Miss Tam Chiak | Singapore Food Blog | Best Singapore Food | Singapore Food Reviews

Recipe - Kaya (Coconut Jam)

2012-02-28T08:00:00.003+08:00

I was reading Jackie's blog (Yummy Stuff Goes Here) yesterday, and I saw her latest post Kaya recipe from Madam Kwong. Since it looks so easy, I spent my afternoon making kaya!

Kaya, also called Srikaya (from the word meaning "rich" in Malay based on its golden color) or coconut jam, is made from coconut milk and eggs, flavored by pandan leaf and sweetened with sugar. The spread is sometimes in brown, if you caramelize the sugar.

As a popular local jam, kaya is typically spread on toast to make kaya toast and eaten in the morning but is mostly enjoyed throughout the day.

Making kaya at home is easy yet time consuming. The original recipe by Madam Kwong actually requires stirring every 10 minutes, however I decided to stir continuously for an hour (with some help from my Grandpa! haha). I think I would have more toned arms by now!

You would have notice my kaya turns out to be more mustard in colour instead of green. That's because I added water while blending the pandan leaves, hence it turns out to be diluted. And guess what, halfway through our stirring, there was no more gas! So for me, it took longer than usual.

I am glad it turned out well. Creamy and sweet, goes well with the bread toast. It took me 3 tries to succeed toasting the bread. The first time I toasted for 5 mins, my bread was burnt. In the end, I toasted for 2 mins.

3 Egg Mayonnaise Bread Bento

2012-02-27T08:00:00.000+08:00

Hello world! It's bento time again!

Thank you so much for all your lovely feedback. It is an encouragement for me because I am very new to the bento world.

Today, I have made 3 different bentos from this flowery pancup. Magn from J-Mama & Baby has kindly sponsored this bread cutter, I am so exited to use it!

How to make flower shape bread?

1. Press down the cutter on top of the bread.

2. Pull out the unwanted bread.

3. Press the flower shaped bread into the metal baking cup, provided in the bread cutter box.

4. There are other shapes too but I love flowers, so I made 3 flower shaped bread.

5. Place it into the oven toaster for 5 mins.

TA-DAH! And the flower shaped bread is done! You can add in any fillings such as tuna, egg mayonnaise, fruits etc.

For me, I decided to make egg mayonnaise because I am still on soft diet this week.

How to make egg mayonnaise?

1. Boil an egg and chop the egg finely.

2. Add in mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

3. Mix well.

Looks very easy, isn't it? Now you can start creating your bread designs! I am not the bento expert yet, so these are the 3 designs I did with my three bread and limited ingredients for that day. I only have carrots, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes and two leftover taiwan sausages.

My first bento was done in a jiffy! Egg mayonnaise were added into the flower shaped bread and I cut out a tulip carrot and placed it on top.

Inside the box: Egg mayonnaise, bread, carrot, cabbage.

I like my second bento the most. Carrots were first placed in the bread before adding the egg mayonnaise. It felt like my Rilakkuma is playing in a garden.

Inside the box: Egg mayonnaise, bread, carrot, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower.

I actually wanted to make a frog but realized I have no more cucumber in my fridge. So I made a simple face instead. I love the hat food pick, it is so cute!

Inside the box: Egg mayonnaise, bread, carrot, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, taiwan sausages.

If you want to make bento for your kids, visit J-Mama & Baby website. Magn is actually a Singaporean mum living in Japan, so many of her bento stuffs are actually imported. I know there a lot of online bento shops around, but I chose J-Mama & Baby because it is based in Singapore, so I don't have to wait for a long time before my bento arrives to my doorstep.

J-Mama & Baby : http://jmamababy2.blogspot.com

Recipe: Streusel Topped Banana Cake

2012-02-25T22:12:00.000+08:00

Knowing that I have just finished my surgery and is on soft food diet, lovely Chiew Mei said she will bake a soft banana cake for me. Frankly, I thought she was just kidding. Moreover, she was sick yesterday so I thought she probably won't have the energy to bake.

But but but, she dropped me a twitter message this morning, saying the cake was ready! I was so excited! We lived very near to each other, so not long later, I was already at home eating the warm banana cake.

Her recipe was adapted from All Recipes website, but twisted abit to make the cake fluffier. And she added streusel on top of the cake, which is my favourite. The cake is moist and luscious, while the streusel is very crunchy!

I still have not buy my oven unfortunately, but I am so touched by my friends who constantly share with me their homemade cakes and cookies. They definitely taste much better from the factory-made ones simply because they are made with love.

Thank you Chiew Mei!

Ultimate Ramen Champion at Changi Airport, Terminal 3

2012-02-24T08:14:00.001+08:00

After the success of Ultimate Ramen Champion at Iluma, Ramen Champion has opened in Changi Airport, Terminal 3!

What's Ramen Champion?

Ramen Champion competitions are held annually in all major cities in Japan. Komars Group, the organizer of Ultimate Ramen Champion Singapore has currently brought in 4 of the best Ramen restaurants from four major cities to Changi Airport Terminal 3 to compete for the title of Ultimate Ramen Champion.

Why Terminal 3?

Ramen Champion brings different ramen flavours from different regions of Japan to Singapore, and encourage exchange of culture and taste. By having it in Terminal 3, which is a up and coming shopping mall, it hopes to showcase the different ramen champions to local and foreign guests.

Ramen Champion @ Terminal 3 is fashioned like a ramen museum. There were exhibits of different types of ramen and broth, as well as information of its history and tradition.

Which 4 Ramen restaurants?

1. Ikkousha (Hakata)

One of the most celebrated ramen restaurants of Fukuoka in Hakata.

Very rich creamy pork broth, with fungus and spring onion added. Sweet tender slices of pork belly, runny egg and thin noodles complete the dish.

2. Gantetsu (Sapporo)

Gantetsu is the winner of ramen champion in Sapporo for 3 consecutive years. Gantetsu means stubbornness in Japanese, the chef is stubborn when using the freshest ingredients. The stall is also available in Ramen Champion @ Iluma.

The special Miso Ramen emphasizes on the natural sweetness of the ingredients. It has a mild ginger taste in the dish, which is suitable to cold weather like Hokkaido. I find the char shu abit tough for my liking.

3. Riki (Tokyo)

This is a new born brand created in Singapore by Chef Suzuki.

If you have tried Ramen Champion @ Iluma, and is a fan of Bario (just like me), then you would love this. The Buta Spicy Ramen has a rich white broth with a strong garlic shoyu. The broth is boiled with pork bones, pork meat and vegetables. Unlike Bario which has thick fat noodles, the ramen here uses curly thin noodles made with Japanese plain flour and tapioca starch. I love this!

4. Gensuke (Fukuoka)

Another famous ramen shop in Japan.

Gensuke Ajitama Ramen is famous for ladies as it is very refreshing and well packed with COLLAGEN! The soup tastes like the typical chicken soup that my mother would cook. It is cooked with thin and flat cut noodles, garnished with chicken char shu.

How is it judged?

There are 4 quarter finals and the ultimate ramen champion will be announced at the end of the competition. Judging criteria include sales takings and vote counts via SMS, Facebook and onsite voting. The crowned champion will be invited to set up a restaurant in Singapore by 3rd quarter of 2012. You can visit the facebook page here.

So come, eat and vote for your ULTIMATE RAMEN CHAMPION!

Ultimate Ramen Champion

Address: 65 Airport Boulevard, Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 #B2-58

Tel: 6214 2958

Website: http://www.ramenchampion.com.sg

Bone Grafting Surgery

2012-02-23T20:45:00.004+08:00

If you have been following my Facebook or Twitter, you would have know that I went for a dental surgery yesterday and is on medical leave for a week.

No, it's not wisdom tooth surgery. I did a bone grafting surgery. To cut the long story short, I had an accident when I was 10 years old and lost 2 of my adult molar. So I have been putting denture for 16 years.

But I don't want to spend the rest of my life removing and cleaning my denture every night. So I decided to go for dental implant. I am doing it now because my teeth have fully grown and I have saved up enough to go for the surgery.

I would need to do 3 surgeries in order to complete my implant. As the accident took place so long ago, I had some some bone loss, so I had to do a bone grafting surgery (stage 1) first. After it heals for 6 months, I will continue with the 2nd surgery.

Basically, bone grafting repair implant sites with inadequate bone structure. Meaning to say, the area where I am doing my implant, must first be grafted with my own bone (in this case, from my right jaw), to correct these defects prior to implant placement.

I didn't have sedation for my surgery. For the 2-hour surgery, I put up with the drilling, knocking, sewing sound. It can get quite scary but I guess I am quite accustomed to it since I have done something similar when I was 10 years old.

Now part 1 of my dental implant is over, my soft food diet begins. My right jaw and front part of my teeth is starting to swell. I will be back to the dentist next week to remove my stitches, and hopefully I can eat proper food by then.

The accident did leave a scar on my lip (I had 15 stitches) and I wasn't comfortable with my appearance for a very long time. But now that I have finally accepted myself for who I am, I am hence writing this post to share this little tremour in my life.

It is a lesson of learning to accept and love myself for who I am. I used to have this little voice in me, looking down at myself with the denture and scar in my ugly mouth. But now, instead of letting that voice continuously judge me, I begin to accept who I am and learn from this journey.

Writing this food blog has, of course, given me much motivation, reminding me I live out great moment in life regardless of my molar situation. I believe everyone is special in their own ways, it is only when you find passion in whatever you do that will allow you to see greater possibilities in life.

And the boy, who loves me for who I am, has sent this bouquet of flowers today to help me "ease" my pain a little. I am blessed.

P/S I will still continue to blog. Please come back to read everyday!

Mikuni at Fairmont Singapore - Winter Robata Promotion

2012-02-22T00:31:00.002+08:00

Looking for a good Japanese restaurant? Mikuni at Fairmont Singapore is the place!

Previously Inagiku, the space and the menu was given a major overhaul last August and what you see now, is a modern Japanese restaurant called "Mikuni", serving exciting Japanese fare.

The Executive Chef of Mikuni is a korean chef (and very jovial) named Moon Kyung Soo, whose creations “pay homage to the rich history of Japanese cuisine with flair and artisanship.”.

Chef Moon harnessed the finest products directly from the sub-prefectures of Sapporo, Tokachi, Rishiri and Hakodate during the winter season, creating an opulent and innovative 11-Course Kaiseki menu.

Apperitif: Sapporo Classic Beer with Dry Scallop

Our first course is Sapporo Classic Beer with Dry Scallop. A good combination, but the dry scallop was too chewy that night.

Starter: Salmon Roe with Hokkaido Smoke Camembert Cheese

Salmon Roe with Hokkaido Smoked Camembert Cheese arrived in a bottle. When you opened it, there was this dash of nice charcoal smell.

I must say that the presentation of all the dishes were very carefully done. Put the cheese in your mouth, there was a smoky hint with a burst of salmon roes in the mouth.

Soup: Potato Pork Gyoza with Mushroom Broth

What was dumpling soup doing in this Japanese restaurant? No no, it was actually Potato Pork Gyoza with Mushroom Broth. A lovely clear soup with a well flavoured pork gyoza, it warms the stomach.

Sashimi: Giant Scallop and Sea Urchin

I love the Giant Scallop and Sea Urchin very much. One big scallop was sliced into many slices and the sweet and refreshing sauce goes well with it.

Sapporo: Salmon Chan Chan Yaki

If you are wondering why was it called "Chan Chan", the waitress said this dish was usually prepare by the father (in Japanese, it is called Oto-chan), hence it was named as "Chan Chan Yaki".

Cooked in miso sauce, the salmon and golden mushrooms were very flavourful. I like the salmon especially, very tender.

Hakodate: Hokki Shell Soy Yaki

The big fat clam from Hokki Shelll Soy Yaki was soaked in butter onion sauce. I find the sauce too salty for my liking.

Tempura: Potato and Crab Cream Kromeski

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, Potato and Crab Cream Kromeski arrives piping hot. One bite, you can taste the crab cream melting in your mouth.

Tokachi: Wagyu Beef with Hokkaido Wine Sauce

One dining features of Mikuni is their robatayaki live station, a traditional grilling concept where food is cooked over charcoal fire.

The Wagyu Beef with Hokkaido Wine Sauce was excellent. The robata grilled wagyu was very juicy and tender. It certainly gives you a “melt-in-your-mouth” feeling.

Rishiri: Abalone and Uni, Seaweed and Shio Gama Yaki

No no, it was not glutinous rice in the lotus leaf. Opening up the big piece of grilled salt, is Abalone and Uni, Seaweed and Shio Gama Yaki.

Shio Gama is a japanese salt that helps to retain the flavour of the dish when grilled. True enough, the abalone and uni was moist and tender.

Noodle: Taraba Kani with Uchiko Egg and Sapporo Miso Seafood Ramen

It was a long dining journey in Mikuni. Initially, I thought I would still be hungry after my 11 course meal. But I was wrong. By now, I was filling to the brim but when Taraba Kani with Uchiko Egg and Sapporo Miso Seafood Ramen came, I couldn't bear to stop eating.

Although the ramen broth was boiled for 16 hours, but it wasn't as intense as I thought it would be. Which was a good thing, as it won't be too heavy on my tummy. The ramen came with a beautiful runny egg and a big fresh prawn.

Dessert: Milk Pudding and Apple Cake

Last but not least, dessert was Milk Pudding and Apple Cake. the milk pudding was smooth and creamy, but I think the apple cake can be softer.

Mikuni offers a robatayaki counter teeming with action-packed, Japanese style grilling, dynamic sushi and teppanyaki stations, and a vibrant sake bar. Its chic Japanese look with touches of blue and gold allow diner to enjoy a casual but intimate dining experience.

If you are interested to try the Winter Robata menu, make your reservation now as the promotion runs from 1 to 29 February 2012. The set menu is priced at $280+++ per person and $350++ per person with sake pairing.

Mikuni

Address: 80 Bras Basah Road, Level 3 Fairmont Singapore

Tel: +65 6431 6156

Website: www.mikuniatfairmont.com.sg

Bento #5: Beary Bread Bento

2012-02-21T08:30:00.001+08:00

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I bought a can of luncheon meat to make my bento last week. But before I knew it, it was already on the dining table, cut into slices. When I woke up and saw it that morning, I decided to make a quick bento for myself using the luncheon meat.

I bought a set of cutters either online or at Daiso, so I use one of them to cut out 4 bears from the white bread. Initially, I cut out 4 nori expressions for the bears but their faces were blocked.

It had been a pretty tough weekend for me last week, I am so glad it was over. I guess it's all about recognizing and managing negative emotions from within. Hope this week is better, I need some rest badly.

Inside the box:

bread, luncheon meat, cherry tomatoes, strawberry.

Gelato + Art = Scoop of Art

2012-02-19T23:44:00.002+08:00

There is actually a lot of things to do in Singapore. Especially if you are into arts, not only can you art jam and drink tea in Arteastiq, you can also do art and eat gelato in Scoop of Art (facebook here)!

Located in Marine Parade Community Centre, Scoop of Art started in August 2010 and is founded by two muslim ladies. Their philosophy was to create a unique experience that combines gelato and art appreciation. So whether you are planning a birthday party or a team building session, the spacious area allows you to spend hours bonding with your friends and families.

The thing about doing art and craft at home is, you have to buy all the materials which can be pretty expensive. But at Scoop of Art, materials are provided and you don't have to worry about cleaning up!

The art and crafts available includes colour-a-mug, batik painting, umbrella painting, t-shirt painting, canvas painting, all available at affordable price from as cheap as $12. Look, they even invited the famous local artist Wanton Doodle to draw on their cupboard!

Besides doing art, you can enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner here. Scoop of Art sells a cheesy version of Shepherd's Pie (chicken or beef, $4.50). We had the beef filling which was flavoursome and not oily. It was baked with mashed potato and cheese which is very creamy.

Oh by the way, the chef here used to work in Botak Jones, so you can see traces of Botak Jones dishes such as Cajun Chicken Sandwich. But of course, he designs the menu and the flavour is not the same as Botak Jones!

I enjoyed the Tortilla Melts with Thai Chilli Dip (regular $5.50, $8). The chef makes its own Thai Chilli Dip which is delightful to the palette and goes very well with the Tortilla Melts.

There is also Cheese Croque Sandwich ($8) with ham, chicken pieces and mango cubes, great for people who wants a full meal.

For an extra kick, try the Garlic Prawn Pasta ($8). The prawns were fresh and crunchy, and the pasta is cooked with chilli and garlic. While the dish has tremendous flavor and texture, I would still prefer it to be less spicy in order to enjoy the dish to the fullest.

So far, Scoop of Art has came up with over 60 gelato flavors. Everyday, there will be 18 different flavours of gelato and sorbet available.

The gelato chef cum owner, Anisa Tyebally, is a Chinese muslim and she opened this place because of her love for making gelato. She would often experiment new flavours at home for her 3 kids. All the gelato here is home made with the freshest ingredient and no preservatives or food colouring is added.

Some of the popular flavour includes White Chocolate with Raspberry (new!), Raspberry, Ferraro Nutella, Alfonso Mango, Lemon Meringue Pie and Mars Bar & Sea Salt.

I love the Lemon Meringue Pie out of the 6 flavours, a delicious combination of biscuit crust, lemon zest and vanilla gelato. For nutella fans, try the Ferraro Nutella which is a combination of chocolate and hazelnut. The Raspberry sorbet is very refreshing, the gelato chef uses a large amount of raspberries, hence giving it the bright red colour and tangy sweetness.

Premium Gelato is priced at $3.80 (small), $4.80 (medium) and $5.80 (large). Regular gelato is priced at $3.20 (small), $4.20 (medium) and $5.20 (large). If you want to try many different flavours with family or friends, take the Scoop of Six at $10.50!

Scoop of Art also does Students Meal ranging from $5.50 to $6.50.

So if you are planning of an activity to do with your friends or families, come down to Scoop of Art!

Scoop of Art

Address: 278 Marine Parade Road, #01-03, Marine Parade Community Club

Tel: +65 6345 6563

Website: http://www.scoop-of-art.com

Bento #4: Cannibal Bread Bento

2012-02-19T09:11:00.001+08:00

I know many of you will laugh at this.

When I look at it, I laugh too.

I walked past Four Leaves Bakery last week and coincidentally, their coffee bun just came out from the oven. The aroma was so powerful that everyone was queuing for it. So I bought one home too!

I was in the "bento making mode" last week but was very lazy to do a big project. So I decided to use the coffee bun to make a cannibal. You must be thinking, why cannibal? I always like these cute cannibal cartoon - thick lips, bones tied with hair, big round eyes. They look so weird but funny!

So I used the cheese and hot dog mould to shape the eyeballs. Then, I cut two small eyes and nose from nori.

Next, we use white bread to make the bone and wrap nori around it.

As for the lips, we used red pepper to cut out the thick lip shape and a thin line from nori.

My cute cannibal is a vegetarian ok! He only likes to eat coffee bun, bread, nori and vegetables!

Anyone wants to be his friend? :D

Platypus Test Kitchen

2012-02-18T12:00:00.000+08:00

There are lots of interesting eating places in Raffles Place. Last week, I met Stephanie for lunch at a new lunch destination called Platypus Test Kitchen. This restaurant offers a many hand-made pastas, set meals and desserts, suitable for people who are looking for a casual lunch.

The mushroom soup was thick and creamy, with a generous amount of mushroom bits in it.

Everything here is made from scratch. They don't have an extensive menu but I believe you can definitely find something you like.

Spicy Diablo Prawn and Crab ($18.90) is a dish that puts out some heat. The fire doesn't come from the seared prawns, but more from the pasta. It's definitely a kick for me (too overwhelming, actually).

My Lobster & Crab Ravioli ($18.90) is a delight to the eyes. It has a lovely colour and a great depth in flavour.

If you would like a set meal, simply top up $4.50 to get a set meal upgrade. You have a choice of hot soup / garlic bread and a glass of cold beverage. Platypus Test Kitchen also has custom pasta, there are 10 over ingredients for you to choose from.

So if you are working in Raffles Place, you know where to go for your lunch next time!

Platypus Test Kitchen

Address: 24 Raffles Place, Clifford Centre #02-02

Tel: 8112 1194 / 6533 7402

Website: www.platypuskitchen.com

The French Kitchen

2012-02-17T00:11:00.003+08:00

After art jamming at Arteastiq and eating the small Bunny bento, we were hungry of course! The boy planned our Valentine's Day dinner at The French Kitchen, which is located at Central Mall (no, it's not Clarke Quay Central Shopping Mall, but Central Mall is near Clarke Quay too!)

Initially, he didn't want to disclose our dinner venue. The only thing he said was,"We are eating French!". But being the inquisitive one, I was dying to know which restaurant was he bringing me too (actually, I was secretly hoping it was Au Petit Salut because I had a set lunch at Bistro Au Petit Salut and it was good!).

Of course, I didn't tell him that I was bringing him for Art Jamming too. But after bugging him for a few days (and he kept guessing where would I bring him to), we decided to reveal all our secret missions for that day. (Yes, we can't keep secrets from each other.)

So last Saturday, we arrived at The French Kitchen for dinner. The restaurant does not serve ala carte menu, but only has 3 set dinner menus for you to choose from. We ordered the Traditional Dubois ($78++/pax) and TFK Degustation ($88++).

*Apologize for the photo quality, I didn't want to use flash that night as all the tables are quite close to each other.

Our appetizer is a very unique dish. In the small cup, there was Poached Egg in Cauliflower Emulsion, together with parmesan cheese chips and capsicum bruschetta. I thought it was rather unique to have an egg in the cauliflower emulsion, but I guess adding some truffle powder would enhance the flavour more.

Traditional Lobster Bisque with Tiger Prawn Beignet and Leek Custard was good. I was still worried that my tempura tiger prawns would be too drenched but it came with two dry prawns in the plate and a pot of lobster bisque by the side, so you can add as and when you like it.

Gratineted Spanner Crab Cannelloni and Parmesan Beschamel warms the stomach. The cannelloni was stuffed with crab meat and baked in cheesy sauce. Every bite, you have a mixture of pasta, crab and cheese. Perfect for someone who likes cheese.

I enjoyed my Wagyu Beef Cheek with Asparagus and Eggplant Caviar. The beef cheek is slowly braised for 48hours, it melts perfectly in the mouth.

After eating the Cannelloni, there came the Pan Seared Atlantic Sea Scallop with Glazed organic Linguine Pasta and Summer Truffle. The boy was complaining that it was a pasta and cheese overload for him. The scallops was a tad overcooked and slightly salty. We felt that the pasta didn't go well with the scallops. It would taste better eating the scallops by itself. Perhaps, they shouldn't have two pasta dishes in the Degustation menu.

His dessert was Traditional Dubois Warm Chocolate Fondant with Caramel Ice Cream. Warm Chocolate Fondant was soft and definitely a dish that couldn't go too wrong.

I had the Champagne Sabayon with Pear Marmalade and Strawberry, which was well executed. The pale golden dessert had a burst of flavours in the mouth.

So that concludes my Valentine's Day celebration for this year. :)

The waitress in the restaurant was very jovial and friendly. However, as we were seated at a narrow passageway, we have seen the manager dropped utensils and bowls so many times that night, so much so that we were afraid that they would drop something on us too. They have to be more careful when handling the utensils.

I hope you had a great Valentine's Day too, be it with your loved ones or your friends. Now, I look forward to another eat-drink-be merry occasion!

The French Kitchen

Address: 7 Magazine Road, #01-03 Central Mall

Tel: +65 6438 1823

Website: http://www.thefrenchkitchen.com.sg

Arteastiq Tea Lounge & Art Jam

2012-02-15T22:38:00.001+08:00

Continuing with our Valentine's Day celebration, not only did I make the Bunny Bento for the boy, I also brought him to Arteastiq for art jamming.

I was brainstorming for some ideas, when I saw this fun and therapeutic activity we could do together. No physical or artistic skills are needed. We are not artists but when we started dating, the boy would always draw something and email me (sadly, he doesn't do it anymore now).

Each of us was given a 50 x 50 cm canvas, unlimited acrylic paint, sponges, brushes and paint palette and are let loose with their imaginations. One free beverage from Arteastiq will be supplied to help stimulate the flow of creative juices.

There were art books available which serve as a reference for us. For the boy, he used his iPad to look for inspiration. So this is our outline after 15 minutes.

After concentrating on our art work for almost 2 hours, we were finally done! The boy says his artwork has a 3D effect.

And here is mine art piece. Before you go wow, I have to confess that I did refer to the art book and made reference to one of the artwork before I start painting.

If you are keen, one art jamming session is $48 per pax.

To complete the whole experience, we had a afternoon tea set for 2, which consists of 2 specialty tea, atlantic smoked salmon, smoked turkey ham, jumbo top shell with chilled mango achar, crabmeat salad served with volvant, Arteastiq crispy crabmeat wrap and apple cake.

Arteastiq

Address: Mandarin Gallery, 333 Orchard Road #04-14/15

Opening hours: 11:00 am-10:30 pm Daily

For Tea Lounge reservation, please call 6235 8370

For enquiries & reservation on Art Jam, please call 6235 8705 or email to: ren@arteastiq.com

Bento #3: Bunny Love

2012-02-14T08:13:00.000+08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you are enjoying this special day with your loved one. As for me, I am enjoying my "ME DAY" today, heading to the gym, meeting friends for lunch, shopping etc. The boy is in camp so we had a pre celebration last Saturday. I made a Bunny Love Bento especially for him that day.

I finally bought some short grained rice from the supermarket and I was so excited that I can finally make some onigiri. Every bento making is a learning experience for me. Not only do I have to draft out the designs, arranging the food items in a box is also a challenge. I spent quite some time trying to arrange the tomatoes, tofu, onigiri and strawberry in a box.

I bought this bunny bento set and it is very simple to use especially for beginners!

Here's the steps to make the bunny.

1. Put rice into the bunny mould.

2. Cover the lid tightly.

3. Press the bunny rice down from the other side.

4. Make a similar orange bunny rice by adding tomato sauce into the rice.

5. Use the face cutter to punch out the emotions from nori.

6. Paste it onto the bunny.

This is the final product. You can add any other ingredients according to your preference.

Hope the boy loves the bento and hope everyone has a memorable Valentine's day! :)

Weekend Brunch at Azur, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport

2012-02-12T21:12:00.003+08:00

Who doesn't love brunch? I am sure you and me love the idea of waking up later during weekends and enjoying a lovely meal.

Award winning Azur at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport has launched its new weekend brunch. Overseeing the culinary menu of Azur is Executive Sous chef Alvin Leong. He has been with the hotel since 2011. Prior to that, he was the Sous Chef at M Hotel. Chef Alvin is well versed in Chinese and international cuisine. His passion in cooking is seen in his relentless efforts to experiment with different cuisines.

The new menu of local and western dishes will delight the senses. Seafood lover can enjoy the Gallery of Crustaceans on Ice, which includes freshly shucked Live Oysters, Boston Lobster Claw and New Zealand Coastal Mussels.

The new menu brings the best of both worlds with East meets West dishes such as Seafood Baked Cheesy Rice in Paella Style where the tomato rice is baked with parmesan cheese.

At the Live Cooking Station, there is Savory Cheese Crepe with "Peking Duck". What's so special about it? In traditional Peking Duck, we eat it with the dark sweet sauce and crispy duck skin. But here, we have the typical roast duck with cream cheese sauce. Wrap the duck with some cream cheese, chives and cucumber in crepe and grill to perfection.

There are of course, international cuisines such as Roasted Leg of Lamb with Mint Jelly and Rosemary Jus.

At the indian station, there is Chicken Malai Kebab and Garlic Naan.

If you are craving for some local fare, indulge in tender poached or roasted chicken with fragrant chicken rice from the live station.

There is also Deep Fried Hokkien Ngoh Hiang made of minced pork, sweet prawns and chestnut that gives it the extra crunch.

Dim Sum

Forest Mushroom Soup and Fish Maw Soup

There is a Popiah station but I guess the chef managing the counter is still learning how to wrap. Most of his popiah's skin were untidy after he cut it and the he added too much chilli in our popiah, it was too overpowering.

Not forgetting the bowl of Singapore Laksa with fresh cockles, prawns, fish cakes and sambal chilli cooked in spicy coconut broth. We enjoyed this very much and finished two bowls.

When you enter the restaurant, you are first greeted by the wide selection of sweet treats at the dessert counter.

Enjoy the succulent lychees in the Lychee Mirror Cake.

I like the Durian Mousse, it is very smooth.

Enjoy different gelato flavours and don't forget to top with macaron chips.

Nonya Kuehs

You can also make your own lemongrass jelly at the DIY Counter.

Weekend Changi Brunch

Available every Saturday and Sunday, 12.30pm to 3.30pm

Adult: $45++ per pax

Child: $22.50++ per pax

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport

Address: 75 Airport Boulevard #01-01

To make a reservation, please call +65 6823 5354

Bento #2: Octopus Bento

2012-02-11T23:06:00.001+08:00

When I received all my bento crafts last week, I was so excited that I made the Little Chick Bento and this Octopus Bento within a night. It was getting late, but Aunty and I were so determined to make this bento together.

We wanted to experiment with some of the cutters. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out as pretty as the first one. I bought this hotdog mould which can cut hot dogs into different shapes but we bought Taiwanese sausages instead of hotdogs. So the sausages can't fit into the mould at all, and we had to slice it using knife instead. Well, we learn from experience, I am sure the next one will be better!

The first few shots I took, were without the "Hi" words. Aunty found it very plain, and used knife to craft out the alphabets. I actually bought the alphabet cutter too, but she says her alphabets are prettier. It was fun making bento with Aunty.

Oh, did I say it before? Look at the cute little hat on the sausage. I really love the picks, maybe I should get more designs. Gosh, bento making is an expensive hobby!

Inside the box:

Garlic fried rice, lettuce leaf, cherry tomatoes, sausage, nori (seaweed), cheese, blanched carrots, cauliflower and Hong Zao Chicken (红糟鸡).

Bento #1: Little Chick Bento

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000+08:00

My love for food continue to grow everyday. First, it was the opening of this blog. Then, I picked up food photography. Next, I went to learn Food Clay Art. Then, I had food styling classes. And now, I am obsessed with Bento making.

It started last year when I knew many blogger friends who made bento. I was so intrigued by the bento designs and I wanted to give it a try. But I held back. Because I don't cook often and I don't have the crafts.

But this year, my work has close relationship with bento making and since fate brought "us" together again, I asked myself, why not I give it a try? Within the last 2 days, I bought bento crafts online, bought bento books and dropped by Daiso to buy more. I started making bento!

And I am addicted to it.

This is my FIRST bento. I didn't create the design myself unfortunately. I adapted this bento design from Kawaii Bento by Rachel Hei. The steps are very simple for beginners, but I still have to do some brainstorming. I have to make sure that I have the ingredients and the crafts to do it. When I first decided to do my first bento, I didn't fix on the design yet. I went Cold Storage to buy vegetables, carrots, red and orange pepper, nori and cucumber. Then I went home to read on the bento books which I bought for reference.

I initially wanted to try rice mould, but realized I forgot to buy short grain rice. So I had to source for a bento design where rice is not the priority. Hence, I picked this! I had leftover rice so I cooked garlic fried rice and boiled an egg. Everything can be done within 15mins. I am so happy! I like it so much that I can't bear to eat it. The garlic fried rice was very delicious! Good job, Maureen! :)

How to make the chick?

If you want to learn to make the chick, here are some steps for you. It is very simple! All you need to have is a hard boiled egg, nori (seaweed), stencils and tweezer!

1. Cook an egg, remove shell. Use a V shape knife to cut gently around egg white. Be careful not to cut into the yolk itself.

2. Lift the egg white slowly. The egg yolk will be used as the head of the chick.

3. Use a stencil to cut out the chick's expression using nori (seaweed).

4. Stick the expression onto chick's face and put on the hat pick.

Inside the box:

Garlic fried rice, lettuce leaf, hard boiled egg, nori (seaweed), blanched carrots and cauliflower.

Do you like my first bento?

PizItalia - Italian Chilli Crab

2012-02-08T20:59:00.003+08:00

If you visit East Coast often, and love to dine by the sea, hop by PizItalia, the new seafood restaurant in Singapore. Fusing the rich flavors of the sea and the jewels of the Italian soil, the restaurant introduces the best seafood meal concoctions and Italian culinary ingenuity, all rolled into one.

Started approximately a month ago, PizItalia is opened by a French, Christian Mugnier. However, his mother is an Italian, so he has been immersed in this culinary tradition since childhood. There are two local chefs here, one cooks the Italian food, the other cooks the Chinese food. If you have been to Don Grill Bistro at Joo Chiat Road, Chef Michael is definitely not a stranger.

We started with a Regina Pizza ($17.50). The thin pizza crust is topped with tomatoes, mushrooms, turkey ham and mozzarella cheese.

Butter Prawn Linguine ($15.50) is a special creation by Chef Michael and we love it very much. Long pasta is cooked al dente in a heavenly concoction of butter, curry leaves and topped with fried egg yolk. It tastes similar to Butter Crabs, but not creamy at all! *highly recommend*

Living in Singapore, you probably have tried our Singapore Chilli Crab. But at PizItalia, they sell Italian Chilli Crab (market price). So what exactly is that? Actually, it tastes similar to the Singapore style, except that italian herbs and spices are added into the dish. Meaning to say, it is much more spicy than what you have ate in Singapore (Singapore style chilli crabs are much sweeter).

Are you up for the challenge?

Because the owner is a French with Italian origins, and these two countries love wine, there is also a Winemarket beside the restaurant. There are a wide selection of small wine producers at affordable price. For eg: Chilean wine costs $13.90, French Bordeaux at less than $20 a bottle. There is also a wine board for diners to make the right food pairing choice.

And that is not all, if you want to have a romantic meal with your other half, but is worried about your children, bring them to Jurakids! It is the largest indoor playground in the restaurant. The kids will be attended by their childcare staff and they will enjoy ball pool, slide, tunnel etc.

When you visit the restaurant, you will first be greeted by Terry, the T-Rex! Fear not, the dinosaur is the mascot for Jurakids Land, and they only eat pizzas!

Valentine's Day

Casanova Menu

If you are still finding a perfect place to spend the Valentine's Day with your loved one, PizItalia offers 3 course Casanova Menu at $50++ per couple. Choose from:

Soup / Salad: Special Venezia Seafood Soup OR Caesar Salad
Main Course: Chilli Crab Linguine OR Black Pepper Chicken Baked Rice OR Italian Chilli Prawns
Dessert: Tiramisu by the Glass OR Walnut Brownie with Ice Cream

PizItalia

Address: 1204 East Coast Parkway #01-06

Tel: +65 6445 8554

Website: www.pizitalia.sg / www.winemarket.sg

A Lovely Saturday Lunch at Karen's

2012-02-08T08:27:00.014+08:00

When I first met Karen (she works in PARKROYAL on Beach Road), I thought she can't cook at all! But I am so wrong. Last Saturday, Karen whipped up some homecooked dishes and invited us over. It was a simple and delicious lunch, made even more enjoyable with foodie friends.

Karen cooks healthily. Just like this bowl of chap chye, she didn't add any salt into it and solely use dried oysters to give it the flavour. It was the perfect complement to the other meat dishes. The vegetables were soft and very flavorful.

Steamed Chicken with sausages is a typical cantonese dish. It was my first time having this because I don't have cantonese relatives.

Karen's husband, Eddie, dropped by Hua Fong Kee Roasted Duck (Blk 128 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, #01-811) in the morning and bought back this lovely plate of roasted duck. The meat is definitely tender and juicy, but the sauce is what makes the duck different.

Karen's signature dish was "Stewed Beef with Red Wine and Mixed Vegetables", she learnt it from her Mum since young and revamped it to suit for her little Ethan who doesn't like vegetables. The dish was even featured in one of our local food magazine, Xin Flavour.

4 years old little Ethan was overjoyed every time Karen prepared the dish. He would say "meat meat!" and eat 2 bowls of rice! And for us adults, the beef stew was definitely a hit! The beef was tender and flavourful while the carrots were soft, simply delicious! Kind Karen has agreed to reveal her recipe in my blog, here you go:

Stewed Beef with Red Wine and Mixed Vegetables

Ingredients:

2tbsp olive oil

500g beef steak, cut into cubes

2 large white onions, cut into pieces

4 cloves garlic, chopped

125ml water

375ml red wine

125ml beef stock

500g carrots, peeled and cut into pieces

2 tomatoes, cut into pieces

3 potatoes, peels and cut into pieces

4 stalks celery, sectioned

4 tbsp tomato sauce

some parsley

Method:

1. Heat oil in pan. Brown the steak, remove.

2. Heat oil in pot. Stir fry onions and garlic until fragrant. Add water, red wine and stock. Bring to boil and cook for 1 min.

3. Add steak, cover and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour, stirring ocassionally.

4. Add carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, celery and tomato sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 mins until beef is tender. Garnish with parsley and serve.

To end off, here is the happy little Ethan playing with iPhone!

Valentine Chocolate Workshop at 1-Caramel

2012-02-06T09:35:00.001+08:00

One of the most widely offered Valentine’s Day gifts is chocolate. Chocolate is rich in antioxidant polyphenols, which is why, eating chocolate makes people happy.

Chocolate is a range of products derived from cocoa (cacao), mixed with fat (i.e. cocoa butter) and sugar. The type of chocolate is determined by the various amounts of cocoa butter and chocolate liquor the chocolate contains. In general:

Last Friday, a group of us were invited to the Blogger's Valentine Chocolate Workshop at 1-Caramel. In the 2 hour session, we learnt how to craft and decorate hand-made praline chocolates using Valrhona coverture from 1-Caramel Cake Artist, Ivan.

Tempered chocolate is the secret to making professional chocolate products. Chocolate that has been well tempered is smooth, with a shiny finish and a satisfying snap. Chef Ivan from 1 Caramel showed us how to do it:

1. Place chocolate chips or coins over a water bath. Place the thermometer in the chocolate, continue stirring till the melted chocolate reach 45°C.

2. Remove from the heat, stir until homogeneous and let it cool down. Dark chocolate: 32°C, Milk chocolate: 31°C, White chocolate: 30°C. If the chocolate is shiny and smooth, it is properly tempered. They are then poured into moulds and made into chocolate shells.

Raspberry Almond

Ingredients (makes 30 pcs):

540g Valrhona equatoriale dark chocolate
300g Raspberry puree
60g Trimoline
130g Unsalted butter
100g Baked almond (chopped)

600g Coated chocolate for shell

Me concentrating on getting it right

Method:

1. Melt the Valrhona equatoriale dark chocolate.
2. Add Trimoline into Raspberry puree and heat it.
3. Pour the melted chocolate into the Raspberry puree, add in Unsalted butter and mix well.
4. Place the raspberry chocolate ganache into the refrigerator for 1 hour.
5. Temper dark chocolate, pour into a mould.
6. Hit it with a stick to prevent air bubbles from forming. Place it into the fridge to cool.
7. After 1 hour, place the raspberry chocolate ganache into icing bag and drizzle onto the chocolate mould.
8. Place the Baked almond on top of the ganache. Pour the remaining tempered chocolate to cover the ganache, put into refrigerator.

Hazelnut Milk

Ingredients (make 30 pcs):

540g Valrhona quatoriale lactee 35% milk chocolate
150g Milk
60g Trimoline
140g Hazelnut praline paste
130g Unsalted butter
600g Coated chocolate for shell

Method:

1. Melt the Valrhona equatoriale lactee 35% milk chocolate.
2. Heat the milk and add into the milk chocolate.
3. Add Hazelnut praline paste and Unsalted butter. Mix well and place the ganache into the refrigerator for 1 hour.
4. Temper milk chocolate, pour into a mould.
5. Hit it with a stick to prevent air bubbles from forming. Place it into the fridge to cool.
6. After 1 hour, place the hazelnut milk ganache into icing bag and drizzle onto the chocolate mould. Pour the remaining tempered chocolate to cover the ganache, put into refrigerator.

Passionfruit Lime

Ingredients (makes 30 pcs):

540g Valrhona ivory white chocolate 35%
300g passionfruit puree
60g Trimoline
2pcs Lime zest
130g Unsalted butter

600g Coated chocolate for shell

Here's the boy having fun with chocolate!

Method:

1. Melt the Valrhona ivory white chocolate 35%.
2. Heat the passionfruit puree, trimoline, unsalted butter and lime water. Mix well and place the ganache into the refrigerator for 1 hour.
4. Temper milk chocolate, pour into a mould.
5. Hit it with a stick to prevent air bubbles from forming. Place it into the fridge to cool.
6. After 1 hour, place the passionfruit lime ganache into icing bag and drizzle onto the chocolate mould. Pour the remaining tempered chocolate to cover the ganache, put into refrigerator.

Almond crunch

Ingredients (makes 30 pcs):

200g Valrhona quatoriale dark chocolate 55%
350g Baked almond strip

Method:

1. Temper the Chocolate, pour them into Baked almond strip and mix well.
2. Put them into small baking cups and put it into fridge for 1 hour.

Black Truffle

Ingredients (makes 30 pcs):

440g Valrhona guanaja 70% chocolate
250g Whipped cream
25g Trimoline
50g Unsalted butter
600g Coated chocolate for shell
300g Cocoa powder

Method:

1. Temper the Valrhona guanaja 70% chocolate, add in Whipped cream and Trimoline. Put into the fridge for 1 hour to make ganache.
2. Temper chocolate, add in Unsalted butter. (for making shell)
3. Roll the ganache into small balls, dip into the bowl of chocolate before rolling it in cocoa powder.

After a informative session, we were treated to a nice dinner. Can there be anybody who doesn't drool at the thought of Egg Benedict? We were first served with Traditional Egg Benedict with smoked salmon ($14) on toasted english muffin with hollandaise sauce, a classic breakfast.

I was craving for some hawker food that night, so when BLT Wrap ($12) arrives, I thought it was chicken rice! The warm bacon and avocado was wrapped in tomato wrap, topped with melted grutere.

And there is Bacon 'n' egg pizza ($16) with homemade tomato sauce.

The Big Breakfast Platter ($20) has many sides, You can have a choice of poached, fried or scrambled egg with German sausages, roast tomatoes, baked beans, spinach, home fries and toasted country bread.

Last but not least, this is the latest Valentine's Day creation at 1-Caramel: White chocolate, earl grey milk chocolate and mint dark chocolate. They also have red velvet cake sandwich with decadent cream cheese frosting and individually customised ‘Love Cupcakes’.

We are all chocolate experts now!

If you would like to spend a sweet date with your loved ones on Valentine's Day, visit 1-Caramel website for more information.

1-Caramel

Address: 1 Rochester Park, #02-01

Tel: 6534 0996

Website: http://www.1-caramel.com/

Chinese New Year 2012 - Twitter CNY Steamboat

2012-02-05T00:03:00.000+08:00

Last year, the group of twitter friends met up for steamboat and lo hei during Chinese New Year. This year, we did it again!

Thanks to Charlene for organising it, and Meng Ching for offering her house for gathering, we had a fun night. Great food and great company.

I knew I have said it before, but I want to say it again. I am so glad that Jack Dorsey invented twitter. This microblogging service gave me a bunch of wonderful foodie friends (and of course a doting boyfriend).

We will do it again next year!

Follow me on twitter!

Food Republic Beer Garden

2012-02-03T17:23:00.001+08:00

Hawker centres in the 1960s were wet and messy. As Singapore become more modernised, we now have more comfortable hawker centres and food courts around us. But we miss the 1960 scene so much that many F&B leaders are setting up hawker centres depicting the scenes from the past. Food Republic Beer Garden is one of them.

This is a 400 seater open-air hawker food concept located at the carpark area in front of St James Power Station. The modern hawker centre concept was conceptualised through the vision of George Quak, Chairman of Breadtalk Group Limited and Dennis Food, CEO of St James Power Holdings Ltd. Since it opened, the beer garden has garnered a loyal following of regulars - mostly clubbers and staff from St James, Sentosa visitors and nightowl foodies (yes, it's only opened for dinner and supper).

Food Republic Beer Garden highlights a scene from the streets of Singapore in the 60s with 18 rustic style pushcarts, truck stalls and kiosks selling all kinds of Singaporean-style hawker fare. Diners can look forward to almost 100 different dishes to whet their appetite.

As it was still within the 15 days of Chinese New Year, our dinner started with the Salmon Yu Sheng from St James. I have already lost count of the number of times I ate Yu Sheng, but still, cheers to a better year ahead!

Boon Tat Street BBQ Seafood

Signature: BBQ Stingray / Prawn / Sotong, Sambal Kang Kong, Black Pepper Crab

The BBQ Stingray from Boon Tat Seafood is superbly soft and juicy, with the sambal sauce that gives it a tremendous flavor. I like the homemade orange chinchalok, it makes the stingray much sweeter and appetizing.

Wok n Roll

Signature: Java Mee, Fried Carrot Cake, Sweet Carrot Cake, Char Kway Teow, Fried Mee Tai Mak

We thought this is Mee Goreng, but it was actually Java Mee. Java Mee is said to be a long-lost recipe which can hardly be found in Singapore now. The noodles are QQ but too sweet for my liking.

I still prefer my Char Kway Teow, perhaps the wok hei is stronger and the black sauce gives the dish more flavour.

Zhong Zhong Fine Spice

Signature: Ngoh Hiang, BBQ Chicken Wings

With almost 15 years of experience preparing and serving at Ngoh Hiang Stall, Zhong Zhong Fine Spice sells really good meat and liver roll, crispy prawn crackers etc. Besides this, they also have charcoal grilled chicken wings which goes perfectly with ice cold beer.

Lorong 9 Geylang Frog Leg Porridge

Signature: Dried Chilli Frog Porridge

If you are a fan of Lorong 9 Geylang Frog Leg Porridge, you should know that the original stall is always long queue. Fear not! You can now enjoy the same Frog Leg Porridge at Food Republic Beer Garden. The Dried Chilli Frog Porridge comes with a pot of steaming hot porridge and Dried Chilli Frog Leg. The spicy gravy gives an extra zing to the porridge, leaving the frog legs soft and tender.

Balestier Bak Kut Teh

Signature: Prok Ribs Soup, Braised Trotter

And if the Dried Chilli Frog Porridge is too spicy for you, have a bowl of Balestier Bak Kut Teh. Using fresh pork ribs simmered till tender in a rich pork stoch, the Balestier Bak Kut Teh has a peppery punch and tastes just like home.

Bliss is when the meal is complete with a delicious bowl of their signature pig trotters.

Old Days Minced Pork Noodles

Signature: Minced Pork Noodles, Abalone Noodle

If you still prefer Minced Pork Noodles, Old Days Minced Pork Noodles is a good choice. The mushroom sauce is stewed for 6 hours and the soup stock is made with premium pork ribs and boiled overnight. As we spent too much time taking photos that day, the dried noodles was too dry and I would prefer to have the soup one instead.

Satay Power

Signature; Satay - beef, mutton, chicken, beef tripe

How can we miss out Satay while indulging in a range of hawker dishes? The satay from Satay power are fanned over a hot charcoal grill. The owner, Mr Ibrahim, has his own recipe of herbs and spices marinade for the succulent pieces of beef, chicken, mutton and beef tripe.

Thye Chua Fried Hokkien Mee

Signature: Fried Prawn Noodles, Fried Oyster Omelette

My favourite for that night is Thye Chua Fried Hokkien Mee! Now the secret of a good plate of Hokkien mee is the pork stock. Here, each plate of Hokkien mee is served with opeh leaf, and a generous amount of sliced squid, fresh prawns and homemade chilli. YUMMY!

What You Do Prata

Signature: Roti Prata, Murtabak, Nasi Goreng

Besides the Chinese dishes, there is also roti prata, murtabak, nasi goreng etc from What You Do Prata. The murtabak is filled with a choice of mutton or chicken, it has a thin dough with a light crisoy and fluffy finish.

Chinatown Tan's Tutu Kueh

Signature: Tutu Kueh

If there is one childhood food I love, it has got to be Tutu Kueh. I remembered when I was still a little girl, I had this piece of Tutu Kueh (I can't remember where I bought it) that is so moist and fluffy. Chinatown Tan's Tutu Kueh is not bad too, the ground rice flour is filled with grated coconut cooked in palm sugar or peanuts sprinkled with sugar.

Aunty Jessie Rojak

Signature: Fruit Rojak, White Rojak

Do you eat rojak before or after meal? For my family, we always have them only after we finished our meal.

Fans of white rojak will be delighted to find white rojak here. The owner uses sour plum paste instead of the traditional shrimp paste which gives the dish a lighter and refreshing taste.

Hot & Cold Drinks

Signature: Longan Drink, Grass Jelly Drink

To quench your thirst, enjoy a cup of Longan drink or Grass Jelly at the drink stall.

Dining at Food Republic Beer Garden is not only about the hawker fare, but also the whole experience. While enjoying the different local cuisines, you can also sing along with the artistes and musicians from St. James Power Station’s stable, all performing hits from yesteryear as well as current chart-toppers.

We are all very full and happy people!

Food Republic Beer Garden

Opens daily from 6pm - 5am (Sundays to Thursdays), 6pm - 6am (Fridays, Saturdays and eve of Public Holidays)

Bausch+Lomb’s PureVision2 HD : Exceptional Breathability

2012-02-01T09:30:00.000+08:00

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The event leads to a reconciliation with his young daughters, while Matt wrestles with a decision to sell the family's land. Under different pressure from various factions, Matt King then finds out that his wife was having an affair...

This is a very emotional film, I suggest you bring along a packet of tissue paper. And thanks to Bausch+Lomb, I watched the movie at comfort with PureVision2 HD contact lenses!

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Celebrate Valentine's Day at KU DÉ TA Restaurant

2012-01-31T08:30:00.002+08:00

Valentine's Day is the day where we celebrate love. From 10 - 19 Feb 2012 (both lunch and dinner), romance your date against the stunning Singapore panoramic cityscape at KU DÉ TA. Created by the restaurant's talented culinary team, exquisite attention is paid to sourcing the best seasonal ingredients and refining recipes for the 11 course Valentines’ Set Menu.

There’s no better way to celebrate your love.

Our dinner started with Momotaro & Shinremei Gazpacho which is a cold Spanish/Portuguese tomato-based raw vegetable soup with avocado, coriander and rice vinegar. This sunny drink is very refreshing.

Tempura style Sydney Rock Oysters with asian greens and wasabi aioli reflects the Asian influences in Japanese cuisines. This light canepe makes a great starter. Just pop the whole oysters into your mouth and let the wasabi aioli lingers.

Salads in this menu are given a twist. Mizuna & Kurobuta Pork Warm Salad is mixed with enoki, aged balsamic and yuzu. The Japanese green Mizuna is great with the fatty Kurobuta, which gives a contrast to the salad.

At KU DÉ TA, we found many modern asian cuisines which are very unique, just like Langoustine & Jackfruit Tartar with marinated ikura and curried bread. Don't worry if you aren't a fan of jackfruit, they are just small cubes sprinkled onto the tartar and you can only taste the langoustine and ikura.

My favorite for the night is Amberjack Ceviche. Ceviche is the best way to enhance the fish flavor. Fresh amberjack with capsicum, red onion and roast garlic is very delicate and retains the original flavour of amberjack.

Seared Hokkaido Scallop takes a twist when paired with edamame, chorizo oil and mint. The scallops has a pop in your mouth juiciness. The edamame mesh, though not pleasing to the eyes, is a perfect marriage to the scallops.

Roast Black Cod Loin is marinated with thai basil, lemongrass and turmeric, a mixture of indian and thai influence. I still prefer plain roasted cod fish as I felt that the herbs covered the sweetness of the cod.

This is not duck confit, but Slow Cooked Duck Leg bathed in sour cherry and star anise sauce. We find the duck meat too tough and dry.

Here is Grilled Asparagus Spears with egg yolk, cured salmon, limon cress. Grilling gives the flavor of asparagus an added dimension and a firm texture.

Braised Puy Lentils is cooked with momotaro tomato, ginger, kaffir lime and coriander, a classic way to cook this dish. The flavours come from the ingredients itself and I must say it is a challenge for us to eat it alone. We would prefer to pair it with sausages or braised meat.

The dessert chef (who is very humorous) puts alot of effort into making this piece of dessert art: Sesame and Basil Benova with sub zero raspberry and sauvignon jello. Each piece on the plate is a creation, I especially enjoyed the sub zero raspberry (which must be eaten first) and the jelly with red wine.

KU DÉ TA Restaurant provides over 230 seats of enclosed and al fresco dining as well as a circular bar which sits atop the SkyPark’s public observation deck. Thank goodness the weather was cooling that night, we sat by the al fresco area and enjoy the food and the breeze.

Each pax is priced at S$148++ (minimum 2 to dine). At KU DÉ TA, sharing is caring. The menu is sharing portion, so no matter if you are alone or having double dates, the chef will prepare enough for everyone of you.

Dining in the KU DÉ TA restaurant is an upbeat affair where the view, food, wine and music are best enjoyed with good company, in this case, is the boyfriend. Happy Valentine's Day!

KU DÉ TA Restaurant

Address: SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands North Tower, 1 Bayfront Avenue

Tel: +65 6688 7688

Email: reservation@kudeta.com.sg

Website: www.kudeta.com.sg

Chinese New Year 2012 - Day 9

2012-01-31T00:44:00.000+08:00

I come from a traditional Hokkien family so there are many celebrations we do during Chinese New Year. Besides Chinese New Year Eve, the ninth day of the New Year is also an important day for us Hokkiens.

This is the day where we offer prayers to the Jade Emperor of Heaven (天宮) in the Taoist Pantheon. On the midnight of the 8th day, we will offer our thanks to the Emperor of Heaven. Offerings include flowers, roasted meat, mee sua, tea, flowers, red eggs, paper gold etc.

Food For Thought (Queen Street)

2012-01-29T21:44:00.001+08:00

Sunday is perfect for brunch and I met up with my lovely cousin a few weeks back for brunch at Food For Thought. This outlet at Queen Street has a really simple and interesting layout and it is always serving to a full house, especially during weekends or public holiday.

I remembered when we were here the previous time, it was a public holiday and we were told to wait for 1 hour 30 mins. But we were too hungry so we settled for Victor's Kitchen instead. This time, we were told that the average waiting time was 40mins. Thankfully, we only waited for 15 mins and we got our seats.

We started with crispy french fries are flavored with Rosemary Garlic ($5). Nothing much to rave about, but I prefer the white truffle fries at The Tastings Room.

Food For Thought serves all day breakfast at a reasonable price. Full Works ($18) comes in a generous portion which includes scrambled eggs, bacon, garlic mushrooms, chunky chicken sausages, hash browns, toasted brioche with thyme tomato salad. I like the garlic mushrooms and scrambled eggs but the other finger food had nothing much for me to shout about.

Hoisin Har Cheong Baby Back Ribs ($24) is well executed. The hoisin har cheong sauce on baby back ribs is tasty and the ribs are tender and meaty.

I like the cosy atmosphere in the restaurant, I will be back to try their dinner menu.

Food For Thought

Address: 8 Queen Street

Tel: +65 6338 9887

Website: www.foodforthought.com.sg