This must have been a first, but I was recently sent some fresh, locally made baos recently by a Singaporean startup called Lovelies.sg which I really enjoyed and would like to recommend to all of you dear readers! Thanks for sticking around with me - we've successfully made it to Phase 2! Anyway, I have always been a fan of the Chinese-style baos, be it for dim sum or for breakfast grabbed on the way to work. The latter though, is usually more to of a 'eat to live' variety and nothing to shout about. Hence I was intrigued when I was contacted about this and agreed to receive them, not expecting a big box to arrive with 19 baos! I immediately steamed some to try (instructions provided) and paired it with a cup of coffee.
The buns were super cute looking! A bit like boobs (.) (.) hahaha.
The baos came in packs like these which you are supposed to keep frozen if you do not intend to eat immediately. There's also no need to thaw them first after taking it out from freezer. Straight to the steamer it goes, or you can even deep fry it!
Instructions were really clear and easy to follow.
So which is my favourite? It was a tough choice - they were all pretty good. First, I tried the smaller lotus paste bao (lian rong bao) which had fine, sweet paste enclosed in the soft fluffy bun casing. HOWEVER! I did find the filling to be 20% too sweet for my liking and would prefer it less so. It's $8.90 for 9 pieces, which works out to be about $1 each. Good deal though.
Then, the most expensive of the lot at about $2 each - the salted egg yolk bao! It's $$11.90 for 6, but look at the amount of golden egg yolk inside. Definitely worth it for the ooze factor! I enjoyed this very much but would again prefer it to be slightly less runny so it doesn't drip all over. It is definitely comparable to most dim sum places' dripping sand baos, haha.
Last was the red bean bao (S$10.90 for 6), which is flatter than the other 2. This was my favourite among the trio. The red bean was just nice - not too sweet - and was fragrant and just about the right consistency, paired excellently with the flatter bao exterior that acts as a foil.
Well? Verdict? It's good! Soft, fluffy and generous with its fillings - there's nothing to not like about these baos from Lovelies.sg and it is always good to support small fledging local businesses instead of commercial brands making them in bulk. To order you can WhatsApp them at 83143854. If you are a fan of baos, definitely try them - especially the red bean!
#SupportLocal #savefnbsg
Thanks Jessica for sending them to me!
Could you tell I am joyous?! For the week of 15-21 June 2020, we officially stepped into Phase 2 in #Singapore of our post-Circuit Breaker. And despite everyone going out, it was still a welcome change for me. I don't plan to go out on Friday nights anytime soon though! Just did a presentation about #ASMR and went to my friend's house on Saturday to eat fried chicken, and play Just Dance Now. Haha.
If I were to rank bubble teas in Singapore, it will be a tough choice. I love Kungfu tea for its "value for money"-ness, Tiger Sugar for their awesome pearls, Playmade for their custom flavours, but Woobee will definitely be in top 3 for their wonderful and innovative teas like its Pi Pa Gao or Herbal Mint Milk Tea, or just regular Milk Tea with grass jelly topping. The pink grapefruit green tea (currently OOS) is also a favourite of mine especially after work out classes where we will walk to Chinatown Point or Tanjong Pagar Plaza to get some. Their 3rd branch is at Shaw Tower along Beach Road. And all their teas only use raw sugar, which is good! I also like the environmental consciousness of Woobbee, and their design aesthetic.
Anyway, here's their menu as of April 2020 for in-store orders from their Facebook Page (delivery platform menus are slightly more limited and priced differently). They have a custom app site for ordering/delivery which is less customisable, but they are also on Deliveroo or Foodpanda. Note: As of 22 June, these are not available until July: Pink grapefruit, ice blended, fruit fruits (apple/orange), pudding topping.
My favourites have been mentioned above - what's yours?
For those into Playmade (I'm one of them), can we just rejoice that Phase 2 is finally here and we can finally enjoy their custom-made pearls! I'm partial to their chrysanthemum milk tea with sesame pearls, but there's always some seasonal items not listed in the menu like the Watermelon milk tea and pearls. I'm so glad there's a Playmade branch at AMK MRT station (rest are at NEX, Waterway Point, PLQ, Tampines Central, Marina Bay Link Mall, Depot Road and Tiong Bahru Plaza - refer to their Facebook Page). Do remember to draw cash though cos payment methods are limited in stores.
Enjoy your Playmade bubble tea!
Not to be confused with Laut Singapura overseas, laut in Singapore is a new restaurant located in the CBD area at 17 Stanley St (near Telok Ayer, Amoy) that was just established in April 2020. To be born during Covid times is no mean feat, which is why I said yes when they offered to send over some food and cocktails for me to try. Of course I can't wait to dine in when Phase 2 starts this Friday, but for now let's go through their SEA regional cuisine! By the way, laut means the sea in Malay.
What I liked about laut is their extensive use of Asian ingredients and flavours, but done in an elevated style such that you look at them again with a fresh perspective. I received 2 mains and a side, plus 2 types of cocktails and a custom pale ale. You can view their delivery menu here.
Like...this, when you plate them up :) I was trying to imagine what it will be like to dine there, haha. The food had travelled well though, I must say. You could see from above the portion sizes as well.
The first dish I tried - the Otah Sandwich (S$15) which saw local fish and shrimp otah (a sort of spicy fish paste that's grilled in banana leaf) and Nyonya achar pickles inside some really fluffy toasted white bread and paired with a side of tangy Asian-style coleslaw. While not extremely spicy, the otah managed to pack in some heat and was very enjoyable when paired with the soft bread and the crunchy pickes. The portion is maybe a bit small for a square meal, but definitely a good starter dish! 4.5/5
Speaking of starters, this Burnt Eggplant dip with curried papadum (S$15) blew me out of the water.
I completely did not expect the taste of both items and combined they were even better. The eggplant puree with chickpeas and tomato/onions were sourish, light and flavoursome and went really well with the papadums. The only thing was they got a bit soft after the photo-taking, but my dad managed to revive them 100% by putting them into the toaster! The crunch was so satisfying. The only downside to this dish is that it's rather pricey for the amount, esp. since there's no seafood/meat. 4/5
Then we come to the last dish, 120g of Tuna (S$15). Simply seared with green mango salad and chlorophyll sauce. See this, I don't get how it is $15 compared to the eggplant dip. The tuna was done perfectly and had substantial bite to it, and the green mango cuts through the good-fishy taste. And 120g was enough for a lunch! Highly recommend this, then. I was particularly pleased because everything's vegetarian or pescatarian. 4.5/5
For drinks, I was sent this limited edition Lemongrass + Bentong Ginger Pale Ale (6 for S$60) brewed for laut by Pink Blossoms Brewing, a local brewery. I've yet to try it but I've tried a few other Pink Blossoms beer which are delish! #supportlocal as well.
They also have a range of bespoke cocktails with exotic ingredients. For example, the Grass cocktail (S$48 for 250ml which serves 2.5 pax - dine in cocktails at S$23+) which I tried. This was one of the most delish cocktails I've had, mainly due to the pickle brine in there, I suspect! Rojak gin was the base, so lots of savouriness. So good that I finished the entire 2.5 servings at a go. Hey it's quarantine, no judgements here.. :P
There's also a Banana cocktail (S$48 for 250ml) made with Aged Malaysian Molasses, Buah Keluak Infusion, Gula Jawa and Pisang Berangan left that I am saving for a zichar night, since I suspect it will go well with it!
To conclude, for a new kid on the block, laut has managed to pivot their F&B to online with takeaways and deliveries and is a worthwhile entrant to our dining scene. The food was excellent and travelled well, and both the food and drinks hold the concept of Southeast Asian flavours and spices really well. I don't see any reason not to give them a try now, or pretty soon when dine-in is allowed! Cheers~Laut
17 Stanley Street, Singapore 068736
+ 65 8878 8018
Free island-wide delivery w. min S$50 order.
Please order 60 - 90 minutes in advance.
Tuesday to Sunday 11am - 8pm. Closed on Mondays.
Thanks to Damian and laut for sending the delicious food and cocktails!
For the week of 8-14 June 2020 I talk about my experience tasting Laut's food, and being excited for the launch of Levelled.sg bakes such as their caneles and brownies. I also speak about what hobbies I wish I can have.
For the week of 1-7 June I talk about the less 'obvious' things I miss before the pandemic started and we had to all #stayhome during #circuitbreaker and now in Phase 1 of #Singapore's reopening. Then I compare it to some of the silver lining, which is what I will miss AFTER we get back to normal.
