Rokeby Road, for many of us who studied in Perth, refers to one particular street in the Subiaco suburb near my university. The street, lined with cafes, restaurants, and retail boutiques on both sides, brings back many memories of my time in Perth. It definitely does not feel like it has been 6 months since I’ve graduated from a place that I’ve called home for close to 2 years.

Anyway, ever since the day that I learnt that a new cafe, Rokeby, has set up shop somewhere along Boundary Road from a friend, I’ve had my mind set on paying it a visit. Last weekend, I decided to make an impromptu trip there, no reservations in tow. As luck would have it, it happened that a table was available, this considering how the cafe pretty much had to reject walk-ins just 10 minutes later. NB: Reservations highly recommended.

I mentioned Baked Beans in the title; why, you may ask. It was pretty much common place in Perth to have Baked Beans on the breakfast counter. So, it was a pleasant surprise to see them served here alongside my order of Eggs Benedict. What is perhaps quintessentially Australia is perhaps the use of Vegemite in their breakfast item. Now, Vegemite is something that I am not something I’m used to having in the mornings. That said, Rokeby, being an Australian bistro, has a “Vegemite Downunder” on the Brunch menu if you’re willing to have a go at it!

At Rokeby, you get to choose to have either Ham, Bacon or Smoked Salmon with your Eggs Benedict. Well, I had smoked salmon with mine, so I guess that, Eggs Royale, would have been a more apt description – Not that Eggs Benedict or Baked Beans are quintessential Australian items anyway – they’re American. But I’m not complaining.

Personally, I like poached eggs done the traditional way – adding freshly cracked eggs into a swirling pot of vinegar-ed water. There’s this certain je nais se quoi about eggs presented like that. These days, more and more cafes tend to have eggs cracked in moulds and placed into simmering water, which does produce poached eggs reliably, but lacks the finesse of having free-form poached eggs.

I digress. The eggs were decently poached here at Rokeby, one of which was perfect, the other probably a 30 second or so over, but still acceptable in my books. There was not too much acidity in the poaching liquid either while the Hollandaise sauce used was not something to shout about.

The coffee served here uses beans roasted in Australia – Six Senses. To be honest, I never liked Six Senses during my time in Australia. Therefore, the coffee served here, was no exception. Of course, it was by no fault of the barista (who I think is one of the co-owners of Rokeby), but one of a personal choice. 

There are of course other breakfast/brunch items served at Rokeby; I spied a Big Breakfast (Full Monty) at the table next to mine that looked pretty good.  Rokeby is not ono a brunch venue – they do serve lunches and dinners too. Menus are available on Rokeby’s website at http://www.rokeby.com.sg/menus/

If you do try the other items on the menu, do leave a comment here! Oh…and one more thing. In an era of skyrocketing food prices and high rental costs, Rokeby, charges no additional 10% Service Charge or GST on their items!

Photos are un-edited and taken on an iPhone 5. 

Location
15-9 Jalan Riang
Singapore 358987

Email : info@rokeby.com.sg
Tel : 65 91060437

For reservations, please call us at 65 91060437

Opening Hours
Tue-Sun from 9.00 am to 10.00 pm
Closed on Mondays

As with most Singaporeans’ conversations around the dining table go, many a time they revolve around food. During one of those dinners as part of the Lunar New Year visitations, my uncle recommended a stall to me somewhere in Serangoon when I briefly mentioned that Roasted Duck is one of my favourite hawker foods.

And so, I specifically made a trip down. I was definitely not disappointed. The Roasted Duck was moist and succulent whilst the roasted pork had minimum fat in between the layers with a crispy crackling on top. 

Additionally, the meats were not overly seasoned which certainly is a positive. Prices here are anything but expensive. An assorted serving of roasted duck, char siew and roasted pork belly with 2 portions of white rice amounts to about S$15 for two people.

There is an adjacent stall serving up Chinese, Cantonese-style soups which are pretty good too. I could be wrong but I believe both stalls are related parties.

Violet Oon…. Well, she’s quite the brand name herself – she’s an accomplished cookbook author and one of Singapore’s home grown celebrities. She’s helmed cafes and restaurants on-and-off over the years with emphasis on what she does best – Peranakan cuisine. Her latest venture sees her teaming up with her family members in opening up Violet Oon’s Kitchen along Bukit Timah Road, just before Old Holland Road, between Bar Bar Black Sheep and Forture Steamboat Restaurant.

Violet Oon’s Kitchen is one of those restaurants that you really, really want to say that you love it so much that a re-visit in definitely on the cards….But, there’s always a But. 

To cater to younger patrons, expatriates, and people who may not have been exposed to Peranakan cuisine, Violet Oon has tweaked some of the traditional Peranakan dishes. Modernized, if you will. But just as old is never always gold, modern is never always better.

Ngoh Hiang

The Ngoh Hiang was at best decent. Yes…the skin was crispy but it just felt like there was something missing to bring the dish up to another level. At the very least, I was expecting more for the price. But, this comes out rather quickly from the kitchen and is served pre-sliced – great for sharing in groups.

The saving grace however, has got to be the accompanying chilli belachan. If there was one thing that stayed true to tradition at Violet Oon’s Kitchen, it has got to be it. There was definitely a kick to it.

Chicken Curry served with Roti Jala

I’ve not had authentic Peranakan Chicken Curry (out of curiosity, what are the characteristics of an authentic chicken curry?) before, so take this with a pinch of salt.

I did not enjoy the chicken curry as much as I thought I would have. The chicken was fork tender, so that definitely has got my two thumbs up. But, it was far too mild for my liking; both in terms of the level of spicy-ness and flavour profiles. Maybe….. it was just a bad day for the kitchen.

Dry Laksa

I like Laksa…you know, the creamy, soupy variety. The dry version, less. At risk of sounding like a fickle minded person with my contradictions, this was probably the best dish of our meal. The flavours of a traditional Laksa were definitely there, just presented in a modernised way. Moreover, the prawns were fresh which made it all the more enjoyable.

But between what I’ve come to know as Laksa and Violet Oon’s dry Laksa version, give me the former anytime, any day.

Nonya Chap Chye

We ordered an additional side dish to accompany our mains – Chap Chye. Chap chye is essentially mixed vegetables braised slowly in stock. In my opinion, whilst a lot of work must have gone into preparing this dish, it unfortunately fell flat on much heightened expectations. The stock was not as rich as I would have expected it to be. I’ve definitely had better. This is definitely in contrast to what I’ve read elsewhere – thus my heightened expectations.

There’s one positive though – if one of your guests enjoys or if all your guests enjoy their Peranakan cuisine except you, Violet Oon’s Kitchen serves up non-Peranakan dishes as well, like Shepard’s Pie.

Have you tried Violet Oon’s Kitchen; what’s your take on it? Yay or nay? I’ll love to hear from you!

Violet Oon’s Kitchen
881 Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 279893
Tel: 6468 5430
Lunch: 11.30am-3pm
Dinner: 6-9.30pm (Close Mondays)
www.violetoonskitchen.com

“Time flies,” in all honesty, tt’s really more than just an overused cliché. When I first started this blog back in 2009 on the old BlogSpot URL, I was still fulling my mandatory duty with the army.  Fast-forward 4 years; I’m now a graduate of the University of Western Australia. Cue applause. In more ways than one, time seemed to have whisked too quickly.

On the Blog……

First, thank you for being a faithful reader of this blog. I feel nothing short of being humbled by your readership. A small time wannabe writer whose posts are being read by the hundreds (and on some days, thousands) of you. And exactly so, I feel the need to explain the absence of any recent new posts on this blog. Back in November, I was busy preparing for my final examinations and that was followed by, in quick succession, the need to settle all remaining outstanding issues that I had in Perth and to prepare for my getaway to Beijing. That said, I’ve since moved back to Singapore permanently and embarked on the next phase in life, my career. The lack of time coupled with the fact that I seldom carry my DSLR with me, these days preferring instead to enjoy the conversations and company of the people at the dining table. That would probably mean either (1) fewer posts or (2) posts that follow a tumblr-sque style where there would be fewer words and more pictures. As of right now, I am definitely leaning towards Option 2.

The re-naming of the blog……

By the way, I have since renamed this blog, simply, glenn.sg instead of HungryEpicurean to reflect a more personal touch rather than just being yet-another food blog. Please do update your bookmarks / RSS feeds to http://www.glenn.sg/

Of Instagram…..  

The obligatory “Asian” thing of snapping photographs of food has, however, has not left me. The camera on the iPhone, among its many wonders, is my go-to option and my modus operandi being a quick upload of those photographs on one of the many social media networks that I’m on – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Most of my meals will be posted up onto my Instagram account, so do stalk me at http://www.instagram.com/glennleems (Sorry for the shameless plug here). 

Of my last year in University…..

Before I start to verve off too far off the tangent; UWA. It’s been 2 long years but those years have been one of the best that I’ve had. The friendships that we’ve forged and the ensuing adventures that we embarked on are definitely unforgettable takeaways. To name a few, the midnight supper runs to Uncle Billy’s in Northbridge, the trips to hunt for the best brunch spots in Perth and the hunt for the best indie coffee spots. To all those who have taken part in those adventures of mine, thank you.

Today is the last day of 2012 and tomorrow brings a new beginning, a new chapter in the book that has yet to be complete. Our life is a gorgeous piece of art that is a constant work-in-progress. Let’s revel in the great moments of what happend in the past year and forget the sorrow that has plagued us. Personally, I leave 2012 behind knowing that it has been a good year and I hope that it has been the same for you too. If not, look ahead, for 2013 will be YOUR YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

I’ll like to invite you to join me on my dining adventures on Instagram –> @glennleems where I post most of my photographs these days!

Back on the French theme recently, one of the better mid-priced French meals that I’ve had recently was at Le Bistrot du Sommelier.  Throw away the misconception that you have about French restaurants (which in no small part have come from the rise of fine dining restaurants in previous years) that French dining is all about multi-course meals, small portion sizes and ridiculous prices. Helmed by co-owner, Chef Patrick Heuberger, the restaurant serves up hearty, classic French dishes at affordable restaurant prices (and with portion sizes to boot).

I enjoyed my meals at Au Petit Salut when Chef Patrick was helming the kitchens back in the day, but since he moved to set up LBS with partner, Max, I’ve been to Le Bistrot a few times before at their previous location opposite Peace Centre but have never blogged about it before. Moreover, the tiny restaurant coupled with the bad lighting made taking photographs of the dishes all the more harder.

One thing, however, remains from its previous location. Reservations are a definite must – this is one restaurant that you cannot expect to walk in on a Friday night without a reservation. The likelihood of you being turned away is rather rather, unfortunately.

I highly recommend the Sautéed Frog Legs to start with and do try their home made rillettes if you’re there.

Cuisses de grenouilles – Sauteed frog legs with garlic and parsley, mixed salad (S$26++)

Poulet au vinaigre – Braised French chicken leg in vinegar and tomatoes servied with gratin of potatoes (S$28++)

Cuisse de canard confite aux choix – French duck leg confit

Served with beetroot salad and greens (S$28++) OR
Cassoulet Style: Streaky bacon, pork sausage, lamb shoulder baked in a white beans stew (S$34++)

Complimentary Warm Crusty Bread

Le Bistrot Du Sommelier

53 Armenian street,
Singapore 188675

Telephone: +65 6333 1982

http://www.lebistrotdusommelier.com/

Hot on the heels of my last review of another French restaurant (Le Saint Julien) in Singapore comes yet-another pictorial of one of my favourite restaurants, Saint Pierre. If you’ve missed out on my previous reviews, here are some of them – ONE, TWO, THREE and FOUR. A small disclaimer would be that the Saint Pierre has gone through a few chef changes over the years, and so has the menu (and prices).

If food is not the attraction, then the service is. I was here a few days after my birthday and upon being seated, the assistant manager came around to my table and wished me a happy birthday. It was a small, but really thoughtful gesture. The wonders of Facebook, I’d say.

Complimentary Bread that never fails to satisfy the rumbling stomach.

A trio of amuse bouches is served before the meal started – all of which were decent, but nothing mind blowing.

PORC $42

barbecued iberico pork secreto with rapeseed stems, leek dauphine dumplings, pomegranate, leek flower, calamansi and parsley cress

CANARD $42

smoked duck breast with orange pearls, carrot puree, green tea and earl grey reduction, grilled asparagus and pea tendrils

I really enjoyed by smoked duck breast – they were perfect slight pink in the middle and each bite brought much depth in flavour to the palate. The tart orange pearls accompanied the duck well.

CABILLAUD $55

oven-baked miso marinated black cod with sweet potato puree, japanese yam balls, orange segments, purple shiso, sauteed cauliflower florets and thyme foam

The signature dish of Saint Pierre spiced up with fanciful ingredients.

BAR DE LIGNE $66

warm line caught french sea bass with salad of nasturtium, water chestnuts, buckler sorel, smoked eel with black currants, rapeseed flower, mashed potato and yuzu jelly

GATEAU $22

grandma stroobant’s flourless chocolate cake with summer truffle and hazelnut custard, chocolate soil and yuzu gel

The signature dessert at Saint Pierre that never fails to please, if only a tad boring.

PECHE $24

white peaches with peach nougat, lychee yoghurt, lemon verbena and blood peach rocks

Something that is light to the palate makes for a perfect ending for the meal. This is definitely for someone who likes their dessert not too sweet.

Again, remember, the menu at Saint Pierre changes quite frequently. I would recommend that you visit their website before heading down. Reservations are a must!

Saint Pierre French Restaurant

3 Magazine Road
#01-01 Central Mall

Tel: +65 6438 0887

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

It’s not running easy a food-and-beverage establishment anywhere, much less, in a scene with stiff competition; I read with much disappointment that Le Saint Julien will be serving her last diner come January 2013. (See ST article) Let’s face it, Singaporeans want a whiff of fresh air every now and then, especially when old is good. Add that to rising operating costs and difficulty in hiring, I wasn’t quite surprised when this was announced in the papers recently.

Le Saint Julien is somewhat of a stalwart in the French fine dining scene here in Singapore, being one of the few who started up way before big overseas names (a.k.a. celebrity chefs) established outposts here. Other home-grown names that fall within the same peer group include, Les Amis and Emmanuel Stroobant’s Saint Pierre. The restaurant’s own website lists, Raffles Grill, Harbour Grill and Les Amis as its competitors when Chef Julien Bompard left Raffles Hotel, where he was Deputy Executive Chef, first started Le Saint Julien in 2003.

I’ve met Chef Julien Bompard a couple of times while attending media events, the most recent being the launch of the inaugural Restaurant Week in Singapore of which he was a participant. By the way, Chef Julien Bompard had another restaurant which has since shuttered its doors - “Julien Bompard”  which was located at the Ascott Raffles Place.

The Complimentary Bread was highly addictive, for starters.

Soup (S$32 appetizer / S$24 middle course)

Signature bisque de homard, au gruyere et crotons
Lobster soup with garlic aioli, gruyere and bread crotons

The lobster soup is one of Chef Julien’s signature dishes and rightly so. For one, this is definitely one aromatic soup – the moment the bisque is poured in, the aroma permeates through the air around your table. Smell test – checked. Now for the taste test…. creamy and luscious are the two words that come immediately to mind.

There’s a little story behind the lobster bisque too about how Chef Julien met his now-wife, Edith.

 Edith Lai, who was the room sales manager at the hotel, first approached him on behalf of a guest who requested the recipe for Chef Julien’s signature lobster bisque. The rest, as they say, is history.

Pan seared duck liver with apple and Calvados sauce and caramelized onions (S$36 per portion)

The foie gras was really good – similar to the days when Chef Patrick used to helm the kitchens of Au Petit Salut in Dempsey.

The combination of apples and calvados sauce is nothing out of the ordinary, so is the pairing of them with duck. The foie gras was seared perfectly – a slightly crisp exterior and melt-in-your-mouth interior. The portion size was perfect too; any larger and one would start to feel jelak (meaning, tired of)

Roasted Challans duck breast with leg confit, rillettes on toast and orange sauce (S$56 per portion)

The duck confit has a golden brown, crisp exterior while the meat remains succulent and rather flavourful. Those 2 conditions, and not being overly salted, are how I would define a good duck confit.

Le Saint Julien’s rendition, passes on all 3.

Roast cod fish with sea urchin crust and yellow wine sauce with Avruga caviar (S$60 per portion)

The roasted cod fish came across as being somewhat pedestrian. There was nothing wrong with it – the fish was cooked perfectly, but the flavours didn’t quite blend well with one another. Also, there was nary any flavour in the sea urchin crust.

The addition of avruga caviar added only a luxury factor to the dish without really enhancing it.

And to complement our main courses, we ordered a serve of asparagus to err….. balance the proteins out.

Le Saint Julien

Fullerton Waterboat House
3 Fullerton Road, #02-01
Singapore 049215

Telephone: +65 6534 5947
Website: http://www.julienbompard.com

Yan Ting feels like dim sum heaven to me, in Singapore, at least. It is, in my opinion, that it’s on par with my other favourite dim sum joint, Royal China at Raffles Hotel, with the former being a little more grandiose in terms of ambience and ingredients. My other favourite dim sum joint is Wah Lok at Carlton Hotel which serves equally good dim sum choices.

Prices at Yan Ting are definitely a little higher when compared with some other outlets, but the quality of the ingredients speak for themselves. The overall feel of the restaurant too, is a notch up of the rest. Coming from Perth, I must add that even dim sum at Yan Ting seems cheap when compared to the Chinese restaurants here. Affordability is relative, no?

Steamed Barbecued Pork Bun ‘Char Siew Bao’ – S$5++ for 3 pieces

Fluffy is definitely the right descriptive word, as used in the menu. They were light, soft and filled with chunky bits of barbecued pork.

Hong Kong Style Pan-seared Radish Cake – S$5++ for 3 pieces

I like how you can taste the natural sweetness of radish in the radish cake.

Steamed Crystal Lobster Dumpling – S$16.80++ per portion

One of the more pricey items on the dim-sum menu, the lobster dumpling was good, but not out-of-this-world mind blowing.

Crispy Beancurd with Spinach – S$4.50++ for 3 pieces

Deep-fried anything spells comfort backwards, ye?

Oven-baked Barbecued ‘Char Siew’ Pastry – S$5.40++ for 3 pieces

This, I liked. The buttery crust paired well with the barbecued pork. Indulgence.

Steamed Crystal Shrimp Dumplings ‘Har Kao’ – S$6++ for 4 pieces

My traditional yard stick of a dim sum joint. The Har Gao was good; with a thin skin and distinct flavours of shrimp in the filling.

Steamed Shanghai Pork Dumpling ‘Xiao Long Bao’ – S$4++ per piece

My opinion? Stick with the ones from Din Tai Fung instead.

Steamed Pork and Shrimp Dumplings ‘ Siew Mai’ – S$6++ for 4 pieces

Steamed ‘Cheong Fun’ Rice Roll – S$10++ per portion

You get to choose from having your cheong fun rolled with either, Kai Lan, Shrimps, Scallops, or Barbecued Pork.

Steamed Chicken Claws with Black Bean Sauce – S$5 per portion

Too sweet for my liking, and lacking that hint of spiciness.

Pork and Century Egg Congee – S$9++

Steamed Salted Egg Yolk Bun – S$5++ for 3 pieces

Very much prefer the ones from Royal China.

Steamed Teochew style Dumplings with Pork and Peanuts – S$4.50++ for 3 pieces

With the benefit of hindsight, both of us were thinking we shouldn’t have ordered this. They didn’t quite augur well with us.

A word of caution, reservations are definitely a must!

Yan Ting
29 Tanglin Road
The St Regis

Tel: +65 6506 6888

Divido is a modern Italian restaurant along Scarborough Beach Road in Mount Hawthorn. Make no mistake about Divido – she is not your run-of-the-mill Italian restaurant. At this juncture, you ought to get pictures of large portions of pasta tossed in traditional sauces out of your mind. Instead, think multi-course, almost French fine dining style cuisine.

I’ve never been to a restaurant where they place cutlery for your entire meal on the table. This was definitely, a first.

Complimentary Homemade Sourdough Bread served with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

The first clear sign of a service lapse was a request for butter that took ages to arrive. That said, the staff were nothing but apologetic and the chef sent out a complimentary glass of digestif as we completed the meal. Kudos on the service recovery!

Antipasti

Kingfish Pancetta Carpaccio, Avocado, Watercress, Pink Peppercorns, Grilled Sourdough

Simple ingredients put together make for a rather surprising, but tasty dish.

Wood Roasted Heirloon Carrot & Artichoke Salad, Kohlrabi, Sun Flower Seeds, Dried Dates, Pecorino Romano

Lamb Shank Agnolotti, Puttanesca Sauce, Pecorino

A modern presentation of a classic pasta dish. Delectable, fork-tender lamb wrapped within perfectly cooked agnolotti.

Choice of Mains

Cartoccio of Western Australian Snapper, Potato, Radiccio, Tomato, Mushroom varieties

The fish option was a disappointment; the fish was definitely over-cooked.

By the way, Cartoccio is the cooking technique of cooking in parchment and what the French would describe as En Papillote.

Wood Roasted, Tunnel Boned Quail, Pearl Barley Stuffing, Grilled Cottechino, Witlog & Grape Salad

Personally, I very much preferred the wood roasted quail. It was tender, moist and most importantly, flavourful.

The sweetness of the grapes paired with the somewhat mellow taste profiles of the witlog leaves.

Chocolate, Quince & Hazelnut Strudel, Ginger Cream, Tonka Bean Ice Cream

All in, I felt that whilst there was nothing wrong with Divido and the meal in general, the dishes lacked that differentiating wow factor for me to make a return visit. Also, a quick check on their website showed not much of a change in their menu.

Divido

Tel: +61 08 9443 7373

170 Scarborough Beach Rd
Mount Hawthorn,
WA 6016

http://www.divido.com.au

MUST Winebar is a name that constantly pops up in peoples’ conversations whenever one asks for recommendations for a good restaurant in Perth. After this meal, I can definitely see the reasons behind it. Yes, service can be patchy at times but the food more than makes up for it. By the way, MUST is not a new entrant to the culinary scene in Perth – this is their 10th year in business.

There are two Must Winebars in Western Australia, the other being located down South in the Margaret River vicinity. So with a 83% approval rating based on 800 votes on Urbanspoon, read on to find out how our meal went…

Prices may say otherwise, but the decor and ambience speaks more of a wine bistro concept rather than a fine-dining establishment. I must say that MUST is located in a really good location along Beaufort Street in Mount Lawley, just north of the Perth CBD and a few doors from another well-established Modern Australian restaurant, Jackson’s.

During lunch, the restaurant is relatively quiet and it is quite possible to be able to walk in and get a table without making reservations, caveat emptor. Dinners, however, tell a different tale; So, do make reservations if you’re planning a visit.

By the way, in terms of the seating plan, the tables to the right of the photo above are placed space fairly close to one another.

Freshly Shucked Oysters  (1/2 Dozen – A$20, 1 Dozen – A$40)
Natural: Shallot Vinegar

The oysters that we had at MUST Winebar have been our yardstick for oysters since this meal. Every single one of these molluscs was perfect; each one proudly stands in the absence of any nasty sand grit and each tasting reminiscent of the fresh ocean. Accompanying the oysters are the options of a simple vinaigrette and lemon wedges.

I am no connoisseur and make no claims to be one, (i.e. I don’t really care about the specific factors such as salinity etc.), what matters is that if it pleases the tastebuds, it is good.

If memory serves, these came from waters around South Australia.

Tasmanian Salmon Tartare (A$26)
Avocado & Blue Manna Crab Salad, Dill & Seeded Mustard Dressing, Caviar

The Salmon Tartar is a simple and light appetizer to start the meal. There’s nothing really unique about this – how many times have we seen this combination on the menus? But you know what, most importantly, it works.

Just a few years back, I would have abhorred at the thought of the combination of raw seafood, cold avocado and cooked crab as a dish but I suppose, life is about experiencing what is new and having an open mind.

Grilled Fresh Rottnest 1/2 Shell Scallops (A$26)
Caramelized Pork Belly, Mash, Apple Salad, Pedro Ximenzez Glaze

The scallops were good – lightly seared on the outside and just cooked through in the center.

The caramelized pork belly added that little bit of indulgence to the dish and since, apple is such a classic pairing to pork, it worked well too. To complete the dish, the Pedro Ximenzez glaze gave it a touch of sweetness.

Anyway, I was reading a blog post just the other day and the author described the fats in pork belly as being ‘collagen-y’ – That’s a nice way to describe it, no? I digress.

Herb & Macadamia Crusted Lamb Loin – A$42
Paris Mash, Braised Red cabbage, Madeira Jus

Two of MUST’s specialities are the herb & macadamia crusted lamb loin and the roasted duck breast.

Unfortunately, the first slice of the lamb loin was a little over-cooked, resulting in a somewhat dry-ish dish. There is one positive though, the over-cooked portions seemed to only be at the sides of the lamb – the middle portion remained juicy.

Had it been in the oven for a slightly shorter time and a sufficient resting period, I’m pretty confident that this would have been a dish to die for.

Roasted Duck Breast – A$44
Warm Potato & Mizuna Salad with Grapes & Red Wine Jus

The duck breast, I thought, faired much better than the lamb.

Roasted duck breast seems rather common here in Perth, with most restaurants being able to churn out fairly decent versions of the dish. In my opinion, however, the best western-style duck breast that I’ve had came from another Perth stalwart, Balthazar.

MUST’s rendition of the dish was executed very well, with the duck being moist and tender. The potato slices/wedges provided the carbohydrates while the salad gave the dish a much needed lift. The grapes lent the sweetness to help cut through the richness of the duck. The dish is then finished with a simple red wine reduction which complemented the duck breast and helped meld the different elements together.

 Complimentary Bread provided much comfort while waiting for the dishes to arrive.

Must Winebar

519 Beaufort St
Highgate, WA 6003

http://www.must.com.au

Telephone: +61-8-9328-8255

So, I was looking at my drafts and found this from way back in December 2010. This meal was rather memorable for me because it was my only 3-Michelin starred dinner during my time in the Big Apple. Being the 3-Michelin starred establishment, the service at Chef Daniel Boulud’s eponymous restaurant, Restaurant Daniel, was no less than spectacular and the quality of the produce nothing short of excellence.

While I thought that there were some hits and misses throughout the meal and while I have taken down some of my comments into my trusty iPhone, I’ll let the photos do the talking on their own. By the way, reservations are a definitely must. Daniel has 3 different sessions for dinner and our table was only available at 9.30pm.

Dinner was Six Course Tasting Menu which went for US$185/-. The optional wine pairing went for an additional US$105.

Amuse Bouche

Amuse Bouche

Complimentary Bread

First Course

Duck Terrine with Honeycrisp Apple

Sicillian Pistachios, Golden Raisins, Pickled Barberries, Celery Salt

Lola Duck Mosaic and Daikon Radish

Juniper Gelee, Fig-Red Cabbage Chutney, Mustard Salad

Second Course

Peekytoe Crab Salad with Sweet Pepper Vinaigrette

Hawaiian Hearts of Palm, Tarragon Oil, Young Fennel

Trio of Spanish Mackerel

Warm with Cumin, Carrot Mousseline, Tartar with North Star Caviar, Poached with White Wine Gelee

Third Course

Fennel-Basil Raviolini

Littleneck Clam Emulsion, Broccoli Rabe and Chorizo

Sea Scallops “A La Plancha” with Broccoli

Tellicherry Pepper-Lemon Gremolata, Coco Beans, Bok Choy Salad

Fourth Course

Pumpkin Seed and Speck Ham Crusted Monkfish

Caramelized Endive, Glazed Jerusalem Artichoke, Doppelbock beer Jus

Slow Baked Dover Sole

Satur Farms Spinach, Pommes “Saint Florentin”, Parsley Tempura, Vadouvan Jus

Fifth Course – Main Course

Duo of Beef

Black Angus Short Ribs with Stewed Lentils, Salsify

Wagyu Tenderloin, Red Wine Glazed Pearl Onions, Carrot Confit, Sauce “Bordelaise”

Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Loin

Shoulder “Barbajuan”, Turnip Confit, Chickpea Hummus, Meyer Lemon Crust, Harissa Piquillo Coulis

Desserts

Spiced Poached Bosc Pear

Gingerbread Biscuit, Red Wine Gelee, Ginger Ice Cream

Warm Guanaja Chocolate Coulant

Liquid Caramel, Fleur de Sel, Milk Sorbet

Additional Order of Dessert (of which I do not have the name of unfortunately)

Petit Fours

Restaurant Daniel

60 East 65th Street
New York, NY 10065,
United States

Tel: +1 (212) 288-0033

http://www.danielnyc.com

29th June 2012 not only marked the opening day for Pollen at Gardens by the Bay, but my birthday too! Before I start the review proper, I just wanted to say that it was great to have lunch together with you.

The word of the wise has always been to never try a restaurant on opening night (or day in this case), but I thought… why not give it a go anyway? And of course, hotelier and partner, Loh Lik Peng and his wife sat at a table in the corner quietly observing their latest venture.

To be entirely honest, I like Pollen – it’s bright and cheery (for lunch anyway), in the midst of so much greenery and the food served doesn’t over-promise but doesn’t under-deliver either. The strong air-conditioning within the Flower Dome and the restaurant is a huge respite from the blistering heat outside.

Pollen has to be one of the most blogged about restaurants in Singapore since its opening, a quick search on Google turned up more entries than I had expected. That… or there has been a surge in the number of bloggers covering food.

The meal started off with some appetite pleasing complimentary dark sour dough bread served alongside, butter, cod brandade and green olives.

To sidetrack, Pollen is the brainchild of Chef Jason Atherton, who owns and runs Pollen Street Social in London, as well as Esquina Tapas Bar in Singapore. Unlike Esquina, Pollen is not a tapas bar, but a proper restaurant where one is able to sit and go through a multi-course meal. One thing’s for sure – the tables are fairly spread out which gives one that teeny weeny bit of privacy.

First up was the Scallop carpaccio, cucumber, apple, horseradish snow. Personally, I liked how the dish felt minimalistic and clean yet being elegant. The scallops were complemented by the ‘horseradish snow’ which lent a both a hint of spicy-ness and freshness to the dish.

The Salad of buttered lobster, pasta, seaweed and maple dressing sounded like a unique dish on paper. I mean, seaweed and maple dressing in the same dish?

The pasta was cooked al dente and the lobster, perfectly. The use of maple dressing to blend the different components of the dish was an interesting choice, to say the least. It was, in my opinion, a balanced combination.

Roasted cod, creamed olive oil potatoes, lemon conserve, orange grenobloise. (Thank you for the correction, ice)

Roasted cod seabass, slow-cooked peppers, olive, fennel, smoked tomato dressing.

We ordered two of their fish dishes as our main courses and were definitely not disappointed. Both dishes were cooked perfectly – certainly no cause for concern here with regards to quality of the execution.

My only minor gripe was that in one of them, the chef was quite liberal on the use of salt - but it was the first day of operation.

P.S. Please accept my sincere apologises for the quality (rather, the lack of) of both photos.

Line-caught john dory, minestrone cabaneros, cocoa bean, baby courgette

The fish used in this dish seem to vary depending on market supply – I’ve read occasions where turbot is used and snapper on others. I’m not sure if the writers got their ingredients wrong, but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.

There was a slight mix up in our order and the two of us ended up with 3 main courses instead of just 2. The Rangers Valley 300-day rib-eye, oxtail, charred eggplant, smoked potatoes therefore came by way of compliments from the kitchen.

What is shown above is really only half of the portion that was served, the remaining half remained on a bed of herbs. (pictured right at the top of this post) I’m sitting on the fence on this dish – it was good but lacked the oomph that I would have expected. The gravy was served table-side (yeah.. the theatrics. I hear ye). On a post on another food blog, apparently duck fat chips and green salad now accompany the rib-eye. Honestly, if the decision was left to me, I would stick with the oxtail, eggplant and smoked potatoes.

On a slightly related note, if you happen to drop by Perth, do visit Rockpool Bar & Grill located at Burswood Entertainment Complex; it was one of my more memorable meals – excellent service coupled with great steaks.

Desserts and a Re-visit in the works

Both of us were too full to order desserts but a re-visit is definitely on the cards to not only try Pastry Chef Andres Lara‘s (Iggy’s and El Bulli) supposedly innovative dessert creations but the other dishes that sounded so good too. Of course by then, both the kitchen crew and service staff would have benefited from having a few months of experience under their belt, I’m confident that the service levels would have drastically improved and thus the overall experience.

If you’re interested, by most accounts online, the PB&J dessert (peanut butter and cherry yuzu sorbet) seems like one of the more popular savoury-sweet desserts available at Pollen.

POLLEN

Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay
#01-09
Singapore 018953

Telephone: +65 6604-9988 (Reservations a must!) 

Opening Hours:
Lunch: 12 pm to 2.30 pm
Dinner: 6 pm to 10 pm
Opens Daily

Heads up people, Restaurant Week Singapore will be back from 7th to 14th October 2012!

Bookings at www.restaurantweek.sg will open to the public on 12 September 2012, so do head on over then to secure coveted tables at some of our nation’s top eateries.

New participating establishments include

• Forest at Resorts World Sentosa,
• Roadhouse,
• SQUE Rotisserie &Alehouse,
• Pepenero,
• La Maison Fatien,
• Shiraz,
• Praelum,
• Wan Hao, Marriott Café,
• Pool Grill,
• Oenotheque,
• 211 Roof Terrace Café,
• Forbidden City,
• InItaly on Craig Road, and
• Tamarind Hill at Labrador Park.

Returning establishments include

• Au Jardin,
• Bistro Du Vin, (see review here)
• Absinthe, (see review here - they have since moved)
• Buyan Russian Haute Cuisine & Caviar Bar,
• Garibaldi, (see review here)
• Gattopardo,
• KU DÉ TA,
• OSO,
• Salt Grill & Sky Bar,
• The Moluccas Room,
• Novus,
• Jade,
• Keystone,
• The Line,
• Tanjong Beach Club and (see review here)
• The Song of India.

HOW SINGAPORE RESTAURANT WEEK WORKS

During SINGAPORE RESTAURANT WEEK, all participating restaurants will offer exclusive three-course menus for lunch and dinner priced at $25*+++ and $35*+++ respectively.

*Please note that DiningCity Star-Awarded restaurants charge a supplement of $15 for lunch and $20 for dinner.

All bookings can be made online from 12 September 2012 at www.restaurantweek.sg.

AMERICAN EXPRESS PRIORITY BOOKING PRIVILEGES

American Express, being the presenting partner for SINGAPORE RESTAURANT WEEK, will offer American Express Cardmembers^ exclusive booking privileges from 3 September 2012 to reserve seats at their selected restaurants before everyone else.

^Only applicable for Cards issued directly by American Express in Singapore.

DEDICATED BMW DAY

As a co-sponsor of SINGAPORE RESTAURANT WEEK, BMW Asia dedicates 7 October 2012 (Sunday) exclusively to BMW owners. BMW owners can also make bookings for other days of that week but this will be subject to availability.

DININGCITY.COM NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS BOOKING PRIVILEGES

Subscribers to the DiningCity.com newsletter will also enjoy advance booking from 10 September 2012. To sign up for the newsletter, simply log on to www.diningcity.com/singapore.

When one is in Ho Chi Minh City (or affectionately, Saigon), it would be a mistake not to pay a visit to Cuc Gach Quan. The food served here comprises of very down-to-earth dishes that one would find in a typical Vietnamese home. There’s definitely no edible flowers or exquisite plating to speak off., but you do get humble dishes that speak right to the heart.

We ordered a few dishes to share and to tell you the truth, everything tasted wonderful – if only a tad on the salty side. Now, I’m not sure to what extent were the dishes authentic,  but a quick glance across the dining room shows both Vietnamese and tourists happily tucking into their meals.

The menu came across as somewhat mind boggling with pages and pages of the various dishes that Cuc Gach Quan had to offer – nothing that assistance from the English-speaking wait staff couldn’t help with. 

Prices are extremely affordable. Our lunch set us back about US$20 per person including drinks- which may be more than the average check at a roadside stall, but you do get quality food in a comfortable environment.

Some of the dishes that we tried include their both their fresh and deep-fried variations of the ubiquitous spring roll, homemade tofu and the stewed ‘river fish’.

This restaurant, being one of the most popular dining destinations in Saigon, tends to get somewhat crowded during peak hours – reservations are a definite must. If you encounter any problems with the making of the reservations, ask your friendly hotel concierge – we did.

 Cuc Gach Quan, Ho Chi Minh City

10 Dang Tat, Ward Tan Dinh, District 1, Saigon, Vietnam
Tel: +84 8 38 48 01 44

When I was back in Singapore for my winter break (July 2012), I tried out a new entrant into the already-crowded restaurant scene – The Clan Restaurant, which aims to present the best of European cooking infused with a Japanese influence. The Clan’s located on Bukit Pasoh Road, opposite Andre Chiang’s Andre.

If you’ve been to Dozo at Valley Point or Tao’s Restaurant at POMO in Selegie, you’ll be familiar with the concept of the restaurant.  This is of course, not surprising since Executive Chef Ken Teo ran the kitchens of both restaurants for the last 5 years.

Prices at The Clan are extremely affordable – A 5-course lunch costs S$42.80++ and a 6-course dinner costs S$62.80++. There are at least 5 selections for each course (with the exception of the starter – so that’s quite a few options to choose from if you’re going in a group.

Granted, affordability is relative but considering how main courses at some casual restaurants average around S$25++, these prices surely aren’t too expensive? Portion sizes aren’t small either! Perhaps, value-for-money would be more of an apt description.

Occupying two stories of an old shophouse, the restaurant can seat about 110 diners. There is the option of dining on the first storey (with the open concept kitchen) or on the second storey.

Upon being seated, a Green apple shooter is presented to you. Slightly tangy and moderately sweet, this cold drink was perfect for a hot summer day. This was nothing much of a shout-out but made for a good way to start the meal.

Complimentary Bread Sticks and Bread

Starter

Salmon Mousse Cone & Pan seared scallop w truffle asparagus, truffle foam & Foie gras terrine w cranberry sauce & pistachio cranberry crumbs

The first course comprised of a trio of small bites.

Let’s start from the back, shall we? The salmon mousse in the cone was rather tasty except for the fact that the cones had stuck to the paper wrapping. Perhaps they were prepared well before hand and kept in the fridge? The pan seared scallop was seared perfectly, although the there are hardly any taste of truffle in the asparagus or foam. Amongst the three bites, the foie gras terrine stood out with its smooth and creamy texture and paired well with the cranberry sauce.

Cold Dish

Earl grey cured tuna w lavender scent fruit salsa & orange basil emulsion

Fresh tuna was infused with a faint taste of Earl Grey which complemented the fruit salsa and orange basil emulsion. In short, it was a clean tasting starter.

Beef carpaccio w truffle mustard tossed mesclun salad in truffle teriyaki & horseradish sauce

I am on the fence when it comes to the beef carpaccio – I’m of the opinion that if you are going to serve beef raw, let it speak for itself and not have it drowned in such a strong tasting sauce that it loses itself.

Side Dish

Tempura espuma soft shell crab w homemade sauce

Kurobuta pork belly confit w pork cracker & passion fruit sauce

The kurobuta pork belly came highly recommended from the waiter and what came presented to us definitely lived up to the strong recommendation. It was so…. tender and of course, decadently flavourful. The mild sweetness and sourness of the passion fruit sauce combines well with savoury notes of the pork.

Herb crusted mushroom escargot

A word of caution, if you’re not a fan of all things herb, avoid this like the plague. For those who do, this is quite the god-send. The dish is packed with so much flavour of the herbs that it’s either you like it, or you don’t.

Soup

Miso soup w yuzu essence

If you’re  a fan of yuzu, this is definitely up your alley for the taste of yuzu was more pronounced in this soup than miso. The postive being the soup is less salty as one would be used to at your run-of-the-mill Japanese restaurant.

Crab bisque cappuccino w truffle foam & prawn twister (pictured below)

Crab bisque is the poor cousin of the traditional lobster bisque – prawn bisque being somewhere in the mix too. I digress.

Served lukewarm in a glass cup, I thought this was decent – smooth and rich without being too rich. It would have been nice if the prawn twister (a glorified deep-fried spring roll) remained crispy.

Cepes mushroom w truffle paste

The mushroom soup, according to the manager, is one of their best sellers.

I could hardly taste much of a truffle flavour but it did not matter; the mushroom soup managed to stand its own ground and tasty homely with tiny bits of mushroom remaining within.

Main Course

48 degree poached salmon w japanese broth, dehydrated wakame & leek confit

The salmon was another dish that I was left standing on the fence of. It was cooked perfectly, but my only gripe about it is, like the beef carpaccio, the broth overpowered the salmon.

Spiced braised lamb shank with potato panko & extra virgin olive powder

The lamb shank was the clearly pièce de résistance of the meal. I was clearly impressed just looking at the sadness that I had across my face when I wanted to, but couldn’t finish it. (man.. the portion was huge.) The lamb shank was braised long enough till the meat falls off easily off the bone. For detractors of the usual ‘gamey’ taste in their lamb, it is not anywhere near intense.

Desserts

The desserts were, in truth, rather pedestrian.

Chocolate lava cake with raspberry

The lava cake was definitely a few minutes over-cooked and lacked the gooey molten centre. Taste wise, it was good – mildly sweet, Belgium dark chocolate paired with a tart raspberry reduction.

Clan signature, chocolate fudge

The chocolate fudge is the supposed signature dessert. I can see why.

The same Begium dark chocolate found in the lava cake is used here, resulting in a rich and decadent fudge cake that is not exceedingly sweet and quite simply, great to end the meal with.

Madeira cheese panna cotta

The coffee, however, is in definite need of improvement.

My Parting Words on The Clan

I’ve typed the words, pedestrian, decent, good, a few times in this review but to be honest, those are the words that rightly describe the restaurant. There were no real hard misses during the course of the meal, but there were not many, “WOW” or “That’s interesting” moments either. The lamb shank was good and surprisingly so, but that was only one dish. Oh, and let’s not forget the pork confit – that was good too.

Service wise, because of how the restaurant is separated, I can imagine service to be somewhat lacking when it comes to a packed crowd at both levels of the restaurant.

In all, it’s safe to say that The Clan is a dining venue that aims to satisfy, just not surprise. And at the prices that they charge, it’s a steal. I hear that the menu will be reworked slightly soon and I’m definitely looking forward to revisiting The Clan at some point in time, as I have many times at Dozo.

The Clan Restaurant

No. 18/20 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089832

Open daily from11.30am – 2.30pm for lunch, and 6pm -11pm for dinner

Tel: +65 6222 2084

www.theclanrestaurant.com.sg

For fans of Masterchef Australia, Chef Matt Moran and ARIA Restaurant should be no stranger to you. Overlooking the Sydney Opera House and Sydney’s gorgeous harbour, ARIA is one of the few restaurants that matches a beautiful view with spectacular cuisine. 

The amuse bouche did not leave much of an impression unfortunately. It felt more like an after-thought.

OYSTERS
Six Freshly Shucked Pacific oysters with citrus pearls, pink grapefruit and cucumber

The oysters were the clear winner of the meal; they were fresh, succulent and well, were complemented so well by the equally fresh tasting combination of grapefruit and cucumber in a slightly citrusy dressing.

I could have easily gone through another dozen of these – if not of the health implications.

SALMON
Cured New Zealand salmon with kombu and Earl Grey tea, yuzu tapioca and avocado puree

The cured salmon came highly, and I mean highly recommended by the wait staff.

“You have, have to try it,” he said.

With such a recommendation, it would not be hard to understand that I well slightly underwhelmed by the dish. The curing of the salmon was perfect; there was slight hint of Earl Grey tea but it just did not have that ‘WOW’ factor, if you get me. I didn’t quite get the combination of he avocado puree and yuzu tapioca either alongside the dish.

I must, however, admit that the plating of the dish was rather aesthetically pleasing, edible flowers and all.

LAMB
Roast lamb rump with grilled tongue, cumin spiced eggplant, zucchini and red capsicum

The main course came in the form of a lamb dish that came directly from Chef Matt Moran’s family farm.

The lamb was tender and not as gamey as I would have expected it to be, the slight acidity from the tomato based sauce helped to cut through any gamey-ness and heavy-ness of the dish.

More on that here: http://www.ariarestaurant.com/default.asp?action=article&ID=21657

PANNA COTTA
Mandarin Panna Cotta with sauternes, mandarin and a burnt butter ice cream

The panna cotta was perfect – the texture was what I would have expected it to be. The citrus elements of the dish combined well with it, providing for a rather well balanced dessert.

Special mention goes to the excellent complimentary sour dough bread that was presented at the start the meal too.

Prices for lunch depend on the number of courses – One course goes for A$44, two courses go for A$72 and three courses go for A$89. It is definitely, not the cheapest in town, but you do get excellent service and a beautiful view. Although, that said, it is far too expensive in my opinion for lunch and there are many other more affordable and probably equally good alternatives in the area too.

ARIA Restaurant
1 Macquarie Street
East Circular Quay
Sydney 2000
Tel: +61 2 9252 2555
Email: mail@ariarestaurant.com

How many times has this same situation happened to you?

“Mom, make me some food?” “Get it yourself.” “Never mind, I’m not hungry.” – “@RealTed“

Fret not! Fellow Singaporean food blogger, Denise Fletcher, has recently penned a book containing some easy-to-follow recipes of Singaporean food for the novice of cooks. What is most useful is the fact that Denise offers suggestions of substitutes for perhaps, harder-to-find ‘authentic’ ingredients needed in some of the recipes. Recipes include Quick Devil Curry, Beef Rendang, No Roast Char Siew, and even how to cook Teochew Porridge. To entice you further, here’s a few pages straight out from the book – provided by the publisher, Epigram Books.

A brief introduction of Denise – She has a certificate in food preparation from Shatec Institutes and was chef at both SATS Catering and chef-owner of a restaurant named Eurasian Delights.

The official book launch for the book will be held on Saturday 21 July 2012, 2 – 3 pm at Books Kinokuniya, Ngee Ann City.

There will be fun activities including chances to win copies of Mum’s Not Cooking in a mini cooking contest, a tasting of one of the recipes from it, a chat session with my audience and a book signing.  (http://singaporeshiok.blogspot.sg/p/book-launch.html)

Mum’s Not Cooking
Favourite Singapore Recipes for the Near Clueless or Plain Lazy
Suggested Retail Price: SGD$22.36 (after GST)

I am, by and large, an addict of coffee; it runs in the family. That said, I am no expert. While I can differentiate a long black from a latte (who doesn’t these days),  I would have troubles defining with absolute certainty what magic or a piccolo latte are.

With that in mind, I have been visiting a few of the new indie coffee cafes that have been sprouting out around Singapore recently. As of this writing, here are 5 of my favourite coffee cafes that are arranged alphabetically.

Note: This list is by no means exhaustive and it is highly likely that it may be revised from time-to-time.

Last Revised: 17th July 2012

If you are a fan of indie cafes like myself, one blog that I personally love reading is Amasou, Umasou.

Forty Hands

Part of the Spa Espirit group, Forty Hands is closest in terms of distance to my home and thus my most frequented cafe. That said, the coffee standards here tend to deviate quite a lot visit-to-visit. From what I gather, a decent brunch is served during the weekends. If brunch is not up your alley, there’s always the Tau Sau Piah!

Blk 78 Yong Siak Street
#01-12, Singapore 163078
Tel: +65 6225 8545

Loysel’s Toys

Much has been said about Papa Pahleta and Loysel’s Toys but what I like most about Loysel’s Toys is its location; it feels like it’s out of the way, yet it is a mere 15 minutes drive to the city centre.

66 Kampong Bugis
#01-02 Ture/Sam Tat Warehouse, Singapore 338987
Tel: +65 9451 0236

I was introduced to this cafe by my dermatologist who had praises for it and they were definitely well deserved. During my time in Perth, I have started to take a liking to Cold Drips so on a subsequent, I was pleased to find out that Cold Drips were served here. The sandwiches are really affordable too which would make for a quick meal.

Maison Ikkoku

20 Kandahar Street
Ground Floor, Singapore 198885
Tel: +65 6294 0078

Smitten Coffee and Tea Bar

The Quayside, 60 Robertson Quay
#01-11, Singapore 238252
Tel: +65 9876 2347

Stranger’s Reunion is owned by Ryan Tan (formerly from Papa Palheta) who has won at the Singapore National Barista Championship.

Strangers’ Reunion

37 Kampong Bahru Road
Singapore 169356
Tel: +65 9368 3610

Other cafes that are worthy of mention include:

Located near Kim’s Korean Restaurant and Udders, is a one-month-old cafe that uses Liberty Coffee‘s Speakeasy blend. What I like about the cafe is the vintage-like decor and the overall cozy ambience. Carpenter and Cook serves up some pretty good Lemon tarts and Scones (served with homemade jam) too. Also, if you’re into vintage decor, there are some goods up for sale including vintage sewing machines and a mirror that would fit in a TV set of a 1930′s home.

Carpenter and Cook

19 Lorong Kilat
#01-06, Singapore 598120
Tel: +65 6463 3648

It was at The French Kitchen (Wow.. it’s been 2 years since) that I first tasted the food of Chef Jean-Charles Dubois. The stoves of TFK have since ceased operating and Chef now oversees the kitchen at Balzac Brasserie at the Rendezvous Hotel.

The Rendezvous Hotel is synonymous with Chinese-style Nasi Padang. The Nasi Padang restaurant has, however, since moved to Central, Clarke Quay. I digress.

The key question remains – Was my experience at Balzac as good at TFK — let’s see….

I like the casual, more laid back decor of Balzac compared with the ‘fine dining-esque’ decor at TFK that felt somewhat stuffy in the narrow restaurant. Gone are the white tablecloth and the wine glass already set on the table, and in with the disposable paper place mats and glasses for water. So too is the “sparkling or still”, reverting to a simple, “water for you” greeting.

The complimentary bread was really good and served warm at that. Alongside came a serving of pipped butter and a salmon tartare. (Similar to what was served at TFK)

Dubois’ Lobster Bisque 
Lobster Bisque with sauteed organic baby Mozambique prawns “Black Qweli” – S$16++

The lobster bisque remains at Balzac, albeit in a different form. I like the bisque – smooth, creamy and filled with the sweetness of the seafood. Mozambique prawns replace the Tempura prawn that was served at TFK – a rather wise decision I might add. The small prawns lend a savoury finish to the dish.

Australian Pork Ribs
Roasted Australian black pork ribs with sauteed potato and mushrooms – S$26++

The pork ribs, however, were an utter disappointment. The pork ribs were over-cooked, resulting in them being very tough. One other minor complaint was that the pork was not trimmed properly, resulting in large chunks of inedible fat.

Duck Confit
Duck leg confit served with an orange sauce and mashed potato “grand mere” – S$26++

The duck confit was, for lack of a better descriptive word, average. I did not think too highly of the dish. The duck lacked the crispy exterior that would have made the dish stellar. That said, the meat is tender and the mashed potato was void of any chunks.

We adjourned to another place for desserts but Balzac does have a rather enticing list of desserts to choose from.

All things considered, Balzac is a rather safe choice to have a meal, just don’t expect something that would blow your minds away.

Balzac Bar and Brasserie

9 Bras Basah Road,
#01-01 Rendezvous Gallery (Rendezvous Hotel)

Tel: +65 6336 0797

www.balzacbrasserie.com

Mondays to Fridays:
Set Lunch and A La Carte Lunch from 11am to 2.30pm;
Bar Snacks & Balzac’s Writers Block Happy Hours from 3pm to 6pm;
A La Carte Dinner from 6pm to 10.30pm
Saturdays and Sundays:
Weekend Brunch and A La Carte Lunch from 11am to 2.30pm; Bar Snacks & Balzac’s Writers Block Happy Hours from 3pm to 6pm; A La Carte Dinner from 6pm to 10.30pm

Au Petit Salut used to be my favourite restaurant, in particular for their value-for-money lunches, but to be frank, APS seems to be a mere shadow of its old self. Not only have the crowds dwindled, the quality of the dishes seem to have somewhat deteriorated. But I’m not one to strike them off just yet.

This is largely a pictorial but you may read my previous posts on Au Petit Salut here, albeit from a while back: (1), (2) and (3) 

Half dozen baked Burgundy snails with tomato and garlic butter

Pork shoulder stewed in wholegrain mustard and white wine creamy sauce with crushed potatoes and carrots

Choux bun filled with vanilla ice cream in warm chocolate sauce, sliced almond

Au Petit Salut
40C Harding Road
Singapore 249548

Telephone: (65) 6475 1976

Website: http://www.aupetitsalut.com/

Operation hours:
Monday – Saturday
1130hrs – 1430hrs
1830hrs – 2230hrs
Closed on Sundays

Won’t you agree with me when I say that this is one of the more colourful presentations on this blog in a while? All said and done, it is with much sadness that I read in the Sydney Morning Herald that “Becasse joins toll of food casualties“. Let’s hope that Becasse doesn’t suffer the same fate as Bilson’s which shuttered its doors sometime in October 2011. With that in mind, I’m hoping that the culinary scene in Singapore continue to thrives and grow – not just the restaurants, but the hawkers as well.

This post is largely a pictorial as the degustation menus at Becasse are seasonal and subject to change.

Snack

Bécasse artisan bread, sesame butter

Salt bowl (by Blue Mountains ceramicist Simon Reece)

Scallops

Marinated local yellowfin tuna, confit octopus, yuzu and white radish

 Squid ink coddled hapuka, squid, Spring Bay mussels, cauliflower and miso

Pan-seared Fish topped with slices of Truffles from Western Australia

Glenloth partridge, boudin blanc, sprouts and Armagnac jus

Pre-dessert: “Apple Three Ways”

Silken lemongrass and lime caramel, passion fruit crunch with vanilla yoghurt sorbet

Note: Menu is seasonal and subject to change.

Becasse

Level 5, Westfield Sydney
Cnr Pitt St Mall and Market St
Sydney

Phone: +61 02 9283 3440
Email: info@becasse.com.au

http://www.becasse.com.au

Five Spice Restaurant was the only restaurant that came packaged wit our Full Day City tour in Ha Noi, so expectations of the meal… well… we had none. With that in mind, the meal surpassed whatever expectations we had and came across as being a relatively safe lunch venue.

During our visit, we were the only table around and mind you, we were there during the peak hours of 12pm-1.30pm. But our tour guide had assured us, beforehand, that the meal would be decent. (But that’s part of their job, no?)

The decor of the restaurant was relatively pleasing to the eye, decked out in rather neutral colours and had simple paintings and replica musical instruments hung on the walls.

To get things started, a simple Pumpkin Soup was brought to the table. It was average – something that you would expect out from a can.

On a sidenote, there seems to be this fascination with the Burberry-esque chequered patten in this restaurant. Both the table cloth and the napkins were made out from that material.

The second dish that came along was the Fish rolls with Dill which was surprisingly yummy – Having a combination of Fresh seafood and herbs does it most of the time.

The usual Fresh Spring rolls, save for the fact that these were vegetarian. Fresh Vegetarian Rolls.

Correct me if I’m wrong but I think that Morning Glory is the westernized name for the water spinach or Kang-Kung as we Singaporeans refer to it commonly.

The Morning Glory Salad won me over with the simple fresh-tasting dressing (I could not quite put the ingredients to them) and fresh vegetables.

The Grilled Pork with Lemongrass & Chilli is apparently one of their signature dishes and rightly so. The mild hint of lemongrass lent a subtle fragrance to the pork and the chilli spices things up even if ever so slightly.

I did not care much for the 5 Spiced Pan-Fried Chicken with Vegetables because the dish was so badly executed that it resulted in tough chicken meat and the “5 spices” were non-existent.

This visit was part our packaged tour and thus there was no price to the menu. But if I were to give a ball park figure, lunch at a similar restaurant would be in the region of US$15-US$25 per person depending on the number and type of dishes ordered.

There are definitely better restaurants in Ha Noi, so unless your tour operator has this as part of your itinerary, my suggestion would be to opt for one of the other more well-known establishments like Seasons of Hanoi.

Five Spice Restaurant

33 Chau Long Street, Ha Noi, Vietnam

Telephone: +84 4 3715 3020
Mobile: +84 9 1678 6118

E-mail: 5spicebooking@gmail.com

I apologize for the lack of new posts recently; with the assignments now over and exams looming in a week, I thought that I’ll quickly publish one of the drafts in my ever-growing back log. Do expect new posts after the 16th of June – I have so many new places that I am just dying to share with you.

This entry is of my meal from many (many) months back and to be exact, end of December 2010. But, it was one of the meals that had me from the get-go and I knew that I had to pen my thoughts down. It was affordable, unpretentious French bistro cuisine at its best.

Bistro Jeanty is within walking distance of another restaurant in Napa Valley that I’ve blogged about – REDD Restaurant.

Warm, crusty sour dough bread that was just so tasty to have with the butter. Simple pleasures.

Escargots with garlic pastis butter (US$13.50)

I was deciding between the cream of tomato soup and the escargots, both being the highly recommended starters. On hindsight, perhaps I should have ordered both!

The garlic butter sauce that accompanied the snails was divine and the excess bread did come in handy to mop up the remaining sauce.

Speaking of the tomato soup, the recipe for it can be found here (leads you to the Bistro Jeanty website)

Bone marrow (US$12.50) covered with a Thick bordelaise sauce

I wanted to try another appetizer and so, when I spied bone marrow on the menu, I immediately chose it. To be honest, the reason why I ordered it was definitely not because I love bone marrow (in fact, I’ve never had it before) but inquisitiveness won me over.

Spooning a little the bone marrow onto the toasted baguette made it an excellent and decadent snack. If not for the potential health implications, I might have ordered another plate of this.

Epaule De Porc (US$22.50) - Slow roasted pork shoulder with Butternut squash gratin, Brussels sprouts and bacon 

Pork that falls off the bone definitely has me pining for more and this was no different.

The brussel sprouts lent a somewhat bitter undertone to the dish that paired well with the sweetness of the squash gratin.

And of course, it was nothing short of being value-for-money. For US$22.50, you get a decent sized portion main course at a 1 Michelin starred restaurant in Napa Valley.

Crêpe Suzette (US$12.00)
Warm crepe with orange butter & Mandarine Napoleon liquor

A classic French dessert was perfect to end the quick lunch.

On the whole, I loved every bit of my experience at Bistro Jeanty; The perfect French bistro food, the friendly service and the non pretentious vibe at the restaurant.

Bistro Jeanty

6510 Washington St.
Yountville, United States of America

Telephone: +1 (707) 944-0103
Website: http://www.bistrojeanty.com

Operating Hours
Lunch and Dinner 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m daily.

Video: View a Private Chef at Waku Ghin cooking up a lobster dish (Link to YouTube)

In the recently released 2012 edition of “The World‟s 50 Best Restaurants” list, Waku Ghin was placed at 39th – even higher than Chef Tetsuya’s other restaurant in Sydney, Tetsuya (76th).

Dinner at Waku Ghin currently goes for S$400++ upwards for a 10-course degustation menu. Signature items include Marinated Botan Shrimp with Sea Urchin and Caviar and the Australian Wagyu with Wasabi and Citrus Soy.

A less expensive option would be to try the recently launched six-course degustation lunch available only on Fridays which is priced at S$250++ per person (available from 12:00pm – 2:00pm).

Waku Ghin by Chef Tetsuya Wakuda

Casino Level 2
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

Reservations are highly recommended and can be made at
Telephone: +65 6688 8507 or
wakughinreservation@marinabaysands.com

Dinner
Daily: 6pm and 8:30pm (Two Seatings)

Lunch
Friday: 12pm – 2pm

Restaurant André is a restaurant where you walk in and want to be surprised.

This marks my second visit to Andre Chiang’s restaurant, which recently won the accolade of being 68th in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. My first visit back in 2011 was nothing less than stellar – The review can be found here (Dinner).

I do have to qualify my opinion though – I honestly think that in order to fully experience the André experience, it is imperative that you savour the dinner tasting menu, rather than over lunch.

Amuse bouche came in the form of Porcini Parmesan chips.

The baguette came out rather late into the meal – being served after the first appetizer. The consolation being that it was served warm and went well with the French butter.

First appetizer: Smoked salmon, tomato salad, basil flower sorbet.

Second appetizer: Kaffir lime consommé, baby leek ravioli, seafood carpaccio. - The ingredients were definitely fresh and the overall taste of the dish, rather light tasting.

Third Appetizer (Option 1): Perigord black truffle, foie gras jelly, fleur de sel. - This was probably my 2nd favourite dish of the afternoon.

Third Appetizer (Option 2): Black truffle pasta. 

Main Course (Option 1): Slow roast short rib beef.

Main Course (Option 2): Pan seared fish, wild mushroom polenta bianca, potato onion praline.

Dessert: Snickers 2012. - It would be surprisingly to many, considering how little I adore desserts. But the Snickers 2012 knocked my socks off! It was clearly the piece de resistance of this lunch menu.

Restaurant André

41 Bukit Pasoh Road

Tel: +65 6534 8880 (Reservations are highly recommended)

http://www.restaurantandre.com/

There are many sushi joints in Singapore, from the places that serve from the conveyer belt (Sakae Sushi and Sushi Tei), to slightly more upmarket chains like Itacho Sushi and upmarket joints like Tatsuya, Ginza Sushi Ichi and Aoki Restaurant. But within that fairly congested list, lies Nogawa. Nogawa is perhaps, my favourite sushi joint, where I tend to see myself returning ever so often. And of course, prices are fairly reasonable with a pure sushi lunch omakase meal (what is shown in this review) for S$60++

This entry is pretty much a pictorial, since whatever is offered to you on your visit depends a great deal on what is fresh during that season and what is available.

If you’re interested in my blog entry on a previous visit, here’s the link.

If S$60++ is not something that you’re thinking of spending, all is not lost; there are set lunches available starting from S$20++ which are fairly value-for-money. Trust me, I do go for their set lunches more often than the sushi omakase meals!

Really Sweet Japanese Tomatoes (Amuse Bouche)

Pickles

Hiramae (Flounder)

Shimaji (Amberjack) 

Kanpachi (Yellowtail)

Chutoro (Tuna Belly)

Maguro Tseki (Tuna Marinated in Soy Sauce)

Otoro (Tuna Belly, Blow Torched)

Uni (Sea Urchin wrapped with Seaweed)

Amaebi (Alaskan Pink Shrimps with Mayo, Blow Torched)

Anago (Salt Water Eel)

Tamago 

Plum Wine Jelly

NOGAWA JAPANESE RESTAURANT

100 Orchard Road, #03-25
Lobby Level, Concorde Hotel (Which is on the 3rd floor!)
Singapore 238840

Tel: +65 6732 2911

During the recent Easter study break, I flew back to Singapore on a red-eye flight and the first meal (after a few hours on my own bed catching up on sleep) that I had, was dinner at JAAN. And let me just say, the view up from the 70th storey of the Equinox Complex does blow you away; Singapore has such a magnificent skyline, I’m confident that you’ll be hard-pressed not to agree with me! Of course, it’s just another reminder of the beautiful country that we live in. To be honest, the view is probably the key selling point of JAAN. The food is good but safe. Perhaps, too safe.

Small bites were served upon being seated. In the photograph above, from front-to-back, you have Sesame crusted potato croquet, Grilled chicken skin, and Smoked eel parfait topped pickled apple gelee.

By the way, JAAN is derived from the ancient Sanskrit word for ‘bowl’. I digress.

Now, let’s get down to the details.

We proceeded with the “Menu Prestige” which 7 courses.

The kitchen of JAAN is led by Chef Julien Royer, 29 who was previously from Brasserie Les Saveurs at the St. Regis in Singapore. JAAN is also where Chef Andre Chiang of ANDRE (see review here) earned his reputation and stamped himself as an authority in the Singapore culinary scene. For the record, Chef Ebbe Vollmer ran the kitchen at JAAN for a short while before Chef Julien Royer stepped in.

The potato croquet had a molten cheese centre and when you take a bite, oozes out. So decadent, I thought. Speaking of decadence, the chicken skin was actually very nice. To end the bites off, the smoked eel is paired with a slightly tart apple gelee.

And so, from smoked eels to rye crisps, we go.

Rye crisps

Paired with “My Hummus” - Chef Julien Royer’s personal interpretation of the classic Middle Eastern food dip using Lentils from Saint-Flour, Auvergne and Chestnut Paste.

Amuse Bouche came in the form of a Cepes Sabayon and Mushroom Tea.

The intense flavours of mushrooms definitely shone through; A lovely combination soup made from both fresh and dried porcini mushrooms.

 Not long after, bread is served to the table, along with the usual condiment pairing of unsalted butter and sea salt.

I loved the bread at JAAN – I’m not sure if they are baked in a central kitchen (like that of Marina Bay Sands) or baked in-house. The one on the right is worthy of special mention – the aroma of Truffle and Bread is just so, welcoming.

Hand-Dived Scallop & Avocado “Millefeuille”
Light Crustacean Jelly, Citrus, Ikura, and Bronze Fennel 

With the small bites and bread out of the way, it was time to get the meal started.

First to be served is the scallop and avocado “millefeuille”. Unfortunately, as pretty as the dish looked, it was rather pedestrian in my opinion. I loved how the crustacean jelly and ikura all played to the seafood theme but the combination of flavours did not work for me.

Trumbetta Zucchini
Burrata “Artigiana”, Black Olive Sugar and Spring Herbs 

Next up, we had the second cold entrée. This was definitely a ‘safe’ dish for me. You can’t go wrong with Burrata cheese anyway! This slightly made up for the previous pedestrian dish.

Wild langoustine Raviolo
Thai Spiced Cream

The third dish on the menu was a (and I do mean, a), raviolo. (raviolo being the singular form of the word ravioli)

I liked this, the best. The well seasoned langoustine-filled raviolo combined well with an all-too-familiar Thai flavour. (Think – a mild Green Curry)

Grilled Escalope of Landes Foie Gras
“Pain Perdu”, Jave Pepper, Toasted Mango and Pedro Jimenez Sherry Jelly

If you’re like me and like your foie gras with a slightly ‘crust’ yet a soft interior, you’ll be rather disappointed with this rendition.

But for what it’s worth, the grilled foie gras was done perfectly – no complaints there. The richness of the foie is cut by the spiced mango AND pedro jimenez sherry jelly. The tart jelly is pictured above, albeit obscured by the copyright footer. The mango is first caramelized before being seasoned with pepper from Java.

The foie gras is from Landes, South West of France.

Line-caught New Zealand John Dory
Sauteed Baby Squid, Smoked Ratte Potato and Dolce Forte Jus

I remember a conversation about line-caught fish quite some time back, either on one of the blogs or on Facebook, about  the positives to line-caught fish vis-a-vis trawl fishing, in particular in relation to environmental sustainability. Of course, it’s always good to have the environment in mind but with seafood already priced so high, sometimes, the added costs just don’t make sense.

Again, the fish was good and was neither under nor over cooked – something you would expect to come out from a kitchen, such as JAAN.

Again, for a restaurant like JAAN, to dish out what is to be expected is akin to an investor that seeks only to achieve the expected return on a market portfolio, rather than seek to achieve ‘alpha’ – the additional return above the expected return.

Bresse Pigeon
Hay Roasted Breast, Confit Leg, Pickled Shimeji, Organic Corn, Jus “D’Abats”

The concept of using Hay seems to be in the rage these days. The pigeon was served beautifully pink in the centre. A simple knife stroke cuts through the meat – Clear evidence of how tender it is.

After all the richness in the previous courses, a palate cleanser would be suitable and this came in the form of a Mango Mousse with Lychee Sorbet, infused with Thai Basil.

Choconuts 2012′
Tanariva Mousse, Peanuts, Macadamia Nut Ice Cream

Consisting of layers of sable biscuit, peanut butter (using roasted peanuts from Piedmont), chocolate, and a milk chocolate (Tanarva) mousse).

Good, but no where as good as good as “Snickers 2012″ – Pictured below from ANDRE (the old review can be found here while my review on my return visit will be up on Saturday morning 10am) Sorry – I couldn’t help but to make comparisons.

Petit Fours 

(From Left to right) Rock Candy, Carambar caramel snack bar (from chef’s childhood), chocolate, madeleines, chocolates, and a chocolate-coated rosemary ice cream lollipop.

Further close ups.

JAAN

Level 70, Equinox complex
Swissotel the Stamford
2 Stamford Road
Singapore 178882

Tel: +65 6837 3322 (Reservations highly recommended)

Lunch
Monday – Saturday: 12.00pm – 2.30pm
Closed on Sunday and Public Holidays

Dinner
Monday – Saturday: 7.00pm – 10.00pm
Closed on Sunday

I love brunches, period. More so, if they include Eggs Benedicts or have decadent breakfast sets (i.e. sausages, scrambled eggs and bacon). One of the few places that have consistently received rave reviews of their Eggs Benedicts is Choupinette, along Bukit Timah Road.

Much of the reviews are well-deserved, I’d must say. In my case, we ordered the Eggs Royale (S$21++), which essentially comes with,

• 2 Poached Eggs on Smoked Salmon on English Muffins with a drizzle of hollandaise sauce
• A Hot Drink (i.e. Coffee/Tea)
• A Glass of Juice (i.e. Orange Juice)

Eggs Royale is a variation of the classic Eggs Benedict (which is served with Ham instead of Smoked Salmon). Other variations include Eggs Florentine (served with Spinach instead) and Eggs Blackstone (served with streaky bacon).

The Eggs were poached perfectly – the yolk remained runny and when gently nudged, came oozing out and did not come out tasting like they were soaked in a vinegar bath. (Vinegar is more often than not, added to the boiling liquid to solidify the egg whites).

All said and done, Choupinette is not all brunch and breakfast, they do have quite a decent dinner menu too, serving up classic bistro favourites at decent prices. And while you’re there, don’t forget to look at the wide array of pastries and breads that they have on sale!

Reservations: Do note that Choupinette, regardless of how you look at it, is a petite sized cafe, sitting no more than 40 pax at best. Therefore, reservations are definitely recommended if you intend to drop by.

Photos taken with an Apple iPhone.

Choupinette

607 Bukit Timah Road,
#01-01 (At the corner, closest to Coronation Shopping Centre)
Tel: +65 6466 0613
Opening Hours:
Tue–Fri: 9am – 10pm,
Sat: 8am – 10pm,
Sun: 8am – 6pm

“New World Mutton Soup” came highly recommended for having one of the best hawker-style mutton soups in Singapore so a visit was quickly arranged.

To be frank, if you’re a frequent reader of this blog, this post might come as a surprise to you. Well, it surprised even me! But I remember that I would post more of our local hawker cuisine on my blog. So, this post adds on to the ever-growing list: No. 18 Zion Road Char Kway Teow and Covent Garden Kway Chap.

Before I continue, I was wondering – is there more than one stall with the same name, “New World Mutton Soup”? A Google search referred me to a stall in Bedok that bore the same name.

The mutton soup was fragrant – of fragrant Chinese wine. I’m not particular certain as to which wine it was, but if I were to fathom a guess, ”Hua Tiao” Chinese cooking wine would be my guess.

The pieces of mutton were so tender that they pulled away from the bones with a gentle nudge. And for the adventurous or simply, the consummate foodie, you can opt to have a bowl of mixed mutton innards.

An alternative to just mutton pieces would be to opt for mutton meat balls – which were no less enjoyable too!

Each bowl averages about S$4.00. A bowl of white rice is available for an additional S$0.50.

New World Mutton Soup

Jalan Berseh Cooked Food Centre
Jalan Berseh #02-57
Singapore 209037