Chubby Botak Koala - Singapore Food Blog, Travel and Lifestyle

Oyster Paitan Ramen

Konjiki Hototogisu Ramen (‘KHR’) is a One Michelin Star Ramen Restaurant from Tokyo. KHR also recognise being “No.1 Ramen in Japan” in 2017 and 2018 by Ramen Walker, Japan’s popular magazine.

Konjiki Hototogisu Ramen

Each of their Ramen restaurants specialises in different flavours. The one at Great World City, specialises in Oyster base broth.

Oyster Paitan Ramen ($15.90) is one of the signature ramens here. The broth is made from Miso and Oyster Consommé, while the toppings include oyster paste, dried tomato, baked lemon slice, roasted corn, arugula, low-temperature cha shu, black pepper and onion.

Oyster Paitan Ramen

The menu will teach you how to eat the ramen, I suggest you follow it. Once the bowl arrived, try to slurp the broth and the ramen before mixing it together. The miso is rich and creamy. When you stir the rest of the ingredients in, the oyster paste added an intense seafood flavour to the ramen. The aburi lemon and dried tomato help to cut the richness in the ramen.

Aburi Sliced Lemon

The noodle is thin and springy while cha shu has a soft, melt in your mouth texture. I like their topping of aburi corn and arugula, it is definitely unlike traditional ramen version.

The Noodle

Meanwhile, if you like something lighter, go for their Oyster Shio Ramen ($15.90). This is the clear broth version of the oyster ramen here. Toppings include oyster paste, arugula, red paprika, garlic butter lemon, red onion, scallion and parsley flakes.

Oyster Shio Ramen

Same as the Paitan Ramen, slurp the broth at first. The broth is light but filled with delicate touch of saltiness. Once you stir the broth, the oyster flavours really shine in this dish. The garlic butter lemon, paprika and red onion added contrasting flavour in the ramen.

Although both ramens are delicious, I need to warn you that the portion is very petite.

Fried Tofu with Bonito Flakes (3pcs $6.90). Crisp externally but soft internally. The bonito shavings are generous, ensuring each bite of the tofu will be filled with the bonito.

Fried Tofu with Bonito Flakes

Service is helpful and efficient. The décor of the place like a modern ramen restaurant sprouting in shopping centres. The main colour use is pine wood combine with open concept.

Overall, the oyster ramen at Konjiki Hototogisu Ramen is definitely special and unique. The use of oyster with their miso or salt soup broth, allow us to enjoy the goodness of oyster in a different way. I’ll definitely come back to try their other ramen or the other branches as well. Kanpai! Cheers!

Food & Drink: 8.25/10

Value: 7/10

Service: 6.5/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25, $26 - $50.

Bachmann Japanese Restaurant

Konjiki Hototogisu Ramen

1 Kim Seng Promenade

#01-143 Great World City

Singapore 237994

T: +65 6219 3840

F: https://www.facebook.com/KonjikiHototogisuSGP/

IG: @Konjikihototogisu

OH: Daily 12.00 – 14.45, 17.00 – 21.00

Roast Chicken Chinese Style

Café Lodge is the main restaurant for YWCA Fort Canning Lodge. A property managed by YWCA Singapore located in the city centre of Singapore, the prime Orchard Road shopping belt.

Cafe Lodge at YWCA Fort Canning Lodge

For its daily lunch and dinner buffet, it offers comforting Singaporean and Asian Cuisine. With 5 menus rotating daily, diners will get enough variety return to Café Lodge regularly.

Specials of the Day

During our visit, the following dishes catch my attention: Braised Duck, Yum Rice and Braised Egg and Tofu. The duck is meaty and well braised, as you can taste the dark soy sauce and seasoning infused into the meat. The same can be said with the eggs and tofu. The yam rice is aromatic and tasty, definitely goes well with the duck, tofu and egg.

Braised Duck

Braised Duck, Yum Rice and Braised Egg and Tofu

Mee Rebus is the highlight of the action station. The ingredients are the same as those sold outside, including the thick brown mee rebus gravy. Texture wise, this will depend on the diners cooking skill.

Mee Rebus

One of the other dishes that impress me is their beef rendang. The gravy is thick, rich, creamy and filled with spices. You can taste the “rempah” infused into the meat, making it “rice thief” dish.

Rendang on White Rice

The steamed fish fillets also look delicious; however, I did not manage to try it as I was pacing myself for the Mother’s Day Menu.

Steam Fish

Part of the daily buffet also includes Soup of the Day, salads with condiments, cold dishes, cake and kueh for desserts, fruits, coffee & tea, and water and orange drinks. Definitely a good offering for daily buffet lunch or dinner.

Soup of the Day - ABC

DIY Salad

Appetizers

Assorted Cake and Kueh - Part of the Buffet

Mother’s Day Menu

Highlights of Mother’s Day Buffet Menu includes: Avocado Crab Meat Saladand Apple and Celery with Walnuts Salad. A light and delicious way to start the meal. I personally like find the avocado and crab meat salad is very refreshing, the sweetness of the crab meat and the avocado works well together.

Avocado Crab Meat Salad

Apple and Celery with Walnuts Salad.

Sichuan soup with Radish. An interesting combination of this clear yet robust soup. After further scooping, I finally found the dried scallops, clams and mushrooms that gave this soup added natural sweetness and seafood flavour in it.

Sichuan soup with Radish.

Roasted Chicken Chinese Style. Nicely executed, the skin is thin and crispy, while the meat is juicy and succulent. They provide the salt and pepper dip with lime, however, I found that the chicken is tasty enough.

Roasted Chicken Chinese Style.

Deep-Fried Garoupa with Mango Salsa. The huge garoupa is coated with flour and deep-fried, resulting in a crispy skin and moist flesh. The mango salsa sauce is added afterwards to provide a sweet fruity taste to the dish. I like this dish as it is not spicy, however, some diners might prefer some spicy sauce for the dish.

Deep-Fried Garoupa with Mango Salsa.

The full buffet spread will be available for this special occasion. For the full menu, please refer to the YWCA Fort Canning Lodge website or Facebook Page. The menu might differ from the highlights above due to the availability of the ingredients.

Fruits Platter

Fruits - Part of the Buffet

Mother’s Day Buffet at Café Lodge

When: 4 & 5 May 2019 and 11 & 12 May 2019.

Where: Café Lodge at YWCA Fort Canning Lodge

Timing: Lunch 11.30 – 15.00; Dinner 18.00 – 22.00

Price: $38++ for Adult, $15.80++ for Child (6 to 12 years)

Promotion: Book and Dine for 4 & 5 May 2019, you will receive a 25% discount for Mother’s Day Buffet.

For Reservations, please call 6333 0487 or email cafe@ywcafclodge.org.sg

Ice Cream - Part of the Buffet

Orange Drink, Coffee and Tea - Part of the Buffet

Thank you very much, Purple Eats for the tasting invitation; Vu Marcoms and Café Lodge Team for hosting the tasting.

Food & Drinks: 6.25/10

Value: 6.25/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Event)

Ambiance: 6.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Braised Sea Cucumber, Pork Ribs and Mushrooms - Easter Day Menu

Café Lodge

6 Fort Canning Road

Level 1, YWCA Fort Canning Lodge

Singapore 179494

T: +65 6333 0487

W: https://www.fortcanninglodge.org.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/YWCAFortCanningLodge/

IG: @YWCAfortcanninglodge

OH:

Daily Ala Carte: 11.30 – 20.30

Daily Lunch Buffet: 11.30 – 14.30

Daily Dinner Buffet: 18.00 – 21.30

Price: S$32++ for Adult, $15.80++ for Child.

*Check out their Facebook Page for Promotion with NTUC and SAFRA Member.

Foie Gras Truffle Yakiniku

Tanuki Raw is a combination of playful Japanese cuisine with no-holds-barred American Street Food. With these concepts in mind, Tanuki Raw present creations that is unique, modern and unbelievably flavourful.

LD and I visited the location at the National Design Centre. This restaurant occupied the same open space as the Kapok, a lifestyle select store originated in Hong Kong focusing on all things related to design.

Green Tea, part of Lunch Set

We started with Raw Oyster ($30 for half dozen). It is plump, briny and juicy. A quick check with the service staff, we found out that the oysters are from New Zealand.

NZ Oyster

Foie Gras Truffle Yakiniku ($19, +$2 for Lunch Set). The plating is definitely awesome. The toppings of sliced Black Angus short ribs, Pan Seared foie gras and onsen egg filled the bowl to the brim.

Foie Gras Truffle Yakiniku with Lunch Set

The foie gras is nicely executed. Crisp externally, follow with soft, creamy and velvety texture internally. The sliced ribs are tender and succulent, with tangy sauce drizzle on top of it. Meanwhile, the onsen egg combines all the ingredients nicely with solid flavourful rice. They also served Japanese pickle to balance the richness in this dish. Yum Yum, Two Thumbs Up.

Oozing Egg

The additional $2 to make it a lunch set is definitely worth it. You get a small bowl of refreshing salad, miso soup and cold green tea.

Flavourful Rice

Chirashi NDC ($21, +2 for Lunch Set). The harvest of the sea in a bowl. Generous load of ingredients, tuna, salmon, hamachi, snow crab, negitoro, spicy salmon, ikura and tamago. The seafood is fresh and the quantity is actually enough to make two chirashi bowl, those popping ikura will definitely overwhelm you in each bite of your bowl your meal. Amazing.

Chirashi NDC Lunch Set

Truffle Nagano Pork Spam Fries ($13.90). Unfortunately, this dish is a let-down. The spam fries are lumpy, together with the sauce the saltiness is just over the top. Definitely, need to cut down on the mayo and make the spam fries crispy.

Truffle Nagano Pork Spam Fries

The restaurant is spacious and the open concept in sync with the name of the building. The transition between Kapok and Tanuki Raw is just seamless. Service is friendly and efficient.

Overall, the donburi here is just amazing. The ingredients are of good quality, fresh and generous. Definitely worth a visit and soaks up the atmosphere. Cheers!!

Food & Drinks: 8/10

Value: 7.75/10

Service: 7.5/10

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Tanuki Raw @ Kapok

111 Middle Road

#01-05 National Design Centre

Singapore 188969

W: https://tanukiraw.com/

F: https://www.facebook.com/tanukibar

IG: @Tanukiraw

OH: Daily 10.00 – 22.00

Food from 11.30 – 21.30

Lunch Sets from 11.30 – 15.00

Happy Hour from 17.00 – 20.00, all day on Weekends

Menu is available on their website.

Mixed Fish Soup

No Milk at 18 Pahang Street is a new outlet of Famous Traditional Fish Soup from Bedok, who first open in 1992. Distinguishing themselves from the Clifford Centre outlet, this outlet serves traditional Teochew Fish Soup and Fusion European Cuisine as well. It seems that this trend has been happening in Singapore, combining traditional cuisine with modern cuisine or location that serve different concepts during day and night.

No Milk @ 18 Pahang Street

Transport Drivers Promotion

The Fish Soup Boutique at level one. The décor is very simple and functional, just like the shops selling local Singapore food. It opens from 11.00 – 22.00 from Monday to Saturday.

The Ordering Counter - Level 1

Part of the Dining Area - Level 1

We tried the Mixed Fish Soup ($7). True to its name, no milk is added to the fish soup, so they only serve the clear broth version. No Milk uses two types of fishes: mackerel (for sliced fish) and sea bass (for fried fish version). The consommé like broth is clear, yet filled with the delicate flavour from the fish. The mackerel is fresh, smooth and delicate while the fried sea bass has a crisp exterior but moist internally. The tofu, tomato and ramen style seaweed round up the texture and flavour of this humble dish.

Mixed Fish Soup

Close up with Tofu, Slice Mackerel and Fried Sea Bass

There are two types of chilli to go with the fish soup, normal and belacan. For carbo, there are 8 different types of noodles and rice that you can choose from to complete your No Milk Fish Soup Experience.

Noodles and Rice
Image Credit: No Milk

Side dishes include Grilled Pork Belly, Black Char Siew, and Homemade Ngor Hiang. The black char siew has a nice caramelisation externally, while tender internally. For those who worried about burnt flavour, it does not have a burnt smell or flavour. More like charcoal seasoning.

Grilled Pork Belly, Homemade Ngor Hiang and Black Char Siew, (Top to Bottom)
Same arrangement for the chillis [TASTING PORTION]

The pork belly has a very strong five spice seasoning. I personally like my pork belly to be thick and fatty, not thin as it is not shiok. The ngor hiang is delicious indeed. Juicy, packed with fillings and have balance seasoning. Each of the side dishes come with different chilli, like a typical Teochew cuisine.

Level 1 Menu

Spicy Fragrant Handmade Egg Noodles with Fish Belly Mala Style. Springy and al-dente handmade egg noodle topped with mala chilli. Look a bit like KL Chilli Ban Mee, but served with handmade egg noodle instead. The fish belly is crisp and bursting with flavour with you bit into it. To put off the fire, the noodle comes with robust mushroom broth.

Spicy Fragrant Handmade Egg Noodles with Fish Belly Mala Style [TASTING PORTION]

Moving to the Rooftop Bistro at Level 2, you can expect European infused with local cuisine to pair with your alcohol. The second level is decorated pub-like, where the lights are dimmed and the bar with alcohol are the main attractions. It opens from 17.30 to midnight daily.

The Bar at Level 2

Part of the Dining Area - Level 2

Fresh Made Tagliatelle, Thai Red Curry with Tiger Prawns. The tagliatelle is freshly made, cooked with Thai Red Curry with Tiger Prawns. It is served with two types of prawns, pan seared with the Thai Red Curry and fried Ebi style. The Thai Red Curry has a solid coconut richness and spices, plus super spicy as well. I actually need to drink some Yakult to put off the fire.

Fresh Made Tagliatelle, Thai Red Curry with Tiger Prawns. [TASTING PORTION]

Fresh Made Tagliatelle, Beef Rendang is definitely a dish that I will come back for. The tagliatelle is al-dente, and the width of the pasta helps to soak up the rich and creamy beef rendang. The spiciness level is moderate and the tenderness of the beef in each bite sure make this dish enjoyable.

Fresh Made Tagliatelle, Beef Rendang [TASTING PORTION]

The Hidden Rendang

Tequila Marinated Angus Beef Served with Tortilla Wrap, Sour Cream, Pico de gallo and handmade mash potatoes. Nicely marinated with tequila, the beef is then cooked perfectly. Although it uses a leaner part of the meat, it is still tender and succulent. The tequila not only helps to tenderise the meat, but it also gave the steak bitter taste at the end. The beef should be eaten with a tortilla wrap, sour cream and pico de gallo. Not to be miss, is the creamy and velvety mash potatoes, that can be a dish on its own.

Tequila Marinated Angus Beef Served with Tortilla Wrap, Sour Cream, Pico de gallo and handmade mash potatoes.
[TASTING PORTION]

The second level is a good setting to pair your food with alcohol. Although I’m unable to drink, I noticed the Yakult and grape soju looks like an interesting pairing.

Grape Soju with Yakult

Lime Juice

Roof Top Bistro Menu

Overall, No Milk sure delivers an interesting concept. The first floor focused on Traditional Teochew Fish Soup, while the second floor on modern fusion cuisine. However, don’t let the different level stop you from ordering dishes from different floors. Basically, you can have traditional fish soup, handmade pasta and grape soju with Yakult on the same table. WOW, definitely worth to check out and there is something for everyone. Cheers!!

Food & Drinks: 7.5/10

Value: 7/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Event)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25; $26 - $50

No Milk

18 Pahang Street

Singapore 198615

T: +65 6291 5854

F: https://www.facebook.com/nomilksg/

IG: @Nomilksg

OH:

Mon – Fri:

1^st floor restaurant: 11.00 – 22.00

2^nd floor bistro: 17.00 – Midnight

Sat:

1^st floor restaurant: 17.30 – 22.00

2^nd floor bistro: 17.30 – Midnight

Closed on Sunday

Non-Marinated Prime Beef Short Rib – Saeng GalBi

We have visited O.BBa BBQ at Tanjong Pagar (‘Obba’) regularly in the past year. It started with after a visit at 2 AM in the morning introduced by a friend’s friend. Let’s just say that 2 AM is definitely not a time to eat Korean BBQ. The menu looks attractive, we decide to visit it a few more times. Finally, we agree that bbq beef in Obba got our two thumbs up.

O.BBa BBQ at Tanjong Pagar

Along Tanjong Pagar area, Obba always has customers queue outside especially during peak dining period of 7 PM to 10 PM, or even Midnight during the weekend. Obba takes reservation but limited to a few tables. The décor is a typical Korean BBQ restaurant, the walls are filled with empty soju bottles and photos of the customers. The blaring KPOP music from the speaker together with MTV makes the Korean feel more authentic.

For the food, Prime Beef – Ggok Sol ($39). A definite must order for beef lovers here. The marbling is just fantastic, cooked under the care of the grill master on our table to medium rare and cut to bite size. Each piece of the prime beef has a nice charred externally, followed with a melt in your mouth texture internally. I personally just dip it with a mixture of salt and sesame oil. #Beefgasm!!

Prime Beef – Ggok Sol

Non-Marinated Prime Beef Short Rib – Saeng GalBi ($38). Slightly different cut compare to the prime beef. We prefer the non-marinated, compare to the sweet marinated version. Similar to the prime beef, it is cooked to medium rare, charred externally and juicy internally. Compare to the prime beef, the short rib has a slightly chewy texture, beefy yet remain delicious.

Non-Marinated Prime Beef Short Rib – Saeng GalBi

We like how they did not waste any part of the meat. While we enjoy the meat from the short rib, the service staff continue grilling the meat closer to the ribs. For this part, you can expect a chewier bite due to the muscle that wrapped the bone with the juicy meat. I personally like it to have my beef bbq to be eaten with some white rice, my Korean version of gyudon.

Non-Marinated Prime Beef Short Rib – Saeng GalBi

For the pork, we will normally order the 5mm of Sliced Pork Belly – SaengSamGyupSal ($19). It has the right thickness, crispy and juicy, however, I find it a bit chewy. Feels like the pork giving your jaw a bit of a workout.

Black Pork Belly and Pork Skin

Pork Skin

Pork Skin + Black Pork Belly ($39). We tried black pork in Jeju and the pork skin in Busan. The cut of the pork belly here is thick. The grilling of the meat will take some time, so it is a good time to catch up with your dining partners. The first thing that I notice here is that black pork does not shrink as much as the one in Jeju. In Jeju, the pork reduces about 1/3 in size when grilling as the fats slowly rendered and continuously moisturising the meat. Over here, it reduces about 1/5, resulting in the meat to be firmer and chewier.

Black Pork Belly

While the beef and pork are grilled on a grill plate, the pork skin is grilled on the net, almost directly on the low fire. With the marination, the skin is brown and glistening. It is hard and chewy, not the texture that we expected. Slightly disappointed.

Pork Skin

Steamed Egg – GaeRanJ jim ($5). Fluffy and fragrant. One of my preferred side dishes in a Korean Restaurant.

Steamed Egg

Seafood Spring Onion Pancake – HaeMulPaJeon ($20). It has a crisp skin, followed with a soft batter and delicious fillings of seafood, spring onion and sliced chilli, that I normally avoid.

Seafood Spring Onion Pancake – HaeMulPaJeon

For soup, the Pork Soup – Soondaeguk ($18.50) is our pick. Milky robust pork broth soup, filled with pork meat and blood sausage. The blood sausage filling is glass noodle soaked with pig’s blood. The chewiness from the blood sausage sure goes well with the milky broth.

Soondae / Blood Sausage in Pork Soup

The Pork Meat in Pork Soup

Beef Bone Soup – Seolrungtang ($18.50) is the beef version of the milky and robust soup. Personally, I think that the portion of the meat is generous and the meat is tender. I always enjoy this soup as it just opens up my appetite for the rest of the dishes to come.

Lettuce to wrap the meat

Flying Fish Roe with Rice- Jumeogbab ($10). Only seen this dish here. Tasty and delicious. LD will normally work her magical hand here to mix all the ingredients together and made rice balls out of it. You have sweet, savoury and umami in each bite of the rice ball. Yum Yum. A must order if you are there.

Flying Fish Roe with Rice- Jumeogbab

Of course, side dishes - banchan are important in any Korean restaurant. On average, they served about 8 to 12 side dishes on rotation. Most of them are good as it compromises the spicy and not spicy side dishes as well.

Side Dishes - banchan

The service is here is friendly and efficient. The staff strength is sufficient as the staff will be the one grilling the meat to ensure it is cooked just right.

Overall, Obba definitely has gained our approval as the place to go to fill our cravings for Korean Beef BBQ. Although we find the pork at our Guiga is better, however, the soup here is much better, and the attraction of their Jumeogbab. As they open until 8 AM daily, you have a lot of time to enjoy Korean BBQ. Gun Bae!! Cheers!!

Food & Drinks: 8/10

Value: 7.75/10

Service: 7.5/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

O.BBa BBQ Tanjong Pagar

63 Tanjong Pagar Road

Singapore 088484

T: +6222 0840

F: https://www.facebook.com/obbabbqtanjongpagar/

IG: @O.bba_bbq

OH: Daily 12.00 – 08.00

Spargel Im Speckmantel - Bacon-wrapped White Asparagus

Winter has passed and Spring is here. Once again Brotzeit presents the classic Bavarian favourites, White Asparagus, also known as Germany’s “White Gold”. As one of the most treasured vegetables, white asparagus sure has a special place on Bavarian’s table.

White Asparagus Celebration at Brotzeit

Brotzeit honour this tradition and curated 7 types of white asparagus dishes, starting from appetizers to desserts.

White Asparagus

Spargelsuppe- White Asparagus Cream Soup ($9). The soup is thick and creamy, almost bisque-like. Each slurp of the soup you can taste the crunchy white asparagus bits, gammon ham followed with a hint of bitterness at the end. It is served with fresh bake brown bread, that proves to be a good companion for the soup.

Spargelsuppe - White Asparagus Cream Soup

Spargel Im Speckmantel - Bacon-wrapped White Asparagus ($9). The white asparagus is wrapped in bacon, giving it a nice salty and crunchy flavour when you bite into it. It is served with pine nuts, cherry tomatoes and wild rocket salad topped with balsamic vinegar. I was surprised by the sweetness of the white asparagus seems to double when it touches the balsamic vinegar. Yummy.

Spargel Im Speckmantel - Bacon-wrapped White Asparagus

Der Spargel-Klassiker - Classic White Asparagus ($28). One of the traditional ways of serving white asparagus in Germany together with parsley potato and hollandaise sauce. I can actually taste the crunchiness of the white asparagus, on top of the rich hollandaise sauce. Overall, this dish is on the mild side. There is an option to serve with brown butter, I think this might spark up this dish more.

Der Spargel-Klassiker - Classic White Asparagus

Another dish that represent the German celebratory spirit for their white asparagus harvest is Spargelplatte – White Asparagus Platter ($79). Consist of 400 grams of white asparagus in hollandaise sauce, served with black forest and gammon ham, smoked salmon, poached eggs and soft parsley potatoes.

Spargelplatte – White Asparagus Platter

The way to eat it is to pour the hollandaise sauce on the white asparagus, add the poached eggs and mash it up. The combination of the oozing egg yolks and hollandaise sauce seems to pump up the richness in this dish. Added to that mixture, the salty umami flavour from the smoked salmon, black forest and gammon ham, the sweetness of the white asparagus truly shines. This is definitely my pick for white asparagus dish here.

Spargelplatte – White Asparagus Platter (after mixing the sauce and eggs)

Spargel Mit Barramundi - White Asparagus with Pan Seared Barramundi ($32). The seafood version of Der Spargel-Klassiker. Nicely pan seared Singapore’s barramundi fillet, resulting in a crispy skin and firm yet flaky flesh. On top of the traditional hollandaise sauce, it also comes with a light flavour herb garlic butter.

Spargel Mit Barramundi - White Asparagus with Pan Seared Barramundi

Spargel Mit Rinderfilet - White Asparagus with Grilled Beef Tenderloin ($39). The meat version of Der Spargel-Klassiker. The beef tenderloin is nicely grilled to medium rare, resulting in a meaty, tender and succulent steak that is nice to chew. This dish also served with strong flavour herb garlic butter, which is suitable for the steak instead of fish. I actually like this version of herb garlic butter as it also goes well with the white asparagus.

Spargel Mit Rinderfilet - White Asparagus with Grilled Beef Tenderloin

Spargel Mit Rinderfilet - White Asparagus with Grilled Beef Tenderloin [Tasting Portion]

For dessert, Zitronen Käse Creme Mit Spargel - Deconstructed Lemon Cheese Tart ($10). I enjoy the combination of velvety lemon cream cheese mixed with the crumble base. The sourness from the raspberry balance the richness of the cream cheese, while mild bitter wild asparagus texture adds to the texture and flavour. A good ending to the meal.

Zitronen Käse Creme Mit Spargel - Deconstructed Lemon Cheese Tart

White asparagus pairs delightfully with Hügel Weisser Burgunder (Wittmann Pinot Blanc). With every white asparagus dish ordered, diners can enjoy a glass for $10 (usual price $14; $58 for a bottle). Or you can still have it with the craft beer available in Brotzeit.

Hügel Weisser Burgunder (Wittmann Pinot Blanc)

Overall, it was definitely a gastronomic white asparagus delight to savour all the 7 types of white asparagus dishes. Luckily, we were given the tasting platter. A gastronomic event that you must savour.

Thank you very much to Weandme team and Brotzeit team for the tasting invitation.

My "400 gram" of White Asparagus

Brotzeit White Asparagus Celebration – From Farm to Table

When: Now till 9 June 2019

Where: All Brotzeit Outlets

For Reservations + White Asparagus PROMO CODE

1. Go to http://brotzeit.co/reservation/

2. Fill in reservation details and the enter promo code (HENCE) at the end

3. Enjoy $10 off PER RESERVATION with any White Asparagus main dish ordered

Corporate Package Promotions:

White Asparagus Corporate Package

Gather a group of minimum four persons to enjoy their Corporate Package ($38++ per pax for a 2-course meal):

Appetizer: Choice of Spargelsuppe (White Asparagus Cream Soup) or Spargel Im Speckmantel (Bacon-wrapped White Asparagus)

Main: Der Spargel-Klassiker (Classic White Asparagus) with a choice of one side - black forest ham, gammon ham, smoked salmon or poached egg

A complimentary glass of 100 Hügel Weisser Burgunder (Wittmann Pinot Blanc) or 0.5L of beer

Food & Drinks: 7.75/10

Value: 8/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Event)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50, $51 - $80

Brotzeit

German Bier Bar & Restaurant

313 Orchard Road

#01-27 Discovery Walk at 313@Somerset

Singapore 238895

T: +65 6834 4038

W: http://brotzeit.co/

F: https://www.facebook.com/Brotzeit-Singapore-557793201342604/

IG: @Brotzeit.sg

OH:

Mon – Thu: 11.30 – Midnight

Fri: 11.30 – 01.00

Sat: 10.00 – 01.00

Sun: 10.00 – Midnight

Please refer to their website for other outlets

Reservations can be made through their website

Teochew Steam Pomfret

My first introduction with of Ah Orh Teochew Restaurant was back in 2006. This was before my foray in food blogging. At that time, Ah Orh runs like a neighbourhood restaurant, operated with no printed menu and most of the customers are regulars.

Menu Page 1

We kind of stop going to Ah Orh for no particular reasons and only start to visit them last year. Amazingly, the restaurant still looks the same, but now they have a printed menu and the service staff seems to be friendlier compared to the last time.

Menu Page 2

Appetizer here is Crispy Silverfish ($5). Crispy, salty and addictive. Good to eat on its own or as umami booster for a bland dish.

Crispy Silverfish

Cold Crab (Seasonal Price). One of the signature dishes here. Female crabs are used for this particular dish as it has sweeter meat and the roe is just delicious, especially when you dip it with the sweet orange sauce. I recommend that you pre-order this dish during your reservation, price about $75 per kg.

Cold Crab

The Roe

Chilled Jelly Pork ($12, $18, $25). One of the almost extinct Teochew dishes and you can only find this in a selected Teochew restaurant. Served chilled, you can taste the braising sauce and the crunchiness in the jelly. It is served with a tangy chilli sauce to help reduce the richness of the dish.

Chilled Jelly Pork - Large

Double-Boiled Winter Melon Soup ($35). We had this during my Mother in Law’s birthday celebration. It is one of LD’s favourite soup. Double-boiled with seafood and pork stock, the sweetness from the winter melon just rendered into the soup. Each serving is good for 6 to 8 pax, but don’t expect lots of broth.

Double-Boiled Winter Melon Soup

Sliced Braised Duck ($13, $18, $25). Tender and succulent duck meat, well infused with the braising sauce. One thing for sure, the fats from the skin helps the meat to retain its juiciness. It served with braised pork belly and braised beancurd, they are equally delicious. One of the best braised duck dishes in the market.

Sliced Braised Duck - Large

Prawn Roll ($13, $18, $25). Crispy with generous fillings. The prawns are fresh, together with the chestnuts give crunchiness to this dish. The pork fillings are generous; however, I find the texture a bit mushy.

Prawn Roll - Medium

Prawn Roll Fillings

Crispy Chicken with Sotong Paste ($18, $32). Ah Orh only makes small batches of this dish every day. So better place your order during reservation. It required superb skill to remove the chicken skin without breaking it. It is then spread with thick sotong paste and deep fried. The result is a paper-thin crispy skin, chewy yet tender sotong flesh and an awesome presentation. According to LD, this dish is very traditional and will slowly disappear as not many chefs are able to acquire the knife skills and it is very labour intensive.

Crispy Chicken with Sotong Paste

The Paper Thin Skin

Teochew Steam Fish (Seasonal Price). Perfectly steamed Pomfret in Teochew style. The fish is fresh and I like the firmness of the pomfret flesh. The broth from the plum, tomato, spring onion and chilli make the tangy broth an appetizing proposition. One of the must order dish in Ah Orh.

Teochew Steam Pomfret

The fish option is not limited to the above version, Ah Orh also offers different type of fish, such as grouper, red snapper, mullet, seabass, song fish and threadfin. For the cooking style, they have Hong Kong steam, deep fried, sweet and sour, and braised fried.

Teochew Kway Teow ($10, $13, $18). The thick silky hor fun exudes a solid dose of wok hei. It is fried with a top grade of soy sauce, together with chai poh (preserved turnip) and garlic, making this dish very appetizing.

Teochew Kway Teow

If you still have some space for desserts, order the Orh Nee / Yam Paste w Gingko Nuts ($13, $18, $25). The texture of the yam is slightly rough and dense. You can taste the fibre from the yam in each bite together with the gingko. The sweetness level is medium. It is good but not the best version of the Orh Nee.

Orh Nee / Yam Paste w Gingko Nuts - Large

The décor of the restaurant is simple and aged. It seems the priority is given to the food instead of the décor. Service is friendly and efficient.

Overall, I am glad that we have made a few visits to Arh Oh in this past one year. As more of the traditional restaurant closing its door, it is time to enjoy those remaining few. The Teochew Food here is delicious and it uses the freshest ingredients. The price is value for money. Definitely worth a visit if you are looking for a Teochew Restaurant. Cheers!!

Food & Drinks: 8.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: 6.5/10

Ambiance: 6.25/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant

115 Jalan Bukit Merah

#01-1627, Singapore 160115

T: +65 6275 7575

OH: Daily 11.00 – 14.00; 17.30 – 22.00

Unagi Kabayaki Open Face Sandwich

Crossroads Bar at Swissotel Merchant Court presents to you ‘Spring in Tokyo’ Afternoon Tea. A place where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city and treat yourself to the refreshing flavour of Spring by the Singapore River.

Crossroads Bar

This Japanese inspired Afternoon Tea consist of sweet and savoury components.

Spring in Tokyo

Savoury selections include Unagi Kabayaki Open Face Sandwich, Truffle Sōmen Noodles with Scallop and Ikura, Fried Shrimp Sandwich with Wasabi Tartare, Buta no Kakuni, Japanese Braised Pork Belly, and Black Pepper Cod Teriyaki.

Truffle Sōmen Noodles with Scallop and Ikura

Fried Shrimp Sandwich with Wasabi Tartare

I will usually start my afternoon tea from the savoury offerings first. My pick from the savouries are the Unagi Kabayaki Open Face Sandwich, the unagi has a sweet, smooth, velvety and moist. Following that fatty and delicious Black Pepper Cod Teriyaki, and not forgetting the Japanese Braised Pork Belly.

Unagi Kabayaki Open Face Sandwich

Black Pepper Cod Teriyaki

The pork belly is well braised, firm yet it melts in your mouth. I like the apple sauce topping with tendrils leaf, as the acidity in the apple sauce together with bitter and nutty undertone balanced the richness in the dish.

Buta no Kakuni, Japanese Braised Pork Belly

The sweet treats consist of Japanese Sponge Cake, Black Sesame Tiramisu, Japanese Style Matcha “Swiss Roll”, Strawberry Eclairs, and Green Tea Panna Cotta.

Japanese Sponge Cake

Black Sesame Tiramisu

My pick for the sweet treats is Japanese Style Matcha “Swiss Roll”. It is creamy, soft and you get the matcha taste at the end. Following that is Strawberry Éclair which has a soft and delicate flavour and Green Tea Panna Cotta, where the combination of red bean and green tea is just so comforting.

Japanese Style Matcha “Swiss Roll”

Strawberry Éclair

Green Tea Panna Cotta

Of course, Afternoon Tea will not be complete without the Tea. Crossroads Bar serves a pot of speciality tea by TWG for this afternoon Tea. Otherwise, you can also have your afternoon tea with freshly brewed coffee.

TWG English Breakfast

Overall, Spring in Tokyo sure entices with you with delicate Japanese Cuisine afternoon tea. It is delicious, delicate and nicely portion to allure to you to come back for more. Cheers!!

Thank you very much, Swissotel Merchant Court Marketing Team of for the tasting invitation.

‘Spring in Tokyo’ Afternoon Tea

When: Now until 31 May 2019.

Time: Daily between 3 PM to 5 PM

Price: S$42 per person (minimum of two diners per order)

Includes a pot of speciality tea by TWG or freshly brewed coffee

For enquiries and reservations: please call us at +65 6239 1847/1848 or

email dining.merchantcourt@swissotel.com

Food & Drinks: 7.5/10

Value: 7 /10

Service: N/A (Tasting Event)

Ambiance: 7.75/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Crossroads Bar

Swissotel Merchant Court

Lobby Level

20 Merchant Road

Singapore 058281

T: +65 6239 1847 / 1848

W: http://www.swissotel.com/hotels/singapore-merchant-court/bars/crossroads-bar/

F: https://www.facebook.com/SwissotelMerchantCourtSingapore/

IG: @swissotelmerchantcourt

OH: Daily 09.00 – 23:59

Claypot Frog Leg - Dried Chilli

Hong Chang Eating house is located at the corner of Braddell Road and Upper Serangoon Road. If you passed by this area between 7 PM to 9 PM it is likely you see this area buzzing and crowded. During the weekend, it is normally crowded until midnight.

Hong Chang Frog Porridge & BBQ Fish

Hong Chang focused on Frog Porridge and BBQ Fish. Almost every table have BBQ stingray accompanying the frog leg porridge. It is priced between $10 to $18, depending on size. The default way of cooking is Sambal. It is fragrant with a manageable level of spiciness (Spiciness Rating 6 of 10). Most important, the stingray is not fishy.

BBQ Sambal Stingray

For those who does not take or do not like spicy, there is garlic option. It is surprisingly awesome. As the stingray absent of fishiness, you can truly taste the natural flavour of the stingray. The sweetness of the garlic, together with the chopped onions and spring onion are enough to give flavour to this dish. I think this is the first time I really enjoy the natural flavour of the stingray. Yum Yum.

BBQ Garlic Stingray

Next are the claypot frog legs ($16 for 3 pc, $22 for 4 pc). It comes in 2 versions, the dry chilli version and the Ginger and Spring Onion. The frog legs are plump and juicy cooked in sweet and fragrant dark soya sauce. Comparing to the 2 famous shops in Geylang, I feel that the sauce is missing the OMPH flavour. It can be better if the gravy is thicker and more fragrant. Otherwise, it is already good.

Claypot Frog Leg - Ginger and Spring Onion

Claypot Frog Leg - Ginger and Spring Onion - The Frog

For the dry chilli version, LD feels that the level of spiciness is manageable. She decided to put some chilli padi inside to give the spiciness level a boost until she is on fire.

Claypot Frog Leg - Dried Chilli

The Porridge ($2 for small, $3 for large), is smooth, silky and aromatic. Goes well when you blend it with the gravy from frog legs.

The Porridge

A must order here is their omelette. Cai Po Omelette ($5) or Prawn Omelette ($8). The smoky aroma from the egg is just so enticing, you can’t stop picking it up and put in in your mouth. The saltiness from the turnip complements the fluffy omelette, however, I prefer the plump and bouncy prawns in my omelette as it just tastes yummier.

Omelette

On a different occasion, we also tried their boil shell / gong-gong ($8/$10/$12/$15). It is fresh and it was easy to take out the flesh from the shell.

Menu P1

The service is friendly and efficient. Chillies, cutleries and sauce are self-service. Although you can see queue most of the time, you won’t need to wait for long as the turnover is very fast. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Surprisingly, it is easier to find a seat inside.

Menu P2

Overall, Hong Chang is worth a visit if you are a fan of BBQ fish and frog leg porridge. The food here is delicious and it is pocket-friendly. Best of all, LD and I don’t need to travel all the way to Geylang if we got frog porridge cravings.

Food & Drinks: 7.75/10

Value: 8.5/10

Service: 7/10

Ambiance: 6/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25

Hong Chang Frog Porridge and BBQ Fish

2 Braddell Road

Hong Chang Eating House

Singapore 359895

T: +65 9160 3125

OH:

Tue – Sun: 17.00 – 02.00

Closed on Monday

Crispy Crackly Egg

Yi Shi Kitchen is Zhi Char place located in Yishun new industrial area. The coffee shop that it occupied is very spacious and it also offers island wide delivery.

Yi Shi Kitchen

We started with Pattaya Style Grilled Pork ($12/18/24). Nicely caramelised seasoned pork collar. It tasted like bak kwa topped with homemade sweet Thai Chilli Sauce. The sourness of the green mango salad helps to balance the sweetness in the dish.

Pattaya Style Grilled Pork

Steamed Emerald Fish Head with Pickled Green Chilli ($28). The sight of the pickled green chilli covering most of the fish head made me go gaga. Surprisingly, the flavour of of the pickled chilli is sweet instead of mind-blowing spiciness which absorbs into the firm and flaky flesh of the fish.

Steamed Emerald Fish Head with Pickled Green Chilli

Crispy Crackly Egg ($8/12/16). My first impression is that it looks like Indonesian version of Tahu Telor (Fried Egg Tofu). When we cut through the egg, we found that the base part is purely eggs, topped with raw egg yolk. The deep-fried eggs are fluffy, while the yolk sure gave the oozing WOW factor. The crispy golden mushrooms add a different kind of crispiness, but I find the sweet soy sauce is just unnecessary. Still, this is the best dish of the night. So GOOD!!

Crispy Crackly Egg

The Egg Yolk

Homemade Tofu with Preserved Turnip ($10/15/20). The tofu is crisp externally, followed with soft, smooth and velvety texture internally. The crunchy turnip gave different texture to the dish plus sweet and savoury flavour to dish.

Homemade Tofu with Preserved Turnip

Claypot Hua Diao Chicken ($12/18/24). The fragrant aroma of Hua Diao perks up our senses when they serve this dish. The chicken meat is nicely caramelised externally, while, the interior remains tender and succulent. One of the dishes that will go well with a bowl of rice together with Szechuan Style Braised Eggplant ($10/15/20)

Claypot Hua Diao Chicken

Szechuan Style Braised Eggplant

Champagne Pork Rib ($14). Off the regular menu item. I love the presentation, especially with a scoop of ice cream on top of the pork. The pork ribs are deep fried; however, the lean meat making the pork a bit stiff. It will be nicer if it has more fats in the meat. A creative presentation indeed.

Champagne Pork Rib

Overall, you need to admire the creativeness from the chef in inventing the dishes. There is a bit fine tuning when it comes to flavour as most of the prominent flavour is sweet. The Crispy Crackly Egg and Claypot Hua Diao chicken are our picks for dishes tonight. Cheers!!

Thank you Alamak Girl and Yi Shi Kitchen Team for the tasting invitation.

Food & Drinks: 6.25/10

Value: 6.5 /10

Service: N/A (Tasting Event)

Ambiance: Coffeeshop

Budget per Person: $0 - $10, $11 - $25

Yi Shi Kitchen

1 Yishun Industrial Street 1

#01-12 A’Posh Bizhub

Singapore 768160

T: +65 8111 3590

W: https://www.yishikitchen.com/

F: https://www.facebook.com/YiShiKitchen.SG/

IG: @Yishikitchen.sg

OH: Daily 11.00 – 14.30, 17.00 – 22.30

Menu is available on their website and facebook page.

Dry Wantan Mee - Big Version

I have followed Eng’s Wanton Mee from the day it was still operating in Dunman Food Centre. A Priest’s friend like it so much that he travels from the west to buy 10 packets at one go and keep it in the freezer and heat it 1 packet at a time.

Eng’s Char Siew Wantan Mee

After the much-publicised break off at their Tanjong Katong outlet, the dust finally settles. However, the competition remains fierce. The late Mr Ng children have found a suitable location (where Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh branch in Tanjong Katong used to be) and open up Eng’s Char Siew Wantan Mee (“Eng CS”).

Menu

When you enter Eng CS, you feel that the set up of the shop almost the old shop. Even the order chit has the familiar feel to it.

Part of the Dining Area

LD and I both ordered the dry wantan mee. The big ($5.50) for me and small ($4.50) for her. The presentation remains the same, except for the colour of the plate. The portion is huge and the noodle is thick, cooked to QQ (al-dente), springy and bouncy. Although I did not put any chilli in mine, you can still taste the solid umami flavour bursting from the pork essence in the oil. The char siew is sweet and moist, although it uses lean meat.

Dry Wantan Mee - Big Version

The Noodle

LD generously squeeze the chilli sauce, according to her, it is still spicy as ever. The pork lard and cut green pickled chillies are self-service, so you can always have as much pork lard till your heart or stomach content.

Dry Wantan Mee - Big Version with Super Hot Chilli

Chilli Sauce, Cut Chilli and Pork Lard

This time around we order the Wantan Soup ($3) instead of the fried wantan. The clear broth has a familiar soup base like Hong Kong wanton mee, that uses dried prawn as the soup base. The wantan is firm, springy and juicy. Don’t expect any prawns inside, as the fillings are all pork.

Wantan Soup - Small

The wantan fillings

One thing for sure, the service here is very friendly and polite from the time you enter until the time you leave. When we make the payment, the lady at the counter also asks us, if everything is all right. I later found out that she is the daughter of the late Mr Ng.

Overall, we sure like Eng’s Char Siew Wanton Mee. The quality remains the same, yet the improvement in service make us feel welcome. The wantan mee is delicious and still carry the same flavour as the last time. We’ll definitely come back for more wantan mee and try new items on their menu. Cheers!!

Food & Drinks: 7.5/10

Value: 8.25/10

Service: 7/10

Ambiance: 6.5/10

Budget per Person: S0 - $10, $11 - $25

Eng’s Char Siew Wantan Mee

248 Tanjong Katong Road

Singapore 437036

T: +65 8798 6088

F: https://www.facebook.com/ENGSCharSiewWantanMee

IG: @Engscharsiewwantanmee

OH: Daily 10.30 – 20.45

Closed on Alternate Monday (See their FB and IG page for details)

Roast Rib of Black Angus Molly Parkin

Sunday Roast is one of my favourite meal when it comes to Western traditions. Spending my formative years in Melbourne with Australian families, I just fell in love with Sunday Roast. It took hours of cooking to prepare Sunday Roast and the meal finished in 15 minutes. However, the feeling of togetherness when all family members gathering together and savour the meal is just an unforgettable experience.

The English House by Marco Pierre White

Entrance to The English House

Sunday Roast is originated from England as a meal after church on Sunday. Therefore, having a Sunday Roast at one of the top English Restaurant in Singapore, prepared by chefs trained by Godfather of modern cooking is definitely a gastronomic experience to look forward too.

At The Reception

The English House by Macro Pierre White just launched their Sunday Roast menu last month. It is priced at $75 for 4-course meal. FYI, The English House is not a fine dining restaurant, instead, it is Brasserie Style Restaurant with superb service.

Sunday Roast Menu (During the Tasting)

New Sunday Roast Menu from 8 May 2019

We started with Quails Scotch Egg and Devil’s on Horseback as canapes. The quail egg is nicely cooked to a soft boil, wrapped in a well-seasoned sausage meat and fried till golden brown. It is served with salad cream base, but I think it is nice to eat on its own.

Quails Scotch Egg

Quails Scotch Egg - Halved

Meanwhile, the Devil’s on Horseback is one of the most common hot appetizers served as part of Christmas feast in England. Sweet prune wrapped with salty bacon sure tickle my appetite.

Devil’s on Horseback

For starters, I choose Potted Duck with Green Peppercorns, while LD chose Parfait of Foie Gras Au Raisin Sec ($8 supplement). A version of duck pate served with toasted sourdough. The pate is rich, fatty, pack the superb flavour of the duck and duck fats. The green peppercorns seem to accentuate the flavour of the duck instead of overpowering. The pate can be easily spread on the crispy sourdough; I certainly can have this dish all the time. In case if you find it too rich, there are some gherkins and pickled mini onions on the side.

Potted Duck with Green Peppercorns

LD’s foie gras pate has a nice combination of creamy and velvety foie gras, topped with the sweetness of the raisin jelly. Once you slathered it on the sliced of toasted sourdough, the combination of crispy and velvety texture is just awesome. It is worth paying the additional $8.

Parfait of Foie Gras Au Raisin Sec

As we were seated next to Running Man, the three of us shared our dishes so we get to try Mr Walsh’s English Pea and Ham Soup. Thick and robust mushy green pea, filled with thick cuts of delicious ham. First time I ever tried English Pea and Ham soup, on its own it is a very filling dish.

Mr Walsh’s English Pea and Ham Soup

Moving to mains, Roast Rib of Black Angus Molly Parkin ($10 Supplement) is my pick for Sunday Roast. Nicely roasted Black Angus Rib. The crust is crispy, while the meat is roasted to medium rare, juicy and almost melts in your mouth. The same can be said of the roast potatoes, that has double crispiness externally, while it remains moist internally.

Roast Rib of Black Angus Molly Parkin

The Yorkshire Pudding is huge and eggy, while the generous serving of buttered garden peas drenched in awesome beef roasting juice. Truth to be said, the portion is humongous.

Sage & Onion Stuffings

For Honey Roast Pork Belly with Apple Sauce, it has the same plating style as the roast beef. This which includes Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, peas and sage & onion stuffings. The two slabs of pork belly are thick, fatty and juicy. The skin is roasted separately to create light and crispy crackling. The gravy for the pork belly is on the sweet and fruity side due to the combination of honey and apple sauce.

Honey Roast Pork Belly with Apple Sauce

There are two more side dishes serve separately Box Tree Braised Red Cabbage, Swede Puree. The braised red cabbage is crunchy and tangy, which helps to balance the richness from the meats. The swede puree or sweet potato puree is smooth and sweet. Personally, the plate of Sunday Roast together with the side dishes are enough to fill my tummy.

Box Tree Braised Red Cabbage

Swede Puree

Mr Lamb’s Shepherd’s Pie is one of The English House’s main dishes you can choose from if you are not keen on the roast meat. The lamb moist, juicy and not gamy, covered with nicely piped dense mashed potatoes. Most of the Shepherd’s Pie in Singapore uses beef, so I am glad to be able to try a traditional Lamb Shepherd’s Pie.

Mr Lamb’s Shepherd’s Pie

For desserts, I chose my favourite Bread and Butter Pudding. The version here is slightly non-traditional. It is more of a pudding version, light and wobbly, with a touch of caramelisation on top that replicates the crust of the bread. Served with fresh cream it is just a nice way to end the meal.

Bread and Butter Pudding

Sherry Trifle Wally Ladd and The Box Tree Eton are Marco Pierre White restaurants signature desserts. Sherry Trifle Wally Ladd constructed from sherry liquor, cherry jam and custard mix. Topped with whipped cream and chopped roasted almond and pistachio.

Sherry Trifle Wally Ladd

The Box Tree Eton or also known as Eton Mess is a combination of strawberries, double cream, meringue and fresh garnishes. Both of these desserts are yummy in their own rights.

The Box Tree Eton

Other than the Sunday Roast menu, we also tried Fried Fillet of English Wild Turbot ($98). Yes, the price is correct, not a typo error. For those unfamiliar with turbot fish like me, Wild Turbot is also known as Royalty fish in the UK and across Europe. The flesh is delicate and fatty, it just melts in your mouth. It is perfectly paired with the delicate homemade tartar sauce and salty mushy peas.

Fried Fillet of English Wild Turbot

Omelette Arnold Bennett, Created at The Savoy, London ($38). A very complicated omelette in my opinion. You can expect a strong and pungent flavour from the smoked haddock, parmesan cheese and Mornay sauce. The texture is smooth and delicate, while the strong pungent flavour seems to entice you to scoop more and more of the dish. One of the dish that I will order again.

Omelette Arnold Bennett

The English House has three bar spaces and the largest Whiskey collections in Singapore. You can look forward to their extensive bar menu that includes wine, hard liquor, cocktails, mocktails and other drinks.

One of the Bar in The English House

Another Bar in The English House with Bar Manager Andre

The Cocktails and Mocktails at The English House

The décor of The English House is based on Colonial settings. The walls and shelf are like a museum or gallery showcasing Marco Pierre White collections. This includes photographs by legendary Terry O’Neill, illustrations by cartoonist Raymond Jackson (JAK) and other mementoes from movie sets or establishments dear to Marco. My personal favourite is the display of stacks of Michelin Guides, it seems irony as Marco disdain for the guide and its inspectors.

Part of Dining Area decorated with Photograph by Terry O’Neill

illustrations by cartoonist Raymond Jackson (JAK)

If you have trouble finding the restaurant as we did, just look for the Colonial House covered with lushes of trees along Mohamed Sultan road. Or for those who are at that age, it is the location of Old Mdm Wong’s.

Marco's Collection on Display

Overall, The English House definitely served one of the best British traditional Sunday Roast in Singapore. For those who never been to the UK like me, this is a place to experience English cuisine without flying all the way there. Cheers Mate!!

Made for The English House

Thank you, Jennifer Yeo and The English House Team for hosting the Sunday Roast.

Food & Drinks: 8.75/10

Value: 7.5 /10

Service: N/A (Tasting Event)

Ambiance: 9/10

Budget per Person: $81 and Above

The English House by Marco Pierre White

28 Mohamed Sultan Road

Singapore 238972

T: +65 6545 4055 / 9021 3170 (Incl. WhatsApp)

W: https://www.theenglishhouse.com/

F: https://www.facebook.com/theenglishhousesg/

IG: @Theenglishhousesingaporesg

OH:

Tuesday to Friday

Dinner: 17.00 – 23.00

Last Order (Food): 22.00

Last Order (Bar): 22.30

Last reservation: 21.00

Saturday

Lunch: 11.30 – 14.30

Dinner: 17.00 – 23.00

Last Order (Food): 22.00

Last Order (Bar): 22.30

Last reservation: 21.00

Sunday

Sunday Roast: 11.30 – 20.00

Last Order (Food): 19.00

Last Order (Bar): 19.30

Last reservation: 18.00

(No ALA CARTE from 11.30 – 17.30 for Sunday)

Closed on Monday
The English House menus are available online. Please refer to their website for the latest menu.

Crispy “Dong Tok” Roasted Chicken

It was an accidental visit instead of a planned visit to celebrate Little Devil’s Birthday with the family. At first, we wanted to visit another restaurant that serves Peking Duck. Alas, due to a booking system error, we were almost stranded without a dinner place. Luckily, we manage to find Tasty Court nearby.

Tasty Court by Chef Pung - Entrance

Executive Chef Pung Lu Tin is a respected chef in Singapore’s Chinese cuisine dining scene. He has more than 39 years of experience as a Chinese cuisine Chef and holds many respectable positions in local and international Chinese Cuisine associations.

Chef Pung

While waiting for the rest of the family members to arrive, we decided to order Double Boiled Soup for the Day, Cordyceps Boiled with Pork Soup ($10). The soup consists of pork soft bones, cordyceps flower and yu zhu (Solomon’s seal) and cooked for 6 hours. The result is consommé like robust pork soup, naturally sweet and delicious.

Cordyceps Boiled with Pork Soup

Cordyceps Boiled with Pork Soup - The Ingredients

“Hua Diao” Drunken Chicken Thigh Roll ($12). A modern plating of drunken chicken. The chicken is firm and succulent; however, it can do with more generous dose of Hua Diao wine. The ginger and spring onion paste added aroma and refreshing taste to the chicken roulade.

“Hua Diao” Drunken Chicken Thigh Roll

Crispy Baby Squids with Orange Lime Sauce ($12). The baby squids are deep fried till crispy, then tossed with orange lime sauce. It is sweet, crispy and crunchy. Other than appetizer, it is also good to snack to accompany beer and wine.

Crispy Baby Squids with Orange Lime Sauce

Crispy Fried Prawn Dumplings ($12). More like prawn balls instead of dumplings. The exterior is crispy, while the interior is juicy and succulent. The generous fillings are made from fresh prawns and pork. LD and I love the super tangy pickled vegetables on the side. It just cuts through any “jelakness” of fried dishes.

Crispy Fried Prawn Dumplings

Crispy “Dong Tok” Roasted Chicken ($24). One of the signature dishes at Tasty Court. The skin is paper thin, the flesh of the chicken is tender and succulent. The overall chicken itself is very tasty and you can eat it without the salt and pepper dip. Yummy!!

Crispy “Dong Tok” Roasted Chicken

Roasted Duck with Fresh Fruits and Mango Sauce ($25 for half / $50 for whole). We ordered half duck as we got a lot more dishes coming. Instead of simple roast duck, it is served with fresh fruits and mango sauce made this dish more “atas”. The combination of crispy skin, fatty duck and juicy meat is just delicious.

Roasted Duck with Fresh Fruits and Mango Sauce

Baked Flower Clam with Three Mix Wine ($16). I find this dish plain compare to the rest of the dish. The clam meat is springy and juicy; however, it is lacking flavours to enhance the flavours of the clams.

Baked Flower Clam with Three Mix Wine

Salted Egg Yolk Prawns ($24). Big, juicy and crispy prawns. Each of the prawns is evenly coated with salted egg sauce. Watch out for the finely chopped chilli padi, as the burst of spiciness just enhance the salted egg flavour in this dish. One of the best salted egg prawns I ever tried.

Salted Egg Yolk Prawns

Seafood with Poached Rice ($86). Before you go gaga about the price, this dish is worth it. The seafood broth is robust and infused with the freshness of sliced fish, prawns, clams and female crab. According to Kim, the Service Manager (Maybe one of the Boss as well), the crab they use is the same grade for cold crab. No wonder the crab is plump and fresh. The portion of the broth is so generous, they even offer us more rice if needed. Wow, Yum Yum!!

Seafood with Poached Rice

Seafood with Poached Rice - The crab

Seafood with Poached Rice - The Rice

For vegetable, we ordered sambal kangkong ($12). However, they cooked it with garlic instead. We decided to just keep and eat the dish. It is well executed as the kangkong is fresh and crunchy.

Kangkong with Garlic

Desserts are Yam Paste ($5), Chilled Herbal Jelly ($5), and Hasma with Red Dates ($10). Don’t expect a dessert house standard as the yam paste and herbal jelly are likely to be factory made. The hasma surprisingly is good. The portion of the hasma is very generous, and the sweetness is just right making it a refreshing dessert.

Hasma with Red Dates

The setting of the restaurant is simple and functional. The white colour wall creates a sense of modern and clean feel to the restaurant. We visited them on Monday night, Tasty Court is crowded, filling around 5 to 6 tables. Although only Kim and another colleague handling the front of the house, they remain friendly, informative and not pushy. Kudos to them.

Part of the Dining Area

Overall, LD and I enjoyed our meal there. The ingredients are fresh, the dishes are innovative and excellent. We’ll definitely come back to try the rest of their dishes. Cheers!!

Food & Drinks: 8.5/10

Value: 8.25/10

Service: 7.5/10

Ambiance: 7.25/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Tasty Court By Chef Pung

1 Figaro Street

Singapore 458322

T: +65 6538 3533

W: http://www.tastycourt.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/Tasty-Court-by-Chef-Pung-718798384975248/

OH:

Mon – Fri: 11.30 – 14.30; 18.00 – 22.30

Sat & Sun: 11.30 – 14.30; 17.30 – 22.30

Charcoal Grill Steaks @ Ginett Singapore

Ginett Singapore is a contemporary European restaurant and wine bar located Hotel G. Ginett is a concept by R&B Lab, a recognised restaurants and bar management company headed by Michelin-Starred Chef Sylvain Royer.

Ginett Restaurant & Wine Bar

In April 2019, Ginett Singapore introduced A Dry Ager Fridge usually found in a modern steakhouse and specialised butcher. With dry-ageing, the meat goes through a natural stage of tenderising itself with its own enzymes to reach the perfect texture and flavour. The optimum period of dry ageing is between four to six weeks.

Dry Ager Fridge

We tried 3 different types of steak to taste the difference between dry aged and non-dry aged steaks. Australian 30 to 36 months Pasture Fed Angus Beef Rib Eye MB3+ (Natural free range, antibiotic and hormone free, $36 for 250 gram); Australian Black Angus MB3+ Rib Eye dry aged for 3 weeks and 6 weeks ($48 for 250 gram)

Top: Béarnaise, Pepper Sauce and Blue Cheese
Bottom: Left to Right Australian Black Angus MB3+ Rib Eye dry aged for 6 weeks and 3 weeks;
and Australian 30 to 36 months Pasture Fed Angus Beef Rib Eye MB3+

All of the steaks are grilled on Mibrasa Charcoal Oven, where the steaks will have a nice seared and smoky flavour to it. We started with the non-dry aged beef. In each bite, you can taste the meaty texture of the beef and it has a slight chewiness as the steak is not that fatty. A very flavourful beef.

Australian 30 to 36 months Pasture Fed Angus Beef Rib Eye MB3+

For the 3 weeks dry aged Australian Black Angus MB3+, you can taste the juiciness of the steak. Although it is more tender compared to the non-aged steak, there is still a solid bite of meatiness on the steak. Meanwhile, 6 weeks dry aged Australian Black Angus MB3+ will make you go WOW. The meat is juicy and succulent, and as it slowly melts in your mouth the intense flavour of the beef will make you go MOO MOO. Awesome!!

Australian Black Angus MB3+ Rib Eye dry aged for 6 weeks and 3 weeks

The steaks come with 3 different sauces Blue Cheese Sauce, Pepper Sauce and Béarnaise. My personal preference is the béarnaise as I like the creaminess in the sauce.

Mushroom Fricassée

Price includes choice of any 2 sides: Creamy Spinach, Mesclun Salad, Mashed Potatoes, Ratatouille, Mushroom Fricassée, Potato Wedges. We tried the Creamy Spinach, Ratatouille and Mushroom Fricassée. All three are equally good; however, the creamy just stands out for me. It was creamy, delicious and addictive.

Ratatouille

Creamy Spinach

Thursday night at Ginett is also known as Oyster Night. Each Fine de Claire oysters (regular price $26 for 6 pcs, $48 for 12 pcs) is selling for $1 on that night. It is juicy and brainy like you can taste the ocean in your mouth.

12 pcs of Fine De Claire Oysters

Fine De Claire Oysters

For another main, we ordered Scottish Salmon ($32). Nicely cooked thick cut of salmon fillet, the skin is seared until it is crispy, while the flesh remains moist and flaky. The creamy spinach paired nicely with the salmon.

Scottish Salmon

While we are waiting for the main dishes, we were served the sourdough bread. It is crisp and chewy. I suggest trying to eat the bread with creamy spinach. I made it like canapes, the bread absorbs the cream nicely and softens the sourdough as well. Yummy.

Sourdough Bread with Butter

Sourdough Bread with Creamy Spinach Canapes
by Chubby Botak Koala

It is best to save some space for desserts, they are sublime. We tried Baba au Rhum ($14), Paris Brest ($18) and Chocolate Tart ($12).

Baba au Rhum is light and refreshing. The yeast-risen cake swimming in the middle of vanilla infused rum syrup. The combination of bread like cake with chilled syrup is just light and refreshing.

Baba au Rhum

Paris Brest has a nice crispy pastry, filled with delectable hazelnut cream. The nut on top is a bit strong, as the peanut butter taste slightly overpowered the hazelnut.

Paris Brest

Meanwhile, the chocolate tart is made from solid dark chocolate. It has a rich chocolate bitterness and nicely balanced with the crunchiness from pecan ice cream. A must try for chocolate lovers.

Chocolate Tart

The décor of Ginett is modern with the bar as the centre of the attention in the room. However, the new dry ager fridge steals some thunder from the bar. The combination of artistic photograph, plants and wine & cheese board made the dining feels like a European restaurant. The service is attentive and friendly.

Part of the Dining Area

The Bar

Overall, it was nice to return to Ginett. The new dry aged steak menu is definitely something to look forward to. I am impressed with the overall dining experience in Ginett. The $1 oyster on Thursday night is indeed a lucrative offer. Cheers!!

Thank you very much to Ai Lingand Ginett Singapore team for the hosting us.

Food & Drinks: 8.5/10

Value: 8.25/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.75/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50, $51 - $80.

Ginett Singapore

200 Middle Road

Ground Floor, Hotel G Singapore

Singapore 188980

T: +65 6809 7989

W: https://www.randblab.com/ginett-sg

F: https://www.facebook.com/ginettsingapore/

IG: @Ginettsingapore

OH:

Sun – Thu: 07.00 – 23.30

Fri & Sat: 07.00 – 00.30

Menu is available online

Toriwasa Shoyu

It started with an Instagram post from Sandrasim about yakitori & Justinfoodprints on chicken sashimi in Singapore. It seems that they rate this place highly, therefore I bookmarked the location for future reference. Out of sudden LD has a craving for yakitori / izakaya, so we decided to visit Kai Yakitori.

Kai Yakitori (‘Kai’) is a small establishment located in Orchard Plaza. The restaurant itself is very small, probably can seat less than 20 pax. We are seated at the bench, directly facing the kitchen where the chefs are working. The place is dimly lit to create a cosy dining atmosphere but not very conducive to take photos. Like a typical yakitori joint in Japan.

The Menu

The menu is one page and it is obvious chicken is the star attraction here. We start the meal Otoshi ($3) – Small dish. It is light, nicely seasoned, good to tickle your tastebuds.

Otoshi

Toriwasa Shoyu ($14) – Sashimi Chicken with Shoyu Wasabi. This dish is one reason we come. Surprisingly, the chicken tasted like Tuna, with beef tataki sauce. You can see the external part of the meat is white like it is cooked to the equivalent of "rare steak". The mushroom and spring onions gave it earthy and spark to this dish.

Toriwasa Shoyu – Sashimi Chicken with Shoyu Wasabi.

Special Fish Cake ($12). Unlike Singapore version of fish cake, the homemade fish cake here is a crisp exterior with mushy tofu like inside. It is light in flavour and the edamame inside adds a crunchy texture to the dish.

Special Fish Cake

Sunagimo ($5.50) – Gizzard. One of our favourites. Crisp and crunchy, with a generous sprinkle of salt. Almost have a similar texture with Hatsu ($5.50) – Heart. Except Hatsu is juicier internally.

Sunagimo – Gizzard

Hatsu - Heart

Bonjiri ($5.50) – Tail / bishop. My favourite part of the chicken. Crisp, juicy with a burst of fattiness. Best of all it does not have a pungent smell that usually comes with the tail. Kawa ($6.50) – Chicken Skin. It is crispy, absent of fat. Taste like chicken crackling.

Bonjiri – Tail / bishop

Kawa - Chicken Skin

LD’s favourite is Nan Kotsu ($5.50) – Soft Bone. It is crunchy and nice to chew. Meanwhile, the Momo ($5.50) – Thigh is served with the skin on. It is grilled to the point of crispy skin, while the flesh remains juicy and succulent. Amazing.

Nan Kotsu – Soft Bone.

Momo - Thigh

Moving on from the chicken we ordered off the menu special, Abalone ($18), Wagyu Beef A4 Kushi ($18) and Kurobuta Kushi ($9). Kai uses small abalone, like the one used in Korean stew. It is chewy, juicy with a nice smoky aroma from the grill.

Abalone

The wagyu beef is good, the charcoal grill manages to seal the juice inside the cubes. It just melts in your mouth. The Kurobuta pork is just superb. Served on a plate, it is crispy, fatty and the meat just melts in your mouth. The chopped spring onion and dipping sauce help to balance the richness from the Oink Oink.

Wagyu Beef A4 Kushi

Kurobuta Kushi

For the finale, we ordered Tori Ramen ($10) and Oyako Don ($10). The ramen broth is made from chicken bones and filled collagen. The ramen is thin and al-dente. The flavour is good to complete your meal here.

Tori Ramen

The Oyako Don serve here is more of a modern version instead of the traditional version. The pearl rice at the bottom is covered with chicken and scramble egg cooked in chicken stock. It is then partially covered with perfectly poached egg and seaweed. A nice rice dish to end the meal.

Oyako Don

The drinks menu here is limited. They only have Asahi Beer ($10), Whiskey Highball ($10), Sake and Ice Tea ($2). For service, the chefs behind the counter are super friendly. However, we find the service staff is a bit stern, especially towards non-regular like us.

Overall, it was indeed an amazing Yakitori experience. The control of fire by the head Yakitori Chef is flawless and the skill to chicken preparation is at Master level. The Toriwasa Shoyu (Chicken Sashimi with Shoyu sauce) is a must try. YOLO. Kanpai!! Cheers!!

Food & Drinks: 9/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: 8.5/10

Ambiance: 7.75/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80, $81 and above.

Kai Yakitori

150 Orchard Road

#03-16 Orchard Plaza

Singapore 238841

T: +65 6245 7292 / 8836 4546

F: https://www.facebook.com/kaiyakitori/

IG: @Kaiyakitorisg

OH:

Mon – Sat: 18.00 – 23.59

Closed on Sunday

Fried Chicken Sandwich

Rookery is a café by day and gastropub by night located in Singapore CBD. Rookery was founded by 3 individuals Daniel, Michelle and Sue-shan, who loved food, coffee and to drink. Inspired by the Australian and American casual dining culture, Rookery presents a unique dining experience with an emphasis on the raw rustic nature of our locally sourced ingredients.

Rookery - Capital Tower

Rookery recently refreshes their Brunch and Lunch/Dinner menu and we have the opportunity to taste it first-hand at their Capital Tower outlet. All the items below are available from 11.30 onwards, except for smashed avocado toast.

The Bar

We start with Smashed Avocado Toast ($15), available from 8 AM. This superfood is one of the must-have on every café’s menu. The combination of rich creamy avocado, crispy and chewy and oozing egg yolks is just so appetizing. The furikake add some sparks to this creamy mix

Smashed Avocado Toast

Roasted Cauliflower & Quinoa ($17). An example of a vegetarian dish that can be tasty. Cauliflower, cucumbers, baby radish, cherry tomatoes and pomegranate bind together with sesame dressing. You have crunchy and juicy texture from all the vegetable mix and I especially like the contrasting salty and chewy texture from the halloumi in this dish.

Roasted Cauliflower & Quinoa

Fried Chicken Sandwich ($21), a deluxe sandwich for meat lovers. The combination of juicy fried chicken with homemade glazed bacon chop is just badass. Lettuce, tomato, gouda cheese and honey mustard mayo complete the sandwich fillings. Instead of using regular white bread, Rookery uses the sourdough bread that are able to hold the ingredients together and not making a mess. Yum Yum.

Fried Chicken Sandwich

Scallops ($22) a must try item on this new menu. Juicy, sweet and plump seared Hokkaido Scallops cooked with seaweed and miso butter. The top part of the dish might turn you off because it looks oily, however, it is actually clarified butter. The bottom part is where the good stuff are. You can taste the rich, creamy and umami flavour of the seaweed and miso butter. The lemon supposed to help in balancing the richness in the dish, however, it also gives this dish a different flavour. It was so good; we used up all the toast plus the toast from other dishes to polished up the butter. Definitely, a dish that I will return for.

Scallops

If you prefer prawns instead of scallops try their Gambas al Ajillo ($18). Butterflied tiger prawns cooked with garlic and chilli oil. The moist and tasty prawns, together with the flavoured oil goes nicely with the toast. I still like the scallops though.

Gambas al Ajillo

Grilled Mackerel ($24), a well-grilled mackerel fillets served with potatoes, garlic and tomatoes white wine stew. The tangy flavour stew nicely balances the strong flavour of the mackerel.

Grilled Mackerel

Sakura Ebi Capellini ($14). A dish that getting popular in Singapore dining scene. The key here is to find the right balance of each flavour. I like the crunchiness of the sakura ebi and flavour of the truffle oil. However, the pasta is slightly undercooked and the saltiness level is on the high side. A bit of tweaking will make this dish much better and value for money.

Sakura Ebi Capellini

Crabmeat Pasta ($24). Another winning dish here. The al-dente tagliatelle carries the tomato cream sauce nicely. I was worried that the strong creamy sauce will cover the taste of the crab, instead, I can still taste the sweetness of blue swimmer crab meat in each bite. Yummy.

Crabmeat Pasta

US Kurobuta Bone-In Pork Chop ($29). Nicely seared with good crisp externally, while the meat remains juicy and succulent internally. Served with curly fries and mesclun salad, it is simple yet delightful. Oink Oink.

US Kurobuta Bone-In Pork Chop

Meatballs ($17). This dish reminds me of spaghetti meatballs, except this one come with toast instead of pasta. The beef meatballs are well seasoned, cooked in tomato sauce and finished off with loads of cheese and baked. Expect a bold flavour from the tomato sauce and the cheese, best eaten together with the toast.

Meatballs

We were almost full from all the previous dishes, however, we manage to leave some space for Dark Chocolate Lava Cake ($14). We were slightly disappointed to find that the lava was not oozing out when we cut the chocolate cake. However, the solid dark chocolate flavour mixed with French Vanilla Bean Gelato and mixed berry compote sure make up for the aesthetic disappointment. A comforting dessert anytime.

Dark Chocolate Lava Cake

As Rookery turns into gastropub by night, you have to expect loud and energetic music played. It is best to keep your conversation in the small group. The décor casual with an industrial touch to it. Rookery offered indoor and outdoor seating, depends on your liking. There will be Live music on Thursday and Friday night at Capital Tower Outlet.

Liveband on Thursday and Friday Night

Overall, Rookery is a casual modern all-day dining destination in CBD. Café during the day and gastropub to chill out after work. The food is modern and creative and you can easily find something that you like here. I recommend their Scallops, Fried Chicken Sandwich (or something with their homemade glazed bacon chop) and Crabmeat Pasta. Cheers!!

Mojito (not mine)

Thank you very much, Kris(Msginginly) and Rookery Team for the tasting invitation.

Food & Drinks: 7.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.75/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25, $26 - $50

Rookery (Capital Tower)

168 Robinson Road

#01-08 Capital Tower

Singapore 068912

T: +65 6327 9369

W: https://rookery.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/rookerysg/

IG: @Rookerysg

OH:

Mon – Fri: 08.00 – 23.00

Closed on Sat, Sun and PH

Other Branch

Rookery (Hong Leong Building)

16 Raffles Quay

#01-02A Hong Leong Building

Singapore 048581

T: +65 6221 0968

Menu and Reservation available from the website

Fwah @ The Quarters

My first encounter with The Quarters and Chef Chung Deming was in 2015. Four years on, we are back at The Quarters for the newly launched The Quarters Experience. For $60++ you will experience Multi-Sensory Dining, locally inspired with Straits and International ingredients.

The Quarters

Salted Egg Tebasaki. Inspired by Japanese Yakitori style of cooking chicken wings. Only mid wing is used, slowly grilled until it reaches a crispy exterior, topped with The Quarters Signature Salted Egg Aioli. It has a nice charred flavour to it followed by a slightly pungent aroma and flavour of the Aioli.

Salted Egg Tebasaki

Chawanmushi – Chincalok infused Steamed Egg with Ikura. The texture of the steamed egg is slightly dense. The chincalok flavour is delicate, easily overpowered by the ikura. It is better to eat it separately so you can taste each of the distinct flavours. Then you can decide if you want to mix all of them or not. Personally, I would like the chincalok flavour to be slightly stronger though.

Chawanmushi

Ooh La La! Signature Chilli Crab Sauce with Venus Clams and Croutons. An interesting combination of sweet and chewy venus clam flesh with the super OMPH Chilli Crab sauce. Surprisingly, the clams’ flavour is not overpowered by the sauce. The crunchy croutons add a nice crunchy texture when you slurp the sauce. Yum yum.

Ooh La La!

Fwah! – Foie Gras on Kaya Toast with Scrambled Egg. Chef Deming local interpretation of foie grass with eggs benedict. It is creamy, velvety and the foie paired nicely with kaya and toast. The only complain that I have is that I wish the portion is bigger.

Fwah

Rendang – Wagyu Beef Cubes with Heirloom Rendang sauce and Buah Keluak Fried Rice. The wagyu beef cubes are seared to medium rare; you can taste a solid charred aroma followed with the juiciness of the of beef. It is paired with solid buah keluak infused fried rice. I like the homemade rendang sauce, as the rempah really stands out. I suggest that you combine all the three ingredients together and eat it. It is just heavenly.

Rendang

Duriancanboleh, I choose Passion Fruit Crème Brulee instead of the durian. The sugar crust on top is thick and generous. The crème is rich, smooth with a passion fruit tanginess to balance the richness. It feels like something lighter compare to Durian crème brulee.

Duriancanboleh

Passion Fruit Crème Brulee

Overall, it is interesting to see Chef Deming take us through this multi-sensory gastronomic journey. He slowly builds up the locally inspired flavour using ingredients that we are familiar with but produced different taste by varying the intensity level. The Ooh La La, Fwah and Rendang have a strong and bold flavour that we truly enjoy

The Quarters Experience

Price: $60++

Booking conditions: Between 2 to 20 pax per seating. Reserve 2 days in advance.

For Reservations: Call 6834 4174 or email: info@thequarters.sg

“Real Nasi Lemak Burger”

During this tasting, we also taste other items, such as “Real Nasi Lemak Burger” ($15). Consist of Nasi Lemak Bun (like Mos Burger Buns); 2 deep fried chicken thighs coated with turmeric batter; Homemade sambal to combine the 2 chicken patties; Perfectly fried sunny side up egg with oozing yolk; and Ikan Bilis as fries on the side with shaved cucumber and chilli as salad plus garnish. This is the closest burger you can to the real nasi lemak. A creative creation by Chef Chung Deming and his team. Yum Yum.

“Real Nasi Lemak Burger” - the Patties

Shiok Bak ($14) - Crispy Pork Belly with Assam Curry Sauce. It sure has the shiokness of crispy pork belly. Crispy exterior, especially the skin, with juicy and succulent flesh internally. The ginger and five spice are added into the assam curry sauce that pairs nicely with the pork belly.

Shiok Bak

Wagyu Beef Buah Keluak Pasta ($24) – Wagyu Beef and Buah Keluak Cream. Al-dente pasta tossed with solid buah keluak paste. A modern way to enjoy the “Asian Truffle”. The beef is succulent; however, I find the pasta is already nice on its own. Yum Yum.

Wagyu Beef Buah Keluak Pasta

Thank you very much to Ivan Teh RunningMan and Chef Chung Deming for hosting us.

Food & Drinks: 7.5/10

Value: 7/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Event)

Ambiance: 7.25/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25; $26 - $50; $51 - $80

The Quarters

16 Enggor Street

#01-09 Icon Village

Singapore 079717

T: +65 6834 4174

W: https://www.thequarters.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/thequarterssg/

IG: @Thequarterssg

OH:

Mon: 10.00 – 16.00

Tue – Sat: 10.00 – 22.00

Closed on Sunday

Menu is available online

House Speciality Steamboat Pomfret

Ting Heng Seafood Restaurant (“Ting Heng”) is an old school seafood restaurant around Tiong Bahru area that has been around for generations. The aquariums at the dining area displaying their live seafood is an example of the restaurant showcasing the freshness of their seafood.

Ting Heng Seafood Restaurant

A must try here is House Speciality Steamboat Pomfret ($40 / $60 / $80). The cloudy steamboat broth is sweet and robust, results from a long cooking process. At the start, the pot is filled with chopped deep fried pomfret fish bones, diced yams, seaweed, tang oh and Chinese cabbage.

House Speciality Steamboat

House Speciality Steamboat Pomfret

The pomfret flesh is fillet and serves separately, for cooking after the broth is boiled. It is fresh and springy, almost like eating steam pomfret.

Pomfret Fillet

The first thing that goes into the pot is Three Kind of Balls (Fish, Pork and Chicken) – ($12 / $18 / $24). These homemade balls are meaty, delicious and you can easily distinguish the meat that you are eating. It reminds me of the steamboat in Hong Kong

Fish and Pork Balls

Fried Beancurd Skin ($7 / $10 / $14). This usually served piping hot, as the beancurd skin was deep-fried again before it is served. It is crispy, flavourful and it can be eaten on its own. Most of the time, half of the plate is gone while we are waiting for the broth to boil.

Fried Beancurd Skin - Half eaten due to hunger

Sliced Beef ($15 / $22 / $30). The marbling is just awesome. It is tender, succulent and melts in your mouth. You just need to dip if for about 8 to 10 seconds, then it is ready to consume.

Sliced Beef

Tang Oh Vegetable ($6 / $8). LD’s favourite steamboat veggie and mine as well. A bit bitter, crunchy and minty flavour in the background.

Tang Oh Vegetable

For carbs, we tried their Udon ($4 / $8) and rice. The udon is thick and springy, good for those who like bouncy stuff. I prefer a comforting porridge, so I throw in a couple bowls of rice in the pot, followed with well beaten raw eggs, and let it simmer for a few minutes till it soaks up the essence of the broth. The result is a tummy warming Teochew style porridge.

Although seafood is the signature of this restaurant, Ting Heng non-seafood cooked dishes are tantalising as well. Claypot Chicken with Beancurd and Salted Fish ($12 / $18 / $24) is LD’s favourite. The nice smoky and pungent aroma from the salted fish, followed with soft beancurd and succulent chicken is just yummy. The saltiness in the dish is a good pairing with a bowl of white rice and you can consider this dish “a rice thief”. The only pity is that there is not enough gravy in this dish, or else it will be perfect.

Claypot Chicken with Beancurd and Salted Fish

Sweet and Sour Pork – ($12 / $18 / $24). Crispy and crunchy popcorn pork, nicely coated with a sweet and tangy sauce. I find it missing some diced pineapple to balance cut through the richness in this dish.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Signature Roasted Spring Chicken ($20). We have ordered this every time we dine here. The kids love it because the flesh is juicy and the paper-thin skin in tasty enough. It is well marinated; you don’t need any sauce or salt and pepper dip for this dish. Ting Heng used spring chicken for this, so it only comes in a whole chicken portion.

Signature Roasted Spring Chicken

Stir Fried Frog with Spring Onion ($20 / $30 / $40). The frogs are coated with flour before it is fried so it seals the moisture in its flesh. The combination of spring onion, ginger plus a solid “wok hei” aroma in this dish is very good. I wish there is a bit of gravy that I can put on my rice.

Stir Fried Frog with Spring Onion

Ting Heng has two seating options indoor and outdoor. I prefer indoor as I like to eat my food in a comfortable ambience. The service is pleasant, friendly like a traditional Chinese restaurant standard.

Menu Page 1

Menu Page 2

Overall, Ting Heng is an old school type of seafood restaurant. We enjoyed the steamboat as it reminds us of the steamboat in Hong Kong. The ingredients are fresh, delicious and reasonably priced. Best of all, they open until 4 AM, so you can pick what time you want to dine here. Cheers!!

Food & Drinks: 7.75/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: 7/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Ting Heng Seafood Restaurant

82 Tiong Poh Road

Singapore 160082

T: +65 6323 6830

OH: Daily 17.00 – 04.00

Egg Benedict with Asian Crab Salad

Hilton Celebrates 100 Years of Hospitality. Lobby Lounge at Conrad Centennial Singapore partakes in this celebration through its 100 Years of Hospitality Afternoon Tea. Let us enjoy the signature dishes popularised by Hilton through its 100 years of Hilton Hospitality.

100 Years of Hospitality Weekend Afternoon Tea Menu

The first course for Weekend Afternoon Tea is Seafood Platter on Ice. Consist of Poached Boston Lobster, Prawns and Irish Oysters. The freshness of the seafood really shines here. The lobster prawns are firm and springy, and I have both of them plain and really enjoy the natural sweetness of the seafood. The Irish Oysters are briny and sweet, and I just need to use a few drops of lemon juice.

Seafood Platter on Ice

Seafood Platter on Ice - 1 person portion

To accompany the seafood is the newly crafted mocktail made from chrysanthemum, calamansi and leatherwood honey. It is fragrant, refreshing with solid leatherwood honey at the end. It really well with the seafood.

Newly Crafted Mocktail

For those having the free flow of sparkling wine, Nino Franco, it will be served after the first course. Of course, you can have it earlier if you wish.

The Second Course drew inspiration from Waldorf Astoria NY 1894. Egg Benedict with Asian Crab Salad, served with Hollandaise and Smoked Paprika. The crab salad replaces the original bacon. We were a bit curious that the service staff used a food trolley to serve the egg benedict. We were then informed that Hilton is the first hotel to introduce in-room dining in the hospitality industries.

Egg Benedict with Asian Crab Salad

The eggs are well poached, topped with solid creamy hollandaise sauce. The crab meat is refreshing and upping the game for the standard of an ordinary egg benedict.

Savory and Sweet Treats

Third Course Savory delights consist of Waldorf Salad (from Waldorf Astoria NY 1894), Chorizo Pate and Burrata Pincho, Cucumber and Cheese Pincho and Homemade Dill Gravlax, Horseradish Cream Cheese, Caviar.

Waldorf Salad

Chorizo Pate and Burrata Pincho

The Waldorf Salad is crunchy, juicy and helps to cleanse the palate, while the Cucumber and Cheese Pincho has a more neutral flavour as the cucumber offset the saltiness in the cheese. The Chorizo Pincho has a good touch of spiciness and the Homemade Dill Gravlax is a tad too salty.

Cucumber and Cheese Pincho

Homemade Dill Gravlax, Horseradish Cream Cheese, Caviar

Sweet Treats of the third course represents the Hilton creations from around the world. Walnut Brownies (Palmer Hilton, 1893), Pina Colada (Caribe Hilton, 1954), Cream Cheese Red Velvet Cake (Waldorf Astoria NY, 1950), Gin and Tonic Panna Cota (Conrad Centennial Singapore 2016), and Strawberry dip Vanilla Milk Chocolate.

Walnut Brownies

Granny Garden Tea

Without a doubt, these are the highlights for the Heritage Afternoon Tea. The Walnut Brownies are just classic, solid brownie base, topped with cream and covered in white chocolate. The Red Velvet Cake is soft, moist and fluffy.

The Red Velvet Cake

Pina Colada

The adorable looking coconut shape Pina Colada is made from solid dark chocolate, filled with coconut milk cream. While Gin and Tonic Panna Cota has a nice tangy gin and tonic jelly on top, followed with a rich creamy base. The Strawberry dip Vanilla Milk Chocolate is delicious and the sourness from the strawberry helps to balance the sweet offerings here.

Gin and Tonic Panna Cota

Strawberry dip Vanilla Milk Chocolate

Scones are the Fourth Course of the afternoon tea. Served with Clotted Cream, Orange Jam, Homemade Strawberry Jam. There are two types of scones, plain and raisin. The Orange Jam and Homemade Strawberry Jam are delicious and made a good pairing with the scones.

Scones

Overall, the Heritage 100 Years of Hospitality Afternoon Tea represent the history and journey of Hilton Group. We learn some interesting facts about Hilton through this Afternoon Tea. Sure, worth the visit. Cheers!!

Conrad Bear Mascot

Thank you very much to Conrad Centennial Singapore and Lobby Lounge Team for the tasting invitation and the experience.

The 100 Years of Hospitality Afternoon Tea

Day	Time	Price
Monday - Friday	3.00pm – 6.00pm	S$32++ per person Inclusive of Brazilian Coffee or Ronnefeldt Tea Exclusive of the seafood platter and The Eggs Benedict.
Weekends (Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays)	1.00pm – 5.00pm	S$62++ with 1 glass of crafted “Welcome” beverage. S$92++ with free flow of sparkling wine, Nino Franco Per Child (6 – 12 years old) S$42++ exclusive of the seafood platter. All inclusive of Brazilian Coffee or Ronnefeldt Tea

When: 13 May – 30 June 2019.

Where: Lobby Lounge, Conrad Centennial Singapore.

For Reservation: Please Call +65 6432 7438 or Email: sinci.lobbylounge@conradhotels.com

For more information on Sakura Afternoon Tea, visit:
http://www.connoisseur.sg/100-years-of-hospitality-afternoon-tea/

Food: 8.5/10

Value: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Ambiance: 8.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50, $51 - $80

Lobby Lounge @Conrad

2 Temasek Boulevard

Lobby Level, Conrad Centennial Singapore

Singapore 038982

T: +65 6432 7483

W: http://bit.ly/cbkconrad

F: https://www.facebook.com/conradcentennialsingapore

OH:

Sun - Thu: 07:00 - 00:00

Fri - Sat: 07:00 - 01:00

Daily Afternoon Tea: 13.00 – 17.00

Soondae

Three Meals A Day (‘TMAD’) is a Korean Restaurant located near Beauty World MRT Station. The restaurant has the same name as Korean reality cooking show that Little Devil and I like to watch. We went TMAD a few times and the restaurant always packed during lunch and dinner.

Three Meals A Day

Halibut Hoimuchim ($35 for Medium). Halibut is the most common fish used for sashimi in Korea. We got hooked on it when we went to Korea and we wanted to order the sashimi here. Unfortunately, they run out of it already and left with this spicy seasoned salad. According to LD, the halibut is firm, evenly marinated, but super spicy. The chef actually used chilli padi to spice things up and really got POWER that her lips are burning but she could not stop eating it. So it does sum up how nice it is.

Halibut Hoimuchim

Jjajangmyeon ($12). The noodle is springy and bouncy, mixed with the sweet black bean sauce. I find the sweetness from the chopped onion bode well with the noodle. I know that there is pork mixed the sauce, however, I could never find them as it is covered up by the dark sauce.

Jjajangmyeon

B. Naengmyeon ($16). The spicy version of Korean cold noodles. It is spicy, sweet, tangy and the cold version of this noodle helps to beat the hot weather in Singapore. LD also like the non-spicy version as well.

B. Naengmyeon

Soondae ($10). Korean version of blood sausage, pig intestines stuffed with glass noodles and meat marinated in blood. Normally found in the pork soup, but the version here is served dry with salt and pepper dipping. It is chewy and tasty; however, it can be sticky and difficult to swallow. I find it better if it goes with something soupy.

Soondae

Fried Chicken ($20 for medium). TMAD only used drummer for their KFC. The flesh is juicy and the batter is crispy but thicker than any other Korean Fried Chicken that tried. Looks more like pisang goreng batter. The seasoning is a bit on the lighter side, but it is still yummy.

Korean Fried Chicken

Goon Mandu ($12). Korean version of Deep-Fried Dumpling. Crispy doughy skin, filled with delicious pork fillings. It is tasty enough you can eat it without the dipping sauce.

Goon Mandu

The décor of the restaurant is modern and almost café style. There are no long tables in the restaurant, but the square tables they used here give them the flexibility to combine and accommodate a larger group. Service is friendly but slow due to insufficient service staff.

Side Dishes

Overall, TMAD sure served authentic Korean food. So far, the dishes what we have tried is above average. We will come back in the future to try the Halibut sashimi. Geonbae!! Cheers!!

Food: 7.5/10

Value: 7.25/10

Service: 6.75/10

Ambiance: 6.75/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25, $26 - $50

Three Meals A Day

Korean Family Restaurant

12 Chun Tin Road

Singapore 599599

T: +65 6463 2346

F: https://www.facebook.com/ThreeMealsaDaySG/

OH:

Tue – Sun:12.00 – 15.30; 18.00 – 23.00

Closed on Monday

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