Frequently patronising Marine Parade Food Centre for dinner, I did not recall seeing this stall before. Today when I was there in the afternoon, I finally found it hidden in some inconspicuous corner.


I ordered a chicken curry puff which costs $1. The distinctive aroma of the spices and the robust flavour of the curry powder make this curry puff outstanding. Bite through the soft crust to savour the warm tasty filling made of potato and chicken.

Somehow I just wished that the chicken came in bigger chunks like the ones in Wang Wang Crispy Curry Puff at Old Airport Road Food Centre. Nevertheless I enjoyed the special curry flavour of Katong chicken curry puff which makes it a great snack for breakfast or tea.

7/10

Katong Chicken Curry Puffs
Marine Parade Food Centre
Blk 84 Marine Parade Central
#01-132

Wang Wang Crispy Curry Puff

I am not a fan of curry puff but when I was still hungry after having dinner at Old Airport Road Food Centre last weekend, I decided to try Wang Wang crispy curry puff.


Priced at $1.10 each, I was immediately impressed when I took my first bite of the curry puff. Stuffed with pieces of tasty potato and fleshy curry chicken, the mouthwatering filling is warm and spicy, like it is fresh from the oven. The fragrant crust is sufficiently thick and crispy.

As I have not tasted many curry puffs before, I hesitate to call Wang Wang Crispy Curry Puff the best in Singapore. Nevertheless it has left me such a favorable impression that I will certainly return for more.

7.5/10

Wang Wang Crispy Curry Puff
Old Airport Road Food Centre
51 Old Airport Road
#01-126
Closed on Mondays

Ji Xiang Ang Ku Kueh

Ang ku kueh, literally translated as red tortoise cake in Hokkien, is a Chinese pastry of steamed rice flour filled with green bean paste or roasted peanut. When I was at Everton Park recently to buy pineapple tarts for Chinese New Year, I came across Ji Xiang Confectionery which I read on the Internet has one of the best ang ku kueh in Singapore.


With a fabulous variety of ang ku kueh ranging from sweet bean paste to savory bean paste, peanut, corn, coconut, sesame and durian, I decided to try the traditional sweet bean paste ang ku kueh which costs $0.60. The special rice flour skin is amazingly smooth and chewy yet does not stick onto the teeth at all. Just right in terms of sweetness, the fragrant bean paste filling is delightfully soft and melts gently in the mouth.

Although I am not a fan of ang ku kueh, I was certainly impressed by that from Ji Xiang Confectionery. Do also try its highly recommended pineapple tarts which make an excellent gift for Chinese New Year.

7.5/10

Ji Xiang Confectionery
Blk 1 Everton Park
#01-33
Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays

House Of Tau Sar Piah

Having featured Loong Fatt as the most well-known tau sar piah in Singapore, I feel compelled to blog about House Of Tau Sar Piah in Balestier because I like the tau sar piah from the latter better.

As taste is often subjective, I shall first share some objective differences between the two.
1. Loong Fatt's tau sar piah costs $0.70 whereas House's costs $0.50 (sweet) or $0.60 (salty).
2. Loong Fatt is closed on Sundays but House is open.
3. Loong Fatt's tau sar piah is non-vegetarian whereas House's is made using pure vegetable oil hence suitable for vegetarians.


Now I shall share the subjective differences. Served in a smaller portion than Loong Fatt's, House's tau sar piah is just sufficient for a light snack. The fragrant crust is less thick and more robust and goes very well with the red bean filling which is soft and flavorful.

Just as I prefer Leung Sang's egg tarts to the famous Tong Heng's, I feel that House's tau sar piah tastes much better than Loong Fatt's. Come down to Balestier and try both to decide for yourself.

7.5/10

House Of Tau Sar Piah
529 Balestier Road

Yeap Seng Egg Tart

When I was having my favorite ban mian at Whampoa Market this morning, I stumbled upon this stall named Yeap Seng Handmade Pau Tim which has a variety of pastries and dim sum at very affordable prices.


Although priced at only $0.70, I feel that Yeap Seng's egg tart tastes better than the famous $1.30 egg tart from Tong Heng in Chinatown. Filled with thick butter fragrance, the flavorful crust goes very well with the mouthwatering egg custard that is just of the right sweetness.

Besides egg tart, Yeap Seng also has carrot cake, char siew bao, fried ngor hiang, curry puff etc. If you are a pastry lover, come down to Whampoa and try it for yourself.

7.5/10

Yeap Seng Handmade Pau Tim
Blk 91 Whampoa Dr #01-33

Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah

Search for "Balestier" and "tau sar piah" on Google and the name Loong Fatt comes out in most hits, ahead of all its other competitors along Balestier Road.


Closed on Sundays, I finally had the chance to savour the famous Loong Fatt tau sar piah when I went there on a Friday morning. Although slightly more expensively priced at 70 cents instead of 50 or 60 cents from its other competitors, the tau sar piah from Loong Fatt is considerably larger in size. Served fresh from the oven, the special crust is soft and warm with a distinctive butter fragrance. The thick red bean filling is irresistably delicious with the right balance of sweet and salty flavours.

Having my Loong Fatt tau sar piah with a cup of hot green tea was a wonderful experience. Come down to Balestier and try it for yourself.

7.5/10

Loong Fatt Eating House & Confectionary
639 Balestier Road
Closed on Sundays

Ah Yee's Soon Kueh

Located at the basement of Dunman Food Centre, Ah Yee's Soon Kueh has one of the best soon kueh (steamed Chinese dumpling with rice flour skin and chopped turnip filling) in Singapore.


Handmade on the spot and served piping hot, Ah Yee's soon kueh are undoubtedly fresh and tasty. Reasonably priced at 80 cents per piece, I was amazed by the generous variety and superior quality of the ingredients which ranged from crunchy turnip strips to mushroom, carrot and fragrant dried shrimps.

Although I am not a fan of soon kueh, I was certainly impressed by Ah Yee's and would definitely return for more.

7.5/10

Ah Yee's Soon Kueh
Dunman Food Centre
Blk 271 Onan Road
#01-05

Leung Sang Egg Tart

Located in the heart of Chinatown, the delicious egg tarts from Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastries go for only $0.70 instead of the usual $0.90 after 6pm. Compared with the pricey $1.30 egg tarts from the famous Tong Heng Confectionery across the road, one may think that the Leung Sang egg tarts are inferior in quality but I beg to differ. After trying the egg tarts from both Leung Sang and Tong Heng on several occasions, I still feel that Leung Sang's egg tarts taste much better.


The special crust of Leung Sang's egg tart is thick and crispy and exudes a delightful butter fragrance with every bite. The flavorful egg custard is soft and smooth and just right in terms of sweetness.

An egg tart from Leung Sang, together with a cup of hot Lipton tea, makes the ideal afternoon tea that I would crave for. Come down and try it for yourself if you haven't.

8/10

Leung Sang Hong Kong Pastries
18 Sago Street