Shimbashi Soba is proud to announce the launch of its first-ever Takane Ruby Soba!  This unique soba is made with takane ruby buckwheat, a beautiful ruby-red flowering superfood that originated from the Himalayas, Nepal, and was cultivated in Japan by Professor Ujihara before being grown and harvested in Tasmania, Australia. The polyphenols, a type of antioxidant, are what give the flowers their distinct hue. 

Available for a limited period only from 12 October to 30 November, the takane ruby buckwheat has high nutritional value — three times higher than regular buckwheat. It contains protein, potassium, and zinc, and is also an abundant source of vitamin B1 and dietary fiber. It helps to strengthen blood capillaries and lowers blood pressure. Not only that, the noodles have a slightly different texture compared with noodles made with regular buckwheat — they have a chewier, more satisfying bite.

At Shimbashi Soba, the soba is freshly made from scratch every day by the chef. Pick from three new Takane Ruby Soba selections. The first is Takane Ruby Seiro (S$14.80), which features the chilled version of the noodles, served with dipping sauce. The Takane Ruby Autumn Tempura Seiro (S$24.80) comes with tiger prawns, Japanese mushrooms, and vegetable tempura. Finally, the Hot Takane Ruby Autumn Soba (S$24.80) is a comforting bowl, showcasing the noodles immersed in warm soup, Japanese mushroom, chicken, fishcake, fried beancurd, vegetables, and tiger prawn tempura. Diners can also order any soba item from the main menu and upgrade the regular soba to Takane Ruby Soba at an additional S$2. 

Authentic soba offerings right in Singapore

Shimbashi Soba is founded by soba master Yoshinori Shibazaki, who has been making soba in Japan and Australia for more than 40 years. Besides holding the title of "Professional Chef" conferred by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, Yoshinori was also awarded the title "Specialist Noodle Chef" — a rare honor within Japan’s soba industry.

At the restaurant, the soba is made using pesticide-free buckwheat that thrives in the heart of Tasmania. In the island state, the temperatures never go above 25OC, and never drop low enough for frost to occur, both of which are extreme conditions that will affect the delicate buckwheat. Also, to ensure absolute freshness of the noodles, the soba masters adhere to the three principles of San-tate: 

1) Hiki-tate (Freshly milled): Only the needed amount of buckwheat seeds is milled daily, so there is never wastage or excess that is stored for another batch.

2) Uchi-tate (Freshly made): Kneading and slicing are pivotal steps in the soba-making process. It takes the skills of an expert soba master to be able to achieve the firm bite of each strand.

3) Yude-tate (Freshly cooked): All the efforts that go into making the noodles will be for naught if the cooking technique is not up to par. The soba masters take years to hone their skills, fussing over every element, from the temperature of the water to cooking time. This final process gives the soba its soul and its distinctive taste.

Before all these generic Plastic playgrounds that we see currently now in Singapore, we have all these unique playgrounds that are custom designed. These were built to reflect Singapore’s culture and identity. I remember playing catching or just playing at the slides when I was young. Growing up in the late 80s means we get to enjoy these simple pleasures when we don't have all these high tech gadgets. HDB stopped designing its own playground in 1993 due to safety reasons and has been importing them from overseas suppliers instead. 

It was just a casual suggestion from a friend who happened to chanced upon a webpage that introduced these old school heritage playground. This sparked us on a journey to explore all these hidden gems, take some pictures, and explore the food options around those areas. 

1) Mini Dragon Playground Toa Payoh Lorong 1

I guess the more commonly known one is the Big dragon playground at Toa Payoh Lorong 6 but many did not know about the mini dragon playground at Toa Payoh Lorong 1 which was a much more petite and cute version of that. This one does not have that long dragon body and only has a simple winding slide. 

Address: Between Blk 240 and 241 Toa Payoh Lor 1 Singapore 310240

How to get there: Nearest MRT station is Braddell 

Bus no 59, 129. 231 and 232 stops in front of this playground.

Similar to the one at Toa Payoh, but this Baby Dragon Playground at Pipit Road MacPherson donned a green color body with green and pink mosaic tiles. This one also comes with just a simple winding slide.

Address: 56 Pipit Road Singapore 370056

How to get there: Nearest MRT station is MacPherson

Bus no 40, 61, 63, 63M, 65, 66A, 135, 154, 155, 158 stops in front of this playground.

3) Full Dragon Playground Toa Payoh Lorong 6

The Dragon Playground at Toa Payoh Lorong 6 is by far the most famous and Iconic one in Singapore and has appeared in a lot of publications and postage stamps. 

The dragon is a symbol of power, strength, and good luck for people who are worthy of it in East Asian culture, and this was turned into a place where children can run along its spine and slide down its head. The sandpit was also preserved. 

Address: 28 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh Singapore 310028

How to get there: Nearest MRT station is Toa Payoh

Bus no 8, 26, 31, 57, 59, 90, 90A, 142, 235, 238, 506 stops in front of this playground.

4) Full Dragon Playground Ang Mo Kio Ave 3

Lastly, the fully mosaic playground at Ang Mo Kio Ave 3. Most of the playground has been replaced with soft rubber padding to ensure the safety of the children except the iconic TPY one. 

Address: Blk 570 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 Singapore 560570

How to get there: Nearest MRT station is Ang Mo Kio

Bus no 25, 73, 73A, 74, 74E, 76, 88, 88B, 132, 165, 261, 268, 268A, 652, CT8 stops in front of this playground. 

Char Kway Teow 炒粿條 is a popular dish here in Singapore. It is usually stir-fried over very high heat with sweet sauce, chili, a small quantity of belachan, blood cockles without shells, slices of lup cheong, fishcake, bean sprouts, and less commonly with other ingredients. It is not known to be a healthy dish due to it being oily and stir-fried in pork lard. It is usually a wok hei ladened dish. 

 An all-American, Hollywood favorite, Fatburger is a fast-casual restaurant serving big, juicy, tasty burgers, crafted specifically to each customer’s liking. With a legacy spanning 70 years, Fatburger’s extraordinary quality and taste inspire fierce loyalty amongst its fan base, which includes a number of A-list celebrities and athletes. Featuring a contemporary design and ambiance, Fatburger offers an unparalleled dining experience, demonstrating the same dedication to serving gourmet, homemade, custom-built burgers as it has since 1952 – The Last Great Hamburger Stand™.

The all-American, Hollywood favorite, fast-casual, halal-certified burger chain Fatburger is thrilled to announce the opening of its latest outlet in NEWest at West Coast Drive on 1 September 2020. West-siders can look forward to signature juicy burgers, hotdogs, chicken wings, and milkshakes with family and loved ones right in their neighborhood.

Opening restaurants in a pandemic is no easy feat; however, with the right team in place, Fatburger has successfully navigated through the challenges to satisfy its loyal fanbase. Friends of the West can enjoy half the travel time and double the satisfaction at NEWest, the chain’s third outlet in Singapore. 

Ever since the first Fatburger opened in Los Angeles more than 70 years ago, the chain has become a household name, well-known for its delicious, grilled-to-perfection, and cooked to order burgers. At Fatburger, “everything” is not just the usual lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard, pickles, and relish. From $8.50, burgers can be customized with everything from bacon and eggs to chili and cheese. In addition to its famous burgers, the Fatburger menu also includes Fat and Skinny fries, sweet potato fries, scratch-made onion rings, IMPOSSIBLE™ burgers, chicken sandwiches, and hand-scooped milkshakes made from 100% real ice cream. 

Sweet dreams are made of treats! Introducing PastaMania’s exciting line-up of four new whimsical desserts that are a sugar-spun fantasy of all things creamy, decadent bliss! Available for a limited time only until 31 October 2020 for dine-in and takeaway.

There will always be room for desserts; from the perfect sweet finish to a hearty meal to a midday pick-me-up, sink your teeth into PastaMania’s dreamy desserts:

1) Ah Hoe Mee Pok @ Clementi 阿和麵薄

What's so interesting about Ah Hoe Mee Pok is that they're quite successful infusing Japanese elements into this local delight. This bowl of Bak Chor Mee might make you feel like you're slurping on a bowl of mee pok but this is dry. They even added a few pieces of char siew into it and also generous with their pork lard. There's this very distinctive miso sweet taste when I was eating it. Good to give it a shot when you're in the area. 

Address: 710 Clementi West Street 2 Weng Kwang Coffee House Singapore 120710

Opening Hours: 8am - 4pm, Closed on Monday

2) Ding Ji Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles 鼎记香菇肉脞麵

I have never seen a Bak Chor Mee store that has this fish maw soup option. I think we can all say that the most common ones are probably that bak chor mee that comes with a small mini wok which we also refer to it as 小碗面. Ding Ji Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles serves the soup in a bowl that comes with a lot of ingredients. The star of the soup would be the fish maw! There's also sliced pork, dried sole fish, minced meat, egg, and dumpling. Read on misstamjiak that the soup base is simmered overnight to get all the goodness from the pork bones! No wonder it is so good. :)  The springy mee Kia is tossed in vinegar, lard oil, and mushrooms. This kind of reminds me of Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles.

I also had it on an evening without many queues. There is just 1 guy in front of me. 

Address: Blk 284, Bishan Street 22, Singapore 570284

Opening Hours: 24/7

3) Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles

I also visited Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles during the evenings. Also no crowd at all. There are probably 2-3 people ahead of me in the queue. :) What really attracts me to this place is that actually Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles is listed in the Michelin guide with one MICHELIN Star. I have never heard of hawker food getting a Michelin star. Correct me if I'm wrong. 

Anyways I think It will probably taste better with chili but I don't eat that~ anyways they have added vinegar into the sauce. Something normal stalls don't add. Noodles are springy and al dente on point. Everything is good from the pork to pork liver. Not sure why this is 1 Michelin star though but it is indeed yummy. THE nearest MRT station to Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles is Lavender station.

Address: 466 Crawford Lane, Tai Hwa Eating House #01-12 Singapore 190465 

Opening Hours: 9:30am – 9:00pm (Closed on 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month)

4) Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles 来興香菇肉脞麺

Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat is located at Toa Payoh. The noodles are springy! The toppings are pork liver, mushrooms, minced meat, bean sprouts, and pork lard! The soup is tasty and flavorful too! I am having a kway teow and yellow noodles in the below picture. This is probably one of the tastiest bak chor mee I have ever tasted. 

The average waiting time for this shop is around 20mins to 40 mins! I always go after 2 to avoid the insane crowd! They have since implemented a queue system where everyone is assigned a number!

Address: Blk 73 Toa Payoh Lorong 4 #01-611 Singapore 310073

Opening Hours: 8am - 4pm, Closed on Wednesday

5) Lau Pa Sat Fishball Minced Meat Noodles 老巴沙潮州鱼圆肉挫面

Lau Pa Sat Fishball Minced Meat Noodles is located at Kim Keat Palm Market & Food Centre. They may not be the most famous one in TPY but they do command some queues during the morning when people come out for breakfast. I usually order the soup ones but decided to try the dry one with chili. The chili does pack a punch here~ The pork liver, minced meat, cabbage, bean sprouts, pork lard, meatballs, braised mushroom, shrimp dumplings, and He Kiao completes the bowl of noodles. So many ingredients hor!! You have the option to choose between fishball or mushroom minced meat. Another hearty option for breakfast here at TPY. 

Address: 22 Lorong 7 Toa Payoh

#01-02 Kim Keat Palm Food Centre

Singapore 311051

Opening Hours: 8am - 2.30pm

Closed on Wednesday

6) MACPHERSON MINCED MEAT NOODLE 麦波申肉脞面

Springy noodles dry-tossed in a concoction of stewed mushroom sauce and chili which make for a robust bowl of noodles. There's also sliced pork, minced meat, pork liver, braised mushroom, and slices of fishcake in it. The pork lard increased the fragrance of the whole bowl. Take note that they're SUPER famous as one would notice the long snaking queue that starts from the stall. Coincidentally, I went there on a rainy day and the spicy kick really warmed me up. :)

Address: Marsiling Mall Hawker Centre - 4 Woodlands Street 12 #01-18 S738623

Opening Hours: 7am - 2pm

Closed on Tuesday

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/macphersonmincedmeatnoodles/?ref=page_internal

7) Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian 兴记肉脞面