Monday, June 14, 2010

Two coffee shops in Sixth Avenue

recommended by Timmy T

My friend, magazine publisher Timmy had always known me to be a foodie...and as we were collaborating on a few projects, we had the opportunity to lunch out a few times. I had brought him to sample the delights of the oxtail stew and beef hor fun at my favourite Prince Restaurant in Coronation Plaza, and he, in turn brought me to sample his favourite nasi biryani...at Sixth Avenue. A rather indescript coffee shop, at one corner...just left as you look onto 6th Avenue towards Guthrie House of Brasil Churascaria.



The rice was rather interesting...this was regular basmati, to be sure...not the ultra long grain, high fragrance variety served by Bismillah. But the spices were very evenly distributed...almost each grain was close to uniform in colour.

And a chunk of crisply deep fried, chicken sat atop the rice.



The chicken was covered with a crisp crust. Very nicely done...and the insides were very juicy and tender. The accompanying small plate-let (yes, really small) of dhal was rather tasty too. Kin remarked that she liked the dhal...which was not a pure lentil/butter affair, but was rather a bit more watery than the superb sample served by Mirchi...but still very tasty.

We crossed over the row of terrace shops to the coffee shop at the other end...one called Good Good for some coffee. The traditional Kopi Baba...known just as kopi or kopi-o, was rather good. A hint of coffee aroma, thick, heavy body. Good mouthfeel. Timmy had recommended the Bak Chor Mee at this store...



It turned out to be rather good! The noodles were cooked just right...a bit firm, but still soft and flavourful. The minced meat was precious little, but the bowl came with two large fishballs, which almost made up for the lack of bak chor. A tiny sliver of lean pork was included, and curiously a small prawn. The chilli was powerful...both the one mixed into the noodles with a good dose of vinegar, but also the cut red chilli. Packs a punch.

We also sampled a plate of the Malay Mee Goreng served by the cze char stall situated at the rear of Good Good.



Thick Chinese noodles like those used for the Singapore version of Black Hokkien Mee was used. The kee taste and smell was rather strong, but not overpowering. I liked it like that, and is the raison d'etre for ordering mee rather than bee hoon. A tangy, bright tasting noodle...fried to be a bit on the wet, and very tasty. Fragments of squid and some prawns were the ingredients used, as were an egg. Not a bad dish.


6th Avenue Briyani Specialist, 12 Sixth Avenue, tel: 8152-4561, open: 6am to 10pm daily
Good Good Coffee Shop, 24 Sixth Avenue.

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