This marks the first post in Singapore where I feature non-thai food! If you have been following AroiMakMak, you will notice that I recommend not only Thai food in Bangkok. Since I’m also based in Singapore, I might occasionally feature some food in Singapore that you might like.
I was recently invited to a Food Trial in Orchard Central with 5 other bloggers. Orchard Central is not new to me as it houses several restaurants which I personally visit. Recently, there were a few new openings which I foresee will draw crowds. We visited a total of 4 restaurants: 49 Seats (#08-08),  Tonkin Vietnamese Noodle Bar (#B1-02), Milagro Spanish Restaurant (#08-06/07) and Nunsaram Korean Dessert Cafe (#05-51/52). You  really can find all kinds of cuisine in Orchard Central now!
49 Seats (#08-08)
49 Seats is not new to me as I have been visiting their first branch at  Kreta Ayer since 2 years ago. I have seen how they grew from a one-man kitchen restaurant to what it is today.  This branch at Orchard Central is definitely much more  accessible!
49 Seats serves western fusion dishes and the reason why it’s so popular with the younger generation is also because there are no GST / Service Charge here!
Tom Yum Seafood Pasta [S$14.90] Â – They are one of the pioneers in creating this Tom Yum Pasta and this is what draws me back too! They hit the right flavours but at times you might find it a little too salty. It’s creamy base also leaves you feeling full, so you will either love or hate this.
Smoked Duck Pasta  [S$14.90] – If you like the classic pasta, go for the one with smoked duck!
Smoked Duck Aglio Olio  [S$14.90] – This is my new found favourite. Very flavourful, not too wet or dry and it hits all the right flavours. The smoked duck adds that extra bite to it!
Old Fashioned Fish and Chip with Tom Yum Sauce [S$16.90] – If you don’t like pasta, go with the classic Fish & Chips. You can still enjoy the signature Tom Yum sauce.
Cheese Fries [S$7.90] – They are very generous with the fries and CHEESE!
This casual  restaurant will definitely continue to draw crowds with their delicious food at affordable price.
Tonkin Vietnamese Noodle Bar (#B1-02)
Tonkin is new at Orchard Central and I’m impressed with the food here. The food here does taste better than some other popular Vietnamese restaurants in Singapore.
Authentic taste is only possible with authentic ingredients from Vietnam.
Drip Ice Coffee with Milk [S$3.90] – If a vietnamese restaurant serves you coffee in a drip, you know it’s gonna be authentic  and good. And indeed, it was satisfying.
Fresh Spring Rolls (Nem Cuon) [S$6.90] – Vietnamese food is very healthy with lots of vegetables and this is too raw and healthy for me. I prefer the fried crispy version but sadly they don’t sell it here.
Green Mango Salad with Shrimps [S$7.90] – Very similar to Som Tam.
Rice Flour Rolls with Pork [S$6.90] – This tasted really good even without any fish sauce to go with it. Must Order!
Banh Mi Pate Grilled Chicken [S$6.90] – This reminds me of the sandwich I had in Ho Chi Minh which was really good. And if you have not tried a sandwich from Vietnam, you really should. To me, it’s better than Subway.
Beef Combination Noodle Soup Namdinh Style (Pho) [S$9.90] – Pho, Vietnam’s national noodle dish. Rice noodles in a hearty and comforting soup which includes vegetables and herbs. The soup base here is lighter so you will prefer this if you don’t like the taste of the herbs.
Braised Beef Golden Coin Noodle Soup [S$9.90] – This is the “thick” version of the above. There is a strong beef taste for this version which does not work well for me. I prefer the soup version of Pho.
Tonkin might not be as famous as other Vietnamese restaurants now  but they serve up really good Vietnamese food and drinks.
Milagro Spanish Restaurant (#08-06/07)
Spanish food is not cheap in Singapore but  thankfully for Milagro, we can now have affordable Spanish food!
In a Spanish restaurant, think “Tapas”, “Paella” and “Sangria”.
Prawns al Ajillo [S$16.00] – Fresh Tiger prawns in Olive Oil. The sauce goes well  with the freshly baked bread provided.
Cold Soup Chupitos [S$8.00] – I think this is really an acquired taste. It’s a love / hate item. This doesn’t work well for me. I prefer hot soup.
Potatoes Bravas [S$8.00] – Spiced potatoes.
Fried Cauliflowers [S$4.00] – Cauliflowers dipped in spicy coating and then deep fried!
Chicken Harisso [S$13] – This chicken is really tender and juicy. Must try!
Paella Valenciana [S$47] – You usually see Paella with  Seafood, but this is the original version of Paella, with chicken. This serves up to 4 pax.
Arroz Negre (Squid Ink Paella) [S$59] – If you like squid ink, you will like this version of Paella.
Catalan Chicken [S$11] – This is good for the lunch crowd. Eat with ease without being too full.
The food here is good and if you have not tried Spanish food before, start at Milagro since they have good Spanish food at affordable prices.
Nunsaram Korean Dessert Cafe (#05-51/52)
It’s Bingsu season in Singapore, everywhere you see is Bingsu!
And it’s my first time trying Bingsu. Nunsaram brings in the ice shaving machine from Korea and claims that they are the most authentic. Those who have been to Korea, have you tried this?
Injeolmi bingsu [S$12.90] – This is the best seller item here. Snow flake ice bingsu coated with generous soybean powder and pieces of rice cakes. Gives you a nice mix of both  texture and taste. Oh, the condensed milk that you pour over the bingsu let’s you have a very instagrammable picture too!
Mango Bingsu [S$15.90] – The next best seller. Generous servings of mango chunks topped with Mango Ice Cream.
Strawberry Bingsu [S$15.90] – To make this good, the strawberry really has to be sweet. This version we had was more sour than sweet.
Oreo Bingsu [S$12.90] – Oreo lovers, you will like this!
Garlic Cheese Bread [S$7.90] – Other than Bingsu, this is their non ice best seller. Sweet and savoury with strong hints of garlic but it blends so well together, now I know why it’s so popular. I love this too!
Injeolmi Toast [S$5.90] – If you like rice cake, this is the rice cake toast. It’s warm, sticky and chewy in the middle of the toast! Really amazing.
Spicy Tteogkkochi [S$4.90] – Rice cake lovers, this version is interesting to me. The exterior is crispy. So it’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Nice!
It is always nice to  end a meal with desserts. If you have not tried the above mentioned restaurants, you can add them to your list of places to eat. :)
*This is an invited media food tasting*
