Delicious Calories: Our Days of Decadence

Pomegranates...

2006-10-19T13:03:00.000+08:00

Pomegranates...

If anyone ever tells you to buy a pomegranate OR if you ever get deceived by the lucious colours of a pomegranate, you are in for a ride.

Over the weeks, I've tried pomegranate juice which is awfully acidic. Not giving up, I even decided to buy the actual fruit to have a taste of the original. One word sums it up all: BAD.

Not worth the money.

Fruit, French and a whole lot of conditions

2006-10-02T09:37:00.000+08:00

Crunchy grilled pears...

Goodness gracious. A week of feasting. Well conditions had to be right.

1) The weather was so bad, it wasn't worth it travelling out for dinner.
2) Sis stocked up lamb from her last visit to Melbourne.

3) I was a little inspired with fruits and contemporary French food.

So what did we have?

Saturday Dinner
- Wild Mushroom Soup
- Grilled Spiced Honey Pear and Blue Cheese Salad
- Lavender and Rosemary infused Lamb Loins served with Warm Onion and Apricot Sauce
- Whipped Potato Foam & Haricot Beans
- Creme Brulee

Warm crumbly blue cheese...

Due to miscommunication, we actually forgot to buy salad greens and had to settle with just grilled pears and blue cheese. The combination was wonderful except Mom & Sis thought that blue cheese smelt like vomit. And I barely used 10g of it crumbled onto warm grilled pears! The pears looked really good, speckled with herbs, spices and drizzled with a little honey and grilled for the burnt golden brown colour. The salad was really missing walnuts...

Pink lamb loin & fine haricot beans...

The lamb loins were literally air-flown from Melbourne and I have to admit that I was a little hesitant dealing with them since they were so thin and I was afraid of overcooking it. I resorted to grinding lavender, rosemary, my himalayan pink salt, a dash of truffle oil and olive oil as a rub. The lamb loins comfortably set in that mixture before being panfried. I must say, it turned out a huge success. Tender Lamb loins served on a bed of potato foam with a warm onion and apricot sauce. Yummy. I didn't expect lavender to go so well with lamb. It heighted the sweeteness of the pink flesh.

The potato foam was a new experiment. Instead of the heavy creamy mashed potato usually served with roast meats, this was a fluffy foamy concoction that didn't detract from the richness you usually get (or don't) with conventional whipped potato. It was surprisingly even lighter than scrambled eggs. Had to make sure I kept little bits of potato intact for texture contrast. Inspired by Joel Robuchon.

As for the creme brulee, only one word. Heavenly. So good, I've decided to stop my bread and butter puddings and work on this.

Sunday Dinner
After that rich and heavy dinner, we decided to cleanse *right* and opt for a lighter dinner on Sunday. It unfortunately didn't manifest since Sis was going to have a potluck in office and I was tasked on creating a stew. Of course, we also opted for a salad dinner, with the stew as a side dish. We joked about cooking for the hungry ghouls who have yet to return haha. Imagine:
1.5kg of beef
15 tomatoes, plum, pomodoros and beef varieties
8 sun-dried tomatoes
8 large carrots
8 large onions
2 boxes of mushrooms
2 cans of beer
2 slices of wholemeal bread
2 packs of baby potatoes
1 bunch of celery
1 clove of smoked garlic
1 fennel
I somehow don't enjoy the idea of dumping all that into a pot and call it a stew. Properly stews involves browning the meat, carmelising the mire-poix into what I call, "onion jam", before adding liquids and stewing it for a good 3 hours. Ingredients go into the pot in a particular sequence because the moisture content of each individual vegetable is different.

Tangy Yuzu...

Then there was the honey glazed roast chicken salad with an orange & yuzu miso dressing which was a main. In case you haven't already realised, I love yuzu for its taste. It has so much more dimensions than the ordinary orange or the mandarin. At home, the salad is literally a meal on its own. There wasn't the opportunity to go for seconds. And we haven't even touched the stew.

Nothing like rich juicy grapes...

To round off the meal, there was nothing like good quality grapes. The Japanese Kyoho Grapes were a little out of range with the $25.90 price tags so we opted instead for the Korean Grapes which were more affordable instead. Nothing like the original but still, it was sweet and rich. Trust me, after eating good quality grapes, those costing $6.90 a kg are really hmm...tasteless.

Canele Patisserie Chocolaterie

2006-08-21T00:13:00.000+08:00

Date : August 18 2006
Venue : 11 Unity Street, #01-09 Robertson Walk

The first time I visited Canele, I fell in love with it. Not only were the cakes and hot chocolate scrumptious, the place was an excellent for having a great time chilling out with the peeps. It was really one of the few places you could hold a conversation without having to contend with loud music and people who seem to enjoy haveing microphones for breakfast.

But alas! Canele serves such good desserts that it has attracted a large following, thus making it almost impossible to hang out there and have quiet conversation. Fortunately, as David, Ben and I found out on Friday, Canele's cakes still never fail to impress.

While there was a new cake or two at the counter that evening, I decided to stick with my favorite - L'Amour.

Canele couldn't be more right when they described this sweetheart of a cake as a " A riot of pinkish flavours and textures". The firm kirsch soaked almond cake base, the melts-in-your-mouth rose macaron, crumbly rose meringue, soft Rose-flavored cream, sweet raspberry marmalade, and the tang of red fruits (raspberry, strawberry, redcurrant). How could any girl resist this gem? The best bit about this cake? The rose flavor is not overpowering. It's light and overall, not too sweet.

The second cake we ordered was Macha, which was essentially a green tea mousse and chest nut cream layered with green tea biscuit and almond crumble.

Initially, it took a bite or two to acquire a taste for this. Soon after, the nutty flavors of the tea and chestnut start to fill your mouth and you'll actually find yourself taking smaller bites to extend the eating experience. Like L'Amour, its flavors were not overpowering nor was it sweet.

Finally, we had a Tarte Citron. When we first saw it at the counter, what caught our eye was the pretty way the torched Italian meringue was styled, topped with tiny strips of candied lemon peel. But, as soon as I saw that it had lemon cream in it, I insisted that this was something we had to try.

While I suspected that Ben and David might have found the lemon cream a little too sour for their liking, I absolutely adored it. It was tangy and refreshing, the perfect compliment to the meringue. However, the almond tart was a little too hard and we had some problems cutting through it. It really seemed like something you'd want to throw at a cheating partner ;)

Total Bill : ??? Would Ben kindly fill this part in please?

In short, if you love cakes and are willing to try anythine else other than boring chocolate, Canele just might be the place for you. However, be prepared to wait or make a reservation if you are visiting during a weekend. This place is becoming hot!

Holland Village X.O. Fish Head Bee Hun Restaurant

2006-08-19T13:48:00.000+08:00

Date: August 18, 2006
Venue : 15/17 Smith Street ( Chinatown)

A loyal Ka Soh fan , I would have never thought of trying this much talked about restaurant had David not suggested we check the place out for dinner last night. While the dinner experience was nothing much to scream about, the food was reasonably good and there was a little to regret about.

One thing I'd like to highlight here is NEVER visit this establishment on a blistering hot day. We dined around 7 in the evening and it was still unpleasantly warm. It did not help that the place lacked air-conditioning ( they actually had it but refused to turn it on) and we had to make do with fans.

That aside, service was neither bad nor was it excellent. What I liked about the place was that our meal came quick. We barely waited 15 minutes after ordering our four dishes : their signature XO Fish Meat Bee Hun soup, Sum Lo Hor Fun (sliced fish Hor Fun stir fried with bean sprouts), stir friend chinese spinach, and Deep Fried Shrimp Paste Chicken.

The first dish to arrive was the Sum Lo Hor Fun. Unlike other restaurants, the fish did not smell fishy and had a very clean taste. At the same time, the bean sprouts were not overcooked and remained crunchy, while soaking up the flavor of the dish. Overall, I enjoyed it very much because it was light, although some might find it a little bland for their tastes.

The second dish which arrived was the chinese spinach (or po choy) which was obviously poached before being stir fried with garlic. A brilliantly green dish, you'll be pleased to know that the garlic was not overpowering at all. Although it was simple and tasty, the dish was a tad bit salty for me.

Next in line was the restaurant's signature dish. By the time it had arrived, I was already brimming with much anticipation. I wanted to know what the hype was all about. Unlike the one at Ka Soh, the addition of XO to the broth gave the soup an extremely pale coffee color and sort of left a slightly herbal after taste. While tasty, the soup was a little sweet and towards the bottom of the bowl, it had a somewhat powdery texture.

Personally, the highlight of the meal was the Deep Fried Shrimp Paste Chicken. Usually, I take my chicken skin-off but because this was so good, I ate it as it was. Unlike most places, the shrimp paste was not overpoweringly pungent and the lime juice did not much to enhance the flavor. Did I mention the meat was juicy too?

However, the biggest surprise came with the bill. For all that we ordered, we only paid $31.20 . It is extrememly cheap compared to Ka Soh and considering the quality of the food, it was real value for money.

At the end of the day, was the XO Fish Meat Bee Hun soup worth all they hype? Frankly , no. But is it worthy enough to render another visit from me? Yes.

Grilled Lemon Pepper Salmon

2006-08-16T23:44:00.000+08:00

Apologies for not posting. Unfortunately, I have not received much opportunity to try much new food lately. However, we'll be goint to try out the famed Holland Village X.O. Fish Head Bee Hoon ( Rice Vermicelli) this Friday and hopefully, all will be good :)

Till then, here's a really lazy recipe. Simple but yummilicious.

Grilled Lemon Pepper Salmon with Honey Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

For Salmon:

A Salmon Fillet
Salt
Lemon Pepper Seasoning ( I use Masterfoods')

For Potatoes

Sliced or quartered potatoes with skin still on
Sliced Onions
2 tablespoons of honey
A pinch of Salt
2 tablespoons of melted butter
A teaspoon of dry mustard (optional)
A pinch of ground black pepper

Cooking:

Season your salmon fillet with the Lemon Pepper and salt before wrapping it in cling wrap. Store it in the refridgerator for an hour or two before grilling. If you don't have a grill, you could pan fry it too. Remember to be healthy and try not to use too much oil ;)

For the potatoes, mix the honey, salt, pepper, mustard, butter in a bowl. Grease your baking tin before placing the potatoes in a single layer and top it with the onions. Drizzle the honey-butter mixture over the potatoes and place the dish into a 190 degree oven for 35 minutes or until tender. At the fifteen or twenty minute mark, give the potatoes and onion a stir, making sure they are evenly coated with the mixture.

Once it's done, serve with broiled veggies and enjoy!

Roasted Veggie Pasta

2006-07-20T20:30:00.000+08:00

After going through a round of gruelling interviews, I decided to treat myself to a Roasted Veggie Pasta. While chopping the veggies is takes some effort, the cooking process is real easy and the results never fail to tantalize my taste buds. Really yummy comfort food =)

Actually, I kind of ripped this recipe of Ben but I've added a few things here and there to make it my own. So to make this yummy pasta dish you'll need ...

Sundried Tomatoes in Oil ( from Cold Storage or Jason's Supermarket)
Cherry tomatoes
Broccoli
Baby carrots, roughly chopped into chunks
Thinly sliced red onio
A clove or two of garlic all chopped up
Fresh Button Mushrooms
Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella
Eggplant
Freshly chopped Basil
Sliced Red and Yellow Peppers
Pasta ( I always use fusilli)

Once you have all the ingredients, it's all so simple. Preheat the oven to 180 degress. Place your peppers, carrots, onions, garlic, basil, and a tablespoon or two of the sundried tomato oil, which carries the sweet flavor of the tomatoes and the fragrance of various herbs. A dash of salt, a dash of ground black pepper, toss it all around and put it in the oven for about 15 to 30 minutes.

At the same time, start slicing your mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and chopping your egg plant. Never throw away the stock of the mushroom. You'll find that by adding it into the dish, it provides a nice chewy texture. Boil your pasta in boiling salt water and when the pasta is almost cooked, throw in your broccoli flowerets, count to thirty , remove from the heat and get rid of the water.

Five minutes before you want your roasting to be done, throw in the sundried tomatoes, eggplant and mushrooms. Once they are tender, remove the veggies from the oven, add the pasta and broccoli and toss it around so that the pasta is evenly coasted with veggie juices and the flavored oil. I always add chilli flakes at this point ;)

Finally, cut cherry tomatoes into quarters and either slice or break apart your buffalo mozzarella. Once the pasta and veggies are cooled, add the cherry tomatoes and cheese, toss it around and you are ready to serve.

Not luxurious but definitely a heartwarming and comforting dish. Enjoy!

Sesame Prawn Toast

2006-07-03T16:00:00.000+08:00

Wow! It has been a long time. Even though we're out school, I can't believe that we let this blog slip into another state of stagnation. So once again, we're sorry! We've been either bust at work or finding that jobs that I guess updating this blog was the last thing on our minds *eeks*

So anyway, I haven't been to much new places to eat lately and thus am not able to recommend more new places for you foodies to out there to try. However, there was this Char Siew Rice (Barbequed meat and rice) stall that I visited some time at the Beach Road Hawker Centre last month which served some really good char siew and double boiled soups. I can't remember the name or how much I spent there but the next time I visit, I promise to furnish you guys with the details.

Till then, here is a new recipe!

Ingredients

Raw prawns, shells removed, deveined and finey chopped
A few pieces of scallop, roughly chopped
Finely grated fresh root ginger
Spring onion, finely chopped
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tbsp cornflour
A dash of Sesame Oil
A dash of dark soy sauce
Salt
Slices of toasted brown bread
White sesame seeds
Canola oil for deep frying

Method

Mix the prawns and scallop with the ginger , spring onion, egg white, cornflour, sesame oil, soy sauce and salt .
Spread one side of each slice of bread with the prawn mixture, and dip the filling side into sesame seeds.
Deep fry the toast in hot oil, over a moderate heat, filling side up until golden brown and this takes about 3 to 5 minutes.
Drain on absorbent paper and serve straight away with chilli sauce.

Ben also suggested that this recipe could be done with calimari and I'm thinking crayfish or lobster would be pretty nice as well. For the chilli sauce, those bottled ones from the super market would be fine but I'm a tad bit fussier so I'll serve it using home-made chilli sauce.

It's really simple. Just take a few big red chillies, some chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, and bird's eye chilli (optional unless you want some oompf in your sauce); fry it with a tablespoon or two of canola oil till the chillies are soft and onions are transluscent; put the veggies in a food processor; add some salt and sugar; blend it and you're ready to go. The tomatoes should provide more than enough liquid but if you need more, just add a little water.

And there you go... a really hearty tea time snack or party favours. Enjoy !

Cravings

2006-05-24T02:34:00.000+08:00

It's 2 o'clock in the morning and I have a serious craving for Fish and Chips.

Unfortunately, it's terribly difficult to find really good fish and chips on this tiny spot of an island. For one, almost every eating stablishment serves the thin slices of fish breaded and fried till their hard and dry. Furthermore, it doesn't help that the fish is often tasteless and the chips that come alongside the rock hard fish are often of the frozen variety.

Personally, I love my fish to be thick, fleshy, soft and juicy ; coated in smooth and flavorful crispy brown batter. At the same time, the fries are freshly and thickly sliced potato coated with a pinch of salt and pepper. Even better still, tossed in herbs and cayenne pepper powder. Mmmmmm... be still my beating tastebuds.

Nonetheless, the best fish and chips I've ever had so far was at the Pinetree Club. The batter was crispy and bursting with flavor. And the fish! Wow! Exactly how I loved. However, that was six years ago and I wonder if the standard still holds.

Still, I have to satisfy my craving. I might cook it this Friday but if anyone's got any suggestions, do leave some in the comments box. I know this is so going to ruin my plan to lose weight but I can't help it. I'm feeling very very very hungry right now.

Goodnight!

Seafood on Ice and a Nice Surprise

2006-05-22T14:01:00.000+08:00

Venue : The Coffee Lounge, Goodwood Park Hotel
Date : May 19, 2006

Walking through the doors of the Goodwood Park Hotel, I could not help but feel as if I had travelled back in time. An architecture reflecting an era of colonial splendour, the hotels holds many memories dear to me. I remember having English high tea with my Godmother and getting all excited whenever my parents said they were taking us to Shima .

In case you were wondering, Shima's yakiniku buffet is no longer at the hotel. The yakiniku is now located at the Esplanade and is now such a disgrace to Shima when it was in its prime back in the eighties and early nineties. For $28+++, there's no more garlic fried rice, no more free flow of crispy tempura, and the quality of the beef ... ewww! Don't let me got there.

But I digress. So on Friday evening, my aunt and uncle invited my parents and I to dinner at the Coffee Lounge, which is rather famous (I am bewildered as to why) for their local themed high tea buffet. I was seriously freaked out because I've tried their high tea and I was not impressed. So how was dinner?

*Drum roll please*

And the verdict is...

Not that bad actually. While the buffet had a fair share of Asian, local and Western cuisine, there still isn't much to get excited about. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed their shellfish, especially the crayfish, on ice. The crayfish was sweet, fleshy and absolutely fresh. It tasted best with lemon and tobasco sauce. Another shellfish dish I enjoyed was the cold scallops tossed in a spicy sweet and sour chilli sauce. Like the crayfish, the scallops were fresh and tasted absolutely divine. No fishy taste I swear!

However the same cannot be said for their oysters. The first one I took went powdery in my mouth and my parents had a mild case of food poisoning from eating at least more than two of the devious shellfish.

That aside, another dish I absolutely loved was the Grilled Seabass and vegetables ( sundried tomato, zuchhini and squash) served in a cream based sauce. The sundried tomatoes was slightly charred and wonderfully sweet while the fish was fresh, juicy and went very well with the nicely salted sauce. Other must tries include the Asparagus salad and the fresh and sundried tomatoes served with slices of white, creamy mozzarella.

Lastly, the desserts were simply OK for me. The Apple Crumble was not too sweet and the Vanilla sauce could use more hints of vanilla. I did love the Chocolate Truffle cake though. Although it was a tad bit too sweet, it was crazily rich and I loved how the bitter sweet mousse like cake simply melts in my mouth.

Overall the dinner was pleasant. However, what almost spoiled dinner were the rude staff ( I had waiters constantly bumping into my chair and moving off without even an excuse me or apology) and the potted plant next to our table which slowly released an odour of cat droppings. My aunt insists that the owners of the hotels allowed their pet cats to roam the hotel ( she has seen them) and when she brought it up to the restaurants manager, he denied it and simply said . "OK."

Sheesh.

Price : $29.50 nett per person

Despite the rude and nonchalent staff, I might have dinner at the Coffee Lounge again simply because I love the Grilled Seabass, Scallops and Chilled Crayfish so much. Nonetheless, the thought of visiting the establishment once again wouldn't excite me too much. I'd rather save all my excitment for lunch at One-Ninety anytime.

Top Dis-service and Service Awards...

2006-05-22T12:05:00.000+08:00

Following Lorraine's post on bad service at Goodwood Park, I thought that I'd provide a list of places with the bad, and the wonderful experiences...So here goes.

The Bad
In order of de-merit...

1st Position : Moonfish Pasta & Seafood Restaurant, Millenia Walk
This place bags the top spot! When I informed the staff (who later informed the chef) that their penne was too salty, we overheard the chef telling the staff to tell us that we don't know what we ordered and we should change our orders. Outrageous! I don't see Valentino or Zambuca screwing up their Carbonara like you did. And the name of the chef: Federick Lee. Moonfish, you grab the top spot for a rude and irresponsible chef, leaving your staff to clean up your dirty work.

2nd Position: Bakerzin's Millenia Walk
What's up with the "I dont' serve water policy?" Oh well. Bakerzin almost tied with Menotti Raffles City [which is not in this list] except for one thing. Inflexibility. After a lunch with 4 others at Bakerzin, I ordered desserts for everyone and one of my guests requested a cup of warm water to take with medicine. Guess what the response was? "We ONLY serve Evian. Do YOU want a glass of WARM Evian?" (emphasis denoted). Well, for Bakerzin, they lost business of 5 desserts (approx $25) and 5 potential long-term customers over a glass of warm water. Poor business sense.

3rd Position: Pasta Fresca Salvatore, Siglap
I didn't exactly encounter bad service here at Pasta Fresca, but I saw the receipe for disaster - unhappy service staff. For those in the service line, it doesn't help to call your staff stupid over any matters. When my order was taken, I informed the staff to tell the kitchen to go easy on the garlic. However, the staff mistakenly told the chef, "no garlic" and got a tongue-lashing - the word stupid cropping up. When a staff scooped an extra half ladle of soup into a bowl for another customer, the manager of the restaurant scolded the staff stupid. How wrong! The Number One Principle of good service delivery: Happy staff.

I did call the manager to my table and said that that was one thing that must not be done and I even submitted a comments form. I never received a reply.

4th Position: Crystal Jade Suntec City
Oh yes. The all-time "favourite". Notice that the staff never smiles when taking orders? They are always looking around, distracted. And never never tell your customer "No More" without even looking at them. You could even take the initiative to recommend something else. Oh, I remembered, the time Lorraine requested for red cut chilli. The manager brought both red and green chilli, and when we kindly told them that we didn't need the green, she grabbed the saucer, and threw (YES! Literally threw!) it into the container that I was seated beside. How very rude.

5th Position:Ritz-Carlton Singapore, Chihuly Lounge (High Tea)
Yes yes, I see many people gasping already. Yes, nothing wrong with your screen, the RITZ-CARLTON. Oh well, I arrived early for high-tea and the staff was reluctant to seat us. We were told "Oh, we don't start yet." When we insisted on sitting to wait, the least you could do was offer water. You are after all, Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen. Oh, and good service delivery means that your cucumber sandwiches are not soggy and stuck to the dishes, and that your scones are properly baked thank you. I must admit, the service recovery of the Ritz Carlton was excellent and I still visit Summer Pavillion (Chinese restaurant). But yes. Even the Ritz Carlton can end up in such a spot if it isn't careful.

And The Service Winners...

I found significant difficulties in ranking them in order of merit. Good service is all about the staff and some can be friendly and warm, while others professional and unobstrusive. Both makes dining a pleasure. To ease into this, I shall opt for the alphabetical order.

Conrad Hotel Lobby Lounge (High Tea)
Tea at the Conrad is really a time to relax and enjoy a little personal time on your own. Yes, although I don't really like the fact that their teapots take up too much space on the table...hehe... I like the fact that the staff are always professional and unobstrusive. They glide around making you feel as though you are in your own little lounge at home, enjoying a cup of brew with your friends and your memories.

Imperial Treasure Ngee Ann City, Takashimaya
Imperial Treasure doesn't deliver over-the-top service but it sure understands that their core business is to deliver good food. Once, when we told a staff that our oyster porridge was way too salty, they immediately brought a brand new bowl for us. This despite that they needed to clear the room that we were seated in by 2.30pm for the second seating. By the way, it was nearly 2pm when that happened.

One-Ninety, Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
If you've read our previous entry on One Ninety, you'd have thought that there was nothing much to service for a buffet. Not true. How about the manager explaining to you about the special dishes? Or the fact that everytime you left the table, your plates would be cleared, your napkin placed on the handles of the chairs AND your water topped up? How about observent staff who notice that you're ready to move on to your main dish and your desserts, providing the necessary cutlery to do so? That's the Four Seasons for you.

The Regent Hotel Tea Lounge
High-tea at the Regent is truly a test of mettle. There is nothing on display but instead, service staff walk around with huge silver trays of culinary delights of Smoked salmon, cold cucumber and tomato sandwiches, piping hot scones with luciously whipped fresh cream. And yes, I digress. Throughout tea, the staff will offer you the delightful morsels for their huge polished trays, and never once do they flinch or give you a dirty look for eating too much. That's not only all. In fact, the staff even noticed what each of us enjoyed, and offered to get us more from the kitchen whenever it came out fresh! How nice of them.

Valentino
Being in Valentino's is like being in the kitchen of an Italian family. Friendly and warm. Like I always say, food and company.

Zambuca, Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore
A friendly restaurant manager, a magnificent cellar and the most welcoming sommelier. You know the tension that rises when you want to order wine but you don't know which one to order. Plus, you do have a budget don't you? It doesn't help that the staff usually recommends the most expensive.

Well,at Zambuca, it was just the opposite. Wonderful wine with our food without having to rob a bank. $100 just for wine for 6 to 7 people. Recommended by the sommelier who shared with us the entire process of how he choose the wine. Not too bad don't you think?

And there. I hope to be able to update this post from time to time, so that those faring not so well, do get a chance you move out of the list. Have you encountered good or bad service?

Bi Feng Tang, Century Square, Tampines

2006-05-15T11:06:00.000+08:00

Date: 28 Apr 2006
Venue: Bi Feng Tang, Century Square, Tampines, Singapore

The Menu: Bi Feng Tang Crispy Chicken ($12.8), Roast Duck & Char Siew Noodles ($7.5), Roast Duck & Roast Pork Noodles ($7.5), Chrysanthamum Tean ($0.8)

The Experience:
Lorraine and I visited Bi Feng Tang after our visit to Very Special Arts in the morning for a meeting. www.vsa.org.sg VSA is an organisation that helps the less fortunate by providing them opportunities to create arts and crafts for sale, in order to sustain their livelihood.

Bi Feng Tang is a small eatery at the basement of Century Square that serves up good quality roasts. Both our noodles were of reasonably large portions and the roast meats that accompanied it was fragrant.

The chicken was a deep fried crispy skin chicken topped with a mixture of fried garlic and probably oats as we suspect.

Total bill for 2: $32.55

A decent place for casual dining. The quiet ambience makes it wonderful for catching up over lunch.

Wahiro Japanese Restaurant

2006-05-15T10:46:00.000+08:00

Wahiro Interior - www.wahiro.com

Date: 14 Apr 2006
Venue: Wahiro Japanese Restaurant, East Coast Road, Katong Mall

Menu: Yakitori Set - Kushiyaki ($20), Mixed Oden - Oden Mori ($15), Tempura Mori ($12), Kakiage ($12), California Maki ($9.8), Morisoba ($9.8), Salmon Shio ($9.8), Teapot Soup - Dobin Mushi ($8.8), Hot Sake ($7.8), Rice Set - Gohan Set ($5), Rice Ball - Onigiri ($3.8)

The Experience:
We decided to step into Wahiro after eyeing the place for quite sometime during our frequent visits to Cold Storage at Katong Mall. Wahiro apparently serves haute cuisine with a seasonal kaiseki meal at $100 per person. We opted for the ala-carte that day.

Seating

The ambience of Wahiro was typically Japanese. It was like entering a yakitori restaurant along a cobble-lined street of old Nippon. The restaurant was dim and quiet, and smell of yakitori wafting through.

Kushiyaki Set

The food at Wahiro is worth a mention. Despite being a yakitori restaurant, we did find the yakitori in the Kushiyaki set a bit dry for our liking. The minced chicken and the gingko nut yakitori though, was quite pleasant. The Oden and Tempura were probably the highlight of the night. The former was simmered in a fragrant dashi broth and was very much, comfort food. The latter was crisp and light as the ingredients bursts with natural flavours.

While it is easy to serve a Salmon Shio, its difficult to get it right. The salt is intended to protect the fish but too much would render it far too salty and unpalatable. Wahiro does an excellent job, while maintaining the moisture of the fish. Delicious with rice.

If there was any fault with Wahiro, it had to be the Dobin Mushi. Firstly, it was served with lemon and secondly, the stock was far too delicate to handle the ingredients.

Total bill for 4: $131.45

Wahiro was a cool experience and I'll probably be back. It definitely brought back memories of Japanese dining, sans the commercialism.

Menotti, The Orginal Italian Cafe, Singapore

2006-05-15T10:23:00.000+08:00

Menotti Interior - www.garibaldi.com.sg

Date: 5 Apr 2006
Venue: Menotti, 252 North Bridge Road, #01-17 Raffles City Shopping Centre

Menu: Fritto Misto, Seafood Platter ($26), Lobster Pasta ($23.80), Grilled Salsiccia, Grilled Scallop Pasta ($18), Tagliatelle with Seafood ($16), Lagsane ($15), Roma Chocolate Gelare ($9.5), Profiterol ($7), Pannacotta ($6.5), Limoncino Lemon Tart ($6.5), Italian Still Water 75cl ($5.30)

The Experience:
In all honesty, I didn't like Menotti's ambience at all. The structure made it very noisy and it was difficult to hold a proper conversation. It didn't help that the small lounge-type round tables didn't facilitate sharing nor conversation and the staff wasn't exactly "friendly". Coupled with the fact that we had to pay for water, which didn't taste different from our tap water, Menotti scored an all-time low. I somehow prefer its more casual and friendly counterpart, Riciotti over at The Riverside despite its smaller menu.

The food didn't redemm Menotti at all. To be fair, the food was consistent. The pastas were al denta, it wasn't too salty, sweet or sour and it was fresh. But it didn't wow. Lorraine and I were suspicious of the lobster pasta. The texture tasted more like crayfish to us.

The desserts were only ok. The gelare and lemon tart was good, rich and creamy. The profiterols were fluffy although I preferred Valentino's. However, the panna cotta tasted as though the pastry chef forgot the sugar. It was bland.

Total Bill for 5: $152

Overall, Menotti disappointed and considerably expensive. In our usual practice, we would order one of each dish to taste and well, the bill still came up to >$30 per person. Thankfully, it was the company that made all the difference.

Qun Zhong Eating House

2006-05-15T10:02:00.000+08:00

Xiao Long Bao @ Qun Zhong

Date: 2 Apr 2006
Venue: Qun Zhong Eating House, 21 Neil Road, Singapore 088814

Menu: Dumplings ($7), Stuffed Meat Pancake ($9), Xiao Long Bao ($7), Zha Jiang Mian ($4), Sweet & Sour Soup ($2.50), Red Bean Pancake ($9), Sweet Glutinous Rice Ball in Rose or Osmanthus syrup ($3)

The Experience:
Qun Zhong Eating House is a small cash-only eatery with an eccentric culture. Here is the top 10 listing of abnomalies:

1. It is perpetually crowded.
2. It is crowded even before its open for business.
3. Parking is a nightmare.
4. You wait outside the eatery when its full and they don't even provide you chairs to sit on while waiting. You get exposed to the elements.
5. Enter the place and the smell of the eatery lingers on your clothes for the next 24 hours. I don't understand how the place is filled with office workers.
6. It is always at least 40% filled with Japanese or Koreans.
7. Don't expect to be seated unless all your guests are present; the boss will never let you in.
8. You order everything including your desserts at the onset. If you decide to do so later, you'll be faced with very grumpy responses.
9. Don't even try to change your order once you've made it.
10. Enter the washroom at your own risk.

Despite all that, there's a reason for number one - the food is tasty. In fact, I find their Xiao Long Bao much better than the rest of the competition: Crystal Jade, Ding Tai Fung (which I absolutely boycott) etc.

While the menu is pretty small and practically all the dishes are made with the same filling, the flavours are intense and the filling is always juicy. Bit into any of the steamed items and you're greeted with a burst of warm soup. Absolutely messy and delicious.

The desserts are simple too. Panfried red bean pancake that is crispy and yet, chewy. We suspect that the outer coating involves an element of glutinous rice flour. The redbean paste isn't too sweet at all. The osmanthus and rose glutinous rice balls are well done too. Chewy morsels of rice balls filled with a combination of peanut and white sesame or black sesame paste are perfectly foiled by the floral fragrance of the perfumed syrups. Not too sweet but a perfect way to end the meal.

Total bill for 5: $68

Considering that we shared a lot of stuff, the meal was still gut busting. If only they could look into improving their service experience. But oh well, as they say, quality comes at a price.

One-Ninety, Four Seasons Hotel Singapore

2006-04-21T22:24:00.000+08:00

Having recently completed four years of pain and suffering at the Singapore Management University, we decided to indulge ourselves and made our way down to the ever so chi-chi One-Ninety for its semi-buffet lunch.

Finding its flair in modern European cuisine, One Ninety is the home of chef Frank Ruidavet, who graduated with honours from the Ecole Hoteliere De Nice and honed his culinary skills in New York at some of the best restaurants in New York City. These included The Ritz-Carlton's Raoul Restaurant, Top of the Park, The Ambassador Grill, Chez Josephine, and Restaurant Bertrand.

Stepping into One Ninety, one cannot help but feel totally comfortable, unlike most other chi-chi diners. The European decor was sophisticated and chic while casual at the same time. And unlike similar restaurants, whose staff are almost always condescending, the staff at One-Ninety were informative and polite. Most importantly, every time you leave your seat to get extra helpings, you will always return to find your plate cleared.

As the name suggests, the semi buffet provides the epicurian with unlimited servings of appetizers and desserts and one serving of a main course of your choice. While you could choose any from the main menu itself, we were delighted to find that the hotel was hosting world renowned master chef, Laurent Tourondel and our choices for the main course was extended to his menu for the World Gourmet Summit 2006.

Ben: I must add that I was pleased that the staff took time to explain that with the visit of Laurent Tourondel, the semi-buffet provided us the option of selecting Tourondel's creation at no extra charge.

For the buffet, we were pleased to discover that there at least 10 different varieties of appetizers. Definite must tries would be the Pumpkin roasted with herbs, the Mango Fish Salad, and the Sliced Lamb salad. While the flavor was mild, the pumpkin was bursting with sweetness. At the same time, the lamb did not have have a pungent odour and was tossed with mint and onion, both of which served to heighten the flavor of the slighly smoky meat. As for the Mango Fish Salad, I had at least three servings even though each morsel of white fish chunks was coated with coriander and if you know me, I absolutely hate coriander. The dish was simply that marvelous!

From the Bottom Left:

Fresh Prawns on ice, Sliced Tomato with Mozarella, Pumpkin Roasted with Herbs,

Lamb and Mint Salad, Mango Fish Salad, Fresh Oysters on Ice

Other worthy mentions include the croissant-bricohe type bread, the red wine vinegrette shallot dressing (which went so well with the oysters), the sliced tomato served with mozarella, and if you are adventurous, the dried apricot served with a black olive and cheese on a skewer.

The croissant-brioche type bread was extremely light and buttery.

From the Bottom Left:

Blueberry Pancake topped with Shredded Chicken, Chickem Peppercorn Shooter, Cod Terrine, Dried Apricot with Black Olive and Cheese on a Skewer

Ben: One-Ninety is named One-Ninety for its 109 seater restaurant. I really enjoyed the delightful morsels of Sezchuan Peppercorn Chicken that provided a hint of Thailand. The Cod Terrine was an acquired taste and it was a real palate cleanser except that the alfafa sprouts overpowered the subtle cod flavours. The buffalo mozarella and tomatoes that Lorraine spoke about was divine. There's nothing so much more comforting than a thick, fresh, creamy piece of mozarella cheese sandwiched between sweet juicy tomatos. There was also a platter of marinated seafood in which you could find morsels of sweet shrimps, white fish, tender squid and baby oysters.

As for the salad dressings, I have to recommend the Truffles Vinegrette that went oh-so-well with my pine-nut, walnut, baby spinach and crouton salad. Also, unlike the plump juicy Australian oysters that you get from the standard run-of-mill buffets, Four Seasons plates up French Normandy oysters. Delightfully sweet and a touch of lemon juice brings out the flavours of the sea. French oysters are characterised by their elongated shells and are naturally smaller than the usual Aussie oysters. Lip-smacking! No sashimi here at the Four Seasons. Just fresh oysters and juicy prawns served with home-made cocktail sauce.

For my main, I ordered Tourondel's Smoked Sea Salt Skirt Steaks served with pan seared fois gois, morel mushrooms, mashed potatoes and red wine sauce. Trust me, I've never had better. The steak was excellently done - tender, almost rare and still oozing with red juices. The slightly charred fois gois complemented the beef so well and was rich, soft, and free of any gamey odour. It almost melts in your mouth and it absolutely wonderful to occasionally bite down onto grains of sea salt which enhanced its flavor even more. And don't get me started on the mashed potatoes! It was like smooth like cream and oozing with the flavor of butter - absolutely marvelous!

Smoked Sea Salt Skirt Steak with Char Grilled Fois Gois,

Morel Mushrooms and Mashed Potatoes

Another dish to try is perhaps Tourondel's Braised Short Beef Ribs which was served with gnocchi. With a touch of the fork, the meat fell away from the bone and was incredibly tasty. I am sure David was more than pleased.

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Gnocchi

Crispy Duck Leg Confit on Frisee Salad, Green Beans,

Foie Gras and Warm Shallot Dressing

Ben: While Lorraine, Thomas and David opted for Tourondel's creations, I opted for One-Ninety's staple: Duck Leg Confit with a sinfully decadent portion of foie gras on a bed of Frisee Salad. While on a slightly sweeter side, the duck complemented the foie perfectly, with the crunchy bitterness of the Frisee salad as a perfect foil to the richness of the dish. I would have preferred the duck slightly rarer (*pinkier*) and a bit more tender, but it was overall, excellently executed.

Tourondel's creations did not deviate from One-Ninety's philosophy to food. The flavours were so rich you'd suspect it was soaking in marinade for days. David's Beef Ribs were perfumed with a rich red wine and it was a truly melt-in-the mouth experience.

For desserts, we were spoiled for choice. Again, we had at least 10 different desserts to choose from. The rose and strawberry macaroons were light and would melt in you mouth almost instantly. Although a bit too firm for my liking, the cream caramel was neither too sweet nor eggy and was served with a single black berry, which gave the dessert some tang. If you love chocolate, you must try the Hazelnut Royaltine. No words can describe how wonderful it was. All I can say that the mousse was bitter sweet and absolutely rich and sinful.

From the Bottom Left:

Dark Cherry Crumble, Floating Islands ( Meringue soaked in caramel), Hazelnut Royaltine, Caramelized Passion Fruit Crepe

Cherry Compote and Cream Caramel

Despite these, what I really enjoyed most were the extremely refreshing lime ice-cream and the Caramalized Passion Fruit Crepes, which really was a light, fluffy twinky filled with passion fruit cream. If not for the fact that I was already so full, I would have let the passion fruit sauce soak into the latter and savour every sweet tangy bit of it.

Ben: The dessert spread at One-Ninety wasn't huge but it was a selection of well prepared desserts with the occassional hits-and-misses. The rose macaroons were like little surprises you find in Enid Blyton's fairytales (The Wishing Tree); as the macaroons melted in your mouth, you would taste strawberries but towards the end, filled your palate with bursts of fragrant rose blossom scent. The creme brulee tasted like a creme caramel instead, providing delightful hints of vanilla in the egg-custard. I pampered myself with a Cherry Compote served with Vanilla Cream, indulging in tangy bursts of cherries smothered in fresh cream. It was however, on a slightly sour side. The Opera was pleasant, delivering a subtle coffee flavour through its mousse-like texture. The Strawberry Cheesecake simply lacked the oomph. While Vanilla Bean, Hazelnut and Chocolate ice-cream was available, I opted for the lime sorbet which had hints of bitterness merged in its tartness. The refreshing sorbet was a perfect ending to a wonderful lunch.

Overall, the meal was divine. With such rich flavors and excellent service, I'm definitely a convert from Au Jardin and Mezza9. I'll definitely return to try their Champagne Sunday Brunch and I certainly am sure that it would not disappoint. For foodies out there, One-Ninety definitely is a stop you cannot miss!

Total Bill per person: $47 per person for the semi-buffet consisting of one main-course and unlimited servings of appertisers, salads and desserts.

Apologies

2006-04-15T17:55:00.000+08:00

My deepest apologies for not updating this blog. By some quirk of fate, the last days of tertiary education have been marred by intense revision and tons of reading. Nonetheless, it will all be over in 72 hours...

Till then, have a great weekend and Happy Easter!

P.S. I have loads of yummilicious recipes to share. Will post them once the 18th dies on me.

Temporary Hiatus

2006-04-13T08:54:00.000+08:00

Your friendly, not-so-neighbourhood, bloggers will be back after 18th April 2006. That's after our exams. =)

Valentino, Bukit Timah, Rifle Range Road, Singapore

2006-03-23T20:42:00.000+08:00

Date: 19 Mar 2006
Venue: Valentino, Bukit Timah Rifle Range Road, Singapore

Menu: Seafood Soup ($15.9), Minestrone ($5), Grilled Eggplant ($), Squid Ink Pasta & Crab Meat ($22.80), Seafood Risotto ($), Lobster Pasta in Pink Sauce ($), Daily Special - Squid Ink Gnocchi($), Profiteroles ($), Panna Cotta ($)

The Experience:
There's no where else but Valentino for good authentic, hearty Italian food coupled with the friendliest service you can ever get anywhere. Where else can you find mother, father, son and daughter-in-law, all Italians, serving and chatting with the guests, enjoying every bit of company? Entering Valentino is like entering a country home of an Italian farming family, complete with brick walls and warm laughter.

Briefly before I re-update this entry,

Seafood Soup - a medley of fresh seafood brimming in a bowl of rich tomato based seafood stock. It was like tasting the sea. YUMMILICIOUS! But at $15.9, its a little pricey

Minestrone - Unlike the typical consomme type minestrone you get outside, this is a rich red vegetable soup, almost creamy with all the vegetables melted into it.

Grilled Eggplants - A tad oily but the eggplants soaked up the richness of the olive oil used to grill and the cheese was of the freshest ever. The mozzarella was so fresh, it was heavenly.

Pastas - Wow! If you ever come here, you really have to try their squid ink and crab meat pasta. I counted. Out of 17-18 tables in the restaurant, every table had at least one plate of this. Its that good. The squid ink gnocchi was beyond this world. Tender handmade gnocchi, wrapped in a luscious squid ink sauce, smothered with generously by oh-so-tender squid pieces. The texture contrast. You can imagine.

I never leave Valentiono without the desserts. No matter how full we are, the profiteroles and panna cotta are typically Italian. The profiteroles are tender choux pastry shells filled with fragrant vanilla cream and topped off with a sabayon-like frothy chocolate sauce and drizzled with bitter-sweet fudge. The panna cotta shocked by being served like a cake and had a texture of smooth agar-agar. But when it hit your palate, it melts into luscious smodge of fresh cream. It was amazing. It was incredible bliss savouring the flavours as it developed. Simply divine.

Total bill for 5: $184

Valentino as you can see, is not cheap.
But, with that, I'd rather it remain the quiet little Italian country home
A place where I can indulge in life's simple pleasure.
Great food and Great company.
Gracia!

Silk Road Noodle Bar, Millenia Walk

2006-03-13T19:20:00.000+08:00

Date: 9 Mar 2006
Venue: Silk Road Noodle Bar, Millenia Walk

Menu: Sichuan Beef Noodle ($6), Beijing Zha Jiang Noodles ($6), Ice Lemon Tea ($2), White Fungus and Fruit ($3), Beijing Pork and Cabbage Dumplings ($4.5)

The Experience:
To be updated...

Total bill for 2: $19.80

Imperial Treasure (Teochew Cuisine), Takashimaya

2006-03-13T19:13:00.000+08:00

Date: 5 Mar 2006
Venue: Imperial Treasure (Teochew Cuisine), Takashimaya

Menu: Seafood dumpling soup ($6), Oyster Congee ($6), Stewed Vinegar Pork Trotters ($5), Har Gao ($3.8), Shrimp Rice Rolls ($3.8), Yam Puff ($3.8), Steam Carrot Cake ($3), Chicken Feet ($2.8), Sago with Mango and Pomelo Cream ($5), Mango Pudding ($3.5), Almond Cream ($3)

The Experience:
Am pressed for time so it shall be short and sweet.
Nothing in the above menu was bad. The food is highly consistent and highly praised.
Oyster Congee is unmatched anywhere else in Singapore.
Vinegar Pork Trotters were fantastic! Balance between sweet and tangy flavours. A bit too little ginger and too little meat though.
Har Gao and Shrimp Rice Rolls were delicate. Although individuals with a lighter palate would definitely enjoy it more.
Best Yam Puffs in town! Carrot cake was pudding like. Yummy!
Never leave Imperial Treasure (Teochew Cuisine) without the desserts. You'll live to regret it.

Total bill for 5: $86.50

Miharu Sapporo Ramen, The Gallery Hotel

2006-03-13T18:57:00.000+08:00

Date: 25 Feb 2006
Venue: Miharu Sapporo Ramen, Robertson Quay, The Gallery Hotel

Menu: Tokusen Miso - Special Blend Miso Ramen ($12.5), Tokusen Tonsio - Salt Flavoured Broth ($12), Cha-Mayo Don - Charsiew Mayo Rice ($4.5), Cha-Shu - Charsiew Extra Serving ($4)

The Experience:
My first visit to Miharu Sapporo was marked by a remark that it was very expensive. Indeed it is. But quality comes at a price. Ramen specially flown in from Sapporo, made with natural spring water from the Sapporo region.

You can instantly taste the cleanliness of the noodles and excellent texture. Springy and yet soft and flavourful. Ramen never tasted better. My only quip is that its on the salty and oily side. Although, the staff are ever willing to provide you with clear dashi stock to dilute your soup. As for the oil, we found out that you could request the omission of it. Apparently, the oil is supposed to make the noodles smoother. I prefer it without the oil.

Add the clear dashi stock and you're on your way to ramen heaven. The miso version, chosen by my sis, is smooth, fragrant and honestly, nothing like the miso soup you get from a packet or a Japanese restaurant. It compliments the noodles perfectly. I stuck to the salt version, savouring every bit of the subtle flavour of what salt really tastes like. Salty with a tinge of sweetness and ocean fragrance.

Accompanied by a slice [or 2 if you're lucky that day] of tender charsiew, a heaping of sweet corn and spring onions, a half-boiled egg cooked in spring water [the yolk is squidgy and bright orangy yellow], it's definitely a treat. The long queues of Japanese families waiting to get in the restaurant is a clear testement of where this is heading.

Cha-Mayo don involves the end bits of the char-siew mixed with Japanese mayo served on a small [half portion] bowl of rice, a seaweed and a heap of spring onions. Delicious.

Total bill for 3: $38.12

Quality never comes cheap. But for something so sublime and authentically Japanese, worth a visit or two.

Imperial Treasure Teochew Kitchen, Suntec City, Singapore

2006-03-02T09:07:00.000+08:00

Date: 28 Feb 2006
Venue: Imperial Treasure Teochew Kitchen, Suntec City

Menu: Beef w Kailan ($14), Sliced Goose ($10), Fried Cabbage w Ham ($9.5), Duck with Mashed Yam ($9), Baby Oyster Congee ($5), Mashed Sweet Potato Puff with Nuts ($4), Teochew Crystal Dumplings ($3)

The Experience:
By now, foodies out there would know that Imperial Treasure was set up by Alfred Leung, a former director of Crystal Jade Restaurants and it sure is BETTER! Call me biased by hey, this time round, I had 3 other friends to verify my findings.

Imperial Treasure at Suntec is slightly different from its Takashimaya counterpart where the latter offers finer dining with a more Cantonese approach. If you're there (Takashimaya), be sure to taste their

a) Soup of the Day
b) Braised Winter Melon with Prawn Paste [I still remember it till today]
c) To-die-for Roast Duck [A must-have. Best in town so far!]
d) An excellently executed Braised Lobster Noodles [about $150/kg the last I had on Nov 2005]
e) Wonderfully fragrant Yam Puffs AND
f) An uncomparable Almond Cream [Another classic! See the Shang Palace Review]

Anyway, BACK to the Suntec Branch. Casual meals, Teochew style.
The beef with kailan was a special order as it wasn't on the menu. The beef was extremely tender and one could see that the flame was well controlled with the beef turning up slightly rare. Yummilicious especially when contrasted against the crunchiness of the kailan.

The sliced goose didn't wow. However, the goose was moist and trust me, I've tasted worse. I loved the smootheness of the accompanying tofu but I did feel that the sauce was a tad salty. Lorraine did comment that the chilli-vinegar sauce that came with it was a little garlicky.

The white cabbage with ham was worthy of mention because of the excellent cooking technique. Instead of stir-frying over high heat and a lot of oil to achieve a crunchy texture, the chefs here choose to use a rich stock to braise the cabbage, enveloping it in a smooth and luscious sauce, subtly perfumed with the salted ham. Only David didn't like it since he never enjoyed cabbage. For me, it was it. A simple dish, well executed through technique. Marvellous.

Lastly, the mashed duck with yam. A dish difficult to find elsewhere, it was the second time I've having this and I ain't sick of it yet. Imperial Treasure has a way of choosing the right yam and treating it right. The contrasting textures of crunch from the duck and smoothness of the yam, matched perfectly with the tangy tangerine dipping sauce.

Finally, desserts. One was great, the other wasn't. The sweet potato puff was so-so. It lacked oomph, as agreed by Jolene, and the filling was not fantastic. However, I loved the crystal dumpling for its texture contrast between the red bean paste and the crystal skin. One smooth, the other chewy and stretchy. The sweetness was just right. A fitting end to the dinner.

Total bill for 4: $72

Lorraine made an appointment to return on the Saturday after this meal. I'm definitely a convert from the Crystal Jade Group. Need we say more?

Have You Seen the Mee Pok Man?

2006-02-27T15:42:00.000+08:00

Date: February 25, 2006
Venue: Jalan Tua Kong Lau Lim Mee Pok Kway Teow Mee

When my dad and I discovered that our favorite mee pok (Chinese fetuccini) was no longer at the tiny coffee shop at the corner of Jalan Tua Kong, we were devastated. For a year. we searched high and low but to no avail. Obviously, we didn't search hard enough because after a year (and with help from a family friend), our mee pok loving hearts found their home once again.

One reason why I love this mee pok is simply because of the stall's generosity. You'd be amazed by the sheer amount of ingredients - mince meat, fried pork lard ( which is crazily and yummiliciously sinful), prawns, fish balls, slices of fish cake, fish dumpling, bean sprouts, and slices of pork. Besides coming in generous amounts, the ingredients are fresh too. For example, the prawns are always huge, crunchy, and sweet while the pork never posseses that overpowering smell which most meats tend to possess.

When it comes to flavor, the mee pok is nothing much to holler about but it is way much better than the average stall. The chilli sauce does not reek of vinegar nor does it contain a large amount of dried shrimp, definitely a sin other stores are guilty off. However, what contributes greatly to this flavorful bowl of noodles is the fact that the chilli is mixed with onion oil, pork lard, and a table spoon or two of the stall's crazily tasty soup.

The soup, which accompanies every bowl of dried noodles, is without a doubt the highlight of any meal at this stall. While it's a little on the salty side, it's extremely tasty. On it's own, you can already see why - the bits of pork swimming in the steaming in the soup. But the best way to enjoy the soup is simply with the ingredients mentioned above. If it's already so flavorful on it's own, just imagine the flavors the other ingredients will contribute, especially the sweetness of cooked bean sprouts. How to order it, simple. Just tell the stall dude, " Uncle, one liao tang!"

Every meal at this stall is down right enjoyable. However, the only turnoff is the queue and the crowd. So far, the longest I've waited was an hour. To avoid the queue always arrive before 11a.m. and after 2p.m. on weekdays. On Saturdays, just arrive as early as possible ( the stall opens at 7:30 a.m. every morning). Arrive any later than 1:30p.m., you risk hearing the words, " Sorry but we are sold out."

Price: A bowl of noodles costs $3, $4, and $5 dollars respectively, depending on the size. The ingredient rich soup costs $3.

Less the crowd, the wait is worth it. Just think of that steaming hot soup sliding your throat. Mmmmm - it never fails to motivate me.

Sub-standard Straits Kitchen, Grand Hyatt Hotel Singapore

2006-02-24T16:16:00.000+08:00

Grand Hyatt Hotel Singapore

Date: 23 Feb 2006
Venue: Straits Kitchen, Grand Hyatt Hotel Singapore

Menu: Dinner Buffet ($38+++ Adults), Hawker Food Spread

The Experience:
So much so for the excellent interior design by the renown team at Super Potato (yup, that's the same Japanese interior designer firm that did up mezza9), Straits Kitchen practically did everything to disappoint (in the food section) less the interior, which to be honest, was quite stunning. Straits Kitchen was intended to reflect the culinary delights of our hawker walks found around Singapore. Sadly, it did little to represent our tradional flavours.

Lets take a tour around the different counters where they are distinguished by the region of cooking.

Malay/ Indonesian Food Counter
The charcol grilled satay did quite a bit to redeem this section of the kitchen except that the satay was on the sweet side. It definitely cannot be compared to the smoky burnt satay you get at hawker centres but this was not too bad. I enjoyed the fact that they made an effort to include a charcol grill for both cooking, and heating. Authentic! The rendang was tender but lacked oomph. I would have loved more flavour in the rempah. The chicken curry was a tad too watery. There was grilled stingray and prawns in sambal, which I avoided as it looked way too dry.

Chinese Stir-fry and Roast Meat Counter
Perhaps the most presentable counter, the stir-fried crab was succulent and tasty. The oyster omelet was chocked full of plump and fresh oysters but it simply lack the fragrance (wok hei) of hawker stalls. The crab meat fried rice was bland and the stir-fry vegetables were crunchy but was soaking in sauce. A clear indication of a poorly controlled cooking heat. It didn't help that when I asked whether I could get some freshly stir-fried vegetables (the sign indicated Fresh Stir Fry Vegetables), I was directed to this wok of vegetables sitting in sauce. The roast meats were delightful, not flavourful. The roast duck and steamed white chicken was plump and moist. The roast duck skin was heavenly, given its warm sheen and crispy exterior. It still lacked flavour though. The double-boiled/ steamed soup consisting of fish maw, sea cucumber and a thick chunk of scallop was a definite treat.

Indian Tandoori Counter
An excellent variety of dishes, my brother very much enjoyed the dishes at this counter, accompanied by the variety of pratha, roti and naans made available. Tandoori chicken, fish, prawns abound together with various curries although with inconsistent qualities. The fish cubes (prob bass) was dry and the prawns were extremely salty. The chicken was quite fragrant but I had to moisten it with yoghurt. I tried the paneer but it just didn't have as much flavour as I expected it to have. I definitely wasn't a fan of this counter.

Popiah/ Rojak Counter
The popiah was good standard fare with the turnips crispy and the filling generous. However, to be honest, once you make popiah at home, you're unlikely to appreciate those outside. Somehow, the ingredients just doesn't feel as luxurious. haha...As for the rojak, well, passable. It had lotsa fritters (my favourite) but it didn't wow me. Rojak to me has to taste richly of belachan and has to be of the right sweetness. The sauce has to be nicely balanced and not many places do it well. The vegetables in rojak has to complement the whole dish and not get overly masked by the caramel flavoured sauce. In this case, it did.

Dessert Counter 1 : Chendol & Ice-Kachang
To be honest, never serve chendol when you can't get it right. The ingredients in chendol are simply and yet, easy to go wrong. In this case, it was bad. I had a bowl of chendol that was practically dilute coconut water/milk simply because the coconut cream wasn't lemak at all. Add ice and all you get is coconut flavoured water. So wrong. The ice-kachang was a terrible disappointement to. Kachang, jelly and sweet corn. Good simple ingredients but poorly made. The red beans were mushy, the jelly tasteless and the sweet corn wasn't sweet. 3 of us, and we couldn't even bear to finish one bowl of each dessert. Ouch.

Dessert Counter 2: Ice-cream/ Sorbet/ Gula Melaka Sago & Kueh kueh
I have mixed views about this counter. The mango sorbet was good but we could taste the egg white used in stabilising the melting point of the sorbet. The black sesame ice-cream and coconut ice-cream is a no-no. For good coconut ice-cream, nothing beats Conrad Hotel's Oscars Cafe.

The gula melaka sago was not too bad, except that I put too much gula =) being a sweet-tooth myself. Passable. The kueh-kuehs were weird. Pineapple tarts that tasted rancid (the pineapple filling was as hard, it made a *dumph* sound when you tap it with the back of your spoon. Butter cookies that weren't buttery. Somehow, any nonya would have waved her hands in protest at their kueh-kuehs. The only redeeming factor was their Indian mitthal. That however, is an acquired taste =)

Dessert Counter 3: Fruits
By this time, you would have expected that nothing can go wrong, especially with fruits. Uh-uh. It was luxurious to have persimons and duku at the fruit counter especially since you don't really see them at buffets. Wonderful. But stay far far away from the starfruit. They were terribly sour. Somehow, better to look at then to eat.

Total bill for 3: $132.87

At that price for hawker fare, Straits Kitchen seriously needs to consider focusing on improving its food.

Mad About Mushshrooms

2006-02-23T22:57:00.000+08:00

I simply adore mushrooms.

The soft, juicy, and slightly chewy flesh...

The earthy, nutty, and meaty flavors... wow!

And what better way to enjoy these flavors and textures than on crispy buttered toast.

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS ON TOAST

Ingredients
Sliced mixed mushrooms
(usually portobello, brown and white buttons, and Japanese shitake)
Olive oil
Roughly chopped rosemary, thyme and chives
A clove of garlic
Salt
Coarse Black Pepper
Butter
Ciabatta ( or any bread of your choice)

Method
Chop your garlic and heat your olive oil in a pan. When the oil runs smoothly across the pan's bottom, toss in your garlic and sautee till fragrant and slightly brown. Throw in the rest of the ingredients and some crushed red pepper , if you prefer your shrooms slightly spicy. While the shrooms are cooking, grill or toast your bread until it's slightly brown and generously butter them.

Remember - your shrooms should not cook for more than 4 minutes. If you leave them cooking for any time longer than that, you'll end up with really icky moosh. It so isn't a pretty sight.

Anyway, once the shrooms are tender, scoop them onto the buttered toast, serve, and enjoy!

Drool-worthy Clouds of Scrambled Eggs

2006-02-21T13:34:00.000+08:00

Photo courtesy of Delia Smith

Sometimes, the simplest things are the most difficult things to handle. Most of the times, chefs forget the basics. Quite simply in Singapore, Chinese dim sum restaurants do not even execute their har gao and siew mai well enough, not to mention the disappointing desserts. A dining experience has to be complete. You can choose to be consistent or surprising. But never disappoint.

Back to the simplest things. Somehow there is nothing so subliminally comforting as a squidgy smosh of creamy scrambled eggs on hot buttery toast.

DROOL-WORTHY CLOUDS OF SCRAMBLED EGGS
Gently beat 2 eggs, 2-3 tablespoons of milk and a pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Substitute a tablespoon of milk for a tablespoon of luciously sinful thickened cream for that occassional treat. You won't regret it.

Over an extremely extremely low heat, heat enough oil or butter to thinly coat the pan to prevent the eggs from sticking. I choose a non-stick saucepan and olive oil for its nutty flavour. The choice of oil will affect the flavour of your scrambled eggs.

Pour the egg mixture into the gently heated pan and stir continously making sure you get into the edges of the pan. Toast your bread while at it but keep watching the eggs. I choose wholemeal bread as it holds up better and provides a texture contrast to the creaminess of the eggs.

Use a double-boiler or a water bath to control the heat if your stove fire is too strong. The key is extremely low heat. If you're taking less than 3-5 mins to cook it, it goes out of the pan and into the bin.

Keep stirring non-stop and watch as the bursts of bright yellow slowly transform into a creamy pale smosh of decandence. Once 1/2 of the mixture has formed, it is time to enhance it using smoky flavours such as smoked trout/salmon/cheese/ mushrooms or just keep it plain.

Remove from heat while it is still slightly wet and serve it on the hot buttery toast. The residual heat will continue to cook it and the bread will slowly moisten.

It should have a texture like whipped butter cream. Too wet and you'll end up with soggy toast. But when excellently executed, scrambled eggs are like fluffy clouds bursting with creaminess and flavour. Indulge.

Its simply out of this world, especially on a cool lazy afternoon with a refreshing glass of iced tea.

Crystal Jade La Mian, Suntec City

2006-02-21T11:56:00.000+08:00

Date: 19 Feb, 2006
Venue: Crystal Jade La Mian XiaoLongBao, Suntec City

Menu:
Pork Belly and Preserved Veg ($11.50), Sauteed Sliced Eel ($10.80), Fried Nian Gao ($9), Four Seasons Long Beans ($8), Beijing Pork Dumplings ($4.50), Shanghai XiaoLongBao ($3.60), Glutinous Rice Ball in Sweet Wine ($3), Souffle Egg White Ball ($4.50).

The Experience:
There's nothing like consistency at Crystal Jade restaurants. Actually, so much so that it's becoming a little bland and lacking in excitement. But its always such flavours that bring us back. Complementing our dishes with hot steamed rice, Crystal Jade's dumplings and XiaoLongBaos are definitely way much better than the overly-hyped Ding Tai Fung. At least the XiaoLongBao in the former is filled with a more flavourful stock. If you really want to splurge on Ding Tai Fung, the Shanghai branch sets the standards. The Singapore one has disappointed me on 3 occassions.

The pork belly was wonderfully fragant with the use of sweet mei choy. However, it was way too sweet for my liking. The sauteed slice eels were tender, unlike some of the chewier ones you get outside and there is a nice coating of sauce that ensured that the fish was protected from the high heat. The fried nian gao is a usual staple although I would have preferred a lighter hand at the salt. The beans were nicely done, a little squeaky for my liking but everyone else enjoyed it. Squeaky beans make my hair stand at ends =)

Desserts were so-so. I never liked the egg smell of fried egg souffle although fellow diners found that the souffles were of pretty high standards. The redbean stuffing included slices of bananas which imparted a fragrance. The glutinous balls in sweet rice wine is also worth trying although it is an acquired taste.

Total bill for 5: $78

If consistency is what you want, Crystal Jade delivers it.

Simple Cantonese Epicurian Delights

2006-02-20T01:12:00.000+08:00

Date : February 18, 2006
Venue : Sum's Kitchen & Hong Kong Roasted Meats

Menu:
Braised Fish Head, Lotus Root and Pork Rib Soup, Pork Chops in Sweet and Sour Sauce ( Pai Gut Wong), Crispy Hong Kong Squid with Salt, Poached Spinach with three eggs, Steamed Two-Egg Custard, Stir Fried Frog with Ginger and Spring Onions

The Experience
Located opposite Sembawang Shopping Centre and sandwiched between a Thai Restaurant and a famous Fish Head Curry Stall, Sum's Kitchen is the place to go if you're craving for a relatively simple and yet wonderfully delicious Cantonese meal. Unfortunately for us that evening, we arrived too late to order their famous Roast Duck.

The meat is tender and moist while the skin bursts with flavor. A word of caution though, their ducks are alway fat but they are so good that even a conscious weight watcher like me throws all caution to the wind just to savour them. Just note that once you arrive after 7:30 p.m, consider yourself really lucky if you even see a drumstick at the counter. Other must try dishes would be the Ma Po Tou Fu and the Eggplant Braised with Salted Fish.

When a person dines at Sum's, a dish anyone must try would be the Crispy Hong Kong Squid served with Salt. Unlike most places, the squid maintains its tenderness while the skin is all so crispy and nicely coated with salt and pepper. Very yummy and really to die for!

And the soups! Sum's Kitchen's double boiled soup never fails to impress me. Tonight's soup was Lotus Root double boiled with Pork Ribs. While it sounds plain and typical but what makes the soup here so tasty is that it's boiled with a generous amount of dried ingredients (squid, oysters, red dates) and a piece or two of what I suspect is dried orange peel. However, the soup menu changes on a daily basis so feel free to ask the staff what is the soup for the day.

While I normally never eat Fresh Water Fish for fear of the muddy taste and smell, the braised Fish Head here is so well done that I had no qualms about eating it. And don't get me started on the Steamed Two-Egg Custard! It was absolutely soft and smooth and the Century egg doesn't have a strong ammonia smell or a heavily rancid taste. Extremely delightful.

Last but not least, the sauce for the Pai Gut Wong was pretty sweet and tangy, unfortunately, the pork chops could have been a little more tender. The vegetables and the frog ( 2 frogs at $18) were good but really nothing much to holler about.

Overall, the service has been pretty all right. Like many small restaurants, the quality varies with mood but fortuantely, we've had no bad encounters lately. The worst we've gotten so far was them being so busy that they even forgot to give us tea and take our orders. However, there is a dude there who is an excellent server. He's always prompt, polite and when we asked him for some pork lard that evening and he happily gave us a huge portion. But non-Chinese speakers be warned. The staff converse mainly in Cantonese and Mandarin and their command of English is pretty poor.

Total Bill for 5: Approx $90

Pretty reasonable for Seven dishes, including tea and 7 bowls of rice.

So-So @ Shang Palace, Shangri-la Hotel Singapore

2006-02-18T21:55:00.000+08:00

Shangri-La Hotel Singapore

Date: 18 Feb 2006
Venue: Shang Palace, Shangri-la Hotel Singapore

Menu:
BBQ Platter ($24), Shark Cartilage Soup ($18), Dumpling Soup ($18), Har Gao ($4.80), SiewMai ($4.50), Chicken Claw ($4.50), Fritter Rice Rolls ($5), XiaoLongBao ($4.50), Turnip Cake ($4.50), Yam Puff ($4.50), Avocado Paste & Sago ($5), Mango Pomolo Sago ($5), Almond Cream ($5)

Experience:
My first visit back at the Shang after 6 years since their last renovation. The experience was so-so. The desserts was something to rave about but the dim-sum is not as refined as I expected it to be. In short, it wasn't flavourful. Perhaps my tastebuds are adulterated by commercial mass-produced dim-sum but it simply wasn't a memorable event dining at the Shang.

The shark cartilage soup was however, the best I had in town so far, after Ritz-Carlton's Summer Pavillion. Filled with milky goodness, it was served with a massive piece of fish stomach (not the maw), pretty good I must say. The BBQ platter was not too bad either.

Stay far away from their XiaoLongBao. The skin was tough and the interior was dry. The Yam Puff clearly wasn't fried in fresh oil. Despite its crispy exterior, it lacked the sheen and flavour of well made Yam Puffs.

The Avocado Cream was very unique and the smoothness of the cream complemented the sago perfectly. The Almond Cream was refined and fragant probably as good as my all-time favourite, Imperial Treasures @ Takashimaya.

Service was inconsistent. The staff were all extremely friendly and helpful but they lacked attentiveness. I found myself filling up the tea cups more often than I saw them around. Didn't help that I didn't get my water filled up at all after finishing a glass. I suspected they lacked staff but the restaurant was relatively empty, so much so that you could hear the conversation at your next table.

Total bill for 4: $135

A mediocre meal @ a Shangri-la. The ocassional delights.

Yummy Beginnings

2006-02-17T21:19:00.000+08:00

Having nothing to critique, I thought I might just open my role in this blog with a recipe for Home Cooked Beef Soup. This soup is really simple, light, tasty and crazily comforting on rainy days. I always serve it with rice or with a Roast Vegetable Pasta or slices of buttered French toast, which have been toasted to crispy perfection.

However, I must apologize. While I have no qualms about sharing my recipes, I am unable to tell just how much of what goes into these meals. Even I have no idea just how much of what I put into these meals. Like I was telling Ben, it's all trial and error and the cooking itself. So hopefully you guys will be able to play around with the ingredients and whip out a storm of a meal.

Lorri's Home Cooked Beef Soup

Ingredients
Beef
Carrots
Red Onions
Potatoes
Celery

Cooking
Roughly chop the onions, carrots, potatoes, slice the celery, and cut the beef into 2 cm cubes. Once that's done, heat a little oil (I use olive) in a pot and throw in the onions and toss them around till they turn translucent. Afterwhich, pour some water in and once it starts to boil, throw in the beef and let it simmer for about half an hour before adding the rest of the ingredients. Add salt and pepper as desired and boil it all under low heat for about another hour or an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Sanur Indonesian Restaurant Suntec City

2006-02-17T15:07:00.000+08:00

Date: 9 Feb 2006
Venue: Sanur Indonesian Restaurant Suntec City

Menu:
Kangkong Belachan ($8.50), Tahu Telur ($10.50), Beef Rendang ($7.95), Ikan Pepes ($8.50), BBQ Sotong ($12.95).

Experience:
Sanur is one of those places you go for a casual night out and for tonight, I enjoyed it with my closest group of friends. Sanur has been relatively consistent and I always enjoy their Ikan Pepes. Think otak, but instead of being processed with a lot of flour, this is just a pressed otak filled with flaked fish. Yummy!

The Beef Rendang was in my opinion, a little tough for the liking, although it is usually how they do it. Different from the Malaysian style where its all flaked, Indonesian Beef Rendang comes in yummylicious chunks of beef. Sotong was good, not rubbery at all and the Tahu Telur is a masterpiece on its own.

Service was a little mechanical. I mean, you got what you needed and that's it. Oh, haha and they got us to pay for an exorbitant jug of lime juice ($18.95). It was enjoyable, but it wasn't out-of-this world. It was rather, the company that mattered.

Total bill for 4: $88.65.

Not too bad, although big eaters might find it expensive for the portions.

Outback Steakhouse and Millenia Walk

2006-02-17T14:45:00.000+08:00

So Exciting...A blogspace dedicated to our feasting escapades. And yes! Enjoy...

Date : 7 Feb 2006
Venue: Outback Steakhouse Millenia Walk

Menu:
Bushman Shrooms ($13.90), a pretty small portion of Potato Soup ($4.90), 10-ounce Prime-minister Roast ($32.90), 8-ounce Ribeye Roast ($29.90).

Experience:
Quite Disappointing in fact. I usually dine at Outback and this was the first time my steak (the Prime Minister Roast) was tough. And trust me, it was really tough despite turning out medium-rare. Didn't help that the steamed cauliflower was a little mouldy too.

To be fair, I have always enjoyed their Prime Minister roast; extremely moist with a nice crust. The kitchen probably had a bad day. The soup comforting, although a little heavy with the salting. The Shrooms were so-so.

Despite the bad-food day, the service recovery was excellent. The staff (SNOW - I can still remember his name..haha) actually informed his manager and they offered us complimentary dessert: Thunder Down Under ($13.90 I think) or something similar. That was a decadent heap of chocolate brownie, fresh cream, ice cream, chocolate chips and shavings PLUS loads of chocolate fudge. They were nice about it as well, so it kinda saved the day.

Compared to the EXTREMELY bad service I encountered at MoonFish (Disgusting attitude) and Bakerzin (Pathetic company policy) both at Millenia Walk, I'll still choose Outback. Anytime man...

Total bill for 3: $95.

Not the cheapest place around, but can be enjoyable.