Frannywanny

Back when I was still living in the Lion City, I remember looking forward to planned lunch outs with my colleagues D and I. These two ladies are truly the best food buddies as they're always so game to try anything and just about everything. Be it going back to our favorite Fried Chicken Biryani restaurant or heading all the way to Orchard for a good Indonesian lunch feast, there's never a dull lunch moment with them. McDonald's is also one of our shared favorite fast food not only for their breakfast items but for their promotional products too. However, as I start to reminisce about our love for McDonald's in Singapore, I will always remember I's great love for McSpicy (or anything insanely spicy for that matter). While my spicy tolerance is pretty much as good as being able to enjoy a saucer of green chili with my daily mixed veg platter, my colleague I can really go all out with an already spicy ramen bowl with more chili or her ever favorite, McDonald...

"I want mah burgers!!" That's my stomach growling from time to time. While I'm not really a big fan of meat, there are just those moments when I find myself craving for a good piece of burger. Nothing too fancy but one with a thick cut of juicy beef, nice fluffy bun and just the right condiments to go with it. Over the Christmas break, Paul and I went on a double date with my best friend L and her hubby T. It's just amazing to look back and realize that we actually have been double dating for close to 13 years as T and Paul courted both L and I almost at the same time. It's just so nice that L and I are always in sync in every big milestones in our lives. From dating T and Paul respectively to being their girl friends and later on, marrying them and being their wives. As for L, she's now a hot momma to two beautiful kids, one of which is my super smart godson and someday she'll definitely a godmother to mine too. That's one great friendship story...

As the saying goes: "Two heads are better than one."  This rings true in the foodie world and it's always a fun thing when two kitchen masters get together and make one yummy creation after the other. So here's a secret for you all. Our well-loved Wolf Burger  partnered with Bird Bird  and we're all in for a treat at their special pop-up restaurant in Ann Siang Road  till the end of 2016. Now, isn't that a great way to end this year?  While I truly hope that their partnership will go on till next year, Paul and I are not taking any chances and we quickly made our way down there one weeknight to check it out. I first tried Wolf Burger  at Pasarbella Suntec City   and I have been reminding myself to make a return trip with Paul soon. Anyway, as with any secret pop-up shops, spotting the restaurant might be a bit tricky. The best way is to head down to where Bird Bird used to be (well, it still is Bird Bird..) and tadah! you've reached your ...

*note: I just learned that MeatLiquor is now closed. The reason, I'm not very sure but I'm so sad about it. There goes the only place where I go to for Fried Pickles and yummy Burgers. :( Just for one night, we totally threw "diet" out of the window. So longggg!! *waves* Well, we had a good reason. A was in town and the NKids got together for a night of meat, meat and more meat! I was so excited to learn that London's famous Meat Liquor opened a branch here in Singapore a few months ago, so this is another thing I happily crossed out from my list after our visit. The menu was pretty straight forward, there were a couple of burger options, salad (but who wants them right?) and sides! We started with some Deep-Fried Mac & Cheese  (S$15) which looked just as mouth-watering as it sounded. Come on, who doesn't love Mac & Cheese right? I love how the creamy macaroni was well-encased in such a nice deep-fried crust.

Five individuals with very different personalities living under one roof. Sounds like a perfect plot for a TV sitcom right? That's life with the Normanton Kids . Each one has his/her own quirks, mood swings and ideals yet we still manage to get along quite well. I guess, at the end of the day, we all know that have each other for support, love and acceptance. For Paul and I, we see the NKids as our family here in Singapore. We can really say that they've been there through our ups and downs and they've made living in a foreign land still feel like home. So, just like any family, we went out on Easter Sunday to hear mass and to have a good meal. Paul and I have been abstaining from meat for most parts of Lent while my friend I was on a strict healthy (read: fruits and veggies) diet the entire week. Finally, we're saying yes to meat when Easter Sunday came! Hooray! Browsing through the Entertainer App , we chanced upon RV Burger which was just within walking dis...

"Can't this be love, I'm feeling right now..." ♥ It was just an ordinary late afternoon in Arab street where my colleague J and I were quickly walking around looking for a place to eat. We went there for an event which was about to start in 30 minutes so we weren't picky and just entered this empty non-air-conditioned restaurant thinking we will be able to order, eat, pay and leave. Little did we know that this place was Bergs -- Gourmet Burger , the one that I've been wanting to try for a year now! Now, isn't that called fate or perhaps destiny? The menu was really interesting. There was a good mix of beef burgers, chicken burgers, a veggie (tofu) burger, a burger filled with falafel and even a fish burger. I caught a whiff of the beef patty being grilled in the kitchen so I went for the Berg with Cheese (S$14.50 Bergs size / S$11 small size). My colleague J went for the Porto Pollo  (S$14.50 Bergs size / S$11 small size) which is a Peri-Peri-s...

The day when Aloha meets Konichiwa.  Last Sunday, the NKids went out again for another food adventure and this time, our tummies brought us to the Bukit Timah area. The fastest way to get here is to take the MRT to Botanic Garden and as you go up from the station you'll see a number of interesting-looking restaurants perfect for a nice Sunday brunch. So far, we've tried to restaurants in this area and both were good and worth the trip . For this particular food trip, we went to try Little Hiro which is a relatively new burger restaurant owned by the same group who runs Island Creamery -- a local ice cream parlor serving Singaporean flavors. Condiment Party! Little Hiro has been on my list since the start of the year so I was just so happy when C suggested that we have lunch there. I love the very chic, beach-happy look of the restaurant's exterior. For some reason, I was reminded of the movie 50 First Dates. Mahalo! I have to say that the menu was extensi...

Our dear friend A is in town and this just gave the group another reason to get together for a nice dinner last Sunday. A's dinner choice was  The Chop House in Vivo City and we just couldn't be happier! After all, who says no to having steak and burgers for dinner? Researching more about The Chop House , I was surprised to know that this is actually part of the Wooloomooloo Group . As you all know, Wooloomooloo is ranked to be one of the best steak houses both in Singapore and in Hong Kong. I've been wanting to try Wooloomooloo since I moved to Singapore last year so consider this my first step to Wooloomooloo. What sets The Chop House apart from the famous steak place is that it has a more casual vibe. They're known for their self-service bar system where diners can avail of tap cards with credits that will allow them to try as much beer as they want. Paul and I started our meal with a bowl of Pumpkin Soup (S$10) which was very good. I tell you, after tryin...

"It's so beautiful!" I think I must have uttered this line more than a dozen time last Tuesday night when my colleagues and I decided to have dinner at Potato Head Folk  along Keong Saik Road -- a quick 10 minute walk from our office. I was at awe upon seeing this tall 4-storey white and red shophouse at the corner of the road that somehow reminds me of a ship. I don't know why, blame my hyperactive imagination. :) People who have visited Bali must be familiar with the name and yes, this is from the same group that runs Potato Head Beach Club in Indonesia. I personally haven't been to Bali, but I've been hearing a lot of good things about it. Potato Head Folk in Singapore is divided into three establishments -- Three Buns Kitchen , Studio 1939 and the Rooftop Garden . Each establishment occupying one entire floor and each carries a different vibe unique from each other. That evening, our dinner was set at Three Buns Kitchen so this is where this ...

I'm so lucky that the people that Paul and I hang out with here in the Lion City also share the same amount of love and fascination for food. Take our friend O for example, every time we plan to go out , he manages to recommend a good place to eat. A few weeks ago, the initial plan was to have pho for dinner but O suggested that we check out this newly opened burger place called Fat Boy's The Burger Bar that's just a block away from Plaza Singapura . It's a good thing we got there a bit early before the dinner crowd arrived as the place was quite small and can only sit a little more than 50 guests. We definitely wouldn't want to stay outside and to queue up while watching everyone enjoy their burgers. Upon entering the restaurant, the first thing that caught my attention are the somewhat cheeky humour that you can see from their signages, wall statements and posters. Definitely not for the spoilsport! It's a reminder that you're in for a good time ...

If there's one person here in the Lion City who has been really supportive of this blog aside from Paul, that would definitely be C. C has been giving brilliant ideas on what topics I can write about, how I can further keep you, my readers, entertained and he would also share news about restaurants that I have to try out. In fact, the Explore Singapore series came about after a quick chat with C one afternoon. I do hope you're all enjoying that new addition in this blog and we all got C to thank for. Anyway, he turned another year older (and wiser) two weeks ago but due to a really unfortunate and sudden incident, we had to somehow postpone his celebration to last weekend. Well, I do believe in week-long even month-long celebrations so it's really not too late. C didn't gave much information on where his birthday lunch will be except an instruction to meet us at the lobby of the hotel where he had a nice weekend staycation with his wife I. As soon as we got to ou...

Burgers and Brewskies. By just hearing the name, thoughts of fun bonding sessions with friends come to my mind. It was just perfect that my first visit at Burgers & Brewskies a.k.a. B&B would be with my fellow food bloggers. Paul and I were so excited to go as it will surely be a crazy and happy lunch with these funny, food-loving bunch! B&B is a newly opened restaurant in Burgos Circle and as mentioned in its name, it specializes in burgers, beer and one more B -- buffalo wings! As we walked into the restaurant, we were greeted by the familiar happy chatter of our friends coming from the second floor. The restaurant is quite small so I'm pretty sure it can be crowded on a busy day. It has a very laid back feel reminding me of one of my favorite burger places here in Singapore. It's definitely the place to go after a busy day at work and you're in the mood for good food, a bottle of beer and the right company to unwind with. The menu was pretty extensive...

Konnichiwa! When the Ebi Burger was launched in all McDonald's stores all over Singapore last week, I made a mental note to check this out over the weekend. I love shrimp and fish burgers as this is what I normally order over their beefy burgers thus I was really excited that McDonald's is adding more non-beef burger options to their menu. Yay! We agreed to share the Ebi Feast Meal (S$7.75) which consists of an Ebi Burger, a Tropical McFrizzy, large French Fries and Tropical McFrizzy drink. I just wanted the Ebi Burger and happily gave the rest to Paul who enjoyed this meal with his all-time favorite -- the Quarter Pounder Burger. Now, I'm excited to open this box and to reveal, what hopefully is, a treasure inside. Ready?

My friend T and I have known each other since the very first day of college. Somehow, we instantly clicked and later on both became part of a group together with my best friend L and 4 other girls. We were inseparable all throughout our university days despite taking different specializations during our junior year. However, just like in any relationship, our friendship has experienced some bumps along the way that we somehow lost touch for a couple of years. I guess we're really destined to be good friends again as fate brought us together here in the Lion City to pick up where we left off. Yay! When you're living far away, you learn to treasure the ones who makes you feel right at home. It's a good thing T and I work close to each other that we make sure that we meet up over lunch at least once a month. During one of our lunch dates, we agreed to check out the much talked about food court at the Asia Square Building. It's the office building of Citibank and I've...

11 July 2013 -- Exactly two months ago today, Paul and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. We both can't believe how time has flew by so fast! It really just felt like yesterday when we were still busy planning for our BIG day. We can still remember every single detail and moment of that wonderful day. For the past two years, Paul and I would go on a weekend staycation to celebrate our anniversary. This year, we decided to do it differently. Since we're in a new place and there are hundreds (maybe even thousands) of restaurants out there, we agreed to meet up for dinner in one of the highly recommended restaurants along the famous Yong Siak street in Tiong Bahru . Our choice for that evening was Open Door Policy (ODP). Days leading up to our anniversary, we were told by our friend I to make a reservation because the place easily gets filled up. I wasted no time in doing so as ODP luckily has an online reservation system which I find so efficient! How I wish res...

Truth to be told, I've never voluntarily been to a bar ever in my life. Save for some work-related or a blogging event where I'm normally there before the party hour happens, I've lived all 30 years of my life spending my Saturday nights having a really good dinner in a restaurant, at home or hanging out at a coffee shop. Some might think my life is pretty boring but given a choice to live all 30 years again, I think I'd still do what I have been doing. At least it keeps my liver and lungs healthy and it saves my parents from staying up all night worrying about my whereabouts. Well, if there's one bar that I didn't mind hanging out in...it would be THIS. Welcome to Burger Bar . I first tried this during my despedida lunch with the Publishers Group. My friend and former colleague T took care of ordering the starters and desserts for all of us. All we had to do was to pick out our choice of burger from the list. My choice was simple -- the Rising Shroom (P...

Paul and I had so much fun during our trip to Seoul, South Korea ! We enjoyed our trip so much that we are actually planning for a return visit next year. This time, hopefully to see the pretty autumn leaves in Nami. I'm really crossing my fingers and toes for this. Our trip was just perfect. The cool weather, our very accessible hotel, the places that we were able to visit and a lot more. Our home away from home -- Hotel Skypark 1 was located at the heart of Myeongdong . It was a good choice given that we just relied on reviews posted in Agoda.com and luckily, what we saw up close was exactly what was mentioned in the said reviews. Our hotel was located right in front of a famous fast food chain called Lotteria making it so easy to locate and so convenient should hunger strikes. Initially, I thought Lotteria originated in South Korea but researching about it told me that this brand actually opened first in Japan by a South Korean and later on found its way back to its mo...

♫ These are a few of my favorite things...♫ Don't you just love afternoon snacks? This is probably the reason why most diets would require one to eat more frequent but small meals. Nibbling on crackers or munching on a fresh fruit is normally what people on a diet would have. However, there are far more interesting and definitely more mouthwatering snack options out there. In China, they have dimsum which when directly translated means "touch the heart". Bite-sized pieces that the Chinese would enjoy with their afternoon cup of tea. In Europe, they have their Afternoon Teas which normally comes with scones and tiny tea sandwiches. Of course, we Filipinos have our own line-up of snacks and it ranges from the very savory pancit (noodles) to sticky kakanins (rice cakes), from all sorts of sweetened skewered fruits to my personal favorite, fishballs and kikiam sold in the street. Yum! Lately, I have two new favorite snacks that I normally would have at least once a wee...

For those following this blog, you would know that I am not a BIG burger fan. In fact, it was only a few years ago when I started eating beef again after a 5-year long hiatus . Don't get me wrong, it's not that I dislike burgers in fact I've had the privilege of trying some of the best tasting ones these past few years but it's not something I would crave for on a regular basis. Paul would tease me that I am such a picky burger eater. While he loves burgers and was so happy especially during our trip to the US where it was definitely heaven for all burger lovers like himself, I limited my burger intake to two all throughout our two weeks stay and for me, that was enough. Incidentally, two weeks ago, The Foodie Club received an invite from our friend Alvin to dine at his restaurant along Xavierville Avenue . The name is Boulevard Diner and I was expecting all out diner food like burgers, fries, milkshakes and a lot more. Well Alvin did not disappoint as he trea...

As Paul and I enjoyed our trip around California a.k.a. Burger Land, of course, we didn't pass up the chance to try one of their famous fast food burger chains -- In-N-Out Burger . I couldn't believe my eyes as I would see a line of cars outside the restaurant and a line of people inside at any given time of the day. We would pass by the nearest In-N-Out Burger in the morning and there's already a line of cars waiting at the drive-thru counter and when we head back home at night, the line just gets longer and longer. I asked my cousin-in-law J about it and he told me that that's actually a daily scenario at In-N-Out ! Wow! Business is really good for them! Their menu is simple, you get to choose among three types of burgers: Hamburger, Cheeseburger and the famous Double-Double burger . Add some fries or maybe a milkshake basically that's how simple their menu line up is. Yet, people just wants their burgers fresh, fast and delicious. No frills, no add-ons and...