THE DAILY SCOOP TURNS 13
The Daily Scoop, which started in 2004 with one shop along Sunset Way off Clementi Road, was one of the first in a new wave of artisan ice creameries offering more exotic flavours in Singapore at the time.
The shop still makes its ice cream in small batches from scratch, without artificial flavours or colouring. For instance, its signature Surprising Coconut ice cream - one of my favourites - has been made with fresh coconut water and coconut flesh from day one.
It is celebrating its 13th anniversary with 13 new flavours. From this week, a new flavour will be launched every week for the next 13 weeks.
This week, try the sweet-savoury Miso Sesame Brittle, an umami ice cream with miso swirls, black and white sesame seeds, and brittle. Other flavours to look forward to include the Midnight Sorbet (from Oct 23), a rich, decadent dairy-free dark chocolate sorbet made with 65 per cent single-origin chocolate and a shot of espresso; a refreshing and zingy Calamansi Lemongrass yogurt ice cream with candied chilli lemon peel (from Dec 4); and a Mulled Wine & Berries ice cream that smells and tastes of Christmas (from Dec 22).
The latest flavour of the week will be showcased alongside two or three more new flavours at any given time. Prices start at $3.80 for a single scoop and $2.50 for a junior scoop.
WHERE/TEL: The Daily Scoop, four outlets - 01-78 Chip Bee Gardens, 43 Jalan Merah Saga, tel: 6475-3128; 01-05 Sembawang Cottage, 369 Sembawang Road, tel: 6754-1233; 01-03 School of the Arts Singapore, 1 Zubir Said Drive, tel: 6509-4875; and 01-04 Clementi Arcade, 41 Sunset Way, tel: 6463-3365 (the Clementi Arcade outlet is closed for renovations until the middle of this month) MRT: Holland Village/Yishun/Dhoby Ghaut/ Clementi OPEN: All outlets are open from 11am to 10pm (Mondays to Thursdays) and from 11am to 10.30pm (Fridays and Saturdays). On Sundays, the Chip Bee Gardens and Sembawang Cottage outlets are open from 2 to 10pm; the Sota outlet from 1 to 10pm; and the Clementi Arcade outlet from 2 to 9pm INFO: Orders can also be made online. Go to www.thedailyscoop.com.sg
CRABBY HITS
Self-taught cook Elton Seah, who used to run a private kitchen out of his East Coast home, has teamed up with restaurateur Jamie Lim, who is behind Joo Bar and 8 Korean BBQ, to open a full-fledged restaurant showcasing Seah's signature crab dishes.
His offerings have expanded to include Green Chilli Crab - crab in a savoury, flavourful and mildly spicy green chilli sauce; and fried crab bee hoon in gravy with smoky wok hei called Succumb Crab Bee Hoon.
You can opt for a large crab - mine cost $162 - and have it done two ways. Prices start at $9 for 100g.
Sides here include a tasty Hokkien mee braised in robust broth ($15) and a clam bee hoon ($15), topped with ground fried flat fish.
Be sure to get a plate of fried mantou if you order red or green chilli crab, Devil's Crab or the salted-egg yolk crab to soak up the delicious sauces.
WHERE: HolyCrab, 01-03, 2 Tan Quee Lan Street MRT: Bugis OPEN: 11.30am to 2.30pm (Mondays to Saturdays), 6 to 10pm daily TEL: 8444-2722 INFO: www.holycrab.sg
HEARTY KATSUDON
If you are craving a sizeable bowl of katsudon, or breaded meats served on a bed of rice, try Katsudon Hanakatsu at Suntec City Mall.
The katsudon specialist, which is one of the restaurants that make up the mall's Eat At Seven Japanese food street, opened about four months ago and serves large bowls with a mix of pork and chicken katsu on rice for $13.50++.
Each bowl comes with tender pieces of hot, fried-to-order katsu coated in crunchy panko crumbs.
Opt for spicy katsudon for some extra kick.
The egg sauce that is poured over the rice - choose between white and multi-grain - is characterless. But the hearty katsu more than makes up for this.
WHERE: Katsudon Hanakatsu, 03-10 Eat At Seven, Suntec City Mall Tower One, 3 Temasek Boulevard MRT: Promenade OPEN: 11.30am to 4pm, 5 to 10pm daily TEL: 6333-4386 INFO: www.facebook.com/ KatsudonHanakatsu
CHEAP AND GOOD GYOZA
For a quick and good gyoza fix when I am shopping at a mall, I head to Osaka Ohsho. The chain started in Osaka in 1969 and opened its first Singapore outlet in November 2012.
A plate of six gyoza is priced at a cool $3.90. The gyoza have smooth, thin skins and the bases are pan-fried to a crisp. They always hit the spot, especially given the affordable price.
WHERE/TEL: Osaka Ohsho, nine outlets islandwide, including B1-75 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road, tel: 6338-5584; 04-19/20 Tampines Mall, 4 Tampines Central 5, tel: 6787-6422; and 03-09 Westgate, 3 Gateway Drive, tel: 6465-9383 MRT: City Hall/ Tampines/Jurong East OPEN: Various opening hours INFO:www.osakaohsho.com.sg
Book a meal at HolyCrab with Chope.
