Group Therapy – Space Away from the Daily Grind

Group Therapy sounds more like a place where you go visit a psychiatrist. However this catchy name have a different meaning in Singapore. Group Therapy ('GT') is a place to go for your caffeine fix, nibbles, cakes and to catch up with your friends.

Kim Peng Hiang – Beyond The Three Famous Brand

For Singaporeans, we have the habit to keep the best things to ourselves. Take into example Bak Kwa, one of the best delicacies that you can find in Singapore. The top three brands you / tourist will think of and know of are Bee Cheng Hiang (BCH), Lim Chee Guan (LCG) and Fragrance. If we have a craving for even just one slice of the nicely bbq pork or buying Singapore souvenirs for our overseas friends, the choice will definitely be LCG then follow with BCH. For me, normally I will skip Fragrance as it does not sits well with my taste buds.

Divine Realm Vegetarian Restaurant – Super Good Curry

Located in a shop on Hougang area, this simple vegetarian restaurant is one of my favourite with it come to the curry. As my “Little Devil” still on the vegetarian cleansing period, we drop by this place for dinner on one of the night.

Instead of a restaurant, this place is more like an eating house with coffee shop ambiance. We ordered the Claypot Mutton Curry ($10), Claypot Stew Chicken with Fresh Mushroom ($8) and Stir fry vegetables.

The curry actually only have a few simple ingredients. Mock mutton meat, potatoes, and eggplant. But the main draw is actually the curry, it has a nice balance between the curry powder with the coconut milk. It is rich and creamy (lemak). Normally can finish 2 bowls of rice with the curry alone.

Curry Mutton

The Claypot stew chicken with fresh mushroom is good. The fried Mock chicken absorb the flavourful gravy and the mushrooms and greens are fresh. The same can be said with the stir fry vegetables. Simple, crunchy and fresh.

 Claypot stew chicken with fresh mushroom

Stir Fry Vegetables

Service is very minimum, you just go to the counter, place your order and make payment. They will deliver the food. Overall, you basically just come here for the food. Simple and good. I am drooling already thinking about the curry sauce dripping on my rice. Yummyyy!!!

The Aftermath opppsss

Food & Drink: 8/10

Value: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Ambiance: 6/10.

Divine Realm Vegetarian Restaurant

501 Hougang Ave 8

#01-630

Singapore 530682

Tel: 6387 2058

Op Hours: 07.00 – 21.30 Daily

Just Green Vegetarian Food – Vegetarian can also means Yummyyy!! - [CLOSED]

During the 2 weeks before CNY, the “Little Devil” was on Vegetarian cleansing for 2 weeks. So once in a while, we end up in a Vegetarian Restaurant. Lets just say it is also good for me to cleanse my body from too much meat.

Swatow Seafood Restaurant – Good Traditional Teochew Dinner

As my mom-in-law is a Teochew, we have decided to go to Swatow for her birthday.

Etna @ Upper East Coast / Siglap – Delightful Italian Food with Sicilian Touch

We have frequented Etna @ Duxton a few times before and we are well aware of the standard of their food and service. So this time around when we are looking for Italian food in the east, we decided to try their upper east coast / siglap outlet.

Located on the first floor of a private residence in Siglap, this outlet has indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant ambiance is very cosy, with leathered chair and white clothed table. Feels like you are entering a fine dining restaurant with a homely service.

We started the dinner with Burrata di Andria con Rucola, Pomodorini Pachino e Prosciutto di Parma (in short – Burrata cheese with Parma ham - $32). We like this dish because of the combination soft and mild flavour of Burrata mozzarella cheese with the Prosciutto di Parma. The salad light and it lets the ingredients speaks for itself. Yummyy!!

Burrata cheese with Parma ham

Next come the pasta, I ordered Strozzapreti con Coda alla Vaccinara – Homemade pasta in slow-cooked oxtail tomato sauce ($26). Presentation wise, this dish might not be the most appealing, however don't judge a dish from its look. The oxtail meat is tender, fall of the bone but not mushy. The homemade pasta is thicker then normal pasta, and a little past al dente. However, the texture allow the rich tomato sauce to absorb and cling onto the pasta.

Homemade pasta in slow-cooked oxtail tomato sauce

My other half ordered the Seafood Risotto with tomato base version ($26). This is actually a special order and we are glad the Chefs at Etna for accepting the order. A perfectly cooked risotto with the natural fresh seafood. The tomato base sauce is light not as heavy as the cream sauce. Compliment to the Chef.

Seafood Risotto with tomato base version

A friend of ours ordered Taglierini al Nero di Seppia ai Frutti di Mare – Squid ink pasta with seafood ($26). She gave her two thumbs up for the pasta.

Squid ink pasta with seafood

Next come the Pizze Bianche Etna – White pizzas, mozzarella cheese base with porcini mushrooms, Parma ham, cream cheese and pistachio ($26). The dough is crispy, but the ingredients are still moist. The saltiness of the parma ham goes well with the cream cheese and porcini mushrooms. The grind pistachio is mild add to the texture, but not on the flavour.

Pizze Bianche Etna 

For desserts we ordered Creme Brule alla Banana ($14) and Etna Lava Cake served with Hazelnut ice cream ($14). The lava cake is good, with the liquid chocolate oozing from the cake goes well with the hazelnut ice cream. While the banana crème brulee does not sit well with us. We just find banana and crème brulee is a not a match.

Creme Brulee alla Banana

Etna Lava Cake served with Hazelnut ice cream

Service is very good. The service staff has a good knowledge of the menu and very accommodating. At one stage, the lady head chef actually came out to check on us and jokingly tell me to stop being a paparazzi of her food.

Overall, if someone ask me to recommend an Italian food, I will not hesitate to recommend Etna. The price is not cheap, but you are paying for the quality. Can't wait for my next visit, Grazie e Arrivederci !!

Food & Drink: 8/10 (but desserts 7/10)

Value: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Ambiance: 7.5/10.

Etna @ Upper East Coast

Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria

110 Upper East Coast Road

Singapore 455298

Tel: 6444 9530

Website: http://etnaitalianrestaurant.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EtnaItalianRestaurantPizzeria

Op Hours:

Mon – Sat: 12.00 – 14.30; 18.30 – 22.30

Sunday: 11.00 – 23.00
Menu and Online reservation available on their website.

Ren Ren Desserts – Good Desserts in Unexpected Location

You will not expect to find any good food in Katong Shopping Centre, but surprising there is a very decent dessert shop at the basement of the old shopping mall. This building is renowned for its numerous maid agencies, internet cafe, snooker place and some clothing shops cater for the older generations. It was by accident that we find this place as we were helping our friend to look for a domestic helper.