No. 1 Western Food 驰名西餐 (Tanglin Halt Food Centre)

No. 1 Western Food 驰名西餐  is a popular stall which serves Chinese old-school style western food. This stall is located at Tanglin Halt Food Centre, a relatively ulu place (for me). I did not know about this stall until I read it about it on The Hungry Bunny, who highly recommend this stall (Thanks for the recommendation!).

No. 1 Western Food is operated by Mr Ong Choon Chiang, who is now 68 years old, with his wife (it is no mean feat to stand for hours and cook at the age of 68 in front of the hot grills and wok of oil). He first started selling western food more than 40 years ago before the days of McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).  In 1981, he shifted to Tanglin Halt Food Centre and has continued to ply his trade at this food centre till today. No. 1 Western Food is one of the more popular stall in this food centre and is well-known among residents in Tanglin Halt for its crispy Chicken Cutlets. A key differentiation / USP (unique selling point) is his very own special (secret) sauce which I shall elaborate on further below.

Special Sauce

This unique tomato-based barbecue special sauce, whipped by Mr Ong is added onto all the food served. Whether it is Chicken Cutlet, Chicken Chop, Pork Chop, Lamp Chop, Beef Steak or Fish & Chips, this special sauce is added on top! This special sauce is what made it stand out among other western stalls. It is no surprise that the recipe for this sauce remains a secret (During past interviews with The Straits Times interview, Mr Ong did not divulge any details of the ingredients other than the fact that it was made of tomato.).

Pork Chop and Chicken Chop

On certain days, they can sell as many as 100 plates of Chicken Cutlet. This explains why there are so many pieces of Pork Chop and Chicken Chop at the side of the gas griddle.

I ordered Pork Chop and Chicken Cutlet on two different occasions. In the photo above, you can see that my pork chops are being cooked on the gas griddle.

After a while, taken out from the gas griddle and grilled over an electric grill before being served.

Pork Chop $5

The Pork Chop $5 consisted of 2 pieces of pork chop served with baked beans, slices of cucumber and tomato, and fries. The special sauce was added on top of the pork chop.

Pork Chop $5

Pork Chop $5

Although the two slices of Pork Chop were quite thin, they were quite well executed. The exterior of the pork chop was slightly crisp and had a slight hint of smokey aroma (probably both were achieved because the pork chops were put onto the electric grill just before being served). The pork chop was not tough and was well marinated (you have to try the part of the pork chop without the sauce to taste the original flavour).

As for the special sauce, it was addictive and well...special. It had a fine balance of delicately sweet and salty with a hint of tomato flavour. It made a whole world of difference to the taste if you were to add it on the pork chop. The sauce goes very well with the fries and cucumber too! I had a great time dipping them into the sauce.

The Pork Chop was quite decent and worth a try.

On another occasion, I ordered the famous Chicken Cutlet. My chicken cutlet was deep fried in the wok filled with oil at the extreme right of the above photo.

Chicken Cutlet $5

The Chicken Cutlet $5 consisted of a piece of crispy breaded chicken cutlet served with baked beans, slices of cucumber and tomato, and fries. The special sauce was added at the side. I was greedy and requested for more sauce.

Chicken Cutlet $5

Look at how thick the Chicken Cutlet is!

Chicken Cutlet $5

The Chicken Cutlet coated with a thin layer of bread crumbs on the outside was so crispy. The interior was incredibly juicy, tender and tasty (even without the special sauce)! I tried hard to recall, but can't remember when was the last time I tasted such a tasty chicken chop. The Chicken Cutlet was perfectly executed; the flavours and moisture were all locked in! I must emphasis that I have not eaten such a delicious piece of Chicken Cutlet before and this is really out of this world, in a league of its own. I was glad that the special sauce was not added on top of the Chicken Cutlet as it allowed me to savour the original flavour of this piece of Chicken Cutlet. This Chicken Cutlet is the best I ever had in a hawker centre! It is a must order! As for the sauce, it did not go wasted as I dipped all my fries into it! Shiok!

I can't believe that I have not heard of this stall before (so much for being a foodie. But well, its never too late!). Price wise, it was reasonable! If you have not tried this, I would highly recommend for you to try this soon. Do note, unlike most western stalls, this one is self-service. During peak hours, you can expect to wait (queue) for more than half an hour. During my visits, I noticed that some customers would order and come back later to collect their food.

ps: Tanglin Halt Food Centre is about 10 minutes walk away from Commonwealth MRT station.

No. 1 Western Food 驰名西餐 (Tanglin Halt Food Centre)

Blk 1A Commonwealth Drive

#01-13 Tanglin Halt Food Centre 

Singapore 141001

Opening Hours: Monday, Wednesday to Sataturday 4pm to 930pm

                         Sunday 1pm to 930pm

                         Closed on Tuesday

View FoodieFC's Singapore Food Map in a larger map

Jack's Place - Administrative Professionals Week (Woodlands Civic Centre)

Another trip to Jack's Place at level 2 of Woodlands Civic Centre. As I have done a few posts on Jack's Place, I shall not do any introduction on this chain of restaurant. You can read more about Jack's Place in the previous posts.

Signature white and green checkered table cloth and menu. All branches in Jack's Place looks and feel alike.

Administrative Professionals Week - Set Lunch Menu

We decided to order the Executive Set Lunch - N.Z. Ribeye Steak with Brown Sauce ($17.90) and were ordered that. As we were informing the staff that we wanted to upgrade to Lobster Bisque Soup (+$2.30), we were informed that we should order from the Administrative Professionals Week - Set Lunch Menu which would be more value-for-money as it comes with a choice of Lobster Bisque Soup or Cream of Fresh Shiitake Mushroom Soup. In addition, tempura prawns were served with the steak.

The staff was right. We were so glad that she made that recommendation! We both ordered the Grilled N.Z Ribeye Steak & Tempura Prawns. The staff kindly accommodated to our request for it to be served in the hot plate instead of a normal ceramic plate. Nothing beats eating steaks out of a sizzling hot plate! I am impress with the service! Thumbs up! 

Garlic Bread

Garlic Bread was served together with the soup. One piece for each person.

Cream of Fresh Shiitake Mushroom Soup

As usual, being mushroom fantics we had to order the mushroom soup - Cream of Fresh Shiitake Mushroom Soup. A hearty bowl of soup was filled with lots of small chunks of shiitake mushrooms and mushroom flavour!

Lobster Bisque Soup

Ever since I tried the Lobster Bisque Soup last year, I could not resist the temptation to order it again. Great soup, rich in flavour and great balance in taste. In addition, several chunks of lobster meat were in the soup. So affordable! The Lobster Bisque Soup is one of Jack's Place house specialty.

Grilled N.Z Ribeye Steak & Tempura Prawns

For our main course, we both ordered the Grilled N.Z Ribeye Steak & Tempura Prawns. The staff kindly accommodated to our request to serve it in a sizzling hot plate instead of the norm which is to serve in a ceramic plate. As usual, Jack's Place never disappoint me. Their steaks were good. It may not be the best, but its way above average. Their baked potato and vegetables were good too. The tempura prawns on the other hand was forgettable.

Brown Sauce

We always request for extra brown sauce. We both polish off the sauce off by complementing the sauce with the steak. So yummy! If only, I know how they made the brown sauce. The extra brown sauce was enough to make me satisfy me. Funny, how simple/trivia things can make a big difference. 

Day's Dessert and Coffee & Tea

We ended off the meal with the Day's Dessert and Coffee & Tea.

Cherry Cake

The Day's Dessert was Cherry Cake. It was not bad; not dry. Dense and well-flavoured cake.

For $18.90++ this meal was so value for money. In addition, I like their service. Staff are well trained, attentive and prompt. It was great that they made recommendation which was relevant to our needs wants. Great Job Jack's Place! I will be back! Nom Nom Nom.. 

I wonder how their other affiliated company - Eatzi Gourmet fares. Eatzi Gourmet serves similar food, the difference is that it is certified halal.

Jack's Place - Administrative Professionals Week (Woodlands Civic Centre)

#02-05/06 Woodlands Civic Centre

Tel: 6363 4803

Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 1030pm

Website

Facebook

Location

View FoodieFC's Singapore Food Map in a larger map

Han's Cafe (Suntec City)

Editor Note: Han's Cafe at Suntec City will be cease operation from 27th Feb 2013. 

Han's Cafe has been a household name since the 70s. I still remember when I was a kid, we frequently patronise Han's for their cakes. Back then they sold only cakes were considered cheap and good! Over the years, Han's Cafe has commercialised and is now a F&B chain  restaurant serving not just cakes and pasty but also a wide variety of food such as sandwiches, western cuisines (e.g. Fish & Chips, Chicken Chop, Pork Chop, Steak, Spaghetti), chinese cuisine (.e.g Hor Fun, Fried Rice). In 2007, they have converted some of their outlets to Hanis which serves food that are Halal certified. 

Han's Cafe at Suntec was relatively empty on a Saturday evening. It was easy finding a seat and ordering, a contrast to the other neighbouring restaurants such as Sakae Sushi which was packed.

After ordering, customers are required to collect some of their orders such as drinks, soup, bread and cakes (if they have ordered such items) at the end of the counter. In addition, customers will be required to collect the utensils themselves. The mains which require more time to cook will be served. This has been the concept of Han's Cafe for since a long long time ago.

We ordered the Grill Dory Fish ($9.80) and Chicken Chop with Mushroom Sauce ($11.80) All Day Set Meal which was available from 1130am to 930pm. The Sets was served with Soup of the Day, Main Course, Coffee / Tea / Ice Lemon Tea / Orange Juice and Dessert. 

Soup Of The Day: Cream of Mushroom Soup

The Soup Of The Day was the Cream of Mushroom Soup. Although the thickness of the soup was just right, there was barely an hint of mushroom flavour in it. 

Bread, Dessert and Orange Juice

The bread was the typical Han's Cafe Garlic Bread which has not changed for years as far as I can recall. Unlike other restaurants which uses French Loaf Bread, Han's Cafe uses normal bread with a layer of garlic spread on it. I quite like this soft version although it was cold as it I normally dip them into the soup.

Orange juice was average and seemed to be made from syrup. As for the dessert, despite its appearance, it was the nicest item in this meal! 

Grilled Fish Dory Set $9.80

The wife ordered the Grilled Fish Dory which I felt disappointing. It was lacking in taste. 

Chicken Chop with Mushroom Sauce Set $11.80

The Chicken Chop with Mushroom Sauce was average.  The carrots were blanched and boiled in water. The potato wedges were decent. The chicken chop was well cooked and the mushroom sauce helped enhance the taste of the meat which I suspect did not went through much marination (if any). Although there was nothing much to shout about, there was also nothing to fault.

I wonder if I am the only one.. the standard and quality of food at Han's Cafe seems to be deteriorating. They are better off concentrating on what they are good at, which are the cakes. Branching out to serving western and chinese cuisines and not doing it well may generate more revenue for them, but it will also erode the brand name that they have built up over the years.

Han's Cafe (Suntec City)

3 Temasek Boulevard

#01-187A Suntec City

Tel: 6339 3143

Opening Hours: Daily 7am to 10pm 

Website

Facebook

Bliss Restaurant (Ang Mo Kio)

Bliss Restaurant used to be located at Punggol Park. One and a half years ago, they relocated to Chengsan Community Centre which is just a stone throw away from Ang Mo Kio MRT station. Less than 10 minutes walk away from the station, most of which was through a sheltered walk way.

Air-conditioned  - indoor (left), Alfresco area - outdoor  (right) 

Bliss Restaurant offers customers with both indoor - air conditioned and outdoor - alfresco dining areas with a seating capacity of 300! On the day of visit, I noticed that more than half of the customers were seated at the alfresco dining area. Maybe it was because it was a cold day as it was raining an hour earlier.

Customers will be spoil for choice as Bliss Restaurant offers an extensive choice of dishes ranging from Starters, Appetizers, Sides, Pasta, Meat, Ocean,  Dessert, Waffle, Sundae and Drinks (Coffee, Tea, Hot & Cold Beverages, Float, Cocktail, Beer, Liquor).  As I had a hard time deciding what to order, I decided to seek recommendations from the staff. Click here to view their menu.

Ham & Cheese Stick $6.90

The Ham & Cheese Stick has been a Bliss Specialty Since 2001. It consisted of breaded chicken ham rolled with cheddar cheese. It was topped with fried curry leaves.

Ham & Cheese Stick $6.90

I was quite impressed with the Ham & Cheese Stick. Cutting it into half and stuffing a piece of curry leaf into it heightened the aroma to a whole new different level. The only issue I have is that the cheese seems to 'solidify' pretty fast. Maybe we took too long taking photos of it.

Mussel In White Wine (1 Dozen) $13.90

The Mussel In White Wine, a dozen of half shell mussels cooked with white wine, garlic and parsley. The mussels were big, fat, juicy and fresh.

Aglio Olio Smoked Pepper Duck with Squid Ink Tagliatelle $12.90

The Aglio Olio Smoked Pepper Duck was strongly recommended by the staff. I decided to order that but decided to order another type of pasta, which was the Aglio Olio Smoked Pepper Duck with Squid Ink Tagliatelle.

Aglio Olio Smoked Pepper Duck with Squid Ink Tagliatelle $12.90

Duck meat is normally tough. However, in this case, Bliss Restaurant's Smoked Pepper Duck was soft and tender (I wonder how they cooked it). As a whole, I thought that this dish was well-executed. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise the squid ink pasta did not taste have a very strong squid ink taste which could have overwhelmed the flavours from the Aglio Olio!

Gratin RibEye Steak $18.90

The Gratin RibEye Steak accompanied by baby potatoes and greens, was served with mushroom sauce  on sizzling a sotplate. Normally, it is served with cheddar cheese, however, we decided to switch it to mushroom sauce as the starter we had earlier already had cheddar cheese in it.

Gratin RibEye Steak $18.90 - Baby Potatoes

Gratin RibEye Steak $18.90 - greens

Was pleasantly surprised by the generosity of the ingredients given. Lots of greens, baby potatoes, onions (at the bottom of the steak) and a big piece of steak!

The mushroom sauce was heavenly. It had the right blend of sweetness, fragrant and seems to be accompanied by a slight herbal taste. A perfect complement for the steak, potatoes and onions. I polished off this whole plate!  The only 'glitch' was that the carrots were a tad too hard; could have been cooked a little longer.

Traditional Italian Tiramisu $6.90

Traditional Italian Tiramisu $6.90

The Traditional Italian Tiramisu, another Bliss Specialty Since 2001 was decent. Soft, moist and creamy with the right balance in taste.

Sea Salt Caramel Banana $7.90

Sea Salt Caramel Banana $7.90

The Sea Salt Caramel Banana consisted of sliced banana tossed with salty caramel sauce topped over freshly made waffle. Unlike most waffles I have eaten so far, Bliss Restaurant's version was was thick and fluffy. The whole waffle was topped with slices of bananas and sea salt caramel sauce. How I wish I could add a scope of ice cream over it!

Deadly K Meet Mr. Dark (Alcoholic Sundae) $7.90

Leaving the best for the last, the Deadly K Meet Mr. Dark; an alcoholic sundae was essentially dark chocolate ice cream swimming in kahlua bath accompanied with wholesome chunky rich brownies cubes and drizzled with chocolate fudge. I have never try / seen / hear of something like this before (mountain tortoise) and I am not a fan of alcoholic stuff. But yet the Deadly K Meet Mr. Dark stole the show! The more you dig into it, the more you will love it. Outstanding!

Overall, I was impressed with the dining experience at Bliss Restaurant. The food was good and the prices are reasonable too. Good news for those staying in the North., there's another place to visit! I am so glad that they have relocated to Ang Mo Kio!

Thanks Pamela for invite and hosting us. 

Bliss Restaurant (Ang Mo Kio)

6 Ang Mo Kio Street 53 

#01-01 Chengsan Community Centre 

Tel: 6280 3389

Opening Hours: Sun to Thur 3pm -12am
                         Fri to Sat 3pm - 2am                     

Website
Location

View FoodieFC's Singapore Food Map in a larger map

Jack's Place (Marina Square)

Back to Jack's Place again. Jack's Place a restaurant chain specialises in serving affordable western cuisine such as steaks. The restaurant first start back in 1966 and now has 15 outlets in Singapore and evolved to include restaurants with other concepts such as Eatzi Gourmet, Seafood Harvest, Brewbaker's Kitchen & Bar, Hoshigaoka and Jack's Place under the JP Pepperdine Group. It's newest concept restaurant is the Kkongdon Korea BBQ, that offers Korean BBQ cuisine. 

Exterior

The exterior of Jack's Place restaurant at Marina Square. All their outlets have the same similar exterior with the same corporate colours. 

Interior

Even the interior is consistent. Same type of furnishing decoration. Classy modern furnishing and ambience with its signature white and green table cloth. Nostalgic! 

Kudos to their marketing and branding team for keeping a consistent image at all 15 outlets. Makes me feel so comfortable despite being at a different outlet. 

Spotted something new among their decorations. Nice touch. Cute design of animal cut outs in their corporate colour.

Daily Set Lunch Menu

Before we stepped in, we already know what we would be ordering. Its the N.Z. Ribeye Steak with Brown Sauce ($16) from the Executive Set Lunch which comes along with Soup of the Day, Garlic Bread, Day's Dessert and Coffee/Tea. 

Garlic Bread

Two slices of Garlic Bread, one for each of us. 

Soup of the Day

The Soup of the Day was carrot, potato, leek and chicken soup. It came piping hot. The soup was filled with the natural flavours of the ingredients. The chunks of potatoes, carrots and leeks were well cooked; soft yet retaining the flavours. The chicken chunks in it was surprisingly tender. Souperlicious Soup of the Day! 

Executive Set Lunch: NZ Ribeye Steak with Brown Sauce $16

The steaks at Jack's Place are served sizzling on a hot plate. Hence, whenever we hear the sizzling sound coming out from the kitchen, we will turn and keep a look out (anticipating) for ours. 

As expected, the piping hot sizzling NZ Ribeye Steak with Brown Sauce was served on the hot plate with seasonal vegetables and a baked potato. Do note, the hot plate is well... hot, touch the wooden parts instead if you need to shift the plate. 

Executive Set Lunch: NZ Ribeye Steak with Brown Sauce $16

I requested for my steak to be cooked 'medium' so that it will be soft and somewhat firm. The brown sauce was 'darn' good and complemented the steak perfectly. 

The seasonal vegetables served consisted of slices of carrots, radish and french beans. The carrots and radish were soft but the french beans were a tad too hard. A healthy side dish as no oil was used. I believed they were blanched and cooked in hot water. 

Executive Set Lunch: NZ Ribeye Steak with Brown Sauce $16

Baked Potato topped with Sour Cream sauce, Chicken Bacon bits and Spring Onions. I like how Jack's Place executed this as the potato was moist and soft on the inside. Moreover, the chicken bits were fragrant. If I did not know, I would have thought that this was pork bacon bits. 

Day's Dessert with Tea

Concluded the meal with Day's Dessert and tea.

Overall, a fulfilling and satisfying meal. Still my favourite place for an affordable and decent steak. In terms of service, the waiter and waitress were prompt. In addition, one of the staff came over and asked if the steak was cooked to our expectations. I did feedback to her that the steak was to our liking and that the french beans were a tad too hard. A little softer would have been ideal. Furthermore, feedback to her that it was a great meal thus far. I noticed that she also did the like wise for other customers. It was a nice gesture and I was impressed with her service.

ps: I always ask for extra brown sauce. It comes with no extra charge! Yummy! 

Jack's Place (Marina Square)

6 Raffles Boulevard 

#02-138H Marina Square

Tel: 6338 8292 / 6338 6081

Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 1030pm

Website

Facebook

Location

View FoodieFC's Singapore Food Map in a larger map