[Singapore Local Delight] Char Kway Teow from Air House Cafe

Who would love food that is good and cheap? Air House Café, a club house in the Changi Airport (public area) serves really delicious zi char (ranging from rice to noodles and cooked dishes.  Members pay slightly cheaper price when prices for non-members are already pretty reasonable. 



 

 

Crispy and well marinated chicken wings.  Seriously, I could hear the crunch from every bite.  It costs only $1.20 (members price).

 

Flavourful with wok hei (a special fragrance as a result of cooking using high wok heat), thick fish cake slices and al dente noodles and kway teow.  The only slight disappointment was the lack of Chinese sausage, otherwise, I would consider this as a perfect char kway teow, just the way I like it!  It costs only $3 (members price).

 

 

Air House Café

Airport Boulevard, Changi Airport Passenger Terminal 2

Singapore 819643

Tel: 6546 8218

 

Getting there: Take MRT to Changi Airport Station.  Exit to Terminal 2, walk to the passenger car park within the terminal.  The café is located next to the carpark.

 

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SG Cafe Series: Charlie Brown Cafe

There aren't many cartoon-themed café in Singapore.  In fact, I think Charlie Brown Café might be the one and only one.  Located in 313 Somerset, it is easily accessible by public transport, food is reasonably-priced and is a pretty good place to chill out.  Good thing is - there is no service charge but GST is still applicable though.

That's a Charlie human-sized figurine that welcomes all guests into the café.  If you're a Peanuts comic strip fan, this is a place to check out.  Other than food and beverages, character souvenirs are be purchased here.

The café adopts a open concept, which means that it may get a little warm and humid especially during the warmer months.

Besides coffee, tea, baked pastries, they also serve all-day breakfast, soup, salad, sandwich, finger food and ala carte meal items.

Tried the fried chicken wings.  It was quite delicious.  The colour may appear a little dark but it was in fact, flavourful.

The café runs a membership programme and members are entitled to 15% discount.  Do make good use of the discount ^^

Charlie Brown Café
313 Orchard Road #01-25/25A (Discover Walk; facing open carpark)
Singapore 238895
Tel: 68365344
Website: http://www.charliebrowncafe.com.sg/

Getting there: Take the MRT and alight at Somerset Station.  At Exit B, turn left and walk in the direction towards Marche, until the outdoor section.  The café is on the right side.


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[SG Buffet] Open House Restaurant at Grand Park Orchard Hotel

Options for weekday high-tea seems to be quite limited and we can easily understand why.  Simply because the weekend crowd is generally better.  Recently, a group of friends decided to meet up over high tea and we went to Open House Restaurant at Grand Park Orchard (former Crown Prince Hotel).

The selection are mostly local delights with some Asian selection.  The food spread is quite good with a few stations where the dishes are freshly cooked and served at your table.

The choice of dim sum included siew mai, har gow, char siew bao and black bean pork ribs.  The kar gow skin was a little too thick while the siew mai was alright.



The local cuisine section has usual snacks and dishes that we Singaporeans eat at any time of the day.  That includes roti prata (Indian pancake), fried carrot cake (oriental pan-fried steamed rice cake in black soy sauce), nasi lemak (Malay coconut rice with otah, salted fried peanut and fried anchovy), chwee kueh (oriental steamed rice cup-sized cake topped with preserved radish), fried chicken wings, curry puffs, samosa and peanut pancake.

There is another section where ala carte dishes can be ordered namely claypot rice (oriental style steamed rice cooked with black soy sauce and Chinese sausage in a claypot), fishhead curry (Indian style way of cooking head of fish with brinjals and spicy coconut milk)  and sayur lodeh (Indonesian style vegetable curry that is usually not spicy or mild spicy).  Teochew Porridge is also available at the buffet line with braised peanuts and preserved cai xin.  Nothing elaborate and fanciful but the key condiments are there.

The cakes and pastries section was a little disappointing.  They look quite ordinary and the taste was average.  The durian pengat tasted a little sourish.

The black horse, which truly surprised me was this Sichuan Noodles.  It was very very good, for someone who enjoys eating food that has vinegar.  Spiciness and sourness was just at the right level.  The noodles, though it was a little thick, blended well with the hot and sour soup.  

On the whole, it was a good place for weekday high-tea.  Affordable price with a rather good spread of food.  There may also be seasonal credit card promotions.  The café staff will be able to advise.

Open House Restaurant

Grand Park Orchard Hotel

270 Orchard Road Singapore 238857

Tel: 6603 8855

Website: http://www.parkhotelgroup.com/orchard/dining/open-house/

Nearest MRT: Orchard Station

Getting there: Walk along the basement of Wisma Atria which connects to Ngee Ann City.  Exit Ngee Ann City, cross over to Paragon and then to Grand Park Orchard.

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Related Posts:
- Todai Singapore (Click here)
- Korean Grill BBQ Buffet: Ssikkek (Click here)

Nam Heng Restaurant

The coffeeshop, located at the junction of Upper Serangoon Road and Simon Road has moved to a new location - 965 Upper Serangoon Road, according to ieatishootipost forum. 

The coffeeshop is popular for its grilled chicken wings, satay, carrot cake, oyster omelette, ngoh hiang etc all under 1 roof.

(source: ieatishootipost)

What's left at the old site is only these....pathetic....

Anyway, I hope to check out the new location soon....

Swensen's @ Bishan Junction 8

Swensen's @ Junction 8
9 Bishan Place #01-39
Tel : 62526229

Though I have been to Swensen's countless times, I have never tried the side dishes such as the Spice 'n' Chic chicken chucks and Rodeo BBQ wings.  They looked pretty ordinary but, they were tender and delicious.

Spice 'n' Chic - Golden fried chicken thigh strips in a hot and spicy batter.  The deep-fried pieces were cripsy and not too oily.  The chucks were tender and juicy.  There were about 4 or 5 pieces per serving.

Rodeo Wings - Fried-up chicken wings tossed with BBQ sauce and crushed black pepper.  Comes in 4 pieces per serving.

Comparing both chicken side dishes, the chicken chunks left a deeper impression.

Pineapple Seafood Baked Rice - A succulent mix of seafood and pineapple chunks in cream sauce baked over savory rice with cheese.  I've always like Swensen's baked rice but this particular dish doesn't quite suit to my liking.  The top layer of cheese was a little watery.  I had expected the rice beneath the cheesy layer to be pineapple rice but ... it turned out to be white rice?  Where is the pineapple?  Well, there were small chunks of pineapple mixed among the baked cheesy and seafood (mussles, prawn and fish).

I'd say - go for its curry chicken baked rice instead. You will not regret it.