Lunch at the newly opened Wild Rocket

Mod sin.. A cuisine best epitomized by Wild Rocket. Many a fan heaved a sigh of relief when the restaurant recently reopened it doors after a short hiatus.

I've always enjoyed dining at wild rocket. But the location is really off putting. It's housed in a non descript hotel called hang out @ Mount Emily with little signage. Cabbies get lost a lot!

After a massive overhaul, the interiors look like a birds nest with bits of random wood pieces sporadically plying the wall. Atop the chef's counter rest origami crane shaped chopstick holders, hinting at some Japanese influences. 

Service is great. Staff know their stuff and are highly attentive. They also all happen to be male. 

At sgd33 for an appetizer, main and dessert, one really can't complain. I spotted chef owner willin low high fiving quite a number of well heeled executives in the surrounding tables, presumably his regulars? To survive in the finicky f&b business I guess keeping your regulars close is de rigeur. Too bad I'm not one of them. 

For starters I opted for a promising sounding swimmer crab congee. Turned out very ordinary but kudos for the cute presentation.

Really enjoyed my main even though it wasn't visually appealing. I opted for grilled snapper which boasted flavorful and tender flesh. The accompanying  liquid otah reduction was truly lip smacking and didn't overwhelm. Totally worth the additional top up of 4 bucks.

My khaki opted for the other main course available -Mee tai mak dish with minced pork and Onsen egg. Definitely more mod sin looking.

Dessert took the form of an old favorite- deconstructed strawberry cheesecake which I didn't mind topping up an additional 2 bucks for. Reminiscence is a powerful flavor and thankfully it didn't disappoint.

Coffee's not bad too! V fragrant.

Will I be back soon? I can't be sure. It felt like a visit to an old but distant friend.The warmth of the handshake lingers but the smile is forced. 

This is the menu in case u are interested:

Paying it forward at Menya Musahi Tampines Mall

We eat at the neighborhood mall quite often.. It's a convenient place to quickly grab a bite after a long day at work.

Neighbourhood malls are known for their standard template of franchised food and retail outlets. We had dinner at menya musahi ramen outlet last night, a relatively new brand which recently opened in numerous malls.

Ramen was mediocre for the price. At 16 bucks I had a portion of weak ramen broth with a measly portion of noodles. Topped up 3 bucks for some battered sting ray which was spiked with small bones. This is definitely my first and last visit. 

What made up for it was a heartwarming sight as I was settling the bill at the counter. Snuggled up at one of the tables, I spotted my neighbourhood provision shop uncle having dinner with his wife and 2 grown kids. They looked weary but happy. Indeed, a family that eats together stays together. Wanted to do something special for them so hubby and I made an impulse decision to secretly foot their bill. 

Best decision of the day.