ivy

🇺🇸 SF seafood that still lives rent free in my head 📍Hook Fish Co @hookfishco 🐟 been 3 weeks since im back and im still thinking abt this meal yall this was hands down the best fish and chips i've ever had!!! (23usd) the fish was super fresh, firm yet tender while the beer batter was light, crunchy and not greasy at all. we loved the old bay fries so much that we couldnt stop munching on it even though we were so full for those who prefer smth healthier and balanced, try the grilled fish of the day plate (20usd) which comes with black beans, rice, pickled slaw, pico de gallo and avocado! also pls pls try their carrot habanero sauce, its so interesting and elevates the flavours with a light kick of spice 📍Hog Island Oyster Co @hogislandoysterco 🦪 some say that this michelin guide restaurant is too touristy but having tried their food i think its actually really worth the hype. the must eats are definitely their fresh and grilled oysters (6 for 26usd) omg and this is coming from someone who doesn't even eat oysters. go for a mix of flavours for the grilled oysters so you get the best of ALL worlds hehe it was a cold day so the rustic seafood stew (36usd) - generously packed w clams, mussels, prawns and squid, was super warming to have. the staff also recommended their fried brussel sprouts (14usd) and we rly enjoyed how it matched nicely with the sprinkles of cotija cheese and a fresh lime squeeze. avoid the lunch crowd and come for dinner instead! we waited for ~15mins at 7pm+ and got to enjoy our meal with a pretty view of the bay bridge :) #SFbay #SFfood #fishandchips #SFeats #michelinguide

recent plates 🍽 eating healthy at home after a holiday trip and indulging in good food outside too 1. yogurt bowl with @chobanisingapore , korean strawberries, baked nuts, TJ's crunchy almond butter 2. scrambled eggs on hana ocha komugi toast 3. @ahothideout malatang & mlxg 4-5. @ahchewdesserts.sg bssm paste & peanut mochi! 6. back at @thedailycut.sg , my fav from their spring menu is the purple potato mash 7. spicy chicken tenders, kabocha salad, roasted broccoli 8. a semi failed attempt at shrimp rice paper rolls (it tore 🥲) 9. fam's fav garlic sausage & mushroom aglio! 10. pigs tail, lotus root and peanut soup 11-12. takoyaki party at home 🥢 #healthyfood #homecooked #salad #yogurtbowl #malatang

🇺🇸 the best foods i had in LA - ktown edition 📍BCD Tofu House  @bcdtofuhouse 🥘 undeniably one of the most popular korean food chains in the US! we went for the LA Galbi Set + Assorted Soondubu (32.99usd), and it was the ultimate soulful pairing. the tofu stew arrived at the table still bubbling, with lots of silken, velvety soondubu. the LA Galbi was the perfect contrast - succulent, tender meat with a caramelized soy-garlic glaze and charred edges which added a smoky depth and kept us reaching for more. even with the constant bustle, the space feels warm and unpretentious. they open till late but do expect to wait a lil at peak hours after getting your waitlist queue at the storefront 📍Hangari Kalguksu @hangarikalguksu 🍜 yallll when ppl said the korean food at ktown is better than some of those in korea, this is what they meant!! hangari could honestly rival the kalguksus i had in seoul, or even better 🔥 the Spicy Seafood Kalguksu (23.99usd) came with a generous portion of fresh clams, mussels, shrimps and half crab. noodles were soft and chewy, pairing nicely with the deep and umami-rich broth. special mention to the potatoes that were sooo soft and melt in the mouth! the portion was hUGE as expected of the US so 2 pax could share a bowl comfortably. if you visit in a group, try their bossam too coz the tables around us all ordered it and it looked amazing 📍All'Antico Viano @allanticovinaiousa 🥪 our first meal in LA wasnt an american establishment, but this world famous sandwich shop from florence, italy. they have many branches across LA but we visited the one at ktown which was casual, peaceful and cosy. the La Paradiso (17usd) is one of their bestsellers and a bite was enough to tell us why. there was a perfect balance of textures and flavours - from the light stracciatella cheese, to the not-so-salty mortedella and slightly heavier-tasting pistachio cream with crushed pistachios. everything came so well tgt and the pistachio cream was one of the best i've ever had! once again its humongous so its definitely good to share. cant wait to try the other flavours when i visit italy next time #ktownLA #LAfood #soondubu #kalguksu #sandwich

things i ate at disney & anaheim 🇺🇸✨ 📍Disneyland California Adventure @disneyland mickey waffles w choco hazelnut filling, banana whipped topping and icing sugar (11.29usd) lobster loaded nachos (27usd) cinnamon churros (5.75usd) 📍Anaheim Packing House super pretty and charming food court that was revamped from a packing warehouse. theres 30 stalls with a myraid of cuisines to choose from, and vibes here reminded me of the large scale aesthetic cafes i visited in jeju! @206bce anti-gravity house noodles (17usd), this bowl felt like a fusion of chinese, japanese and thai elements. think fancy ba chor mee elevated with springy noodles, fried sausages and shrimps that were doused in a buttery, garlicky sauce, completed with a perfect level of spice that kept us going for more @eatsumodog japanese fusion hotdog buns! we had the sumo dog and sumo chili and cheese (8.49usd each), every component matched so well and the buns were so soft and fluffy. highly recommend! 📍Lucilles Smokehouse Bar-b-que @lucilles_bbq we got a platter of st louis + baby back ribs, with garlic mash and seasonal veg sides (40.93usd after tax). the st louis ribs are a must try - meat was sooo succulent and tender!! flavours were on point and we didnt even need the additional sauces on the table. get that seasonal veg too, it was a lil oily but rly well roasted and flavourful #anaheimeats #disneyland #disneylandfood #smokedribs #hotdog

🇺🇸 the best foods i had in LA - part 1 just came back from a >2 week long trip to the US and i had some really good food this trip!! sharing the best reccs on my feed but you can head over to my highlights to see everything i ate :) 📍Holbox @holboxlosangeles 🐟 a casual mexican restaurant located within the Mercado La Paloma, this place has earned a michelin star in 2024 and 2025 and gathers long queues outside its food court-akin space daily. the menu changes daily depending on the availability of their California ingredients but majority of them remains consistent, so you can surely try their regular bestsellers! our favs were the baja shrimp tacos (6usd) and the tostada de kanpachi + uni (22usd). seafood here was super fresh so the ceviches tasted rly yummy and refreshing! pro tip - they open at 1130 so come arnd 11am to avoid the long queues 📍Desvelados @tacoslosdesvelados 🌮 LA truly has lots of mexican food haha we chanced upon this place after a visit to santa monica and wOW it turned out to be our top meal of the trip! desvelados offers a vibrant and 'elevated' experience, with a chill yet lively ambience that makes it a popular spot for social gatherings or casual date nights highly recommend their mary tierra roll (15.99usd), which was so unique, nicely presented and full of mexican flavours! i wished they could bring this to sg too hahahha we also enjoyed the tacos (6.99usd) that the staff recommended - el ensenada (breaded fish) and el desvelado (breaded shrimp + carne asada). prices are quite affordable given american standards so order away and you wont regret 📍Palmetto Superfoods @palmettosuperfoods 🏝 a popular acai place with multiple branches, we visited the one at beverly hills! you could go for their signature bowls or build your own bowl with unlimited toppings (reminds me me of cornercove hehe) we got their 16oz medium bowl (13.95usd) and loaded it with our fav toppings like maple cinnamon granola, fresh fruits, almond butter, cacao nibs and nuts! for the base we went for acai and pitaya but found them to be much sweeter compared to the acai we had in sg. overall still a v satisfying dessert especially on a hot day

📍@sushidan.sg $29.90 omakase in this economy?? 🤤 we visited sushidan for a weekend late lunch and was glad that there wasnt any queue! they served 2 types of omakase - $19.90 Goshoku set and $29.90 Nanairo set as well as sushi and sashimi add ons if you wish to have more. You could also choose between original or aburi for each omakase set. we went for the nanairo aburi set: - chawanmushi - 6 aburi sushi (saba, engawa, ebi, salmon, sea eel, chutoro) - 3 ochoko dons (mentai salmon, chirashi, burdock carrots) - negitoro hand roll - miso soup the standout was the aburi engawa and sea eel for us, each piece was fresh and melt in the mouth. negitoro handroll was rly nice too! the ochoko dons looked tiny but we were actually quite full after the entire course. if you want a fuss free (dont have to think abt what to order haha) yet good quality sushis, this place is definitely worth a try 🍣

📍Wooly's Bagels GTFB (11.20) - honey chicken ham, hashbrown, scrambled eggs and truffle mayo. cant go wrong with this combo! sataycation (15.90) - satay-marinated chicken, scrambled eggs, crisp cucumber, red onions, signature nutty mayo. this was humongous but the satay flavours werent as strong as we expected sweet mistake (13.90) - honey chicken ham, beef pepperoni, dill cream cheese, romaine, red onion, strawberry jam spread. those who enjoy sweet savoury combos would love this i actually visited the rangoon road branch last year but in sept they rebranded the branch to marlow's deli, serving foccacia sandwiches instead. the only branch serving bagels is the one at arab street so head there if you wanna try their bagels! 🥯

📍@theapricuscafe 🍝 seafood linguine ($27) 🐮 truffle beef donburi ($24) ✨️ truffle fries w parmesan cheese ($14) 🥬 charred brussel sprouts ($14) 🥄 sticky date pudding ($15) 🧇 kinako & rice milk sundae waffles ($21) a well lit and spacious cafe located at jalan kayu. i've been to their sister cafe (the populus) and was impressed by the food but was a lil disappointed as the food here was quite average. i had the truffle beef donburi but there was barely any truffle taste/smell hahah the sides were pretty good though! desserts wise, just go for the kinako sundae waffles - the icecream was rly fragrant and the waffles were light and crispy :)

recent plates - and some backlogs 🍽 📍 @risebakehouse.sg scallops rosé rigatoni, rise breakfast waffles and my fav orhnee cake ♡ 📍homecooked simple but filling meals at home - unagi rice with edamame, scallion oil tseng noodles from taiwan with chicken breast and broccoli 🥦 📍@mukjja_sg imo the best jjajangmyeon in sg! love their spicy jjamppong and tangsuyuk too. am not a fan of kongguksu though 📍@anacaiaffair nutty party cup 🥄 my go-to acai toppings have been fruits, granola and cacao nibs so this combi was perfect for me 📍@jixiangkueh love their mungbean and orhnee akk, the filling was generous and the akk skin was so soft and chewy 📍@sanpoutei_paragon tonkotsu and spicy miso ramens! the broth was honestly pretty salty but this, together with the thick noodles reminded me so much of the ramens in japan 📍@chickenpiekitchen tried the large chicken pie at a party last year and i absolutely loved it but the mini pie was somehow very heavily seasoned and quite greasy too. would recommend sharing so it doesnt feel as jelak 📍@tsuiwahsingapore mala chicken mixian and charsiew scrambled egg rice! highly recommend changing to fried rice coz it made the dish wayyy better. the charsiew while flavourful was a tad too tough for our liking 📍@petitsaigon.sg banh mi pork from buangkok hawker! for $6 this was rly satisfying, the pork was nicely marinated (kinda tasted like satay) and the bread was so crispy and fluffy 📍@misssaigonsg roast pork banh mi ($10.90) tried this the day after having petitsaigon's. they were generous with the roast pork which was half lean and half fatty and the baguette was definitely crunchier than petitsaigon's. while the portion was big, it wasnt rly enough for 2 to share, but definitely very filling for 1 to finish

📍@birdsofafeathersg fancy contemporary cuisine with fusion chinese food? then this place might be the one for you! birds of a feather serves contemporary cuisine with sichuan influence, amd the result was an impressive east-meets-west experience for us. ✨️ crab and avocado bruschetta ($18) crab tartare w sichuan guacamole, tonburi atop a crispy slice of brioche. it was a light and refreshing starter. ✨️ oxtail mapo tofu ($43) a little on the pricier side but this was worth every buck.  braised oxtail which were sooo tender and flavourful, alomg w the classic mapo tofu and minced beef! they were quite generous with the oxtail and no doubt this paired amazingly with japanese rice ✨️ spicy good slime shine ($27) think suan la fen but an elevated version - this was a really interesting dish! as opposed to what we expected (chilli oil, red sauce), this was a lighter soup base which maintained a good hot & spicy kick. the chinese yam noodles were sooo chewy and i wished they served in a larger portion coz i couldnt get enough of this the ambience over here was refined yet warm and cosy due to the low and soft lighting. a good place for date nights for sure.

📍 @aliceboulangeriesg visited this cafe on 2 occasions since last december, both the food and ambience didnt disappoint! the space is so nicely designed that it'd be nice to sit outside too, on days where it isn't scorching hot. 🦐 grilled tiger prawn capellini ($29) prawns were fresh and huge, prawn bisque was unami and flavourful! loved the additional texture from the tobikos 🍽 eggs benedict ($24) a classic brunch item, portion was generous and we opted for smoked salmon which im glad wasnt overly salty. the poached eggs and hollandaise were well balanced too ☕️ alice cream coffee ($8) their signature specialty drink, espresso smelled amazing and it wasnt too sweet despite the addition of the cream 🧊 roasted black sesame latte ($8) my personal favourite! the black sesame foam was thick yet light and the cookie crumbs made it even more fragrant. i'd usually start by sipping from the cup / straw to enjoy the different layers before mixing them up. black sesame lovers would definitely enjoy this 🥕 carrot cake ($5.50) their carrot cake was on the dry and crumbly side so it was a lil hard to eat but i liked that the cream cheese frosting was light and tangy so it paired rly well with the cake #sgeats #sgfoodie #sgcafes

📍@threenutsbaker found this quaint lil cafe in kovan serving quality fresh bakes like shiopan, blueberry streusel lemon muffin and cheese scones. i went for their signature cinnamon roll ($6) and wow this was orobably one of the best cinnamon rolls i've ever had. i loved that they didnt add any frosting and kept it simple - soft fluffy buns with gooey cinnamon layers, topped with caramelised pecans. the pecans were fresh and crunchy, and the entire bun wasnt too sweet so it was perfect for me 😌 also bought home a cheese scone which was savoury, with a texture that was to me, between a scone and bread. if you like cheese you'd enjoy this. would definitely return for their cinnamon roll and they usually sell out by early afternoon do visit early so you wont be disappointed! #sgeats #sgcafes #sgfoodie #cinnamonroll #scones