[Singapore Vegetarian Food] Nature Cafe

(Nature Café @ Aperia Mall)

Nature Café is a vegetarian bistro which started business some 15 years ago and currently has 4 outlets across Singapore in Jalan Bukit Merah, Kallang (The Aperia Mall), Boon Lay (Trade Hub21) and Suntec City.  With over 200 items on the menu, these are some of the items on the menu, just to name a few:

·         Local favourites such as Chicken Rice, rojak, wanton noodles, kway chap;

·         Local stir-fried dishes aka tze-char; and

·         International cuisine includes those such as Western burgers and steaks, Korean spicy noodles (bibimmyeon), Thai Green Curry, Japanese Tonkatsu. 

You name it, they might just have it.  In my opinion, the top 3 must-try from the café are:

1.       Hong Kong Style Char Siew Chicken Rice

2.       Japanese Style Chicken Steak Rice

3.       Monkeyhead Mushroom hotpot

Beverages extend beyond the regular teh and kopi, but there is a variety of gourmet tea and coffee (with simple latte art).  For non-tea or coffee drinkers, there are other choices such as hot chocolate, hot vanilla or juices to choose from.

I find their pricing to be quite reasonable, considering the comfortable environment and helpful service.  Food dishes costs $5 and above while beverages are $3 and above.  The place is conducive for individual diners, small group gatherings with family or friends and even for large group gatherings. 

  

Visit website for address for the various outlets: www.naturecafe.com.sg

Si Chuan Dou Hua (Raffles Place)

Nothing beats having a good meal. We've recently discovered a few more delicious dishes at Si Chuan Dou Hua.  Having been dining there for years and still impressed by their standard, this is certainly a place to go for interesting and delicious (but not cheap) food.

Baked Butter Cod - Cod fish has been deep-fried before topping with baked butter, mixed with chilli padi and curry leaves. Minimum order of 2 slices is needed.  Each slice costs $12.

Crispy Rice Bubble with Beancurd (锅粑豆腐）- I was expecting to eat burnt rice but it turned out that crispy rice (unburnt) was served instead.  The crispy rice was served in a separate bowl to keep it crispy.  Add the rice to the tofu dishes (a little similar to sour & spicy soup although it is much milder version).  If you like it, eat the crispy rice by itself, and you will discover that it is a very delicious piece of food on its own... $18 for the tofu + the crispy rice.

Dian Xiao Er (店小二)

#B2-02 Ang Mo Kio Hub
Tel: (65)6484 2268
Mon - Fri:  11.30am - 4.30 pm, 5.30pm - 10.00pm;
Weekend and Public Holiday 11.30am - 10.00pm

Where do you go if you have craving for steamed chicken with garlic dip?  - The Soup Restaurant?  Where do you go if you have craving for roasted duck in herbs? - Dian Xiao Er has to be among your choice of restaurants.

Check out this Duck Roasted in Ten Wonder Herbs (十全烤鸭).  The crispy roasted skin with its tender meat infused in the 10 herbs sauce.  If you're health concious, you can remove the thin layer of fats beneath the skin.  Otherwise, the duck is quite good.  Apparently, the duck has been marinated in the shop's special 10 herbs before being roasted.  The herbs are supposed to help revitalize one's body.

If you love hotpot tofu with generous amount of egg sizzling in the scorchy hot pan, you gotta check this out.  I am guessing... perhaps 3 or 4 eggs have been used?  The layer of egg is just so thick and delicious.  Of cos, the highlight of this dish is still the tofu, which was smooth and silky.  Garnished with minced pork and spring onion, it was a flavourable dish to go with plain white rice.

For under S$40, you get the above 2 dishes with 2 bowls of rice + chinese tea and tidbits (roasted peanuts).

East Ocean Teochew Restaurant

1 Scotts Road #02-18 Shaw Centre

Tel: +65 6235 9088

Opening hours

Mon–Fri: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 10.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm

Note: The restaurant has moved to Ngee Ann City, #05-08/09.  Contact number remains unchanged.

Had brunch at East Ocean Teochew Restaurant which serves dim-sum during lunch.  Although this is a Teochew restaurant, it serves hong kong dim sum and you see waitresses carrying trays of dim-sum and shouting out what they have o their trays. 

But, the waitresses spoke in cantonese.  Hmmm... this is kinda unfriendly to those who do not understand the cantonese language.  When I asked for the dim-sum menu, the waitress answered that they serve all dim-sum today, just listen out. =(  So, what happens to customers who do not know what the waitresses are "promoting"?

蛋煎肠粉 (Pan-fried Cheong Fun with Egg) - It felt like flattened cheong fun dipped in egg (just like when cooking bombay toast) before it was pan-fried.  Light soy sauce was served together with this dish.  The eggs tend to soak up the soy sauce, so I thought it would be better if the soy sauce is served in a separate sauce plate.

Steamed Carrot Cake - the rice cake was soft and filled with lots of radish and dried shrimps.  Definitely something which we can't find at hawker centres.  Light soy sauce is added to the carrot cake when served.

The century egg porridge isn't too impressive.  Would say that the quality is just average.  Can give it a miss if porridge isn't a miss for you...

Char Siew Chee Cheong Fun comes with generous serving of char siew, as you can see.  What's unique is that - it is served with green veggie. Otherwise, this dish is also quite average...nothing to shout about.

奶皇流沙包 (Custard bun) - This is a must have! Beware of the golden yellow hot milky custard, else you might scald your tongue. However, the bun tastes best when eaten while it is hot! 

At the end of the meal, wash it down with a cup of thick chinese tea. It is so thick that it tastes bitter... yucks!

Total damage for 2 persons was less than $40.... a little steep for about 5 dishes.

 

 

Related Posts:

126 Eating House (click)

Leong Sang Hong Kong Pastries (click)



Pu Tien @ Tampines Mall

Pu Tien @ Tampines Mall

4 Tampines Central 5

#B1-19/27 Tampines Mall

Singapore 529510

Tel : 6781 2161

I was initially attracted by the restaurant's 1st anniversary promotion of 100% rebate, round down to the nearest $10.  The promo is currently on-going until 30 Sep 09.  Citibank credit card holders are entitled to a lucky draw for min. $50 spent.

The restaurant was still 50% packed half an hour before its last order at 2.30pm.

We decided to just go for the 2-pax lunch set meal at $38++ for 1 staple main course, 3 dishes and dessert.  Check out the menu here.

It's Homemade Beancurd is firm and so silky smooth.  The sticky brown sweet gravy sauce brought out the tofu's fragrance.

Bamboo Herbal Prawn is another signature dish of Pu Tien.  The clear soup is filled with nice slightly bitte herbal taste.  Each portion comes with 3 extremely fresh prawns.

I had requested to replace the fried fish dish with this Lychee Sweet & Sour Pork with an additional $2.  The chunky and crispy pork pieces were tender and delicious.

Lor Mee is usually black but Pu Tien is famous for its white lor mee.  The noodle texture actually feels like handmade noodles.  The broth is thick and starchy.  The ingredients include prawns, clams, towpok, vegetable and pork.  The dish is excellent after adding in Pu Tien's spicy and sour chilli sauce.

I had requested for the dessert to be changed to lotus paste (Orr Nee).  Oh well, nothing fantastic for this dish.  But the other main dishes were all excellent.

Just a side note that warm water is chargeable at 30 cents each.

Overall, it is a very satisfying home-cook meal and would certainly be back again, maybe for its high-tea buffet which starts at 3pm at $10.80++ per pax.

Paradise Inn @ West Coast Plaza

Paradise Inn (乐天客栈)
B1-48 West Coast Plaza
Tel: 67779950

A casual dining restaurant under the Paradise Inn Group has an outlet at the West Coast Plaza. The menu is somewhat similar to local zi-char dishes such as hotplate tofu and seafood stew vermicelli (bee hoon). But there are also some not so common dishes such as steamed codfish in soy sauce. The restaurant is also famous for its double-boil soup.

The hotplate tofu dish is served with a big piece of silly smooth tofu that has been pan-fried. Loved the pan-fried tofu skin. The dish comes with generous servings of oriental mushroom cubes and preserved turnip cubes (caixin). Beneath the tofu is a thin layer of yummy egg.

Love this simple, sinful-less and simply delicious steamed codfish in soy sauce. This is a relatively big slab of fresh codfish.

Fried vermicelli is common but not stew vermicelli. Besides Seafood Stew Vermicelli, Paradise Inn also serves Pig Trotters Stew Vermicelli. Since I am not a fan of pig trotters, seafood was the preferred choice for me. Fish slices, squid and prawns were the main seafood ingrdients used in this well-stewed dish.

Overall, these 3 dishes were above average. Total damage was $40 include a pot of tea for 2 pax. OCBC credit card users will be entitled to a 10% discount for ala carte dishes.

Centre Satay Bee Hoon (AMK Food Centre)

Centre Satay Bee Hoon

Blk 724 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 Food Centre #01-12

This is one of my favourite satay bee hoon ($3), which I have been eating for the past 20+ years. The stall has been operating at this AMK Food Centre since the 1980s.

What I like about this satay bee hoon:

1) The fine and smooth bee hoon texture

2) The peanut gravy that isn't too dilute or too dry

3) Fresh ingredients esp the prawn and lean meat

Best of all, the quality has remained the same even after so many years.

Imperial Treasure Nan Bei Restaurant

IMPERIAL TREASURE NAN BEI RESTAURANT

391 Orchard Road

#05-12/13 Ngee Ann City

Tel: 6738-1238

Decided to have a reunion dinner with friends at the Imperial Treasure Nan Bei Restaurant. Because of the peak season, we were given 2 options on the time slot, either 7pm or 8.30pm. If we had chosen the 7pm, we had to finish our dinner by 8.30pm! So... we opted for 8.30pm... so that we would not be rushed to finish our dinner.

The food quality is really quite good...and that explains why the restaurant is so packed. Making reservation is a must!

Must try - This spinach tofu dish is so so so good.

The beancurd skin is slightly crispy while the beancurd is very soft and fragrant. The bottom layer is spinach.

Souffle Egg White Ball - If you frequent CJ restaurant enough, you might be surprised to find the same dish at Nan Bei... Frankly, I would not have been able to tell if the souffle balls were from CJ or Imperial Treasure if they were placed side by side. Overall, the souffle balls tasted good.
 

Definitely an ideal casual dinner place for cantonese cuisine, on not-so-crowded evenings.

Space @ My Humble House

Space @ My Humble House

8 Raffles Avenue #02-25 Esplanade Mall

Telephone: 6423-1881

Space @ My Humble House is a restaurant under the Tung Lok Group. Atas restaurant @ atas location with atas price. But I should also qualify that the food quality is also atas.

I ordered the Rice Noodle with Fish Fillet when I was there for dinner one evening ($12). This is one of the house specialities alonside Mama Leong Chicken Rice, Claypot Rice in Consomme, Rack of Lamb 'Bak Kut Teh', Fried Raddish Cake, Seafood Laksa and Wok-fried Wagyu Beef Hor Fun.

The rice noodle are those thick noodles commonly used in laksa dishes. The fish soup is especially tasty while the fish slices were a little tough.

The other house specialities from Space @ My Humble House.

A cosy restaurant for a quiet dinner and if you'd like to pamper yourself with yummy food.

Din Tai Feng @ Junction 8

Din Tai Feng is one of my favourite dining place for family. Not only that their food quality has been consistent, their service quality is also prompt and efficient.

Here's what we have shortlisted and included in our frequently-ordered list.....

Vegetarian appetizer comprising seaweed, vegetables, bean curd and glass noodles.

Hot and Sour Soup - small portion which is good for 3 to 4 pax.

Pork Dumplings in red chilli oil.

Garlic Dou-miao...

Fried Rice with prawn - this is our all-time favourite. Their prawns are usually big, fresh and crunchy. And love it cos there is also lots of eggs in the fried rice. The rice grains aren't like the normal rice imported from Thailand... suspect they might be using Japanese rice.

Another all-time favourite - Din Tai Feng's signature Xiao Long Bao.

And a close-up of the xiao long bao, with minced pork filling + gravy. We normally dip in vinegar and eat it with some ginger strips.

Will be back for many many more times...

No Signboard Seafood @ Vivocity

Ever wondered why No Signboard Seafood is known as such? Well, according to info on its website, it started out as a hawker stall and it did not have a signboard. That was in the 1970s. That was how it got started.

From hawker stall to a popular medium-high end restaurant for mainly family gatherings, it now has several outlets. The recent one I went is at Vivocity, 3rd level. I must say I like the interior deco very much. It is a hybrid of modern western and chinese. Just imagine black chandeliers with golden pillars. Thought it was quite cool...

A word of caution, reservations are necessary if you do not like to wait...

One of their signature dishes is chilli crab. Sri Lanka crabs are popular and most 'economical', costing $40/kg. We ordered 2 small crabs and it costs us $92. The most expensive range of crab costs $180/kg... er, don't ask me why. Probably, atas crabs are probably meant for atas people, which I am not.

If you like to dip mantous in those chilli gravy, you may replace mantous with rice. Each mantou is only about 3cm x 3cm x 2cm. Each serving is only 6. The mantous are quite yummy. Crispy and golden brown on the outside and soft in the inside...

Salad Youtiao - pretty normal standard.... as usual, mayo comes along with it.

Coffee Pork Ribs - coated with sweetened coffee (probably with honey) on fatty ribs. A few pieces will be sufficient. Too much of it will become jerlat cos of the fatty ribs.

Garlic Doumiao - it was expecting those thin doumiao and only realised that they use leafy ones when I was eating half way through. Pretty normal standard.

Total damage was $165 incl tax... would i return again? Probably for the crabs =)

Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant (Top of UOB Plaza)

The Si Chuan Dou Hua has got to be one of my fav chinese restaurant for family dining. But so far, I have not been to other outlets besides the one at Top of UOB Plaza.

Don't be mistaken that they only serve dou hua (ie. bean curd). They do serve a wide variety of meat, veg, seafood, rice & noodles and desserts. Of course, dou hua is one of their specialities. On weekends, I do see many others going there for their family dinners as well.

This is a tea master who gets into act for the 'gong-fu' tea. The water that travels from the kettle through the long spout spins the water quickly in the tea cup. Spinning the water and tea leaves together quickly helps to bring out the tea fragrance.


A nice cup of chrysanthumum tea with wolfberries.

Each is given an individual serving of appetiser and chilli sauce. I like both the haebeehiam (prawn paste chilli) and bean paste chilli.

I love this pan-fried cod-fish with sauce. The cod fish is so fresh. There is no 'fishiness' or 'cod-oiliness'. To me, this is a must-try dish. The pan-fried outer-layer is so crispy. But there is a minimum order of 2 slices of cod-fish, which costs $10 each. Cod-fish lovers could easily finish both slices at 1 go... ^^

This is pan-fried toufu with spinach and dried scallop gravy. There are about 4 or 5 pieces of toufu covered by the scallop gravy. Overall, the tou-fu was good. The top layer of the tou-fu was made of mashed spinach. It is quite unique and the tou-fu was smooth and soft.

However, the scallop taste was kinda strong and overpowering for the veg.

This is brocolli with crab meat gravy. There is generous serving of crab meat as shown in the pic. Nothing spectacular but it was within expected standard.

My mom likes the XO Seafood Fried Rice. The colour looks light but it is quite tasty. The prawns (lots of it) are really fresh. Can feel the crunchiness as I chew them.

Our final 2 dishes were desserts - dou hua with wolfberries and dou hua with water chestnut. The dou hua is really very very smooth and silky. The one with wolfberries was slightly sweeter. Both are equally great - I cld not decide which is better.

A fortune cookie to end the dinner.... there is a little note of 'advice' in each cookie.

Though the dinner did burn a little hole in my pocket but it was a very satisfying dinner and it has always been the case there. Thank goodness, there is 15% off for UOB card holders.

Verdict : Many happy returns...