Buddy Hoagies (Nice food, simple prices)

Max Sandwich Grill And Creamery

Tampines 1 has been in operation for quite some time now and there has been many food stalls and shops supporting this new venue. One of these is Max Sandwich Grill and Creamery which takes the center portion of the basement in Tampines one.

Address: 10 Tampines Central 1 #B1-K1 Tampines 1 Singapore 520530

Price Range: $6-10 per head

The outlet itself is immediately noticeable. Big catchy sign and the fact that it occupies a centralised location makes it pretty difficult to miss. The set up itself is rather simple, its a coffee and bread specialization food joint. The seats are semi comfortable but not a place you'll want to stay for long stretches of time.

The Egghead (Beef and eggs with cheese) $6.50

I ordered the egghead which is simply bread with mashed beef mixed in with cheese and scrambled eggs. The size was noticeably small for its price and it didn't help that such a simple item required me to wait a good 10 minutes before being called to the counter to pick up my own food. The system here is definitely flawed.
Taste wise, its too salty for my liking and there really isn't much else to say. The bread is quite nice. Crunchy and breaks apart well but otherwise, nothing special.

Monsieur (Ham, cheese, spicy onions and lettuce) $6.80

The monsieur (literally "My Lord" in french) wasn't really worthy of its name. I liked it better then mine because it wasn't as salty, had a slightly spicy aftertaste and had more meat then mine but its nothing to shout about in the taste department otherwise.

Bill

The bill for this unfulfilling lunch turned out to be $13.30.

Overall Score: 4/10

Last Word:

Improvement points:
1: Improve the system of ordering, shouting customers order number for a pick up isn't the best choice.
2: Cut down on unnecessary staff. Too many staff were seen simply standing around and not doing anything.
3: Retrieval and clearing of tables is important if you want the customers to continue flowing inwards.
4: Waiting time has got to be reduced. I myself can't understand why heating a piece of bread takes such a long time, and worse, the bread was prepared way before and packed already. Waiting 10 minutes is not acceptable in this regard.
Perhaps their coffee is where their strength is but unfortunately, i have not had the chance to revisit.

SMOK'INN FROGZ KITCHEN

Heard about this little hideout in Bukit Timah quite some time ago and finally paid it a visit to verify if its beef burger lives up to the recommendations i've heard about it. It's rather along the west end of Singapore so i had to drive around and got lost a couple of times before i found it but i'm truly glad i did.

Location: 879 Bukit Timah Road

Price per head: $10-20 per head


The location is nothing to shout about, after all, it resides in a corner coffeeshop location and shares the space with an Indian food stall and a bar calling itself Bar Bar Black Sheep. Not that i'm complaining because the place is excellent. Wooden chairs and al fresco tables gave me an impression that i wasn't in Singapore anymore but rather some hang out place in Australia or USA. The Caucasians or expatriates who pack the place certainly aided in giving me this impression but i definitely liked the vibe of this place. Simple yet classy.

Hoegarden and Lime Juice

The drinks here are reasonably priced to be sure. Order it direct from Bar Bar Black Sheep or any of the girls going around to take orders and you'll be served your drink in a short span of time. I ordered 1 pint of ice cold Hoegarden and thank the lord, it was an actual pint at discount prices which was as advertised, ice cold too. I couldn't pin the exact cost but its anywhere between $6-9 for a pint and if you compare it to similar joints, you'll see its actually a great deal.

Fish and Chips ($8-10)

My gf ordered fish and chips as we were soon served with a huge, 3 piece fish and chips with generous portions of fries. It helps that everything was fried to a nice golden brown and served hot. The fish and chips, though having tender and sweet flesh, had a rather thick batter which didn't sit well with us. Strip away the batter though, and this works pretty well.

Beef Burger ($12-14)

The star of the day, the beef burger has a patty handmade by the restaurant in the day. The meat was finely pounded and padded together for a slightly crumbly yet firm texture. The beef taste is moderate but strong enough for me while the caremelized onions, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes added more bite to the burger. Did i mention the burger was about the size of a BK whooper? I'm definitely coming back for more of this.

Total bill probably set us back by less then $30 for this meal and i find it money well spent.

Ambiance: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Food: 7/10
Value for money: 8/10
Overall Score: 8/10

Last word:
I like this place. Its got a rustic and earthly charm to it. And the real draw is how the Caucasians or expatriates who frequent this place really gives me the impression i'm not in Singapore. The way this illusion takes away my troubles is quite simply, priceless. Throw in good beer on tap for cheap and a beef burger to give Astons a run for their money and this place has my vote as my favorite ulu bar of the year.

Brewbakers Kitchen and Bar

Brewbaker's is part of Jack's Place holdings but is an offshoot in the sense that unlike Jack's place, its not halal certified. Its concept is one of escapism and relaxation which is reflected in its rather decent bar selection but holds many similarities to its parent company in regards to areas like its interior design and overall service level. Me and my gf patronized this venue on Valentine's day this year because i found it in a rather decent and new community centre near my house. It took about 35 minutes for us to walk the distance but honestly, we needed the exercise. Was it worth our effort though?

Location: 59 Anchorvale Road #01-06 Anchorvale Community Centre

Contact: 68861811

Website: http://www.brewbakers.com.sg/

Price range: $30-35 per head

Thoughts on the location and surroundings:
Being in a community centre doesn't necessarily mean its a slipshod location. The restaurant had a rather laidback atmosphere and relaxing buzz as its next to an excellently under utilized yet beautiful public pool and is next to a canal/river which actually is rather pleasing. The interior is spacious but the design reminds me too much of Jack's place to be a good thing.

Menu

Valentines Set Lunch

Its Valentines day, so what better way to celebrate then to have a decent meal with my girl? And there's even a menu that promises a "gift for the ladies" to every couple. Perfect. More on the gift at the end of the post.

Archipelago Travellers Wheat

Self brewed gourmet beer seems to be appearing everywhere these days. Not that its a bad thing. I ordered a complimentary sampler from their menu and honestly, it wasn't too bad. Travellers Wheat tastes like....golden ale from Brewerkz and i simply adore beer with that taste so this is good for me.

Mango Drink

This is definitely not made in house since it tastes just like something you can get from a concentrate with water added. Need some work here.

Terrine of Seafood

This was weird. It tastes like it has milk concentrate in it but dissipates in each taste. There's actual crab and fishcake-like taste in the pasty center as well. Its not a bad dish per se, its just weird.

Garlic Bread and Homemade Clam Chowder

This was a surprise. At first glance, i was thinking: "how dare they serve campbells soup when its stated as homemade clam chowder?" My fears were put to rest once i taste it though. There's actually a generous amount of seafood tucked beneath the surface and it provided a balanced palate for the meal to come. Helps that its not flooded with salt and other such nonsensical tastes as well.

True Love Platter

Another Look

The "True Love Platter" for 2 feels more like "true fat platter" to me. However, it wasn't bad at all. The grilled salmon steak with dill sauce was a little salty and had a rather strong "fishy" taste which didn't sit well with me. The Sirloin steak did not come with black pepper sauce as per the menu and was well done, which means it was rather tough to eat. The grilled vegetable skewers were pretty good as is the chicken drumlets and potato salad. My gf didn't like the calamari rings due to the thick batter. The potato salad was supposed to be potato wedges but was switched without informing us and the steak was well done without asking the doneness we wanted it in. I attribute this to a service issue though.

Sweet Temptations

The dessert was basically strawberry and chocolate mousse cake with fruits. The white chocolate sticks and fruits were pretty good. Refreshing and sweet while the cake itself....is a little too creamy for our tastes. Otherwise, it was an ok ending to the meal. Coffee was served after this which helped as well.

Bill

The final bill for a simple valentine's lunch came up to $70.62. Rather steep for the quality of food served.

Cons: The "gift" mentioned in the menu was never given. We had to ask for it 3 times before being given something and it was not a valentines gift for the lady at all. It was a leftover scratch and win card from Chinese New Year which held no significance whatsoever. Needless to say, i was disappointed. At the very least, if there was no gift, i would have appreciated being warned beforehand and replaced with either an additional dish or a drink would suffice. Not this lame attempt at redeeming themselves with a useless item. The management needs to look into this. Not to mention, the lack of initiative to inform on the change of items and the courtesy to ask about the doneness of my steak.

Final Score: 6/10 (minus 1 due to the service lapses and problems with the "gift" that never was.)

Last word:
I was disappointed with the gift problem and service but the food was actually decent and so was the beer. Actually, the beer and location is probably the only reason i'll consider returning to this place. 50% off beer and 1 for 1 offers for the beer is something i could live with. Otherwise, i'd say try the food sparingly and they really need to buck up on their service training. Oh, its still better then Jack's Place as far as i'm concerned. Just thought i'd end it with that.

Mad Jack

Situated along a stretch of bungalows and shophouses rests an Australian themed restaurant designed to ensnare young buckaroos like myself who are hopelessly in love with the country and food while endlessly hoping to get the same fare in Singapore. Mad Jacks is part of a chain of restaurants under the same name which have been around for a couple of years. The question one begs to answer is normal. Does it do justice to the country and food it supposedly represents? Answers in a short while.

Location: 242 Jalan Kayu Singapore 799466

Contact: 62575951

Website: www.madjackgroup.com

Price Range: $10 - 15 per head

Nice tree?

Mad Jack

No Service Charge, GST unavoidable sadly

The fabled continent

The interior is simple with a serving counter not unlike fast food chains while the tables and chairs are simple wooden decors. Walls are simple and drab with interesting signs filled with humor. The are no service charges which explains the lack of service i guess, gst is still a must however.

Coke and mushroom soup

Coke is well....coke so there's nothing much i can add on about that. The mushroom soup is pretty terrible really. No doubt there are mushroom bits inside but the cream and soup is so salty, it makes the sea taste bland. I'm exaggerating of course, but truly, the soup is not something anyone can finish easily.

Fish and Chips ($11.90)

My gf had the fish and chips and well, i'd say it was more or less hawker standard with a thick batter, sub par fish and generally oily exterior. Nowhere near the sweetness, freshness and crispiness of the actual offerings in Australia.

Blue Mountain Beef Burger ($9.90)

Another Look

On the menu, it was billed as one of the biggest burgers in this side of town. Well, to be honest, i can think of quite a few burgers bigger then this, take for example Aston's I Eat Superburger which is a little more expensive, but a hell of a lot more tasty. The fries are worse then Burger King's while the 3 patties that make up the burger seriously needs a new recipe. Reason being, the beef is practically indisguishable, it could be chicken or lamb for all i know. The meat is soggy and overly mashed and lacked any taste whatsoever. The bottom line? Never order this again.

The Bill

The final bill turned up at $23.30. A little too much for a fare less then ordinary.

Final Score: 4/10

Last Word:
To be fair, its not a terrible place. The food is in dire need of some help and new recipes however. I honestly don't see how else this can bring back repeat customers without a new recipe. On the flipside, i never tried their desserts, which looked great but looks can be deceiving. Sad to say, i won't be back to try it until i know the food has improved. Australian food is leaps and bounds better then this, so be sure not to judge this as what you'll get down under. Its a world of difference.

Big Fish

It was during one of the celebrating months for my gf that we finally decided to give Big Fish a try after numerous recommendations. My gf loved fish and so, this has been in our minds for quite some time. Honestly, we're just trying to see if there's another place as worthwhile as the Manhatten Fish market in terms of food offerings since this is pretty much of the same theme. So it was that we stepped in and had our first encounter.

Location: 85 Upper East Coast Road Singapore 455222

Contact: 64416920

Price Range: $45-55 per head

Menu

Complimentary Bread

The complimentary bread was served warm and soft which is a plus but otherwise, nothing significant. Not too sure if it is made in house either since its rather bland and simple.

Interior

The interior is rather spacious with around 4-6 wall sofa seats and a seating capacity of about 40-50 when full. The thing is, when we arrived, there was nary a soul and when we left, there was still only one other customer apart from us. This was around 645 - 8 pm. If i were the owner, i'd find that rather worrying actually. Service was decent with recommendations, explainations and was generally pleasant enough to commend. They could improve on waiting time though, since we were the only people there, the waiting time of 15 minutes before our soup was served seemed rather obsessive.

Mushroom Soup ($8.95)

The mushroom soup reminded me of the rendition i had in Eden cafe under Clement. The taste and texture is packed with mushroom bits and had some cream in it as well. The overal feeling is that its creamy and starchy to good effect. The serving size was not exactly big however and at the price, this left me a little disappointed.

Seafood Chowder ($8.95)

The seafood chowder was packed with ingredients as well and had lots of squid, a few pieces of shrimp, scallop and carrots within. The end result is a pleasing soup that opens up the appetite for the meal to come. Again, the serving size is too small when comparing the price.

Seafood Platter ($51.95)

Another look

Not knowing what to order, we opted for a safe choice to try a huge amount of stuff at a "perceived" reasonable price. The platter for 2 isn't exactly full of stuff but it does have more then enough for the 2 of us to finish. Fries, fish skewers, mussels, crayfish, scallops and rice round up the platter offering. The mussels and scallops were of a decent size and there was 2 each which meant no fighting for the food. They were also reasonably fresh, as is the crayfish and the grilled fish skewers. The skewers were nicely done, not too dry despite the grilling, while the rice and fries ensured you will be full from the set. I did think $50 for this is still too steep a price to pay though. It was good, not fantastic.

Creme Brulee ($8.95)

Another Look

Well, after a meal of overly expensive items, the dessert finally looked up to the task of living up to the price. The creme brulee came looking like a winner and in fact, it was the best item i had that night. The fruit and decor is a wonderful touch and it helps that the fruits were all sweet and complimented the dessert well. The sugar layer was a little too thick and sweet but nothing too big. The bottom layer, i suspect, is made from vanilla extract since i didn't see any vanilla residue in the texture but i'm not complaining.

Chocolate Souffle ($9.95)

I ordered this thinking it was a molten chocolate cake but i was wrong. A souffle is more akin to cakes with a springy and fluffy texture. In fact, Souffle means to "blow up" and is made of a combination of egg whites and various ingredients. Their rendition should be considered decent as the top was lightly hard while the lower portion is fluffy and a little wet with chocolate. If i'm not wrong, its supposed to come with some sauce but there wasn't any. Decent but not my kind of dessert.

Bill

Finally, this experimental meal came up to a whooping $97.65 for 2 people on a simple weekday night.

Value for money: 6/10
Ambiance: 5.5/10
Food Quality: 6/10
Overall: 6/10 ( not an average)

Last Word: Well, to say the food is bad would be unfair but i couldn't help feeling a heavy pinch in my heart for the amount i spent on this meal. For what i had, i think a price tag of about $60 or 70 plus taxes might have made me felt better. For improvement, serving the food faster and more economical pricing would bring me back but not before then.