cravings and wanderlust

A Deluxe Lunch at Tatsuya, Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore

2015-03-19T23:54:00.000+08:00

Sushi lunch set, $90

I was having a casual lunch at Tatsuya by the sushi counter almost two years ago when I saw a lady stroll into the restaurant in a t-shirt and sweat shorts. Juxtaposed with the row of dolled up, glamorous women seated at the sushi counter, she looked completely out of place but appeared unfazed. Then she sat down beside me, full of dignity and grace, whispered her order to the staff, and proceeded to enjoy an omakase by herself. Sushi after premium sushi landed on her plate from the chef's hands, which she savoured in a sort of quiet joy, unperturbed and completely at peace. Just watching her (mostly from the corner of my eye), I have to say, she changed my life.

I saw in her a woman who was not only comfortable in her own skin, but also her own best friend, and (at least to my imagination) financially sound enough to strut into a restaurant in her most unflattering lounge clothes to enjoy a luxurious meal. I was well and truly inspired. Since then I've always wanted to do the same thing - strut into Tatsuya, have a meal by myself, and nibble on premium sushi in joy and solitude. So I did just that.

Delicate chawanmushi with yuzu zest

Except with much less aplomb! I strutted in like she did, but the sushi counter was full (on a weekday afternoon!) so I was seated in a private room instead. And then my heart sank further when my sushi course was served to me all at once, rather than piece by piece. Nevertheless, it was jolly good quality time - just me and my sushi - and that was pretty much the whole point of it all anyway.

Mouthwatering aburi sushi

It was my first time trying Tatsuya's more premium offerings. Previously, it was all the rage for offering amazing-value set lunches between $28-$30 (I've got evidence too) but since its renovation, prices have been adjusted to make it on par with the rest of the higher-end Japanese restaurants ($35-$40). I chose the $90 sushi set (served with light appetizers and chawanmushi), which seemed like a suitable compromise between the standard lunch sets and omakase ($200).

Delectable sushi

The fish was luscious. Sweet and fresh like they were straight from the ocean (did you see that glorious, glorious shrimp?). I'll be hard-pressed to name all the fish but it featured mostly belly cuts, including tai (sea bream), kanpachi (amberjack), and the divine otoro. I understood, finally, the hype about Tatsuya's aburi sushi. They were executed with a surprisingly modern flair, each decorated with just the right sprinkle of garnish (such as yuzu, amongst others) to bring out the flavour in each sushi. Absolutely delicious. My only gripe was that the seaweed for the gunkan sushi and maki was soggy - how could it be soggy at this price point? So the set is certainly not cheap, nor good value, but overall very delicious, indeed.

Tatsuya
22 Scotts Road,
Goodwood Park Hotel,
Singapore 228221
Tel: (65) 6737 1160

A Secret Day Trip from Bangkok

2015-01-07T22:50:00.000+08:00

Sunflower Fields

Three hours away or so from Bangkok (depending on your mode of transport) lies a place quite unlike any other. For all the travelling I've done, it was the first time anyone has ever brought me on a secret day trip. And what a day trip it was.

Sea of yellow, emerald and gold

Have you ever seen anything quite like this? Like a field of gold, it was a sight to behold - these hundreds of thousands of sunflowers in magnificent bloom. As the vehicle we hired neared the main sunflower fields, the rolling fields on both sides became a blur of yellow, emerald and gold. It was like watching magic before my eyes that nature had conjured.

Splendid flowers

It was such a beautiful photo backdrop and a photographer's dream (we were helplessly trigger happy). The best part for me though, was walking through the splendid fields of gorgeous flowers, slowly, deliberately, just being there. To feel the vastness of beauty. To admire the beauty nature brings. See, these flowers are in season from November to January, so there's still time if you're headed for Bangkok in the next few weeks (scroll to the end for directions).

Assorted Khmer ruins

And that is not all! Lop Buri is also home to fascinating Khmer ruins and hoards of roaming, stray monkeys. For all purposes I felt like I had stumbled into a zoo enclosure filled with monkeys. Except I wasn't in a zoo, I was in an actual, functioning city. Unbelievable.

Beware of inquisitive monkeys

That said, these monkeys tended to gather at the ruins, as they must have gathered that these were hotspots for gullible human beings (read: tourists) keen to buy little packets of feed for them. I was far more interested in the ruins and staying out of their way. Alright I'll confess that monkeys in large numbers intimidate me - I practically screamed when one of the monkeys jumped for my hand.

Conveniently enough, these ruins (which closes at 6pm) are all scattered within walking distance from the train station. My only regret was not setting off earlier and giving ourselves more time to finish exploring this one-of-a-kind city.

Getting to Lop Buri from Bangkok

By Train:

Trains heading from Bangkok to Lop Buri leave throughout the day, roughly every hour between 5 am - 9 pm. Rapid and express trains between Lop Buri and Bangkok take about three hours, while ordinary trains take about 4½ hours. Express train tickets could cost as much as 350 baht, while ordinary trains cost just 28 baht.

By Bus:

From Bangkok, air-conditioned and non air-conditioned buses that leave from the Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2) every 20 minutes between 5.30 am and 8.30 pm. The journey takes three hours and costs 110 baht.

By Car:

Bangkok to Lop Buri is a two hour drive either along Highway No.1 via Saraburi (total distance of 153 kilometers) or Highway No. 32 to Ayutthaya and then along Highway No. 347 to Lop Buri via Tha Ruea District.

Getting to the Sunflower Fields from Lop Buri

By Tuk-tuk:

Depending on how well you bargain, a roundtrip to the sunflower fields could cost anything between 700-1,500 baht.

By Bus:

Lop Buri Train station to Lop Buri Bus Terminal

1. From Lop Buri train station, turn right towards Phra Kan roundabout. At the roundabout, turn right, and you should see a bus stop opposite the road. Take any bus from the bus stop for 8 baht and inform the conductor you wish to stop near the bus terminal.

2. Alight the bus just before the next roundabout and take the pedestrian bridge to cross the road. The Lop Buri bus terminal is a five minutes walk from the bridge.

Lop Buri Bus Terminal to Sunflower Fields

3. At Lop Buri bus terminal, take the local bus (green, platform 20) for 15 baht and inform the conductor that you are headed for the sunflower fields (would be useful to show a picture).

Good luck!

Bedrock Bar & Grill - No-Nonsense Steaks, Singapore

2014-10-08T00:34:00.004+08:00

Bedrock Bar & Grill

Bedrock Bar & Grill is the kind of steakhouse that hits all the right notes. It's classy enough, achingly hip and serves up a damned good steak. The kind of steakhouse I could imagine in downtown Manhattan.

Complimentary Flat Bread

Unlike at most places, the bread served here is far from an afterthought. It was actually, truly wonderful. The freshly baked flatbread was served piping hot with not just butter, but also a spread of delicious roasted garlic cloves perfect for lending a nutty, spicy edge.

Australian Grass Fed Porterhouse Steak, $89

Generally, I admire steakhouses that serve a no-nonsense steak; that is, serving it naked, allowing the meat to speak for itself. Bedrock does just that. We had the Australian Grass-Fed Porterhouse, $89, that night. Four servings of it. The steaks were beautifully charred and gorgeously rich in flavour. We were recommended to go for medium for this cut, and told that medium rare would be a little tough. We decided to try both and I live to report that the recommendations made by the knowledgeable waitstaff should be heeded. That said, while the medium rare steak really (and I mean really) put our jaw strength to test, it was juicier and I would even go as far to say that it was a tad more tasty. But go for medium.

A cut of porterhouse

We also got to choose from an array of sauces and condiments, which were very well done in fact (particularly the fiery chilli), but who needs sauces when the steak is good naked?

Mac n' Cheese, $20, Duck Fat Potatoes, $16

In the sides 'arena', the Duck Fat Potatoes, $16, was gloriously unremarkable, but the Mac n' Cheese, $20, was pretty amazing. The cheese was baked to perfection (as you can easily see), and the shallow pan means a good deal of very good burnt cheese to each scoop of macaroni. I'll certainly be back - the USDA Prime cuts and Tomahawk (F1 long-bone Wagyu) are very, very tempting.

Recommendations: Mac n' Cheese, Steaks
I'll skip: Duck Fat Potatoes

Bedrock Bar & Grill
#01-05, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites,
96 Somerset Road
Tel: (65) 6238 0054
Website

HY California - Awesome Lunch Bentos!

2014-09-08T22:44:00.002+08:00

Sleek interior of HY California

I'm a food nerd. I had a professor who once confessed that he enjoys trawling through IPO prospectuses and company annual reports in his free time. I thought he was crazy. The thing is, I'm not all that different, except the things I trawl through are online restaurant menus, food review sites, food section of lifestyle sites, food blogs... you get the drift. According to yelp, HY California is no great shakes, so I never thought to try it. That is, until Y and I were out of time and desperately looking for a lunch spot and I thought the place did look decent. This is, I suppose, a classic example of how reviews (including my own) are not gospel...

Japanese Fried Chicken Bento, $16

Most of the diners probably had inflated expectations because of the Hide Yamamoto name. But it's just not realistic to expect to get the same Hide Yamamoto quality at a fraction of the price. I find it admirable, actually, when celebrity chefs attempt to make good food more accessible, and I feel that HY California achieved just that. The lunch bentos start at only $16 for the Japanese Fried Chicken Bento, up to $26 for the Beef Steak Bento. Regardless of the 'mains' selected, each bento comes with a chicken spring roll, sashimi, tempura, miso soup and either white rice or a california roll. Can you believe it?

Beef Steak Bento, $26

The food was surprisingly good. The california roll was wonderful - a cut above anything you get at similarly priced sushi chains. The spring roll had been done in a sesame dressing and tasted great - refreshing with a nice crunch. The sashimi, which was sweet and fresh, hit the spot for me. Even the tempura, while not perfect, was very decent. The batter was lighter and more airy than it looked. The beef steak was tasty, but I found myself enjoying the Japanese fried chicken a lot more. The chicken had been deep fried with a thin, crisp batter that reminded me a little of Izy Izakaya's mind-blowing karaage. Don't expect a dramatic food 'arbitrage', it is what it is - a very lovely bento selection with a good combination of dishes at a really sweet price point.

P.S. Speaking of menu trawling, Hide Yamamoto's lunch sets, which start from $38, are really calling out to me...

HY California
#1-86, Marina Bay Sands,
2 Bayfront Avenue
Tel: (65) 66887426
Open: 17:30 - 23:00 daily
Website

Lunch @ Dinings, London - Remarkable Sushi

2014-08-21T23:29:00.000+08:00

Dinings, London

Dinings, for a sashimi-phile like myself, is a god sent. There is an emphasis on quality ingredients and just the right mix of traditional and the more say, contemporary creations. It's a quaint, tiny set-up owned by ex-Nobu chef Tomonari Chiba, with a sushi counter on the ground level and a small, minimalist dining area in the basement. Since it was a breezy summer when I visited, dining at the sushi counter where we had a clear view of the chefs working their magic was a no-brainer. I didn't know then, but I was about to be blown away by some of the best sushi I've ever had.

Sushi Mori 10, £24.95 (chefs' selection of 10pcs of traditional sushi served with miso soup)

Both my dining companion and I had the Sushi Mori lunch set, the only sushi set served - the remaining selection of lunch sets were donburi-style i.e. rice bowls. It was marvellous. All ten nigiri sushi were beautifully prepared, and each of them incredibly sweet and fresh. The deep fried prawn head, which was light, crisp, and utterly delicious (as you can imagine), was not just quirky but also a brilliant use of ingredients. The chutoro (medium fatty tuna) stood out, as usual. But the rest of sashimi pulled their weight, taking turns to awe us almost equally, whether it was the sweet, succulent scallop or one of the unidentifiable fish that teasingly melted on our tongue.

Seared wagyu beef sushi topped with foie-gras and sweet soy, £8.45 each

Honestly, I didn't know when I would be back in London, so I couldn't pass up trying possibly the most famed item on the menu - the Seared Wagyu Beef Sushi topped with Foie-gras and Sweet Soy. It's one of those creations that sounds kitsch and cheesy because the ingredients used are so obvious - by which I mean, how could anyone put seared wagyu and foie gras together and go even remotely wrong? But the impeccable quality of the ingredients, so expertly prepared, blew all my sceptical socks away.

Fresh truffle ice-cream, £7

We threw in a scoop of Fresh Truffle Ice-cream for good measure. Boy, was I glad we did. The hint of truffle was just strong enough without overpowering the sweet milk-based ice-cream - might sound strange but truly tasted wonderful.

Always thought that the best thing a travelling visitor can hope for is a last meal that makes the heart swell with an aching anticipation of experiencing even more - I certainly got my wish. Till next time, London!

Dinings
22 Harcourt street
London
w1h 4hh
Tel: (44) (0)2077230666
Website

Lunch at Teppei/ Hana Hana, Singapore - It's the Bara Chirashi

2014-07-21T21:02:00.002+08:00

Bara Chirashi, $17.60

It's the Bara Chirashi that keeps me coming. I've had the exact same thing five or six times, and I know I'm still going to come for more. Is it a perfect bowl of Chirashi? No. It's carelessly seasoned, too liberally so, every time. But still, the generous chunks of sashimi fish are sweet, fresh and no doubt the best I've been able to lay my hands on at this price point (sans the maguro... then again that's always tricky). Aoki's a fantastic place for chirashi and my favourite, but also twice the price.

Bara Chirashi, all mixed up

Plus, all you have to do is thoroughly mix things up (see picture above) or simply ensure each chunk of liberally seasoned fish is paired with a spoonful of vinegared rice. That way, you're set. The fish changes day to day - there were chunks of swordfish one time, another time my bowl was generously decked with delicious, crunchy shellfish! Also, don't fret about the queue. There's a trick to to it (read about it here - brilliantly laid out, couldn't have said it better myself - basically, reach between 12.45 to 1pm), or simply head to Hana Hana right next to Teppei where queues are far shorter even though they're run by the same folks. Hana Hana serves up Bara Chirashi for lunch as well, alongside a lunch menu including Beef Steak Don, Oyako Don and Iberico Pork Katsu Don.

Beef Steak Don, $18

I wasn't so much of a fan of their Beef Steak Don, which was dry and lacking in flavour. The egg was a nice touch, though. It's not exactly bad, just a far less compelling dish altogether compared to the Bara Chirashi.

Oden, Miso Soup (both complimentary)

Best thing about lunch at Teppei or Hana Hana? Their generous appetisers of nourishing oden laid out on the counter and miso soup served straight to your hands. You're never going to leave this tiny restaurant hungry.

P.S. Found out about a few Teppei lunch hacks recently! You could top up any of the rice bowls with negitoro (+7) and/or uni, for instance. And there are apparently a few secret dishes (a certain fried chicken) that I am still trying to uncover. Do add on to the list under the comments section if you know of more!

Teppei/ Hana Hana
#01-17, Orchid Hotel,
1 Tras Link
Tel: 65 62227363

(Inaugural) Taste of Perth 2014

2014-06-23T23:10:00.000+08:00

I've been caught up with a multitude of things - a business trip to London, a professional exam... life. But earlier in May, Y and I took time out for a trip to Perth and popped by the inaugural Taste of Perth festival. Such a beautiful event, really, with amazing food and gorgeous weather (autumn transiting into the beginnings of winter). There were no lack of happy faces and booths after booths of gourmet produce, chef creations, wine... you name it.

Nobu - Yellow Tail Sashimi with Jalapeño

I got my first taste of Nobu, finally - even if Nobu no longer has the same ring to it as it had a few years back, it's still one of those restaurants I've been meaning to try. It didn't disappoint. The Yellow Tail Sashimi with Jalepeño was sweet and fresh with just the right kick of heat and acidity from the citrus dressing.

Nobu - Pork Belly, Spicy Miso, Caramel

The other Nobu dish we tried - Pork Belly with Spicy Miso and Caramel, was lovely but more forgettable.

Live bands were belting out solid tunes at the heart of the festival, while we walked around soaking in the atmosphere, tasting wines and ciders (a sneak preview of our trip down to Margaret River that very night).

Print Hall Dining Room - Half a Dozen Oysters

I couldn't pass up on the oysters, freshly shucked by Jerry Fraser (Perth's celebrity oyster shucker). It's clear from the picture that he's excellent in this. The Australian oysters, though on the small side, were plumb and juicy but not quite my favourite (can't put a finger as to why).

No4 Blake Street - Tuna Sashimi, Squid Ink Rice, Ginger Cream, Radish and Shiso

We made a point to go for all the creative-sounding dishes, so this fit the bill. The squid ink rice crisps were delicious - looked and even tasted a little like Japanese nori - too bad the sesame crusted tuna sashimi wasn't exactly my cup of tea.

Couldn't resist most of the gourmet produce but I walked away with three distinct memories:

1. Truffle Honey from the Truffle and Wine Co.,
2. Peanut Butter from Pic's Really Good Peanut Butter, and
3. Sourdough from New Norcia Bakeries (we took one home and had amazing sourdough sandwiches for breakfast all the rest of our road trip).

Co-op Dining - Duck & Chestnut Soup; Chocolate & Beetroot Cake with Sour Cream Mousse

With our last remaining 'Crowns' (the Taste of Perth currency), we gave Co-op Dining a shot and walked away impressed. The Duck & Chestnut Soup with duck confit in a roasted chestnuts broth looked simple but tasted wholesome and totally delicious. The Chocolate & Beetroot Cake combined three ingredients that I never imagined could work together and the blended flavours were just perfect - the tartness of the sour cream contrasting well with the luscious chocolate and earthy beetroot.

Taste of Perth was a fabulous night of good food, music and drinks. Till the next time!

Guess What, ProjXct by Eclecticism is Here Again!

2014-04-27T21:40:00.002+08:00

If you haven't heard (or missed it the last time), ProjXct by Eclecticism is up again for three days starting this Monday! Once again, it's a huge, huge sale with fantastic brands (that I love). I've had my eyes set on some Rachel Pally maxi dresses for the longest time - can't wait to see the loot on offer. In case it isn't obvious from the poster, everything - and I mean everything - is going for the stated price. Yes, that means all the MinkPink stuff are ten bucks - crazy, right?

If you're feeling lucky, don't miss out the chance to win yourself a $100 Eclecticism voucher (come on, this is no time to be lazy, think about the amazing labels like Ella Moss, StyleStalker or Free People you could splash on!). Besides, the competitions are seriously easy.

1) Share the official event poster on Facebook or Instagram and hashtag #projXct and #eclecticismsg. One lucky winner will receive a $100 Eclecticism voucher.

2) Guess the weight of the pile of American Apparel in the poster. Come to ProjXct and take a picture. Post it on Facebook or Instagram and hashtag #projXct and #eclecticismsg. The closest answer will receive a $100 Eclecticism voucher.

While you're at it, feel free to grab a cuppa - I must have had it a million times already - you won't be disappointed.

Event Details
ProjXct by Eclecticism
Location: Made By Lauren Jasmine (47 Amoy Street)
28th to 30th April 2014 (Monday to Wednesday)
8am to 8pm

The Tippling Club - A Medley of Surprises

2014-03-30T18:09:00.001+08:00

The Tippling Club

Wow, lunch at the Tippling Club was a real treat. I never really thought about lunch here, mainly because $57 for 3 courses didn't sound like much. Boy, was I wrong. The entire experience, from the chic ambience down to the inventive dishes and string of surprise amuse bouches, was one serious feast for the sight and senses.

Quirky table setting

Expect quirky table settings. A knife and fork rest made of airtight packs of olive oil and herbs (using sous-vide machines?) And of course, tiny napkins that expand soon as the wait staff pours a little water.

Singaporean Curry, Tomato Water sipped through Basil Oil

The amuse bouches were fun and completely delicious. The Singaporean Curry was a curry-flavoured mousse served with rice crispies and deep-fried curry leaves. The flavours were done completely right - it really was Singaporean curry. The test tube of Tomato Water sipped through Basil Oil was pleasantly refreshing, like a breath of fresh air.

Charred Bell Peppers with Soy and Wasabi

My favourite amuse bouche was the Charred Bell Peppers with Soy and Wasabi. All of us had expected the crust to taste somewhat burnt and bitter, only to realise that it was nothing but a light as air tempura batter infused with either squid ink or charcoal. Together with the miso dip, this was almost too delicious for words.

Kingfish Carpaccio

The set lunch menus over here change every month, so there's always an illogical reason (or logical excuse) to return. The Kingfish Carpaccio, one of the starters, was plated so beautifully we could barely bear to eat it. At first glance, there was a lot going on, including a few pieces of crisp nori, avocado purée and apple slices, but the flavours all came together very well.

Scallop Ceviche and Corn Soup

The Scallop Ceviche and Corn Soup was a real delight, with sweet scallops and scattered popcorns adorning the hearty soup.

Venison with Onion Nettle, Trout with Beetroot Quinoa

The tender and flavourful Venison with Onion Nettle was small but satisfying. The real surprise was the onion nettle, a re-invented onion ring that tasted exactly like those at your usual fast food joints except without none of the annoyingly tough strings. The Trout with Beetroot was simple but very good. The dish came across as a little plain, but the skin was perfectly crisp with the meat remaining moist, juicy and delicious.

Dessert and Coffee

The desserts were a lot of fun. What looked like a toast in the chocolate dessert really was an insanely airy coffee flavoured pastry. The coffee was probably the most ordinary part of the entire meal.

Caramelised Pear

The caramelised pear looked just like a candied pear, except it was really caramel sorbet on a bed of filo pastry flakes. It looked so real!

Sweets and Chocolate

The meal ended with a few pieces of chocolates and sweets, which tasted pretty incredible (especially the one with the matcha filling). Lunch at the Tippling Club was all hits and no misses, maybe a little on the steep side, but definitely one of my most memorable meals this year. Fully recommended.

The Tippling Club
38 Tanjong Pagar Road
Singapore 088461
Tel: +65 6475 2217
Website

Savour 2014! Here's the lowdown.

2014-03-08T17:20:00.001+08:00

Savour 2014 at the Promontory

Savour is back! I was a little worried that things could be getting old, but the new venue at the promontory with breathtaking views of the bay really brought out the festival vibes, and of course the gourmet village, gourmet market and masterclasses continue to surprise and entice, with a good number of showstoppers. Here's what I loved this time round.

Mikuni (SG): 72hr Miso Braised Short Rib, Hokkaido Botan Ebi with Caviar

Mikuni's booth was first class. The 72hr Miso Braised Short Rib was sublime, and certainly the best thing you can get at Savour for 10 savour dollars. The Hokkaido Botan Ebi with Caviar was completely delicious as well, served on a ladle of intense crustacean bisque. There's even tiny glasses of sake served as a treat to the patient diners waiting in line!

Kiin Kiin (Denmark): Frozen Red Curry with Prawn and Coriander Salad, Bubbledogs (UK): José

With a reputation as the first Thai restaurant in the world to be awarded a Michelin star, I had to give chef Henrik Yde's Kiin Kiin a go. His Frozen Red Curry with Prawn and Coriander Salad, essentially a robustly flavoured red curry ice-cream with beautiful crunchy prawns, just blew me away. So incredible. Bubbledog's gourmet hotdogs completely charmed me as well, with José's flawless combination of fresh tomato salsa, guacamole, sour cream and pickled jalapenos adorning a snappy, delicious dog.

Bo Innovation (HK): Umami (Black Truffle, Toro, Rice Noodle, Dry Shrimp Powder), Lap Mei Fan (Foie Gras, Rose Wine, Crispy Rice)

I never ever miss trying chef Alvin Leung's Bo Innovation booth, since Alvin always has new tricks up his sleeves each year. This time, I fell in love with Umami. The combination of an incredible sliver of toro (which was surprisingly fatty) served atop rice noodles perfectly seasoned with black truffle and dry shrimp powder was just fantastic. The Lap Mei Fan, a claypot rice mousse with hints of foie gras, garnished with rose wine cubes and rice crispies was very interesting, but not really something I'd dig.

Lugdunum Bouchon Lyonnais (JP): Eclair D'escargots, JAAN (SG): 55' Organic Egg with Smoked Potato, Chorizo Iberico and Buckwheat

I loved chef Christophe Paucod's Eclair D'escargots - the choux pastry went surprisingly well with the snails, served with tomato, persil and garlic. Chef Julien Royer's (JAAN) 55' Organic Egg was simple but excellently executed and darn tasty - guess you can never go too wrong with runny yolk and chorizo iberico 'bacon bits'.

Rocksalt (UK): Pan-fried Rye Bay Scallop, L'Osteria via Solata: White Chocolate Mousse with Watermelon and Ginger Sauce

Chef Mark Sargeant's (Rocksalt) Pan-fried Rye Bay Scallop was tasty, but not particularly interesting. Chef Ezio Gritti's White Chocolate Mousse with Watermelon and Ginger Sauce wasn't particularly exciting either, and a little too sweet for my taste.

Culinary gadgets at ToTT

This year, ToTT, the cookware purveyor of dreams, has also joined in the Savour bandwagon. If you've ever wanted to find out how exactly sous-vide is done, there's a demonstration for the SousVide Supreme right at the counter! Also at the counter were complimentary mini cupcakes adorned with Magic Sparkles (sparkly, light reflecting sparkles in a variety of colours that are fully edible).

ToTT's QR Code Shopping Wall

I felt good just admiring the beautiful KitchenAid mixers, silently adding new items into my mental list of what my future dream kitchen would stock. By the way, as a Savour special, shipping is complimentary for purchases over $80, instead of the usual $200, so no worries about lugging your bulk purchases home. Everything not physically displayed can also be browsed on their iPads or bought online (thus the QR code shopping wall). Honestly, everyone who loves cooking should check out their brick and mortar store at Dunearn Road at least once, or visit their online store.

Jasons Gourmet Market

Jason's gourmet market is always my last stop at Savour. It only seems fitting to round up the experience by grabbing some gourmet groceries home. There's the usual wonderful array of hams and cheeses and what nots that you can taste, as well as a beef section where you could sample small chunks of grilled wagyu!

Jasons Gourmet Market

One last tip, plan your time around the masterclasses - there are some very interesting ones out there like macaron baking and cocktail mixing classes that you might hate yourself for missing. I mean, I speak from experience. Bon appetit!

My Awesome Café, Indeed - Telok Ayer, Singapore

2014-03-03T23:13:00.001+08:00

My Awesome Café

My Awesome Café has the kind of laid-back charm that draws you in the minute you see it. All the diners are relaxed, casually people-watching and chowing on wholesome sandwiches - it's a picture perfect scene that I wanted to be a part of immediately. It's not everyday that a café plays up retro kitsch to such marvellous effect. Plus, the bread I was eyeing looked pretty amazing.

1/4 Salmon Quiche with Coffee, $9.90

My gut instinct has on occasions led me to disasters of the worst order but this time it served me well. The menu may be limited, but ingredients are fresh, sides of leafy greens are generous, and the freshly baked goods (namely the baguette, croissant and quiche) are quite lovely for the price. Okay, I would dig a quiche with more egg and less crust. Apart from that, my only other complaint is the coffee - I ordered a flat white that came across a little weak, but that could be teething issues.

My Awesome Salad, $14, Croissant with Scrambled Eggs and Ham + Coffee, $8.90

Most of the salads here have a sandwich equivalent - now, when in doubt, I would recommend ladies to get the salads, and men to chow the sandwiches. The main difference appears to be the bread to greens ratio (scroll up and down to see what I mean). But of course, the house namesake salad, a mix of most of the best things you could assemble in a single salad (think avocado, smoked salmon, herbed chicken breast and a sinfully creamy duck rillette) is a combination fit for grown men too. The honey glazed ham served here is thinly shaved and tasted wonderful - perfect with the croissant, although I am more a fan of slightly clumpy scrambled eggs (saw clumpier scrambled eggs elsewhere on the web - teething issues too, perhaps?) .

Duck Rillette Sandwich, $13, Cold Cuts Platter with Bread, $20

The duck rillette here is absolutely delicious, and is also included as part of the cold cuts platter, which is my favourite dish on the menu. The cold cuts and home-made spreads are very, very good for the price, with free flow of bread (good luck even finishing the first basket). Not sure what went into the duck pâté, but it tasted pretty damned good. This is probably my go-to dish at My Awesome Café from now on. This time, I came after sundown and had a platter of cold cuts with a few happy hour pours of Stella Artois ($11), Hoegaarden ($13) and Leffe ($11) - this is the life, my friends. Oh, as you can see from the top picture, the open-face sandwiches here are very filling.

There are a couple of hits and misses and some teething issues (which I'll update as I return on more visits), but My Awesome café channels a wonderful European vibe with a good buzz perfect for friends.

Recommendations: Cold Cuts Platter, Duck Rillette, My Awesome Salad

My Awesome Café
202 Telok Ayer Singapore
Tel: +65 8428 0102
Open: 7am - 9pm (week days), 10am-3pm (weekends)
Website

Keyaki, Pan Pacific Hotel - Elegant Japanese Kaiseki

2014-02-19T00:12:00.001+08:00

Elegant Japanese fine dining

Keyaki, from the ambience down to the food, has a wonderful, traditional elegance not commonly found these days. Walking through the garden to the restaurant, I felt just as though I'd escaped to a sanctuary safe from all the troubles of the day. The restaurant offers kaiseki (traditional multi-course sets) from upwards of $150, as well as special sets based on seasonal offerings. What's great about Keyaki is the lack of hard rules for at least two diners to order the same kaiseki set - I just love enlightened restaurants.

Umeshu, Amuse Bouche

Since it was my birthday, we got some happy juice (umeshu) to start. We picked Keyaki's omakase kaiseki set, as well as a salmon kaiseki set, both in the vicinity of $180. The amuse bouche was a cold dish of garnished battered fish - tasty but definitely not my favourite sort of thing. Oh, by the way, the pictures are a jumble of the two sets but I have faith that all you witty ones would have no difficulties figuring it out, roughly.

Sesame Tofu, Marinated Octopus

The sesame tofu fared much better, a smooth, dense custard with the fragrance from the ground sesame just gently permeating. The marinated octopus sashimi, too, was a delight - fresh like the sea with a lovely bite.

Sashimi course

The sashimi in each of the sets were very good. The maguro was one of the best I've had locally (just look at the hue!) and the crunchy clams were completely delicious. Everything was wonderfully sweet, as you'd expect, with the stand-outs being the amazing botan shrimp and beautiful otoro. Man, that burst of flavour biting into otoro gets me every time.

Assorted platter

The assorted platter consisted of smoked duck, fish liver, and slices of what resembled a meat loaf. Excellently prepared dishes though not particularly memorable.

Soup with wanton, Grilled king crab legs

A light broth with dumplings came next, to lay the backdrop for a platter of sweet, succulent grilled king crab legs.

Grilled cod, Scrambled egg with chicken

The grilled cod had a surprisingly sturdy texture suggesting that it had been cured in some way. It was almost a little of an acquired taste, but it did grow on me. The scrambled egg was unbelievably fluffy and tasted amazing, completely overshadowing the chicken even.

Stewed eggplant, corn and ebi kakiage

I didn't think much of the dish at first glance, but the stewed eggplant, which was bursting with juices (yet surprisingly not overcooked), really bowled me over. The flavours from the hokkaido sweet corn kakiage were well-rounded and delicious, although the batter could be lighter.

Salmon sukiyaki, Sushi (uni, salmon roe and scallop)

Then came a salmon sukiyaki enough to be a stand-alone meal. It was faultlessly executed, with scattered salmon roe as icing on the cake. The sushi, a trio of uni, salmon roe and scallop, was just fantastic - excellently prepared and brimming with the flavours of the ocean.

Cold udon

The cold udon had a great texture, with the grated ginger working surprisingly well with the chives and seaweed to form a most delicious dipping broth.

Melon pudding, Melon

Desserts were a simple affair - a melon pudding, and a slice of melon. But, as you can imagine, they were flawless - probably the sweetest melon I've ever tasted all my life. Keyaki presents an elegant and multi-faceted traditional Japanese meal that is excellently prepared but not always memorable. I have to admit that a few of the (probably more traditional) dishes were lost on me, and I would prefer heading over to Hachi (for an omakase comprising of a little of all the best things in life) or Sushi Kuu (for an omakase emphasising on gorgeous sashimi and sushi).

Keyaki
7 Raffles Boulevard
Level 4 Pan Pacific Singapore
Marina Square
Singapore 039595
Tel: 6826 8240
Website

Fiorentina Extravaganza @ Oca Grassa, Singapore

2014-01-28T00:39:00.001+08:00

Fiorentina

Hello, Bistecca alla Fiorentina (steak Florentine style). It's nice to finally meet you.

Complimentary Bread, Octopus Salad, $18

Oca Grassa is unassuming at its finest. White walls, dark wood tables, and clean, glorious flavours. The Octopus Salad ($18), a refreshing citrusy toss of mango, avocado, baby cos, bell peppers and tender atlantic octopus was wonderful to eat. I still favour Spathe Public House's octopus salad, which holds the record for "best octopus salad in sunny Singapore", but this held its own with its bright, citrus flavours.

Brodetto di pesce in casseruola, $58, Pumpkin Risotto, $22

Oca Grassa may be mostly known for its meats, but to our pleasant surprise, everything else on the menu stood up strong against the competition. The Brodetto di pesce in casseruola ($58), more simply a seafood casserole, has the sort of intense flavours you might just mistake for lobster bisque, yet remains light and dainty on the palette since no flour was thrown in. Let that bread swim for a bit to soak up all the goodness before popping them in your mouth. The stew does seem a little steep for what it is though. The Pumpkin Risotto with Atlantic Scallop ($22) was a better value proposition and absolutely delightful - smooth and creamy with the sweetness from the pumpkin done just right. The scallops were very quickly seared and almost raw on the inside - might not be everyone's cup of tea but I thought it contrasted well with the piping hot risotto.

Fiorentina 10 giorni di frollatura, $105 for 800g

I pretty much felt that I got my money's worth the moment the Fiorentina 10 giorni di frollatura, $158 for 1.2kg, was served to our table. The dreamy, intoxicating aroma of the grilled T-bone sizzling on the slab of Himalayan salt enveloped all of us, and probably the diners at the tables around us too - I apologise if we caused any serious envy. The best way to savour the steak, I found, was to quickly place both sides of each piece on the salt to sear and flavour it, before losing yourself in the glorious, juicy flavours of the ten days cured T-bone. Too damn tasty.

Oca Grassa
6 Bukit Pasoh Road
Tel: 65 65349854
Open: Mon - Sat: 12-3pm, 6-12am, closed on Sundays
Website

Ronin @ Hong Kong Street - Dapper Haunt

2014-01-12T23:42:00.000+08:00

Ronin

Happy 2014! I know I've been away for a bit - had the most magical time at Christmas and New Years' (mostly at house parties) with loved ones - I hope December has been absolutely wonderful for you too. Have you been to Ronin? The latest café by the guys behind the Plain is also the most dapper yet. Man, it's been a long time since I've felt such a strong urge to gush about a place to everyone I know.

Flat White, $4.20, Wicked, $5.50

For one, the coffee's great - real smooth and delicious (unsurprisingly, with the guys behind the Plain running the show). There's also a twist on the mocha, if you'd like to try, called the wicked, $5.50, with a balanced touch of mint that tastes just like after eight thins, or mint chocolate ice-cream, both wonderful things.

Scrambled Eggs on Toast ($9), add-ons from $3 to $4.50

While the Plain specialised in poached eggs, Ronin focuses on scrambled eggs with toasts, $9. There's also a full suite of add-ons to choose from each ranging between $3 and $4.50. My favourite add-on was the halved avocado with a squeeze of lemon - so simple but bright and delightful. While the bacon was more ordinary, the smoky grilled whole portobello and sausage were both excellent.

Dirty Ronin, $12

A selection of sandwiches (featuring chorizo, prosciutto, roast beef and mushrooms) and french toast, $14 (with bacon, braised apple and walnut butter no less) completes the menu. The dirty ronin, $12, a powerhouse sandwich of chorizo, miso mayo, smashed egg and gruyere almost made the Caprese sandwich (prosciutto) look bad. My only gripe with the sandwiches was that they tend to get a little dry after a while, since the bread to ingredients ratio is pretty high.

The Caprese, $12

What I really loved about the Ronin, apart from the coffee and food that is, was the beautiful design of the entire space. Every single detail, from the lamp strategically placed above the medicine cabinet to the gorgeous tables and chairs - so inspirational. Also completely refreshing from more kitsch cafés.

Recommendations: Coffee (Flat White and Wicked), Scrambled Egg on Toast (get Avocado, Portobello and Sausages as add-ons!), Dirty Ronin

Ronin
17 Hongkong St 059660
Open: Tue to Sun, 8am to 8pm

Maple & Market - Wonderful Cakes, Great Coffee

2013-12-08T23:43:00.000+08:00

Maple & Market

I have a soft spot for places that are right smack in the middle of nowhere. Or perhaps, to be more accurate, the only café in a decidedly quiet neighbourhood is just that much more charming than a row of cafés. I guess it feels more like a secret, even if it isn't exactly one.

Assorted Baked Goods

The cakes and assorted baked goods over here are a serious affair. Hardly surprising, with baking classes happening just next door beside the café. The line-up of classes sounded seriously exciting - if you wanted you could pick up everything from bread to chiffon cakes to red velvet cupcakes!

Did I mention that Maple & Market is minutes away from Onsight Climbing Gym? Sipping coffee and having cakes in such a charming space after a good climb is incredibly relaxing.

Flat White, $4.50, Iced Latte, $4.80

It's a bonus that the coffee is great too. The flat white was smooth, creamy and completely enjoyable. The iced latte (often grossly overpriced but reasonable here) was equally lovely.

Maple Bacon Cupcake, $3.50, Blossom Cake, $5.50

But the stars of the show at Maple & Market really are the cakes. My favourite was hands down the Maple Bacon Cupcake - the combination of candied bacon and walnuts atop maple flavoured cupcake is plain genius! The Blossom was a treat as well - tasted like a bed of roses, with the sponge dense, moist and almost creamy.

Banana Walnut, $3

The Banana Walnut Loaf was wonderful too, with chunks of real banana packed into the loaf, moist beneath a nicely done crust. You just can't miss the cakes here.

Banana Walnut, $3

There's also an entire rack of adorable party ware by oh happy day on one side of the café - would be perfect for all the christmas parties coming up! Such a quaint cafe with incredible cakes and coffee.

Maple & Market
34 Cassia Crescent, #01-82
Singapore 390034
Tel: 6348 8068
Open: Mon (12pm - 8pm),
Wed - Fri (12pm - 9pm),
Sat - Sun (10.30am - 10pm)
Website

Bid For A Cause This Friday! @Eclecticism X MBLJ X Australia

2013-11-28T09:02:00.000+08:00

Guess what, for 3 days beginning today, Eclecticism will be bringing in 3 rad Aussie brands (Cameo, Finders Keepers and Keepsake), and launching their largest MinkPink collection yet with over 100 styles! On Friday, a charity auction will be happening as well, with free flow beer sponsored by 6DrunkMen! I guess the weekend started a little earlier than I thought.

Here's a sneak peek at the pre-launch preparations. By the way, charity proceeds will go towards breast cancer awareness, so it's a fully women for women event! Bids start at 80% of retail prices and winning bids also walk away with a $50 Eclecticism voucher - it's a win-win situation here.

The launch will be taking place at Made by Lauren Jasmine, which will be serving mini baked eggs, cider and coffee throughout all 3 days!

I've been stalking these brands online all these while, and it's so special to finally see and feel them in person. MinkPink's latest collection of sunglasses will be featured as well, along with some amazing Aussie skincare brands (A'Kin, Sukin and Black Chicken Remedies).

Don't miss out on all the fun, and do spread word about the charity bid! After the launch, all 5 Aussie brands will be available at Eclecticism@Wheelock Place (but early birds at the launch get first dibs).

Eclecticism X MBLJ X Australia
28-29th November, 10am-9pm
30th November, 10am-6pm

Drury Lane Café, Duxton - Relaxed, Unpretentious Café

2013-11-27T15:01:00.003+08:00

Just when I thought there couldn't possibly be space for another café at Duxton, I discovered Drury Lane. Great coffee, relaxed atmosphere, good prices - honestly, I'm not sure what more I could have asked for.

Drury Lane serves Toby's Estate coffee, which for me, has always tasted smooth and wonderful. The coffee went especially well with the vegemite toast (I would like to toast to all cafés that serve vegemite things) with soft boiled eggs ($8, additional $1 or $2 to add toppings).

The only hassle here is getting the soft boiled egg ready to facilitate hearty dippings of vegemite toasts. Took me a while but I got there. Does anyone know any shortcuts/ tips?

The other offerings at Drury Lane - baked eggs and eggs benedict ($12 each) both fared well. The prices may be easy on the pockets, but the ingredients are far from slipshod. I did wish that the baked eggs were baked with tomatoes without pasta tomato sauce, but perhaps that's just me?

The desserts looked too wonderful to pass up, especially the tarts. The apple crumble tart was an adorable concept, and tasted pretty great too, although it was more like a miniature pie than anything.

The chocolate caramel tart, while (as a friend rightly pointed out), can be easily accomplished at home (if you're stocked with caramel and chocolate syrups that is), was still nevertheless highly satisfying.

For the surprisingly delicious food, good prices, and the wonderful, relaxed atmosphere, I would recommend anyone to give Drury Lane a visit for coffee or brunch.

Drury Lane
94 Tanjong Pagar Road
Tel: 65 62226698
Open: Closed on Tue,
Mon - Fri (9am - 10pm),
Sat - Sun (10am to 6pm)

[Giveaway] ToTT Launches Website and 'Best Brunch Ever' Cookbook

2013-11-26T01:29:00.000+08:00

Chef Nicolas' Eggs 'a la coque'

Have you been to Tools of the Trade (ToTT) at Dunearn Road? It is basically what heaven looks like to anyone who loves to cook - a huge enclave of the most gorgeous equipment made for dinner parties of dreams. It is what heaven looks like to me, the kind of place I can spend hours, in the same way I adore supermarkets (Jasons is also right next door). And now, all this dreaming, and more, is available online - yikes (can you please believe that no one put a gun to my head to say all these?). As if that is not enough, they have also banded together chefs helming the coolest spots in town to put together a 'Best Brunch Ever' cookbook featuring 8 different cuisines! If you're itching for the giveaway, skip to the end!

Chef Antonio's Spaghetti Piccanti

The cookbook has rounded up a great cast of contributing chefs: Dan Segall of The Big Idea (think Fat Cow), Dallas Cuddy of The Prime Society, Nicolas Joanny of Nicolas Le Restaurant, Antonio Facchinetti of Prego, Kenjiro Hashida of Hashida Sushi, Eric Low of Lush Epicurean Culinary Consultancy, Maria Sevillano of My Little Spanish Place, and Chi Quang Trinh of Addictions Café and Remedy Bar. The visuals are stunning at the price point of $12.90 nett, although the catch is, of course, that every recipe is matched to wonderful, indulgent tools from ToTT. But I trust that you'll be sharp enough to discern the tools that are really suited to your needs. Can I trust you?

perfectly prepared eggs for steaming

At the launch, chefs Dan, Antonio, Nicolas and Chi Quang Trinh each demonstrated one dish featured in the cookbook. Boy, watching them cook was such an inspiration! I was trying to engrave in my memory how they worked around the kitchen, all the shortcuts they did seemingly on autopilot, these kitchen geniuses.

Chef Chi Quang Trinh's Banh Cuon, Chef Dan's Cornbread with Bacon Jam

Learnt a trick or two too. For instance, you can slice the top of the egg with a sharp knife by tracing around the top once gently, then going over a second time. Tip two - don't throw away that egg carton, you can place it on top of a steamer to keep the egg in place as you steam them.

Demonstrations

Tip three - adding panko breadcrumbs to your pasta really adds an interesting (not to mention tasty) note to pasta. Tip four - to add a spicy kick to pasta, add a whole bunch of chilli for a few seconds, but scoop most of them out before adding in the pasta. You see, I wasn't kidding when I said I paid attention.

An inspirational bunch

Tip four - while the Hotmix PRO is probably the coolest gadget I've seen this year, you can make bacon jam manually, it'll just take more time. Tip five - for beautiful vietnamese steamed rice rolls, turn the pan in circles to try to get the rice roll batter as evenly mixed as possible, but don't sweat it if it's imperfect, simply fix up the holes with batter.

ToTT's Store

And of course, I couldn't help visiting ToTT at the end of the launch to admire all the wonderful ware/gadgets that I wish I could simply import into my kitchen. And all these are now online at ToTT's new website!

Beautiful Wares

As a small thank you for reading (I really appreciate that you guys have been keeping up with cravings and wanderlust in spite of my sometimes sporadic posts), I am giving away a $50 voucher (off any online order at ToTT's new website)! Nothing involved at all, no questions to be answered, simply leave a comment below. I'm off to Mt. Rinjani this Wednesday but I'll be picking a winner randomly once I get back on the grid (presumably on Saturday). Good luck!

The winner has been chosen (via random.org)! Fredyjulianto is the lucky one (do mail me your address and I'll send over the voucher soon as I can). Congrats!

ToTT
896 Dunearn Road
#01-01A
Singapore 589472
Tel: 65 6219 7077

Omakase at Teppei, Orchid Hotel - a (Japanese) Whirlwind Ride

2013-11-24T23:20:00.001+08:00

Teppei

Omakase is the next thing to go mass market, right? All of a sudden Japanese shops are all serving "omakase" meals (literally meaning "I'll leave it to you"), what was once offered only by the best restaurants in town. Perhaps the decadence and meaning in "omakase" is slipping somewhat, or perhaps decadence is now offered to more - I suppose it's how you see it. Now, not all omakase meals live up to expectations, especially at the more competitive price points (see, it's a lot easier to impress when you give the chef, say, $200 to please you, than say, $60) but Teppei manages to give a helluva ride at a price that seriously won't burn your pocket. Obviously everyone knows this already, or their dinner reservations won't be full till April next year, eh?

Salad, Oden

The three price points to choose from have gone up slightly ($50, $60, $80). At my visit, $60 would get you otoro, and $80 would get you an upgraded wagyu from the Saga prefecture in Japan (since it's "omakase", the offerings would likely change from time to time, or even day to day, but the gist remains). Now, before you get giddy with excitement, there are hits and misses. At times the fish falters, and there are a number of dishes I didn't exactly care for. But there were also dishes that were truly incredibly or creative, and the non-stop sequence of dishes (21 bite-sized morsels and 1 main altogether!) really made me feel like I went on a wondrous whirlwind ride around Japan. I chose the $80 meal since I have absolutely no clue when I'll next be able to secure a reservation. Once everyone was seated, the meal began with a portion of salad in creamy sesame dressing, and an oden with pieces of radish and fish. Safe, basic dishes.

Tofu Skin, Grilled Edamame

The next dish was tofu skin that was silky, delicate and surprisingly delicious. The grilled edamame was a pleasant surprise. I've never thought to grill edamame! The charred skin added a wonderful "smokiness" to the beans.

Sashimi

The sashimi platter was next. I was so stoked about the otoro, but it just wasn't as great as I hoped it could be. Sushi Kuu still gets my vote for sashimi. The swordfish and scallop were delicious though.

Pumpkin Chawanmushi, Negitoro Handroll

The pumpkin chawanmushi was also a delight. It was drizzled with curry (and bits of chicken), but the real surprise was within, when we took a scoop of custard and found pumpkin mash hiding below! The combination tasted fabulous. The chef then handed us a handroll with negitoro and crispy tempura batter, which was just delicious.

Grilled Yellow Tail Cheek, Oyster

The grilled yellow tail cheek was wonderful, too, especially with a squeeze of lime - so juicy and moist. The oysters were drizzled with a mixture of soy and mirin with a dollop of spicy cod roe - unsurprisingly, I polished it in a second.

Fried Yellow Tail Cheek, Grilled Baby Sardine

A tiny, fried fish was next (no, it wasn't shishamo). We were advised to eat the entire fish (head and tail, too), so we did as we were told. Tasted really good! Next, we were handed a curious square sheet of baby sardines, grilled the way we grill cuttlefish in South East Asia - didn't taste too different from cuttlefish either, with a nice smoky flavour.

Scallop Sushi with Uni, Scallop Mentaiko

Sushi at Teppei is served in spoons. Not too sure why that is, but since it tasted good, I'm not complaining. In this case, the scallop uni combination was just sublime. The scallop mentaiko was another delightful dish - I'm not even a fan of mashed potatoes but for some reason Teppei's mash was pleasing to the palette and not too creamy.

Flat Fish Sushi, Rice Pop

A torched flatfish sushi came next - oh, this was unexpectedly fabulous. The Toyama rice that Teppei uses had great texture and tasted fantastic. We were handed some rice pops next that looked so adorable everyone started taking pictures with it. It actually tasted just like miniature pop corn.

Baby Crabs, Stewed Fish

Baby crabs and stewed fish were served next - more like snacks than anything else.

Wagyu Beef (Saga Prefecture), Cod Fish Sperm

Then came the wagyu beef - creamy, melt-in-your-mouth things. Tasted really wonderful, especially at the price point, although my vote still goes to Fat Cow and Hachi. What really stole the show for the night was Teppei's Shirako (cod fish sperm) lightly marinated in soy and mirin - tasted truly incredible - creamy, with the hint of unfamiliarity that is so thrilling.

Dumpling Soup

The next dish was dumpling soup. The pork dumplings were perfectly seasoned, and the broth had a hint of yuzu that really lifted the flavour.

Sushi

The choice of mains were sushi rice, fried rice with egg, and udon. Being the sashimi fanatic that I am, my choice was pretty clear. The sushi was really, really good. For some reason the sushi tasted better than the sashimi. My favourite was the uni sushi, which tasted like a clean burst of the ocean. The flat fish tasted great, too.

Walnut and Yuzu Ice-cream

Dessert was a scoop of ice-cream of your choice. We chose walnut and yuzu - both were lovely flavours that marked a sweet end to a remarkable dinner experience.

P.S. While reservations are full till April next year, it's possible to put your name up in the waiting list for any dates between now and April. Chances are, you'll get lucky.

Lunch at Teppei/ Hana Hana

Teppei
#01-18, Orchid Hotel,
1 Tras Link
Tel: 65 62227363

Comman Man Coffee Roasters, Martin Road - Great Coffee, Delicious Food

2013-11-11T23:08:00.000+08:00

Common Man Coffee Roasters

Not all places that serve great coffee serve equally inspiring food. Sometimes, not everything that sounds inspiring on the menu wind up tasting good. Common Man Coffee Roasters manages to avoid both pitfalls - clearly, having the word 'common' in your name doesn't necessarily make you such. Only problem is, you'll have difficulty getting a table. Don't ask me how I managed to squeeze myself in there on a Sunday morning. This place is packed.

Flat White, $5, Boneless Chicken, $25

To keep your expectations in check, the food isn't drop dead gorgeous. But the menu is well conceived, executed with garden fresh ingredients, and if you go for their lunch menu, you wouldn't even get the nagging feeling that you've just eaten the same thing you ate in a million other locations at a million other "brunches". The boneless chicken, for example, had been marinated in chilli and had a real kick to it. It was downright tasty and oddly addictive, especially with a squeeze of the caramelised lime and a smear of some smashed avocado (so much better than guacamole). The coffee here is great, too - smooth like a baby's skin and quite fragrant. Other things on their menu that sounded exciting include fresh grilled asparagus with spicy aubergine, goat's cheese and honey yoghurt on a tortilla, and baked plumb beetroot with feta cheese, walnuts and rockets in a honey-lemon dressing. Alright alright, the menu is a little geared towards health freaks who still insist on food tasting good and sometimes I fall within the category.

Common Man Full Breakfast, $26

And of course, the usual brunch repertoire is available here too, with a bit of a twist. The Common Man full breakfast is the full works with free-range eggs, chorizo hashbrown, wilted greens, bacon, tomato salsa and a sausage so tasty I kept sneaking bites. I'm usually not one for vegetarian options but the Comman Man full veggie breakfast does sounds pretty great with a cast of halloumi, avocado, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and free-range eggs any style. How I adore halloumi! Maybe next time.

Alfresco Dining Area

All in all, it was a delicious Sunday spent at Common Man Coffee Roasters. Prices aren't cheap but you do get generous servings. It's a lovely place, would be perfect if only the crowd moderates just a little.

Common Man Coffee Roasters
#01-00, 22 Martin Road
Open: 07.00 - 21.30 daily
Website

Omakase at Sushi Kuu, Palais Renaissance - A Sashimi Affair

2013-11-07T23:51:00.001+08:00

Sushi Kuu

Ah, omakase. Where we simply let loose and see where the cards fall, where the roads lead, where the chef takes us. What could be more therapeutic? You don't even need to think, it's all been done for you. I spend a lot of my time thinking way too much, so omakase meals tend to be a huge relief. Besides, I never got the chance to try Sushi Kuu in Hong Kong, so I was really thrilled to finally check this place off. I wasn't disappointed - Sushi Kuu's ingredients were impeccably fresh, and the servings, generous. Easily one of the top dogs in town.

Onsen Tamago with Uni

The meal began with a beautiful onsen egg bobbing in a lightly seasoned broth of dashi, soy sauce and mirin. The whites were delicately set and the yolk still gooey, a cosy blanket over the sliver of uni beneath. The flavours were clean, bright and so delicious!

"Shabu Shabu" Pork Salad, Unagi

Then, a salad of lightly poached slices of tasty kurobuta on a bed of mixed greens with rockets. Naked except for a drizzle of that classic, delectable Japanese sesame salad dressing and fried shallots, which lent that wonderful edge to an otherwise idiot-proof formula. The unagi was next, seemingly ordinary but incredibly tender and perfectly grilled. Quite a memorable sliver of unagi, really.

Sashimi Platter (included in omakase), Premium Sashimi Platter, $80

The sashimi platter came next and established itself instantly as easily the most generous sashimi course I've ever seen in any omakase meal (not that I have tried it all...). Seriously, check it out! Two remarkable slices of otoro so delicious I honestly felt like I took a sneak peek at heaven, an enormous botan shrimp, a clam I could not name, sweet slices of snapper... just wow. M and I ordered an additional platter of sashimi (we clearly underestimated Sushi Kuu's generosity and overestimated our appetite). Still worth it, though, for more sneak peeks at heaven with the otoro, truffle drizzled scallops, and fantastically fresh maguro. It's so easy to tell quality maguro (those beauties on the extreme left of the bottom picture) from the dreary ones at so many restaurants, eh?

Sashimi Platter, Grilled Wagyu Beef

Then came the grilled wagyu beef served sprinkled with the fried shallots that Sushi Kuu does so well. It was a faultless dish, the simplicity of the preparation highlighting the beautiful flavours from the beef - creamy, juicy and tasty in a way only beef can achieve.

Nigiri Sushi Platter

By the time we were served the sushi platter, it was clear that one would not be well advised to head to Sushi Kuu with anything but a fully empty stomach. They really nailed the vinegared rice. Each piece of sushi was a burst of flavours from the ocean, grounded by lovely grains and simply nothing short of excellent.

Salmon Belly Roll, Tea Pot Soup

But the most delightful morsel was hands down the salmon belly roll - what a creamy and wonderful bundle of joy. The tea pot soup that came next felt like half-time. A palette cleanser but a very delicious one, mind you, especially after an energetic squeeze of lime.

Seafood Chawanmushi

What followed was seafood chawanmushi. My expectations must have been quite modest because when they suggested the dish, the seafood I had in mind did not include uni or crab claws, or scallop, or at least not all at the same time. Such a treat! Tasted brilliant, too, what with all the juices lending their weight in the egg custard. An utter joy to eat.

Green Tea Ice-Cream, Yuzu Ice-Cream

Desserts were a simple affair, but the Japanese ice-cream tasted wonderful, all the same. Especially the Yuzu. Pick the Yuzu.

Sushi Kuu

The omakase isn't the cheapest in town at $150, and the meal may not be the most inventive, but the ingredients and preparations are top notch. If you love your sashimi, you wouldn't want to skip this.

Sushi Kuu
390 Orchard Road,
Palais Renaissance, #01-06/07,
Singapore 238871
Tel: 65 6736 0100
Open: 12 - 3pm and 6 - 10.30pm daily
Website

Weekend Mission - projXct by Electicism

2013-10-05T13:56:00.001+08:00

Really thrilled to share this - Electicism is having its moving out sale this weekend!! There's finger snacks and drinks for everyone (from Made by Lauren Jasmine), and incredible sales on the amazing brands they carry: Mink Pink, Free People, American Apparel, Lauren Jasmine, etc.

The move out sale started yesterday and ends this sunday, from 11am to 9pm everyday. The promos are seriously fantastic (details below) - you even get to take away a bag of American Apparel, well, apparel of your choice for only $50 if they can tape the bag shut. What?! I convinced myself I didn't need a bag of American Apparel but couldn't help snagging 3 pieces from Mink Pink and Free People when I stole to the shop during lunch break yesterday. So pleased with myself ha ha.

Electicism has also roped in some really great partners for the move out sale, including 'Actually', 'Little Odd Forest' and 'Panayo'. If you're a fan of Electicism - really don't miss this one out.

Lauren Jasmine:
$39 for all tops and bottoms from Season 1, 2 and 3
$59 for all dresses and jackets from Season 1, 2 and 3

Mink Pink:
$29 for all tops and bottoms from past collections
$49 for all dresses and jackets from past collections

American Apparel:
Grab a bag and stuff it full of American Apparel. If they can tape it shut, it’s all yours for just $50

Electicism
Pacific Plaza #02-03/04
04-06 Oct 2013
11am-9pm

Brawn and Brains, Singapore - Cosy Coffee Haunt

2013-09-16T23:38:00.000+08:00

Brawn and Brains

I found great coffee where I thought I would never find it - beside a climbing gym. Imagine that! I've been getting into sport climbing lately, so this cosy coffee haunt tucked away right beside the gym is pure gold. The name makes a lot of sense, too, if you subscribe to the assumption that coffee makes you smart, that is.

Quirky Interior

The place is teeny. No more than two long tables wide, with some seats by the bar. But somehow the small space only adds to the appeal. Same thing with the bright yellow stools and tiny potted plants by the coffee machine - such styling genius!

Flat White, $3.50, Iced Latte, $3.80

I don't know if it was the effect of the name playing up the subconscious nerd in me, but as you can see from the pictures, I seem to always visit this place with a book in hand. Or an iPad (which I use almost exclusively as an e-reader anyway). Or maybe it's just that books go with coffee. Especially good coffee. I've been here a couple of times now - while I enjoy their iced coffee, I just dig their hot coffee so much more. The Flat White and Mocha were both fabulous. I'm pretty inspired to try their hot chocolate next time around because the chocolate in the Mocha tasted really good.

Mocha, $3.80

One thing I can't figure out - is it the coffee that's making me enthusiastic about sport climbing, or all the climbing that makes me wanna wind down the day with coffee? The perennial chicken and egg situation, eh? What does it matter? Some questions really don't need answers.

P.S. I've also heard/read great stuff about their cakes!

Brawn and Brains
#01-07, 100 Guillemard Road
Tel: (65) 97711610
Open: Tue - Sun, 09.00 - 20.00
Website

[Tasting] Smiths, Singapore - Authentic British Fish and Chips!

2013-09-10T22:53:00.004+08:00

Smiths Authentic British Fish and Chips

Last Thursday, I found out just how little I knew about fish and chips. Or rather, while it may seem pretty obvious that you can pretty much batter any kind of fish on earth, I had blithely assumed that humans stuck to two to three kinds. How wrong I was.

Pickled Gherkin, Onion and Egg, $2 each

I hadn't even known about how essential pickles were to the British take on Fish and Chips. Apart from the usual gherkin pickles, Smiths also offers pickled onions and eggs. The pickled egg was particularly fascinating, with the yolk so huge it was at least 90% of the entire egg! The tangy flavour really went well with the battered fish, too.

Fish and Chips, $12.50 - $24

It would be ridiculously tricky to identify the fish based on pictures so I won't attempt to make a fool of myself here. Altogether, there were 5 kinds of fish on offer. Dory's the basic option at $12.50. If you'd like something a little firmer, go for the Haddock ($13.50, $17) or Halibut ($24). Between the two, the Haddock tasted more neutral, with the Halibut having more of a (lightly) acquired taste.

Fish and Chips, $12.50 - $24

If you belong to the camp for soft, melt-in-your-mouth fish, go for the Cod ($14, $18) or Plaice ($18). While the Cod tasted more neutral, the Plaice was sweet, delicate and had just the faintest hint of anchovies. Owner, Paul, had warned us that Plaice and Halibut were "love it or hate it" types - he was quite right, Plaice was hands down my favourite that night!

Mushy Peas, Baked Beans, Gravy, Curry, $2 each

The chips/fries were definitely hand cut, and tasted especially great doused in vinegar (which, by the way, is imported from the UK and mixed in house). Sides of mushy peas, baked beans, gravy and curry (infused with apples) were also available, if you'd like to mix some greens into dinner.

San Miguel, $8

No fish and chips dinner is complete without some beer (Boddingtons, San Miguel and Stella).

Salmon Fishcakes, $7.50 for 2, Sausages (with or without batter), $8.50

The batter extended to Salmon Fishcakes too, and Sausages, which tasted decent, although they couldn't quite hold a candle to good ol' battered fishes.

Chicken and Mushroom Pie, Beef and Guinness Pie, $8.50 each

What you shouldn't miss, really, is Smiths' pies - really fantastic stuff. Actually, skip those sides/gravies and get one of these pies. The Beef and Guinness pie was especially flavourful and just excellent. One of the best pies I've had in Singapore, for sure.

Battered Mars Bars, $6, Battered Pineapple Rings, $3.50

The Battered Mars Bars and Pineapple Rings were actually pretty good - no surprises here, tasted exactly as you would have imagined them to taste. Although these are clearly not everyday indulgences and most certainly meant to be shared. Phew, time for a run!

Recommendations: Fish and Chips (especially Plaice), Beef and Guinness Pie, Chicken and Mushroom Pie, Pickled Eggs, Battered Mars Bars

Smiths, Authentic British Fish and Chips
230 Tanjong Katong Road,
Singapore 437018
Tel: (65) 6345 9855

271 Bukit Timah Road,
#01-02 Balmoral Plaza,
Singapore 259708
Tel: (65) 6737 9313
Website

The Sushi Bar, Singapore - Fantastic Chirashi!

2013-09-08T23:58:00.002+08:00

The Sushi Bar

It's incredible, the "affordable" Japanese scene in Singapore has really burgeoned over the last year. Remember when people used to flock to Japanese buffets because they presented the most compelling value proposition at enough price points to satisfy both the masses and the discerning? Not anymore. I never dreamt that Japanese cuisine and 'affordability' would ever come together but it seems like the gap is fast narrowing. And The Sushi Bar is coming up tops in this category.

Chawanmushi, $2.80, Salmon Aburi Roll, $13.90

We began the meal with an order of Chawanmushi, which was served piping hot and silky smooth. No treasure trove of ingredients beneath, just a really simple take, but effective and completely satisfying. The Salmon Aburi Roll was also done very well, with a delicious dollop of mentaiko above each sushi, and generous chunks of creamy avocado within.

Sashimi Salad (tossed), $14.90

The Sashimi Salad looked just like a Japanese lo hei, no? I was naively expecting a green salad, so the dish took me by surprise (and busted my feeble attempt to be a little healthier). Tasted great, though! The plate was piled with tidy heaps of chopped cucumbers, seasoned jellyfish, seasoned seaweed, shredded radish, shredded carrots, crab meat, ebikko roe and assorted sashimi which I wasted no time messing up.

Negitoro Don, $21.90, Basic Chirashi, $18.90

The sashimi here was fabulous. For Negitoro Don to be delicious, obviously the tuna needs to be great, which was the case here - the sweet minced tuna played a beautiful duet with vinegared rice, accompanied with occasional sharp notes from the chopped chives. The Chirashi took things up a notch, with the assorted sashimi all tasting fabulously sweet and fresh. Expect the salmon belly and swordfish slices to melt gorgeously in your mouth. The only thing that fell short was the tamago, apparently the most difficult task for a sushi chef to master (have you seen the incredible documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi?) so I'll just let it slide.

Normal Chirashi, $24.90

The Sushi Bar offers Chirashi in 3 different grades ($18.90, $24.90 and market price). The Normal Chirashi, which was the next level up, was really fantastic. A lot more fish, including yellow tail, a dollop of glistening salmon roe, two slices of melt-in-your-mouth salmon belly and just more slices of everything. You can't get more bang for your buck anywhere else.

P.S. Prices are nett!

The Sushi Bar
#03-89, Far East Plaza, 14 Scotts Road
Tel: (65) 9625 0861
Website
Open: Mon to Sat, 12 - 21.30