Edesia Feasts

Royal Thai Cuisine at Baan Rim Pa Restaurant

2010-12-05T07:46:00.000-08:00

I asked several people in Phuket as to where to find the most authentic Thai restaurant and almost everyone said “Baan Rim Pa”. And so there I was at Baan Rim Pa as a guest on afternoon. Baan Rim Pa is an elegant high end restaurant sitting on a cliff with a fantastic, panoramic view of Patong Beach and part of Kalim Bay. By the way Baan Rim Pa literally means “House on the Cliff” in Thai. This long established restaurant is actually a beautiful Thai style teak house with a romantic indoor setting. A piano bar adjoins restaurant and I was told that the late owner Mr. Tom McNamara used to play the piano for the diners on some nights. I was there early for my lunch appointment and had a long drink soaking in the sounds of the rolling waves crashing against the rocks below and enjoying the cooing sea breeze and listening to the Thai staff, preparing for the lunch crowd. I could smell the wonderful aroma of spices and herbs coming from the direction of the kitchen. Not far from this restaurant is another restaurant Joe’s Downstairs that belongs to the same owner. Joe’s Downstairs specializes in cocktails and tapas.

My host was Susanne Ultmann, Executive Assistant Manager and Director of Marketing Communications and she has been with the restaurant for almost twenty years!! She had overseen many TV shows featuring the restaurant as well as hosted many leading travel writers from all over the world. Baan Rim Pa serves Royal Thai cuisine and I was told that the recipes were once found only in the Grand Palace in Bangkok. The late owner Mr. Tom McNamara literally traced the descendants of the chefs of the palace and worked with them closely to develop the most authentic re-created version of the Thai Royal Cuisine. Of course, all the wealthy and the famous and the locals started flocking to the restaurant to get a taste of the Royal Thai Cuisine and many went back again and again. Susanne told me that Mr. Tom McNamara passed away in 2008 after a long battle of cancer but then today his family and skilled team are managing it well.

I started off the meal with Goong Sarong, deep fried prawns rolled with yellow noodles. This dish is also known as prawns in a blanket. Basically, fresh seasoned prawns wrapped in fine noodles and deep fried. I have tried other easier methods of making ‘sarong’ prawns example, prawns wrapped in wanton pastry or just dipped in batter. One needs to be skilled and patient to wrap the prawns in the noodles. The prawns were served with plum sauce. Instead of trying the usual Tom Yam soup in a Thai restaurant I decided to go for the Tom Kloang Pla Grob, a spicy soup of smoked dried perch. The soup tasted like the traditional Tom Yam Soup with a touch of coconut milk. The battered cubes of perch were so wonderfully fresh. Baan Rim serves fresh seafood that complements the island and the sea surrounding it. The Yaam Makhuea Yow, green eggplant salad was excellent. I loved the balance of sweet, sour and spicy burst in my mouth, along with cold slippery texture of the grilled eggplants.

Sue highly recommended the Panaeng Ped, Duck with Thick, Creamy Curry Sauce and Lychees. I dare say it is one of the best Thai duck dish I have ever tried. The roasted duck breast was cooked in a rich red curry paste along with sweet basil leaves and thick coconut milk; then sliced thinly and served with the sauce poured over it along with sweet fresh lychees. It is simply heavenly taste when you pop a slice of gravy coated duck meat along with a piece of the lychee. The sweet lychee tempers the duck with sweetness making it exquisite. I also tried the Pla Thod Grob Raad, crispy fried fish topped with chilli paste.
I finished off my meal with the traditional sticky rice with glutinous rice and also a helping of the ginger ice cream. Baan Rim Pa has also one of the most extensive selections of wines on the island, including those that will complement your Thai meal to perfection. Since the restaurant is always full, you will have to reserve your table early. Service at Baan rim Pa is classic Thai hospitality!

Baan Rim Pa Restaurant
223 Prabaramee Road
Patong, A.Kathu
Phuket 83150,
Thailand

Tel: 076 618235-8
Fax: 076 618239

http://www.baanrimpa.com/

Rockfish Restaurant Rocks at Kamala Bay

2010-11-12T05:54:00.000-08:00

When we alighted from the tuk tuk at the Rockfish Restaurant at the southern end of Kamala Beach in Phuket, I was not sure how the interior will look like. I was pleasantly greeted by warm teak wood floor and pillars with splashes of bright colours and contemporary art. The restaurant comprised of two floors – an upstairs area that had the bar, a nice lounge and an open terrace that had stunning views of the Andaman Sea and the surrounding mountains. The lower floor where we had our dinner had a casual funky ambience and overlooks the Kamala Bay. Rockfish certainly offers an unsurpassed dining experience with spectacular sea view from where we sat. Somehow, the wooden floor and white wooden canopied roof gave that wonderful feeling of rest and relax while I looked out at the horizon laced with lights and listen to the lapping of the water.

Our warm host was Richard Anthony, a Welsh married to a Thai lady. He owns and manages this popular restaurant that offers a wonderful menu featuring the finest seafood and meat cooked Thai style or modern fusion style. The Thai lady head chef, Pui Lamun Taptong has been working there for many years.
As soon as I saw Tom Yam Goong in the menu, I knew I had to try it. Try it I did and the verdict was “this is the best Tom Yam Goong I ever had in all my life”. The soup is characterized by its distinct hot and sour flavors, with fragrant herbs like sliced lemon grass and galangal, a few torn pieces of kaffir lime leaves and whole dried chillies and the lime juice and not forgetting the succulent prawns, mushrooms, tomatoes and sprinkling of freshly chopped coriander leaves. It was so spicy, piping hot with the right balance of lime juice and fish sauce that I would recommend it to anyone looking for an instant relief for a blocked nose due to flu. This soup had no coconut milk and neither was there any commercially prepared tom yam paste.

We tried two different starters. The Herb Crumbed Goat’s Cheese Fritter and Red Onion Marmalade on Toasted mini Ciabatta was an instant hit with me. The crispy outside of the fritter just burst into oozing cheese that paired very well with the slow cooked red onion marmalade and the lightly toasted ciabatta. I am sure this tangy and sweet onion marmalade will also be great with sliced cold meats and other cheeses. The dish came with a wonderful crisp salad of rocket leaves and sweet basil leaves – it was a nice change. The Spiced White Prawns with Chilli, Spring Onion & Sesame Seeds on Crisp Wonton with Chunky Guacamole was a pretty starter. Flat wanton skins had been fried till crisp and topped guacamole and then topped with the sauted prawns, a spicy chilli condiment and sprinkled with the spring onion and sesame seeds giving it a nice balance of different textures and flavors. I found it a little messy to eat but it was certainly worth the mess.

Rockfish has Australian ribeye beef Massaman curry, a southern Thai dish that is Muslim in origin on its menu. However, we opted for the Fish Massaman curry that was served with toasted cashew nuts and potatoes and a small helping of fragrant Thai jasmine rice. Similar to Malaysian curries and with some similarities to Indian curry, the Thai Massaman curry had an abundance of warm spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, lemongrass, fish sauce and other classic Thai ingredients added and this curry paste was brimming with all the flavor and richness of Thai cooking – a bit overpowering with coconut cream. The fish was fresh and blended well in that sauce. Perhaps if eggplants were added instead of potatoes it would have been even better – maybe it is the Indian in me that always matches meat with potatoes and fish with eggplants.

We also tried the Crispy White Snapper Fillet, Cauliflower Risotto, Asparagus & Yellow Curry Sauce. The fresh fish fillet had a nice golden crisp outside and was moist and flaky inside. I would have preferred it to be drizzled with the Yellow Curry Sauce instead of having it served on the side of the plate. The Cauliflower Rissotto has my thumbs up – cooked to perfection that you would think it was an Italian who cooked it that night. Richard informed me that he used organic vegetables that are grown in Thailand.

Good decadent desserts are always a blissful ending to good food. Two desserts were not enough for me and therefore I tried three fantastic desserts. My favourite was the Warm Crispy Banana Bread with Caramelized Bananas and Greek Yoghurt - everyday bananas were transformed into a heavenly delight by the way it was caramelized and served atop toasted banana bread with a helping of thick Greek yoghurt!! I also tried the Mango & Pineapple Salad with Coconut Ice Cream and Vanilla Syrup, and the classic Thai Mango and Sticky Rice with Sweet Coconut Cream.

Residents from all over Phuket and visitors from all over the world dine at Rockfish every day. One can find unsurpassed food, atmosphere and great hospitality with personal touch - even the cold towels offered at the end of the meal were rolled up to look like little white birds! Their wine list is extensive. Rockfish also has an all day brunch and a wide choice of artisan burgers, salads and pastas. Rockfish is also an ideal place for a leisurely lunch.

Rock Fish Restaurant
33/6 Kamala Beach Road,
Kamala 83120
Phuket
Thailand

Tel: 076 279 732

www.rockfishrestaurant.com

Daniel - Four Star Chef Daniel Boulud's

2010-10-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

When I first received an email from Ms.Georgette Farkas, the Public Relations Director for Chef Daniel Boulud, I was just thrilled. She had invited me to dinner at Daniel and lunch at DB Bistro Moderne – both in New York.

I am a great fan of Chef Daniel Boulud. I have been reading about his progress over the years and of course like most other chefs, I admire the way he has brought dining and cooking to another level in the gourmet world. Having written six cookbooks and being an owner of several finest restaurants all over the world (restaurant Daniel earned the prestigious four star rating in the 2010 Michelin Guide) Chef Daniel Boulud is certainly a mentor for many in the culinary industry. Born near Lyon in France, Daniel went on to work and was trained by renowned chefs like Chef Roger Vergé, Chef Georges Blanc and Chef Michel Guérard. These culinary gems later became his mentors. He cooks using the finest American ingredients and applies time honoured French cooking techniques when cooking. His restaurant, Daniel won several awards since the opening and is also listed in the "World's 50 Best Restaurants". This is what Chef Daniel said with regards Daniel “My dream is to give my guests a dining experience that awakens all the senses. At Daniel, I want them to leave the outside world behind and indulge in the fine cuisine, the beauty of the setting and the comfort and personalized service they have come to expect from us.”

Daniel is located at heart of Manhattan’s Upper East Side in New York. My dinner companions for that evening were my sister Kalyanni who was a vegetarian for that day and niece Sujatha. The Daniel experience started with us being treated like queens and we ate feeling like queens!! At Daniel, everyone is cared for including our handbags that got an ottoman to sit on! The well trained staffs were very gracious, attentive and yet left us privacy. It is certainly a jacket and tie for men. Jeans are banned from Daniel during dining hours but I was wearing jeans and luckily in a nice formal blouse. I guess I was excused because I was travelling the whole day.

When you walk into the dining room you are in another world. It breathes upper class money! The dining room is very architectural with columns, carved arches and draperies surrounding the main dining area with additional tables on a slightly elevated area surrounding. The dining room was dark tomato reds, pastel blues, very light pinks, gold and brocade and velvets. The restaurant was full and everyone was talking but still we were not able to hear the conversation. A classical music was played in the background and the whole place was just warm and cosy. The maître d’ showed us to the table and pulled our chairs for us and the restaurant captain Christina welcomed us and poured us Daniel’s own champagne!

We opted for the 8-course meals with wine pairings for two of us. The really charming bread basket was brought around by an equally charming waiter. We could choose from the eight assorted bread rolls. I picked the walnut raisin roll and the black olive bread. It was so embarrassing – I just could not stop eating the breads – all were baked at Daniel itself and was fresh and awesome. I had to force myself to stop eating the bread so that I have space for all that was coming.

The dinner started out with an amuse bouche that focused on beetroot. The thick beetroot velouté that was served with the tiniest – real tiny and very fragile grissini was really a work of art. The grissini even had a tiny piece of duck prosciutto at one end of it – making it look like a Q-tipped cotton bud! It made me wonder what is it that makes a restaurant one of the best in the country. I know very well that it is not just the décor or the service. It is actually the quality of the ingredients, the commitment and passion for detailed preparation and the creative presentation. Daniel had it all!

As there was three of us, between us we tasted over 20 tasting portions of Chef Daniel’s recipes. I would just have to type pages and pages! Some of the dishes we tried were the Peekytoe Crab Salad with Sweet Pepper Vinaigrette, Hawaiian Hearts of Palm, Tarragon Oil and Young Fennel; Pumpkin Seed and Speck Ham Crusted Sea Scallops Caramelized Endive, Glazed Jerusalem Artichoke and Doppelbock Beer Jus ; Roasted Daikon Radish and Black Mission Figs with Garbanzo Beans, Purslane and Aged Balsamic Vinegar; Wilted Spinach with Potato Saint Florentin, Chanterelle, Crispy shallot and Artemisia Tempura.

We also ate the Black Sea Bass with Syrah Sauce, Leek Potato Parmentier and Roasted Tempura Celery. The fish was rich, fleshy and cooked just right and the sauce was just amazing. The wine pairing was a 2008 Copain "Tous Ensemble" Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, which was the perfect match. We also had the Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Loin – Tandoori Spiced Shoulder, Minted Ratatouille Ricotta Gnocchi, Broccolini, Zucchini Flower Tempura. The way the gnocchi was presented flanking the filo pastry werapped lightly spiced lamb was very interesting. The specially selected small zucchini flower that was fried tempura style was just grease free and light– making it one of the best tempuras I have eaten recently.

I am no wine expert and therefore when a restaurant pairs the wine with my food, life was enjoyable. All the wines were specially selected and I got to taste at least about 7 types of wines including a beautiful dessert wine. Daniel’s also had a cheese tasting menu and I had one of the best cheese experiences!! The cheese board came with the appropriate dried fruits and all and one of the outstanding accompaniments for the cheeses was the honeycomb. It went so well with the cheeses.

Just before we went into dessert, I was told that Chef Daniel Boulud had invited us for a tour of his kitchen!! I just went giddy with excitement and could feel shivers of anticipatory happiness going up my spines. I was in the kitchen of a world renowned chef viewing the production kitchen, the pastry and bread making department, the coffee kitchen, the dessert plating kitchen and the whole works and departments of the restaurant. I witnessed Chef Daniel Boulud busy working in the kitchen. We had a good chat and a photo-taking session in the kitchen as well as the dining room. He joined us for a brief moment when we were luxuriating in the heavenly desserts. He also graciously went around to the tables and introduced himself and shook hands with the diners.

Dessert was to die for. Between the three of us we tried Cilantro Lime Macerated Papaya Dacquoise, Confit Buddha Hand’s Lemon, Guava Sorbet; Chocolate and Peanut Butter Ganache, Praline Feuilletine, Caramel Ice Cream butter ganache with

praliné feuilletine, and caramel ice cream... so rich and very scrumptious, the feuilletine added the nice crackling texture and of course their famous and a molten chocolate cake that was insanely good. The pastry chef Dominique Ansel had added his brush stroke of colour works of art to all the desserts.

All these heavenly desserts were paired with a dessert wine. Just when we thought everything was over, we were brought real hot from the oven mini madelines to have with our coffee and that was not the last…….a round of homemade chocolates appeared at the table!

I must say that dish after dish, it was the most exquisite meal I have ever had and it was truly a once in a lifetime gastronomic experience. Daniel truly deserves its reputation and I shall go back there again soon.

Senso Ristorante & Bar - Italian charm

2010-08-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

I like Club Street for its narrow street, the tastefully restored pre-war buildings, the bars and some of the up-market restaurants there. I was told that Club Street was once known for its clubs and trade guilds. During the night, this place takes on a different ambience of hearty laughter of the diners and merry makers and nice music flowing out of restaurants.

One of my favorite restaurants in Club Street is Senso Ristorante & Bar. I have been to this restaurant for at least twenty over times in the last nine years or so and each time I went there, I never looked at the menu and sigh out of boredom. They always had something new because their a la carte menu changes on a monthly basis and the set lunch menu on a weekly basis. The set dinner menu specializes in the cuisine of a particular region of Italy and that is also subject to monthly changes. During the weekday afternoons, this modern Italian restaurant tends to draw crowds of businessmen. In the evening, it draws the after work crowd as well as those drawn there for its romantic ambience. I am always fascinated by the colonial architecture and especially so the courtyard.

The first dish we tried was the Carpaccio of Mediterranean ‘Bori’ Fish with marinated raw Chanterelles and Mango. Though I am not a fan of certain raw fish, the chanterelles and the mango made it appetizing for me. Chanterelles, are wild mushrooms that shines like an exotic golden flower when seen from a distance. I have seen it being sold in Italy and they are worth their weight in gold. These meaty, chewy and slightly peppery mushrooms along with the sweet tender mango made the thin slice of fish just slide into my mouth. I must say that I tried the Burrata cheese for the first time in my life at Senso. Basically an artisanal cheese, it looked like mozzarella but more creamier, softer, buttery centre and it was served with the Lake Transimeno’s famous beans and deliciously sweet Datterino tomatoes that had unbeatable flavor.

The Homemade Ravioli Pasta stuffed with braised Veal Shank served with Black Tuscan Summer Truffle was just fabulous and my favorite for the day. The quality of the black summer truffle was good and the aroma was delicate and not overpowering. The stuffing of the ravioli was moist and rich. I could have eaten few more pieces. The Traditional Risotto with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Fresh Basil was very rich, creamy and had an abundance of the earthy taste of the chanterelle mushrooms and the flavor of basil leaves.

Next we tried the Wild Italian Sea Bass on Chickpeas and Green Camone Tomato Ragout served with shaved ‘Melanosporum’ Truffle. The fresh fillet of sea bass was grilled well enough for it to be crisp on the outside and moist inside and the crunchy full flavor of the Camome tomato ragout and the intoxicating and unique flavor of one of the world’s expensive truffle was all too heady for us. It was nice! After all that we still had bit of room to try the Australia grass fed Beef Tenderloin with Smoked Foie Gras and Gorgonzola D.O.P. served with Morel Mushrooms and ‘Dauphine’ Potatoes. Each of the ingredients in this dish complemented the other very well especially the utterly delicious creamy texture and salty tangy flavor of the Gorgonzola cheese with the morel mushrooms! We finished our meal with a delicious, rich Apricot dessert!

Senso Ristorante and Bar is the right place for one to entertain clients with pre dinner drinks and then to dinner. The waiters and staff are very attentive and make you feel important.

Senso Ristorante & Bar
21 Club Street
Tel: 6224 3534

http://www.senso.sg/

Spice of India - where Indian celebrities dine in KL

2010-08-10T00:30:00.000-07:00

In my recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, I met an interesting personality – Datin Kuges Salva – her family owns several businesses in Malaysia and South Africa.

For someone who owns several successful business including Austin Chase Coffee outlets, Spices of India restaurant chains and Athena, a premium Mediterranean restaurant – she is one of the most humble of ladies I ever come across in the last few years!!

Her son, Thesan Salva, the CEO of Austin Chase Coffee chains and she hosted me to dinner at Spice of India located at KLCC and Athena at the Pavilions, both in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The management had head hunted the chefs from renowned hotels and luxury hotels in India. All the chefs have experience of cooking traditional food as well as the versatility to handle the current trendy demands toward to Indian cuisine. The Lamb Samosa had a generous filling of spiced minced lamb and spices. If the pastry was a little thinner, it would have been perfect. All the food came together and I enjoyed the dinner and more so the company of Datin who shared with me the history of the various restaurants they have. The Roomali Roti was so tender, deliciously thin without rolling and folded like a handkerchief or roomal as it is called in Hindi! I enjoyed mopping the gravies with it. The Sikandiri Raan was highly recommended as the best selling dish in this restaurant. This is a marinated whole leg of lamb slow braised in an oven or on the stove and then finished in the tandoor. The meat was so tender due to the slow braising technique, almost falling off the bone.

The Tandoori Jinga – large prawns dipped in creamy marinade laced with sprinkles of ajwain seeds. The prawns were not overly done like in some Indian restaurants – it was still juicy and flavorful. The Mutton Briyani was not my favorite but it had a generous serving of well flavored tender mutton pieces.

The Palak Paneer was my star dish for the day! They make their own paneer – Indian cottage cheese, at Spice of India. Somehow, home-made cottage cheese is so different from what you buy outside, maybe because the commercial ones come with additives etc. The Palak Paneer at this restaurant is by far one of the best I have tasted in Malaysia. The Baigan Bharta was the traditional mashed smoked eggplant cooked with spices and tomatoes. The Dhall Makhani, typical high fibre Punjabi dish was very outstanding in that the spices were so balanced and at this restaurant they use only black whole lentils and red kidney beans –these are simmered overnight until it is almost creamy and tempered with butter and some cream is added.

I am not a big fan of Indian desserts but enjoyed the Gulab Jamuns, one of the most celebrated sweets of India served at this restaurant. Somehow, the taste, shape and color of gulab jamuns always attracted me! Gulab means rose in Hindi and Jamun is a kind of deep purple colored Indian berry. The name fits this dessert because the syrup used for Gulab Jamun is flavored with rose water and the little dumplings very high in milk.

I was told that popular Indian actors and actresses from all over India make it a point to dine at the Spice of India restaurants during their trip to KL as this restaurant is known for serving food that taste almost like those served in India!

Spice of India Restaurant
Suria KLCC
Level 4
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia 50088

Tel: +603 2164 9221

www.spiceofindia.com.my

Eden Sanctuary Floral Cafe - the color of life

2010-08-08T00:10:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled when I went to Eden Sanctuary Floral Café for dinner. From the outside it looked like a small café with a very small kitchen cum service area but I left the café with a body power packed with nutrients and knowledge about what the food I consumed is doing to my body!

Executive Chef and owner Clement Ronald Ng, the man behind this interesting concept café was full of enthusiasm when he explained and described the food served in his restaurant. Eden Sanctuary Floral Café only uses the freshest and tastiest of ingredients in their dishes and every vegetable used is chosen with the colors in mind. Research proves that the color of the food we eat can have a powerful effect on our physical and emotional state. Eating the appropriate colored foods can help to rejuvenate and balance the body system, making us feel brighter and more alive.

Red color
Foods that are red in color are usually rich in protein and minerals and therefore they can increase our state of vitality. If you are low in red color it will lead to a low energy state like anemia, lethargy and lack of stamina and enthusiasm. Red colored foods also promote good healthy heart, improves the memory and it has antioxidants for healing. Foods that are classified as red colored are: - strawberries, cherries, raspberries, water melon, apples, beetroot, red capsicum, tomatoes, cranberries, onions and radish.

Orange color
Orange is the color that is associated with release of toxins and stress from our bodies. It also helps the reproductive system and increases creativity and optimism. Vitamin C and zinc is associated with the orange color and therefore this combination help to get rid of heavy metals and pollutants from the body. Lack of orange color in our body can contribute to constipation and stiff joints. It also promotes eye health.
Foods that are classified as orange color are: - persimmons, papayas, oranges, cantaloupes, peaches, apricots, carrots, pumpkins, orange sweet potatoes and squash

Yellow Color
The sun is known as the main source of yellow during the daylight hours. But since most people work indoors the addition of yellow colored food in the diet is helpful. If the body lacks yellow, one would suffer from depression, poor memory, digestive problems and hot flushes. Therefore the intake of yellow encourages fun, joy and laughter. Foods that are classified as yellow color are:- pineapple, bananas, mangoes, grapefruits, sweet corn, yellow capsicum and yellow squash

Green Color
Green color foods are rich in vitamins and lots of minerals but these can be lost in cooking or when storing. So it is best to eat lots of fresh green fruits and salads. Adding green color to our diet increases stamina and heals panic, build strong teeth and bones and boost immune system. Adding green color to our diet also reduces the risk of certain cancers. Foods that are rich in green color:- kiwifruits, lime, honey dew melon, avocado, green apples, pears, grapes, broccoli, peas, leeks, spinach and other leafy vegetables, celery, long beans, asparagus, drumsticks, snow peas and French beans, green capsicum

Blue and Purple Color
Blue and purple color is very important for the workings of the mind and very useful for the voice box and other organs of the neck. Blue and purple promotes memory, healthy aging, and boost the immune system.
Foods that are rich in blue and purple color :- passion fruits, figs, blueberries, eggplants, dark purplish broccoli, purple cabbage, plums, raisins, purple potatoes, purple kohrabi, purple sweet potatoes

White Color
White colored food protects against heart diseases and certain types of cancer and also may reduce cholesterol. It also helps increase phyto-estrogen that is helpful to reduce hot flushes during menopause.
Foods that are rich in white color:- Cauliflower, white radish, onions, garlic, kohlrabi, bananas, brown pears, white peaches, white nectarines, mushrooms, potatoes, garlic, white shallots, soy products like soy drink, tofu, tempeh.

After listening to Chef Clement, I had a go at some selected dishes at the restaurant – for the first time concentrating on the colors! We were served some floral tea – very related to the ‘floral café’ theme. There were more than 50 over combinations of teas in the menu and I chose the Relax Tea which had dried rose petals, rose hip and lemon verbena. The tea was served in see-through tea pot and looked very beautiful with all dried flowers and buds and herbs floating in it. It was so aromatic and a truly relaxing drink……….just inhaling the aroma makes you calm and relaxed.

The Pear Rocket Salad (white, green and orange color), highly recommended by Chef Clement is still fresh in my memory – as fresh as the salad when it came to the table!! Quite a large portion with thin crisp slices of pears, feta cheese, orange wedges, lots of argula leaves and a light dressing of juice of calamansi, cider vinegar, honey and olive oil. On the whole, the salad was light and you never get tired of eating the large portion that is served.

The Creamless Pumpkin Soup (orange color) served in this restaurant is not one of those ladened with cream. The semi thick soup had lots of herbs and pureed pumpkin cooked in chicken stock. It had a mild taste but you can just slurp on spoon after spoon as it was light.

I also tried the Ginger Leek Peanut Butter Fish (white color). When I read the menu, I thought “what an odd combination” but when I ate my first mouthful, I must say that it is one of the simplest combinations one could ever think off and yet it was so tasty and delicious with every mouthful being a burst of taste or fish, leeks and ginger! Fish was grilled to perfection – just crisp on the outside and flaky moist inside. It came garnished with lavender buds!

Another unique dish in this restaurant is the Asian Pesto Pasta (green color). The pesto made with local herbs as well as basil, pine buts and cheese left an interesting taste on the palate. Though it was lacking in salt, I did not feel like sprinkling salt as it was so flavorful with the natural herbs in the pesto.

Dessert was not only pretty but very unique and interesting. I tried the Modena Mousse Cake – it was sweet and sour with an hint of aged balsamic vinegar and black pepper. The Chocolate Ganache was just a round mould of dense, decadent chocolate – you will be stuck for words when eating this. The Hibiscus Cheese Filo is made of hibiscus and light cream cheese enclosed in crispy layers of filo pastry. Though the desserts were sinful rich, it did not make you feel as if you have sinned as the portions were small to tease you only.

Overall, I enjoyed my healthy and guiltless dining experience at Eden Sanctuary Floral Café. Chef Clement can also personalize your meals accordingly to your preferences and dietary requirements.

Eden Sanctuary Floral Cafe
China Square Central
18 Cross Street #01-16
Singapore 048423

Tel: 6224 2298

Website: www.edensanctuary.com.sg

Nazt Bistro Lounge

2010-06-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

When I spoke to Manager Alain Hsu of Nazt Bistro Lounge on the phone, I knew very well that she must be a very experienced person in the Food and Beverage Industry. And I was right; she had been trained and developed by institutions like Le Amis, Mortons, 1 Rochester group of restaurants and Brown Sugar. Alain together with Chef Alvin formed a partnership and Nazt Bistro Lounge was formed!! Nazt is located in one of the beautifully conserved shop houses along Club Street. The interior is cozy, relaxing and cool with nice lighting. The walls are adorned with paintings of different artists for sale. There are set meal menus as well as ala carte.

My eating partner and I chose the Chef’s Alvin’s special – Apple Spaghetti and Dried Berries with Melon Sauce. It was one of the most interesting appetite whetting salads I ever had – very creative indeed. Chef Alvin had peeled a Granny Smith apple into long spaghetti like strands, probably using a spiral vegetable cutter. This apple ‘spaghetti’ along with some cranberries was served on a sauce made of blended rock melon. It was not only visually pretty and refreshing in taste but very healthy too. Though it was very creative, when I want to rate it as a dish, I could not do it because it just tasted of a combination of fruits – more like a fruit salad. We also tried the warm Mushroom and Prawn Salad, a very simple basic recipe of sauted fresh mushrooms and prawns.

For main course we tried the Pan Fried King Salmon served with asparagus and mango sauce. You really have to use your initiative when pan frying salmon. Sometimes the skin will stick to the pan; at times the fish might just break. Chef Alvin had pan-fried my salmon very skillfully. The skin was intact and crisp and not torn. The fish was cooked fork tender to bring out its rich, tender flavor and texture and the asparagus was tender crisp to my liking. I must say that I would have preferred to eat the salmon and asparagus just with salt and pepper.

We also tried the Seafood Delight –grilled fillet of sole with fresh water prawns and clams with clam chowder, caviar and crab oil. Sole is mild flavored and delicate in texture and somehow it goes along with other seafood. The fish fillet combined with a large fresh water prawn and clam chowder was rich especially with the caviar glistening on it and the crab oil that imparted a light fragrance.

Dessert was interesting. I have started to believe that Chef Alvin’s speciality is cooking with fresh fruits. We ordered the Pan Seared Water Melon – caramelized water melon with berries and ice cream. I know you are wondering how seared water melon will taste like…….. Trust me it is delicious. The flavor combination of the caramelized sugar from the water melon juice itself really embodies ‘umami’, the sixth taste. Research shows that, searing the water melon helps to release the lycopene, a carotenoid that helps protect against cancer, so you get even more health benefits from cooked watermelon than raw!! There you are, you can indulge in this dessert by Chef Alvin.

Next we tried the ‘must try’ of Nazt Bistro Lounge - Tour D’Orange – orange tower with raspberries, mascarpone cheese, deglazed with caramelized pepper sauce. Basically it is a tower constructed with peeled and sliced orange with fresh strawberries and mascarpone cheese in between- acting like pillars for the ‘tower’. The orange slices have been deglazed with caramelized pepper sauce to just about add a tinge of spice to the desert. It was served with a berries sorbet making the dessert a completely pretty and refreshing dessert.

On the whole, we left the restaurant filling light especially so after indulging in the desserts!

Nazt Bistro Lounge
54 & 56 Club Street
Singapore 069431

Tel: 6223 3868

Website: www.nazt.sg

Capricci - traditional Italian fare with modern twist

2010-06-28T00:39:00.000-07:00

Massimo Aquaro is well known in the food and beverage industry and his latest venture is the opening of an Italian restaurant Capricci. The restaurant stands out amongst the bridal shops, KTV pubs, old coffee shops and offices along Tanjong Pagar Road. The interior of the restaurant is divided into two – as you enter there is the casual looking bar that serves the before and after dinner drinks and then you find the cozy warm dining area with rustic but classy Italian decor. In fact, I liked the curtains and the cocoon lights that gave the restaurant a very romantic feel. There is also the VIP room and a glass walled wine cellar. The music played at Capricci is specially selected by music director Kane Ian, internationally acclaimed DJ and producer and owner of Dustpan Recordings.!!

Capricci’s dishes are created only with natural ingredients and with imagination and flair using a combination, expertise and love of food that appeal to all senses. The menu is extensive with all the traditional favorites served with a fresh twist as well as many lesser known Italian dishes. I started off my dinner with Prawns wrapped in Crispy Pork Belly on Puree of Chick Peas. The sweetness of the prawns and crackling fat of the pork belly along with the puree of chick peas was simply one of the best combinations of flavors!! The prawns were done just right without being rubbery. The Asparagus Soufflé with Cheese Fondue was my favorite for the day! From how I see it as a chef, this soufflé is basically a puree of asparagus mixed into a bechamel sauce that is then folded into some beaten egg whites and lots of cheese. The soufflé was super light and fluffy; moist and yummy good. The Tower of eggplant with Mozzarella, Basil and Tomato was a rich and satisfying dish. This dish is a treasure of Neopolitan cuisine. It consists of thick slices of breaded eggplant that are fried in olive oil until golden then layered with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and basil and baked until bubbly.

For main course, I tried the Paccheri con Salsiccia with porcini mushrooms and Stracchino cheese. Stracchino cheese is young, soft, delicate flavored and creamy in texture and usually used as a dessert cheese. But the chef at Capricci used the cheese well with the pasta and porcini mushrooms and very tasty homemade sausages. I also tried the Tagliolini Sapporiti alla Cemia with zuchinni and saffron. The thin slices of grouper fillets and zuchinni tossed along with pasta and saffron made a very rich and wholesome dish. The pastas served at Capricci are homemade, very typical of all traditional Italian restaurants. The Pistachio Crusted Lamb Cutlets with Limoncello Cream was served with a green salad. This is a highly recommended dish at Capricci. The lamb pieces were very tender and crusted with chopped pistachios. I would have preferred if the pistachios were crispier. I could hardly taste the Limoncello.

Dessert was Chocolate Lava Cake with vanilla ice cream. The crunchy outer side of the cake was deceiving when you plunge your spoon onto it…….the cake was soft inside and it erupted with rich bitter sweet chocolate filling that actually gave me a top of the world feeling that day when I finally left the restaurant after a sumptuous dinner. Capricci has a long wine list and full bar, offering classic and exotic cocktails like Mai Tai's, Margaritas, Lychee Martini's and Whiskey Sours.

The smartly dressed service staff are knowledgeable about the menu and are very polite and efficient.

Capricci Italian Restaurant
27 Tanjong Pagar Rd
Singapore 088450

Tel : 62216761

Website: www.capricci.com.sg

Taste Paradise

2010-06-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

Taste Paradise is a wonderful name for a restaurant. I would want to walk into this restaurant dreaming of all the wonderful tastes it is going to tease my taste buds with. The owners of Taste Paradise, located at ION Orchard, worked their way up as Cze Char chefs to owning a chain of ‘Paradise’ restaurants in Singapore. Taste Paradise at ION is their latest flagship.

I was just mesmerized by the oriental look and feel of this restaurant as I walked into it for lunch one afternoon. There were gold slated murals depicting a dragon on the ceiling, live sized portraits of Chinese emperors within gilded frames and even the Chinaware that you eat from in this restaurant is special. Overall it was all earth tones and modern in feel and the use of elegant drapes gave this restaurant a very cozy and intimate feel. There are even booth seats where you can pull the drapes so that you can have a private conversation with your concubine if you have one……..you know what I mean right – very private area.

Taste Paradise is a contemporary Chinese restaurant that serves exquisite Cantonese fare served nouveau style. We started off with Century Egg with Lime Sherbet. Basically, chopped century eggs with preserved ginger and lime sherbet, this something you cannot leave on the table for a few minutes – the sherbet melts and may ruin the taste. The combination of lime sherbet with century egg was unique but I would have preferred if the sherbet was made with preserved ginger – the classic accompaniment to century eggs. Presentation was very exquisite.

The Steamed Shanghai Pork Dumplings (xiao long bao) with Foie Gras was a real treat. Foie Gras can put you off if eaten too much but here at Taste Paradise you can eat as many dumplings you want because there is a right combination of ingredients in each dumpling. You can savor the aroma of the Foie Gras as each dumpling bursts its savory flavorful juice into your mouth. The Pan Fried Foie Gras with Peking Duck Reduction was done Western style but the sauce made of Hoisin sauce was very Chinese but complemented the dish very well. The chef did a good job of ensuring that the liver is seared just right so that you have crisp outer layer which when beaten bursts into luxurious smooth, creamy fat taste of the foie gras into your mouth.

Next we tried the Classic Superior Shark’s Fin in Supreme Broth Accompanied with Crispy Spring Roll served in Japanese Stone Pot. A rich generous portion of shark’s fins was served in a Japanese hot stone bowl. A crispy onion spring roll came along with it. The soup was rich and thick and made of 17 ingredients including bits and pieces of dried scallops and can be very filling. The crispy roll was a good contrasting texture. By the way, Taste Paradise also serves vegetarian shark’s fins soup for the “Save the Sharks” customers.

Taste Paradise is also famous for its Roast Peking Duck. The Peking duck was decently crisp with just about the right thinness of meat and fat but I found the pancake a bit too thick. What I could not forgive was the fact that the waitress just slapped so much sauce on the pancake and she even gave more sauce in a little sauce dish! I would have preferred to assemble my own Peking Duck Roll. It is very rare that you find lamb being offered in a Chinese restaurant and at Taste Paradise, the Crispy Fried De-Boned Lamb Rib Beijing Style is one of their signature dishes. The lamb ribs were obviously braised first and then deep fried. It tasted different from the usual fried pork ribs that you find in more restaurants but there were so much of fat layered between the meat and bones. The black vinegar and chilli padies sauce that accompanied it balanced the taste very well. I liked the Beijing style Braised Vermicelli Topped with Simmered Crab Meat. But could have been better if I had it with a few pieces of chilli padi slices in soy sauce. The rice vermicelli was braised in good stock of fish and scallops and then topped with crabmeat, and egg white. This is something you should eat while it is still hot.

Dessert was Chilled Mango Puree and Steamed Salted Egg Custard Bun. The mango puree was great but not extraordinary. The show stealer was the custard bun!!! It took me by surprise when I bite onto the hot bun………the salty extra sweet filling oozed out. Those who like eggs will love this bun. You will have be really careful when you bite into this bun when it is served piping hot because the filling will ooze out and will burn your lips and tongue.

I will go back to Taste Paradise again to try their dim sums. Service was very attentive even though the restaurant was crowded.

TASTE PARADISE
2 Orchard Turn
#04-07 ION Orchard
Singapore 238801

Tel: 65099660

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

La Nonna, the Italian grandmother's cooking style

2010-06-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

Tucked away in Namly Place, just off Sixth Avenue is La Nonna, an Italian restaurant. La Nonna means ‘grandmother’ in Italian. I was very surprised to find this restaurant nestled amongst all the private houses in a laid back area. But the restaurant was full that weekday afternoon. This is a cosy restaurant with good food that is not expensive and the staffs are friendly and casual. In fact, the customers too seem to know each other. I found that this restaurant can put a person so ease, the moment you step in and this is so because of the very warm, unpretentious ambience. La Nonna has several outlets and is owned by Senso Holdings – the same people who own Spizza, La Villa and Senso restaurants.

We started with Gamberi, a sautéed prawns salad with orange slices and avocado. The orange slices and avocado was a good match for the grilled prawns. The fried calamari rings was served with Arrabiata Sauce. Though the calamari rings were a bit too soggy for my liking, the sauce made up for it – it was a wonderful, spicy tomato sauce, an excellent version that had a lot of flavor as well as heat. I realized that I will never leave an Italian restaurant without trying the Bruschetta. The La Nonna Bruschetta was served with tomatoes only, with black olive tapenade and with goat cheese and truffle. I liked the goat cheese and truffle bruschetta. I loved the smooth and creamy texture of the goat cheese spread onto slices of toasted bread with bits and pieces of shaved truffle.

I had this soup for the first time at the Fishermen’s wharf in San Francisco - the Ciuppino, a fish and seafood soup in tomato base with herbs and garlic bread croutons was a wonder and can fill you up. You must try this soup at La Nonna. The seafood in this thick soup was fresh and the garlic croutons gave that added texture but it also fills up your stomach. The Spaghetti allo Scoglio is a classic seafood pasta made with all sorts of crustaceans and shellfish and is supposed to be very popular during the festive occasions for the Italians. The sauce had a rich intense tomato flavor and tasted almost like the Ciuppino! We also tried the recommended Spinach Fettucine with Truffle. The fettucine was al dente and the truffle sauce perfect and perfectly luxurious combination. It was a little too rich and overpowering for me. Maybe it is because I had already had a good helping of the Scoglio pasta.

We were recommended to try the Roasted Lamb Rack served with vegetables ratatouille in brown sauce and we did. The grilled meat was chock full of good things like garlic and fresh herbs and tender and grilled just perfect. The vegetable ratatouille was a generous portion and the brown sauce did not match the really tasty lamb pieces. The highly recommended swordfish steak was served with traditional Italian vegetables and rosemary potatoes. The swordfish was firm and had a meaty texture and had a flavorful yet mild taste. The traditional vegetables were more of a ratatouille and the rosemary potatoes were aromatic and had a crisp outer and soft floury inside.

The La Nonna’s signature Pizza had a topping of tomatoes, mozzarella, parmesan cheese, asparagus, black truffle and egg. If you like oozing egg yolk, this is the pizza to indulge but I had the cooked well. I was watching “No Reservations” on TV one day and noticed when Bourdain was on the farm in New Jersey, they were making a pizza with fresh cracked egg on the top. And that looked pretty damn tasty on the screen. But I preferred the cooked egg and this was equally scrumptious. The richness of the eggs were balanced nicely by the sweet tomatoes and the smoky flavor of truffles, and the thin crisp crust was tasty. The pizza was baked in modernised and woodfired oven

Dessert was an interesting Italian Lemon Tart. The tart had a light, flaky crust and the filling very sweet, buttery, tangy and irresistibly good! We also tried the White Chocolate Mousse served with Bacio ice cream. The food here is simple and unpretentious Italian fare. Service here is unhurried and slow.

La Nonna
Shamrock Park
76 Namly Place
Singapore 267226

Tel: 67621587

Website: www.sensoholdings.sg

PeraMakan -good Peranakan food

2010-05-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

PeraMakan comes quite close to serving authentic and delicious Nonya food. One thing I find about Nonyas is that they are all fiercely defensive about their own cooking and most of those I speak to think that they have the best Nonya recipes in the world………….to me, it does not matter whose recipes are the best – if I like something and I am eating with gusto, then it is the best!

Located at the third level of Keppel Club, PeraMakan has a class of its own. As you enter PeraMakan, you will see colorful tiles embedded in their service counters. In fact their logo is four pieces of Peranakan tiles of vibrant colors, joined together to form a square! It seems the homes of the Peranakans are often decorated with colorful tiles. Color is certainly very important to the Peranakans and plays a significant role in their food, clothes and crockery. Chef Kathryn Poh Neo, the lady chef behind PeraMakan’s success is a true Peranakan at heart. You could hear and feel her enthusiasm for presenting wholesome, delicious good food cooked with love to her customers who are her guests. She personally supervises and occasionally cooks at the restaurant – ensuring that food quality is of the highest kind and that they are free from preservatives and food enhancers. Her recipes are from her grandmother and mother.

We started off our lunch with Cheh Hu. Well, to me it is a kind of Nonya style Indian Rojak! The last time I was in Penang, I found this dish in many hawker stalls and I understand that this dish is very popular with the Nonyas and Babas of Penang. It is basically a dish of sliced yambeans (bangkwang), cucumbers, fried bean curd, seasoned jelly fish and cuttlefish and the one important ingredient the crispy prawn fritters. All these are served with a special sauce made of chilli, plum sauce, coarsely ground peanuts and more. The sauce was very tangy, sweet and addictive especially when eaten with the prawn fritters. The Jantong Pisang Kerabu, a banana flower dish was served very attractively. I am impressed that Chef Kathryn has added this dish to the menu. Picking the right banana flowers and preparing the flowers can be a chore. This salad had a mix of green mangoes and cucumbers all topped with a spicy belachan, steamed prawns and coconut cream. We also tried the Bakwan Kepiting, a very traditional Peranakan crabmeat and bamboo shoots balls soup and the Hee Peow Soup – fish maws cooked in a stock and served with prawns, pork and fish balls.

The restaurant had a promotion on Nasi Kembuli and Opor Ayam and we got to taste it. Nasi Kembuli - somehow I feel there is the Chitty Melaka Indians’ influence, is fragrant long grain rice served with a rich chicken dish, Opor Ayam. Opor Ayam originated from Indonesia and the one served at Peramakan is one of the best I have tasted in Singapore. No visit to a Peranakan restaurant is complete without a taste of Ayam Buah Keluak. Buah Keluak is the nut of the Kepayang tree which is found in the wilderness of Indonesia and certain parts of Malaysia. It is Dark brown or black in color and about the size of golf ball and has faint striations on its shell, much like a brazil nut. Good nuts after cooking should be richly black and oily, with the contents variously described as "opium" or "soft tar”. At PeraMakan, the nut pulp is combined with spices before they are pushed back into the nuts to be cooked along with the chicken and the rich thick almost black gravy was just too awesome. I love eating inside of the buah keluak and here at PeraMakan, they were very thoughtful to give a plastic stirrer so that you can bring out the black tasty paste from the deepest part of the nut. So if you are a fan of Buah Keluak like me, you will love this! And the best part of it all is – they also sell the Buah Keluak Paste in jars for you to indulge!

To make the delicious Beef Rendang, they had used the shin part and had braised it in very aromatic spicy coconut gravy along with dry roasted coconut. The meat was tender and flavorful. This was the first time I tasted the Hati Babi Bungkus and I kind of liked it very much. It was minced pork and liver marinated with spices, tamarind and pepper and then wrapped in pig’s caul and deep fried and then served with a Nonya pickle. The accompanying chilli sauce provided a suitably sharp contrast. The Sayur Nangka Masak Lemak is not something you find in all Peranakan restaurants and I applaud Chef Kathryn for having this in her menu. Young jackfruit cubes were cooked in spicy gravy with coconut milk and prawns and when eaten with rice, this truly reminded me of kampong days. The Nonya Babi Panggang was the highlight of the day!! Very tender, moist roasted pork meat with crispy skin served with a special sauce.

There was a heavenly spread of desserts at Peramakan. In fact, I think this restaurant offers the most dessert amongst the Peranakan restaurants in Singapore. Being the Dessert Devil, I tried a bit of this and a bit of that – the pandan leaves fragrant Bubor Cha Cha tasted very home-made and the chewy, colorful tapioca jelly pieces in it was home-made!! I tried the original Chendol and the Durian Chendol. The ice shavings were smooth and real gula Melaka was used – this really makes the difference in a chendol. And Chef Kathryn had made the green chendol bits herself – none of the commercial ones for this prideful chef. She also had two versions of the Apom Balik – pancakes filled with a choice of durian jam or kaya – both home-made too. Apom baliks are small thick pancakes folded into halves with the durian yam or kaya as filling. The traditional Apom Berkuah – pancake of fermented rice flour served with warm banana sauce was truly a sinful killer….nevertheless it brought me to heaven.

Peramakan is truly a great place for a special celebration or when you feel like treating yourself and loved ones to a fine Peranakan meal. If you happen to meet Chef Kathryn and her husband Kelvin Lee, you will certainly be smothered with great Peranakan hospitality and love of food!!

PeraMakan
The Keppel Club
3rd Floor,
10 Bukit Chermin Road
Singapore 109918

Tel: 6375 5563

Website: www.peramakan.com

Oosh - definitely a nightlife hub

2010-05-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

My next lunch appointment was at Oosh. I love this name – very memorable sound. This stylish resto-bar and lounge is at Dempsey hill and comprises of several sections and enclaves, each has a theme and character of its own and you can blend into any of it. Oosh is housed in an old huge building and therefore has a lovely courtyard, lush tropical garden and a wonderful man-made waterfall. It is modern, yet has that rustic charm. A lot of thought has gone into the architecture, design, and décor, it is really very well coordinated. Since we went during lunch time, I felt it was a waste as during dinner I am sure it would be become a nightlife hub with lively music and people and I am sure it is a romantic place for couples to dine as there are some private huts that render some pleasant intimacy.

Oosh’s head chef is Chef Zulkarnaini Dahlan who has undergone training by 2 Michelin Starred Chefs - Eric Guilbert from La Tour d' Argent and Gilles Marx from Taillevent, Paris. He brings with him his unpretentious savories, delicious yet easy on the pocket that makes you wonder. There is also an in-house dessert and pastry chef.

We started with a selection of rolls served with home-made herb butter. It was so nice we had to ask for more. For appetizers we had Seared Frog Legs – seared live frog legs in garlic butter on bed of fennel and onion ragout and finished with parsley shampoo. It was well marinated and tender and tasted like chicken pieces spread with garlic butter! The Tomato & Beetroot Salad – Roma tomatoes and beetroot tossed with honey lemon vinaigrette and goma shoyu dressing and topped with Mesclun salad and enoki tempura, sprinkled with Nanami Togarashi was interesting as it had fried tempura to give the balance in texture. The honey lemon vinaigrette got rid of the natural earthy taste of the beetroot.

The grilled Norwegian salmon with pomme sarladaise, apple compote and dill sauce was interestingly rich especially the pomme sarladaise. The apple compote helped balance the rich flavor. The chef did an excellent job with the salmon which remained soft and juicy despite being grilled. The Grilled Tenderloin – about 180 g of grilled Australia tenderloin with steamed asaparagus, mashed potato and Cajun marination was tender and simple. We also tried the Scallops risotto. The medium sized scallops were seared in XO sauce and perfectly cooked. However, the taste of the risotto was not appealing to me. One of Oosh’s best sellers is the barbecued pork ribs. And we all knew why as soon as we had a taste of the superb almost melt in the mouth, finger licking good pork ribs!!

For dessert, we tried the Granny Smith Apple Panacotta – light panacotta with apple flavor served with crème anglaise and chocolate cigar. There are few things better than a good apple eaten out of hand whether the flesh is mild and sweet or tart and winey, when you bite into it, a fresh-picked apple will make a crisp cracking sound and you'll get a spurt of juice. The panacotta at Oosh gave me a similar feeling except that the apple was diced and was still crunchy in the pannacotta.

The Banana soufflé took about 20 minutes to make but became an anti-climax. I like how the soufflé looked - very cute, fluffy, and pretty but the taste was not appealing to me. Perhaps the banana was not the right type. I liked the crusty exterior though.

On the whole, I would go back to Oosh with friends to have drinks and finger foods. The ambience is simply great for a laid back evening.

Oosh
22 Dempsey Road
Singapore 249679

Tel: 64750002

Website: www.oosh.com.sg

Yantra - an Indian food journey

2010-05-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

Tucked away at a corner of Tanglin Mall, my favorite shopping centre, is Yantra, a 138 seater Indian restaurant. Yantra in Sanskrit means, a medium by which you can connect to a higher power. Yantra certainly connected me to fine North Indian cuisine. The ambience was all energy and mysticism and the décor elegant - mahogany colored tables, immaculate china ware and crisp linen covered chairs. To complete the ambience was the nice looking charming waiters!

The restaurant had an open kitchen and one could see the custom made tandoor ovens standing behind a glass enclosure proudly. The menu was extensive – created by the Executive Chef Chintan Pandya. Chef Chintan in his early 30s is very enthusiastic about Indian cuisine and you can see it in his eyes and hands as he speaks about food and spices. He had his culinary training at the revered Oberoi Centre of Learning & Development in India. There, he trained under some of the finest chefs from the best hotels in the world.

I started off my journey by sipping a glass of Aam ka Panna. Although in theory it sounded very simple to make this drink, you must get it right. The drink was made of cooked raw mango blended together with a hint of cumin, mint and coriander and fizzed up with soda. It was certainly very refreshing on a hot day – well in India they drink this during the hot summers. My lunch companion had the Water Melon Martini that was equally refreshing as an afternoon cocktail. For starters we tried the Yantra Chef’s Platter that came plated tastefully – a combination of chicken, lamb and seafood. The Murgh Malai Kebab was a melt in the mouth morsel of chicken marinated in cream, spices and cheddar cheese and then baked in the tandoor!! This Murgh Malai Kebab is a must have for any kebab lover and is a delight. The Mutton Seekh Kebabs were succulent and flavorful pieces. The Pudina Aur Murabbe Ka Paneer Tikka, an Indian cottage cheese filled with mint and mango chutney and cooked in the tandoor was extraordinarily nice and I wondered why……..at Yantra they make their own panneer, the Indian cottage cheese!! Paneer places an important role in an Indian vegetarian’s life as it is rich in calcium and proteins. Pudina (mint) is also high in iron, phosphorus and vitamins and it is usually made into a sauce or chutney. It is quite common to find tandoori paneer served with mint sauce but at Yantra, the mint chutney is sandwiched in the paneer and then baked in the tandoor – making it extra special. The Burrah Chop was certainly a big piece of tender, well marinated lamb chop. I could taste the warm flavors of garlic, cumin and other spices along with lemon juice.

We also tried some samplings of Chaats. Chaats are Indian appetizers and snacks usually sold in the streets. At Yantra, we tried small portions of attractively portioned Dahi Wada, Sev Puri, and Samosa Chaat. I enjoyed it very much especially the sweet and sour tamarind sauce.

The Lucknowi Dum Chicken Briyani was cooked in a porcelain bowl topped with a pastry. Apparently the mildly spiced chicken and the aromatic long grain rice were baked with a pastry (pardah as it is called in the menu) covering to preserve the full flavor and aroma of the briyani. The Dhuan Gosht sold at $35, immerses savory lamb cubes dry roasted in a pan with freshly pounded spices, cooked overnight over slow charcoal fire and smoked with clove. This was certainly a first time dish for me and I was quite surprised by the fact that there was a piece of glowing charcoal in the pot which was removed by the waiter just before serving us the dish – the meat tasted smoked and had an interesting flavor. The Murgh Makhani, commonly known as ‘butter chicken’ is tender succulent pieces of chicken gently simmered in a rich and creamy tomato based curry. This dish is truly a delicious taste of heaven. The Kadhai Paneer was nothing special except for the fact that Yantra makes its own paneer. The Dal Yantra was made of whole black dhall that had been simmered overnight over charcoal stove with tomatoes and spices and finished with a tempering of ghee and cream. It was very flavorful and rich tasting. Along with the above dishes, we also tried several types of fluffy naans.

Paan is an ethnic Indian chew usually served at the end of an Indian meal and ceremonies such as weddings, receptions. Paan is believed to help in digestion of curried foods and also act as mouth fresheners and it is usually made several flavorful ingredients and betel leaf. For dessert, I ordered the Meetha Paan Ki Kulfi – basically icy cold kulfi flavoured with blended paan items like betel leaf, preserved rose petals, candied fruit and fennel seeds and reduced milk. It was a refreshing taste from the usual mango and pistachio kulfis you get at many restaurants.

My favorite dessert at Yantra was Mango Rasmalai! If I was not full with all the above food, I would have ordered a whole plate of mango rasmalai and ate it all on my own…….mmmm yum yum. Rasmalai is a Bengali dessert consisting of soft paneer balls immersed in chilled rich creamy milk flavored with cardamom powder and chopped nuts. At Yantra, the paneer balls (known as rasgullas) were halved and topped with juicy sweet mango cubes. One bite and I let my senses float – a true sweet tooth experience.

By far, I think Yantra has the most number of Indian desserts in its menu for an Indian restaurant, unless I am proven wrong. The waiters are knowledgeable, engaging and go out of their way to help. This restaurant is ideal for intimate events and large corporate functions with elegant alfresco seating and private dining facilities.

YANTRA
#01-28/33
Tanglin Mall
163 Tanglin Road
Singapore 247933

Tel: 68363088

Website: yantra.com.sg

Table 66 - Modern European cuisine the sous vide way

2010-05-14T21:07:00.000-07:00

A friend told me about a restaurant that is using sous vide (pronounced soo-veed) techniques. I was curious about this method of cooking and, of course, there I was, one hot afternoon at Table 66 located at Tras Street, off Tanjong Pagar Road.

Sous vide (soo-VEED) is French for “under vacuum”. In cooking terms it is a technique whereby fish or meat is vacuum sealed and cooked at a low, controlled temperature in a water bath. The resulting dish is moist, tender and full of flavor. This is due to the fact that it retains the juices that would normally evaporate into the air as the dish cooks. When a meat is cooked sous vide the juices stay in the bag while the meat is cooking. Sous-vide cooking method has found a home in some of the world’s best restaurants and also in Singapore, but it is no means a new concept.

Former Chef de Cuisine/Owner owner of the award-winning restaurant My Dining Room and the Executive Chef of the The Scarlet Hotel, Chef Vincent Teng and his business partner, Celine Tan owns Table 66. Table 66 is a very simple, unpretentious, cozy looking restaurant with natural sunlight from the skylight into the restaurant. Acrylic chairs with olive green cushions and dark brown tables give an added ambience. There is a private room for up to 10 guests and the main restaurant can seat about 30 persons. This restaurant is an ideal place to host corporate events, birthday parties and other smaller events.

Chef Vincent said “Table 66 serves Modern European cuisine with the Japanese touch. Our food is simple, no frills, best of food quality and wholesome. I used sous vide techniques in the preparation of most of the meat and fish dishes here to retain the original flavor and color”.

The restaurant has a good wine list; some of the wines are from boutique wineries. The restaurant was packed during lunch time with working professionals and service was prompt and attentive. There was a Set Lunch in the menu that was very popular with the office crowd and was good value for money. Set lunch is 2- or 3- course ($22++/$26++, additional $3++ for main instead of pasta) with a wide selection on the menu, inclusive of tea/coffee. After a quick look around at the other diners, I realized that food portions were generous.

The onion bread served to us was warm, crusty on the outside and soft and fragrant inside and unique and on asking Chef Vincent, I was told that it was custom-made by another bakery. The Sashimi and Capelini, a cold dish of seared tuna and salmon on cold vermicelli with lemon dressing was interesting and refreshing. It tasted like a Tom Yum noodle, but yet had the light flavor of Chinese sesame oil. The choice of pasta complemented the dressing.

The Sous Vide Egg Benedict – soft poached egg on grilled Portobello, spinach and sun dried tomato salad gratinated with truffle hollandaise gave me a mixed feeling. On one hand, I am thinking “this is no big deal to do this dish” and on the other hand, I had to tell myself, “this is done sous vide style”. I am not a soft poached egg person and therefore cannot tell much difference from the ones sold at Ya Kun. Protein becomes white on cooking – that was my understanding. Having said all that, I must say that the egg looked nicely poached and wobbly and an egg lover will finish it at one go. The Portobello was nicely grilled and still juicy and the truffle hollandaise sauce made it taste even better. The Hollandaise sauce with that wee bite of truffle was well-balanced with vinegar and butter. By far, this is one of the better hollandaise sauce that I have tried so far.

Nest I tried the Beef Tartare with truffle Miso marinated egg yolk, spring onion and Japanese Mayo. I don’t like raw meat so much, especially, beef tartare but over at Table 66, the beef tartare was served differently. The minced meat is made into a thick patty and seared quickly on the outside but the inside was still raw. Purists may not like this style but I liked it. Chef Vincent taught me how to eat it. First you need to break up and mix the patty and mix in the tasty and intensely truffle and miso flavoured sous vide yolk , the dab of mayonnaise and the spring onions with the fork…like one would mix a rojak. The flavor was awesome.

Next I tried the Duo of Sous Vide Pork Belly – pork belly cooked two ways –braised in balsamic and roasted with crackling skin served with sauted apple mustard sauce. I finally understood the hullabaloos over the sous vide technique – the pork meat was smoothly textured, evenly rare and slightly chewy, flavorful but with a relatively light taste. It was not just meaty but somehow fleshy, as if it were at once uncooked and cooked perfectly. It was like eating the essence of meat!! The roasted version had a very good crackling skin and the apple mustard sauce was a good match.

The Duck Breasts and Confit of Leg - smoked seared duck breast and sous vide duck leg served with broccoli and water chestnut in butter orange juice. The duck meat had been marinated and sous vide and had excellent smooth texture. The use of water chestnut was a surprise to me but it tasted great with a bath of butter orange juice!

I finished off all the above with a soft, foamy Hazelnut Mousse and Vittoria coffee. I left Table 66, feeling happy and satisfied – not about the food alone but with the fact that I learnt that chefs should not just cook but also apply the latest techniques to stay up there!

Table 66
66 Tras Street
Singapore 62256690

http://www.table66.com.sg/

8 weeks of Lei Garden Specialties

2010-05-07T20:14:00.000-07:00

I was told about the special culinary feast “8 weeks of Lei Garden Specialties”. And so, I visited Lei Garden Restaurant at Chijmes again, 3 months later. The management is having this food event to thank the customers for their support following the re-opening of its two restaurants. I wish all restaurants will do this so that customers get not only good value for money but also variety. It is an annual tradition at Lei Garden to offer the best quality of seasonal delicacies with exemplary culinary flair spanning eight weeks from 12 April to 5 June 2010. Four different menus were created and each menu will be served for one week and the menu will repeat itself on the fifth week.

For starters my lunch companion and I had the Lei Gardens favorites - Steamed Preserved Vegetable with Wild Mushroom, Deep Fried Fresh Crab Meat Roll with White Wine Sauce and the Barbecued Roasted Crispy Pork. But as I was enjoying these starters to the crumb, my mind was restless, wondering if I should or should not………try crocodile and turtle. Eventually, guess what? The Double Boiled Turtle Soup with Figwort Root and Yun Zhi was served at the table!! In the menu it said “$42++ for 2 pax”. I was expecting to see a half turned turtle or the soup to be served in a turtle shell; but jokes aside, I was impressed by the soup. It was a clear rich broth that had the essence of the figwort and the yun zhi, a kind of mushroom. We were told that the turtle imported from Indonesia was about 60 kg. Apparently, the best way to enjoy the goodness of the turtle meat is to make it into a soup. The Chinese believed in the benefits of turtle meat, especially in the rear soft-shell of the carapace which is a dense collection of collagen. The soup is boiled for hours. Along with the bowl of soup, we were served a plate of neatly cut up cooked turtle meat and shell. Ms. Angie Chew, a long time staff of Lei Garden said, drinking turtle soup regularly strengthens the body's immune system and helps to prevent cancer, reduce phlegm, treat pulmonary infections, to strengthen the tendons and bones, for vital energy, and to support liver health.

The Pan Fried Hokkaido Wagyu Beef in Home Made Sauce which is sold at $78++ per piece - definitely had an unforgettable, velvety-smooth and aromatically delightful taste. Those who have yet to savor the delectable experience may not understand the fuss around Wagyu beef, and the reason for its notoriously expensive price tag. It was grilled just about right and there was a very light hint of sauce so that we can enjoy the taste of the juiciness and depth of flavor. For your information, the waitress cooks it at the table just before serving.

The Braised Indonesian Deluxe Sea Cucumber Stuffed with Minced Meat was done a bit differently at Lei Garden. The sea cucumbers have been cleaned and processed very well so that it did not have the ‘fishy’ smell and then stuffed with minced meat, water chestnuts and finely chopped mushrooms. The rather bland tasting sea cucumber has the ability to absorb and accentuate the flavors of the ingredients in which it is cooked with or stuffed. The feeling of succulent jelly-like texture of sea cucumber infused with the flavorful stock and delightfully tasty meaty stuffing in your mouth is a must try for sea cucumber gourmet. The Chinese believe that sea cucumber is a general tonic and aphrodisiac and very rich in iron and contains minerals like calcium, magnesium and zinc. Therefore, sea cucumber has been known to help ease arthritis pain and relief joints discomfort.

I was nervous for the first time in my life, just before tasting the next dish - Braised Crocodile Limb with Bamboo Pith and Mushroom in Traditional Style. When I heard that people do eat crocodile meat (when I was young) I was curious as to how they will look like – I felt like crocodile meat eaters will be heartless, snappy and ugly. Furthermore, those days only “underground” eateries owned by secret society members used to sell crocodile meat that was brought in illegally. Because of all these I have never carried a crocodile skin handbag. Therefore when I was sitting there looking at the platter of cooked crocodile meat, I was a bit jittery. Angie told me that only the front limbs of the crocodile were used as it is believed to be one of the more tender parts. And therefore I ate my first morsel of crocodile meat at Lei Gardens at Chijmes!! It was braised slowly with bamboo pith until tender. The succulent meat had a turkey-like texture, was white and chewy but tender. I was told that the crocodile’s robust immune system can help cure man’s asthma and skin allergies and crocodile meat is high in protein and low in fat.

It was a refreshing change when I had to go back to eating normal stuff like the Pan Fried Mantis Shrimp Steak. The Mantis prawn from Sabah tastes more like lobster than prawns and the flesh is tender and sweet. The meat was chopped along with other ingredients and pan fried into a flat thick cake and therefore it was called ‘steak. It tasted like a prawn cracker and was served with a strawberry dressing.

Dessert for that day was Double Boiled Snow Lotus Seed served in Coconut. The coconut water was flavorful, probably a Thai pandan young coconut and was very sweet. It had snow lotus seeds jelly in it. Snow lotus helps relieve cold and impotence. Young coconut makes good sports drink as it contains lots of electrolytes, potassium and other minerals. The Soft Pastry with Strawberry Paste was made with fresh strawberries and one can have more than one in a sitting – it was that nice.

Well, if you do care for your health, if you are adventurous and if you care to take this opportunity to savor the best of Lei Gardens, do visit the restaurant as soon as possible.

Lei Garden Restaurant
#01-24 CHIJMES
30 Victoria Street
Singapore 197996

Tel: 63393822

Hiroki88@Infusion - truly infusion

2010-05-05T17:53:00.000-07:00

When I first heard of Hiroki88@Infusion, I was a bit puzzled with regards to the name because I was told it was name of a restaurant. I found out that Hiroki is the name of the chef and oops I forgot to ask if he was born in 1988. The restaurant is managed by the popular catering company Kriston F & B Group. Nestled in Dempsey Hill along with the other exciting food and beverage outlets, Hiroki88, a 150-seater restaurant has a very rustic charm about it and the dining area is furnished minimalist style and it so rightly matches Chef Hiroki Yoshitake’s impressionable culinary expertise and creativity cooking style. Even if you choose to sit down inside the air-condition comfort of the restaurant, you can have a good view of the huge old trees and fauna surrounding the restaurant. At night, the trees are lighted up giving the place a very romantic appearance. By the way, Hiroki88 won Best New Concept 2010 Award by Restaurant Association of Singapore. There’s no a la carte menu at this restaurant and you choose a minimum of three courses (a starter, a meat or fish entrée, and a dessert) from the menu. A 3 course dinner meal starts at $58.00+ (effective April 2010).

Chef Hiroki Yoshitake cooks and serves fine contemporary French-Japanese bistronomic cuisine. This is the first time I have heard of such a cuisine, but it sure was interesting. His culinary adventures journeying across more than 35 countries, spanning from Europe to Asia and the Middle East sets him apart from those about his age group. Chef Hiroki is proud to share that he was once an assistant to three-star Michelin chef Pascal Bardot of L’Astrance in Paris. On top of it, Hiroki was mentored by famous Iron Chef Competition winner Chef Sakai Hirokyuki in Japan.

The restaurant served warm home-made Foccacia Bread with Anchovy Butter and Herb Butter. Butters that have been flavored with flavorful herbs are a delicious surprise to accompany breads. Hokkaido is known for its sweet, tender and beautifully sized scallops and therefore the Hokkaido Scallop Carpaccio and Scotland Mustard was a must to be tried dish. There was a very light dressing that accentuated the delicate sweetness of the scallop and served with a dab of Scottish mustard. The flavors here are subtle, not bold, but still satisfying.

It is generally accepted these days that fish is good for you. It's low in fat, high in protein and apparently free from worrying chemicals, and fish such as salmon, sea bream and tuna also provide important nutrients for lowering cholesterol and even improving brain activity. Our next dish Grilled Sea Bream with Forest Mushroom fulfilled my need for something to lower my cholesterol and reminded me that fish cooked in the simplest way tastes good too. The fish was grilled just right -firm, sweet and flaky. The forest mushrooms, light and tender with great deep flavor was an ideal pairing to the sea bream. There was a little sauce with clams and coconut foam too!

Next I tried the Sakura Bark Smoked Chicken Breast. Aromatic smoking woods are actually a very desirable form of seasoning because they add sumptuous flavor without adding any fat or calories. The wood smoke alters the taste of the food, resulting in a distinctive new flavor. The sakura bark did give a distinctive flavor to the chicken that had interesting mixed drizzles and dabs nori sauce and brown sauce along with chopped olives. Quite a memorable taste. On the left here, I have a picture of a Sakura Bark Smoked Salmon.

The loin of lamb comes from the middle, lower section of the rear quarter. This jewel of the lamb is very tender, and cooking time should be minimal but even though Chef Hiroki has said “slow cooked”, the meat was not tough, but very tender and the presentation was spectacular too. We tried Chocolate Mousse and Caramel Nut Cream with Homemade Coffee ice Cream and Spiced Pineapple Compote with Coconut Sherbet. Both these desserts had what I called ‘multi components’ in each plate. The pineapple compote was a generous portion of sweet pineapple stewed with star anise and sugar. It was served with homemade coconut sherbet. Well, I think the chef was trying to give the pina colada in edible portions. Personally, the pineapple was great and would have been better if served without the coconut sherbet. The Chocolate Mousse and Caramel Nut Cream with Homemade Coffee ice Cream was very light and it had a dab of surprise – salty chocolate on the side which kind of took me by shock but it was a pleasant shock though.

At Hiroki88, all the ingredients are very fresh and when combined together in the form of sauce, marinate, dressing, garnishes, it pops into the mouth to make a pleasurable taste sensation. I come to understand that Chef Hiroki works seven days a week and sources for the best ingredients only.

Hiroki88@ Infusion
Block 16A Dempsey Road
Singapore 247695

Tel: 64747896

www.hiroki88.com

Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant since 1988

2010-05-02T03:24:00.000-07:00

Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant is one of the pioneers to introduced authentic Hong Kong cuisine into Singapore. Since 1988, this restaurant has been always associated with good Cantonese food. Located on the second level of Carlton Hotel, Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant has 8 private rooms for one to hold private business lunches or dinners; and has a bright interior, warm ambience and an elegant dining area. Its grand high ceiling and floor to ceiling glass windows are striking combined with the beautiful curtains that give you the feeling of being in a grand oriental themed palace. This restaurant is famous for its Cantonese Dim Sum and exquisite Cantonese dishes.

We started off with Pan-fried Japanese Scallop with XO Sauce. The scallops were large and sweet naturally and seared in hot oil for just a short while so it was fork tender. Many chefs produce very tough and rubbery scallops; not this one. The crust was thin and crisp and it came with dried scallops and XO Sauce. XO Sauce is usually made with scallops and therefore the topping of dried scallops further enhanced the taste of the sauce.

I have tasted Sharks’ Fin soup so many times in my life but this Shark’ Fin wrapped with Egg White Skin Dumpling served in Superior Soup was certainly a different way of serving the sharks’ fins! In most Chinese restaurants, sharks fins are typically cooked for a very long time until the shark fin separates into needles of cartilage that look like clear noodles. The fin itself has no taste, but it absorbs the flavor of the soup broth it is cooked in. At Wah Lok, the rich flavorful superior soup was a concentrated essence of taste. Instead of letting the sharks fins loose in the tasty broth like other restaurants, the creative chef had made very thin fragile wrapper of egg white and enclosed the sharks’ fins in it. The dumpling was placed into the bowl of steaming hot broth. It was certainly a parcel of taste fit for an emperor – after all sharks’ fins symbolizes wealth.

These days many restaurants make their own beancurd. At Wah Lok, the Braised Beancurd with Crab Claw was made with their home made beancurd that was not only delicious but also of medium-firm consistency, smooth textured and had a slightly sweet flavor which was pleasant. The sweetish flavorful chilli crab sauce that was blanketing the fried succulent crab claws was finger licking. The Steamed Cod Fish with Garlic and Preserved Vegetables was a combination of interesting taste and texture. The cod was fresh and flaky and the fried garlic crumbs enhanced the otherwise bland cod. The chopped preserved vegetables gave an interesting crunch and ‘salt and sour’ flavor to the fish and the broth that came out of steaming the fish.

Kataifi pastry (pronounced ka-ta-if-ee) is a versatile pastry used in the Middle Eastern countries. In the last few years, the Chinese have started using this vermicelli looking pastry as a ‘coating’ for seafood and pastry. The best way to make yours is take filo pastry and shred it into the tiniest, thinnest shreds. The Fried Noodles Wrapped with Prawn is the next dish that I tried and its ‘noodles’ was the kataifi. Personally, I felt it was a waste on fresh prawns to be served this way but then you cannot serve prawns that are not fresh either?? Since it was deep fried, you get the crispy outside and the tender prawn inside. Apart from the above we also tried their signature dish Pan Fried Pork Chop with Black Pepper Sauce. It was like any other black pepper sauce dish except that it was served with a fine wafer like potato crisp.

Dessert time was interesting. Wah Lok is known for its Osmanthus Cake. In fact, when a good friend got married, she had the wedding dinner at Wah Lok so that her friends will get to try the Osmanthus Cake. Well, the Osmanthus Cake is a jelly like cake using water chestnut flour and dried small and creamy-white osmanthus flowers which gives the cake its distinctive flavor. However the osmanthus fragrance and flavor is an acquired one. Osmanthus flowers (Gui Hua in Mandarin) are said to promote and improve one’s complexion, health, longevity and beauty. The cake was attractive but more like a ‘kueh’ than a dessert to me. The Custard Pastry made of flaky pastry had light and not too sweet custard. It came dusted with icing sugar and a sprinkling of chopped walnuts and therefore I got a multitude of texture while sinking my teeth into this pastry. It almost made a perfect ending to my meal but WAIT…….I tried more since I am the Dessert Devil! I tried the traditional Chinese dessert made of Hashima, an ingredient made of dried oviduct of the forest frog and also known as the snow frog glands. This prized delicacy is not as gross as it sounds. I tried both the cold and the hot version. The dried hashima was rehydrated and double boiled with rock sugar and dried red dates and had a soft, glutinous texture and opaque color. I am glad my dessert did not smell fishy as I had experienced this in some Chinese restaurants. The puffy and whitish strands are basically tasteless but add texture and a touch of luxury. It is supposed to be good for the complexion, lungs and kidneys. The fragrant Sago and Pomelo desserts was very refreshing and had lots of plump juicy pomelo sacs that bursts in the mouth to release the juice.

The staff at Wah Lok was very attentive and very meticulous in changing plates etc. The manager was at hand to explain some of the nutritious values of the ingredients.

Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant
2nd Floor
Carlton Hotel
76 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189558

Tel: 6338 8333

www.carltonhotel.sg

Kazbar for Arabian Nights.....

2010-04-27T20:02:00.000-07:00

There is something sexy and seductive about Middle Eastern restaurants. For a long time I used to wonder what it was? Only when I entered Kazbar at the newly revamped Cuppage Terrace that I realized that it is the music, the lighting, the décor and the association to belly dancers. I was told that the Kazbar at Far East Square has good Middle Eastern fare and a piéce de resistance at this outlet is a gorgeous belly-dancer who shakes her flexible torso from about 9.30pm and 10.30pm from Thursdays to Saturdays. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this nice intimate space where I was seated for dinner………..having short dreams of sheikhs, harems and Arabian souks.

We ordered the Mix Mezze Platter that came with a combination of hummus, moutabel, baba ghanoush, Labneh, cheese börek and falafel. It is like a little Lebanese smorgasbord on the table – served with pita bread slices. I aimed for the cheese börek as soon as it was served. To me börek is a little parcel of love – cheese, gift wrapped with flaky phyllo pastry!! Not enough of it. The falafel, made of nutritious garbanzo beans was tasty and dense but a wee bit dry that night. Falafels are suitable for vegetarians. The falafels dipped in hummus tasted even well. The hummus is basically like a thick chickpeas cream made of boiled chick peas, garlic, tahini, olive oil, salt and pepper, cumin and lemon. I have always liked hummus and baba ghanoush. Baba ghanoush is made of grilled, peeled and pureed and seasoned eggplant. The soft and smokey flavoured eggplant dip can be eaten as a dip or spread. A moutabel is a spicier version of the baba ghanoush. The labneh is a soft yoghurt cream cheese – not my favorite with pita bread. But I think I would have liked it better if it was served with fruits.

The Fattoush salad was an instant hit! I have tasted fattoush at other Middle Eastern restaurants but I think so far this is the best. Fattoush is a Lebanese bread salad made of tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley and mint and of course toasted pita bread cubes. I believe the salad was originally developed as a way to use up the stale pita bread that always seemed to be available in Lebanese homes. The dressing is of lemon juice, olive oil and maybe a bit of sumac. Tabbouleh is like the national salad of Lebanon. Made of soaked burghul wheat, lots of chopped parsley, chopped onions and lemon juice, it is certainly a refreshing, aromatic salad.

After all the above, we decided that we have space only for a Mixed Grilled Platter which had the Lamb Chops, Shish Taouk, Shish Kebabs, Kofta kebabs and was served with three sauces. The lamb chops were well marinated and grilled just to the perfect texture – leaving it not only succulent but also with a nice smoky flavor and taste. It is so good on its own that you don’t have to eat it with any of the condiments that were served with it. The Shish Taouk is an Arabic Turkish style marinated, skewered and grilled chicken cubes. These chicken kebabs were served with a very traditional garlic paste Toum. The lamb Kofta Kebabs were deliciously moist and lightly spiced. While I was eating the Shish Kebabs, I can’t help myself from thinking of stories I read and I always remember how horsemen rode from the plains of central Asia would climb down from their horses when night falls, light large fires and skewer meat onto the ends of their swords to cook and how over the ages, this simple style of cooking grew into the Shish Kebab. The Shish Kebabs at Kazbar were grilled and marinated just right and very tender. The secret with grilling the perfect Shish Kebab is to get it done quickly so that it will hold in the moisture and make the meat tender. We also tried some grilled seafood kebabs. The grilled platter was served with harrisa, toum and a mint yoghurt as accompaniment. Though all the meats were so delicious on its own, dipping it into the sauces and pastes enhanced the taste even better.

For dessert, we tried the Egyptian Um Ali. There is a story that says that Um Ali was the first wife of the Sultan Ezz El Din Aybek. Apparently when the sultan died, his second wife had a dispute with Um Ali which resulted in the second wife's death. To celebrate, Um Ali made this dessert and distributed it among the people in the country….well not a nice way to serve a dessert? The dessert was made of phyllo pastry, lots of milk and chopped nuts and quite like a soft pudding, more like a baby food to me. It was aromatic and the service portion is enough for 3 persons.

I tried Arabic coffee for the first time in my life at Kazbar. According to some research Arabic coffee is the second coffee making method after the invention of coffee making in Ethiopia. The coffee seeds get roasted and then ground with cardamoms; some people use coriander too. It is usually made in a special coffee pot Ibrik. The coffee grounds were at the bottom of the cup. We were served some Baklavas with it. The Baklavas were not restaurant made but rather imported from a popular Baklava making company in this region.

On the whole, our dinner at Kazbar was enjoyable and we did have a hearty meal.

Kazbar
33 Cuppage Terrace
Cuppage Road
Singapore 229458

Tel: 6836-5738

http://www.kazbar.com/

The Queen & Mangosteen

2010-04-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

I just found out that there is a rumor that Queen Victoria’s favorite fruit is the mangosteen and hence the name of the restaurant that I visited next - The Queen & Mangosteen! This restaurant totally reflects a modern British influenced quick nibbles, dining and drinking experience with the Asian touch. It’s located in Vivo City and you can have a spectacular view of the upcoming Resorts World Sentosa and also of Sentosa. When you stand at the entrance you will just see some plush couches and a huge signboard and only when you walk into the restaurant do you see people and more people seated on high tables, bench seats and old reclaimed leather chairs – it is so like a contemporary British pub! The restaurant has an ornate island bar which overlooks the waterfront that dazzle by night. To enjoy and sink in the beautiful bay and the picturesque scenery, it is best to sit at the al fresco area like I did.

The Queen & Mangosteen offers a simple but comprehensive menu that has very wholesome bites as in bar food, hearty main dishes and comforting desserts. I tried the Pimms’s and Lemonade, very popular drink for British summer months and yet the best drink for Singapore’s current temperature! Pimm’s is a dark reddish tea colored gin based alcohol that taste a little of spices and citrus fruits. At the Queen & Mangosteen Pimm’s was served mixed with Sprite, lemon juice, chopped apples, oranges, strawberries, cucumber and mint. This is truly an uplifting and refreshing textured drink! This restaurant also offers a wide range of craft brews from Archipelago, some of which includes Straits Pale, Traveller’s Wheat, Saison Sayang and Archipelago Samui, Apsara Lager and Islander Indian Pale Ale. There was nothing like seating, relaxing and watching the sun setting while sipping Pimm’s and Lemonade!

To nibble, try the Crispy Whitebait with Lemongrass & Chilli Aioli. Whitebait is an old English term for little teeny weeny fishes. Here these fishes were dusted in flour and fried crispy and crunchy and you have to eat it piping hot, dipped in the fragrant lemon grass and chilli aioli. Well, aioli is nothing more than raw garlic pounded with a little salt and a couple egg yolks into a sticky paste, with just enough olive oil beaten in to make it creamy. It is absolutely delicious and the key this aromatic great-tasting aioli is the freshness of ingredients plus the lemon grass and chill.

The Crispy Crab Cakes with Baby Cress Salad and Mango Salsa came next. The two crab cakes were crisp on the outside, juicy and warm on the inside when served. The crab flavor was dominant here and I am glad. But two crab cakes were not enough! These gems did not need any adornment but then crab cakes are also an excellent excuse to eat mango salsa--the luscious fruit has a natural affinity to the sweet crab meat, and the little lime juice in it makes everything sing. Absolutely delicious is the word to describe the crab cakes!

The Roasted Rack of Lamb with Rosemary Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus and Mint Yoghurt was truly a big portion for one person – there were 3 ribs!! From historical times, roasted lamb has been a traditional delicacy associated with the British. Like a true devoted lamb admirer I relished meat first and thereafter nibbling on the bones. The pine-y rosemary really made the potatoes stand out with its perfumes. It's a classic combination that we never get tired of tasting. Because of the slow roasting in the oven, the outside of the potato was nicely crisped while the inside was smooth and creamy. The grilled asparagus had taken on the flavor of the lamb.

The first Fisherman’s Pie I ever had was made by a British friend and I had thought that was the best after my version. Now, I tell you, the Fisherman’s Pie with Mashed Potato Topping at the Queen & Mangosteen is the best for me! This is a very typical British rich and very tasty seafood dish with white sauce as the base and creamy yummy mashed yet chunky potato topping. Serving size was enough for 2-3 persons and as you eat, you can fish out surprises – fish, prawns, squids and more.

I do not know of anyone who dislikes fruit crumble. It was dessert time and a Fruit Crumble with Kapiti Vanilla Ice Cream was served. It was baked upon order and came to the table still bubbling. It was made of soaked dried apricots, apple, bananas and other fruits baked topped with a crumbly pastry mixture. The top was slightly caramelized maybe because of some sugar that was sprinkled. When it comes to the ratio of crumble to fruit, I like there to be more fruits than crumble, so that as the ice-cream melts, there is lots of hot fruit and crumble to soak it all up. Mmmm … I also tried the White Chocolate & Cassis Cake with Chocolate Ice-Cream and Mixed Berry Sauce which was a bit too sweet for me.

Overall, it was a great dining experience for me, overlooking a nice part of Singapore. Service was very attentive and the restaurant was crowded.

The Queen & Mangosteen
#01-106/107
Vivocity 1
Habourfront Walk
Singapore 098585

Tel : 6376 9380

http://www.queenandmangosteen.com/

District 10 Bistro Wine Bar

2010-04-22T17:39:00.000-07:00

As I walked into Winstedt Road, on a very hot day, I could see are lots and lots of cars going up the road. The nearby Anglo Chinese Junior School was just dismissed and parents of students were picking them up. District 10 Bistro Wine Bar, located in this busy road is housed in a part of the former Monk’s Hill Secondary School. Owned by business partners of The Bontá Group, Serena Lim and Chef Luca Pezzera, this casual dining establishment is spread over 6,000 sq ft, consisting both indoor and outdoor dining options. As I entered the place, I noticed a beautiful octagon water feature and a huge frangipani tree. The al fresco area had timber flooring that blended well with the well manicured surrounding garden. The staff led us into the bright spacious dining room with wooden tables and chairs, and a huge open wine cellar with neatly arranged wine bottles.

Though most of the recipes were created by Chef Luca Pezzera, it is London native Chef Dean Fisher who heads the kitchen at District 10 Bistro Wine Bar and who ensures standards and consistency are upheld. His 18-year industry resume boasts kitchen experiences with the likes of Mark Hix, the Executive Chef at The Ivy in London, and stints at the iconic Savoy Hotel and Strand Palace Hotel. Chef Dean said he has been blending his expertise in Mediterranean cooking with his newfound love for Asian ingredients recently.

District 10 Bistro Wine Bar has an all day dining menu that features a wide selection of cakes, desserts and homemade ice creams that will appeal to everyone. We started off with the restaurant’s signature Mohito and a cocktail Death by Chocolate – which was a killer concoction of Bailey’s cream, ice cream and more…. The Duck Mango Salad had a medley of crispy duck pieces, cubed dragon fruit, lychees, mango cubes, halved grapes, chopped coriander leaves and it was pure enjoyment. There was something stylish and refreshing about this salad and I feel that the trend towards leaner eating has given rise to dishes which are both refreshing and light in texture. I can eat this salad anytime and every time!

The menu offers a variety of traditional pizzas as well as new-age ones. The Wagyu Beef Cheek Rendang Pizza was hit as soon as the smell hit my nose. I should say hats off to Chef Dean for producing such a rendang to sit atop the nice crusty pizza base. Rendang is a braised meat dish of Indonesian origin. Chef Dean had the Wagyu beef cooked slowly in coconut milk and spices for a few hours so that the meat had absorbed the flavor of the spices and herbs like galangal and lemon grass. Instead of serving rendang traditionally with rice or ketupat (compressed rice), Chef Dean made it into a chunky pizza topping – this is happy food for someone like me who does not like to eat rice. We also tried the Soft Shell Chilli Crab Pizza. Though I like soft shell crabs, somehow I felt I would have liked it better if instead of the sweet and hot Thai chilli sauce, it was replaced with a wasabi cheese sauce for the base of the pizza. Perhaps we were so enthusiastic about the Rendang Pizza that we overlooked the Soft Shell Crab Pizza. The fried soft shell crabs had absorbed all the chilli sauce and therefore lose its crispness. It is certainly a good value for money pizza for soft shell crab fans as the portions were generous.

The next dish was Rigatoni with Wagyu Beef Balls, Fresh Tomatoes and Parmesan shaving. Well the name of the dish describes all but I will tell you this – these meatballs were the best saucy ones I have ever tasted so far and I do hope consistency is maintained. The beef balls with the combination of other ingredients tasted very great, firm but not hard and very moist inside. The tubes of rigatoni pasta were swathed in the tomato sauce made of good quality tomatoes. The Oven Roasted Baby Back ribs were not the best I have ever had, but still good enough for me to sink my teeth. The ribs were moist and tender and had a good flavor.

Trust me, anyone who like white chocolate will love this White Chocolate and Passion Fruit Cheese Cake. Passion fruit has a tart and exotic flavor that livens up this impressive and delicious cheesecake. District 10 is the perfect place for chill out after work and on weekends for its brunch. Check out by calling.

District 10 Bistro Wine Bar
10 Winstedt Road
#01-17
Singapore 227977

Tel: 67384788

http://www.district10.com.sg/

Private Affairs - Modern European Cuisine

2010-04-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

Private Affairs sounded interesting to me – of the movie, of secret love affairs, of romance and of juicy gossips……… and today I went to one! Yes, Private Affairs is a restaurant in the east part of Singapore and at Joo Chiat Place. It is a dining place that is all about elegance and finesse offering Modern European cuisine with “hit and miss” kind of Asian flavors woven in. Here you see the magical touch of Chef Paul Ng’s in every of the plated food. Chef Paul Ng has 15 years of working experience in the kitchens of Les Amis, Saint Julien, Pierside Kitchen and in 2 kitchens of the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai. At Private Affairs the menu set menus change every month according to what dish he likes to showcase. We were hosted by charming, soft spoken, Ms. Sharon Chow, an ex-investment banker turned restaurateur.

We were served a basket of warm home-made, chopped sundried tomatoes studded Focaccia and soft Hazelnut Bread rolls along with olive oil and balsamic vinegar in what looked like a plastic, transparent, mini dust blower air pump cleaner for cameras! It was really very cute looking but the portion of oil and vinegar in the ‘pump’ was too little for bread fans like me.

The Duck Carpaccio Granny Smith, Scallion Gel Duck Consomme Jelly was brought to the table. It was clearly a work of art by the kitchen brigade. Apparently the marinated paper thin sheets of duck breast were cured in brine for a couple of days and then air dried. These duck slices had an artistic sprinkling of spring onion jelly cubes and crunchy Granny Smith apple and cubes of duck consommé jelly on it. The trick is to roll up the duck slices with pieces of the colorful jelly cubes and apple, roll up and pop it into the mouth, to experience an explosion of flavors.

We were told that the soup will be served soon and I was expecting a bowl of hot, hot soup and when the White Lobster Bisque with Salmon and Lobster Cannelloni, Capsicum and Lemongrass Crumbs came I was dumbfounded! My soup was a work of art too. There was a hand-made three-colored artistic cannelloni stuffed with salmon and lobster mousse. The clever chef had made the three colors with spinach paste to give the green color, squid ink for the black color and the standard egg for the yellow color and this must be truly labor intensive. There were very wee bits of chopped spring onions on top of the cannelloni too. The soup dish came with this beautiful cannelloni seated on some breadcrumbs and chopped capsicums. The hot lobster bisque was slowly poured into my soup bowl by the chef himself. The bisque was like most other bisque – rich, creamy and mild tasting but it was balanced by the bland stuffing of the mousse within the cannelloni. This was indeed a very memorable presentation of a soup.

The Hokkaido Scallops served with Corn Noodles, on a bed of corn, topped with Smoked Miso Powder and Bonito Flakes came next. This was served on a hot piece of tile. Although the scallops were nothing to write about except eat of course, the home made corn noodles just melted in the mouth and the miso powder added another dimension to the overall taste. Wagyu Beef Cheeks with Potatoes, Chinese Kale Royale, Curry leaf Cous Cous and Tomato Chutney and Port Wine Grapes Reduction (phew a very long name for a dish) was more than excellent. Well, I liked this piece of beef because it was a bit sweet with the reduced grape juice and the sticky aged port wine sauce and the beef was also very tender. Chef Paul said the beef was cooked slowly for 12 hours. There were no vegetables on my plate but there was………! The kai lan (kale) was a bright green cube of ‘cake’ made of eggs, butter and cream. Definitely not what the HPB would recommend for your daily intake of vegetable but definitely something, I would recommend anyone to try. There was almost a dusting of curry leaves cous cous and I could hardly smell the curry leaves.

Before dessert we were served Mangosteen Lime Granita. Chef Paul said he had used 10 kg of mangosteen to do the puree. Though the granita was refreshing and made an excellent palate cleanser, I keep thinking, “I can’t taste even 5 mangosteens here.” I would have preferred a more robust taste of mangonsteen. Dessert was Pistachio Tuile and Cheese Sandwich served with Passion Fruit Coulis, Strawberry and Basil Gel. Basically it was sort of presented like the way my Chinese ice cream uncle from my school days would cut the Wall’s ice cream and sandwich it between wafers! Except that this was a cheesecake was sandwiched between home-made tuiles. The fragrant, tangy coulis and basil gel complemented this dessert very well.

Our coffee came with very mini honey madelines and a brown lipstick! Yes, good dark Valrhona chocolate in plastic see-through lipstick containers. So amused and fascinated I tried to take home the chocolate lipstick to show everyone but then I knew that the chocolate will melt and therefore I let it melt into my mouth.

Private Affairs certainly surprised me with all their intricate dishes. Certainly, a wonderful place if you want to impress someone. Private Affairs also has a reservations-only lounge decked out in plush sofas and comfortable armchairs which seats about 30 in the main area on the second level. If you like juice plump oysters served with a variety of sauces, Private Affairs offers Oyster and Sparkling Nite every Friday evening. Check it out.

Private Affairs
45 Joo Chiat Place
Singapore 427769

Tel: 6440 0601

Website: www.privateaffairs.com.sg

Heart Bistro - global philosophy of eating right

2010-04-13T23:02:00.000-07:00

When we are talking about eating out, we believe that it means to delight in the sensual pleasures of high quality ingredients and excellent service. But many a times we forget that when we eat out we may be putting our health to test. Nowadays eating right is a global philosophy and some restaurateurs advocate this philosophy and these kinds of business people deserve respect and attention for they care for our health. William Tan former COO of Tung Lok Group and ex-president of the BreadTalk Group is one such person. He owns Heart Bistro at the basement level of Palais Renaissance. A person who believes in a healthy lifestyle, William strongly believes that Heart Bistro is for customers who are interested in good food, food which is wholesome and food that does not damage or exert their digestive systems. I would say that Heart Bistro is also for those who think healthy food is bland food so that they can change their mind! William said “Our food is healthy menu with Pan Asian touch and attractive in appearance while ensuring the customer does not leave feeling unsatisfied. Nothing but the freshest and tastiest ingredients is used to ensure a very special experience that will leave you feeling light, fresh and invigorated”. He also said the restaurant is based on the philosophy of “You are what you eat and how you choose to eat”.

Heart Bistro is an open concept and simple looking restaurant that occupies the entire basement area of Palais Renaissance. On top of the usual appetizers and mains kind of menu, the restaurant also has a juice and tea menu! There was no deep fried or battered food in the menu but instead you will see steamed, grilled, roasted or poached dishes on the menu and as far as possible minus fat in the cooking methods.

We were given small shots of lemon grass tea as welcome drink. The Pickled Tea Leaves with Ripened Tomatoes and Mung Beans was an interesting Myanmar inspired dish. I detected pickled tea leaves, roasted peanuts, roasted chick peas, roasted mung beans, tomatoes, chilli, salt, sesame and many more ingredients making this salad spicy and very addictive. Poke (pronounced Poh-Kay) is a Hawaiian dish that consists of seasoned raw fish or other meats or even tofu. It is usually served as an appetizer to whet the appetite of to raise interest in the rest of the meal. Heart Bistro serves a very nice Salmon Poke. The salmon was sliced thinly and seasoned just right and you can smell the aroma of sesame oil.

Next we tried the Gingko Nut and Enoki Egg White Chawanmushi. The Chawanmushi had the creaminess of custard and the rich flavor of mushrooms and the bite from the gingko nuts. It was good lapping it up all knowing that there are no egg yolks!

White Truffle Ricotta Ravioli with a Sage and Pine Nut sauce was a very simple dish of ravioli filled with soft ricotta to nourish the mouth and stomach and had the beautiful touches of toasted pine nuts to satisfy the eye. Ricotta cheese is usually made of skimmed milk and pine nuts are said to known to help reduce cholesterol and help combat high blood pressure. Pine nuts are also high in protein and amino acids, Vitamins B1 and B3. I was not able to get the full flavor of truffle or sage.

Black Cod has always tasted like butter to me but then it is laden with Omega 3 Fats and is so versatile because of its delicate texture – you can roast, steam, grill, poach it and it is a favoured fish to many including me. I tried the Roasted Black Cod with Baby Spinach and Edamame (pronounced eh-dah-MAH-meh) in a Ginger Broth. The cod was a cod but the broth was a killer. Edamame is rich in heart-healthy isoflavones. And according to nutritionists, a half-cup of shelled edamame contains as much fiber as four slices of whole-wheat bread, no cholesterol and no saturated fat! So there you are, this fish dish is all brimming of goodness for the heart and studded with flavors that make you want to drink the soup to the last bit....I did anyway.

For dessert we tried the Carrot Cake and Sticky Pudding. Now here is a question – are these desserts healthy? Well, I assure you that it has been done with reduced amounts of fat and sugar but at the same time not compromising on taste. The carrot cake was laden with walnuts and dried fruits and the topping was not as sweet as the traditional carrot cake. The caramel syrup for the stick pudding was served separately.

The Juice Bar offers unique blend of vegetable and fruit juices and cocktails. My tasting partner and I left the place satisfied with high fiber foods with relatively few calories and heady with our steamy, passionate love affair with healthful eating and head full of inspiration anecdotes from William who sat through and had a meal with us. Service at Heart Bistro is pleasant, attentive and never intrusive.

HEART BISTRO
390 Orchard Road
# B1-08/09/10C, Palais Renaissance
Singapore 238871

Tel: 6737-2148

http://www.heartbistro.com.sg/

Edesia Feasts: La Villa, an Italian Grill and Bar

2010-04-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

Edesia Feasts: La Villa, an Italian Grill and Bar

La Villa, an Italian Grill and Bar

2010-04-11T21:48:00.000-07:00

La Villa Italian Grill and Bar by Senso Holdings is a restaurant situated in the former school premises of River Valley Primary School. Senso Holdings own Senso Ristorante & Bar, La Nonna, and Spizza too. La Villa means “the House” and indeed it was a huge ‘house’ that spans over 2000 square feet including indoor dining area, al fresco dining area, a good bar and an open garden. The place exudes a an air of charm, very nice place for a private date or business lunch; the white washed restaurant and the very nice wooden furniture give you the feeling of dining in a countryside home.

Mixed Antipasto Platter

We were seated in a nice cozy corner indoor but overlooking the al fresco and the well kept lawn with a small playground at the far end for kids to play. We also noticed ample parking space. The charming waiter suggested that we try the Mixed Antipasto Platter. This platter had small portions of their individual starters menu – air-dried Bresaola beef with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, beef carpaccio, parma ham and more. The paper thin, deep reddish purple Bresaola, a salt cured, air dried beef was very lean, sweet, tender and had a distinct musty aroma. The goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes complemented the beef slices. I always believe that if a chef cannot get a simple dish out right, then he is definitely not capable of dishing out the complicated ones. The Tomato and Mozzarella ‘Caprese’ style with Zucchini and Basil was done right with the right ingredients -the tomatoes were red, juicy and flavorful and not overly soft and chilled, basil was truly fragrant and flavourful – not one of those hydroponically grown giant leaves; fresh, moist mozzarella and good quality extra virgin olive oil! The thinly sliced fresh beef carpaccio served with parmesan fondue and tomato dressing along with rocket salad and more grated Parmigiano added the extra glutamates which really amp up the beefy flavor. The Calamari Pirate was crispy calamari rings marinated with paprika served with ‘puttanesca’ dip. The calamari was not greasy and the puttanesca dip was a great accompaniment to it. Puttanesca is typically a spicy, intensely flavorful sauce which, as the story goes, was used by the "ladies of the night" to lure men into their houses of ill repute and with a name like ‘pirate’……..I can see why?!

Calamari Pirate

Cappellini Angel hair Pasta with Lobster Ragout ‘Sardinia’ style was made of a very thin variety of Italian pasta. Like spaghetti, cappellini is rod-shaped, in the form of long strands, and thinner than vermicelli. Sardinian cuisine tradition is based on fusing of fresh seafood and pastoral goodies and the foods cooked are usually simple and straightforward so as not to overwhelm the ingredient’s natural flavor and therefore this dish was simple, tasty and satisfying.

The next dish of “entrecôte’’ or beef rib-eye was very French influenced – so much of a bistro kind of food. Somehow I cannot relate this dish to La Villa but then they must be offering this dish for a reason – maybe it is very popular. The secret lies in the Butter Café De Paris I guess. This herb and spice butter is traditionally French and guess what till today nobody was able to get the original recipe that was created in the 1940s. A chef friend of mine who is working in Glasgow once told me that he does his version with condensed milk!! The beef was served hot with a piece of the chilled Butter Café De Paris that melted down its content of butter, herbs, spices and all the French secrets onto it and the surrounding French fries and cooked vegetables. A rich main course indeed!

Del Mare

The grilled black sea cod and grilled Mediterranean vegetables and mashed potato came piping hot. A sprinkle of salt, a bit of olive oil and a dash of freshly ground pepper is all you need to grill or pan fry a piece of cod, yet some people can go wrong. Not the guys at La Villa – the fish came to the table, perfect, super juicy and tender and flaky.

Dessert

For dessert we had the Hot Dark Chocolate ‘Tortino’ with Vanilla Ice Cream. Well, how would I describe it? Trying to…….brownie-like, mousse like, hot soufflé like and pudding like and when you dig a spoon into it, it trickles out thick melted chocolate and all you have to do is to eat spoon after spoon of this decadent chocolate with the vanilla ice cream that comes as a package! Lemon Parfait served with fresh Strawberries was a mild lemon flavoured dessert, more a pannacotta served with a fan of strawberries. It was quite refreshing. A good Italian coffee rounded off the meal.

Besides the usual menu, La Villa also offers various types of wood-fired pizzas, a classic grill menu and mains. With an outdoor grill station, their chef serves up an excellent selection of grill specialties. During the weekends they have brunch and child friendly tables and playground too.

La Villa Italian Grill and Bar

341 River Valley Road

#01-03

Singapore 238372

Tel: 6836 5286

Website: http://www.lavilla.sg

Shunjuu, an Izakaya and Sumiyaki place

2010-04-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

Inside Shunjuu

Located at the heart of Robertson Walk in quaint Robertson Quay is an Izakaya and Sumiyaki restaurant, Shunjuu. An Izakaya is a casual place for kicking back with friends after work; definitely plenty of sake, shochu and beer and a range of foods that complement them and Sumiyaki refers to charcoal roasted food items like Japanese style satays. The inside of this restaurant gives you the feel of being in a Japanese inn with real solid tables and wooden chairs….never been to one but have seen it on Japan Hour! You can also watch the chefs grilling the items when you sit at the bar counter. You have a choice of siting al fresco facing the Singapore River. Shunjuu has more than 40 types of sake by the glass and over 150 jaw dropping variety of comforting Japanese food including sashimi in its menu. Shunjuu serves one of the best Sumiyaki in Singapore and they've won several food accolades throughout the years. While the emphasis on sake, Japan’s traditional rice wine is strong, this restaurant has a friendly, comfortable atmosphere that appeals to adults and whole families alike. The night I was there, the restaurant was packed.

Since it is an Izakaya, one must try the drinks. We started off with Manzairaku Kaga Umeshu on the rocks - umeshu is a sweet plum infused alcoholic drink that has been aged for three years and has a nice, soft round and developed flavor. It is shochu-based and relatively sweet. We also had a glass of Calpis soda. My relationship with Calpis dates back to 1998 when I used to develop recipes for a Japanese company. The first time I tried Calpis I fell in love with it – just because I was told that it is carbonated yoghurt drink. The name Calpis was actually constructed by combining cal from calcium and pis from Sanskrit sarpis (good taste).

Tebasaki

The cabbage appetiser with miso dip was a tasty way to awaken taste buds. The waitress suggested that I try the Pitan Tofu. It was an excellent chilled tofu dish with mashed century egg and topped with fish roe; I found it to be more a Chinese recipe and anyway the word “pitan” is Chinese for century egg. I am a fan of century egg and found the combination with tofu interesting. The sashimi of Silver Fish, Tuna and Salmon was one of the freshest I have tasted and it came along with sakura blossoms. The waitress Molly told me that the silver fish will be done two styles – one side of the fish will be sliced and served as sashimi and the other side will be served grilled. I thought this was pretty interesting.

Sashimi

My favorite dish of the day was Japanese Pumpkin with Fried Baby Sardines also known as Niboshi. The baby sardines looked and tasted like the small salted white anchovies. The roasted Japanese pumpkin laden with beta carotene was naturally sweet and earthy like russet potato and the crispy baby sardines was just too good to resist – the plate was empty off even the small bits and pieces of the baby sardines.

Ceramic Cups

Sake in Masu

Molly, recommended that we try sake at this stage as this is what their restaurant is famous for. Since sake is traditionally brewed in wooden cask, it is served in a wooden box cup called Masu. This has a volume of 180 ml. But nowadays you can find sake being served in plastic, lacquer or ceramic wide mouth cups that looks more like little sauce bowls. At Shunjuu you get a choice of how you want the sake to be served. Molly gave us the three choices! Molly put a glass, ochoko inside the masu and then poured the sake until it overflows and spills into the wooden box – sure sign of prosperity! Just remember not to drink sake without food.

Black Pork Neck

The lightly salted and peppered, grilled Black Pork Neck, Kuru Buta Kubi is another must try. Okay, I can see you saying “pork neck?” The pork neck is a well muscled and very flavorful cut of meat. The fat on the neck is throughout the cut, meaning that no matter how you prepare it, that fat will baste and flavor the meat deliciously. You don't have to eat the fat, but the meat beside the fat is just so heavenly!

The grilled swordfish, Yaki Mekajiki had a wonderful buttery taste and texture that was easy to appreciate. The Tsukeme, chicken meatballs on a skewer was tender and juicy, bursting with flavor with each bite. I find that people like interacting with their food especially so if it is skewered. Sometimes it is nice to see kids wielding the skewer like a sword! Because the meat is minced it retained some of its texture and this kind of preparation also allows the chicken to absorb the seasonings better, giving it a depth of flavor.

Grilled Silver Fish

The Tebasaki, chicken wings were just boneless tasty crispy morsels that were hardly greasy. It must have been marinated with lots of sake. Do you know that chicken wings contain a large amount of collagen? Collagen makes veins stronger, and contains a lot of elastine and also Vitamin A and provides good nutrition to the skin. On the side, lots of my friends who eat chicken wings have good complexion.

The staple for the night was Garlic Fried Rice and Cold Udon. The Japanese style of frying garlic rice is peculiar – the rice and egg are mixed before they ever hit the pan. Nothing derails fried rice for me more than the egg and rice sticking to each other and clumping up. But the high heat and aggressive stirring solves that problem, and it allows each grain of rice to have its own coating and with lots of garlic slices – the result is fragrant, tasty rice. Just when I thought I have come to the end of the meal, Molly brought the grilled silver fish she promised at the beginning of the meal. The fish was very fresh and flaky.

After the marathon of eating all the finger foods, I just could not think of desserts but I gave way to a citrusy Yuzu Sorbet which is light, refreshing and tangy! Yuzu a rare expensive Japanese citrus fruit is the darling of all new chefs. This rough skinned fruit has a distinctive flavor and aroma like that of a combined lime, lemon and grapefruit. I wrapped up the evening with Japanese aromatic roasted Barley tea.

I would recommend Shunjuu to those who like fresh, tasty Japanese grilled food that is not so expensive. Service was attentive despite the busy night.

Shunjuu Japanese Restaurant
#01-15 Riverside View
30 Robertson Quay
Singapore 238251

Tel: 6887 3577

http://www.shunjuu.com/

Krish, restaurant at Rochester Park

2010-04-07T17:16:00.000-07:00

I love to see black and white houses and have always wished to live in one. The white external walls with wood support painted in black are so attractive. Therefore I was looking out to all the black and white houses in the colonial style Rochester Park cluster of restaurants. Each of these eatery is elegant and I do wish I can run a restaurant as well as stay in one….you know what I mean?

Krish is a beautiful restored colonial style bungalow with a great al fresco bar sitting on 6000 square feet well looked after grounds. The inside of the main ‘house’ looks like a French chateau with bistro chairs as well as leather banquettes here and there, an amazingly beautiful chandelier made of old bottles, marble topped tables, black and white pictures, mounted plates, long kitchen tables, plants and nice library bar at one point, knick knacks and so forth, making you feel so at a cozy home. The restaurant also has the Greenhouse Bar which is literally a glass ‘showroom’ overlooking the main house. Here you can sit and drink in air conditioned comfort or seat on huge wooden swings and laze around. The place is cozy for a few friends to get together and chat, eat and drink till midnight. With a good list of wines, cocktails, snacks and ciders, this is definitely one place you might want to consider for hosting a company’s event or a wedding. The place can take in 300 people! The three owners Nikhil Krishnan, Artika Sulaiman and Matthew Baker are passionate about good food and lifestyle and they have travelled well enough and have a vision to make Krish the place for South Asian influenced contemporary European cuisine.

About 8 years ago, pork bellies will never appear in a fine dining restaurant. Nobody associated thick strips of white fat and rosy meat with such restaurants but these days I noticed that pork bellies, along with other rich, unabashedly fatty cuts of the pig, have landed right on the menu and who would have thought of creating a pork belly tikka?! I started off with Pork Belly Tikka with Tamarind Reduction and Indian Salad. The well marinated thinly sliced pork was moist and the tangy taste of the tamarind reduction gave a kick. The Indian Salad I found out was just lightly tossed onion dices. I could hardly taste the pork fat and the meat was very tender. The Spice Carrot Ravioli with Ginger Brown Butter Emulsion and Pomegranate Seed just slided into my mouth. The ginger brown butter emulsion was a bit too lacking in flavor but the pomegranate seeds added color and a bit of twist in the taste. The ravioli was creamy and decadent.

The Seared Duck Breast with Duck Confit Hash, Fennel Salad and Tamarind Reduction was next. First of all the Tamarind Reduction was a repeat from my Pork Belly Tikka. I should have avoided this dish as it clearly states in the menu. Well, that is what happens when you go gaga over a menu and order blindly. The seared duck breast showcased the duck's natural savory flavors without any fuss. And when you eat a slice of the duck breast with the Duck Confit Hash, the flavor gets further enhanced. I like mashed potatoes or grated potatoes with meat or fish. What happens when you buy a duck just so that you can sear the duck breast? Be clever and use the legs for making duck confit and then shred it and combine into a heavenly hash. I could hardly find the fennel.......... The Pappadum Crusted Snapper with sauted Zucchini and Squash, potato puree and mint coriander Emulsion was certainly different way of serving fish. This was a big portion. Though it was a very creative way of cooking the snapper, I would think crushed cornflakes would have made the crust crispier. The snapper was fresh and the mint coriander emulsion added a varied flavor to the combined food on the table.

Panko Crusted Tofu with Creamed spinach, Cinnamon Roasted Mushrooms and Tomato Jam was my favorite main course and it is suitable for vegetarians. Panko is the Japanese version of bread crumbs and they tend to be lighter, crispier and crunchier – and so was my deep fried tofu. The tomato jam and the cinnamon roasted mushroom complemented it very well and it was the complete one dish meal with protein and all.

Dessert time and the Dessert Devil had Valrhona Chocolate Frangelico with Pink Peppercorn Sauce and Mint Yoghurt Sorbet. The pink peppercorn sauce which was not pungent at all but rather sweet complemented with hazelnut flavor from the Frangelico. Just in case you don’t know, pink peppercorns are the dried berries from the Baies rose plant. They are cultivated in Madagascar and imported via France and it is an expensive spice. Not only are they colorful but they are also used in cooking, such as a variety of sauces and the seeds have a strong mixed flavor of pepper and anise, with sweet accents and therefore matches a decadent chocolate cake. I also tried the Saffron Cheesecake Foam with Panko, Buttermilk, Oats and Cashews.

Krish
9 Rochester Park
Singapore 139220

Tel: 6779 4644

http://www.krish.com.sg/

Satsuma Shochu Dining Bar, the shochu place

2010-04-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

Satsuma Shochu Dining Bar is located at the Gallery Hotel. I went up a spiral staircase and was invited by warm waiters and waitresses. I just loved the ambience of this restaurant and I know for the fact if you go with about 2-3 good friends – this is the kind of restaurant you want to stay forever and eat and chat.

I was led to a Horigotatsu style seat – this is where you sit around a low table on tatami mat floor, but the floor under the table is dug out so that you have leg spaces as if you were seated at a regular Western style table. The restaurant also had regular seating arrangements. Satsuma Shochu Dining Bar is known to be the first and only Shochu speciality Japanese restaurant in Singapore and it offers a wide range of Tokyo-style food with over 80 labels of Honkaku shochu by the glass. Until I dined at this restaurant I had no idea was Shochu was! Shochu is a distilled alchoholic beverage made of sweet potato, rice, barley and more ingredients. It is supposed to be the trendy choice of drink in Japan. The restaurant is well known for its Sumiyaki and yakitori – charcoal grilled dishes.

Food was excellent and we tried a variety of dishes – 12 dishes to be precise and all of it more like a Japanese Tapas style. Shochu was served in the traditional way and I liked it warm mixed with water.

The meal started off with Hiyashi Momotaro, a cold Japanese tomato dish. The flavor was intricate and harmonious combination of sweet and tangy and the tomatoes radiant dark pink. I always liked vegetable recipes that are simple but very tasty. One such dish is the Hourensou Gama Ae, spinach with sesame sauce. Spinach was blanched and served like a log and the classic Japanese sesame sauce poured over it. As I was eating it, I could smell the intense smell of the roasted sesame seed. The waitress told me they do not use bottled sesame sauce, instead the chef uses his Japanese mortar and pestle to grind the seeds. The Tokusei Tsukune, meat bar served with raw egg yolk was highly recommended by the waitress. The dish came with 2 pieces of meat bars and a quail’s egg yolk. We were supposed to mix the egg yolk with the sauce and radish that was inside and then roll the hot meat bars on it. The heat of the meat bar cooks the light coating of egg!! I found the meat to be a bit on the salty side. This is a descent dish but not one for those who does not like raw egg.

The next dish was a kind of a new-Japanese-Western dish - Mentaiko Supagetei, icy Cod Roe Spaghetti. Mentaiko consists of whole cod roe sacs preserved with salt, sake, kombu, and chilli. The cheaper type of Mentaiko usually has MSG and food colouring too. At Satsuma Shochu Dining Bar the Mentaiko was natural without as much . additives. The combination of pasta, Mentaiko and butter is as unexpected as it is delicious and I am sure kids will love this dish. And eating spaghetti with Japanese chopsticks was a slippery affair for me. The Ebi Shiso Maki was an interesting dish of prawn rolled with shiso leaves and pork. The inside had prawns, then wrapped with shiso leaf and then pork. I simply love the fragrance of shiso leaves. Try making a mohito with shiso leaves, rum, Japanese lime and soda! As I am typing this, I just realized that we were eating so many pork dishes!! We had Kaki No Buta Niku Maki, Oyster rolled with Pork that was an interesting combination and the sauce that was served with it enhanced the taste; the Premium Angus Beef Short Rib was very tender and finished very fast.

The highlight of the dinner was when the waitress brought a little stove to the table, placed a clay pot over it and pour pure soy milk into the clay pot and covered it. She asked us to wait for 8-10 minutes before we eat the table-made fresh tofu!! The delicate, smooth tofu was served with 3 condiments. Personally, I was not impressed by the tofu as it was too smooth for me……….but the combination of the condiments and the tofu complemented each other well. It was interesting to see the tofu made right in front of your eyes and eating it piping hot. This was a dish that they are going to introduce into the menu soon.

The Yamaimo Kinoku Teishoku – mountain yam and mushroom rice set caught my eyes in the menu. I fancied Chinese style clay pot rice with cubes of yam and pieces of mushrooms. We got a porridge looking dish. It was rice cooked with grated Japanese yam, a bit of sweet potato to add color and chopped mushrooms. The broth tasted interesting but a bit slimy due to the yam. By the way, Japanese yam provides high level of Vitamins C and B1.

Sweet potatoes are used in the most ways imagined in Japan. They are used in all sorts of dishes, especially confections. The Dessert Devil had Satsuma Imo Age – deep fried sweet potato finger chips that had a sticky caramelized sugar coating on it and marmalade was served along with it. This was interesting as the marmalade was like a condiment and the citrus flavor gave a ‘kick’ for you to want to eat more of the sweet, sticky, tempting little devils! The thought of “it would be less sinful if the sweet potato chips were baked” flitted for a second in my mind but then the idea for deep frying and then sugar coating probably came from the Chinese cuisine! One thing beats me……shouldn’t this dish be called Daigakuimo? After eating this very sinfully sweet carbo food, we tried the Lime Sherbet with Shochu, a refreshing palate cleanser type of dessert and left the restaurant, thinking……………”I am very full”!

Throughout dinner, there were two very attentive staff, hovering over us, changing plates, topping up with water, explaining food or serving food!

Satsuma Shochu Dining Bar
#01-10/#02-10 The Gallery Hotel
Nanson Road,
Singapore 238909

Tel: 6235 3565

http://www.satsuma.com.sg/

Halia Restaurant in the Botanical Gardens

2010-04-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

As I got out of the taxi at Tyersall Avenue, I could smell the wonderful smell of ginger – not the kind you get from baking ginger cookies but more so, the smell of raw ginger and ginger leaves. It was a very exhilarating walk - just after a rain, the whole place smelled so nice, the surrounding all green with flowers here and there, nice cool evening breeze, sound of water from a waterfall nearby, the restaurant lit by lamps, candles and moonlight – the perfect romantic place for couples and friends to share a meal together!

Halia Restaurant (Halia means ginger in Malay) is located in the Ginger Garden of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. It seems there are over 250 species of gingers with their stunning foliage and colorful flowers thrive here. It is a really a shame that I was not aware until my visit to Halia that there are so many types of ginger available! The restaurant has indoor and al fresco seating and I certainly liked eating outdoor that night. Halia Restaurant includes Villa Halia. Villa Halia consists of the Wine Bar, the Courtyard, for those who enjoy being surrounded by the lushness of the Garden; and the Gallery Room, suitable for private dining where privacy is guaranteed yet patrons are still able to enjoy the expansive beauty of the Garden. I was warmly received by one of the directors, Mathew Tip and his wife Jane.

I tasted four different appetizers and my favorites were the Chilled White Asparagus, Truffle Ice Cream with Truffle Vinaigrette. The chef was certainly creative – instead of the normal asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, he had chilled the plump seasonal white asparagus; made a savory ice cream with truffle – this was really a hotch-potch surprise to the taste buds and really flooded the palate with a harmony of flavors, especially so with a bite of the asparagus and that truffle vinaigrette.

The Deep Fried Zucchini Flower stuffed with Cheese, Young Zucchini, Vine Cherry Tomato and Gazpacho Granite is something worth trying especially so in that garden setting. I learnt something from Mathew Tip that night -that only the male zucchini flowers were used for frying. How can you tell the difference between the male and female blossoms? You just need to take a look under the blossom itself. At the base of the blossom (where the blossom attaches to the stem), if you see a bump below the blossom, that is a female blossom. If there is no bump and the stem is just straight and skinny, this is a male blossom. Male blossoms are usually used for cooking and the female blossoms become zucchini. I Have eaten many fried zucchini flowers in my life and they all tasted about the same but at Halia the icy cold, savoury Gazpacho Granite that accompanied the fried flowers made the difference! The Crisp Black Pepper Soft Shell Crab with Wasabi Aioli was a good appetizer and the sprinkle of coarse ground black pepper and the light pungent wasabi aioli highlighted the natural sweetness of the soft crispy shell crab.

Imagine how tasty it would be if you could seal away a preferred main-ingredient with irresistible flavorings in one neat package and quickly bake it to a delicious conclusion!! Well, at Halia restaurant, I had just that - Sea Perch Fillet en Papillote, sesame Japanese rice, Truffle Aioli and Wakame Salad. The waitress brought the papillote to the table and then opened up the package right in front of us to reveal, delicious hot fish fillet, and release the wonderful aromas trapped inside. The sesame Japanese rice that accompanied it complemented the papillote . The Roasted Rack of Lamb marinated in Javanese Spices, Ratatouille, Potato Cutlet and Calamansi Bell Pepper Coulis was cooked just right. The bright red bell pepper coulis is a nice accompaniment and made a tasty and colorful garnish too. I also tried the Braised Wagyu Oxtail, Shitake Mushroom, Young Vegetables and Mashed Potato Puree and the Hokkaido Scallop & Prawn Linguini with oven dried Cherry Tomato, Asparagus, Salmon Roe and Basil Leaf Light Cream Sauce.

Whether its eggs or maple syrup-drenched waffles with crispy slices of bacon to begin the day, a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich or a simple asparagus wrapped with bacon dish, I love the combination of salty, sweet, smoky and ever-so-slightly bitter tastes of bacon on my taste buds. And therefore the Freshly Baked Fig Tart, Bacon Pear Ice Cream, Almond Date, Brie Cheese, Sour Cream Sabayon and Wild Mountain Honey dessert at Halia Restaurant naturally became my favorite dessert. This dish had many components and each of it complemented the other. The almond date was a confection I could eat as a snack on its own.

The Caramel Tea Crème Brulee with Ginger Sorbet was created to the simulated the “teh halia” – our local ginger tea with milk. The ginger sorbet could do with a bit more gingerly taste. Desert Devil had a feast of desserts at Halia restaurant. I also tried the Young Ginger Nougat Parfait with Roasted Fresh Pineapple and Spice Pineapple Sauce and Warm Chocolate Torte, Melted Valrhona Centre, Vanilla Ice Cream, Kirsh-marinated Strawberries

The restaurant offers affordable, good food and the staff are pleasant. The menu had both Asian and Western dishes. I bade farewell to my hosts and told myself, “I will be back” soon.

Halia Restaurant
1 Cluny Road, Ginger Garden
(enter via Tyersall Avenue)
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Singapore 259569

Tel: 6476 6711

http://www.halia.com.sg/

Wild Rocket at Mount Emily

2010-03-27T05:47:00.000-07:00

The man behind cool Wild Rocket is Chef-owner Willin Low, one of Singapore’s fastest rising celebrity chefs. You can read about the well-executed food served at the Wild Rocket in many print media. Chef Willin has been dazzling the world’s culinary elite with his food and has had his own local TV series, “Instant Chef” on Channel U. He has been dubbed by the New York Times as one of the three chefs transforming Singapore's food culture. In the internationally-acclaimed Coco: 10 World-Leading Masters Choose 100 Contemporary Chefs, Chef Willin is one of just two Singaporean chefs cherry-picked by world-class chefs as an emerging culinary star. And being the veteran around, I have seen him grow in his career.

The food at Wild Rocket is called Modern Singaporean Cuisine. Chef Willin is famous for his creativity and imagination when re-creating a local dish. Wild Rocket is located at Mount Emily, a hill away from Orchard Road and yet has the postal district as “District 9”! The restaurant is located inside Hangout Hotel, a backpackers' place at Mount Emily. The white and green theme gave it a fresh and casual look. Organza grey curtains let enough light stream in to give the place a bright and cheery feel during the day and at night, you can see a bit of the sky. Interesting black and white photographs dot the wall; fresh flowers here and there and lots of potted plants outside the restaurant gave the place a warm and cozy atmosphere.

We started the evening with home-made bread and good olive oil. I was recommended to try their Lychee Martini. The amuse bouche for the day was Laksa flaovured Otak cubes in Pie Tee Shells. This crisp pie tee shells were filled with a small cube of otak and topped with finely shredded laksa leaves. Who would have thought about his extremely nice masterpiece!

We tried the Preserved Mustard Green Duck Consomme with Duck Confit Ravioli. I call this, the modern version of a Peranakan Itek Tim – a classic soup of duck, vegetables and salted vegetables and salted plumps simmered together – except that the soup has been strained and the duck meat chopped to make the ravioli, the Chinese brother of the wantons! The clear broth came with two duck raviolis. I felt that the soup could have been better richer tasting but on the whole it was a refreshing taste from the typical Kiam Chye Ark soup. As a matter of fact, I think a bit of ramen in it would have made it a complete meal!

The Burmese have a way of making their tomato salad. The key to making Burmese salads is tossing them lightly together and adding in the dressing only at the last minute - in this manner the essence and personal touch of the chef would add a special flavor to the salad. The Burmese Tomato and Crab Salad with Lime Jelly had Chef Willin’s special touch in it………no lime juice in the dressing, instead the lime juice is made into jelly cubes and tossed with the salad – so that the lime jelly burst into a tangy flavor in your mouth along with the rest of the ingredients….ingenious idea! Guess what, yours sincerely did not leave a strand of crab meat or the lime jelly on the plate. I call this the sophisticated salad.

The Tandoori Rack of Lamb with Apalam came next. You wonder what Apalam is? Apalam is pappadum, the crisp lentil wafers you get in Indian restaurants. The generous portion of rack of lamb was well marinated with traditional tandoori spice mix and had a fantastic smoked flavor. It was also grilled to the perfect texture. The Baked Soon Hock with Green Mango and Cucumber Relish and Chicken Broth tasted bland after eating the lamb. The unbelievably fresh chunk of marbled goby, also known as soon hock locally, was baked just right for the fish to flake out when pierced with a fork and it had absorbed the flavor of the julienned green mango and cucumber that was laid underneath it. The mild chicken broth had also absorbed the cucumber’s flavor.

The interesting Seafood Crustacean Oil Spaghetti with Sakura Ebi was a small portion screaming for more. The seafood flavoured oil, the crunchy Sakura Ebi…….mini prawns that you most often find in mee rebus in Singapore all blended well with the al dente spaghetti. The Sakura Ebi is also known as Cherry Blossom shrimp does not really taste like "shrimp" but rather like crunchy flavorful bits. A ragout is meant to be a throw-together-fast-on-a-weeknight kind of meal but not the Sesame Ginger Chicken Confit Ragout Pappardelle with Scallion I had at Wild Rocket. The flavor of the chicken confit dressed in an oriental sesame ginger flavor was a great match to the pappardelle especially so with the chopped spring onions.

And then it was dessert time!! As usual the Dessert Devil, memorized the dessert menu and ordered the Gula Melaka & Ginger Crème Brulee, Lychee Martini with White Chocolate Tart and the Dark Chocolate Gateau with Milk Ice Cream. The trio came attractively placed on a plate, just so that it can seduce me.

The Gula Melaka & Ginger Crème Brulee certainly lived up to its name. Very rich fragrant gula Melaka and the flavor of ginger hit off very well in this rich creamy dessert. The wafer thin brittle, candy-like caramelized palm sugar over the creamy custard added a contrast to the creamy texture below and this was certainly heavenly.

The Lychee Martini with White Chocolate Tart was better than the Lychee Martini cocktail. Eating the Lychee Martini Tart is equivalent to be being drunk – but drunk with the fine taste of the combined lychee, martini and white chocolate! Every mouthful make you think more and more of the martini infused lychees that lay there buried in the white chocolate………for me, it was - I hope this does not end!

Service was great and attentive. The staff knew their job well. You can see Chef Willin, moving from table to table sometimes, greeting the customers. The place was crowded on a Thursday night, and therefore it would be best to make a reservation before you go.

Wild Rocket @ Mount Emily
Hangout Hotel
10A Upper Wilkie Road
Singapore 228119

Tel: 633 99448

www.wildrocket.com.sg

Green Room Cafe - vegetarian friendly

2010-03-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

The Green Room Café is set in the lush greenery of Bishan Park II. This vegetarian café is part of Aramas Spa-the Garden Spa. It was certainly a nice discovery, especially for all the vegetarians. Finally, there is a place where vegetarians can eat and relax in a cozy place, right in the midst of the greens.

“The dishes in the menu are focused on using the freshest raw organic ingredients that will leave you filling satisfied but not weighed down and tired from a heavy meal,” is what I read in one of the spas materials. Chef Christina is behind the planning of the menu both to provide nutritional benefits but also complement the spa treatments.

The menu features an array of freshly-prepared organic fruit and vegetable juices and we tried the Replenish and Detox. It was certainly refreshing on that hot day especially after the body scrub and massage. I love laksa but have always hesitated to finish drinking the gravy because of the high calorie. But at the Green Room, you can drink the laksa gravy till the last drop and not worry about trans fat and so forth because the laksa gravy is made of non GMO (genetically modified organisms) soy milk and lots of crunchy bean sprouts, generous sprinkling of laksa leaves and soy based mock prawns and fish cakes. The gravy was not very spicy but at the same time you can taste a slight sweetness of the soy milk. Portions are very large indeed.

The Baked Zucchini and Eggplant was served next. This healthy eggplant recipe is one of the most delicious and healthiest ways to cook eggplant. Basically it was a Japanese style nasu dengaku – except that instead of deep frying the eggplant like the way the Japanese do, Chef Christina had baked the eggplant smeared with a dap of sweet miso and for that added luxury, zucchini has been baked with it. This dish was absolutely delicious and the miso base had given it a slightly tart but sweet flavor. One service was certainly not enough for me!

Another must try here is the Pumpkin and Spinach Gnocchi served with parmesan cheese and semi dried tomato. These little pillowy Italian dumplings had a lovely mild flavor that was almost sweet and nutty. It was rich tasting with the cheese and butter but the chopped sun dried tomatoes offset the rich taste. The portion that was served was just about right.

The Curry ‘Lamb” Pie was made of mock ‘lamb’ of soy flavoured mushroom stalks cooked with spices. The ‘lamb’ was bit too chunky for me but the flaky pastry was awesome when eaten with this almost dry spicy filling.

The Pandan Pannacotta served with berries was enough for two persons to share. This sweet, cool, creamy, wobbly dessert was paired with a mixed sweet and tar tasting berries compote. It was such a simple dish that made a satisfying dessert. The signature dessert is certainly Sticky Date Pudding that was served with ice cream. Dates are a great source of dietary fibre and have the highest concentration of polyphenols among dried fruits –I can describe this pudding as moist, gooey and sticky and amazing. I cannot resist finishing all!

I left the Green Room Café very contented, knowing that I did not stuff myself with junk. On the whole, the Aramsa Spa fed my mind and body!

Forlino - A taste of Italian Hospitality

2010-03-23T23:20:00.000-07:00

Last week, I went to One Fullerton where Forlino’s is located. One Fullerton is certainly a busy place at night. When I stepped out of the lift, I was surprised to see another world up there……compared to the restaurants downstairs. It was a black walled entrance!! And then a black walled flight of stairs and winding corridors of gold plated classic walls…..just like one of those described in classic romantic story books! You know what I mean -like the times when sophisticated ladies go ballroom dancing with their beau? Like with the Gone with the Wind times? I had to walk past the bar to get to the restaurant where I was greeted warmly by very well mannered, well dressed staff.

I was welcomed by Roberto Gagliardi, the Maitre d’. And as I entered I was overwhelmed by the expanse of the ceiling-to-floor glass panels along the sides of the restaurant where I could have a magnificent view of the Singapore Fullerton bay waterfront with the Merlion right before me! The restaurant is spacious and you can have very decent private conversations because the tables are spaced out quite far away from each other. Renowned designers like Philippe Starck and Marcel Wanders have done wonders to this restaurant – it is classic colors with dark wooden flooring and heavy velvet drapes. I saw myself on one of the ornate backlit mirrors – so old world glamour look……..not me…, I mean the restaurant.

Forlino’s is not a restaurant I would go to eat a meal every day but the lunch set menus are appealing. The new talented Chef Giuliano Dacasto has added his dash of creativity and culinary finesse to Forlino. He was trained at the three Michelin-star Ristorante Le Calandre di Rubano in Padova as Chef de Partie, worked at Gordon Ramsay’s Gordon Ramsay’s Boxwood Café under Head Chef Stuart Gillies, before rising to head chef position at 2 Veneti in London, a modern Italian restaurant highly acclaimed by the U.K. media.

I was served a home-made foccacia bread and the amuse bouche of the day was Ham croquette with Beetroot Mousse. The divinely old-fashioned ham croquette was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and it was a great matching texture to the beautifully chilled and flavored beetroot mousse. The Crab Salad with Wild Rucola, Sweet Pea Leaves and Cantaloupe – the so naturally sweet crabmeat was paired well to the wild rucola leaves that were just bursting with slightly pungent flavor. Do you know that rucola leaves are used as a natural emollient, is also used in cosmetics, in scalp treatments and moisturizing, toning lotions for the skin. It provides a bracing shot of energy too. The Tuna Tartare with Celeriac, green apples and grain mustard was just about balance in taste though I think a bit more mustard or lime juice would have been better.

The ‘cocoa butter’ in the King Scallops Pan Roasted with Cocoa Butter, French Beans and Hazelnuts dish caught my eye…..and therefore I had to taste it. I know I can buy cocoa butter from skin care shops and therefore I wonder where the chef bought his cocoa butter. I have eaten scallops seared with chocolate or cocoa powder and therefore I did not feel that this dish was extraordinary. The scallops were cooked to the right degree of texture. The dish was very light especially so with the tinge of hazelnut oil. I did not smell or taste the faintest hint of cocoa butter though. Warm Gorgonzola Cheese Cake with Pear & Star Anise Sauce – this dish is a must try for those who like the intense flavor of the Gorgonzola cheese. It is my favorite dish and I am still thinking about it as I am typing this. It’s not often that you get a savory cake plated out nicely for you.

The Homemade Spaghetti with Black Cod, Baby Artichokes and Mint came next – the spaghetti dressed in a very rich sauce with flaky black cod and sauted artichokes was so good I had to finish all the portion allocated. The Tagliatelle with Duck Confit and Goose Liver was definitely done with fresh pasta and I could taste the wine reduction. The foie gras had the most imaginable flavor, so full of nuances from the crisp outside and caramelized texture, its smooth, almost melting taste is second to none and came with just the right amount – too much of this may nauseate because of the richness. I can see that effort has been put into sourcing the best ingredients in the food at Forlino’s.

The Pan Roasted Seabream Fillet with Clams, Tomato and Caper Sauce was delightfully flaky and tasty because it was pan roasted and it gained depth and elegance from the sauce. I have tasted rabbit pie and rabbit stew and this was the first time I tasted Free Range Rabbit & Sicilian Prawn ‘Porchetta’ Roll with Sweet Peppers, Zucchini and Mint Sauce. So, what is a porchetta? Traditionally, it’s a gutted, boned-out whole pig heavily seasoned and re-stuffed with some of its innards, rolled up like a porky swiss roll, and then spit-roasted over a wood fire. Here at Forlino’s it is a whole de-boned rabbit stuffed with prawns, roasted and nicely cut into slices and served with the sweet peppers and zuchinni mint sauce. Honestly, I would have preferred an Italian Rabbit stew anytime. It is just that I am more of a saucy person……..you know what I mean?

Forlino’s classic Tiramisu was a very pretty thing that swept me off my feet – it was such an elegantly dressed gorgeous melt-in-the mouth – but a mousse rather than the traditional classic Tiramisu. The Maitre d’ came with the ice cream – made in house. The Balsamic Vinegar Ice Cream – something all ice cream lovers should try – the reduced sharp, tangy taste of balsamic vinegar made the ice cream taste so light in the mouth because the addition of the balsamic reduction tempers the richness and adds a subtle flavor making the ice cream exquisite and unique. Dessert Devil could not resist the Chestnut Vanilla Ice Cream – just yummy and rich with bits and pieces of chestnuts.

There is a difference between Italian cookery and Italian fine dining. Forlino’s is the place for you if you want to be hip and eat regional, traditional Italian food in a state of the art setting. Service was excellent and professional.

Forlino
1 Fullerton Road
#02-06 One Fullerton
Singapore 049213

Tel: 68776 995

Website: http://www.forlino.com/

Serenity, Spanish Bar & Restaurant -food,wine,music

2010-03-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

Vivo City was bustling with shoppers as we walked in, looking for Serenity Spanish Bar and Restaurant. Serenity is located at an ideal corner spot – when you stand at the alfresco area you will get a good view of the Genting Integrated Resort at Sentosa, the Sentosa Monorail Line, Cable Car Line, the Gate Way of Sentosa and also the Harbour Front Cruise Centre! The Ibiza style seaside boardwalk, the typically Mediterranean style blue, brown and white décor, the hand painted ceramics and the strains of catchy Spanish music makes one feel as if she is in one of the Spanish restaurants in Ibiza!! This place is certainly for the families that throne into the shopping mall, the tourists and the yuppies.
The Pan con Alioli - home made herb bread with sundried tomato was brought to the table first. It was served with Alioli sauce. The manager, Mr. Nikko, said “our sauce is home-made and very special”. Special it was indeed as this was the lightest Alioli I have ever tasted, though it could do with a wee bit more garlic and salt.

Serenity Spanish Bar & Restaurant serves authentic Spanish fare and the menu has a wide range of tapas, salads, mains and other Spanish delicacies. The Spanish Black Pig Ham - Jamón Ibérico was highly recommended and we opted for it of course. This Spanish Black Pig Ham is cut and served in front of you; the waiter actually weighs your 25 g of paper thin sliced ham before plating it with other ingredients – this is a memorable experience at Serenity. Apparently, this corn-fed Iberian ham has the ability to transform some its fat into ‘good fat’ – similar in properties like olive oil! Because these Iberian pigs are left alive – usually to double the age of white pigs – the fat in their meat will take on a ‘marbling’ effect. These pigs are also left free to roam the pastures – making it free-range pigs.

Andalucía in the south of Spain is famous for its Gazpacho because this chilled hearty and pungent unpretentious soup has amazing thirst-quenching quality. At Serenity, Gazpacho Andalus –is a blend of tomatoes, sweet pepper, garlic, sherry vinegar and enriched with olive oil. The soup had a deep red color and I found out that a bit of beetroot is used to enhance the color of the soup. One taste of this chilled gazpacho and you will be instantly transported to a land of whitewashed walls, red-tiled roofs, and a golden sun..... The Spanish love fish and seafood and no wonder - Spain is surrounded by water on three sides! The Crema de Mariscos, a seafood cream soup had the full measure of drama featuring mussel, prawns, dory and squid rings and this was one of the best seafood soups I have ever tasted!! It was not the seafood but the intriguing and finely tuned broth!

Empanadillas y Croquette – a trio of Spanish Tuna puff, Chicken Croquettes and Spanish Tiger Prawn Croquettes was served attractively on a plate next. Croquettes are ubiquitous in Spain – I guess it originated from the French. The Chicken Croquettes and the Tiger Prawn Croquettes had the characteristic flavor from the béchamel base it was made of. Empanadillas are crisp turnovers – we call it baked “epok epok” and here we tasted one stuffed with tuna mayonnaise. All over Spain, empanadillas, are generally served as tapas, and, because no silverware is required to eat them, making it perfect party food.

Next we tried the Pimientos del Piquillo rellenos de Atun y Gambas – Spanish red capsicum filled with large amount of tuna and tiger prawn salad – the capsicum was literally bursting with the filling; followed by Pinchitos Morunos – marinated pork on wooden skewers - small spicy Moorish lamb kebabs Europe's first kebabs were brought by the Arabs from Africa. The Pinchitos Morunos are eaten everywhere in Spain as a tapa and nowadays they are made of pork. At Serenity, the Pinchitos Morunos was very tender. The Albondigas – beef meatballs in tomato sauce, a traditional dish tastes best when served piping hot straight from the pan. The juicy tomato sauce was good and therefore I even mopped the sauce with bread. By now, we were looking around to ensure nobody is looking at our appetite.

Paella is a typical Spanish recipe and is traditionally cooked in a "paellera" - a round flat pan with two handles - which is then put on the table. At the mention of Paella, most people think of seafood and rice. While Valencia, is the homeland of paella, it rarely produces a paella mixing seafood with meat. The meat and seafood paella has become popular outside Spain and Paella Valencia at Serenity had Spanish chorizo, tiger prawns, squid, mussels and rice. The fragrance wafted into my nose before the paellera was set on the table. By this time we were already three-quarters full!

The Rollito de Bacon Esparrago –asparagus rolled in bacon - were simply divine even though it reminded me of a Japanese dish. I loved it for the salty flavor of the bacon, imbued with just a subtle hint of smokiness, wrapped over crisp and cooked just-right asparagus spears. The Ensalada de Colores – describe as “lettuce, salad, onion, sliced olives and sour cream with salsa on top of crispy tortilla” was very interesting and colourful. When it appeared on the table, it looked like a pizza with lots of vegetables. The crust was very light and crumbled easily – for one moment I actually thought it would be easier to eat the topping of vegetables like a salad in a bowl with the pastry broken in like croutons!

I was looking forward to the Churros with hot Chocolate. The Churros was a bit of a disappointment for me but the hot chocolate was rich and delicious. The Churros was golden brown and crispy on the outside and the ridges of the Churros were able to hold more of the hot chocolate and therefore the Dessert Devil in me become peaceful. However, the inside of the Churros was hard. The Peras al Vino Tinto – pears poached in red wine and served with vanilla ice cream was just alright – though I would have preferred if the pears were poached until cooked but still firm. Mine was easy to puree with the fork!. The red wine poaching liquid had lent the pear its deep ruby color and the full flavor. It was indeed an ideal way to finish the long sumptuous dinner.

There is a full bar at Serenity Spanish Bar & Restaurant that offers a plethora of specially imported wines, cava, beer and spirits from mainly Spain and around the world. Sip concocted cocktails such as Sangria, Spanish Bullfrog to pair with your tapas. There was a Live Band playing Latin, Spanish and Top 60s too. All in all, it was a great evening of food, Sangria and music………..

Serenity Spanish Bar & Restaurant
No.1 Harbourfront Walk
#01-98/99
VivoCity
Singapore 098585

Tel : 6376 8185

http://www.serenity.com.sg/

Il Lido, romantic fine dining.......at Sentosa

2010-03-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

It was lunch at Il Lido this time. It looked like it has been a long time since I have stepped into Sentosa. As I was going into the island, I was surprised to see a castle on the right! The stylish and elegant Il Lido is situated in the very prestigious Sentosa Golf Club overlooking a sensational view of the Straits of Singapore and the lush greenery of the golf course. The inspiration for the name of this restaurant came from Venice’s Lido Island and its many similarities with our Sentosa – fashionable resort! The owner Beppe De Vito, is a well-known personality on Singapore’s food and beverage scene. Aside from turning heads on the local F&B scene with his opening of Forlino, he also created a first in local fine dining when he launched the Il Lido Luxury Yacht as a mobile dining venue, a premier experience in Singapore.

This sophisticated Italian restaurant boasts of indoor as well as alfresco dining. Being the typical Singaporean who wants to shade myself from the sun, I chose to dine indoors. It’s all about space, light, modern, warm, welcoming and still contemporary and well integrated landscape. The inside of the restaurant is chic with colorful Kartell chairs thrown in. I have always been fascinated by the rich colors of these Italian ‘jelly’ chairs, as I call it. Most of the furniture was imported from Italy – I can see that. We were given chairs to place our handbags and I was sort of thrilled by this gesture. We ladies always have a problem to finding a descent place to put our handbags you know and the Italians really know their women.

We had tasting portions of several dishes. What does one do with an expensive cut of protein laden tuna? Make it into Tuna Tartar with White Peach and Baby Spinach! Very simple dish made of well marinated diced sashimi fresh tuna served with summer white peach slices and baby spinach. I should say, it was an ideal dieter’s meal on its own. The Buffalo Milk Mozzarella with Tomato and Basil Salad was an ultra delicious combination of fresh buffalo milk mozzarella cheese, slices of good ripe tomatoes and not enough basil leaves.

We tried two different soups – first, the Lobster Soup with Crab Meat and Crispy Leeks, lightly thickened, smooth textured soup with a balanced crisp textured from the leeks was sensational – I am a bisque fan and this was absolutely delicious. The Porcini Mushroom & Truffle Cream Soup – is a ‘treat’ soup. Definitely not the kind of soup you would drink every day, this thick soup was very heavy scented with two of God's great gifts to humanity - rich, heady, flavorful porcini and truffle.

I love fava beans aka broad beans and it is not often that you get fresh young fava beans cooked into a sauce and the Pappardelle with Broad Beans and Pecorino Romano Cheese served at Il Lido had exactly what I like. The bright green sauce with pieces of young beans held together in a sauce of made Pecorino was outstanding. Pecorino cheese made of ewe’s milk has a sharper taste and more bite than Parmesan and gave a very lively kick to the Pappardelle. Just in case you don’t know, tender fava beans coupled with Parmesan, Pecorino or sharp cheddar cheese makes a great combo. An Italian boyfriend once told me that in spring, all he needs for a nice afternoon is fava beans, a good cheese, a nice bottle of wine and then a nap in the shade! We had tasting of Tagliatelle with Wild Boar, Blueberries and Parmesan Cheese Shavings. I admit it. How often does one get to taste wild boar in Singapore? I did – just last week at Il Lido. The tender shredded meat blended very well with the light hint of blueberries that I never saw but tasted and Parmesan cheese. But honestly, I would love to have the wild boar with the pappardelle and the broad beans with tagliatelle instead but it did not look like it mattered because I finished the last morsel of pasta on my plate with relish.

Stop! We are not gluttons but we had to try, you know? We tried Atlantic Cod with Lemon Scented Potato Mash and Red Onion Compote. The mild flavored, flaky, moist, dense cod went along very well with the contrasting sharp balsamic vinegar flavor and taste of the red onion compote. The potato mash lacked the lemon ‘scent’ – perhaps my nose was drawn to the sharper stronger smell of the red onions. But potato mash is an ideal match to cod. The Grilled Duck Supreme with Leg Confit Timbale and Orange Salad was served next. The nicely grilled, tasty, tender and moist flesh of duck leg complemented well with the orange salad. My favorite main course was the US Prime Beef Tenderloin with Grilled White Asparagus and Truffle Sauce. I can see that these beef tenderloins were caressed and treated with kindness and respect because I was just eating away succulent, luscious, flavorful meat with a light truffle sauce that came with feather light shavings of truffle.

Phew…….after that entire meal, one would wonder if we had space for desserts. Being the Dessert Devil, I had. The must try-must eat is definitely the Amaretto & Orange Crème Brûlée – should be pronounced “ krehm broo-LAY”. This creamy custard with its crisp caramelized sugar topping is a dream to eat because of the combination of orange and Amaretto. The Traditional Tiramisu was a beautiful picture. You could see the layers of cheese, ladyfingers cookies and smell the coffee. The ladyfingers were not over-soaked and the mascarpone cheese mixed with the zabaglione custard was the right sweetness.

The Prosecco Parfait with White Peaches and Star Anice was an impressive pannacotta like dessert that was light and not overly sweet. It got along with the Prosecco stewed white peaches that had a faint hint of star anise.

Finally, it was time to look around to see more of Il Lido. The Lounge Bar is quite stylish with an ambience that is eclectic. The extensive beverage list features classic and contemporary cocktails, with a great selection of wines and champagnes by the glass as well as premium beers. Apparently during the week, cool up-to-date piped-in music is played and people come in to soak into the nice, classy ambience that definitely eludes positive and uplifting energy….after all Il Lido is surrounded by nature at its best.

Il Lido
Sentosa Golf Club
27, Bukit Manis Road
Sentosa
Singapore 099892

Tel: 6866 1977

Website: www.il-lido.com

Relish, the burger

2010-03-15T18:08:00.000-07:00

I told a friend that I was going to have a burger for lunch and he said “I am surprised that you are eating all these junk food”. Well, I was surprised that he thought that all burgers must be junk…..Relish is known for its good burgers.

Located on the second floor of Cluny Court (at the junction of Bukit Timah Road and Cluny Park Road, Relish is owned by Chef Willin Low of Wild Rockets @ Mount Emily. The inside of the restaurant is white, simple and the walls had nice cartoon murals of bright yellow and orange cows, pigs and chickens. Where I was seated I could have glimpses of the chefs cooking…I even saw a chef shaping the patties in the kitchen. There was an impressive wall length menu on display too. It was sort of a laid back feeling sitting there, I mean you can even go there in Bermudas or your office attire and still feel so in place. The staffs were young friendly chaps.

It was a straight forward menu and so you don’t have to spend a long time wondering what to order. The waitress Shan, suggested that we try their Pina Colada Sago Melaka with Coconut Ice Cream. Even as it was placed in front of me, I knew it was going to taste heavenly. The smell of good quality gula Melaka (palm sugar) hit my nose. Rich and creamy coconut ice cream blended with authentic gula Melaka sauce, with the calories and all transported me to another level. It was the fragrance that was enticing. I suggest that it should be drunk at the end of a meal like a dessert drink.

Next we tried the Seared Tuna Salad that had baby spinach, orange segments and drizzled with light ginger dressing. I loved the fresh flavor of this dish but I felt the tuna was a little over done. Nevertheless the orange segments and the ginger dressing complemented the tuna and baby spinach very well. This is indeed a cholesterol lowering salad!

The piping hot Parmesan Wings that were served with Gorgonzola Dip and Chilli Dip came next. Gorgonzola cheese can be compared to the taste of blue cheese and I know it taste awesome when paired with fruits and walnuts but this creamy cheese dip was perfect for the piping hot Parmesan wings. The chilli sauce was equally addictive.

We tried three different burgers between the two of us…….really pigging on that day. We started off with the Blue Cheese and William Pear Burger. I marveled at the creativity of Chef Willin Low. He had used blue d’Auvergne, a French blue cheese which is less salted, with a creamier and buttery taste than most blue cheeses and he had it matched with the walnut-peanut butter and poached pear slices!! This particular cheese is well known for going well with nuts and fruits like apple or pear. I love chefs who do a bit of homework before developing recipes – hats off to Chef Willin Low! The burger was a bit on the soggy side, laden with the melted cheese but the combination of all the flavors pulled it off as my favorite burger for that day.

The Black Cod Burger is a new item in their menu. I liked this batter coated black cod – the cook had seared the fish so nicely, it had a great crispy crust and the roasted peppers, onions and gherkin sauce – was a great combination and the bun sort of accentuated it all.

Next was the Anchovy Beef Burger. It sort of puzzled me as to how anchovy and beef can get along………well it got along but not as well as I thought. It could have been better if a bit more garlic and anchovy was added to the mild anchovy garlic cream.

The heart and soul of every burger is the patty. Lean cuts of beef tend to make very dry burgers and it is the fat in the burger that gives it the best flavor. There is also the question of getting the right texture to aid both during cooking and final product. A course grind is preferred. Even compressing the beef into patties too tightly can cause it to lose any lightness in texture completely. At Relish, I managed to get all the above right – personally I would have preferred more onions and a bit more salt. We had asked for a medium rare burger and we got the charred seared exterior and rosy pink interior, medium rare from edge to edge, soft and oozing with juices.

For the vegetarians there is the Grilled Portobello Tofu Burger. Can you remember the number of times you have gone to Malaysia and seen roadside stalls selling Ramly Burger? Well, at Relish we get the upper crust Ramly Burger. The Ramly Burger is different from most other hamburgers due to the unique way the ingredients are stacked in the bun – the meat patty in the Ramly Burger is first covered with the desired condiments, then wrapped in a thin layer of egg which results in a packet-like that is placed between the bread. It’s a great way to eat mess free.

It was dessert time again and Dessert Devil chose Roasted Black Sesame Puree with Vanilla Ice Cream. I have eaten this before and I would eat this again and again. Crunchy, nutty, fragrant roasted and pounded black sesame seeds on ice cream were a great combination and the portion served was just about right. I suspected that there may be crushed black sesame cookies in it too. The Cinnamon Apple Filo Strudel with Milk Ice Cream was a very normal apple pie filling placed in a filo pastry cup and baked…….served hot with ice cream.

It is quite a challenge to find a suitable, adult-appropriate companion for a well assembled burger - as not every beer has the power to bring out the best in every burger — some matches are just better than others. Thankfully, Relish has about 10 beers in their list and they have also matched the beers with the appropriate burgers.

Relish
#02-01 Cluny Court (next to Serene Centre)
501 Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 259760

Tel: 6763 1547

www.wildrocket.com.sg

Aramsa Spa - bliss in Bishan Park

2010-03-13T19:25:00.000-08:00

I have gone to Bishan Park hundreds of times when I used to dutifully take a morning walk to bring the color to my cheeks. This time when I walked towards the park with my 21 year old niece Sujatha, I was going with mixed feelings. Firstly, there were so many changes in the park; secondly, I was excited wondering how the spa would look like. My niece was asking lots of questions too as she had never been to a spa. She was very concerned about spa etiquette. I could only think of “freedom” – that’s what you get in a spa that puts your mind, body and soul to rest.

Opened in 2006, and set in a tranquil Bishan park, amidst 22,000 foliages, trees and plants from 200 over species, Aramsa Spa – The Garden Spa was billed as Asia’s first outdoor spa in Asia. This 7,000 over square feet of space has twelve treatment rooms that include massages, body treatments and facials, a wellness studio, corporate events room and outdoor courtyards, a vegetarian café, another café, a bar and a retail outlet.

We were greeted by very friendly staff and were given forms to fill up. Soon we were shown the changing room and lockers. After changing into the bath robes provided went to the lounge to drink ginger tea. Not the sarabat stall kind of teh halia but the Indonesian type –this wonderful sweet & spicy ginger tea from Indonesia as a nice warming drink to a beginning or finale of a deep and relaxing massage. Ginger tea is known to aid digestion and relieves bloated feeling by getting rid of excess “wind” in the tummy (maybe that’s why they like to serve it at the spa). But do not consume excessively because it is believed to be “heaty” as well.

Shortly, two therapists came to us introducing themselves as our masseurs and led us to the treatment room. I could hear the birds chirping away as I walked on the pebbled footpaths to the treatment rooms. A beautiful sense of being one with nature permeated into me as I as I looked at the beautiful landscape and gardens. It’s like walking in a scented garden – the whole place smell of ginger and lemon grass. I parted with my nervous niece, telling her “just relax and enjoy”. It was a room with the view!!! It was truly an enchanting, warm, fragrant room with soft music overlooking a mini garden where a sunken bath was placed. You don’t have to worry about peeping Toms and all because, the garden is cordoned off with lots of bushes and trees and a hedge lined with black cloth.

The masseur briefed me the procedure. Since, I am in my 50s and have dry skin, I was recommended a scrub, wrap and massage to hydrate the skin and this is the Exotic Coconut Treat. The session started with a foot bath. My feet were soaked for a short while and she carefully dried my feet and led me to the massage bed. The friendly masseur asked me whether I want a gentle, medium or hard pressure when she is massaging and I opted for medium.

She gently rubbed my whole body with coconut oil. It was a while later that I noticed that I was actually lying on white plastic sheets. She pulled the plastic sheets over me to ‘wrap’ me and left me there on the bed for 20 minutes!! I thought, this was retribution for all the times I have marinated chicken or other meats and left it in the fridge in plastic bags!! And I was being marinated with coconut oil  During a wrap ingredients are mostly allowed to be absorbed by the skin while during a scrub the ingredients are mostly used to exfoliate the skin to remove dead skin layers.

But as I lie there I was serenaded by the nice background music and the chirping sounds of birds and the wind………and soon I drifted off to sleep! The therapist gently tapped me and I realized that my whole body was perspiring because of being wrapped in plastic sheets……..literally sweating out!

Mine was a sea salt exfoliation. The salt glow is made of sea salt, blended with lavender relaxing aromatherapy oil blends. Sea salt has wonderful exfoliating properties and nourishes the skin and also hydrates your skin because the salt is combined with oil. As you lay on my stomach, the therapist rubs a mixture of sea salt and oil into my skin. Then I turn over and she does the other side. Since I was draped in a huge towel only the part she is working on was exposed. Ask the therapist to be gentle if you have sensitive skin as sea salt can be very abrasive.

When I was scrubbed thoroughly, I was asked to step out of the room into that small garden and have a warm shower. While I was having my shower I could see her through the glass panels, cleaning up the treatment bed and getting the place ready for the massage. I only washed off the salt without using any shower gel. The scrub left my skin soft as a baby’s.

The Huna Huna massage also known as Lumi Lumi is a Hawaiian style massage. The therapist used her hands, elbows, and forearms in deep long movements that are intended to mimic the ebb and flow of Hawaii’s ocean. The combination of the background music, the oils, and the long flowing massage a relaxing me and soon I was just floating, half asleep, half feeling and enjoying the movements along my body that was capturing and removing all my negative energy while creating a balance within my muscles and being. All the accumulated knots and aches in my muscles were just easing away. And my bliss was short-lived when the masseur said, “It’s over. Did you enjoy yourself?”
I was ushered to the lounge again and I saw my niece coolly sipping ginger tea again and eating cookies!! When I asked her how she felt, her faced lighted up and she only said “so shiok!.

She had tried the Tropical Java Lulur package. The turmeric and rice scrub, popularly known as Lulur Scrub had done wonders to her skin by removing all dead skin layers and giving the skin a young, supple and fairer natural appearance and she looked refreshed and glowing because the scrub had also increased the circulation and blood supply of the skin!. Mandi Lulur, an ancient Javanese beauty ritual is made up of a combination of ingredients that are highly antibacterial, anti fungal and anti-inflammatory. The Lulur is widely practiced by Indonesian brides as a weekly treatment leading up to the wedding day.

She was then painted with yoghurt and wrapped in plastic sheets and left to relax for 20 minutes. The yoghurt will further cleanse the skin, removing the turmeric and leaving the skin smooth and soft. She had a soak in warm ginger water and flowers for 20 minutes in the outdoor sunken bathtub. She was thrilled at this oneness with nature-kind of bath. Sujatha was given the Aramsa Touch Massage. From the way she described to me, it sounded like a Shiatsu massage combined with aromatherapy techniques.

We left Aramsa Spa-The Garden Spa totally rejuvenated. And something else was waiting for us, just outside the Spa – the Green Room Café!!

Aramsa Spa – The Garden Spa
Bishan Park 2
1382 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1
Singapore 569931
Tel: 64566556
www.aramaspas.com

I am on Youtube!

2010-03-10T06:04:00.001-08:00

Tequila Haven at Cafe Iguana

2010-03-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

Very impressive, Café Iguana, located in Riverside Point, facing the Singapore River is the perfect place for after work chilling hangout or as a pre-clubbing place. The ambience is definitely festive mood and the place was packed with foreigners, office crowd, and party goers – mostly above 25 years old on the night I went. The restaurant had a very warm and friendly Mexican-themed interior with bright eccentric colors. Food is served on long tables and therefore if you want privacy, head for the tables outside but no privacy guaranteed here too as you will be literally sitting facing the walkway along the river.

Like most Mexican restaurants, we were served a bowl of nachos – really crispy. I have had experiences of being given almost soft nachos or broken pieces in some Mexican restaurants. Two side bowls of guacamole and salsa made the perfect balance of texture. The guacamole was made of ripe avocado; I did not taste the plastic taste of artificially ripened avocado. Very much to my liking, the guacamole had chunks of avocado, colors of diced tomatoes, enough lime juice to hold the dip on the nachos without dripping and almost neither there or not there kind of heat. What I found missing was the coriander leaves but it was truly a satisfying dip. The salsa was fresh, quite tomato-y and a bit spicy with almost smooth texture.

Next on the list of eatables was Smoked Salmon Tostadas – deep fried flour tortillas with smoked salmon, mixed vegetables and orange and chipotle dressing. In case, you don’t know, traditionally, tostadas were created using stale corn tortillas that are still fit to be eaten. The tortillas were toasted until crispy and then topped with ingredients of your choice – yummy smoked salmon was generously topped with the dressing.

I heeded the recommendation of Ms. Lisa Tan, the Marketing Executive and ordered the Carne de Puerco en Chile Verde – basically spicy rich pork stew served with in-house made soft tortillas, rice, beans and sour cream. I first had this dish in a family owned Mexican restaurant in California and this dish was almost like theirs. I am a fan of green sauces and the pork in this dish is simmered in seasoned green chillie sauce as well as diced green chillies, onions, garlic, and lots of cumin; cumin is one of the spices that is favored by the Mexicans and South Americans too. With it, I got a generous serving of piping hot soft tortillas – I had it, just the way I would eat chapattis, tear the tortillas and dip it in the pork stew!

The Camarones al Diablo – plump prawns sautéed with fiery hot habanero chilli, ginger, cumin and lime served with cheese quesadillas was a dish I liked very much too. Because the Diablo sauce was hot, the cheese quesadillas balanced the heat. Who does not like melted cheese with a zing? Quesadillas are basically cheese and other ingredients sandwiched between two flour tortillas and pan cooked on both sides till the cheese melts and then serve cut into wedges. It is very addictive when eaten dipped in the piquant Diablo sauce.

The Tequila grilled half chicken is another dish we tried. Tequila may put us to sleep but it certainly wakes up this chicken recipe! The chicken is marinated with lime juice and finished with a smoky and spicy tequila glaze. This is quite a tasty chicken with just a touch of heat and tons of flavors. It was served on a bed of poblano-scallop potatoes and grilled skewered vegetables. All the food at Café Iguana was created to accompany well with the drinks and was good value for money as the portions were generous.

The Dessert Devil was not satisfied with the dessert menu. The Sauteed bananas with Kahlua and brown sugar glazed bananas were served with vanilla ice cream and it was an extremely large portion….I mean really generous portion.

Green Apple Enchiladas, basically flour tortillas with apples, raisins and mascarpone cheese, served with apple cream sauce and vanilla ice cream was different. Enchiladas are very classic Tex-Mex savory food but this was creative – use of traditional enchiladas making method but stuffed with an almost apple pie filling.

The bar at Café Iguana had a great collection of over 60 brands of 100 per cent blue agave Tequila and by the way this restaurant also offers one of the largest collections of Tequila in Asia and is one of the 180 establishments worldwide that have received the exclusive Award T! Their margaritas and tequila based drinks are supposed to be the best in Singapore! Therefore sipping such wonders from specially designed glassware to bring out the best tequila flavors certainly made the difference.

I tried the Partida Reposado Rita, known around the world as “the Bentley of Resposado’s”. This rich, smooth, aged but subtle flavored Tequila is in a class of its own. When it was placed in front of me, I was smitten by the beautiful amber gold color and when I sipped it, I know why it was called the Bentley!

The Iguanarita is the signature margarita made with fine 100% agave tequila and handcrafted Iguana Lager beer that is special, light and refreshing – direct from the taps of Brewerkz. The Paloma is a Tequila based cocktail made with refreshing Blanco fresh grapefruit soda. Between the three, I tried my favourite was the Partida Reposado Rita.

The staff were friendly and attended to all our needs even though they were busy doing something or another. I suggest ringing up the restaurant to reserve a place before you go.

Café Iguana
30 Merchant Road
#01-03 Riverside Point
Singapore 058282

Tel: 6236-1275
Website: www.cafeiguana.com

Greenwood Avenue Branch
12 Greenwood Avenue
Singapore 289204

Tel: 64621533

Eat, Drink, Watch at Screening Room

2010-03-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

I walked up Ang Siang Road admiring the row or elegantly restored shop houses; knowing very well that this was once the traditional home of clan associations and exclusive social clubs. The Screening Room is located at this historical area in a five storey heritage building with a bistro restaurant, a movie theatre, multi-function room for events and two bars – RoofTop Bar and Vault Bar. To me, it sounds the perfect all-in-one entertainment complex for a day out where food meets film and where connoisseurs and movie die-hards can indulge in dining, drinking and watching movie both separately and simultaneously.

The brainchild of this ingenious dining concept in Singapore is food celebrity Samia Ahad who also owns the Coriander Leaf Group. I first met Samia Ahad at the Gallery Hotel when Coriander Leaf, another fantastic restaurant, first opened. Since then, I see Samia Ahad as a very successful food entrepreneur, chef and also an author of “Simply Samia”. She has also hosted a couple of TV shows.

The menu at Screening Room has something for everyone. Whether you want an inexpensive snack with drinks at the bar, a casual steak dinner or a more formal four-course menu paired with wines, it’s all here the way you want it and carefully crafted – yes, presentation is very detailed here.

The Bites menu is certainly for anyone who wants something light to nibble while enjoying a drink or something more substantial. For those who want variety in a plate, go for the Platter to Share. Screening Room gives guests the choice to make a culinary journey of nibbles through Asia with their Indian, South Asian, Asean and Mediterranean Platters. We tried the Mediterranean Platter that was enough for two persons to share. The Labne and Walnut and Red Pepper Dip were just about perfect balance in taste.

The Walnut and Red Pepper Dip, a Turkish iconic spread was served with naan wedges and carrot and cucumber crudites. As I was dipping my naan into this dip, I was thinking, I wish I have more of it to take home to use to make a flavorful sandwich spread or as a topping extraordinaire for a grilled fish! The wonderful warm color and flavor of red capsicum dominated the dish. The filo pastry filled with chicken filling was dainty and warm and there was also the Tapenade Bruschetta, Grilled Portobello Mushroom and Goat’s Cheese Mini Burgers and Grill Shrimp. On special requests by greedy me, I also tried the Brie Cheese with Onion Marmalade Mini Burgers. The Prawn Bouillabaisse (pronounced “buoy-ya-bess”) came next with plump Australian mussels and shelled prawns. It was full bodied and rich tasting minus the usual flavor of saffron.

For mains I ordered Samia’s signature dish Rack of Lamb with Tamarind and Coriander Seed Crust, served with yummy olive and potato mash and spicy green beans. The lamb was perfectly done, the way I had requested the chef to do and it was a generous portion. However, I would have preferred a generous crust of coriander seeds. My dining partner had Scottish Salmon with Walnut Tarator Crust, sweet pea coulis, sugar snap peas and crispy shallots……..a mouth of a words but a delight to look at. Presentation and choice of crockery is awesome at Screening Room.

Yours sincerely, Devagi, the Dessert Devil tried two desserts - Valrhona Guanaja Dark Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Coulis & Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Valroha’s dark chocolate always had a complex flavor with red forest fruits notes and this cake went along with its cousin, the Raspberry Coulis and when you scoop the two and douse it with a bit of vanilla ice cream…….what do you experience, heaven in the mouth? Yes, YES!

Spiced Panna Cotta with Bitter Sweet Citrus Fruit & Almond Cigar was a pretty thing and the Almond Cigar was a stand out…….filo pastry rolled up into cigars with marzipan that had a hint of ginger. The desserts were light and satisfying and went along well with the good coffee. The menu also had a good selection of French handmade raw milk cheeses and I was very tempted to try but will do the next time I am there. Finally, I decided to take a walk to see what the building has to offer.

VAULT BAR
If you are a whisky lover, you will be spoilt for choice at the Vault Bar, a nice, dark, somber, cosy underground hideout, located at the basement of the Screening Room. They specialize in Scottish whiskies and a range of craft beers drawn from microbreweries in Scotland. This is the sort of place one can unwind and relax on weekday nights with friends or discuss work over a beer or dram of good old Scottish whisky. It will be packed during weekends.

ROOFTOP BAR
Get into the lift and then up a flight of staircase to the rooftop – it was hot when I went but I bet it would be breezy and beautiful at night with the stars staring down at you. Here is a very relaxed rooftop bar with casual wooden furniture and a reasonably extensive menu - the right place for those who want a starry evening and fresh air, plus a drink on hand.

SCREENING ROOM
There are many food and film paired events and menu here. Every Wednesday night at 7 pm, go and watch Hindi movies. Visit the website for a comprehensive time table for the screening of movies. For a one-time $100 payment, buy a MAM (Mad about Movies) card - you can watch up to 20 movies which makes watching one movie only $5!. If you want to watch a movie just for that day, it is $20….food not included.

The Screening Room also conducts boutique corporate or personal events like Movie Making Team Building Workshops , team bonding workshops, cooking classes, themed birthday parties and games show. The movie making workshop is team building event for groups of 15-30 people and it is a half day event that includes food naturally. They also have a unique team bonding event where one can watch a movie with a colleague while eating a menu specially designed and influenced by the movie.

Staff was pleasant and helpful at the Screening Room and as I left the place, I know I will return another day…….because I must taste the cheese  and be there longer, to drink in the maximum of what the Screening Room offers.

Screening Room
12 Ann Siang Road
Singapore 069692
Tel: 6221-1694

http://www.screeningroom.com.sg/

Sangria shangri-la at Don Quijote

2010-02-27T22:08:00.000-08:00

I tried pronouncing the name of this restaurant in many ways and finally got it right when the restaurant manager, Sanjay Joseph taught me. Don Quijote (pronounced Don ‘keyhotay’), a cosy and intimate Spanish restaurant sits smack in a nice row of shop houses in the Upper Bukit Timah neighborhoods. They have a branch in Macao as well.

What or who is Don Quijote? According to Don Quijote’s website, “Don Quijote is the chivalric main character in a fictional Spanish novel titled El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha, translated as "The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha". In episodic fashion, the novel narrates the exploits of Don Quijote who, obsessed with tales of chivalry, roves the lands in search of adventure. Accompanied by his skinny horse Rocinante and his sidekick Sancho Panza, he asks to be bestowed knighthood by an innkeeper that he thinks is the lord of a castle and battles wind mills that he believes to be ferocious giants. Not surprisingly, Don Quijote becomes the subject of many cruel jokes. The novel eventually ended with him regaining his full sanity and renouncing all chivalry. Recognized as one of the world's best works of fiction, the novel went on to inspire many artists in the musical, literary and filmmaking fields. “

Don Quijote offers an extensive range of Spanish menu including over 30 tapas, soups, fresh seafood and salads, pastas and many succulent meats. There are many stories with regards to how the tapas originated. One interesting story is that the first Tapas were simply a hunk of bread which was placed over the glass to keep the flies out. You see, ‘Tapa” means a cover or a lid. In the beginning it seems Tapas were just olives, or anchovies in olive oil, roasted almonds etc…. and then slowly as time went on, very elaborate food with each region in Spain developing their specialties came about. Tapas are still the ‘small’ food, in other words the dim sum of Spain……..a style of eating rather than a form of cooking and it means prolonged meals with friends and family, talking and drinking biting and nibbling foods with intense flavor.

We were served the famous Spanish Sangrἱa Tinto (red wine) and Sangrἱa Bianca (white wine). The restaurant also serves Sangrἱa de Cava that is made of sparkling white wine. What is Sangrἱa then? Sangria is a classic, easy to make and very refreshing party drink for the hot summer in Spain. Typically, white sangria uses fruits that are characteristic flavors in fruity white wine example peaches, nectarines, green apples and other tropical fruits are all steep in white wine and allowed to chill for several hours or overnight in a refrigerator, as the wine absorbs the fruit flavors. When serving, it is top off with soda or sparkling wine for a hint of carbonation. The sangrἱa in this restaurant was pretty decent and if I would have had one more glass :-) I found the Sangrἱa Bianca better as I have a sweet tooth. The restaurant carries a large range of patriotic Spanish wines too.

The Tapas portions allowed us to try several different items on the menu. Amongst all those I tasted, I like a few best - Rolli tos de Berenjena y Gambas – small, delicately garlic flavored prawns rolled in wafer thin slices of eggplant were succulent and juicy with a strong hint of olive oil. The Almejas a la Marinera – clams in garlic and white wine sauce was very outstanding. The large bodied succulent clams were imported from the Philippines. It was not overcooked and the sauce, a Quijote special was drinkable. Next we tried the Rabo de Toro, a Spanish oxtail stew. In ancient Spain, Rabo de Toro was usually made with from the oxtail but these days it is from the tails of both the female and male beef cattle. Lots of root vegetables were used and the meat was so tender. The sauce was rich and the portion was just right. In some parts of Spain, chocolate is added to an oxtail stew!

The Tortilla Espanola is a Spanish style thick omelette with potatoes and about 2 cm thick and served in wedges, more like a piece of cake or pie. It is a simple dish, yet memorable because of its simplicity and subtle flavor. After having a few more tapas, we decided to go to the mains. We started off with Fideua Negra – Spanish style seafood pasta paella with squid ink. Fideua is a very popular main course similar to paella. Cooked and served in a in a paella pan, the Fideua Negra is made with squid ink pasta and seafood. I will not call this paella colorful but it is certainly very tasty with a good seafood stock taste and the base like traditional paella was very crispy.

Next I tried he Paella Don Quijote Special. The paella pan came very colourful with an array of yellows, greens and reds and huge prawns and other seafood and meat on it. The perfect paella must have a crust at the bottom of the pan. This crust is called the “Soccorat” in Spanish and as I am from the upper crust :-) I was a tad disappointed that there was absolutely no crust on my paella on that day. Otherwise, the paella was wonderful. You need to place an order for the paella at least 30 minutes ahead of dining time as they cook it only upon order.

Phew….by this time we were almost full, but will I ever skip dessert? I should call myself DDD – Devagi, Dessert Devil!

Don Quijote has some wonderful desserts and I tried two of it. As soon as I saw the words “ Leche Frita, fried milk in cinnamon syrup”, I was choked with a million questions running in mind. Fried milk? Sounded like Indian gulab jamuns, the Chinese ginger curdled fried milk or the Italian latte dolce fritto. The Leche Frita had a crispy crust and when you crack the crisp shell, thick warm custard oozes out. The cinnamon syrup and stewed apple was very complementary. The Pastel de Chocolate Caliente, a warm decadent chocolate cake made with Spanish chocolate and served with vanilla ice cream was a great way to finish my tasting at Don Quijhote. It was really good! Not too sweet like most desserts are, and just the right amount of chocolatey-ness, not just any chocolate, but warm and oozing runny chocolate goodness……… If you have not tried this yet then you have missed out on one of life’s gastronomic pleasures for me it was heaven on a small plate!

All in all the food was wonderful and the service was excellent. The efficient staff greets newcomers like regulars and treats regulars as part of the family.

Don Quijote Spanish Restaurant
17 Lorong Kilat
#01-09
Singapore 598139

Tel: 64651811

Website: http://www.don-quijote-restaurants.com/

Brewing, Serving, Drinking........Cha

2010-02-25T08:33:00.000-08:00

In Chinese community, the younger generation always shows its respect to the older generation by offering a cup of tea. Centuries ago people of lower rank will serve tea to the higher ranking people but these days it is common for bosses to pour tea for their subordinates during a staff dinner. My Chinese friend told me that some people apologize to others by pouring them tea to show regret for what they have done. It is a common practice for the Chinese brides and grooms to kneel in front of their parents and serve them tea, to express their gratitude for bringing them up. The parents after drinking the tea will give them a red envelope “hong bao” to wish them luck.

I also know that most Chinese restaurants and dim sum restaurants serve Chinese tea – therefore when I walked into Yixing Xuan Teahouse, a Chinese tea shop that specializes in Chinese tea leaves and accessories for tea lovers, I was wondering to myself, “what else is there to learn about Chinese tea?” I met up with Mr. Vincent Low, the owner and Tea Master and he opened my senses to another world.

Vincent, a former banker conducts workshops on Chinese Tea Appreciation. He has given tea workshops over the past 23 years and has appeared in several local and oversea radio and TV talk shows. His teahouse has seen world famous celebrities like Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1991. For more than 1.5 hours, I learnt the little details that go into brewing, serving and drinking Chinese Tea.

TYPES OF CHINESE TEA

Green Tea
Only one shoot and 2 side leaves of the tea plant is used. Green tea is also called unfermented tea. It is made with the new shoots and by applying the typical techniques of withering, pan-frying, rolling and drying. According to the drying and withering techniques, it is furthered sub-divided into stir-fried green tea, roasted green tea, sun-dried green tea and steamed green tea. Green tea is emerald in color, thick in fragrance – somewhat like the smell of seaweed, sweet and refreshing in flavor and its leaves are the shape of a sparrow's tongue. Hangzhou is one place that is famous for green tea. Green tea has anti-aging properties and prevents bad breath.

Red Tea (Black Tea)
The leaves, stems and twigs of the whole tea plant can be used for making Red Tea. Red Tea is also called fermented tea and is exquisitely made through the typical technical processes of wilting, rolling, fermentation and drying. Its infusion is mainly red in tone. Hence what is known as black tea elsewhere is known as red tea in China. It’s most produced in Yunnan and Hunan. Red tea helps in digestion and keeps us warm during cold seasons.

Oolong Tea
Only the large matured leaves are used for Oolong tea. Oolong Tea is an unfermented tea and has some unique and distinctive characteristics. It is a blend of green tea and red tea, has qualities of both green tea and red tea. It not only has the thick and fresh flavor of red tea, but also has the pleasant fragrance of green tea. It produced a lot in Fujian and Taiwan. Oolong tea helps to ‘melt’ tea and hence people can lose fat faster if they were to drink Oolong tea.

White Tea
Only the young shoot is used for making white tea. White tea is specialty of Fujian province and apparently it got its name from the story of poor Chinese people offering boiled water to guests if they didn't have any tea, which they called "white tea". White tea is lighter in color and flavor than most other teas. White tea is produced most in Fujian and it helps to keep the body ‘cool’ and said to protect the circulatory system.

Yellow Tea
Yellow Tea is produced by letting damp tea leaves naturally turn yellow. It has an original smell and smell similar to green and white teas. Yellow Tea is also a term used to describe the top-quality tea served to the emperor, because the imperial color has traditionally been yellow!! Yellow tea gets rid of toxic materials from the body and grown most in Hunan and Guangdong.

Scented Tea
Scented tea is made by mixing and adding aroma to tea leaves with scented flowers, letting the tea assimilate the fragrance of the flowers by taking advantage of the absorption of tea leaves. Jasmine, rose and orchid flowers are most often used for scented tea.

TEA ACCESSORIES
In order to make good tea and hold a great ceremony, one must invest in a purple sand tea pot, wooden tea scoop, tea scraper, tea tweezers, a justice cup, a fragrance cup (sniffer), small tea cups and a saucer plate. You must also have a ‘tea sea’ made of clay or sandstone – this is used for containing waste water from rinsing of cups and tea leaves.

HOW TO SEASON A CHINESE TEAPOT
A brand new teapot must be cured. According to Vincent, to cure a teapot, you need to place loose tea into the pot and fill it with boiling water. You have to boil it for about 1 hour and then simmer it and let the tea steep overnight if possible. This technique is said to seal the inside of the teapot. Also, oils from the tea leaves fill in all the tiny pours of the new teapot. It’s important to note that these teapots should not be washed with soap.

HOW TO MAKE A POT OF GOOD CHINESE TEA
Vincent taught me a whole new way of formal tea drinking.

Boil the water –best would be soft water. Filtered water is best BUT DO NOT use distilled water as it makes tea flat. (water must be boiled 75°C for green and white tea; 90°C for Oolong tea and 100°C for black tea)
In the meanwhile rinse the teapot with hot water and fill with required amount of tea leaves
Wash the tea leaves by filling the pot with hot water up to half full and draining the water immediately leaving only tea leaves behind.
The beauty of the whole thing is, all pouring away of waste water, should be performed in a nice crafted bowled called the “tea seas” to be discarded away later.
Pour more hot water into the teapot and pour water over the teapot sitting on the ‘tea sea’.
The infusion should not be steeped for too long, about 30-45 seconds is an appropriate maximum.
Pour the first round of infusion into small sniffer cups within a minute by continuously moving the teapot around over the cups. Each cup of tea is expected to have the same flavor, aroma and color. A Chinese tea connoisseur first sniffs her tea before pouring it into another serving cup and then drinks it appreciating.
These small cups must be placed on the ‘tea sea’ to catch spillage.
Pour more hot water into the remaining tea leaves and repeat process. It is possible to draw six to seven good infusions from a single pot of tea, but subsequent infusions must be extended somewhat in duration to extract maximum flavor - the second infusion extended by approximately ten seconds to 40 seconds, the third extended to 45, etc.

When using the small tea cups never gulp the tea at one go. Instead, sip the tea through the lips and teeth making a hissing sound and sniff the fragrance as you drink.

I think we should also enjoy brewing tea as well. It relaxes the mind and while brewing, drinking serving, we forget our troubles in life!! While drinking tea, attention is paid to environment, atmosphere, and music, infusing techniques and interpersonal relationships too. And while you are at this long ritual of drinking Chinese tea, pay attention to taste of tea, the smell, how one tea tastes compared to the earlier one…..therefore tea drinking should be a sensory exploration and appreciation.

You may want to change your lifestyle.....drink more tea and contact the Tea Master:

Yixing Xuan Tea House
30/32 Tanjong Pagar Road
Singapore 088453

Tel: 62246961

Website: www.yixingxuan-teahouse.com

Fiesta Brasilia -never ending meat journey

2010-02-19T23:40:00.000-08:00

A Churrascaria (pronounced "choo-rah-scah-ree-ah") restaurant is a Brazilian style steakhouse, with a unique grilling and serving style that is fast becoming famous all over the world.

If you crave churrascaria but cannot make it to Rio de Janeiro right away, just go to United Square, to Fiesta Brasilia with sharpened incisors. Here nice looking, friendly expert passadors go round the restaurant with long skewers of grilled never ending flow of meats until you cannot eat another bite! They usually carve the meat straight onto your plate with long razor-sharp knives. Once the meat is too pink inside, they will bring the meat back to the grill for more cooking and then will bring it back again to be carved for another person and another. By the way, in case you don’t know - passadors are meat waiters in Brazilian or Argentine restaurants.

Fiesta Brasilia is a meat lover’s dream place but it also offers a wide variety of other Brazilian vegetarian friendly dishes on their buffet tables. As the passadors bring roasted large cuts of beef to the table, you can't order your steak ahead of time to be cooked rare, medium rare etc. However, you can ask the waiter to slice a cut to your liking for example I always request for the crispy part of grilled meats to be sliced onto my place and my dining companion would want hers medium rare.

While I love certain meats, the most colourful part of eating experience at Fiesta Brasilia for me is the buffet. Grab one of the white plates from the stack next to the salad bar and start loading up. Here you'll find various greens, dressing and other recognizable salad dressings. But you'll also see such things as hearts of palm, Caesar Salad, potato salad, waldorf salad, pickled beetroot, grated Parmesan cheese, cheese slices, olives, shell pasta salad with cubes of ham and more. At the hot buffet section there was Brazilian style Seafood Rice, thick omelette, an Asian gravy, grilled tomatoes and scallop potatoes.

The famous Brazilian Feijoada, a dark, deep purplish brown broth was prepared with black beans, ham, sausages and Brazilian spices was also served at Fiesta Brasilia - all supervised by the Executive Chef Auriberto Cantalice. The taste is robust, not too salty and much dominated by the flavor of black beans. A well travelled foodie friend of mine said that there are myths that this dish was originally the luxury dish of African slaves who worked on Brazilian farms during the colonial times and that it was made with the cheap cuts of meats, left over meats and salted meats at that time. And over time it apparently became the national dish of Brazil!

The grilled meats were succulent and flavorsome that you just can’t help asking for more if you are a meat fan, and you really can eat as much as you want here. We both loved the whole chicken liver and hearts. It was tender and delicately appetising when the essence of minerals exploded in my tongue. I like the sausages that had just enough spicy heat and garlic and salty to wake up my tongue. And the flank steak had that meat's characteristic grainy textures and loads of flavor and very tender. The part of the leg of lamb that I had was almost only fat. Another of my favorite was the grilled chicken rolled with bacon.

On an off, a passador brings fried bananas and this is truly a surprise especially so when out of the blue a ‘goreng pisang’ comes to your able while you are eating your meats. I love pineapples and I love it grilled and at Fiesta Brazil, you get sugar syrup painted grilled pineapples sliced at your table. Today the pineapple that I had was bit of a young bland piece. Another interesting Brazilian dish the Brazilian cheese bread – delightfully crispy on the outside, moist and very chewy on the inside, almost like a cheesy cross of popover and dinner roll. Best enjoyed immediately after it is served while still piping hot.

Your visit to Fiesta Brasilia or any Churrascaria is never complete if you have not tried the traditional Brazilian treat Caipirinha (pronounced ki-pee-ree-nya). It is a delicious refreshing drink made of lime wedges, fine sugar and cachaça (pronounced ka-sha-sa), a Brazilian beverage made of sugar cane juice. The major difference between cachaça and rum is that rum is usually made from molasses, a by-product from refineries that boil the cane juice to extract as much sugar crystals as possible and cachaça is made from fresh sugarcane juice that's fermented and distilled. At this restaurant you can have your Caiprinha made of lemon or strawberries too.

The buffet comes with ice cream and a variety of toppings and fresh fruits. I asked for Brazilian desserts and was recommended Papaya Crème and Crème de Mango. I was a bit surprise about the Papaya Crème that sort of tasted nice and I figured out how it can be done at home. Papaya has an enzyme called Papain and this helps to breakdown the fibres in red meat and is a rich source of antioxidants. The Brazilians have created a dessert that would actually speed up the digestive process in your stomach after all that meats!

The restaurant also has a menu Fiesta Jantar which has a list of grilled meat served on hot stones. I was told by the manager that most of the grilled meats on this menu are the same as the ones served by the walking passadors. The menu has Brasil Frutos Do Mar ($28.90) which is grilled mixed seafood. And another must try in this menu is Bife A Moda Fiesta ($24.90), tender beef rump cap – you can request the meat to be cooked the way you want it in terms of doness.

Fiesta Brasilia is a pretty amazing and a fantastic place to go with a group of fellow meat-eaters. You’ll probably need to detox for a week after a meal here! I noticed how loud everything was as the evening progressed. This is not a quiet relaxing restaurant, but one where you had to yell at the person next to you in order to be heard as everyone is having fun and getting high on eating meats and listening to Brazilian music.

Fiesta Brasilia
101 Thomson Road
#B1-15/16
United Square
Singapore 62500950

Website: www.fiesta.com.sg

MANDARIN ORANGE & GINGER CAIPIRINHA

5 pieces of Mandarin orange wedges, remove seeds
1-1 1/2 tablespoons fine sugar
1 teaspoon finely minced young ginger
Ice cubes to fill the glass

60 ml cachaça

METHOD

1 Place the mandarin orange wedges, ginger and sugar into a glass and muddle well.
2 Fill the glass with ice cubes and pour in the cachaça.
3 Sir or shake well.
4 Serve garnished with a piece of Mandarin Orange.

PAPAYA CRÈME

200 g ripe papaya
200 g vanilla ice cream

METHOD
Blend the above together in a food processor and pour it into a serving glass.
Garnish with mint sprigs.

Note: You can get rid of the strong papaya taste by adding 2 teaspoons of crème de cassis or a sprinkle of cinnamon powder. Fold in some diced papaya for texture

Spirit of Highland - whisky journey

2010-02-17T10:11:00.000-08:00

Recently, I had the opportunity of meeting Andrew Skene of the Spirit of Scotland. He supplies whiskies direct from Scotland to the Scotch Corner at the Clay Oven Restaurant at Dempsey Hill as well as Malt Vault in Ann Siang Road. Both these establishments carry an incredible range of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies from across Scotland. Here, I am sharing what I learnt from him as well as some research materials.

What is Whisky?
Whisky is the alcohol spirit produced by distilling fermented cereals. Scotch whisky is the world’s most popular spirit and by law must be made and matured in an oak barrel for not less than three years in Scotland, otherwise it cannot be endorsed as Scotch. It must have 40% alcohol or more in order to retain flavor.

How is Scotch whisky produced?
It is made by mixing some processed grain with water, adding yeast and letting it ferment in the same way that beer is produced. Scotch whisky must contain barley and Malt Whisky must be made exclusively from water, malted barley, yeast and nothing else. Maturation which is very important as it transforms the raw spirit into whisky must be done in an oak, sherry or bourbon casks.

What is a Single Malt Scotch whisky?
A Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a product of one specific distillery and has not been mixed with whisky from any other distilleries. Scotland has approx 100 distilleries and these are located in “Regions”i.e. Highland, Speyside, Campbeltown, Islay, Lowland & Islands. Each of these regions has its own particular distinctive style of malt whisky. It is not possible for two malts to be identical, even if the distilleries that produce them happen to stand side by side!
What is Single Grain Scotch whisky?
A Single grain whisky is the product of one-grain distillery and is usually made from wheat, corn or unmalted barley.

What is Blended Scotch whisky?
A blended scotch whisky contains a combination of whiskies from over 40 or 50 different malt and grain distilleries. The normal ratio of malt to grain is 60% grain 40% malt. The percentage of malt used will determine the quality and smoothness of taste and character. Most of the blended whiskies are matured for about 5 years or more.

Why are some whiskies so expensive?
Whisky does not age in a bottle! If a bottle of whisky says “21 years old” it will be expensive because of the additional storage required after it has been bottled. Also whisky evaporates in the barrel by about 2% each year so after 21 years only two thirds remain! The other reason is the alcohol strength – as the higher the content, the higher the tax. Another reason is because whisky is a collector’s item.

How long can I keep the whisky in the bottle?
Keep the bottle away from direct sunlight, heat or variations in condition. Once opened, oxidation will act on the whisky with a noticeable effect in between one and three years when eventually the whisky may become ‘flat’. It is better to drink it now than save the last bit for a celebration.

What is the best way to drink whisky?
It’s a personal taste and there is no right and wrong way. Some whisky diehards say the best way is to drink it neat or with just a touch of mineral water. Tap water may contain high amounts of chlorine and therefore would not complement any whisky. Adding ice to a whisky can provide a refreshing drink but it should be noted that it will dull the fine taste and wonderful aromas. Carbonated water is not an ideal accompaniment for whisky as it will also interfere with the aromas too. Some people like to mix whisky with ginger ale, soda and even coca cola but then why drink whisky at all if you need to mask the taste?

What is the right type of glass for serving whisky?
A tumbler-shaped glass or goblet is the most popular, particularly for drinking Scotch whisky with ice and a mixer. Some Scotch whisky lovers believe that a malt whisky is better enjoyed in a balloon-shaped glass where the neck is narrower than the base, allowing the drinker to nose and enjoy the bouquet and character, before sipping.

To contact:

SPIRIT OF SCOTLAND PTE LTD
Tel: 6536 9221
Email: info@spiritofscotland.sg
Web: http://www.spiritofscotland.sg/

SCOTCH COFFEE
30 ml Scotch whisky
10 ml Drambuie
Sweetened strong black coffee
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Whipped cream

METHOD

1 Wipe the rim of a goblet with a piece of lemon and dip it in brown sugar. The darker the better.
2 Pour the whisky and drambuie in first and then followed by the coffe and then pipe some whipped cream on top.
3 Decorate with chocolate rice or chocolate shavings.

THE ORANGE TWIST
15 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
100 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
30 ml Scotch whisky
Ice cubes

METHOD

1 Place the above into a cocktail shaker and shake well before straining into a glass.

Clay Oven

2010-02-16T04:01:00.000-08:00

When I told the taxi driver “Dempsey Hill” and leaned back to relax, memories of my brothers reporting for National Service came to mind. Yes, Dempsey Hill used to be the Central Manpower Base of Singapore and was always referred as “CMPB” but prior to that apparently it was the British army barracks. It used to be a disciplined area, with crew cut young men walking marching or walking around. As I alighted from the taxi, I knew very well, that time has changed the whole place into a restaurant and lifestyle hub and the mood was ‘party’. The old barracks and bungalow have been preserved well.

The Clay Oven Restaurant nestled in the midst of nice lush greenery gives you the feeling of dining in a rustic, quaint, colonial bungalow with interesting Indian paintings, knick knacks and exquisite Indian furniture.

The Clay Oven is an interesting restaurant concept. The menu naturally focuses on charcoal-fired tandoor oven grilled meats and baked unleavened breads. The tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven used by Indians especially those from the Northern region of India in cooking and baking. The heat of a tandoor is traditionally generated by fire, burning within the tandoor itself, thus exposing the food to both live-fire, radiant heat cooking and hot-air to do the baking. Temperatures in a tandoor can reach up to 480°C!

Complementing the food in this restaurant is a whisky concept, Scotch Corner, a whiskey warehouse developed by Andrew Skene from Spirit of Scotland. Diners can sample over 15 single malts from the Scottish Highlands, Lowlands and Islay regions and also purchase bottles of it. The Clay Oven has a well stocked collection of fine Scottish Whiskies, single malts from all over Scotland and therefore you will find some brands that you would have never seen elsewhere in Singapore. To complement the whiskies you will also fine a range of organic Scottish beers like Ben Navis (India Pale Ale), Lomond Gold (Blonde Beer), William Wallace (80 shilling) and even Glencoe Stout.

I started off by tasting the Mixed Tandoori Platter that consisted of Fish Tikka, Chicken Tikka, Sheekh Kebab and Murgh Kastoori Kebab. The platter was enough for two persons to share and my personal favorite was the Murgh Kastoori Kebab. Murgh Kastoori Kebab, marinated cubes of creamy, tender chicken breasts with a strong hint of fenugreek leaves was so tender and flavorful, that leave you wanting more.

Next I tried the Royal Briyani – fluffy, aromatic long grained rice cooked in rich stock and with cubes of mutton in it. I also tried the Garlic Naan, very fluffy unleavened bread. The restaurant did not have many varieties of breads unlike other North Indian restaurant. For the mains, the chef’ special, Crab A La Madras was interesting. Crabmeat is cooked with a medley of spices, onions and tomatoes and it taste very typically like a South Indian dish. To accompany the above, we also ordered and tried the Palak Paneer and the Daal Makhni. If you need to assess the quality of food in a North Indian restaurant you must try these two dishes. The Palak Paneer was creamy, pureed spinach with paneer cubes (Indian homemade cheese). It was the perfect accompaniment to the Naan. The Daal Makhni was not as rich as some of those I have tasted at other restaurants.

Dessert was very unusual yet so common – it was a marriage of the Indian and Scottish. Gulab Jamun Flambéed with Malt Whiskey Liqueur and Pistachio and Saffron Kulfi!! Gulab Jamun is a typical deep fried Punjabi dessert/sweet that is soaked in syrup scented with rose flavor. At Clay Oven, Malt Whiskey is poured over the gulab jamuns and flambéed. Because of the flambéing the dessert had an awesome flavor. This is a must try dessert in this restaurant. The Pistachio and Saffron kulfi was rich, creamy and fragrant.

On the whole, Clay Oven has friendly staff, attentive staff. The place is relaxed with eclectic ambience, indoor and alfresco and a great place to wind down after work, and enjoy some Indian food paired with Scotch stuff.

PISTACHIO KULFI

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
10 cardamoms, pods removed and seeds pounded till fine
80 g ground pistachios
Drop of apple green colouring

METHOD

1 Combine the above together well.
2 Pour into ice cube trays or ‘kulfi’ moulds.
3 Freeze for 6 hours.
4 Serve sprinkled with chopped pistachio nuts

Clay Oven
Blk 26B , Dempsey Road
Dempsey Hill
Singapore 249673

Tel: 6472 0221

Tues - Thurs 5pm - 10.30pm (Last order 10.15 pm)
Fri - Sun 12 noon 3.30pm
5pm - 11.00pm (Last order 10.30 pm)

Lei Garden

2010-02-16T02:54:00.000-08:00

In ushering the Year of the Tiger, I had the privilege to indulge in a traditional yet superb Cantonese delights of Lei Garden Restaurant at CHIJIMES, Singapore.

Lei Garden @ CHIJMES underwent a brand new S$6 million renovation. The whole restaurant has a Victorian ambience, relaxing and comfy while you dine on their revamped menu. The fact that it is located in Victoria Street and has Victorian ambience sounded perfect!

The hearty lunch hosted by warm, Ms. Angie Chew, the Executive Manager of the Lei Garden Restaurant Group, started with the auspicious salad, Yu Sheng which is a first dish in most Chinese New Year reunion menus. We had the Treasure Platter Yu Sheng Raw Lobster Meat. This Chinese raw lobster salad which symbolizes abundance and prosperity is tossed with multi coloured julienned assorted vegetables , ginger, candied winter melon strips, pickled leeks, deep fried tapioca crackers to give a nice crunch, chopped walnuts, traditional condiments, peanut oil and plum sauce.

This was followed by a tasting of a few different dishes from the dim sum menu. Lei Garden is known for its dim sum dishes. I must highlight my favorite – the Barbecued Roasted Crispy Pork- small cubes of delicate, roasted pork with a so crispy skin. The moment I put it into my mouth, there was an explosion of taste and texture. The skin just cracked and melted in the mouth and there was very little fat in the meat. I was told that it takes more than 5 hours to roast a piece of meat like that. One must try this at Lei Garden.

Apart from the above, I also liked the Steamed Shangai Dumpling with Minced Pork in Lei Garden Special – little pretty piping hot dumplings that are so exquisite – the chef must be a craftsman to be able to contain such wonderful burst of flavors of meat and gravy within that thin pastry. Be warned – it will be piping hot. I like it best when eaten with a few shreds of julienned ginger and dark vinegar.

Next we had the Double Boiled Sea Whelk with Fish’s Maw and Cocoon Cordyceps. This potent soup is not only supposed to nourish your body but it has a high level of collagen which can enhance skin immunity. I enjoyed this clear soup to the last drop. Because of the number of hours it takes the soup to be double boiled, it would be best if you call the restaurant in advance and place your order. This amazingly delicious soup with soft and tender fish maw was my favorite dish for the day and I highly recommend this mother of all Cantonese soup!

Nearly all the fish used here are kept alive in aerated freshwater tanks at Lei Garden until the moment they’re ordered. The Steamed Garoupa Fillet with Beancurd in XO Chilli Sauce was a refreshing change after the soup. It had bits of caramelized onion with chilli from the XO sauce and gave the kick to the otherwise bland tasting fish and beancurd. XO sauce is very synonymous with Lei Garden.

For the day’s vegetable allowance, we had Poached Wild Mushroom and Green Vegetables with Tomatoes stuffed with Hawaii Nuts (macadamia nuts). This is a good example of the chef’s artistry. The finished dish is a pleasing green, red and white, but a bit bland for me but there was a complex melding of flavor and texture.

Firing crackers is very important for celebrating Chinese New Year but what can you if you want to retain your culture and yet follow the law of the country? Be creative!! And that was what the chefs of Lei Garden did. Our next dish was Poached Crispy Rice with Crab Meat in Stock. It was a porridge like dish with rice cooked in very rich stock and chunks of freshly flaked crab meat. The waitress bring the dish to your table piping hot and top the soup with fried rice crispies. The crispies give out a crackling, sizzling sound on contact with the rice porridge and there you are, prosperity right at the table.

To cleanse our palate, we drank a special drink that I never had in any other Chinese restaurant except for the Lei Garden group of restaurants. We had a tiny glass of specially concocted juice of freshly squeezed black grapes, lime and green apples – so full of Vitamin C and the sourness of the drink opened up my senses to the most favorite stage of dining – desserts!

The menu said “Steamed Red Dates Cake” and I got dainty cubes of red ruby colored layered sticky cake. It tasted rich with boiled, skinned and pitted red dates that has been puree and then mixed with water chestnut powder and made into this wonderful dessert.

Memorable dessert of the day was the Chilled Durian Pudding. Lei Garden has made a name for its desserts amongst the Chinese restaurants in Singapore and this is one of it. The pudding was served in a margarita glass and was a generous portion. The decadent, smooth, fragrant dessert just slide in my mouth. I just did not want to try anything else after this heavenly dessert with the King of all Fruits.

Service wise, Lei Garden is almost impeccable. The staff always set the table accordingly as required for the menu we ordered and greeted us at the door, plates are changed promptly and the staff are responsive to questions and feedback. Overall, I enjoyed myself and will go back again and again if I get the same service and food standard.

DURIAN PUDDING

300 g durian (weighed without the seeds)
200 ml fresh or UHT milk
400 ml water
200 g caster sugar (more or less depending on sweetness of durian)
2 tablespoons gelatin powder soaked in 100 ml water
200 ml evaporated milk
50 ml coconut cream
2 tablespoons custard powder

METHOD

1 Blend durian and milk together in a food processor till smooth and keep aside.
2 Put water, sugar and gelatin powder into a pan and simmer gently until sugar and gelatin dissolves.
3 Combine the evaporated milk, coconut cream and custard powder together in a bowl and pour into the boiling water and stir constantly until it thickens and is lump free.
4 Remove from heat and cool it till becomes lukewarm.
5 Fold in the blended durian and combine well.
6 Pour into wet moulds and leave to set.
7 Chill well in the refrigerator before serving.

Lei Garden Restaurant (CHIJMES)
#01-24 CHIJMES
30 Victoria Street
Singapore 187996

Tel: 63393822

Lei Garden Restaurant (ORCHARD)
321 Orchard Road
#03-00 Orchard Shopping Centre
Singapore

Tel: 6734-3988