Ah Lock 豆腐店 : Hakka Tofu Bowl

Hakka Tofu Bowl (Signature), $5.50

I love Hakka Thunder Tea, and thought Ah Lock Tofu serves something similar but no. Instead the presentation reminds me of Korean bibimbap, and its healthy clean ingredients of Japanese cuisine.

At the Yishun Park Hawker Centre, you get this fusion of Hakka Yong Tau Foo and Thunder Tea - atop pump Japanese grains. Healthy taste is in this one with their Alfalfa sprouts and shredded seaweed. Too plain for you? Soak up some of their mild spicy sweet dipping sauce.

This is refreshing, healthy yet very tasty.

鱼缘, Fishball Story

Original Fishball Noodle ($4.50)

Fish Ball Story is one famous stall we don't wish to patronise. No matter how good they are.

First, it was Douglas's FB post in 2015 when he tender for a stall in the Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre, managed by NTUC Foodfare - but unhappy with the capping of hawker prices. Now at the Yishun Park Hawker Centre managed by Timbre on a not-for-profit basis - he fulfilled the criteria to have at least one basic meal priced at $3, but limits the offer to 30 bowls/ day by sticking a paper over his menu.

His grandmother's recipe of the fish balls is excellent. The mixing sauce for the noodles don't taste like our usual fish ball noodles, and are forgettable.

When a hawker enjoys the lower rental of a hawker centre, but refuses to sell a 2 fishball pieces noodle at $3; to those who wanted to pay less for lesser. It's a social responsibility of a hawker; we see it.

Our social responsibility is to pay more for good food when we can afford it, and bigger portion when they are good, of course.

Ichiban Boshi

Swordfish, Kajiki Belly (2 serving, 13.90++ per serving)

Swordfish ($13.90++), Yellowtail ($6++), Salmon ($6++)

 Uni Chawanmushi, Sea Urchin ($9.90++)

Ichiban Boshi is fast becoming my favorite Japanese restaurant. There are variety, quality and quantity in their food serving - where possible we found potions to be large, and reasonably priced. As seen in their thick chicken cutlet and generous chasoba. With several ala carte, set options you could design your meal freely.

Now I know why the restaurant is always packed.

We enjoyed our food today. Only exception for the tired looking and tasting soft-shelled crab. And on our other visit, we had their Bluefin fatty tuna ($32++, 5 pcs) but it was not the best; our favourite is their Swordfish belly.

Always, service was impressive with helpful waitresses who knows their menu well.

Chicken Katsu ($10.90++)

Soft Shell Crab Tempura ($12.90++)

Fried Oyster with Spicy Cod Roe Mayo & Cheese ($10.90++)

Grilled Yellowtail (Hamachi) Head ($19.90++)

Una Jyu, BBQ Eel ($24.90++)

Tenzaru Chasoba, Cold Green Tea Noodle with assorted tempura ($13.90++)

Ice Shiratama Zenzai with Matcha Ice Cream (6.50++, Single scoop $3.50++)

The Larder Cafe

Weekday Set-Lunch-Add-On - Soup of the Day, Corn Soup

Baked Escargots ($10)

Sangenton Pork Cutlet ($10.90)

The Larder Café where they take care of the small details - the crisp shoestring fries and many sprinkles of parsley. All at very affordable price tag.. imagine the boss of this little café, doing a struggle balancing quality with pricing. Where they can, they provide. Surely, the Larder is making a conscious effort to please its consumers.

Every little thing that is added or replaced with something else has cost estimation. But we see a good job done - generous bits of vegetables in the corn soup, thick slab of juicy Japanese pork cutlet and crunchy sweet shrimps.

Not forgetting the aromatic cup of Arabica coffee that comes at just $4.80 net; with a day soup! Yes, we promise a return to try out their more sophisticated offerings.

Pesto Shrimp Spaghetti ($9.90)

Weekday Set-Lunch-Add-On - Flat White

Treasure Pot Lunch @ Crystal Jade Kitchen

Steamed Cheong Fun with Shrimp ($6.80++)

Deep-fried Beancurd Skin Roll with Minced Pork and Shrimp ($5.80++)

Mini Treasure Pot ($58.80++)

Planned a simple dim sum lunch at the Crystal Jade Kitchen. But colleagues dropped a bomb; with everybody voting for the expensive claypot dish which contains everything we like!

Delightful ingredients include baby abalones, quality fish maw, scallops, mushrooms, fresh large prawns, roast meat, roast duck and more. Well, it was worth it. Instead of having multiple little dishes, we had, and enjoyed this supreme pot.

With their all time favourite fried rice and beancurd roll, our lusting palates were satisfied.