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Marble Goby steamed with Preserved Vegetables on Hot Plate

Famous Treasure is an offshoot of The Famous Kitchen, a popular casual restaurant located in Sembawang. Leveraging on some of the speciality dishes from Famous Kitchen, Famous Treasure presents Nanyang heritage cuisine (nostalgic dishes of Teochew, Hokkien and Cantonese descent with influences from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia) plus extensive roast selections.

Famous Treasure

The Nanyang heritage cuisines can be found in the Famous Treasure Signatures. Highlights of the Famous Treasures Signatures are:

Marinated Cockles Teochew Style ($12). Raw cockles marinated in homemade chilli sauce. The “garang” presentation already put diners on notice that this dish is super fiery. The plump and juicy fresh cockles absorb the numbing and spicy marinate, it sure opens up the appetite for diners who enjoy a spicy dish.

Marinated Cockles Teochew Style

Deep-fried Pork Belly with Fermented Beancurd(S$20, M$30, L$40). The pork belly is marinated with fermented beancurd and deep-fried. The pungent aroma of the fermented beancurd will entice your palate before you bit into the pork belly. The exterior is crispy, while the interior is fat, juicy and succulent. It is served with green colour sauce, made from chilli padi, green chilli and other secret ingredients. The garlic gave a touch of sweetness in this dish.

Deep-fried Pork Belly with Fermented Beancurd

Wok-fried Squid with Chinchalok and Lady's Finger(S$18, M$28, L36). A unique dish that can be traced from the Peranakan heritage. The squid is juicy and springy, while the ladyfingers are nicely cooked. However, LD feels that this dish needs to be bolder, a couple more dollops of chinchalok and chilli will make this dish stands out.

Wok-fried Squid with Chinchalok and Lady's Finger

Traditional Fish Head Curry (Half $35, Whole $65). A perennial favourite in the Nanyang area. The curry is closer to the Nyonya version. The curry is rich, creamy and packs with “lemak” that absorbs nicely into the fresh fishhead. The lady’s finger, tomato, eggplant and tau pork (dried bean curd puff) round up this “rice thief” dish nicely.

Traditional Fish Head Curry

Traditional Fish Head Curry - The Fish

Marble Goby steamed with Preserved Vegetables on Hot Plate (Seasonal Price). My first time trying this dish. The Marble Goby fish is covered with salted vegetables, chilli padi, pork belly and delicious thick gravy. Though the salted vegetables are strong it flavours, it complements the fish nicely instead of overpowering it.

Marble Goby steamed with Preserved Vegetables on Hot Plate

Live Flower Crab baked with Rock Salt (Seasonal Price). The flesh of the flower crabs is solid. The freshness of the crabs really shines in this dish and baking it with rock salt seems to accentuate the natural sweetness in the flower crab.

Live Flower Crab baked with Rock Salt

KL Style Hokkien Mee (S$18, M$28 and L$36).The noodle dish that made famous in Kuala Lumpur. The noodle is thick and springy, coated with thick and sweet sauce. As the noodle is fried with pork lard and pork oil, it exudes an appetizing aroma plus the crispiness of the pork lard is just enticing for foodies like us. One of the better KL Hokkien Mee that I ever have in Singapore. #Noodleporn.

KL Style Hokkien Mee

From Famous Treasure roast selections, we tried:

BBQ Duo Combination Platter (S$24, M$36, L$48). Combination platter of Roasted Crispy Pork Belly and BBQ Honey Glazed Pork (Char Siew). The char siew has a nice caramelisation externally with sweet and a touch of bitterness. The flesh is juicy and melts in your mouth. Meanwhile, the crispy pork has a paper crunchy skin, with juicy and succulent meat. Dual #Porkgasm. I will definitely order this combo platter anytime.

BBQ Honey Glazed Pork (Char Siew)

Roasted Crispy Pork Belly

Irish Duck ($38 for half, $68 for whole). The famous “Silver Hill” duck is roasted to perfection. The skin is crispy, juicy with a nice fattiness under the skin. The flesh is juicy, succulent without any gaminess at all from breast meat to the thigh meat. We always feel that roast Irish Duck is the closest version to roast goose that we usually eat in Hong Kong. Yummy.

Irish Duck

Another appetizer that we tried is Crispy Fish Skin with Salted Egg Yolk ($10). Crispy and crunchy fish skin, coated with salted egg sauce. A delicious treat for the dishes to come. Also don’t miss out on the pickled cherry tomatoes. It is bursting with juicy sweet and sour liquid that will awaken your appetite.

Crispy Fish Skin with Salted Egg Yolk

Pickled Cherry Tomatoes

For dessert, LD and I ordered Chilled Mango Puree with Pomelo and Sago ($8) and Glutinous Rice Ball in Ginger Soup ($8). The mango puree is thick, creamy and packed with sweet mango flavour. The citrusy pomelo and sago supposed to balance this sweetness of this dish.

Chilled Mango Puree with Pomelo and Sago

The glutinous rice ball come with a strong ginger soup, that warms up your stomach. The rice ball is average, as the skin of the ball is very thick and the fillings are plain.

Glutinous Rice Ball in Ginger Soup

The décor of Famous Treasure is elegant with contemporary interior. The restaurant can accommodate up to 150 diners, with four private rooms available for private events and celebrations. Famous Treasure is well known for events showcasing the pairing of Nanyang cuisine with wine, whiskey and other liquors.

Part of Dining Area

Overall, it was indeed a pleasure to taste the Nanyang cuisine at Famous Treasure. Most of the dishes here are well executed, especially the signature Curry Fish Head, Marble Goby steamed with Preserved Vegetables on Hot Plate, Live Flower Crab baked with Rock Salt and Roast Irish Duck. Cheers!!

Thank you very much, Jennifer and Famous Treasure team for hosting the media tasting. Please check out the lunch menu below. We find it value for money, especially for this delicious food.

Set Lunch Menu
Image Credit: Famous Treasure

Food: 8.25/10

Value: 8/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.75/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50; $51 - $80; $81 & Above

Famous Treasure

13 Stamford Road

#02-28 Capitol Piazza

Singapore 178905

T: +65 6881 6688 / +65 9730 7548

W: http://www.thefamoustreasure.com/

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

IG: @Famoustreasure

OH:

Daily

Lunch - 11.30 – 15.00 (LO 14.30)

Dinner – 18.00 – 22.30 (LO 22.00)

Menu Available Online

Charred Grain-fed Wagyu Tomahawk Ribeye

For the month of October 2019, AquaMarine at Marina Mandarin Singapore is having a special menu targeted to the meat lovers out there. The Halal-certified buffet will showcase the best of Riverine beef, produce from specially selected Australian Riverina cattle.

The Meat Selctions

The exquisite meat selections are:

Hickory Smoked Beef Karubi Plate. From my past dining experience here, AquaMarine always produced amazing beef dishes. This time around, the Beef Karubi Plate is perfectly mouth-watering. You can taste and smell the nice smoky aroma of the hickory wood, followed with soft and tender meat, like a hot knife cutting through butter. The fat to the meat ratio is just perfect and the sauce on top nicely complement the meat. I have to admit, I had more than my fair share of this delicious beef. Yummy!!

Hickory Smoked Beef Karubi Plate

Salt Roasted Bone Marrow with Oyster Mushrooms and Veal Jus served on Ciabatta Toast. A 5* (star) steakhouse standard. Baked with salt and parsley, this soft fatty tissue is aromatic but it comes with a strong beefy smell. To cover the beefy smell, it is served with sautéed oyster mushrooms, veal jus and ciabatta toast, You can also add a squeeze of lime to cut through the fats and smell. Those who love Soup Tulang, you like this western version even more.

Salt Roasted Bone Marrow with Oyster Mushrooms and Veal Jus served on Ciabatta Toast.

Salt Roasted Bone Marrow with Oyster Mushrooms
and Veal Jus served on Ciabatta Toast.

Charred Grain-fed Wagyu Tomahawk Ribeye. Nicely charred Wagyu Tomahawk Ribeye, cooked to medium-rare. The texture of the beef is succulent with a solid meaty bite on it. I was expecting the meat to be more tender, probably it was due to the way it’s been sliced.

Charred Grain-fed Wagyu Tomahawk Ribeye.

Roasted Baby Lamb and its 1.5 metre-long housemade sausage. It is always an amazing sight looking at a whole roasted baby lamb in a buffet line. The meat is tender and the seasoning absorbs into the flesh nicely. The best part is the lamb is almost absent of any gaminess.

Roasted Baby Lamb

Meanwhile, the lamb sausage is firm and bouncy, filled with a strong spice seasoning. Instead of eating the sausage plainly, it is better to eat it with bread or maybe biryani rice.

1.5 metre-long housemade sausage

Instead of gravy or specific sauce for the meat, the team at AquaMarine encouraged you to enjoy the meat with 4 different types of salt: cumin, paprika, hazelnut and lime salt. On top of that, you can also enjoy it with a squeeze of lime to balance the richness of the meat.

Different types of Salt

On the weekends: 90 Days Dry Aged T-bone Steak with Beurre Noisette is not to be missed.Instead of cooking it grilled like steak, the whole rack of T-bone is roasted to medium-rare. It is then carved and sliced to smaller slice for servings. The 90 days dry-aged allow the muscles in the meat to breakdown, resulting in a tender and melt in your mouth beef. Best to be eaten with the 4 different types of salt, lime or mustard. #Beefgasm

90 Days Dry Aged T-bone Steak

90 Days Dry Aged T-bone Steak - Cooked

90 Days Dry Aged T-bone Steak - Cooked Medium Rare

90 Days Dry Aged T-bone Steak - sliced

Although the focus is on the beef and lamb, AquaMarine team also prepared other delicious dishes such as:

Wok Fried Crab with Salted Egg Yolk. Juicy and fresh medium size Sri-Lankan crabs, evenly coated with thick salted egg yolk sauce. One of the best times to enjoy the food with your fingers.

Wok Fried Crab with Salted Egg Yolk.

Seafood Brochette on Himalaya Pink Salt. A medley of grilled seafood on a stick. The fish is firm yet flaky, while the prawn is fresh and springy. They are lightly salted with Himalayan Pink Salt and topped with a creamy sauce.

Seafood Brochette on Himalaya Pink Salt.

Roasted Cauliflower with Colby Cheese and Hazelnut. It looks awesome, unfortunately, I did not manage to get around to try it.

Roasted Cauliflower with Colby Cheese and Hazelnut.

Please note the regular International buffet offerings such as Cold Seafood, Salad, Local Dishes, Soup, Bread, Pasta, Desserts and their famous “Durian Pengat” remain available.

The Infamous Durian Pengat

Overall, the spread of Sizzlin’ Special by AquaMarine is too irresistible for meat lovers. Instead of covering the meat with a different type of sauce, the team at AquaMarine keep the seasonings and sauce to the minimum. Instead, they allow the diners to experience the flavours of the meat, especially for the wagyu, lamb and black Angus meat with seasoned salt, lime and mustard. Cheers!!

Thank you very much to Marina Mandarin Singapore for hosting the tasting session.

Sizzlin’ Specials at AquaMarine

When: Now till 27 October 2019

Where: AquaMarine at Marina Mandarin Singapore

Time:

Lunch Mon – Fri: 12.00 – 14.30.

Lunch Sat, Sun and PH: 12.00 – 15.00.

Dinner Daily: 18.30 – 22.00.

Price:

Lunch Daily: $60++ per Adult, $30++ per Child;

Dinner Weekdays: $73++ per Adult, $36.50++ per Child

Dinner Weekends: $83++ per Adult, $41.50++ per Child

For enquiries and reservations, visit www.meritushotels.com/marina, call (65) 6845 1111 or email: aquamarine.marina@meritushotels.com.

Food & Drink: 8.25/10

Value: 8/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80, $81 & Above

AquaMarine

6 Raffles Boulevard

Level 4, Marina Mandarin Hotel

Singapore 039594

T: +65 6845 1111

W: http://bit.ly/cbk-AquaMarine

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

IG: @marinamandarinsg

OH:

Breakfast: Daily 06.30 – 10.30

Lunch: Mon to Fri, 12.00 – 14.30

Lunch: Sat, Sun & PH, 12.00 – 15.00

Dinner: Daily 18.30 – 22.00

Prosciutto E Funghi

Supply & Demand (‘S&D’) is an award-winning Italian Restaurant chain in Singapore. S&D has recently launched a series of new Asian and Italian Cuisines, following to customers feedback.

Supply & Demand Orchard Gateway

While waiting for all the “Makan Kakis” to assemble, I ordered Coconut Mint Cooler ($8). Served on an aluminium pot that traditionally used to heat milk. This thirst-quenching and refreshing drink is concocted from coconut water, lime juice, honey water and fresh mint leave. It is a perfect drink to rehydrate my body from extreme heat outdoor.

Coconut Mint Cooler

We started the tasting with Fresh Shucked Oyster from Taylor Shellfish Farms (USA). The oysters are plump, sweet and juicy. I had them with a little squeeze of lemon juice and it is just refreshing. #Oysterporn. The oyster is priced at $2++ a pop, with a purchase of drinks, all week between 12 to 9PM. Maximum purchase is 6 oysters per drink per pax. (Regular price $21.90 for half dozen).

Fresh Shucked Oyster from Taylor Shellfish Farms (USA)

Beef Carpaccio ($15). Thinly-sliced Beef Tenderloin with watercress and Yuzu Wasabi emulsion. As the beef is sliced thinly, you can only taste the texture instead of any beef flavour. The watercress and yuzu wasabi emulsion are refreshing and bringing Japanese influence to this dish.

Beef Carpaccio

Indomie Goreng Fries ($12, $17). S&D inspired of the Indonesian national dish. Thick-cut fries tossed with house blend of Indomie-inspired powder and chilli powder, mixed with Kecap Manis and Topped with Fried Egg. I must applaud S&D for their creativity; however, the flavour is too quirky for me. The sauce is sticky, while the seasoning did not absorb well into the fries. The fried egg is so out of place in this dish.

Indomie Goreng Fries

Instead of Indomie Goreng Fries, the Okonomiyaki Sweet Potato Fries ($13, $18) got my two thumbs up. The combination of sweet potato with savoury netsuke sauce is just addictive. Throw in the Japanese mayo, bonito flakes, furikake and scallions, I have to stop myself from eating to much in anticipation of other dishes. A perfect snack.

Okonomiyaki Sweet Potato Fries

Peach and Parma Ham Crostini ($14). Traditional Italian appetizer that will make you go WOW. The combination of sweet and savoury, thinly-sliced Parma Ham with grilled peach, on top of mascarpone cheese and garlic crostini is just delicious. The balsamic sauce helps to balance the sweet and savoury, so all the flavours are in tune. Yum Yum.

Peach and Parma Ham Crostini

Baked Brie ($17). Oven-baked melted brie cheese, drizzled with honey, rosemary almond flakes and crumble, served with flatbread. The soft, mild and creamy brie mixed with the sweetness of the honey, making it a beautiful spread for the flatbread. You can actually have this for entrée or even for dessert.

Baked Brie

Prosciutto E Funghi ($16, $21). Parmesan cheese-infused cream sauce with mushrooms, sautéed Parma ham and bacon. This al-dente spaghetti is not shy in flavour. The bacon, parmesan cheese and mushroom, infused its salty and umami flavour into the cream sauce and pasta. The best part is the crispy Parma ham on top that is so irresistible. Yummy.

Prosciutto E Funghi

Nero De Seppia with Seared Scallops ($19, $29). S&D version of squid ink pasta. Though it is cooked with wine, butter and homemade broth, it does not penetrate into the pasta. I feel the pasta lacking the OMPH factor. It can do with more cheese, mini prawns or a dollop of squid ink.

Nero De Seppia with Seared Scallops

For the pizza, Avocado E Pesto ($25, $29) is the vegetarian pizza in S&D. The crispy crust is accompanied by a generous topping of rucola, avocado, oregano and mozzarella. The pesto sauce and garlic cream sauce bind the toppings nicely from the base. It does not even enter my mind that this pizza is vegetarian.

Avocado E Pesto

Seared Beef with Pear Pizza ($25, $29). The tomato sauce with 4 types of cheese (mozzarella, gorgonzola, taleggio and raclette) made a promising base for the pizza. The seared beef is tender and juicy; however, it seems to be disconnected with the pizza. Maybe S&D can consider using melted raclette cheese to pour on top of the pizza to bind all the toppings together or removing the sweetness from the honey.

Seared Beef with Pear Pizza

The décor of the restaurant is just wonderful. It blended the design of a library, with the greenery from the plants and lots of natural light. The atmosphere is so comfortable, together with live music, I can stay here for hours.

Part of Dining Area

Live Music & The Line Up

Overall, there is a lot of things to like in S&D new menu. My picks are the oysters, peach and parma ham crostini, baked brie, prosciutto e funghi pasta and the avocado e pesto pizza. Not forgetting the coconut mint cooler. I’ll definitely be back for more. Cheers!!

Seating Area Outside

Thank you very much to Msginginly, Marque Singapore and Supply & Demand Team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 9/10

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

Supply & Demand

277 Orchard Road

#02-13/14 Orchardgateway

Singapore 238858

T: +65 6702 6218

W: https://supplyanddemand.com.sg/

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

IG: @Supplydemandorchard

OH:

Daily 11.30 – 22.30

Check out their website for other location & Menu

Padang Pasta

Jubilicious is a Halal certified restaurant by Mr Teh Tarik Group. Recently, Jubilicious in collaboration with Kapowww by Chef Mel Dean has revolutionised its culinary creation. Chef Mel Dean is a celebrity chef and F&B entrepreneur renowned for his delicious creation ranging from Asian to Mediterranean, Western Classic and Fusion dishes. Jubilicious is a representation of Singaporean Cuisine in a modern context.

Jubilicious with Celebrity Chef Mel Dean

We started our tasting with Keropok ($8). Crispy Fish & Papads crackers freshly fried in the restaurant and served with fiery sambal & refreshing mint chutney. The fragrant sambal with a squeeze of lime paired nicely with the fish crackers; while the spicy mint chutney works well with the papadums.

Keropok

Nibblelicious Platter ($28, Signature Dish) consist of deep-fried chicken drumettes, tossed in 3 different types of sauce: chillimex (using ChilliMexPaste, personal invention by Chef Mel Dean), kimchi and satay flavours; regular fries and sweet potato fries; nachos; and pice de gallo (Mexican style fresh salsa).

Nibblelicious Platter

The drumettes are crispy and juicy, while the three different type of sauce gave each drumettes each their unique local and international flavours. The fries are crisp externally and moist internally. While the nacho has all the right ingredients, topped with sour cream and guacamole. A good variety platter to start the meal.

Nibblelicious Platter

Grilled Lemak Padi Tiger Prawns ($38, Signature Dish). Juicy and springy tiger prawns grilled to perfection. The charred aroma will be the first to catch attention, followed with the well-marinated flesh filled with spicy and turmeric sauce. Though it is an appetizer, I think it will also work well with a plate of white rice. Yummy.

Grilled Lemak Padi Tiger Prawns

Moving to the main dishes. Asam Pedas Marina ($24.90). A delicious concoction of asam (sour) and pedas (spicy) with generous toppings of huge prawns, barramundi fish and calamari. The pizza dough is crisp, crusty, and the cheese binds the dough and toppings nicely. A perfect example of a modern fusion of Italian cuisine with a uniquely local Malay twist dish.

Asam Pedas Marina

Asam Pedas Marina - The Toppings

Mamak Tabla ($16.50). This Jubilicious unique creation of burger. Flame-grilled beef patty smothered with bone steak sauce, tomato, topped with sunny side egg. The beef patty has a nice charred externally, while it remains juicy internally. The signature bone steak sauce is sweet and savoury, almost like a bbq sauce with a local twist. A moist and delicious burger.

Mamak Tabla

Padang Pasta ($23.90). The al-dente pasta is cooked with Padang sauce, which is aromatic, spicy, creamy and bold in flavour. The turmeric, chilli padi, galangal and tamarind paste together with natural sweetness from the seafood gave the dish the OMPH factor in it. The pasta is well infused with this delicious sauce, you will not stop twirling and scooping it into your mouth. Using Chef Mel Dean signature expression “KAPOWWW”!!

Padang Pasta

Charkwaytong ($14.90, Signature Dish). Jubilicious take on the Singapore fried carrot cake. The cube carrot cake is replaced with lontong (rice cake). The smooth and silky egg covered the lontong nicely together with signature chilli paste and kecap manis (sweet soy sauce). The seafood elevates this dish to be more “atas”. It is definitely unique but it is not to my taste.

Charkwaytong

Nasi Goreng Sambal Sardine ($13.90, Signature Dish). One of Chef Mel Dean signature family recipe. Imagine Korean Kimchi fried rice, but replace the kimchi with sambal sardine. The rice is plump and soaks up the flavour of the sambal sardine sauce. The sardines are fried separately to showcase the texture and it is served with a fried egg, prawn crackers and tomato salsa. It is the first time we all tried this dish and we all agree that it is a definitely a comfort dish.

Nasi Goreng Sambal Sardine

With so much of the food, we manage to save some space for dessert. Liquid Gold ($18.90, Signature Dessert). Durian Royalty – Blended. Shaken. Stirred. Golden extracts of Mao Shan Wang; exquisite ice cream; crowned with 22 karat Gold Leaf. Think of it as high-end Durian milkshake, topped with MSW Durian Pengat. It is a must-try for durian lovers. #Durianporn

Liquid Gold

We also tried Chocolate Molten Lava Cake ($12.90). Lava cake with warm chocolate lava gooey served with premium ice cream. A solid lava cake filled with thick oozing chocolate lava. The strawberry ice cream complemented the chocolate cake nicely.

Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

Jubilicious is located on the 4^th floor of Hotel Boss, the same floor as the swimming pool and herb eco-garden. With such as scenery, dining in the fully air-conditioned restaurant will be therapeutic to the appetite, mind and soul.

Overall, the food in Jubilicious is nicely curated. While half of the dishes that we tried are fusion and presented in modern plating, the identity of local flavours remains strong. My picks are Grilled Lemak Padi Tiger Prawns, Padang Pasta, Asam Pedas Marina Pizza and Nasi Goreng Sardine. Of course, not to be missed is the luxurious Liquid Gold. Definitely, a restaurant to try for Lunch, High Tea and Dinner. Cheers!!

Thank you very much Chef Mel Dean, Nish and Jubilicious Team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50

Jubilicious

500 Jalan Sultan

#04-01 Hotel Boss

Singapore 199020

T: +65 6291 3500

W: https://www.hotelboss.sg/shop-dine-jubilicious.html

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

IG: @Jubilicious_sg

OH:

Breakfast Buffet: 06.30 – 10.30

Lunch Ala Carte: 11.00 – 22.00

Peking Duck Salad Hand Roll

Kai Duck by Kai Garden is a new modern Cantonese casual dining outlet focused on Cantonese style of Peking Duck and Cantonese Cuisine. Group Executive Chef Fung Chi Keung curated the innovative menu at Kai Duck to cater to young millennial diners and smaller parties, allowing them to enjoy the exquisite Cantonese cuisine without the need to dine in a big group.

Kai Duck

What is the difference between Beijing Peking Duck and Cantonese style Peking Duck? Beijing Peking Duck went through the process of blowing and overnight air-drying, to separate the skin of the duck and the meat. When the duck is roasted the next day, the skin will become crispy and separate from the flesh. Meanwhile, Cantonese style of Peking Duck is roasted then finished off with hot oil bath for the extra crisp. Both styles are equally delicious and it just depends on your preference.

Entrance to Kai Duck

Enamel Plate, Bowl and Cup

Highlights of the creative dishes at Kai Duck:

Sliced Peking Duck with Crackers ($4.80 per Pc, Min 4 Pcs). A crispy duck skin served with fried handmade corn crackers and corn base sauce. The duck skin and crackers are crispy, crunchy, while the cucumber and tomato add a refreshing taste to this dish. Tasted like a crispy duck sandwich for me. Yum Yum.

Sliced Peking Duck with Crackers

Mini Burger with Peking Duck Salad ($4.80 per Pc, Min 4 Pcs). Duck meat with skin attached tossed with lettuce and seaweed and served with a housemade fried bun. Kai Duck version of Peking duck sliders. Soft and fluffy bun holds the fatty flesh nicely. The lettuce and seaweed, mixed with a slightly tangy sauce balance the “jelakness” of the fatty Peking Duck nicely.

Mini Burger with Peking Duck Salad

Crispy Bun with Sliced Peking Duck ($9.80). Crispy Peking duck skin, full-bodied cream cheese and fried mantou. Never in my dreams, I ever make a connection between Peking duck with cream cheese. The result is delicious crunchy finger food. I find if they added some meat in between the skin and the cream cheese, it will give this dish more body.

Crispy Bun with Sliced Peking Duck

Peking Duck Salad Hand Roll ($4.80 per Pc, Min 4 Pcs). Peking Duck served with cucumber, lettuce, sesame sauce and seaweed flakes, wrapped in crispy spring roll wrapper. Crispy, crunchy, fragrant, juicy and delicious. The combination of seaweed and crispy spring wrapper added extra flavour to the crispy skin. A super innovative dish that not to be missed. I can have this all day. Yummy!!

Peking Duck Salad Hand Roll

Do take note that Kai Duck also serves the traditional whole or half Peking Duck.

Meanwhile, we also tried some of their Cantonese dishes. We started our dinner with Chilled Mini Tomatoes topped with Japanese Sesame Sauce ($10) as appetizers. The Japanese cherry tomatoes are bursting with sweetness; it is marinated with plum sauce that is sweet and tangy and topped with sesame sauce for the creamy and earthy flavour. Make sure you taste the aiyu jelly at the bottom that soaks up the sauce and marinates.

Chilled Mini Tomatoes topped with Japanese Sesame Sauce

Pan-fried Carrot Cake ($13.80). A distinct shape of the carrot cake, it is round, like a mini pizza. The exterior is fried until it is crispy, while the interior remains moist and filled with cubes of radish evenly spread. It is topped with chilli sauce, however, it tasted more of sweet sauce instead of spicy.

Pan-fried Carrot Cake

Stir-fried Hong Kong Cai Xin with Pork and Preserved Vegetable ($15.80). A slight twist than the usual kai lan with oyster sauce dish. However, the signature Cantonese vegetable of sweet and crunchy remains in the cai xin. The twist of adding pork and mei cai as the topping of cai xin feels weird to me, but the toppings does taste good with a bowl of rice.

Stir-fried Hong Kong Cai Xin with Pork and Preserved Vegetable

Poached Patin Fish Soup with Chinese Wine ($38 for 4 diners). Kai Duck uses the patin fish from the wild and flown in regularly from Sarawak, Malaysia. The flesh of the fish is silky, smooth and accompanied by the cloudy milky broth. The Chinese cabbage infused natural sweetness to the fish broth. Like the Cantonese tradition, a bowl of this fish soup will help you warm up your stomach.

Poached Patin Fish Soup with Chinese Wine

The Fattiness of the Patin Fish

Crispy-fried Fish, Prawn and Crab with Black Truffle Sauce ($16, Min 4 Pcs). The fish, prawns and crab are chopped and mixed together hand mould on the crab leg. It is coated with cereal and fried for the crispy exterior, with springy and bouncy interior. You can dip it with the truffle sauce or eat on its own. I prefer the seafood ball on its own, as I can taste the natural seafood sweetness in the ball. The truffle sauce is just too strong for this mild seafood dish.

Crispy-fried Fish, Prawn and Crab with Black Truffle Sauce

Signature Fried Rice with Black Truffle Mushroom and Beetroot ($16.80) - served in Hot Stone Pot. The first thing that catches our senses when this dish is served is the aroma of the truffle. Followed by the WOW factor, of the combination of crispy rice and purple colour rice infused with beetroot. Once you mixed it, you can taste the mingling texture crispy rice and al-dente rice, filled with mushroom flavours.

Signature Fried Rice with Black Truffle Mushroom and Beetroot

Located in Ngee Ann City, Kai duck is décor is reminiscent of the 60s cha chaan teng restaurants in Hong Kong. The restaurant in brightly lit, together with the black and white floor tiles, neon lights duck logo, rattan chairs and old school enamel plates, bowls and cups will amplify the 60s dining experience.

Part of the Dining Area

Overall, kudos to Chef Fung in curating the creative dishes based on Peking Duck and elevating the traditional Cantonese Dishes. The portion here is suitable for small group dining and it can easily be extended to cover a bigger group. I recommend the Sliced Peking Duck with Crackers, Peking Duck Salad Hand Roll, Poached Patin Fish Soup with Chinese Wine and Signature Fried Rice with Black Truffle Mushroom and Beetroot. Cheers!!

Thank you very much Kristine for jiio-ing and Kai Duck team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8.25/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50,

Kai Duck

391 Orchard Road

#05 – 10/11 Ngee Ann City

Singapore 238872

T: +65 6235 5419

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

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

IG: @Kaigardensg

OH:

Mon – Fri: 11.30 – 16.30* (L.O 16.30)

Mon – Fri: 17.00 – 22.30 (L.O. 22.00)

Sat, Sun & PH: 10.00 – 16.30*

Sat, Sun & PH: 17.00 – 22.30

*Dim Sum available

Vegan H.A.L.T. Sandwich

REBEL is a new sandwich shop concept that first opened its door in TripleOne Somerset on 4^th May 2019. REBEL identify itself beyond a mere sandwich shop, instead, it is focused on a community and lifestyle.

REBEL Shop

REBEL is about being a culture that nurtures entrepreneurship, empowering employee as being part of the REBEL brand, taking ownership and its future. REBEL is Eco-Friendly and it works with like-minded partners such as QUORN – delicious meat-free leading brand producer; QOMUNE – passionate coffee partner; PACKADZ – environmentally friendly packaging; and ZAC MEAT – best halal meats supplier for the awesome sandwiches.

REBEL Gurl Logo

REBEL Sandwiches is inspired by the owner experience when he first bit into a Banh Mi in Vietnam. From then on, the seeds of REBEL were planted.

All Day Naked Sandwich

I tried two sandwiches at REBEL: All Day Naked ($6.90) and Vegan H.A.L.T. ($7.50). True to its name, All Day Naked consist of beef bacon, chicken ham and fried egg hold together with crispy REBEL bread. Unlike the Vietnamese baguette, the bread texture here is crisp externally, with a bit of density in the middle part of the bread. The bacon, ham and egg provided a solid meaty bite on the sandwich and will receive a nod of approval from meat lovers. Due to the texture of the bread, it does not leave a messy crumb after you finished your meal.

All Day Naked Sandwich

All Day Naked Sandwich - The Fillings

Vegan H.A.L.T. is a different experience altogether. Filled with Quorn Spicy Patty, Avocado Salsa (A), Lettuce (L), Tomato (T) .... H.A.L.T! with Mayo, Tangy Asian Slaw & Fresh Coriander. I get a double crunchiness from the bread and Quorn spicy patty, followed with the moist and creamy texture from the avocado and mayo. The tomato and salsa add the freshness to the sandwich. I feel the sandwich is very tasty and I did not miss the meat protein at all. I enjoy the Vegan H.A.L.T more than the All Day Naked. Yum Yum.

Vegan H.A.L.T. Sandwich

Vegan H.A.L.T. Sandwich - The Fillings

Other then the sandwiches, I tried REBEL soup of the day, Mushroom Soup and Garlic Bread. The soup is thick and loaded with chopped mushrooms. Tasted like a restaurant standard mushroom soup instead of the diluted version that come from the can. Meanwhile, the garlic bread is crispy and lightly seasoned with garlic.

Mushroom Soup and Garlic Bread

The Rebel Salad ($6) – SE Asian Style Salad. Lettuce, carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, fresh mint, Thai basil, coriander, spring onion and chicken cha lua (+$2). A refreshing take on Vietnamese salad. It is fresh, crunchy, healthy and yummy. Something for those who are very health conscious and watching their weight.

The REBEL Salad with Chicken Cha Lua

For a unique drink, try their Iced Cascara Tea (from $5). It comes with 3 option of flavours: Lychee, Peach and Yuzu. Cascara is the dried skins of coffee cherries, however, instead of the bitter coffee taste, it has a fruity sweet taste like in a fruity tea. The iced cascara teas are sweetened and both the lychee and yuzu are refreshing.

Iced Cascara Tea - Testing Cup

The décor of REBEL shop is bold and eye-catching. The REBEL Gurl logo is very prominent, together with other REBEL creative animation, it makes the shop looks like a fun place to hang out. Another plus point is for the “Wall Plug” generation that needs to juice up their mobile phone, some of the seats have cables to charge your devices.

Part of The Dining Area

Overall, I enjoy the overall dining experience at REBEL. The sandwich, the soup, garlic bread and cascara tea are things that I will order again when I visit REBEL. Cheers!!

Juice Up Your Gadget

Thank you very much to Dex, Genine, the team from The Linch Agency and REBEL for hosting me.

Please note that REBEL is in the process of getting their Halal Certification.

Food & Drink: 6.75/10

Value: 7/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8/10

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

REBEL

111 Somerset Road

#01-08 TripleOne Somerset

Singapore 238164

W: https://rebelgurl.com/

F: https://www.facebook.com/rebelgurl.co/

IG: @Rebelgurl.com

OH: 08.30 – 21.00 Daily

The Menu 1

The Menu 2

The Menu 3

Burrata E "Datterini"

Roots Mediterranean opens its door to the public in August 2019 at Greenwood Avenue. The Roots experience offers an epicurean journey which starts from the origin, the roots of the Mediterranean culinary culture. Roots Mediterranean (“RM”) provides the quality and experience of an Italian “Osteria”, a Greek “Ouzeri” and a Spanish “Tasca”.

Roots Mediterranean

RM tagline belief that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, the culinary concept is simple and elegant. Using only fresh, premium ingredients and original recipes, delivering a hearty and flavourful dish to the diners.

Roots Mediterranean

Outdoor facing Bar

Dinner at RM normally starts with a basket of bread. Consist of different type of bread including sourdough, grissini, flatbread and others. The bread is served with olive oil dip. Following it, we have a feast on entrée and small bites.

Basket of Bread

Burrata E "Datterini" (S$24) - Imported Burrata with cherry tomatoes, capers and olives. The burrata is firm and creamy, but not the oozing type. The cherry tomatoes provided a sweet and savoury burst of flavour, while the capers and olives add the mini twist to the dish. One of our favourite starters in any Italian restaurants.

Burrata E "Datterini"

Dips are the heart of starters in Mediterranean cuisine. We had Tzatziki ($8) - The most loved Greek dip, Yoghurt, cucumber, garlic and extra virgin olive oil; Tirokafteri ($10) - A spicy and cheesy dip. A spread with yoghurt, feta cheese and chilli; Hummus (S$8) - The most iconic Middle Eastern dip: chickpeas cream with sesame paste; and Melinzano Salata ($8) - Roasted eggplant dip with lemon, extra virgin olive oil and parsley.

Dips from Top Tirokafteri, Hummus, Tzatziki & Melinzano Salata
Hand Model: The Food Chapter

Tzatziki and Hummus are two of the most common dips found in Mediterranean cuisine. Surprisingly, the roasted eggplant catches my attention here. I normally avoid eggplant because of its sticky and mushy texture, however, the Melinzano Salata was tasty, bursting with flavour and nicely complemented the crispy bread.

Dips from Bottom Tirokafteri, Hummus, Tzatziki & Melinzano Salata

Tortillas de Papas Y Queso Fundido ($8). Spanish Omelette which includes potatoes and melted cheese is just irresistible. Although it can be eaten on its own, I like it as a dip or topping for the bread.

Tortillas de Papas Y Queso Fundido

Spanako Tiropita ($8). Greek Entrée. A crispy phyllo dough pie with spinach and feta cheese. Crisp exterior followed with creamy spinach blend with slightly salty feta cheese.

Spanako Tiropita

Gambas Ajillo (S$15) - Sauté prawns with smoked paprika, fried garlic and parsley. The version here is on the dry side compared to some that I tried before. The prawn is crunchy, pack with a bit for fiery flavour from the paprika. Missing from the dish is the flavourful olive oil at the bottom to dip the bread with.

Gambas Ajillo

Croquettas de Jamon Y Queso ($8). Very tasty and delicious croquette. The exterior is crispy, followed with cheesy and salty fillings.

Croquettas de Jamon Y Queso

Next up are the heart of Italian dishes, pasta. Spaghetti Carbonara ($20). Al-dente spaghetti, coated with delicious strong creamy pecorino cheese. The flavour of the bacon-infused well into the dish; you can taste it in each bite of pasta.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Tortelli with Ricotta Spinach($20) and Tortelli Crab Lobster ($24). The Italian version of dumpling. Both dumplings are bursting with flavour. The ricotta spinach fillings with tomato sauce have a nice balance between creaminess with the tangy tomato sauce.

Tortelli with Ricotta Spinach

Meanwhile, the crab and lobster tortelli are filled with natural sweetness from the crab and bouncy texture from the lobster. The butter and sage sauce accentuates the crab and lobster flavours and we can’t stop scooping it into our mouth.

Tortelli Crab Lobster

Lunette Truffle ($24). Lunette is round shape pasta filled with four types of delicious cheese, topped with black truffle sauce. Kind of reminds me of quattro formaggi pizza, instead, it is in pasta form and topped with the exquisite black truffle. Not for everyone, but a must-have for a cheese lover.

Lunette Truffle

The intermission between the pasta and pizza is Paidakia ($35). Greek style Lamb Chop. The lamb is tender, succulent lightly marinated with oregano, garlic and lemon. Unlike most lamb chop, the is almost no gaminess in this lamb. It is served with grilled vegetables, mixed salad and tzatziki sauce.

Paidakia

Finally, we meet the star dish of the restaurant. Roots are famed for “pizza in teglia alla romana”, a special pizza which is rectangular and extremely trendy in Italy at the moment. The dough is slightly thicker, but it is extremely light, airy, crispy due to high hydration with a long fermentation time of 48 hours. The pizza comes in different sizes, namely 25cm, 50cm and 1 metre.

Roots' famous “pizza in teglia alla romana”

We tried 4 different flavours in the 1-metre plank pizza: Parma and Burrata, Sausage, Salami and Truffle, and Prawn Arrabbiata. The price for each one is 25cm - $18, 50cm - $26 & 1 metre - $50). I like the Parma and Burrata plus the sausage and for LD, she loved the spicy kick from the prawn arrabbiata. The pizza dough is so light, I still manage to try the four different flavour of the pizza. It tasted like fresh-baked ciabatta bread.

Parma and Burrata

Sausage

Salami and Truffle

Prawn Arrabbiata

Due to no alcohol for me and no coffee for LD, we swap out desserts a bit. I tried Frozen Pistachio Profiteroles, Hot Chocolate and Cherries; Tiramisu; and Crème Catalana. All of them are delicious, however, our taste buds are a bit numb due to the savoury food that we had earlier.

Desserts Platter

The décor of the restaurant is simple, almost like dining in the traditional dining room of an Italian home or Spanish home. The atmosphere is very much family orientated and lively. It seems that everyone is enjoying themselves including the kids as well.

Part of the Dining Area

Part of the Dining Area, The Kitchen Pass and Entrance to the Shop

Overall, dining in Roots Mediterranean is like having a gastronomic culinary exhibition in Italy, Greek and Spain. The food is based on fresh and premium ingredients cooked using traditional recipe. My personal pick is their pasta (spaghetti and tortelli), pizza in teglia alla romana, and anything with burrata. For awesome Mediterranean food, visit Roots. Saluti! Salud! Cheers!!

Thank you very much to Jennifer and Roots Mediterranean team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 8.5/10

Value: 7.75/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50,

Roots Mediterranean

2 Greenwood Avenue

Singapore 289189

T: +65 6463 4206

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

IG: @Rootsmediterranean

OH:

11.00 – 23.00 Daily

Sunday Brunch: 11.00 – 16.00

Crispy Pork Belly

FrapasBar by Saveur is the latest concept by the passionate and talented people in Saveur. FrapasBar is a combination of French Cuisine with Tapas style of presentation.

FrapasBar

Located in now-defunct Concetto, the Italian concept by Saveur; the group next concept is following the current market trend of pairing small bites with drinks. As the group strength in French cuisine, it is just natural that French style Tapas is the direction they are heading plus showcasing their forte.

Part of Bar & Dining Area

Not an alcohol drinker, I decided to order Frizzy Lemonade ($8). Citrusy, ice-cold and refreshing. Good as thirst cruncher for Singapore hot weather.

Frizzy Lemonade

We started with Mussels & Cream ($12). Mussels cooked with white wine, cream, shallots and parsley. Creamy and fragrant broth to go with the juicy mussels’ flesh. It is best to squeeze the lemon into the dish as it helps to cuts through the richness of the sauce. As this dish does not come with bread, I suggest you order garlic bread ($3) to polish the sauce.

Mussels & Cream

Crispy Pork Belly ($15). One of the signature dishes in Saveur and I am glad that they bring it over to FrapasBar and revolutionise it. Served with orange mustard puree, pickled daikon and balsamic baby onion.

The pork is juicy, succulent and almost melts in your mouth. While the skin is crispy and crumbly, almost like the Cantonese version of crispy roast pork. The mustard puree instead of the regular Dijon mustard elevates the presentation and flavour in this dish. While the tangy pickled daikon and balsamic baby onion gave this dish the OMPH factor and cuts through the "jelakness" of the pork. Yum yum.

Crispy Pork Belly

Seafood Bouillabaisse ($16). Mussel, prawn, seabass, squid, fennel, potato. A very robust soup base, filled with bold seafood essence. The medley of seafood provides different texture and flavours, while, the charred garlic bread has a nice smoky aroma and good to absorb the soup.

Seafood Bouillabaisse

Stuffed Squid ($18) with French Onion Rice. Though the presentation looks awesome, the texture of the squid let us down. It is a bit rubbery, even the fragrant French Orion rice unable to help in saving this dish. Will skip this dish next time around.

Stuffed Squid

Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks ($18). The super WOW dish at FrapasBar. The beef cheek is so tender, you can pick it apart with your fork. The braising jus and seasoning well infused into the beef, as you can taste them while it melts in your mouth. Serving this dish with smooth velvety mash potatoes is just so comforting, while the picked red Bombay onion helps balance the richness of this dish. Yum Yum.

Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks

Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks
Hand Model Tiara_Star

We manage to leave some space for Sticky Date & Pecan Pudding ($10). Crispy externally, followed with a sweet sticky texture internally. The ice cream is generous and the creaminess goes well with the pudding. A must-order for those who enjoy sweet desserts.

Sticky Date & Pecan Pudding
Hand Model Tiara_Star

The restaurant setting is modern and casual. Surrounded with floor to ceiling glasses, it maximises the use of natural daylight during the day. Good place to take photos.

Part of the Dining Area

Overall, the food in FrapasBar is on par with those served in Saveur. My personal picks are Crispy Pork Belly, Slow Cooked Beef Cheeks and Seafood Bouillabaisse. I look forward to returning to this place to try other dishes. Cheers!!

Thank you Msginginly for jioing and Tiara_Star for sharing the calories.

Food & Drink: 7.25/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.25/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50,

FrapasBar by Saveur

2 Handy Road

#01-11/12, The Cathay

Singapore 229233

T: +65 6735 1141

W: https://www.frapasbar.sg/

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

IG: @Frapasbar

OH:

Sun – Thu: 12.00 – 01.00

Fri & Sat: 12.00 – 02.00

Food Last Order 21.30

Menu available Online

Margherita DOP

Amò is a concept by IlLido group, an F&B group known for its collection of unique and high-quality dining concepts. Most of IlLido concept is based on Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, paying homage to its owner, Italian restauranteur Beppe De Vito. Amò is a casual communal dining concept, focusing on antipasti, artisan pastas, homemade pizzas and large serving of mains.

Amò

A must try in Amò is their pizzas. According to their website, Amò pizza is made with natural leaven, semolina and extra virgin olive oil. They are light, seasonal and easy to digest - the result of patience, exceptional produce, and a fine-tuned knowledge of food chemistry.

Olives

In their ala-carte menu, their pizza is categorised into classic and signature. We started with the classic Margherita DOP ($25). Buffalo Mozzarella, San Marzano Tomato, Basil. The crust is soft with a slight charred and bitterness from the high heat oven. The buffalo mozzarella is soft and creamy, while the wetness from the tomato together with fresh basil just deliver amazing flavour in this dish. Delizioso!!

Margherita DOP

(Side Note: DOP is an abbreviation for the Italian phrase Denominazione di Origine Protetta -- "protected name of origin." If a product is labelled DOP, you can be sure that it has been produced, processed in a specific geographical zone and according to tradition.” – Quoted from different sources. In this case, the flour, cheese, tomato and herbs are from particular regions in Italy).

Margherita DOP

Broccolini, Pancetta, Pumpkin, Smoked Mozzarella ($28) is their signature pizza. My first time trying pumpkin pizza. The toppings are thick, using the pumpkin puree as the base instead of tomato. It has a nice smoky aroma from the smoked mozzarella, followed with nice salty and porky flavour from the pancetta. A good combination between sweet and savoury.

Broccolini, Pancetta, Pumpkin, Smoked Mozzarella

Pork Sausage, Caramelised Onions, Potatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella ($29). Another first time for me eating a pizza with potatoes in it. The pork sausage is savoury, the opposite of the sweet caramelised onions. The buffalo mozzarella adds the creaminess but looks a bit lost in between the potatoes. Tasted like eating bread dipped in potato soup. It will probably taste better if there are more pork sausages.

Pork Sausage, Caramelised Onions, Potatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella

Iberico Pork Chop with Spicy Broccolini and Celeriac Puree ($32). The pork chop is nicely grilled, tender with a good oink oink bite in it. However, we notice that some area of the pork is a bit dry. The celeriac puree is smooth, while the spicy broccolini added a bit of spark to this dish.

Iberico Pork Chop with Spicy Broccolini and Celeriac Puree

For the sides, we ordered Roasted Mushrooms with Egg Confit ($12) & Hand Cut Fries with Rosemary ($12). Both of these side dishes are awesome. The roasted mushrooms are butter and packs with solid mushrooms flavour. The velvety egg confit adds a silky and creamy texture to the dish.

Roasted Mushrooms with Egg Confit

The rosemary fries are awesome. It is crispy externally and moist internally. The rosemary herbs are generously sprinkled on the fries, as the aroma of it linger with each bite of the fries. It is served with truffle mayo to add the creaminess and umami flavour to the fries. I personally like the fries without the mayo dip.

Hand Cut Fries with Rosemary

From the Bar, I had Ups Daisy ($12). A lemonade base mocktails that is citrusy and refreshing.

Ups Daisy

At the end of the meal, we were served complimentary Cioffe / Frappe. Crispy fried pasta with icing sugar.

Cioffe / Frappe

The décor is casual and modern. You will be welcome by the bar when you first enter the restaurant, leading to the main indoor dining area. There is also al-fresco seating at the courtyard. For those seated near the middle or back, you can get a glimpse of the kitchen and chefs at work. Service is attentive, professional and knowledgeable. During the weekend, there is a limited seating time, so be understanding if you are dining on the early time slot.

The Bar

Part of Dining Area

Overall, Amò served one of the best Margherita DOP. For the next visit, I will definitely order the classic pizzas, Roasted Mushrooms with Egg Confit, Hand Cut Fries with Rosemary, then followed with the pasta and other dishes. Saluti!! Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7/10

Service: 8.75/10

Ambiance: 8.75/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50,

Amò

33 Hongkong Street

Singapore 059672

T: +65 6723 7733

W: http://www.amorestaurant.sg/

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

IG: @Amorestaurantsg

OH: 12.00 – 14.30; 18.00 – 23.00 Daily

Negi Toro Don

Ikura is a Japanese Izakaya style dining that serves a variety of Japanese cuisine. The food served range from Sashimi, Sushi, Maki, Salad, Donburi, Chirashi, Ramen and many more. The complete list consists of more than 100 over items on the list.

Aburi Miso Maki

Fook Hai outlet is the first outlet of Ikura Japanese. It first opens its door in 2017 and it has gathered regular loyal patrons over these past 2 years. Thus, it is time for this outlet to refresh its menu, we are honoured to be invited to have the first preview of their new menu.

We started our tasting with appetizer Gyoza ($11); Fugumirin ($11) – Sundried Puffer Fish; Tatami Iwashi ($10) – Dried Baby Sardines; and Wakasaki Karaage ($11) – Deep Fried Shishamo.

Gyoza

The gyoza has a crisp exterior, with juicy fillings. Fugumirin is exotic, but the flavour is on the salty side. My personal pick is the Wakasaki Karaage, which is crispy and bursting with flavour. It is perfectly fried and you can eat most of the part. All of the appetizer dishes will go nicely with sake or beer.

Tatami Iwashi & Wakasaki Karaage

For sharing, Aburi Miso Maki ($17) and Unagi Maki ($17) are a good choice. A creative invention on both maki, the sushi rice seasoned just nice, while the fillings are generous. The sauces on both maki just elevate it to another level.

Aburi Miso Maki

Unagi Maki

Buta Shogayaki ($13) – Stir Fried Sliced Pork Belly with Ginger. The pork belly is tender, juicy while the ginger aroma lingers at the back. It will go nicely with a bowl of white rice.

Buta Shogayaki

Sakura Ebi Chahan ($11) – River Shrimps Fried Rice is a nice carbo dish to have. Each grain of rice is al-dente, with a good bite into it plus the “Wok Hei” aroma is strong. The mini river shrimps added a subtle umami flavour and crunchiness in this dish. One of the best dishes of the night.

Sakura Ebi Chahan

For a luxurious option, you can try Ikura’s Chirashi. We tried Negi Toro Don ($21) and Hokkaido Chirashi ($21). I personally like the Negi Toro (minced tuna). The tuna is chopped to almost smooth and velvety texture plus raw egg topping is more tempting compared to the sliced sashimi.

Negi Toro Don

Hokkaido Chirashi

Udon comes in two versions, soup base or stir-fried. Beef Udon ($13) is the signature udon soup here. Meanwhile, Gyu Suji Yaki Udon ($16) is the stir-fried version. Surprising, my pick goes to the stir-fried version. The udon is firmer and bouncy, topped with delicate sweet sauce. It looks a bit oily, but it delivers in taste.

Beef Udon

Gyu Suji Yaki Udon

Shima Hokke Yaki ($19) – Grilled Arga Mackerel is a good value from money. The fillet is thick and the fattiness in the fish allowing the flesh to remain juicy and flaky over a long period.

Shima Hokke Yaki

For the ramen here, it is best to go with the stronger flavours like Black Tonkotsu Ramen ($14.80) and the spicy Mala Tonkotsu Ramen ($14.80). I did not try the mala ramen, but the black tonkotsu ramen has a generous sweet black garlic flavour in the broth.

Black Tonkotsu Ramen

Mala Tonkotsu Ramen

Leave space for dessert, as the Japanese Tofu Cheese Cake ($7.80) is not to be missed. It is served cold, the tofu-like texture cheesecake is smooth and just melts in your mouth. The creamy cheese flavour is subtle, yet enough to tantalize your tastebuds. The base is dense yet crumble effortlessly when you bit into it. Yummy

Japanese Tofu Cheese Cake

Ikura at Fook Hai has three dining areas. Alfresco, indoor ground floor and indoor second floor. The ground floor seating is very tight, almost like dining in an izakaya in Japan. Good for 2 to 4 person seating. For bigger group and private functions, you will likely be seated on the second floor.

Overall, Ikura @ Fook Hai has an extensive menu and you will be able to find something that suits you. I recommend Aburi Miso Maki, Unagi Maki, Sakura Ebi Chahan and Japanese Tofu Cheese Cake. Cheers!!

Thank you Alvin for the invite and Ikura’s Team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 6.5/10

Value: 6.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 6.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50,

Ikura @ Fook Hai

150 South Bridge Road

#01-14 Fook Hai Building

Singapore 058727

T: +65 6532 6656

W: https://www.ikura.sg/

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

IG: @Ikura_sg

OH:

Mon – Sat: 12.00 – 14.30; 17.30 – Midnight

Closed on Sunday.

Menu Available Online

Lobster Braised with Bee Hoon

The Famous Kitchen (“TFK”) is a casual family-style restaurant located in Sembawang. It specialises in Nanyang Cuisine and Seafood offerings, based on Teochew, Hokkien and Cantonese culture assimilated into Southeast Asia. You can also find other dishes inspired by owner Jeffery Foo’s travel around China. As Singaporeans are well-travelled, our palate will be acceptable to different types of cuisine.

Collectors Items to Welcome You

We started our tasting with Grilled Pork Collar Meat (香烤猪颈肉 - $18). The pork collar is tender, succulent and well-seasoned. The yam is crispy and crunchy. The dish is a bit on the salty side, good as a beer side dish or eaten with rice.

Grilled Pork Collar Meat

Bamboo Clams with Garlic and Glass Noodles (竹蚌- seasonal price). Fresh and well cooked. The bamboo clams are steamed with glass noodle and minced garlic as toppings. It is fresh, springy. The glass noodle soaks up the soya sauce plus the sweetness of the bamboo clams. Yummy.

Bamboo Clams with Garlic and Glass Noodles

Crispy Leaves Kai Lan(脆叶芥兰 -$16 (S), $24(M), $32 (L)). I would say this is Kai Lan in two ways. First, the leaves are finely chopped and deep-fried. Resulting in a crispy leaf, like dried seaweed texture. Instead of sweet, the deep-fried process extracts a good bitter flavour from the kai lan. The stem is stir-fried briefly to retain its crunchiness. The fragrant aroma from this dish also comes from the crispy fried garlic topping. A creative creation.

Crispy Leaves Kai Lan

Lobster Braised with Bee Hoon(龙虾焖米粉 - seasonal price). A dish that WOW us that night. The bee hoon is smooth, silky and absorbs the amazing seafood broth and essence. The lobster flesh is cooked to perfection and easily peel off from the exoskeleton. Not forgetting the fresh subtle leek that is an integral part of this dish. LD and I can have this dish every day. Yum Yum.

Lobster Braised with Bee Hoon

Chilli Crab (辣椒螃蟹 - seasonal price). Each seafood restaurant in Singapore will have its own version of chilli crab. The version here is on the spicy side. A female crab is used here, so it comes with abundance of the delicious crab roe. The sauce absorbs into the flesh, it has a velvety texture from the eggs plus a bit of tanginess on top of spicy chilli sauce.

Chilli Crab

Of course, to polish up the delicious chilli crab sauce is the crispy and fluffy fried mantou.

Fried Mantou

Oven-baked Volcano Chicken(火山烤鸡, advance order required -$58 for whole). This chicken dish sure knows how to make a grand entrance to the table. Standing upright, the chicken is doused with hard liquor (whiskey, rum or rose wine) and set alight. It created a superb WOW factor, looks like a phoenix on fire and the fragrant aroma of the burning alcohol is very appetizing.

Once the show is over, it is brought back to the kitchen to be chopped. The skin is lightly crisp, while the flesh is juicy and succulent, especially the breast part. To accompany the chicken is ginger and spring onion paste, which complement the chicken nicely.

Oven-baked Volcano Chicken

Oven-baked Volcano Chicken - Chopped

Rendang (仁当排骨 $16(S), $24(M), $32 (L)). Pork Rendang to be exact. Fragrant, aromatic, thick, spicy and delicious rendang gravy infused into the juicy yet bouncy flesh. If I did not see the bones of the pork, it can easily be mistaken for beef. A dish that must be eaten with rice (a “Rice Thief” dish).

Pork Rendang

Note: Pork Rendang dish is off the menu item and not available daily. Please check with the service staff when ordering.

For the sweet ending, I ordered Chilled Empress Cocktail Jelly (香妃果冻 - $4.50 per serving). Cold, sweet and refreshing. A nice ending to the meal and also good to put out the last fiery moment from the rendang.

Part of Outdoor Dining Area

Live Seafood

The restaurant is spacious and it has an indoor and outdoor dining area. There is limited parking space, however, the restaurant offers valet service. If you like your alcohol, keep a lookout for the outdoor drinking, FAMOUSH HANGOUT area which offer extensive a variety of craft beers and hard liquors. Grand opening on 20^th November 2019.

Hard Liquor Collection - Indoor

Overall, The Famous Kitchen is one of the places to go for delicious seafood and Nanyang cuisine in the North area. The Lobster Braised with Bee Hoon, Bamboo Clams with Garlic and Glass Noodles, Oven-baked Volcano Chicken and Pork Rendang are a must-try here. Cheers!!

The Famous Kitchen also has a sister restaurant, The Famous Treasure at Capitol Piazza. For full review and details of The Famous Treasure, you can click thislink.

Thank you very much to Jennifer and The Famous Kitchen Team for hosting us.

Food: 8/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.25/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 & Above

The Famous Kitchen

54 Sembawang Road

#01-01 Hong Heng Mansions

Singapore 779085

T: +65 6636 8333 / 6257 1843

W: http://famouskitchen.sg

F: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Famous-Kitchen/230526703625455

IG: @Thefamouskitchen

OH: 11.30 – 14.30; 17.30 – 22.30 Daily.

From Left to Right: Wagyu Rosu, Wagyu Nakaochi & Wagyu Karubi

Tenkaichi Japanese Barbecue Restaurant is an award-winning Japanese Wagyu BBQ Buffet offering premium ingredients at affordable price. Tenkaichi was established in July 2013 with its first restaurant in Marina Square. In January 2019, Tenkaichi opens its second restaurant at Cineleisure Orchard.

Tenkaichi - Cineleisure Orchard

Celebrating this festive season Tenkaichi has introduced The Ultimate Buffet, featuring over 50 premium produce, inclusive of free-flow Asahi Beer, Ben & Jerry’s Ice cream and 15 different types of drinks.

Some of the Premium Buffet Items

Chubby Botak Koala and The Little Devil has a tasting at the Cineleisure outlet and here are some of our picks from the Premium Choices:

Sashimi. We are not sure what to expect, so we decided on Sashimi Moriawase. It consists of salmon, tuna, sea bream, yellowtail, octopus, vinegar-pickled mackerel, wagyu beef sashimi and seared wagyu beef. The seafood sashimi is fresh and the cuts are generous. The wagyu sashimi is not to be missed, solid marbling and packs MooMoo flavour.

Sashimi Moriawase

Wagyu Yukke Sashimi– Marinated Wagyu Beef with Egg Yolk. Not for the faint-hearted. This Japanese version of steak tartare is a combination of marbled wagyu beef, coated with silky egg yolk It is taste, good to be eaten with rice or on its own. The marination is a combination of sweet and savoury, delivering the umami flavour.

Wagyu Yukke Sashimi

Wagyu Tan– Wagyu Beef Tongue. Thinly sliced and cooked very fast. The texture of the tongue is tender and springy. The wagyu version has the almost melt in your mouth texture to the tongue.

Wagyu Tan

Wagyu Karubi & Wagyu Rosu (Wagyu Beef Short Rib & Wagyu Beef Rib Eye Cap). Two of the most popular cuts for Japanese yakiniku. The karubi has more marbling and fats, making it more delicate and can be overwhelming sometimes. enjoyable to bite on. Meanwhile, the Rosu has a meatier texture to it, compare to the karubi. Best cooked to medium-rare or medium, as you can bite into the juiciness of the meat.

From Left to Right: Wagyu Rosu, Wagyu Nakaochi & Wagyu Karubi

Wagyu Nakaochi– Wagyu Beef Intercostal. It is served in a cube form. It will take a longer time to cook, compare to karubi and rosu. The meat is juicy and springy, due to the muscle content in the meat. You will need to chew more for the cut, but you will be rewarded with a more complex flavour of the beef. Suitable for someone that like their meat springy.

Wagyu Nakaochi

Hotate (Giant Scallop) & Hokkaido Jumbo Oyster. Luxury seafood to BBQ. We cooked this on a separate aluminium plate filled with butter. This allows the scallops and oysters to retain their juiciness and prevent from overcooking. The butter also adds a nice finishing to the scallops and jumbo oysters. We added a sprinkle of salt and pepper, it just perks up the flavours of the already plump and juicy oysters and scallops.

Hotate, White Tuna, Shishamo & Hokkaido Jumbo Oyster

Hokkaido Jumbo Oyster - Cooked

Karo Buta Karubi– Black Pork Belly provided a pork alternative to the wagyu beef. However, after tasting the waygu beef, the pork belly seems to lose out.

Karo Buta Karubi

Shishamo. Not a premium item, but it deserves a special mention. If you grilled it nicely, it has a nice crunchy texture, followed with the burst of flavours from the fish egg.

Shishamo

One unique point in Tenkaichi Cineleisure is that the BBQ plate also comes with a space for shabu-shabu in the middle. Kind of remind you of the Seoul Garden bbq version, however, the one here seems to works better. You basically can have the best of both worlds. BBQ and Shabu-shabu. You can choose from 6 different types of soup base: dashi, tonkotsu, kimuchi, yukkejyan, sukiyaki and tom yum. We choose tonkotsu.

Yakiniku and Shabu Shabu

The shabu-shabu come with a different type of cuts of the meat. For wagyu, they only serve one version which is the Wagyu Beef Short Plate. Full of marbling, easily cooked and melts in your mouth.

Wagyu Beef Short Plate for Shabu Shabu

To add sweetness to the broth, try cooking some white clams and bamboo clams.

Additional Ingredients for Shabu Shabu

While the ingredients above are our picks for the buffet, there are a lot of other items available on the buffet line up such as tempura, fried rice, chawanmushi, yakitori chicken, Takoyaki, assorted sushi roll, clams, bamboo clams, mushrooms, meatballs, sausages, vegetables and many more. You can also create your own dish with butter and mozzarella cheese.

When it comes to shabu shabu or steamboat, I normally end my meal by creating this simple egg porridge. The broth already infused with a medley of premium ingredients; it should not be wasted. Topped it with wagyu beef, eggs and spring onions.

Chubby Botak Koala Comfort Food

Not forgetting the sweet ending of Ben & Jerry Ice Cream. Since it is a buffet, you can actually have it anytime.

Overall, it has been a while since we visited Tenkaichi. It is good to be back and we enjoy the additional shabu shabu buffet as well.

The Ultimate Buffet - Free Flow of Asahi Beer

The Ultimate Buffet

When: 15 November until 31 December 2019

Where: Tenkaichi Cineleisure Orchard* and Marina Square.

Price: All-inclusive offer, exclusive 1-for-1 from $139.80++ (Weekday, Mon – Thu) and $149++ (Fri, Sat, Sun, eve of/and PH).**

Consist of:

- Premium Buffet lineup of over 50 premium ingredients of Japanese MBS5+ Wagyu, freshly imported Sashimi, Scallops and Hokkaido Jumbo Oyster.

- Free flow Asahi Beer

- Free flow Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream

- Free flow 15 different types of drinks.

*Shabu shabu only exclusive at Cineleisure outlet.

** Dining duration is 90 minutes from the time of first order and order will be accepted up to 60 mins.

Free Flow of Drinks

For Chubbybotakkoala.com reader:

Mention CHUBBYBOTAKKOALA.COM to redeem free chopstick set (choice of copper/rose gold and a chopstick rest) when you dine at Tenkaichi. (Min. spending of $30, subjected to GST and service charge; 1 redemption per receipt).

Free Chopstick to Redeem

Thank you very much to Protegie Group and Tenkaichi Team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 7.25/10

Value: 7.25/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.25/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80, $81 and Above

Tenkaichi @Cineleisure Orchard

8 Grange Road

#02-11 Cineleisure Orchard

Singapore 239695

T: +65 6365 8389

W: https://tenkaichi.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/tenkaichi.sg/

IG: @Tenkaichi.sg

OH:

Mon – Thu: 12.00 – 15.00; 15.00 – 22.00

Fri & Eve PH: 12.00 – 15.00; 15.00 – 23.00

Sat: 12.00 – 23.00

Sun: 12.00 – 22.00

Last Order 30 mins before closing time.

Menu available online

Pan Seared Scallop

Wine Mansion Bistro is an extension of Wine Mansion, a boutique wine company that sourced, picked and distribute quality wines from worldwide and distribute them in South East Asia Market. At Wine Mansion Bistro, the customers can have the pleasure to try these quality selections together with the exquisite curated Western Fusion Menu.

Wine Mansion Bistro (“WMB”) is located in Keong Saik Road, a heritage location near Chinatown Singapore, yet boosting a vibrant and trendsetting F&B scene.

Wine Mansion Bistro

We started our tasting with the oysters Fresh Oysters and Baked Oysters ($24 for 6 pcs). This time around WMB uses Irish oysters. The oysters are fresh; however, it is on the mild side. It is neither sweet or briny. I normally like my oysters simple just with a bit of lemon juice, but in this case, it is best eaten with the vinaigrette.

Fresh Oysters

I am not a baked oyster fan, but I enjoyed the version served here. The oysters are baked just right, the mild mozzarella added the much need savoury flavour to the oysters plus the spark come from the spring onion as well. A good starter.

Baked Oysters

Crab Cake ($12) served with chilli crab sauce. A round shape of crab cakes, filled with cheese. It is crispy externally, moist and cheesy internally.

Crab Cake

Pork Belly ($10). The version here is deep-fried like Thailand crispy pork belly. The external part, including the crackling, is crispy and crunchy, while the meat is nicely seasoned and tender. It is served with mustard and a must-try homemade pickled cabbage. Yummy.

Pork Belly

Pan Seared Scallop ($19). Perfectly seared scallops that are juicy internally. The asparagus added a contrasting crunchy texture while the garlic butter sauce binds all the ingredients nicely. The sauce was superb and we polished the plate clean. The best starter for the night.

Pan Seared Scallop

Tomato Lobster Pasta ($28). A very generous serving of lobster in this pasta. Instead of serving half portion of the lobster WMB served the whole lobster. The flesh of the lobster is tender and springy, while the pasta is al-dente and well coated with the tomato sauce. Although both ingredients are good individually, I don’t feel the connection between the lobster and pasta. It’s like eating two separate dishes.

Tomato Lobster Pasta

Baby Back Ribs ($25, monthly special). Glazed with maple tomato sauce and served with pasta and homemade pureslaw. The exterior is charred, crisp with a combination of slight bitterness with sweet maple tomato sauce glaze. The flesh is juicy, succulent and well marinated. The pasta is al-dente and the pureslaw is crunchy and helps to balance the fattiness in this dish.

Baby Back Ribs

Pulled Pork Cheese Melts Quesadilla ($14). A super tasty pulled pork, tender and juicy. Coated with cheese melts and wrapped with a soft and fluffy tortilla. It is served with crispy fries and sour cream dip. This dish is also good for a quick lunch or as a starter for dinner.

Pulled Pork Cheese Melts Quesadilla

Duck Leg Confit ($18). Duck confit is not an easy dish to prepare and execute. The best one normally comes delicious super crispy skin, followed with juicy and fall of the bone meat. The version here has juicy meat; however, the skin is not crispy and the gamy flavour is very strong. On the upside, the mash potatoes are delicious, rich, buttery and paired well with the bitter rocket leaves and grilled tomato.

Duck Leg Confit

Tomahawk ($98). A jumbo main dish for sharing. Grilled to medium rate and you can expect a superb meat enjoyment here. The texture of the tomahawk here is meatier, chewier with solid beef flavour. Don’t expect the wagyu or dry-aged standards that melt in your mouth version. The side dishes of grilled tomatoes, garden salads, onions, together with mustard and chimichurri sauce make a good companion to the tomahawk.

Tomahawk

With all the dishes that come before us, I was surprised that we still have some space for dessert. A must-order here is the Ricotta Puff ($8). Made with filo pastry and ricotta cheese, this dessert sway towards savoury instead of sweet. It is topped with a mini scoop of ice cream (hint: a bigger scoop will be nice), but it was warm and delicious, we just polished it off. Yum Yum.

Ricotta Puff

There are a few dining and drinking areas for WMB. First floor indoor and outdoor, plus the 3^rd floor. We were seated on the 3^rd floor during the Media Tasting. This area is normally used for a private function or only open during the peak period.

Overall, we enjoy the food at Wine Mansion. The food is nicely executed and will go well with any wine. Our recommended dishes are Baked Oysters, Pork Belly, Pan Seared Scallops, Baby Back Ribs, Tomahawk and Ricotta Puff. Cheers!!

Thank you very much for Alvin and Wine Mansion Bistro team for the tasting invitation.

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7 /10

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

Wine Mansion

26 Keong Saik Road

Singapore 089133

T: +65 6225 4468

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

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

IG: @Wine_mansion

OH:

Mon – Fri: 12.00 – 14.30; 17.00 – Midnight

Sat: 17.00 – Midnight

Menu Available Online

Pineapple Tarts by Pineappletarts.sg

Pineapple tarts, one of the must-have snacks for Chinese New Year celebration in Singapore. Choosing the best pineapple tarts is a serious business here. Almost all traditional and online publications will create a list of the best pineapple tarts in Singapore.

So which one is the best? Well, I am not going to put this debate to bed, but I will recommend one for your consideration this year.

Thanks to the folks at Pineapple Tarts Singapore, I received three types of Pineapple Tarts at my doorstep during earlier this month. Those pineapple tarts are:

- Melt In Your Mouth – Pineapple Tarts (The Original Recipe - $22.90)

- YOlkLO– Salted Egg Pineapple Tarts ($26.90)

- Cheezylicious – Cheese Pineapple Tarts ($24.90)

My Pineapple Tarts Goodies

My first impression of the Pineapple Tarts is their clean looking modern packaging. Instead of the traditional plastic container with a red top, the version is here is with a silver cover. Each piece of the pineapple tarts is displayed clearly.

LD and I started our tasting with Melt In Your Mouth – Pineapple Tarts. This original version has a nice buttery aroma, followed with moist and buttery pastry and deliciously well-balanced fillings. The size of the pineapple tart is about the size of regular fishballs.

Melt In Your Mouth – Pineapple Tarts

Next is the YOlkLO – Salted Egg Pineapple Tarts. The aroma of the salted eggs immediately came to our nose. The salted egg yolk is folded into the pastry then shaped in the round shape around the pineapple fillings. The pastry tasted dryer compared to the Melt In Your Mouth version, however, the texture remains crumbly. The saltiness in the pastry enhances the sweetness of the pineapple fillings.

YOlkLO – Salted Egg Pineapple Tarts

The final pineapple tarts that we sample is the Cheezylicious – Cheese Pineapple Tarts. When we open the bottle, the ‘powerful’ smell of the parmesan cheese filled our nose. The pastry’s moist level is lower than the other two, however, the texture remains crumbly. It feels like eating a blue cheese pineapple tart. I suggest this only for those that can handle strong cheese aroma.

Cheezylicious – Cheese Pineapple Tarts

This year, Pineappletarts.sg has introduced Siao LA – Mala Pineapple Tarts ($27.90). Imagine enjoying Mala hotpot or Mala Xiang Guo in dessert form. We did not try the Mala version, as we are not a big fan of Mala. If you are a daredevil and can take the heat, you can also try their Pineapple Tarts Singapore Spicy Challenge (Details available on their website)

Do take note that Pineapple Tarts from Pineappletarts.sg has No Preservative Added; Fully Homemade and Handmade. Each bottle contains 20 pieces of tarts. Free Delivery for orders above $100. As no preservative is used, the pineapple tarts Best Consumed within 6 weeks.

Melt In Your Mouth – Pineapple Tarts

Other than Pineapple Tarts, Pineapple Tarts Singapore also sell other Chinese New Yeargoodies including CNY Cookies (Kueh Bangkit, Almond Cookies, Cashew Nut Cookies, etc), Prawn Rolls, Munchies, Crab Sticks, Love Letters and Kueh Lapis.

***

GIVE AWAY CONTEST

CHUBBYBOTAKKOALA.COM & PINEAPPLETARTS.SG will be giving away 2 bottles of Pineapple Tarts based on your choice. To be eligible for this give away:

- Like “Chubbybotakkoala.com – Food Blog” Facebook Page and follow ChubbybotakkoalaInstagram Page

- Like “Pineapple Tarts Singapore” Facebook Page and follow “Pineappletarts.sg” Instagram Page

- Tag 3 friends and tell us why you want these delicious pineapple tarts

- The contest will be close on Sunday, 08 December 2019 at 23.59.

- Winner will be contacted directly and the Pineapple Tarts can be collected at 352 Clementi Ave 2 #01-109 S(120352).

***

Pineapple Tarts Singapore

Blk 352 Clementi Ave 2

#01-109 Singapore 120352

W: https://pineappletarts.sg/

F: http://www.facebook.com/pineappletartssg/

IG: @Pineappletarts.sg

Assorted Mushrooms Pizza @ The Gong

The Gong by Drinks & Co (‘The Gong’) is a new establishment in the swanky Duo Galleria at Beach Road. The Gong philosophy is to turn good produce into great food at an affordable price. Plus, a meal at any Drinks & Co restaurant is not complete without a perfect refreshment, selected from the huge range of bottled drinks, a classic cocktail or one perfectly selected by the service specialist.

The Gong by Drinks & Co

We started our tasting with Gong Salt and Pepper Squid ($17). Salt and pepper squid is one of the most common entrées in a modern Australian restaurant. The version here is spiced up with garlic, red chilli, black peppercorn, sugar & spring onion. Giving it the WOW factor when you bit into the crispy and springy squid.

Gong Salt and Pepper Squid

Crispy Chicken Karage ($18). Who can say NO to Japanese style crispy fried chicken? Well marinated with soy sauce and deep-fried till crispy. Instead of the usual mayonnaise, The Gong version is served with a super spicy dip.

Crispy Chicken Karage

Florets of Cauliflower ($14). A delicious entrée. You can expect a crispy texture on the exterior of cauliflower followed with a moist and juicy interior. The pesto sauce coated this dish add a refreshing and complex flavour to the dish together with the red radish. Meanwhile, the bursting sweetness of the grape added a touch of sweetness to the overall dish.

Florets of Cauliflower

For the pizza, we tried Zul’s Satay Pizza ($24) & Assorted Mushrooms ($26). The satay pizza has a light and crisp base topped with chicken & beef, peanut sauce, cucumber & onion. Although we can taste the flavour of the satay in the pizza, we find the toppings a bit dry. The mix between the cheese and satay sauce just dampen the flavour of each ingredient. I feel they should be bolder and add a few dollops of satay sauce on top of the pizza after they took it out from the oven or before serving.

Zul’s Satay Pizza

On the other hand, we enjoy the assorted mushroom pizza tremendously. Each slice of the pizza is moist and packs with mushroom flavour. A dollop of truffle cream on top of each slice of pizza just lubricates it perfectly.

Assorted Mushrooms Pizza

Crab Meat Fried Rice, Tobiko ($14). This reminds me of the crab fried rice in Thailand. The fried rice exudes “Wok Hei”, while each grain of rice is al-dente and evenly interwind with the fried eggs. The fresh crab meat added the natural sweetness in this fried rice, while the tobiko gave this dish the popping and crunchy texture to it.

Crab Meat Fried Rice, Tobiko

Hokkien Mee ($14). Excellent rendition of our local favourites. The Gong uses premium ingredients and we can taste the sweetness of pork and prawn broth infused in the noodle. The fresh and huge tiger prawns together with fresh squid highlighted the “atas” version of this local dish. Not forgetting the spicy homemade sambal will add some kick in this dish. It will be perfect if they drizzle some crispy pork lard on top

Hokkien Mee

Meat Platter ($40/$56) – New Zealand Lamb Rack, Grilled Australian Beef, Pork Sausage, Chicken & Beef Satay, Served with Mixed Olives, Mixed Mesclun Salad, Grain Mustard & Mint Yoghurt Sauce.

Meat Platter

The serving looks generous and the New Zealand Lamb Rack will make you go gaga with its tenderness and without any of the gamy flavour. If this is the first time you are trying lamb, the taste will linger in your memories for a long time. The chicken and beef satay are sweet and well-seasoned.

New Zealand Lamb Rack and Satays

The beef is fatty and tender; however, it is missing the signature charred of the grilled meat. The pork sausages are much better compare to the beef. The fillings are solid, while the spicy chorizo provide some sparks when you bit into it.

The Steak and Pork Sausages

Iberico Pork ($24) is just awesome. Tender, juicy and with almost melts in your mouth texture is just a treat for meat lovers like me. It is placed on eggplant puree that is infused with chilli. I normally don’t like eggplant, but the puree version here works for me. On the side is roasted mini potatoes, sliced apples, pickled vegetables and pork jus, make this dish a complete one. A must-order dish here.

Iberico Pork

For desserts, we have Tiramisu ($13) and Chocolate Lava Cake ($13). The tiramisu is just superb. Served cold, it is soft, creamy, yet super light and bursting with coffee flavours. Better keep some space for this desert.

Tiramisu

Meanwhile, the chocolate lava cake has a fudgy texture and you don’t get the oozing effect from the chocolate lava. The chocolate content is solid, while the vanilla ice cream, fresh berries and berry puree provide the fruity twang to balance the chocolate lava cake.

Chocolate Lava Cake

Located in the swanky Duo Galleria, the catchy name of the restaurant is needed to stand above the rest. The décor is casual and comfortable. Love the black and white tiles on the indoor dining area. The outdoor seating area are furnished with high table and high chairs, pub like seating version. The Gong does not have a wine list, so you have to choose the wine shelves. Little Devil enjoys the fruity house pour Chardonnay with her meal.

The Bar and Indoor Seating Area

Outdoor Seating Area

If you spend $250 per receipt and get Gong Membership for a lifetime. With Gong membership, you entitle to Gong Member’s Price on Food Menu.

Wine Selections

Chardonnay with Entree

Overall, it was a pleasure dining at The Gong. The food here is delicious, a combination of Western Cuisine and Local flavours. Our recommendations are Florets of Cauliflower, Assorted Mushroom Pizza, Crab Meat Fried Rice, Iberico Pork and Tiramisu. Put The Gong by Drinks & Co on your must-visit list if you are near Beach Road / Bugis area.

Thank you very much Kristine, Amanda and The Gong by Drinks & Co team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 8/10

Value: 7.5/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50,

The Gong by Drinks & Co

7 Fraser Street

#01-59 & 60, Duo Galleria

Singapore 189356

T: +65 9619 4568

W: http://thegong.com.sg/

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

IG: @Thegongbydrinksandco

OH: Daily 11.00 - Midnight

Menu Available Online

Snow Man @ Lobby Lounge at Conrad Centennial Singapore

Celebrate this Festive Period with Christmas Theme Afternoon Tea curated by the team at Conrad Centennial Singapore. This delightful Christmas theme is available from now till 3^rd January 2020.

Prosecco with Conrad Bear

We are welcomed by “The Grinch”. This welcome mocktail is made from mango, lime and soda water. Sugar crust is added on the lips of the cup to sweeten the concoction more. The Grinch has a nice colour combination, yellow mango at the bottom, blue lime in the middle and clear soda water at the top. Once you stir it, the green colour will slowly engulf the whole drinks. Luckily the drink tasted sweet and refreshing, unlike The Grinch that is full of bitterness towards Christmas.

The Grinch

The Grinch - After Stirring

Weekend Afternoon Tea consists of 4 courses, starting with Seafood Platter. Your palate will be treated with fresh Poached Boston Lobster, Irish Oysters and Fresh Prawns. The lobster prawns are firm and springy, and I have both of them plain and really enjoy the natural sweetness of the seafood. This season, the Irish Oysters are more subtle. I added a few drops of vinaigrette dressing to bring out the flavour of the oysters.

Seafood Platter

Slow Cook Beef Brisket, Mushroom and Caramelized Onion, Toast, Cheese Sauce and Guacamole Parsley is the second course. The beef brisket is tender and easily pulled apart when you cut thought solid toast. The bread used here is solid and hard, suitable to handle the heavy meat and jus from ingredients. I just wish there is some gherkin to balance the richness in this toast.

Slow Cook Beef Brisket, Mushroom and Caramelized Onion,
Toast, Cheese Sauce and Guacamole Parsley

This time around I ordered Orange Pekoe tea to pair with my afternoon tea. The tea is aromatic and well balanced.

Orange Pekoe Ronnefeldt tea

The third course is the combination of sweet and savoury bites base with festive theme. I started with the savoury selections first. Roasted Turkey, Orange Marmalade and Brie Sandwich in Rye Bread & Multigrain Tartlet Roasted Chicken, Cranberries and Raisin Jam, Baby Cress are my pick. The combination of savoury poultry together with sweetness from the fruits sure brought out the flavour of Christmas.

3rd Course

Meanwhile, the Pomegranate, Roasted Beetroot, Cherry Tomato, Frissee and Feta Cheese Salad & Smoked Salmon, Dill Cream Cheese with Lemon Zest in Tortilla Wrap are the more common savoury dishes found in afternoon tea.

From Left Clockwise: Smoked Salmon, Dill Cream Cheese with Lemon Zest in Tortilla Wrap
Pomegranate, Roasted Beetroot, Cherry Tomato, Frissee and Feta Cheese Salad
Multigrain Tartlet Roasted Chicken, Cranberries and Raisin Jam, Baby Cress
Roasted Turkey, Orange Marmalade and Brie Sandwich in Rye Bread

The sweet selections showcase to us the design that synonymous with Christmas. These include Chestnut Mont Blanc, Snow Man, Christmas Gift Box, Santa Sleigh and Christmas Ball.

The Sweet Selections

Chestnut Mont Blanc

Gift Box

My personal pick is the Snow Man and Santa Sleigh. Snow Man contains mango fillings, light and mildly sweet. Meanwhile, Santa Sleigh has a complex design and it delivers solid chocolate flavour. Since this is Christmas desserts, you can expect the desserts to be bold and sweeter. Do try and let me know which one you like as well.

Snow Man

Santa Sleigh

The final course is Scones served with Clotted Cream, Mixed Spiced Apricot Jam & Homemade Strawberry Jam. There are two types of scones, plain and cranberry. My favourite mix is always the combo of strawberry jam and clotted cream. I find the apricot is bit too sweet for my liking.

Scones served with Clotted Cream, Mixed Spiced Apricot Jam & Homemade Strawberry Jam

Overall, Holiday Afternoon Tea at Lobby Lounge will bring you the Christmas Atmosphere during this special period. An option to consider for your Christmas gathering, plus you also get the adorable Conrad Christmas Bear when you have Holiday Afternoon Tea at Lobby Lounge. Cheers!!

Weekend Afternoon Tea Menu

Indulgent Holiday Afternoon Tea at Lobby Lounge

Festive Weekday Afternoon Tea	3:00pm to 6:00pm	Per Adult: S$32++ (Coffee and tea)
Festive Weekend Afternoon Tea	1:00pm to 5:00pm	Adult: S$68++ (Ronnefeldt Tea and Brazilian coffee) S$98++ (Unlimited Prosecco, Ronnefeldt Tea and Brazilian coffee) Child S$49++ (6-12 years old) ( No Seafood)

When:	11 November 2019 to 3 January 2020
Where:	The Lobby Lounge Lobby Level @ Conrad Centennial Singapore
How:	Tel: +65 6432 7483 Email: sinci.lobbylounge@conradhotels.com Website: www.connoisseur.sg

Weekend Afternoon Tea Beverages

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

Food: 8.5/10

Value: 8/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

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

Japanese Fresh Oysters - Sakoshi Bay Oysters @ Ten Sushi

TEN Sushi by Marusaya (“TEN Sushi”) is a casual Japanese dining concept by Marusaya Co., Ltd. Founded in 1962, Marusaya is a wholesaler dedicated to Katsuobushi (dried bonito) for professional use.

Ten Sushi

TEN Sushi focus on premium sushi and contemporary Japanese cuisine prepared with fine ingredients air-flown from Japan. Located in vibrant Robertson Quay where the experience continues past midnight. Ten Sushi open from 5PM till 3 AM. Sushi for supper, No Problem.

The Table Setting

We started our tasting with Japanese Fresh Oysters (Sakoshi Bay Oysters; $28 for 6 pieces, $49 for 12 pieces). This oyster is served chilled topped alternately with tobiko, grated radish soaked with soy sauce and chopped spring onion; or ikura, grated radish soaked in soy sauce and edible chrysanthemums petals. Lemon is served together with the oysters but I don’t think it is needed.

Japanese Fresh Oysters - Sakoshi Bay Oysters

The oysters are plump, creamy and meaty, while the garnish on top added the salty and brainy spark to the oysters. Yum, a good start to the meal and it is suitable with some cold sake.

Japanese Fresh Oysters - Sakoshi Bay Oysters

Ten Assorted Sashimi Deluxe ($58). Consist of tuna, salmon, scallop, squid, sweet prawn, ikura and seasonal fish. One word to describe the sashimi is HUGE!!. The cut of each sashimi is generous and the tuna belly is fatty and delicious. LD like the uni and sweet prawns very much.

Ten Assorted Sashimi Deluxe

Unagi Eel Roll ($18 for 4 pieces, $32for 8 pieces). Another jumbo version of the roll that is not commonly found in Singapore. The unagi is moist with soft bouncy feel to it. The unagi sauce packs of umami flavour with a good balance of sweetness. I like the unique sushi rice, where they added chopped Gari (pickled sushi ginger) to balance any overwhelming flavours from the unagi. Yummy!!

Unagi Eel Roll

Tamagoyaki ($9). This homemade of Japanese rolled omelette is one of the better one that LD & I ever tried outside Japan. The shape is beautiful, while the egg flavour is solid, eggy plus a touch of sweetness. Worth to order on its own.

Tamagoyaki

A4 Wagyu Aburi Sushi. ($18 for 2 pieces, $44 for 5 pieces). Due to the tasting, we have the front seat of looking at how this sushi is prepared. True to its name, the wagyu beef has a nice marbling in it, covering the small sushi rice ball. A touch of sweet sauce and chopped spring onions are added to enhance the flavour of the wagyu. Let’s just say, one-piece won’t be enough. Yummy!!

A4 Wagyu Aburi Sushi - pre torched

A4 Wagyu Aburi Sushi

Aburi Salmon Avocado Roll ($20 for 8 pieces). Our first impression is this roll is very messy. However, the creamy avocado and aburi salmon work nicely in tandem. Topped with chopped onion, spring onions, teriyaki sauce, mayonnaise and tobiko, making it a mouth-watering sushi roll.

Aburi Salmon Avocado Roll

Omakase Sushi (12-piece sushi, roll sushi, $49). Signature sushi combination at Ten Sushi. Provided a good spread of 12 different types of premium sushi, seafood including uni, unagi, tuna belly, salmon belly, scallops and more; plus, roll sushi. Each of the sushi is delicious on its own, providing a good insight into the top-notch quality ingredients used by Ten Sushi. Presented in a slim long plank, it just gave added a WOW factor to the sushi. Two thumbs up.

Omakase Sushi

Sushi Box ($49 for 12 pieces, $98 for 24 pieces). Almost like Omakase sushi, but presented on a big square wooden plank. Good for sharing, but it does not have the same WOW factor as the Omakase Sushi.

Sushi Box - 24 pieces

Dashi Miso Soup ($4). To complete the sushi experience, miso soup is a must. The miso soup is made with the mixed of dashi sold by Marusaya group. The soup tastes more robust with an extra touch umami flavour in it. A perfect way to end the meal.

Dashi Miso Soup

The seating area in Ten Sushi is divided into Chef’s Table and alfresco. Most of the seating is alfresco as it has limited space on the Chef’s table. It utilises the big compound of The Quayside dining hall, making the dining experience more vibrant. The sake list is very compact; however, you can definitely find one that suits your preference.

The Quayside

Overall, Ten Sushi provided an exquisite contemporary Japanese sushi experience. The quality of the ingredients is top-notch and the portions are generous as well. The ambience is vibrant and casual plus you can have it until wee hours in the morning. For the next sushi experience, check out Ten Sushi. Kanpai!! Cheers!!

Thank you very much Jennifer Yeo Consultancy and Ten Sushi Team for hosting us.

Note: In addition to TEN Sushi, the Marusaya Co., Ltd also owns MAI by Dashi Master Marusaya at Bukit Pasoh, Dashi Master Marusaya at Robertson Quay and the new Japanese Italian Omakase restaurant, Monte Risaia.

Food: 8/10

Value: 7.25/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 6.5/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80

TEN Sushi by Marusaya

60 Robertson Quay

#01-09 The Quayside

Singapore 238252

T: +65 6735 0383

W: https://www.bitejapan.sg/ten-en

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

IG: @Tensushibymarusaya

OH: 17.00 – 03.00 Daily

Wellington Fillet @ Roots Mediterranean

Celebrate this joyous Christmas with lavish brunch at Roots Mediterranean. This Christmas, Roots Mediterranean has prepared a scrumptious brunch for you to satiate your festive appetite and spend a gratifying afternoon with your loved ones.

The Menu

The Christmas Brunch is split into 5 sections – ‘Tapas, Mezze and Antipasti’, ‘From the Slicer’, ‘Craving Station’, ‘Served on the Table’, and ‘The Sweet End’.

Sample of Tapas, Mezze and Antipasti

We started our Christmas Brunch tasting with an assorted bread basket. You get different texture and flavours. Our favourite is the crisp layer pastry, I later found the name as Sfogliatella. It is light, crisp and touch of sweetness is just right for a starter instead of desserts. I also like the pineapple Danish pastry.

Assorted Bread Basket

Highlights from the Christmas Menu are:

Oysters Cava served on the table. These plump and brainy oysters can be eaten with a few drops of lemon juice or with cava dressing. They are a delicious companion with a glass of Prosecco or Chianti.

Oysters

Prosecco

Wellington Fillet at Carving Station. The Wellington Fillet is an irresistible dish, as the beef fillet are initially seared, then baked in the blanked of mushrooms and pastry. The result is tender and delicious beef, topped with thick mushroom and red wine sauce.

Wellington Fillet

Wellington Fillet - The Perfectly Cook Beef

Wellington Fillet Sliced

Roasted Lamb at Carving Station. Roasted Lamb is a popular Christmas dish in the Mediterranean, it is also LD’s favourite roast. The charred looking exterior of the lamb helps to seal the natural juice inside the meat. Resulting in tender, succulent meat. For those worried about the gaminess of the lamb, this roast lamb leg is almost free of it. This dish is also served with potato wedges, onion, tomato and olives.

Roasted Lamb

Roasted Wild Range French Yellow Chicken, Truffle Butter and Roasted Potatoes (served on the table). Delightful, truffle filled aromatic dish. The flesh is juicy and succulent, while the skin is paper-thin and crispy. The melted truffle butter is basked on top of the chicken and roast potatoes before serving. Yummy.

Roasted Wild Range French Yellow Chicken, Truffle Butter and Roasted Potatoes

Pizza Lobster and Prawns served on the table. The exquisite version of pizza here. The huge tiger prawns and lobster is seated on Roots Signature pizza base. While the prawns and lobster are delicious, we find the innocent-looking burrata is the ingredient that holds everything together.

Pizza Lobster and Prawns

For the sweet ending, don’t miss out of the traditional Panettone with Tiramisu Cream and the Christmas Dessert Buffet.

Panettone with Tiramisu Cream

Part of Desserts Line Up

Lemon Meringue Pie

Italian and Spanish Cheese Buffet

Lavish Christmas Brunch at Roots Mediterranean

When: Christmas Day, 25 December 2019

Time: 11AM to 4PM

Price:

Adult $98+ with Prosecco and Chianti

Adult $78+ with Soft Drink

Kids from 8 to 12 $35+

Kids below 8 dine for free

For reservation, call 6463 4206

[GIVEAWAY] Mention CHUBBY BOTAK KOALA when booking the Christmas Brunch, you will receive a bottle of Prosecco to bring home after your meal.

Quote "Chubby Botak Koala" on reservation
and bring home a bottle of prosecco

Thank you very much to Jennifer Yeo Consultancy and Roots Mediterranean team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 8.5/10

Value: 7.75/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $26 - $50,

Roots Mediterranean

2 Greenwood Avenue

Singapore 289189

T: +65 6463 4206

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

IG: @Rootsmediterranean

OH:

11.00 – 23.00 Daily

Sunday Brunch: 11.00 – 16.00

Signature Uni Pudding @Monte Risaia

Monte Risaia is a new Omakase restaurant specialised in Japanese inspired Italian cuisine. The menu is prepared using premium and seasonal ingredients from Japan. Executive Chef Taizo Yamada and his culinary team, create a delicate and delicious meal.

Monte Risaia Entrance

With its Omakase concept, most of the seating at Monte Risaia is located at the Chef’s Table. Diners will be able to see Chef Yamada with his team at work, preparing the delicious dishes in front of you. It is a dream of a foodie to be able to dine and see the chef at work at the same time. There are two mini private dining area that can seat 4 people each if you want a more traditional seating arrangement.

Main Dining Area - Chef's Table

Private Dining Area

We tried 4-course dinner priced at $98 per person.

The Menu

Starter, Signature Uni Pudding. The Hokkaido Uni is served with clam dashi jelly base. The texture of the pudding is thick, smooth, velvety and creamy. The natural seafood flavour is refreshing and the uni just elevates this dish to a different level. Yummy, a great starter.

Signature Uni Pudding

The appetiser is a complete palate teaser. It consists of:

The Appetiser

- Fresh Japanese Oysters from Sakoshi Baythat is plump, silky and refreshing

Fresh Japanese Oysters from Sakoshi Bay

- Mushroom (Australian) Salad with Parmesan and Truffle Oil. The mushroom tasted raw, however, together with the parmesan and truffle oil, it helps to smoothen the flavour of the mushrooms.

Mushroom (Australian) Salad with Parmesan and Truffle Oil.

- Sea bream with Asparagus. Combining the delicate flavour and texture of the sea bream with the crunchiness of the asparagus.

Sea bream with Asparagus

- Bruschetta with Arrabbiata on Brioche. Bold tomato flavour served on top of crispy sweet toasted brioche.

Bruschetta with Arrabbiata on Brioche

- San Daniele Ham with Burrata. Delicious ham pair with creamy burrata. A bit mini in size, it was so good that I was hoping for a bigger piece of the burrata.

San Daniele Ham with Burrata

Pasta, Signature Shiso & Omaru Dashi Pasta served with Crab, Shiso (Japanese perilla), Omaru Lobster Dashi and Tomato. The al-dente pasta infused with the robust lobster dashi. The flavour is naturally sweet, accentuate further with the refreshing flavour from Shiso leaves and tanginess from the chopped tomato.

Signature Shiso & Omaru Dashi Pasta

Carne, Maple Leaf Duck from USA and Aging Akagi Wagyu Ichibo (Japan). Both of the meat is cooked perfectly to medium-rare. The duck breast is juicy, succulent with a bit of springiness in the texture. Meanwhile, the lean looking Akagi Wagyu beef is tasty and soft, similar to filet mignon cut. Both meats are lightly sprinkled with salt for taste. The greens on the side are topped with shaved pecorino cheese, olive oil and touch of balsamic vinegar.

Maple Leaf Duck from USA and Aging Akagi Wagyu Ichibo (Japan)

Maple Leaf Duck from USA

To accompany your dining experience, Monte Risaia has a free flow drink menu list starting from $48 for 90 minutes; or you can order from ala-carte drink menu as well.

Overall, it was a unique gastronomic experience dining Monte Risaia. The dishes are well executed, focusing on Italian dishes with Japanese influence. There is no specific allocated seating time allocated, you just need to make reservation according to the availabilities. Saluti!! Kanpai!! Cheers!!

Thank you very much Jennifer Yeo Consultancy and Monte Risaia Team for hosting us.

Note: Monte Risaia is a concept by the Marusaya Co., Ltd, who also owns MAI by Dashi Master Marusaya at Bukit Pasoh, Dashi Master Marusaya at Robertson Quay and the new Japanese Italian Omakase restaurant, and TEN Sushi at The Quayside.

Food: 8/10

Value: 7/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 8/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 and Above

Monte Risaia

59 Duxton Road

Singapore 089523

T: +65 6970 0067

F: https://www.facebook.com/monte.risaia/

IG: @Monte.risaia.sg

OH:

Mon – Sat: 18.00 – Midnight

Closed on Sundays

New Bedford Scallop, Butternut Pumpkin Sauce, Crispy Potato Crumbs

As we enter the year 2020, Chinese New Year celebration is almost upon us. At Conrad Centennial Singapore, Golden Peony’s Master Chef Ku Keung skilfully weaves his magic ladle to create the sumptuous dishes to welcome the year of the Golden Mouse

Golden Peony’s Master Chef Ku Keung

Fortune Yu Sheng - Part 1

Fortune Yu Sheng - Part 2

Fortune Yu Sheng - Part 3

The huge fortune Yu Sheng that can feed more than 30 people are assembled before our arrival. While shaved carrot, radish and cucumber are the most commonly used vegetables, Master Chef Ku Keung added some fresh greens to the yu sheng mix. The topping includes abalone and salmon, it created a crunchy, refreshing and well-balanced yu sheng.

CCS CNY Yu Sheng
Image Credit: Conrad Centennial Singapore

Fortune Yu Sheng

New Bedford Scallop, Butternut Pumpkin Sauce, Crispy Potato Crumbs. Beautifully plated on ocean them decorated plates. The scallop is nicely seared, sweet, bouncy and delicate at the same time. The butternut sauce is packs of punch, together with the curry leaf can easily be mistaken for salted egg sauce. Meanwhile, the crispy potato crumbs added a different texture to the mix.

New Bedford Scallop, Butternut Pumpkin Sauce, Crispy Potato Crumbs.

Sous Vide Iberico Pork Collar ‘Char Siew’. The Iberico pork is marinated with char siew sauce and sous vide to perfection. It is then coated with melted sugar and torched for the finishing touch to give the char siew the additional sweetness, crystal look and crunchy exterior texture. The meat just melts in your mouth and it is absent the bitterness of the regular roast char siew.

Sous Vide Iberico Pork Collar ‘Char Siew’ - Finishing Touch

Sous Vide Iberico Pork Collar ‘Char Siew’.

Crispy Soft-Shell Crab, Parsnip Puree with Spiced Salt. It is light and crispy. The creamy parsnip puree feels like a healthy version of mayonnaise. Delicate and good for snacks

Crispy Soft-Shell Crab, Parsnip Puree with Spiced Salt.

Prosperity Eight Treasure Congee with Black Truffle. A comforting vegetarian dish at Golden Peony. The ingredients are nicely placed and the medley of flavours is just amazing. I nicknamed it Bibimbap from Golden Peony. You can taste the robust broth used to cook the smooth and silky congee. Served with pickled vegetables and fried dough. The final touch is the shaved truffle and truffle oil. I have this for the second year running and the taste still amazes me.

Prosperity Eight Treasure Congee with Black Truffle

Steamed Sea Perch with Spiced Coconut Milk. A Nanyang inspired dish. The fish together with spiced coconut milk is poached inside a parchment pepper. The fish is firm, flaky and absorbs the curry-like gravy, while the vegetables retain its crunchy texture, especially the asparagus. Golden Peony version of Fish Curry.

Steamed Sea Perch with Spiced Coconut Milk

Roasted Suckling Pig filled with Portuguese Chicken Rice. Every year Master Chef Ku Keung has to come out with a creative stuffing for this signature suckling pig. This year, it is Portuguese Chicken Rice. The jasmine rice is cooked with turmeric powder, chicken, ground cumin and coconut milk. It is aromatic and delicious, infused nicely to the thin layer of pork meat. Covering those is the super crispy and crackling suckling pig skin. A dish that I always look forward to every year at Golden Peony. Yummy!!

Roasted Suckling Pig filled with Portuguese Chicken Rice

Dessert is Chilled Dragon Fruit with Crystal Ball. Refreshing with a delicate combination of sweet and sour. A solid ending to the delicious meal.

Chilled Dragon Fruit with Crystal Ball

Overall, it is always a pleasure to taste the food created by Master Chef Ku Keung and his team. The Prosperity Eight Treasure Congee with Black Truffle, Roasted Suckling Pig filled with Portuguese Chicken Rice and Bedford Scallop, Butternut Pumpkin Sauce, Crispy Potato Crumbs are the highlights of this year dining experience. Cheers!!

Thank you very much Conrad Centennial Singapore for the tasting invitation.

After a Satisfying Meal

Blossoming Fortune – Chinese New Year Celebration at Conrad Centennial Singapore

When: 6^th January to 8^th February 2020

Where: Golden Peony and Festive Takeaway Conrad Centennial Singapore

Price: Lunar New Year Menu from $128++ per person or $1,398++ for table of 10 pax.

Reservation: www.connoisseur.sg or call Golden Peony at +65 6432 7482 / 88

For Festive Takeaway: Email: sinci.festive@conradhotels.com / call +65 6432 7489

The CNY Menu and Brochure are available at www.connoisseur.sg

Food & Drink: 8.5/10

Value: 7/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 9/10

Budget per Person: $51 - $80; $81 and Above

Golden Peony

2 Temasek Boulevard

3F, Conrad Centennial Singapore

Singapore 038982

T: +65 6432 7482/88

W: http://bit.ly/cbk-GoldenPeony

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

OH:

Mon – Sat: 11.30 – 14.30; 18.30 – 22.30

Sun: 10.30 – 14.30; 18.30 – 22.30

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