A Love Affair with Singaporean Food

Top Spots for Dim Sum in Singapore

2010-11-18T18:03:00.004+08:00

Everybody knows I am a huge dim sum fan, and so I am often asked to recommend where to go for the best dim sum in Singapore. This is a tough question, as there are several top choices to be had. Also, the restaurant heading up that top spot tends to change on a regular basis.

I would obviously also vary my recommendation based on who is asking. Recently, however I put together a definitive Top Ten Spots for Dim Sum in Singapore list for NileGuide.com and so if you are looking for some suggestions, you should head on over to the NileGuide Singapore pages and check it out - you can even download it as a pdf file and store it on your ipod or iphone for future reference - how handy is that?

Here's a wee teaser for you - five of those included in the top ten list:
1. Yum Cha - I have put this in the top spot as I think it is great for visitors to Singapore: it's in the heart of Chinatown and has that great buzz that a dim sum restaurant should have. It's also one of the only places to experience trolley service in Singapore (only at weekends).

2. Royal China at Raffles - for an elegant dim sum affair. This is where to bring clients or that special someone you want to impress.

3. Crystal Jade Golden Palace - this is my current favourite place for dim sum, and you will often find me and Mr Greedy Glutton propping up the bar and tucking into a selection of dumplings. The food is outstanding.

4. Red Star - I actually didn't rate the food all that much when I visited, although I know many people do. But it is probably the most authentic place to enjoy dim sum in Singapore, from an atomsphere point of view... be prepared to queue!

5. Dim Joy - a great place for dim sum novices - the chopsticks even come with instructions!

Further descriptions, contact details etc are all available on the downloadable guide on NileGuide.

Probably the Best Ribs in the World

2010-07-23T12:53:00.003+08:00

I’m just back from a week chilling in my fave place in the world – Bali. We decided to mix things up a bit this time and actually spend a few days in Ubud, instead of just being ‘fabulous’ in Seminyak (of course we saved some time for that too…)

One of the reasons to head to Ubud was, obviously, to check out the renowned eateries in the area – and top of my list was Naughty Nuri’s. This roadside warung has built itself a reputation over the years for serving mean martinis – and succulent barbecue ribs. A strange combination, I agree – but one I wasn’t going to miss out on.

We were lucky to find ourselves a table as soon as we arrived, as within just a few minutes people were bunching around the tables waiting for a space. The first thing we did was order a martini of course – they were out of vodka, so it was two Gin Martinis with an Olive, shaken vigorously at our table and generously poured out into chilled glasses.

Now this was a powerful potion – it took us way longer than it should have done to finish it. But well deserving of its reputation (it has been named ‘Best Martini in Bali’ by Hello Bali mag).

Once we were feeling nicely warmed from our cocktails (don’t you just love the way a martini warms you from the toes up…), we went and checked out the barbecue. Naughty Nuri’s barbecue is set up on the street – as basic as you like.

But there is nothing basic about the flavour of the food coming off it. The ribs had been marinated in a sticky sweet sauce, and the meat was falling off the bones and mouth-meltingly succulent. Oh my goodness – I just know these ribs will be in my dreams years from now.

We also spied a burger on a neighbouring table which looked hugely promising so we ordered one of these to share too. Unfortunately it just didn’t live up to its looks – bland and uninteresting, definitely one to avoid.

The Chicken Satays however were an honourable accompaniment, tender and juicy and beautifully marinaded.

But at the end of the day, it’s all about those ribs. If this were a Carlsberg commercial, it would go something like this: Naughty Nuri’s – probably the best barbecue ribs in the world.

Celebrity Chefs and non-celebrity Dim Sum

2010-06-22T15:57:00.005+08:00

The Marina Bay Sands complex officially opens this week, with its impressive Skypark, casino, shopping mall and celebrity chef restaurants, I headed down there a few days ago to check out progress.

Obviously what intrigued me most was the celebrity chef restaurants – there’s been a lot of excitement in the Greedy Glutton house about the arrival of world-famous names such as Santi Santamaria, Guy Savoy, Wolfgang Puck and Tetsuya Wakuda. Such is their status, they have been awarded their own ‘wing’ within Marina Bay Sands, reached by dedicated lifts.

It’s an impressive setting when you emerge from the lift – an enormous atrium, with views down over the entire casino, so you can watch the old ladies lining up their chips on the roulette tables.

Out of the celebrity chef restaurants, only Santi and Guy Savoy are currently open, although both were closed for lunch. There was no menu displayed outside Santi, but we did spend a few moments marvelling at their wine collection displayed in the window. Guy Savoy’s peepy-hole windows provided another entertaining diversion, as did the menu – or the prices displayed on it to be more precise. Crispy Sea Bass main course? $120.00++. Five course degustation menu? $340.00++ (without drink). Not for a cheap night out then.

Also sharing the celebrity chef wing is a new branch of home-grown favourite Imperial Treasure – Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine. Realising that this was rather more within our budget, we took a table for lunch.

The restaurant’s décor is modern and opulent, with its deep-sofa booths and contemporary floral centrepieces, and befitting of its glam surroundings. Its high-end aspirations are evident as soon as you cross the threshold, when you are greeted with wafts of truffle – which is liberally applied throughout the menu.

We, however, opted for rather more humble selection of dim sum, including Barbecue Pork in Honey Sauce, Baked Char Siu Bao, Har Kau, Crispy Beancurd Roll with Shrimp and Custard Buns with Salted Egg Yolk. All of it was delicious – fresh, hot and tasty – and even served with a smile.

The chefs at Imperial Treasure may not enjoy the international stardom of their next-door neighbours, but the food they produced today for our lunch certainly kept this Greedy Glutton more than happy… and perhaps more importantly – it was affordable!

You can read more about Marina Bay Sands opening on my NileGuide blog here.

Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine - http://www.marinabaysands.com/Restaurants/Imperial_Treasure_Fine_Chinese_Cuisine.aspx

Best Chicken Rice in Town?

2010-06-07T18:21:00.005+08:00

I recently checked out Tian Tian Chicken Rice at Maxwell Road FC to see what all the fuss is about... actually I have been down to Maxwell Road on several occasions to try it out, but I always seem to go there when Tian Tian is closed.

This time I lucked out, however and had the opportunity to try out this legendary stall's offerings, which has had my fellow food bloggers and local chicken rice fanatics rhapsodising for years.

Of course there was a big queue, but we all know that means it’s worth the wait! And yes, I should say it was – the rice was full of stock-y flavours and the chicken was as moist and tender as you would hope.

So a big thumbs up from me, and definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already.

You can read more about Chicken Rice on my NileGuide blog here.

Tian Tian Chicken Rice, Maxwell Road FC

NileGuide Local Expert

2010-06-04T13:12:00.003+08:00

I have a new blogging position - I am now the Local Expert for Singapore for NileGuide. So if you are interested in all things Singaporean other than food - come along and follow my NileGuide blog!

Over at NileGuide they have local experts from around the world updating their blogs and the website content, so it's a great resource for when you're planning a holiday, to get on-the-ground local insight. I am slowly updating all the content on Singapore within the travel resource section for them, so come check it out if you're planning a holiday to Singapore!

Of course I will still be updating the Greedy Glutton blog - and if there are any food-related posts on my NileGuide blog, I'll add a link here too.

Can't hang around - I'm off for some Chicken Rice for lunch...

Congee for Breakfast

2010-05-15T09:40:00.004+08:00

It’s hard to believe, but despite having lived in Singapore for nearly three years I have never eaten Congee… until now.

Determined that my first bowl of congee was going to be a memorable one, I conducted a lot of research before venturing out on my porridge quest, and Zhen Zhen Porridge at Maxwell Road Food Centre continually came out on top of ratings. The Makansutra Guide gives it 6 chopsticks, putting it in the highest ‘Die Die Must Try!’ category, and it also gets the thumbs up from many of my fellow local food bloggers.

Even so, I wasn’t quite prepared for the length of queue this stall commanded. Undeterred, I stood patiently in line, convincing myself that if all these other people were queuing, well – it had to be worth the wait.

Forty minutes later (yes, 40 … 4-0 minutes later) I finally reached the front, where I realised I had absolutely no idea what to order, and all the signage was in Chinese.

I smiled and held up one finger “One bowl, please.”
The auntie on the stall refused to return my smile, barking instead “Fish?”
“OK,” I replied, unsure of what my other options were.
She plucked an egg from a large bowlful beside her “You want?”
“OK!” and I joined the others to the left of the counter to await my bowl, observing how they seasoned their porridge when it arrived, so that when my turn came I would look like a seasoned (excused the pun) pro.

I returned to the table delighted with myself, and trying to ignore the fact that the egg the auntie and held up to me had just been cracked raw into the side of my porridge - I had had romantic notions of it having been stirred through in a carbonara-esque type of way. Nevertheless I tucked in (I’d like to say enthusiastically, but perhaps a more suitable adverb would be cautiously), Mr Greedy Glutton watching my every move (he knew he was next).

Obviously I have nothing to compare it to, but Zhen Zhen is famous for its super-smooth porridge – they cook and churn the porridge until all the rice grains have disappeared. It is then sprinkled with spring onions, chai poh (preserved radish) and fried shallots, which, together with the fish, give some welcome flavour to an otherwise bland dish. I did kind of regret not ordering a side order of yu sheng (raw fish) plate to accompany it, as I’m sure this also would have provided some form of flavour injection.

I have to confess I didn’t eat a huge amount of my porridge – Mr Greedy Glutton’s Chicken Rice from Tian Tian Chicken Rice looked far more appealing. But I’m pleased that I tried it and I now know if I am stranded at breakfast time in some remote corner of Asia - I will survive.

A Travesty

2010-05-10T17:57:00.003+08:00

I was recently researching the best places for local breakfasts in Singapore for a magazine article when I discovered Casuarina Curry just a stone’s throw from where I live. I walk past this place almost every day but hadn’t once stepped through its doors until now. The original Casuarina Curry is on Casuarina Road and has quite an avid following from the Roti Prata-loving Singapore public, and judging by this off-shoot on Killiney Road – I can see why.

Roti Prata, for those who have yet to become acquainted, is a pancake-like Indian flatbread, which is skilfully made by kneading, oiling, folding and flattening freshly made dough, then frying it on an iron skillet. A good Prata place will perform all of this in front of you, before dishing it up with an accompanying curry sauce – usually chicken or mutton.

Roti Prata is traditionally served plain, or mixed with egg, although Casuarina Curry also appeals to the more adventurous, offering up fillings such as mushroom, cheese – or even durian and pineapple.

I lamely opted for the plain and egg, which was beautifully crispy and flaky, yet satisfyingly chewy with a slightly greasy finish. Just perfect for dipping into the accompanying generous serving of chicken curry.

Delighted with my discovery, I wasted no time in dragging Mr Greedy Glutton back with me a few days later, and we vowed to return again soon.

Well, you can imagine my dismay then when I walked past a few days later to see that the shophouse had been gutted! Several days followed when I watched with anticipation as the builders and decorators transformed the space, wondering what new culinary delight would be joining local legendary neighbours such as Killiney Koptiam, Warung M Nasir, Chicken Rice Express and Killiney Curry Puff.

And then finally it opened, and I found myself open-mouthed in the middle of the street gaping towards… a Domino’s Pizza.

Is there nothing sacred in this world today?

What a travesty.

Casuarina Curry - http://www.casuarinacurry.com/

Mod Oz in Sentosa

2010-03-19T17:54:00.004+08:00

Universal Studios opened to the public at Resorts World Sentosa yesterday to great fanfare and sell-out crowds. To be honest I’m not all that fussed by rollercoasters and movie-themed rides. Nor am I partial to a spot of gambling, so the casino doesn’t really hold much draw for me either. What does excite me, of course, is the new batch of restaurants due to open within the complex.

So impatient am I, that I took a walk around the resort a couple of weeks ago to check on progress and was delighted to see that one of these hotly anticipated restaurants – Osia – was due to open the very next day. So I wasted no time in booking a table for lunch and went along this week to check it out.

Osia is the new enterprise for Aussie chef Scott Webster, proprietor of the famous restaurant in London of the same name. Due to family commitments, Webster was forced to close his London venue, and now three years later he is setting up again – this time here in sunny Sentosa.

Osia offers a welcome contrast to the madness (and lets be honest – tackiness) of its external surroundings. The muted tones, cool marble flooring and shimmering tiled bar all ooze Melbourne chic, whilst the large wall-length windows allow plenty of sunlight to spill through.

The menu is equally pleasing on the eye, epitomising what I believe is referred to as ‘Mod Oz’ these days – Australian ingredients presented with a contemporary twist and a hint of fusion for good measure.

Considering the choices on offer, the lunch menu is astoundingly good value – 2 courses for $35.00, 3 courses for $45.00, or 4 courses for $55.00. What I particularly like is that the customer can choose which courses to opt into – if you just want to go for the dessert and cheese, then that’s ok with Osia…

We instead started at the beginning, with the bread, which is actually an additional $8.00 on top. But it was certainly worth it. With two types of Stonearth Flatbread on offer, we opted for the Red Centre Spice version. This was warm, soft, chewy and beautifully seasoned – but even more excitingly was served with a baby toothpaste tube full of Pistachio Cream Cheese. Delicious and dainty - what a promising start to the meal.

Moving on to the set menu, I kicked off with the Australian Veal Tenderloin Carpaccio, served with Olive Raisin Tapenade and Cabernet Mustard. This was a very generous serving of the thinly sliced melt-in-your-mouth veal, the tapenade and mustard combo providing a fabulous sweet and sour contrast.

My lunch date opted for the Mandagery Creek Venison, served with Polenta Crumbed Foie Gras, Poached Daikon and Caramelised Banana, Rum & Raisin. The Venison was sensational – perfectly cooked and tender, the accompaniments giving an interesting range of textures and tastes. Particularly noteworthy was the foie gras, which melted beneath its crunchy polenta coating.

So far so good, on to the main courses. This time I chose the Line Caught Sea Bass, served with Preserved Lemon, Vine Tomato, Whipped Parmesan Potato and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Again this was a generous portion, the sea bass beautifully cooked and the accompanying salsa giving perfect balance to the dish.

I have to confess to being slightly envious of my lunch date’s main course however – the Spiced Braised Pork Cheeks served with Capellini and Snow Peas. This was heavenly, the super-soft pork smothered in a tangy Asian-influenced sauce, the soft capellini melting under the crisp snap of the peas.

We were really feeling pretty full by now, but we couldn’t leave without sampling the desserts, so we ordered one of each choice from the set menu: the Golden Apple Tart with King Island Double Cream and Nougat Ice Cream.

And the ridiculously decadent, smotheringly scrumptious Valrhona Hot Chocloate Soup with Black Pepper Ice Cream and Sesame Crisp. Yes, it really is as wicked as it sounds…

There’s nothing not to love about Osia (if you don’t look out the window to the garish buidings that surround it) and all the dishes we sampled were nothing short of sensational. The menu is inventive without being pretentious, the flavours and textures are so well paired and balanced that every mouthful was a pure pleasure. On top of this, the wait staff were friendly, knowledgeable and attentive.

All too often, supposedly good-value set lunches at fine-dining restaurants can leave you feeling slightly short changed, with the measly portions that they dish up. We certainly didn’t feel that way as we waddled out of Osia, vowing to return another day soon.

Best Cantonese Restaurant in the World?

2010-02-11T14:42:00.004+08:00

So how do you top Michelin stars for lunch and dinner? You follow it up with a Three Michelin-starred restaurant of course!

Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hotel is the only Cantonese restaurant in Hong Kong to be awarded the highest possible accolade from Michelin of Three Stars – and only one of two Three-starred restaurants in the city (the other goes to the same hotel’s French restaurant, Caprice).

In fact, I’ve done some research and as far as I can see, this is the only Chinese restaurant in the World so far to have been awarded Michelin’s top prize. So, I guess we can deduce that, according to Michelin, Lung King Heen is the best Chinese restaurant in the World…

Exciting stuff indeed, and I was beside myself when Mr Greedy Glutton agreed to take me there for dinner (I justified this by pointing out that on our first night in Hong Kong we had gone to a hole-in-the-wall noodle joint and, ahem, I had paid…). Regardless of the justifications for being here, here we were and determined to make the most of it.

Much is made of the view from Lung King Heen, with floor to ceiling windows providing sweeping vistas across the harbour to Kowloon. Unfortunately low fog was set in throughout our stay so we couldn’t take advantage of this. The service, though it has to be said, was impeccable – discreet yet attentive and friendly, as they steered us through the menu knowledgably to make our choices:

Pan-fried Prawns with Chilli and Shallots – a plate piled high with enormous prawns in a sumptuous sweet and spicy sticky sauce

Australian Wagyu Beef Cheek in Casserole – this was outstanding, the beef so tender it was almost gooey.

Stir-fried Vegetables with Beansprouts, which was laced with scrumptiously sticky beancurd strips

All accompanied with an incredible Fried Rice with Lobster and Seafood – my only regret with this was that I wasn’t staying at home where I could take the leftovers home for my lunch the next day.

Well, I’m not really experienced enough to judge whether this is the best Cantonese in the world (I understand that a lot of Chinese restaurant ratings are based on their ability to produce outstanding results with the likes of Birds Nest, Sharks Fin, Abalone etc – none of which I am particularly partial to). But it was probably one of the best I’ve had the pleasure of eating – and definitely a notch up from the previous night’s meal at one-starred Lei Garden. It will certainly be interesting to see what happens if and when Michelin come to Singapore…

Lung King Heen - http://www.fourseasons.com/hongkong/dining/lung_king_heen.html

Another Star for Dinner

2010-02-10T18:26:00.003+08:00

I was still bursting to the brim from my fabulous late lunch, but as I had dared to go there without Mr Greedy Glutton in tow, I was forced to sacrifice my figure to join him for dinner just a few hours later. Slightly disgruntled that I had notched up my first Michelin Star without him, I managed to placate him by booking another starred restaurant for dinner, choosing Lei Garden in Wan Chai – basically due to its proximity to our hotel.

The restaurant provides a cosy comfortable setting, despite its grand size, and we were given a table with a great view of the weird and wonderful contents of the fish tank, where we spent much time wondering exactly who orders a fish that’s almost the size of our table…

Once we finally got round to the menu, we were fairly modest with our ordering – choosing just three dishes: The Braised Boned Pork Ribs with Sweet & Sour Sauce, served with steamed buns – this was beautifully succulent, the flesh just falling apart under our chopsticks and melting in the mouth, the sweet and sour sauce perfect for dipping the buns into.

Beef Cubes with Spring Onion and Scallion – perfectly tender cubes of beef and vegetables tossed in with a slightly spicy sauce

And the King Prawn in Superior Soy Sauce – which surprised us by arriving as just one prawn each… however we forgave the frugality when we tasted the sauce – sticky and tangy and delicious.

This was a great way to follow up my first flirtation with a starred establishment, and our satisfaction continued when the bill arrived – around SGD$120 for both of us, including a couple of beers each.

So I finished my first day in Hong Kong feeling very satisfied, very spoilt and yes, very full.

Lei Garden, Wan Chai, Hong Kong - http://www.leigarden.hk/

World’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant

2010-02-09T13:15:00.006+08:00

As soon as I discovered that Hong Kong is home to the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world, it went straight to the top of my list of lunch spots to try. Tucked away on a back street in Kowloon, the unpretentious – almost shabby – surroundings of Tim Ho Wan are not what you would normally associate with a restaurant awarded the most sought after accolade in the culinary world. But then Michelin doesn’t award stars based on ambience or service, rather they concentrate on the following important aspects: Quality and compatibility of ingredients; Technical skill and flair that goes into the preparation; Clarity and combination of flavours; Value for money; Taste and Consistency.

In addition to its Michelin star, Tim Ho Wan has also recently featured in several local Hong Kong newspapers and magazines, and word has quickly got round that this place is serving up some of the best Char Siew Bao in town. The throng of people crowding the pavement waiting patiently to take a seat, was therefore inevitable – even though I had deliberately avoided the lunch rush and arrived after 3pm.

The crowd was good-natured though, with everyone united in their excitement of what lay ahead. Within just a few minutes I had made a whole crowd of new friends, with everyone wanting to know how I, as the only non-local among them, knew to come here; checking what I had ticked off from my list; and ensuring I had included Char Siew Bao (“They’re the best!”).

So strong was the camaraderie, that when one man realised he no longer had time to wait and handed my his ticket – thus vastly bumping me up the queue, nobody took offence – they all congratulated me on my good luck and seemed genuinely excited for me.

So just 30 minutes into my queuing time, I found myself squeezed into the corner of the little café – although I admit I did feel slightly guilty when my lunch companion told me she had been waiting one and a half hours to eat.

And so finally to the food. Of course, having continually heard that “they’re the best!”, it would have been foolish not to try the Char Siew Bao – and wow, they certainly delivered.

Baked, not steamed, the pastry with its crispy sugary coating, melted in the mouth, revealing sticky, sweet, succulent pork within. Now I don’t want to be melodramatic here, but I almost cried on my first mouthful it was that good.

The Har Kau was equally impressive – not only were the chunky prawns fresher than fresh, but even the translucent casing tasted good…

The Mixed Vegetable Dumpling with Sour & Spicy Sauce was a tumble of beautifully fresh vegetables, lightly sautéed in vinegar and doused in a spicy sauce to stunning effect

And the Siew Mai offered up bundles of juicy pork and prawns.

I had ordered what I thought was far too much just so I could taste a selection of dishes – after all, this is the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world, and indeed my meal only came to HKD$58.00 (about SGD$10.00). However, it was so scrumptious I just kept on eating – telling myself “just one more”, and by the time I’d finished having “just one more”, somehow all the baskets were empty.

So yes, I can happily say that Tim Ho Wan really is worth the wait. Needless to say, don’t come here if you are in a rush - I’ve heard that the queues can last up to 3 hours! I guess you could always nip round the corner to the Ladies’ Market and stock up on knock-off handbags while you wait... but just make sure you don’t miss your number being called or you’ll end up at the back of queue again – trust me it happened to someone while I was waiting… and yes, he almost cried.

Tim Ho Wan - 2-8 Kwong Wah St., Mong Kok, Hong Kong

My Michelin Starred Week

2010-01-28T11:08:00.000+08:00

So I’m currently in Hong Kong, where I am exploring the city with my Michelin guide firmly ensconced in my hand. I am happy to report that over the last two days I have managed to tuck five Michelin stars under my belt! Yes five… one each for lunch and dinner on Tuesday and three last night! That’s not to say I am being extravagant mind – my lunch on Tuesday came to a grand total of HKD$58.00 (that’s just SGD$10.00!)

Suffice to say I am having the time of my life and am looking forward to reporting back with the highlights when I am back in Singapore next week.

Cold Cuts & Cheese

2010-01-22T18:29:00.002+08:00

There’s a new Jones the Grocer in town… I’ve never really been a fan of the one at Dempsey- I find the whole feel of sitting in the middle of a deli having lunch decidedly odd. Plus their service has never been much cop.

However, Mr Greedy Glutton was having cold cuts and cheese cravings, so we thought we’d go check out the new Jones and the new Mandarin Gallery while we were at it. Firstly – I have to say, the Mandarin Gallery is a welcome addition to the Orchard shopping scene. I know, I know, there is really no need for yet another shopping mall on Orchard Road, but at least this one sets itself apart from the others, opting for at least half occupancy of small independent boutiques rather than the usual spectrum of high street fashion stores.

But we weren’t there to shop, we were there to eat. The interior of Jones is a vast improvement on its Dempsey space – more restaurant than deli, with sleek brown wood and subdued lighting.

The cheese counter also got a big thumbs up from us – not tucked away in a little room a la Dempsey, but proudly displayed in the window for all to see – and a very impressive selection they have too.

As we were there to fulfil a craving, we opted for one of the platters – the customers’ choice from a selection of cold meats, cheeses and antipasti. We went for the choice of 5 – very reasonably priced at $39.00++, choosing the French Salami, Italian Parma Ham

and three cheeses: the Delice – a beautifully decadent triple-cream soft cheese, the Morbier – a semi-soft cows' milk cheese, best known for the layer of ash through its centre, and everyone’s favourite blue – the Roquefort. These were all chosen with the help of a most informative Jones’ employee who was happy to talk us through all the different cheeses, complete with descriptions and historical background – very impressive.

I’m happy to report that Jones didn’t scrimp on their portions – we even had left over cheese to take home with us, and combined with a bread basket and a pumpkin and feta salad (not on their usual weekend lunch menu, but they were happy to oblige) we had a fine feast of a lunch.

Unfortunately our January ‘detox’ meant that we didn’t enjoy a glass of red to go with it – what a waste…. But there we go, there’s my excuse to go back.

Jones the Grocer, Mandarin Gallery, Orchard Road - http://www.jonesthegrocer.com/

Robertson Quay Chilli Crab

2010-01-15T17:19:00.003+08:00

To me, Chilli Crab has always been synonymous with the East Coast Seafood Centre – the chilled out vibe, and breezy atmosphere is perfect for tucking into the juicy, spicy sauce-smothered crustaceans. Last week, however, circumstances led us to visit Red House on Robertson Quay with friends who were in town for the evening.

Bearing in mind that I have walked past this restaurant several times a week for the past 6 months, it really was way overdue a visit, especially as it is not only packed out on most nights, but it always smells incredibly inviting as you walk past.

Well, it was worth the wait I can tell you – and I would even go so far as to say that this is the best chilli crab I have had so far in over two years in Singapore. Unfortunately the service wasn’t quite as great, meaning the crab arrived a full 20 minutes after we had finished everything else… but again it was worth the wait – the crab meat was fleshy and juicy with two of the biggest claws I’ve ever seen, whilst the chilli sauce was lusciously spicy and silky for dipping our buns into.

We also checked out another of their signature dishes – the Creamy Custard Prawns. The story behind this dish goes that in the past customers had complained that the Butter Prawns served up at Red House were both too dry and greasy. So the chefs worked on remedying this by creating this non-deep fried dish that is still butter-based but has the juicy Tiger Prawns smothered in a slightly sweet, creamy sauce. The result is outstanding and is definitely recommended.

Alongside these two signature dishes, we also checked out the Sautéed Beef Fillet with Ginger and Spring Onion, which was beautifully tender and tasty:

And a fragrant and succulent whole steamed Star Garoupa, Hong Kong Style.

Throw in some rice, some vegetables and a chilled bottle of Chablis, and we were some very happy customers – my only regret is that it has taken me six months to get around to trying it… I can assure you it won’t be another six months before I go back.

Red House Seafood, Robertson Quay - http://www.redhouseseafood.com/

Tanglin Japanese

2010-01-11T16:52:00.003+08:00

You’d think after all that food we sampled in Japan (more from Kyoto later) that I’d be looking for a break from Japanese food for a while – well, that’s what I thought until those kind folk down at Tetsu invited me down for a tasting of their menu.

Tetsu is easily overlooked, even if you find yourself in Tanglin Mall, tucked away as it is in the corner of the 3rd floor (I myself have been in this mall several times over the last few months and never really known there was a gem of a Japanese restaurant lurking above my head). Once you find your way up there though, you will find a stylish modern restaurant offering fantastic cuisine, attentive service and a welcome respite from all those screaming children that litter the floor of Café Beviamo on the 1st floor (sorry yummy mummies….)

We were given free reign of the menu for our tasting, and we certainly made the most of it – although the restaurant specialises in tempura and tonkatsu, there are pages and pages of other tempting goodies, and we dedicatedly ordered several items from each page – here are some of the highlights.

We kicked off with some Fugu Mirin Boshi (Dried Puffer Fish) – we all know that Fugu can be lethally poisonous if prepared incorrectly, but thankfully we survived this dish, and enjoyed it to boot – although it was a slightly strange taste: like bakkwa with a fishy aftertaste.

The Sashimi Moriawase (Assorted Sashimi) provided a generous serving of large slices of the melt-in-your-mouth fresh fish – and we even picked up a top tip from Tetsu which I will happily share with you now: for the freshest sushi and sashimi in Singapore, opt for a Tuesday, Friday or Saturday as these are the days most restaurants fly in their fresh fish stocks. Good to know.

The Sushi Anago was an unusual entry on the menu, and a first for me – this being salt-water eel, as opposed to Unagi, their more common freshwater cousins. I was pleasantly surprised how tasty this was – sweet, sticky and tender and definitely recommended.

The Yaki Niku was probably the top of the pick for us – to-die-for succulent prime beef tenderloin grilled and seasoned to perfection, definitely a crowd-pleaser.

Obviously we couldn’t ignore the Tempura and Tonkatsu, these being Tetsu’s specialities. Both were fantastic – the tempura batter light and crisp as it should be, whilst the Rosu Katsu (pork loin cutlet), juicy and tender on the inside, crunchy on the outside. They also do a Katsu burger which is on my list of things to try when I return.

As with most Japanese restaurants, the food doesn’t come cheap, especially if you are planning on sampling a large selection of dishes as we did (although perhaps you won’t be quite as greedy as we were!). That being said, I shall certainly be returning as a paying customer and would recommend others to do so – and if you’re counting your pennies as well as your calories after all that festive indulgence then you could always opt for their great value lunchtime bento boxes, which give you an assortment of goodies for around $20.00.

Tetsu, Tanglin Mall - http://www.tetsu.com.sg

Happy New Year!

2010-01-05T11:46:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year fellow food lovers! I am hoping and assuming you all over-indulged over the festive period as much as the Greedy Glutton here!

Here's a piccie of one of the many desserts I sampled from the gastronomic overload that is the Ritz Carlton's Greenhouse new year's champagne brunch on 1st January.

Although I completely overindulged on the dessert counter, the highlight of the brunch was undoubtedly the roast beef - an entire rump and leg, it was the biggest hunk of meat I've ever had the pleasure of feasting my eyes on. The chef informed us it took 24 hours to roast... and it was still juicy pink and succulent...

Here's to a 2010 of more over-indulgence....

Tokyo Tonkatsu

2009-11-27T11:13:00.001+08:00

We had just taken a wander down Harajuku Street in search of the cosplay girls – unfortunately we didn’t come across many weird and wonderful costumes, but we did manage to track down a fantastic Tonkatsu restaurant not far away.

Maisen has the reputation of serving up some of the best Tonkatsu in Tokyo, and it was certainly popular when we visited. We had to sit and wait around twenty minutes for a table, despite the large capacity of this restaurant - although the front of the restaurant has counter-style dining, through the back this former public bathhouse offers a cavernous dining area.

Once finally seated we ploughed through the extensive menu. Maisen provides this deep fried delicacy in every which way, including a choice of different cuts of pork with each option – luckily we had a Japanese friend with us to translate or we would have been there even longer trying to figure it all out.

I couldn’t resist trying out the kurobuta - it’s what the place is famous for after all – and while Mr Greedy Glutton opted to have his served straight up, I chose the special of the day which had my Tonkatsu accompanied by a selection of interesting dishes.

As good as each accompanying dish was (I have no idea what half of them were, but I didn’t have any complaints about any of them), the highlight was undoubtedly the famous Tonkatsu – the pork was thick, juicy and meltingly tender, the breadcrumb coating crisp and light – and smothered with the sweet, tangy Tonkatsu sauce, it was just heavenly.

So if you find yourself in Tokyo with a Tonkatsu craving, you could do a lot worse than head to Maisen – it really does deserve the reputation that precedes it.

Maisen - 4-8-5 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku

Tokyo Ramen

2009-11-26T11:44:00.001+08:00

The best thing about staying with locals when you visit a new city for the first time is that they can help you track down hidden gems you would never have discovered on your own… just like Man-Riki-Ya, a cozy and casual ramen joint in the charming neighbourhood of Azabu Juban.

The place was pretty crowded when we arrived, but they managed to squeeze us in on one of the shared wooden tables, so we could partake in some hearty noodle slurping.

Between us we ordered up a wide variety of ramen dishes, which were all swiftly churned out of the open kitchen. My pork version offered up a generous serving of tender roast pork swimming in a flavoursome clear broth, which despite its excellence, I struggled to finish.

Not that we needed it, but we couldn’t resist a side order of Gyoza, and if you check out the picture below – you’ll see why. These proved to be a worthwhile accompaniment – crisp on the outside, succulent and juicy on the inside, tasting every bit as good as they looked.

So two meals down in Tokyo – and two very satisfied Greedy Gluttons.

Man-Riki-Ya, 2-3-2 Azabu Juban - http://www.adhams.co.jp/manrikiya/

Okonomiyaki

2009-11-25T12:33:00.001+08:00

From Beijing we flew to Tokyo, where we began an eight day love affair with Japanese cuisine. I had arrived with a long list of all the different food I wanted to check out, and our genial hosts helped us kick this off, with some homemade Osaka-style Okonomiyaki.

Okonomiyaki is often described as Japanese pizza – but in reality it is nothing of the sort. There’s no pizza dough or tomato sauce for starters – and it isn’t even oven baked. Instead, a base of batter and cabbage is mixed together, and then (like a pizza, I grant you) a selection of ingredients are selected according to taste. Unlike a pizza, these are all mixed in together before being pan-fried to crispy perfection. This evening, we were treated to such seafood delights as octopus, prawns and squid, with the dish being finished off with strips of bacon.

Once ready to eat, we smothered the piping hot patties with lashings of okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise and dried fish flakes.

Sounds so simple… tastes so delicious (or “oishi!” as I learnt to say in Japanese)… A promising start to the love affair.

My Book is Published!

2009-11-19T18:07:00.006+08:00

Here it is... the moment I have been waiting for...

My book finally hit the shops this week! It's a very exciting time as I'm sure you can imagine. So if you fancy a look at In Singapore: 60 Fabulous Adventures in the City, then get down to a good book shop now! (overseas peeps may need to wait a while longer).

Of course there is an 'Eat, Drink and be Merry' section - it just wouldn't be a Greedy Glutton book without it!

Here is the blurb from the back cover to give you a bit more of an idea of what it is all about:

If you’ve ever heard or said “there’s nothing to do in Singapore except eat and shop”, then this book is for you. The pages are jam-packed with fun and interesting activities to keep you entertained during your stay in Singapore. From exploring World War II tunnels, to swinging through trees, taking a trip on a Chinese junk boat or tucking into a plate of chilli crab, there really is something for everyone in this fast-paced, ever-changing city-state.

Highly illustrated with photographs and complete with all the important information you will need, sections include Take a Hike, Cultural Interest, Eat, Drink & Be Merry, Entertaining the Kids, and Just for Fun. Whether you are visiting for a weekend or staying longer-term, you need never be at a loose end in Singapore again.

Enjoy!

Oodles of Noodles

2009-11-13T17:31:00.006+08:00

We did our fair share of fine dining in fancy restaurants in Beijing, but one of our favourite finds was the Noodle Bar. This unpretentious little place only seats twelve noodle slurpers at a time at its u-shaped counter, emulating a Japanese sushi bar with its fun communal dining in an intimate space.

In full view of the diners, the two chefs busy themselves tending to the large vats of soup and entertaining their guests with their impressive skills as they knead and hand-pull the noodles.

Large steaming bowls of noodles are served up within minutes of you making your order, and this doesn't take long it itself as the menu is rather limited – Beef noodle soup with a choice of brisket, tendon or tripe, and thin or thick noodles. They also had a special ‘noodle of the month’ when we visited – Noodles with Pork Ribs.

We checked out both the Pork Rib special and the Beef Brisket and… oh my goodness, this is possibly the best noodle soup I have ever tasted.

The broth was rich and flavoursome, the noodles just the right side of chewy and the meat just melting off the bone... For a noodle soup fan like me, this was pretty close to heaven let me tell you…

If you happen to find yourself in Beijing – do yourself a favour and get down to the Noodle Bar, and if you have to queue, then queue – it will be worth the wait, I promise.

The Noodle Bar, Beijing
1949 - The Hidden City. Courtyard 4, Gong Ti Bei Lu, Chaoyang District
(Opposite Pacific Century Place South gate)

Dinner in the Hutong

2009-11-12T15:05:00.002+08:00

We were utterly exhausted after dragging ourselves round Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Beihei Park, Houhai Lake, and up the Drum Tower… so were delighted to reach the many bars of Nanluogu Xiang in the Dongcheng Hutong area to sit down and partake in a few Tsing Taos.

Once our feet had finally stopped throbbing and our thirst was eventually quenched, we set off down the dark backstreet alley of Banchang Hutong to find our dining destination of the evening – The Source. This cosy little restaurant is housed in a renovated traditional Qing Dynasty courtyard house, where private dining rooms surround the pomegranate trees of the outdoor courtyard area.

It being October, the weather was too cold for us to enjoy any alfresco dining action, so we made ourselves comfortable in the main dining area, where the antique style furnishings and strains of Peking Opera made us feel like guests in the home of some wealthy old Beijing family.

The staff too went out of their way to make us feel at home and showed us round the courtyard on arrival and checked our eating preferences – was there anything we didn’t eat? How spicy could we take our food? This being a Szechuan restaurant, we were slightly cautious but bravely told them it was ok, we enjoy the heat!

There followed a procession of delightful Szechuan specialties (dining is by set menu only at the Source), kicking off with some pickled green beans with chilli and peanuts, and some mushrooms with a spicy dip. These were closely followed by a chicken broth which was perfect for warming the bones on a cold Beijing evening.

Next up was a Cold Spicy Beef salad served with Salad Leaves in Vinegar

And then the main courses – a fiery Duck with Chillis and Beans

The sumptuously sweet and sticky Pretzels with Rolled Bacon

And Green Beans with those tongue numbing Szechuan Peppercorns.

This innovative selection of dishes were all delicious and, as you can see by the dose of chillis and peppercorns in the dishes, pretty darn spicy! But given that there is no heating in the Hutong, we were glad of the internal heat.

The friendly staff attitude didn’t end with the meal either… The chef came out to speak to us once we were finished to check we had enjoyed the meal (we had!) and to ensure us that if there was anything we didn’t like she could adapt the meal to suit us next time. And once we were ready to leave, those helpful folk at the Source insisted on walking us out down the alley to the main road and stayed with us until we’d managed to flag down a cab – now that’s service!

The Source, Beijing - http://www.yanclub.com/wwwsite/source/SOURCE.htm

Wangfujing Snack Street

2009-10-30T17:19:00.002+08:00

Wangfujing Snack Street should be near the top of the to-do list of every food lover who visits Beijing. This narrow alleyway tucked off to the side of Wangfujing Dajie, Beijing’s main shopping thoroughfare, is bustling with hungry visitors elbowing their way through the crowds to check out the goodies on offer at the various street stalls.

Having missed lunch due to over-enthusiastic sightseeing, we dove straight into the masses and joined the search for something edible within. I say this because we passed an awful lot of stalls displaying what some (including yours truly) would be hard pushed to consider food:

I’m ashamed to say we avoided the bugs, grubs, scorpions and starfish and lamely opted for lamb on a stick… although it was very tasty…

A bit further on we tracked down a few more normal-looking items – freshly roasted sweetcorn

Chinese-style chicken doner kebab

And then came across this intriguing stall – where they were freshly preparing little balls in tins loaded with batter, cabbage and octopus, before firing them in the oven and then roasting them over hot coals. I have since discovered that this is Takoyaki, a popular Japanese snack, but it was new to us.

So we joined the queue and took delivery of our hot and sticky octopus balls – they even came in a fancy box… and these guys have their own website – not quite scorpion on a stick, but pretty tasty anyway.

We finished up with some Toffeed Capulin Cherries on a stick, as they seemed to be so popular with everyone else on the street,

before we elbowed our way back out of the throng and continued with our sightseeing.

Peking Duck

2009-10-28T16:46:00.002+08:00

We’re just back from a 2 ½ week eating extravaganza around Beijing, Tokyo and Kyoto. We started off in Beijing, where we obviously had to kick off the holiday with some Peking Duck. Da Dong Restaurant is probably the most famous duck restaurant in Beijing, so we of course made that our first stop.

As far as I know, there are three branches of Da Dong Restaurant in Beijing. We opted for the one in Chaoyang as it was within walking distance from our hotel. If you fancy trying it but aren’t staying in the area – it’s right next to Gongtibeilu subway station, so it’s easy to get to.

They don’t take reservations after 6.30pm, so we had to join a queue. It was about a 40 minute wait, but those folk at Da Dong know how to keep their customers happy – we had a comfy seat in the windowed corridor with views out over the street and, more importantly, free drinks (soft drinks, tea and boxed wine) while we waited.

We were fairly famished by the time we were shown to our table and were eager to get immediately stuck into the duck. We ordered half a duck, but were soon distracted by the enormous menu full of other enticing goodies. As it was our first night, we were slightly over excited and, as usual, ordered a tableful of food for just the two of us.

We ended up with Prawns with a Spicy Sauce, which were sweet, spicy, sticky and scrumptious

Australian veal with shallots

And of course some vegetables for good measure.

The duck actually arrived last – presumably as it is the most ordered item on the menu, we had to wait in line. The chef carving our duck introduced himself to us and allowed us to inspect the bird before he set about dissecting it in front of us.

This he did deftly and quickly and the succulent slices were soon set out in front of us, together with the usual accompanying paraphernalia – pancakes, various sauces, and sliced radish, cucumber and spring onion.

It was delicious – well worth the wait and thankfully lived up to our expectations. What exceeded our expectations however, was the quality of the other dishes on the table, in particular those sticky sweet prawns – they were truly fantastic and presented beautifully.

If you do happen to find yourself in Beijing with a duck craving – I’d say you could do far worse than head to Da Dong.

Japanese Cravings

2009-10-02T18:12:00.002+08:00

We’re heading to Tokyo and Kyoto in a couple of weeks and so I have been busy reading all the guide books recently. Predictably, the pages I have been concentrating on most are the Food & Drink ones, and as a consequence I have been craving Japanese food like you wouldn’t believe. Thankfully this afternoon, my craving was finally fulfilled during a very satisfying lunch with the girls at Sun with Moon at Wheelock.

One of the girls was running late, so the three of us who were there decided to order a few nibbles while we were waiting. Being a greedy bunch, the nibbles turned out to be rather larger than necessary, but they were all so fantastic, we were glad that we did.

We kicked off with some sushi rolls: Salmon Pink Dragon Rolls (crab and avocado topped with salmon),

and some California Rolls.

And then dug into some Yakiniku – sautéed sliced beef with raw egg, on a bowl of rice. As a secret fan of Yoshinoya’s beef bowls, I was delighted with this – a posher, more flavoursome version and completely delicious.

Once our friend joined us we then ordered some main courses – a Sushi Mori Combo, comprising Tuna, Salmon, Yellow Tail, Cooked Prawn, Grilled Eel, California Rolla and Japanese Omelette; and a Sushi Roll Combo, comprising Soft Shell Crab rolls, California rolls, Diced Grilled Eel rolls and Japanese Omelette.

As sets, these were served with a beautiful Miso Soup, Chawanmushi (a kind of savoury egg custard with chicken) and a choice of side dishes – we opted for the Hokkaido Miso Mini Ramen, which was so delicious we were fighting over the last few mouthfuls.

As if this weren’t enough we also added on a couple more side dishes, justifying this with the fact that we had just shared two main courses between three (and ignoring that we has already shared a few extras beforehand) – some Pork Gyoza

and a Satsuma Age (fish cake).

I’m sure you must be thinking what a completely gluttonous group of girls we are – and you’d be right! But we were also a completely satisfied group of girls when we left Sun with Moon, and will be looking forward to coming back again soon.

Sun with Moon, #03-15 Wheelock Place - http://www.sfbi.com.sg/index_e.html

Best Pizza in Town?

2009-09-24T17:43:00.002+08:00

I have often bemoaned the fact that you can’t get a good pizza in Singapore. In fact the situation had become so drastic that I had even resorted to home-cooking pizza in place of picking up the phone and ordering it in (thanks Jamie Oliver!).

All this has changed however, with the discovery of Bella Pizza on Robertson Quay. This homely little place is always packed, no matter what day of the week (except Monday when it’s closed) – and predominantly with Italians… surely a good sign of the authenticity of the cuisine. The staff are super-friendly – from the waiters who wave to me when I walk past (although that’s perhaps a sign that I need to eat less pizza…), to the chef, Antonio, who will sit down at your table to ask you how your day was, and force feed you Limoncello after your meal.

And then there is the pizza – thin crusted, generously topped and perfectly baked… for me this is simply the best pizza in Singapore. The enormous calzone are always a hit with the greedy guys in the group too.

Not that you need them, but if you’re super-greedy like us, their starters are pretty good too – we checked out the Mozzarella di Buffala wrapped in Parma Ham,

and the Melanzane alla Parmigiana which was just outstanding (although don’t expect to eat this as a starter on your own AND manage a pizza).

I’m kind of reluctant to keep singing Bella Pizza’s praises as it’s always a push to get a table at the weekend as it is – but here are another couple of reasons to go there: they do a decent house wine at just $40 a bottle, and a 3-course set lunch menu for just $18.

There… now everyone’s going to want to go and I’ll never get a table again...

Bella Pizza, Robertson Quay - http://www.bellapizza.com.sg/

Still My Favourite Curry Place

2009-09-18T13:52:00.003+08:00

I’ve written about Khansama before, but I was there again last week (I often am) and I have still yet to find anywhere to beat it, so I thought it was time to give it another plug. Located up a narrow staircase in the middle of Serangoon Road, this little gem continually churns out fantastic-tasting, great value curries.

It has the most comprehensive menu I have ever come across, and yet every dish that comes out of that kitchen has its own unique flavour. The starter section is longer than most restaurants entire menus, but we seem to have managed to make our way through most of it now – and perennial favourites include the Mixed Tikka starter – large cubes of succulent chicken which have been marinated in a variety of flavours; the Paneer Pakora – squares of paneer stuffed with a chilli paste and lightly deep-fried; and their oh-so-good Onion Bhajis.

For meat lovers, you can’t go wrong with a Mutton Lababdar with its creamy tomato gravy, or everyone’s favourite – Chicken Tikka Masala. If you’re not so good with spice then order yourself the mild Kashmiri Fish Curry plied with plenty of raisins and dried fruit.

Veggies won’t be disappointed here either – the Gobi Manchurian – cauliflower in a spicy sweet and sour sauce should not be missed, nor should the Bindi Masala – okra cooked with tomatoes and spices.

Oh and while you’re at it, make sure to try out their fantastic Tadka Dal, some Garlic Naan and a side order of Cucumber Raita. Yep – you’ve got yourself a feast!

The prices at Khansama have certainly crept up over the past couple of years – gone are the days when we could order anything we liked and still only spend $20 per head. But having said that, during our latest visit we completely over-ordered (as usual) and managed to sink a fair few jugs of Tiger and it was still under $35 per head, so it’s still offers outstanding value for money.

If you’ve not been – do yourself a favour and get down there now… just save a table for me!

Khansama – 166 Serangoon Road – www.khansama.net

Lunch in a Church

2009-09-11T11:26:00.003+08:00

The White Rabbit opened up in Dempsey just over a year ago to mixed reviews – diners offered differing opinions about the quality of the food, everyone seemed to agree that the service could be improved… but on the plus side nobody denied that the restaurant had found itself a stunning and unique location.

I wasn’t surprised by the negative press this new restaurant was receiving – this seems to be fairly standard in Singapore. In a city where service can be trying at the best of times, new establishments seem to need a few months to bed themselves down.

A year in and the reviews are definitely improving, so I gathered the girls together and suggested we try out the White Rabbit’s good value set-lunch menu ($30 for two courses, $38 for three).

First things first – the setting is fabulous, and definitely unique in Singapore. The beautifully-restored old chapel’s lofty ceilings and stain-glassed windows provide a bright and airy atmosphere perfect for lunch and, I imagine, a cosy and romantic setting for dinner.

The set menu offers a choice of six starters, and six main courses – with diners able to choose from the exceedingly tempting a la carte dessert menu for a mere extra $8.00. I kicked off with the Salad Printemps – a spring salad of asparagus, mangoes and tomatoes which was perfectly acceptable, but nothing to get too excited about.

For mains I chose the Pan Fried Red Snapper, served with shaved fennel and sauce vierge which was beautifully cooked – the fennel providing a contrasting crunch, and the sauce vierge the right amount of sharpness.

But where the White Rabbit really comes into its own is the desserts. Rather predictably I opted for the Molten Chocolate Cake. While the molten chocolate could have been more, well – molten, all was forgiven as it was served with a fabulous passionfruit sorbet (which my 9 month-old lunch partner was rather partial too also). The White Rabbit Crème Brulee, served with summer berries also got the thumbs up.

But the prize had to go to the Crepes Suzette – flambéed with Grand Marnier at your tableside.

These were so good that one mouthful of our friend’s dessert and we ordered an extra one to share amongst the table.

So thankfully the White Rabbit appears to have overcome its supposed teething problems. The service was attentive (although the restaurant was barely half full so it shouldn’t have been too difficult), and whilst the food wasn’t going to get any of us over-excited, it was well cooked and presented and made for an exceedingly enjoyable lunch. Its selling point however still remains its location – whether you’re planning a business lunch, a convivial dinner with friends or a romantic meal for two, it certainly ticks all the boxes.

The White Rabbit – 39C Harding Road
http://www.thewhiterabbit.com.sg/

Yak Butter Tea

2009-09-04T10:00:00.001+08:00

From Lijiang we travelled north to Shangri-La, in the Tibetan Plains. We were lucky enough to be staying at the Banyan Tree - about 15 miles outside of Shangri-La itself, in a cluster of villages known as Ringha.

Here, during a ‘cultural tour’ of the surrounding area, we were invited into a family home to partake in one of the local delicacies – Yak Butter Tea. This is the ultimate staple of the Tibetan diet and is drunk by the gallon by Tibetan nomads, the high fat content in the butter providing plenty of warmth during the long harsh winters.

Basically Yak Butter Tea is black tea, mixed in with yak butter and salt – with the result being… well it tastes like somebody took a perfectly good cup of tea and added a big dollop of salty butter to it – yes, definitely an acquired taste.

The tea was dished up with home made bread, which we were encouraged to dip into the tea, skimming off the layer of butter from the top of the tea; home-made Yak Cheese – similar to a sour Feta (another acquired taste?!) and a bowl of barley powder, which was either stirred into the tea, or thrown into the mouth with a teaspoon. We chose the latter method and ended up with a mouthful of sticky powder that tasted like stale puffed wheat (you guessed it… another acquired taste!)

We politely sipped away at our tea before we realised that as quickly as we were drinking, it was going to be topped up again – so we soon learned to drink a bit slower! Certainly an interesting experience, but one I don’t think I’ll be rushing to try again anytime soon.

Ginger Candy

2009-09-01T14:42:00.003+08:00

One of the specialties of Lijiang is Ginger Candy, and there are numerous shops where they hand-pull this at the side of the road.

It's quite fascinating to watch, as it starts out as a hard ball and is eventually pulled out into a long stretchy mass of candy, with almost a candy floss texture. If you stand close and smile sweetly enough, you've a good chance of being given a small sample while it's still warm.

This is then laid out in long sausage shapes onto a hotplate to harden and then broken up into pieces to be bagged.

The result is a hard but chewy candy (similar to Blackpool Rock if that means anything to you), with a strong ginger flavour and a hint of peanuts - definitely interesting!

Two More Chinese Beers

2009-08-25T11:57:00.001+08:00

While we’re on the subject of beer, here’s a couple of other brews we tried while we were in China:

Dali beer – local to Yunnan Province, although – would you believe it, it’s produced by Carlsberg, since they bought out the Dali Beer Group in 2003. It’s a nice refreshing beer anyway – as long as it’s served cold, which turned out to be something of a rarity in Lijiang…

The beer we ended up drinking mostly (if only because it actually came chilled) was Snow beer – a light, crisp beer although with very little flavour.

We likened it to Bud Light, which is a co-incidence as, according to Reuters, just this year Snow has taken over Bud Light to become the World’s biggest selling beer. And I’d never heard of it before we came to China…

Tsingtao

2009-08-21T12:20:00.003+08:00

It’s Friday afternoon and so my mind is wandering towards beer…

One of the pleasures of travelling is trying out the local brew – Our holiday last week was our first time in China and so the first thing I ordered when I got to the hotel bar, was of course a Tsingtao – probably the world’s best known Chinese beer (and I base that on the fact that it's the only Chinese beer I've ever seen in Chinese restaurants I've been to in the UK - not very scientific I know).

I do like Tsingtao – it has a sweet edge to it… and of course it tastes even better when you’re in China!

Happy weekend everyone.

Tsingtao Beer - http://www.tsingtaobeer.com/

Yunnan Cuisine

2009-08-20T17:15:00.004+08:00

We’re just back from a week’s holiday in Yunnan Province in South-West China. Yunnan Province has the largest number of ethnic minorities in China (more than half of the total Chinese minority population according to the Lonely Planet). The cuisine, therefore, is incredibly varied, taking its influences from many directions. Its proximity to Sichuan Province means the dishes tend to have a healthy dose of chilli and being mushroom season when we were there ensured that various types of funghi featured heavily on the menus also.

Our first stop-off was Lijiang – a beautiful town teaming with tourists, and a plethora of restaurants to choose from.

Our first lunch was at a little restaurant, which I was told was called Yi mi yang guang yu fu situated on what is most commonly know as ‘Jiu Ba Jie’ or ‘Bar Street’, where we ordered up some local goodies:

Baba is a type of bread cake that is made on street stalls all over Lijiang – it comes either sweet or savoury, so we tried the savoury version to accompany our feast. For any traditional Brits out there – it tastes a bit like a suet pudding:

Also on the table was Dongba Chicken with Mushrooms & Chilli (Dongba being the culture of the Naxi minority – the most prominent ethnic group in Lijiang)

Spicy Yak – bursting with an amalgam of flavours from the various herbs and spices in it, and our first experience of the tongue-numbing Sichuan peppercorn!

Lijiang Pork – with strong ginger and chilli flavours

And an interesting addition to our vegetable repertoire – a type of local fresh water seaweed which, like everything else on the table, was delicious.

What a good start to our China holiday!

Lunch on Mount Faber

2009-07-07T19:11:00.003+08:00

While researching my book, Mr Greedy Glutton and I did the Southern Ridges walk, a series of trails starting at Harbourfront MRT station and ending in Kent Ridge Park (or in West Coast Park if you have the energy). The first trail, the Marang Trail, leads you up a couple of hundred steps to the top of Mount Faber, where you are rewarded with sweeping views across the city and out to sea over Sentosa to the surrounding islands.

Now I know this is only the first part of the walk and only approximately fifteen minutes in, but the Jewel Box had recently re-opened up at Mount Faber so we thought we should check it out and gain ourselves some energy for our walk. There are several options for food at the Jewel Box - international or Chinese fine dining, cocktails and bar snacks or casual bistro food and you can opt for a breezy outdoor or glass-enclosed indoor setting.

As we had a long walk ahead of us, we opted for the casual outdoor bistro to grab a quick bite – nothing fancy, just a club sandwich and a Caesar salad. These were fine, nothing to rave about as the Caesar was rather over-garlicked and the chips that accompanied the club sandwich were obviously out of a bag, but the view and the architecture more than made up for the food’s shortcomings.

The view speaks for itself, and as for the architecture, you can’t help but be impressed with what they have done here – the building has been carefully integrated into the natural surroundings of the national park and it’s environmentally-friendly all the way. The designers not only used recycled building materials where possible, they worked with the National Parks Board to integrate three mature Angsana trees into the building, so that they sprout up through the floor and out through the ceiling – pretty impressive.

So definitely a good option if you’re looking for somewhere a little quirky with an impressive view – and if you’re too lazy to tackle the steps, there’s always the cable car…

The Jewel Box, Mount Faber. Tel: 6270 8855, Web: www.mountfaber.com.sg

Clifftop Dining

2009-06-26T15:12:00.006+08:00

Another evening in Bali, another fine-dining extravaganza. This evening we ventured out of Seminyak and made our way South to Uluwatu, where a winding and pot-holed track brought us out at the Karma Kandara resort. Set high up on the cliff side 150 metres above the Indian Ocean, their Di Mare restaurant surely boasts Bali’s most breathtaking views, perched on the side of the cliff, with panoramic vistas out to sea.

We arrived in time for sunset, to sip cocktails in their Moroccan-themed rooftop bar as the ocean slowly slipped from view, the sky darkening though a spectrum of colours. I kid you not, we even saw dolphins out at sea…

We then braved the ‘inclinator’ – a cable-car/lift contraption that takes you down the rocks to the Nammos beach bar, which allows for pre-dinner drinks in a more relaxed setting.

Back on the cliff top, the semi-circular Di Mare restaurant allows all tables a view out to sea and has a strong bias towards seafood. The winning starter had to be Mr Greedy Glutton’s Pan-fried Scallop with a Creamy Asparagus Risotto:

I unfortunately took the waiter’s advice (he was rather insistent) to order the Prawn Trio (chilled with tomato-horseradish sauce, barbecued and tempura), which was perfectly acceptable but nothing too exciting, and I wished I had stuck to my guns and ordered something different.

We both opted for superbly executed fish main courses however:

before basking in self-congratulations in our choice of desserts – a simply scrumptious Tarragon Panna Cotta, served with a passionfruit juice:

and the Warm Valhrona Chocolate Souffle, served with homemade ice cream – superb!

The road may be winding and bumpy to get there, but this is undoubtedly the most spectacular restaurant in Bali in terms of location, and the food doesn’t disappoint either. I would certainly return again, but perhaps next time for lunch when you can get more out of those staggering views.

Di Mare, Karma Kandara, Bali - http://www.karmakandara.com/

What’s not to love about Bali?

2009-06-18T13:45:00.006+08:00

We’re just back from a gorgeous weekend in Bali, one of our favourite places on Earth. What’s not to love about Bali? The people are friendly, the scenery is stunning, the weather is fabulous, the bars are super-stylish, and the food… the food is out of this world. How did a rustic little island like Bali produce so many outstanding fine dining restaurants?

Having already checked out Hu’u Bar, The Restaurant at the Legian Hotel, Ku De Ta and La Lucciola on previous visits, tonight we made our way to Kafe Warisan, which always seems to get fantastic reviews. Well, I can see why as we certainly weren’t disappointed.

This open air restaurant looks out over paddy fields, with fairy lights sprinkled among the trees in the dining area, giving a relaxed and romantic setting. The waiting staff were super friendly and knowledgeable and the food outstanding.

I started my meal in style, with a with the Artichoke Ravioli served with Grilled Scallop and Prawn, and a Lemon Butter Sauce. This was absolutely delicious and left me with mouth-watering flashbacks for days later.

Being in a French restaurant, Mr Greedy Glutton felt it was only right to kick off with the Escargots and so opted for the Roasted Mushroom Stuffed with Snails and Parsley Butter. This also hit the spot, although it was so rich that the serving could have been half the size and he still would’ve thought he’d got a good deal.

I then looked to the ‘From the Sea’ section for my main course, choosing the Pan Fried Lemon Sole “Meuniere”, with Creamy Spinach, Chive Steamed Potatoes, which was so perfectly cooked and delicious I had to stop myself from leaning down and licking the plate at the end.

Mr Greedy Glutton turned to the ‘From the Farm’ section to choose his Grilled Australian Veal Tenderloin, with White Truffle Mashed Potatoes and Basil Juice, which was beautifully succulent and tender.

We were well and truly filled to the brim by this stage, but couldn’t help but sample their "Le Moelleux" – Hot Chocolate Cake Served with Home Made Vanilla Ice Cream and Roasted Nuts, if only to give us something to accompany the bottle of dessert wine we couldn’t resist. The cake was everything we could have hoped for, with the molten chocolate spilling out all over the plate in a truly decadent manner. Unfortunately the aforementioned dessert wine took control of my photography skills, so no accompanying photo… maybe next time.

NB - Kafe Warisan is moving round the corner in September, and as the name belongs to the building in which it resides, it will be changing its name to Metis... so if you plan on going, check you are at the right restaurant!

Kafe Warisan, Bali - http://www.kafewarisan.com/index.htm

Best Margaritas in Town?

2009-06-10T15:56:00.002+08:00

I only really discovered the beauty of frozen margaritas just before we moved to Singapore a couple of years ago. Our first few months after we arrived, we would spend quite a lot of time at Café Iguana on Clarke Quay, especially after we discovered their Macho Margaritas – something which made us quite excited at the time I seem to remember. Unfortunately however, their margaritas quickly went downhill (or perhaps the novelty factor just wore off), and we stopped going there quite so often and eventually not at all.

I have recently re-discovered my love of the frozen margarita – strawberry in particular, at the fabulous alfresco Screening Room rooftop bar. If you haven’t been there yet, then get yourself down there – yes there’s a few steps to climb to reach the bar, but once up there you are rewarded with a cool chill-out vibe, views over the rooftops, pumping tunes and what I currently feel to be the best margaritas in town.

Here are the photos – you be the judge:

The only downside is that being an outdoor bar in Singapore, the margaritas do tend to melt very quickly, meaning you have to drink them rather quickly… wait, did I say downside…?!

Screening Room Rooftop Bar - http://www.screeningroom.com.sg/

Stinky Fruit

2009-06-09T10:39:00.002+08:00

I couldn’t have a Food & Drink section in a book about Singapore without including the infamous Durian. People definitely have a ‘love it/hate it’ relationship with this stinky fruit, and I have always been firmly in the latter camp, even avoiding the fruit and veg section in my local Giant supermarket due to the stench seeping out from the durian corner. So it was with some trepidation that I made my way to Geylang to check out the durian stalls.

There are several different types of durian, with names ranging from the evocatively descriptive, such as Mao Shan Wang (Cat Mountain King), Hong Xia (Red Prawn) or Mon Thong (Golden Pillow), to the boringly simple, such as D24, D1 and D100. They all vary in colour, texture and flavour, and as with lovers of wine, tea or cheese, all connoisseurs have their own personal favourites.

Local friends had pointed me in the direction of Sims Avenue, where the roadside stalls (mainly between Geylang Lorongs 11 and 19) are piled high with the prickly pungent fruit, and I had also read online reviews of the Four Seasons Durians Café, where you can take an indoor seat to sample their range of fruit on offer.

We kicked off with a D24, often lauded as people’s favourites, although to me I just couldn’t get away from the oniony/garlicky taste. Now I know that durian-lovers don’t understand what I mean by that, but then everyone has their own opinion as to what durian tastes like, and I think the oft-quoted description by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace sums up the complicated nature of durian tasting: “A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes.”

Hmmm… my thoughts exactly… Moving on, we next tried out a Hong Xia or Red Prawn. Now this wasn’t cheap – I think around $30 for one fruit – but then, as with wine, you supposedly get what you pay for. I have to say I probably agree as this was by far a superior fruit – there were no hints of onion or garlic here, but instead a creamy sweetness that actually wasn’t at all unpleasant!

Could I be converted? Well not quite yet, and I certainly wasn’t taking the left-overs home with me to stink out my apartment, instead ‘generously’ donating them to my friend. No I was off home to brush my teeth, because as Anthony Bordain warned in his No Reservations programme during a visit to Indonesia, after eating durian “Your breath will smell as if you've been French-kissing your dead grandmother”.

Durian stalls - Sims Avenue, between Geylang Lorongs 11 and 19

Four Seasons Durians Café - www.fourseasonsdurians.com
43 Joo Chiat Place (corner of Tembeling Road) – opposite Kim’s Place Seafood.

Hokkien Prawn Mee

2009-06-05T16:50:00.003+08:00

So I’ve finally handed in my book manuscript to my editor and I am once again free to blog! My research trail has taken me exploring all around Singapore – saw me swinging from trees, whizzing down water chutes, investigating World War II tunnels… and finding all sorts of new places to eat and drink. One of my favourite new finds has to be Kim’s Place Seafood in Joo Chiat.

I was actually in the area with a friend to check out the durians (more on that later) when we stumbled across Kim’s. The smells emanating from the open-air eatery enticed us inside, and once there, the numerous magazine and newspaper articles smothering the walls convinced us of the calibre of the establishment.

All accounts seemed to suggest that the Hokkien Prawn Mee was the dish to be ordering, so that was our first choice – and at just $4.00 a pop, we couldn’t go wrong. I’m not normally a huge fan of Prawn Mee, but this dish was enough to convince me otherwise – it was truly delicious with its rich seafood stock and juicy prawns.

We obviously didn’t stop there – although the small order of Prawn Mee was certainly large enough for one person to fill up on. Instead we ploughed on with some Fried Pork on a Hot Plate,

some veggies and, because it was on special (and well, because we could) – some Cereal Lobster.

What a feast – every dish was as good as the last and we left feeling very satisfied indeed. Kim’s is not really in my usual circle of movement, but I have already been back for a plate of the Prawn Mee, and would urge others to do the same.

Kim’s Place Seafood – www.kims.com.sg
37 Joo Chiat Place (Junction of Tembeling Road). Tel 6742 1119.

An Apology

2009-05-07T14:58:00.003+08:00

I have just logged onto my blog to realise that it has been 7 weeks since my last post! I can only apologise - but I do have a rather good excuse. I have been commissioned to write a travel book about Singapore, and I have been working to quite a tight deadline, meaning any writing time is spent on my book, not on my blog. My hand-in date is 1st June, so rest assured I will be back blogging after that, so please come back and visit in June!

Salad You Tiao

2009-03-12T14:51:00.002+08:00

Here’s a real Singapore gem. I first went with friends not long after I moved to Singapore and I haven’t been back since – until recently. This has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the food, and absolutely everything to do with the fact that Sin Hoi Sai is not really in my locality. But a friend was recently back in town from her new life in Sydney and suggested we go along for a feed at her old favourite haunt, and I was more than happy to accompany her.

There were only four of us so we couldn’t order too much, but what we did order was oh so good – Baby Kailan, Fried Rice,

Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs

Butter Prawns (some of the tastiest prawns I have yet had in Singapore) and… wait for it… Salad You Tiao.

Now I make a big thing about the Salad You Tiao because it was the first time I had tried it… Where have I been and what have I been doing?? I mean, how good does this taste?

For those who don’t know, you tiao are fried dough sticks that are usually eaten with Congee for breakfast (if you eat congee for breakfast that is…) This salad you tiao – or “a heart attack on a plate” as my friend called it – came stuffed with squid, and smothered in mayonnaise/salad dressing. Yes indeed, not very healthy… hmmm no wonder it tasted so good! This place is open until 4am too… man I bet those You Tiao taste even more amazing after one too many Tiger beers!

So yes, Sin Hoi Sai, definitely a real little gem and one I hopefully won’t wait another year before trying out again…

Sin Hoi Sai Eating House, 187 East Coast Road

Dim Sum at Raffles

2009-03-02T19:24:00.003+08:00

I know, it’s been a long time since I actually wrote about anywhere in Singapore – so I thought I’d come back in style… with a visit to somewhere I’ve been planning on going to for ages: Royal China at Raffles.

It’s certainly a beautiful setting, worthy of its location in Singapore’s most famous hotel. High ceilings, ornate pillars and those distinctive duck-egg blue walls combine to give it a rather regal atmosphere.

We’d heard good things about their dim sum, so a few of us met up for lunch one day to give it a go. They don’t have a huge dim sum menu – only 12 items all together, so that made choosing a bit easier, although we did manage to stop ourselves from just taking one of everything (and only because we quite fancied checking out some additional items off the a la carte menu).

We kicked off with the Steamed Shark’s Fin Dumpling with Chinese Parsley, which were simply stunning and definitely a good start to the meal.

We went on to pig out on the Deep Fried Spring Roll with Seafood & Cheese (sounds a little odd, tasted delicious)

Steamed Crystal Dumpling with Mushroom

Steamed Minced Pork Dumpling with Abalone, Steamed Barbecue Pork Bun and Steamed Prawn Dumpling with Black Moss

Crispy Prawns Roll with Sesame

and Crispy Yam Roll with Dried Oyster

All of it was pretty exceptional, except for the soft shell crab we ordered a la carte - the egg yolk coating was way too strong and the crab a little mushy, I don't think anyone finished theirs, which is saying something considering how small the portion was.

The dumplings though were definitely worth coming back for - my only complaint would be that perhaps they were a little fussy – the flavour of the black moss overpowered the freshness of the prawn in the dumpling for example. But really – I’m nit-picking… in all fairness it was some of the best dim sum I’ve had in Singapore… although I still think Yan Ting at the St Regis pips it at the post. (What? I haven’t written Yan Ting up yet? Damn, I’d better get back there quick…)

Royal China at Raffles - http://www.raffles.com/EN_RA/Property/RHS/Restaurants_Bars/Royal_China_at_Raffles.htm

Another Day, Another Winery

2009-02-24T18:01:00.002+08:00

We enjoyed our lunch at Cullen Winery so much, we headed off in search of another winery for lunch the next day. We finally decided on Xanadu and having sampled a few of their wines prior to lunch, were glad that we had. Although outdoor seating wasn’t available on the day, the high timber ceilinged restaurant was light and breezy and looked out onto a grassy courtyard.

Once again, the food was sensational and today we washed down our choices with a bottle of Xanadu Viognier.

Having enjoyed yesterday’s scallops so much I was tempted by the Seared Abrolhos Island Scallops with red curry, lychee & coriander salad,

but as Mr Greedy Glutton had his eye on them also, I instead opted for the Duck Rillettes with fig, sheep’s fetta & walnut salad and crisp sourdough. The Rillettes was juicy and gorgeous, although I think the red curry sauce with the scallops won it for me.

For a main course, I chose the Crispy Corn-fed Pork Belly with braised tomato & eggplant, grilled cuttlefish, cress salad and capsicum oil. The pork was the perfect balance of crispy, chewy and melt-in-the-mouth, the tomato and eggplant a fantastic accompaniment, while the grilled cuttlefish was gorgeous, with a real smoky barbecue flavour.

Once again a stunning meal in a stunning setting… I could get used to life in the Margaret River…

Xanadu Winery – http://www.xanaduwines.com/

Lunch in the Vineyard

2009-02-18T09:48:00.001+08:00

I was blown away by the Margaret River region – stunning scenery, endless cloudless blue skies, and beautiful and varied wineries. We booked ourselves on a private wine tour so that nobody was stuck with the ‘designated driver’ card and headed off sampling a few (and by a few I obviously mean a lot of) local wines.

Well all that wine-tasting is hungry work, and lucky for us most of the wineries also have first class restaurants. We had been recommended Cullen Winery, so we booked ourselves a table in their peaceful little garden overlooking the vineyard. Competition in the Margaret River for both the wines and the food is fierce and so both are subsequently of a very high standard. Luckily Cullen Winery was no exception.

I kicked off with the Seared Scallops with Spring Onion, Ginger and Soy with Soba Noodles, which were just sensational

Then went on to enjoy the Grilled King George Whiting with Quinoa, Herb and Almond, which was also fantastic.

We washed our lunch down with a very good bottle of the winery’s Sauvignon Blanc Semillon before continuing on our merry way to sample more of the region’s finest whites and reds. I can’t think of a better way to spend my day…

Cullen Winery – www.cullenwines.com.au

A Fried Feast

2009-02-16T14:23:00.001+08:00

It was our first night in Dunsborough, so we took a short walk into the town to find somewhere for dinner and came across Bax on Dunn Bay. It’s a trendy little open-sided restaurant, displaying funky art by local artists on its walls (we were particularly taken with the painting of a blue lady with red hair, wearing sequin underpants, and sucking her own toe…)

The menu was what I think is known as Modern Australian cuisine – an observation confirmed by the abbreviation of ‘octopus’ to ‘ockie’. I didn’t go for the ockie in the end, opting instead for the Marinated Crunchy Artichokes, served with Sweet & Sour Eggplant Pickle, as the waitress promised me it would be “beautiful”. I’m not sure it was beautiful, it was a little too breaded and deep-fried to be called that. I’m a big fan of marinated artichokes, but I’m not sure about the whole breading and deep-frying thing, although having said that it was pretty good.

For the main course I chose the Polenta Crusted Whiting and Panzanella Salad with raspberry vinaigrette. This, although also fried, was definitely worthy of being called ‘beautiful’ – the fish was fresh fresh fresh and beautifully cooked, the salad and tart vinaigrette detracting from the fried-ness of it.

Then for dessert, because I clearly hadn’t crammed in enough fried food for one meal, I ordered up a portion of the Churros. This brings me back to my student days in Spain, spending afternoons in the Plaza Mayor dipping churros into thick gloopy chocolate. Unfortunately the churros were the wrong shape, and the chocolate too thick (more of a paste than a gloop) for it to be truly reminiscent of days gone by, but we managed to polish off the lot anyway…

I think perhaps my choice of dishes leaves something to be desired here – I wasn’t really expecting it to be all so fried… although perhaps the words ‘crunchy’ and ‘crusted’ should have given it away. No matter, it was still a most enjoyable meal and definitely a good choice if you happen to find yourself hungry in Dunsborough.

Bax on Dunn Bay 26 Dunn Bay Rd , Dunsborough. Tel: 9759 1720

First Taste of Down Under

2009-02-02T17:02:00.004+08:00

It’s been a while since I wrote – we’ve been keeping our heads down and trying to a) dry out and b) save money after a particularly hectic Christmas and New Year. Having said that, we have just returned from an a) boozy and b) expensive little sojourn in the Margaret River, Western Australia – ho hum, detoxing is never easy!

We flew into Perth and hired a car to make our way down to Dunsborough, where we had ourselves a snazzy little beach house. It’s a three hour drive, so we (obviously) had to stop off en-route for a bite to eat. We had no clue where we were going, but luckily our noses are pretty good at sniffing out eating establishments and we ended up at Vat Two in Bunbury.

This funky little restaurant is right on the harbour, with decking over-looking the beach and an inspiring menu of fusion cuisine and an impressive wine list (well, I guess we were in the middle of the wine region!).

We kicked off with a plate of oysters to share amongst the four of us, to get us in the holiday mood – they come in a variety of ways, but we chose to mix up some with Thai-nam jim & crispy shallots with some Japanese chilli, ginger & rice wine vinegar:

My friend and I then shared the Salmon Fishcakes, served with buttered spinach and chive hollandaise

And the Thai Prawn Salad with rice noodles.

The food was excellent – as was the wine and the ambience (and the company, of course was second to none!). So we left feeling very pleased with ourselves to have stumbled upon such a little gem, and would definitely recommend it as a stopping-off point if you happen to be driving down to the Margaret River.

Vat Two, Bunbury, Western Australia - http://www.vat2.com.au/

Seafood on Surin Beach

2009-01-09T13:06:00.003+08:00

There are few better things in life than eating fresh seafood on the beach, with the sand between your toes – and on our first night of holiday in Phuket, we intended to do just that.

There are several bars and restaurants lining Surin Beach (all responsible for those ghastly sunloungers that mar the view of a beautiful beach). Many are nothing more than shacks with tarpaulin shelters, others are more established restaurants with painted walls, cushy furniture and trendy fixtures and fittings. What they all have in common is sea views, lapping waves, and fresh seafood.

We chose Pla Seafood on the basis that its tables were actually set out on the sand, not lining the road above as most of the others were. Once we were seated at our table and had our toes firmly dug into the sand, we ordered ourselves up a feast – A Red Curry with Prawns:

Stir Fried Squid with Sweet Chilli:

and a Barbecued Fish.

Unfortunately the Barbecued Fish was rather over-salted to finish, but the rest was pretty good. What really made the meal though was the ambience – the cool sand underfoot, the balmy evening air with a sea breeze and the gently crashing waves, all combined to make this a memorable evening and one of the highlights of our stay in Phuket.

Pla Seafood - http://www.plaseafood.com/

Beachfront Thai

2009-01-08T18:06:00.008+08:00

My how time flies – after a hectic visit back to the UK for Christmas and New Year I am back in Sunny Singapore and ready to chow down again. Before we headed back to the land of grey skies and sub-zero temperatures, we had a relaxing weekend in Phuket to chill on the beach, paddle round the limestone islands, and of course to indulge in some Thai food.

We chose to stay at the Twin Palms resort on Surin Beach

and as soon as we had checked into our room, we threw on our beach gear and made our way down to the chic and trendy Catch Beachclub for a bite to eat. The Catch Beachclub is just how a beach club should be – comfy seating, uninterrupted sea views of the horizon, palm trees, chill out tunes, cocktails and good food…

Unfortunately it doesn’t have the background soundtrack of crashing waves like Bali’s Ku De Ta – and the sun loungers of Surin Beach are a bit of an eye-sore… but all that aside, this has the makings of a great beach bar.

The lunch menu is a mixture of Western – burgers, steaks, club sandwiches etc, and local favourites. Well who wants to eat a burger on their first day in Thailand? Not us that’s for sure, so we ordered ourselves up a selection of local dishes.

The Spicy Green Papaya Salad with Soft Shell Crab was superb. Mixing the tanginess of the papaya, heat of the chillis and beautifully crisp crab, this was a fantastic (and substantial) salad.

Goong Sarong is a local Phuket speciality of crispy rice noodles encasing fresh juicy prawns. It looks spectactular, with the crispy wispy noodles overflowing and the hidden prawns nestling within. This came served with pickled vegetables and a curry and honey sauce and was simply delicious.

And we finished off with everyone’s favourite – a Pad Thai – and a very good Pad Thai at that.

One of the joys of being in Thailand is definitely its food… and one of the joys of being on holiday is eating what you want, when you want. And so I ask you – what better joy than being on holiday in Thailand?

Catch Beachclub, Surin Beach, Phuket - http://catchbeachclub.com/

Gastronomic Anniversary

2008-12-12T11:21:00.008+08:00

It was our wedding anniversary – yes, four years of Greedy Gluttonous living, and what better way to commemorate the occasion than a gastronomic feast at one of Singapore’s finest restaurants?

Iggy’s has a truly enviable reputation amongst the city’s restaurants – it was recently voted Asia’s Number One Restaurant by the Miele Guide and is also named in UK magazine The Restaurant’s S. Pellegrino World’s Best 100 restaurants. It is worth noting that not a single restaurant in Asia makes it into the top 50 of this list, nor do any restaurants in Japan make the cut at all – quite amazing considering that Tokyo has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city in the world (more than London and Paris combined). So whilst the judges of this list are clearly somewhat blinkered (or not very well travelled), the fact that Iggy’s is recognized makes the achievement all the more remarkable.

What immediately sets Iggy’s apart from most other restaurants is its ambience. No cosy tables à deux in here. There were 12 diners on the night we went, and we were all seated around an L-shaped counter, facing towards the semi-open kitchen (the windows were blacked top and bottom, meaning we could observe the chefs busy at work, without being privy to the intricacies of their endeavours). So whilst the evening is not set up for a romantic and intimate dinner, the atmosphere is relaxed and informal, and encourages interaction with the other diners, in addition to the waiter/sommelier who serves all the guests from behind the counter. As you are all facing one another, there is also the chance to get a sneak preview of what is coming your way in the 10 course Gastronomic Menu – and this is what we were treated to:

Uni
Cauliflower mousse, sea urchin, shiso jelly

Jabugo Iberico Bellota
Jamon Iberico, autumn salad, parmesan croutons, warm figs, fresh herbs and datterini tomato

Foie Gras
Foie gras crème brulee, cinnamon sugared pear, pan-fried foie gras on toast

Spanner Crab
Spanner crab meat soufflé, shellfish bisque, rocket sprouts

Cappellini
Cappellini with zucchini, smoked mullet roe and shallot

Halibut
Pan-roasted halibut fillet, red curry-scented pumpkin puree, green mango salsa, roasted shallot oil, glacier lily and balsamic reduction

Welsh Lamb
Herb crusted Welsh lamb saddle, French beans, baby aubergine, seito tomato, garlic confit and thyme jus

Pre-Dessert (a fruit cup)

Chocolate
Caraibe chocolate bar, mascarpone ice-cream, green lime zest

Iggy’s Lemon Tart

Suffice to say – the food was exquisite, and each course just got better and better. The ingredients were undeniably fresh, cooked to perfection and the flavours paired impeccably.

The capellini was truly to-die-for, I could’ve eaten an entire pasta bowl full, and I didn’t think I even liked smoked mullet roe!

The halibut was cooked to perfection and the delicate red curry-scented pumpkin was a worthy accompaniment, with the glacier lily an unusual addition that provided some scrumptious crunch to the dish.

‘Melt-in-the-mouth’ is a phrase far too often applied to food, but there is no other way to describe the herb crusted Welsh lamb saddle – and the memory of the marscapone ice cream which accompanied the sticky fudgy gooey chocolate bar remains with me to this day.

So does it deserve all the accreditations? Well it was certainly one of the best restaurants I’ve had the pleasure to feast in, and the relaxed ambience, impeccable service, interesting menu and of course, the exquisite food all combined to make this a very special and memorable anniversary meal indeed.

Iggy’s - http://www.iggys.com.sg/

Girls Lunch

2008-12-10T11:41:00.005+08:00

It was time for our last girls’ get-together lunch before we all head off on our separate ways for the festive period, so we decided to go upmarket and made our way to Au Petit Salut at Dempsey Village. Like most Dempsey venues, this restaurant is set back from the road and nestled in amongst the greenery. We took our seats in the timber-decked al fresco area, where we could dine in the breeze and to the sound of the trickling water features.

Au Petit Salut is certainly a popular choice for lunch, particularly with the “Ladies Who Lunch” crowd, I’m guessing because of the high quality of its food and its fantastic value $30++ set lunch. Set menus can often be somewhat restricting, but here it is very extensive, and with six choices for each course it offers as much variety as many a la carte menus do. You are also given the option to supplement any course with one from the Executive Lunch Menu for an additional charge.

I kicked off with the Homemade Duck Rillette with Mesclun Salad and Walnut Dressing, which was rich and creamy and delicious.

Then followed it up with the Oven Baked Sea Bass Fillet with Fresh Mixed Vegetables and Light Herb Butter Emulsion, which was beautifully cooked and perfectly seasoned.

Being French, the cuisine is all very rich, and had we been allowed to choose our desserts after we had eaten our first two courses, I probably would have followed my more sensible friends' lead and opted for the Fresh Fruit Salad infused with mint and served with blackcurrant sorbet.

Having chosen at the beginning however - when I was in greedy-mode - I instead decided on the Choux Buns Filled with Vanilla Ice Cream in Warm Chocolate Sauce, with Sliced Almonds. It wasn’t a bad choice, but the feeling of over-indulgence was certainly starting to kick in around the second mouthful.

So would I recommend Au Petit Salut to my friends? Absolutely - a beautiful setting, fantastic food, knowledgeable and attentive service and great value for money all combine to make this the perfect venue for a girls’ lunch.

Au Petit Salut - http://www.aupetitsalut.com/index.html

Chilli Crab

2008-11-21T14:37:00.006+08:00

Like most people who live in Singapore, I have a particular love for Chilli Crab, and it is always on our ‘to do’ list when people visit from overseas. Our usual restaurant of choice for taking people is Long Beach at the East Coast Seafood Centre. This time when we had guests, however for one reason or another we decided it would be easier to grab our seafood feast in town, so we headed to Jumbo at Riverside Point.

You might find this amazing, but this was my first time going to any of the Jumbo restaurants. I can’t say I’m sorry about that – it really wasn’t anything to get too excited about. Don’t get me wrong, the dishes were perfectly adequate and I would probably return for a mid-week casual meal if I was in the area. But when we were trying to show case the best of Singapore to our out-of-town guests, this left us a little disappointed.

The Chilli Crab itself was actually pretty good (but still not as good as Long Beach)

it was the accompanying dishes that weren’t great – the Black Pepper Beef was a little bland

as was the Roast Chicken

and the Sweet & Sour Prawns, despite how stickily succulent they looked.

Most disappointing of all though was the Steamed Sea Bass, Hong Kong Style – this actually went back half-eaten which is just unheard of in our household.

This place is always mobbed, I guess because of its location… and if you’re in the area with a chilli crab craving, I’d say by all means, sit down and tuck in… if you’re looking for quality seafood to impress though, I’d keep on walking…

Jumbo, Riverside Point - http://www.jumboseafood.com.sg/

Favourite Brekkie Joint

2008-11-17T14:32:00.005+08:00

I have a new favourite place for Breakfast/Brunch in Singapore (I’m not talking about a Sunday champagne brunch, that’s a different topic altogether). Until recently my favourite weekend brekkie hangout was probably Graze at Rochester Park, but following a few recent visits to Privé at the Marina at Keppel Bay, my allegiances have firmly swung to the latter.

Privé is divided into three areas – a rather fancy indoor fine-dining restaurant, a rather fabulous outdoor bar, and a more casual bakery/café that also shares the bar’s outdoor decking. It is here in the bakery/café that they dish up a fine breakfast.

So what’s so good about it? Well, first there is the location – sitting out on the decking in the sunshine with the sea breeze on your face, and surrounded by expensive-looking yachts, you could be forgiven for thinking you had just landed in lottery-winner heaven. Chill-out tunes, bubbling water features and an abundance of leafy green plants complete the picture.

Then of course there is the food – hand on heart, I can tell you that they serve up the best Eggs Benedict and Pancakes I have yet had in Singapore. The Eggs Benedict are served on proper English muffins with good quality ham, the hollandaise sauce’s flavour, consistency and seasoning are all just right.

The pancakes are served in a generous portion, with slices of banana and strawberries nestling in the layers, and topped with maple syrup, honeycomb and cream.

The fresh orange juice is really freshly squeezed orange juice (unlike recently when we asked at P.S Café at Palais Renaissance if there ‘fresh’ orange juice was freshly squeezed, we received the reply “Freshly squeezed out of the bottle”) and is a generous serving, chilled over ice. They also have a range of coffees, teas and milkshakes, including a thick creamy coffee milkshake.

I’ll be honest, there is one small downside to this place and that is that the service can be somewhat erratic. They are normally pretty good, until you try to settle the bill. For some reason printing up the bill and dealing with payments seems to have been skipped from their customer service training regime…. My advice is to order the bill at least fifteen minutes before you are ready to leave… twenty-five if you plan on paying by credit card…

Privé, Marina at Keppel Bay - http://www.prive.com.sg/

Third Time Unlucky

2008-11-11T16:57:00.005+08:00

After two weeks trekking in the Himalayas coping with average food, we were delighted to get back to Singapore and prepare to gorge ourselves once more. Any time we are away for any length of time, I return with desperate dim sum cravings, and so within a week of being back, I’ve managed to squeeze in not one, not two, but three dim sum feasts. Having already visited old regular Crystal Jade Dining In, and new favourite Dim Joy, come the weekend it was time to try somewhere new.

Lei Garden always seems to receive favourable reviews and as we had shopping to do in the area, we called in to Chijmes to give it a shot. There was an enormous queue when we arrived, always a good sign, and thankfully they were all waiting for large family tables, and so we swanned straight past them and were shown immediately to a table.

I have often walked past Lei Garden in the evenings and thought that it doesn’t look very enticing due to its stark lighting. I was pleasantly surprised therefore just how welcoming an atmosphere it has – nicely presented tables, tanks full of live seafood and not too brightly lit at all. They even had a chef station for preparing specials to order within the restaurant.

We put our dim sum order in and then, because we’re greedy, we also flagged down a waitress with a tray of specials to grab something while we waited. She just so happened to have one of my favourites – Prawn and Mango Rolls, so how could I resist? Well unfortunately I wish I had resisted, this was not a good start to the meal… not only were they cold and soggy, they were dripping in grease. The paper doily left on the tray was translucent at the end and the plate beneath completely sodden.

Not a good sign of things to come. Thankfully things did improve somewhat – but not significantly enough to convince me to return here. The old favourites Har Gao and Char Siew Bao were nothing to get excited about, neither was the Pork Dumplings in Spicy Sauce

the Crystal Dumplings with Assorted Mushrooms were slightly better,

as was the Shredded Beancurd with Spicy Sauce and Peanuts.

The Xiao Long Bao, however was very disappointing – no soup and very little flavour,

and the Egg Tarts were just average.

Mr Greedy Glutton finished off with some Pan Fried Pork Dumplings – after seeing him take a bite and the grease literally pouring out of it onto the plate, I politely declined to join him…

So having been for Dim Sum three times in one week, I think you could say I got my fix… I shall certainly not be returning to Lei Garden next time though, no matter how bad the craving…

Lei Garden – 30 Victoria Street, #01-24 Chijmes

A Nepali Banquet

2008-11-10T16:19:00.006+08:00

We are just back from a two week holiday trekking in the Himalayas in Nepal. While in Kathmandu we stayed at the charming Dwarika’s hotel, which is home to Krishnarpan – one of Kathmandu’s most renowned Nepali restaurants.

So we thought, what better way to introduce ourselves to Nepali life and culture than a six course tasting banquet at a traditional restaurant? (They offer up to a 22 course banquet, so that was us being restrained!) Dwarika’s hotel is built from antique, traditionally carved wood and is as much museum as it is hotel, and Krishnarpan restaurant is no exception. It is beautifully decorated with traditionally carved mirrors and tables and the crockery and brassware is handmade.

All guests are invited to leave their shoes at the door, before having their hands washed and being shown through to the dining area, where dinner is served at floor level seating. We were first adorned with Krishnarpan aprons, to protect our clothes in case our food should go astray – and in case you are thinking of declining to wear yours, there are several photos of the good and the great on the walls all clad in theirs – Prince Charles, Jimmy Carter, Hilary Clinton to name but a few (and if it’s good enough for them…)

Once seated, we were presented with our personalized menus, made from handmade Nepali paper, outlining all of the dishes coming up in our six course banquet. We were also served some rather strong rice wine, which we forced ourselves to sip in between courses, to cleanse the palate (strip the coating off your tongue more like!)

Food kicked off with Samaya Bajee (an assortment of hors d’oeuvres traditionally served during religious ceremonies):

(but not before we had made our offerings to the Gods to ensure us a safe trip up to the Everest region - and if you'd seen the planes we had to fly on you'd understand why!)

Followed by Chyau Ko Sekuwa (pan roasted oyster mushroom finished with cream), Palungo Ko Saag (sauteed spinach with slivers of garlic and chilli flakes) and Roti:

Then came the Momo – traditional Nepali dumplings, and the closest they come to fast food in stalls around Nepal. Similar to Chinese Baozi but these had a bit of a kick almost like a samosa filling. We had these several times during our two weeks in Nepal, always with different fillings, often vegetarian, and the ones we had here at Krishnarpan were by far the best.

Next up was a bowl of Tarkari Ko Jhol (cream of vegetable soup)

And then finally the main course: Sada Bhuja (steamed rice to you and I), Dal Jhaneko (lentil tempered with Himalayan herbs), Kukhura Ko Masu (Nepali chicken curry), Aloo Ra Bodi Ko Tarkari (Stir-fried potato and white-bean), Pharsee Ko Tarkari (fresh pumpkin with Nepali spices), and Ramtoriya Tareko (Stir-fried okra)

All of the above was ceremoniously served by a stream of waitresses who spooned out helpings from their dishes one after the other as they made their way around the restaurant. This all came served with Golbheda Ra Til Ko Achar (Nepali tomato salsa with sesame) and Lapsee Ko Achar (Hug-Plum pickle) on the side.

Not that there was much room for dessert by this stage, but it was thankfully very light – Sikarni (fresh yoghurt flavoured with cinnamon and sweetened with honey).

All in all this was a fantastic meal and a great way to kick off a holiday in Nepal.

Krishnarpan, Dwarika’s hotel, Kathmandu - http://www.dwarikas.com/restaurantsnepal.html

Little Bundles of Joy

2008-10-17T16:16:00.008+08:00

Occasionally I find a new restaurant that gets me really excited… and Dim Joy on Neil Road did just that. I first heard about it in an old copy of Appetite magazine, which promised ‘dim sum delicacies that triumph some of the larger, popular institutions in town’. Well that sounded right up my street, how could I resist?

I’m glad this was featured in Appetite, because tucked away in a restored shophouse set back from the road on Neil Road, I would never have found this little gem in a hundred years of sightseeing in Chinatown with visitors. In contrast to its traditional facade, the interior of this restaurant was surprisingly modern, decked out with chrome and wooden furnishings, giving it a trendy fast-food feel.

The food however, was anything but fast-food fare (and that’s certainly not intended as a criticism of the speed of service, rather a compliment of the quality). The service also was extremely friendly and attentive.

We kicked off with some old favourites – some Har Gao,

Shrimp and Chive Rice Rolls and some Char Siew Bao.

All of these were superb – the Shrimp was exceedingly fresh, the casing not too thick or sticky. You’ll notice the Char Siew isn’t as red as usual, but it was still sweet and succulent and delicious.

For any vegetarians who usually struggle with choice at Dim Sum – Dim Joy has an extensive selection, and all vegetarian items are clearly marked on the menu with a bamboo symbol. We tried the Prosperity Pouches – a selection of vegetables wrapped up in freshly made pancake parcels – beautifully presented and simply devine!

The Crisp Pumpkin Balls struck just the right note of sweetness,

and the Northern Pancakes (non-vegetarian) were also stunning.

Everything is home made here – even down to the Soy Sauce and Chilli Sauce, both of which were fruity and tangy and worthy of accompanying such superb dim sum.

I have to say this is among the best Dim Sum I have tried in Singapore – its renditions of the old favourites are fantastically executed and there are enough twists to tradition to keep it interesting. The freshness of the ingredients is evident throughout. On top of all this, the bill at the end is more in line with a Yum Cha or Crystal Jade bill, rather than a Shang Palace bill, to which I would liken it in quality.

Mr Greedy Glutton was disappointed that there were no Xiao Long Bao on the menu (to him the biggest attraction of going for Dim Sum), but they had Custard Buns, so I was willing to forgive and forget.

Truly a great find… I was grinning throughout our lunch… and I am sure Dim Joy will become a firm favourite for future weekend lunches…

Dim Joy - http://www.dimjoy.com/
80 Neil Road

Duxton Hill Charmer

2008-10-02T20:21:00.002+08:00

Not being a regular of the type of establishments usually associated with Duxton Hill, I have never ventured up there. But one of the girls suggested lunch at Broth, and I had read good things about it before, so we decided to try it out. Once past the neon Chivas Regal signs and KTV bars, a quiet leafy pedestrian oasis awaits, with Broth amidst the beautifully restored shophouses.

We chose an outdoor table to fully appreciate the serenity of our surroundings (serene at least until the construction started next door, but that’s no fault of the restaurant) and took some time to peruse the menu. Describing their food as ‘a modern approach to classic Australian recipes’, the menu features tempting treats such as ‘Lamb Loin in a Green Coat, served with Garlic Potatoes, Fine Beans and Mint Jus’ and ‘Salmon Fillet with Grilled Eggplant Steak, Fresh Soy Beans and Miso Cream Sauce’. They also include a Fish of the Day and a Pasta of the Day.

We skipped starters to allow room for dessert and went straight to mains, for which I chose the Pasta – an Aglio Olio with Clams. Now I’m not a huge fan of eating pasta when I’m out as to me it’s something to be thrown together at home on a mid-week evening, but I can certainly recommend this. Delicately flavoured, with al dente pasta and vegetables and succulent clams - truly delicious.

As promised to ourselves, we went on to order dessert, where I just couldn’t see past the ‘Supernova Pavlova with Whipped Cream, Banana, Passion Fruit and Berries’ – I mean, really, how good does that sound?

And it certainly caused some excitement when it arrived at the table – a large single-portion sized pavlova piled high with cream and fruit. In fact it looked so good that two passers-by actually stopped and came into the restaurant, pointing at my dessert “I’ll have one of those”. Alas, last orders had already been served and so they left, pointedly looking at me, eyes begging for a taste.

Well luckily for them, and unfortunately for me – this was a classic case of never judging a book by its cover - I’m afraid to say that it was hugely disappointing, and more than that, quite horrible… Two of us had ordered one and we spent a few mouthfuls looking across the table at each other in a state of confusion – “Just what is wrong with this Pavlova?” Our deduction? They used Salt instead of Sugar! Yep, it was a salty Pavlova. Whether this was a case of mistaking one for the other, or a deliberate ‘modern approach to a classic Australian recipe’ I don’t know – but I certainly won’t be ordering it again to find out… how disappointing…

Nonetheless, salty pavlovas aside, this is a charming little spot for lunch, and I’m sure also for a relaxed dinner à deux… and I shall definitely be returning for more…

Broth - http://www.broth.com.sg/

Revenge of the Curry

2008-09-25T11:55:00.005+08:00

There’s a group of us that meet fairly regularly, usually on a Wednesday night, for a slap-up Indian meal. Our place of choice is invariably Khansama where the quality of food never disappoints, and neither does the low figure at the bottom of the bill. Well this week we decided to be a little crazy and venture out of the confines of Little India and made our way up to that old famous favourite, Samy’s.

Firstly of note here was the lack of Indian people in the restaurant (apart from those in our group) – that’s right, it was all Ang Mohs – tourists and expats, perhaps because of its prolific appearances in the guidebooks… not the best sign of a good curry house, but we weren’t going to let that deter us.

There is no menu here – just a display cabinet of curries sitting in bain-maries just waiting for you to come along and choose them. We were there quite late (by late I mean around 9pm) and unfortunately you could tell that the majority of dishes had been sitting there for some time. For this reason we skipped the seafood which was looking really rather sad by this stage and opted instead for the lamb, chicken and vegetable dishes.

Once again we were slightly rather over-zealous with our ordering, not realizing that every dish we ordered would be slopped onto each banana leaf in abundance – but at least nobody went hungry and we were able to sample most dishes on offer (apart from the crusty seafood of course).

We kicked off with two types of Chicken and some Cauliflower, served on central plates with toothpicks to help ourselves with – which, apart from our concerns regarding the obviously high levels of food colouring, were a pretty tasty beginning.

Then came the main courses – two types of chicken, two types of lamb, some dahl and some raita. These again was all perfectly palatable (although not a patch on Khansama) and satisfyingly spicy. The bottom line on the bill was also fair, especially considering the vast amounts of food ordered.

We left fairly satisfied and happy to consider Samy’s as an occasional alternative for Wednesday night get-togethers. Until the next day that is… when between the 7 of us we managed to notch up bathroom visits well into the 30s… and so now (unlike our bathroom visits) we certainly won’t be running back here in a rush… You have been warned!

Samy’s - http://www.samyscurry.com/
Dempsey Road

One Year in Singapore!

2008-09-19T17:11:00.006+08:00

It was our One Year in Singapore anniversary, so despite it being a Tuesday evening, and Mr Greedy Glutton having to work late, we decided we had to mark the occasion in some way. And what better way than a celebratory meal? And what better location that our local hideaway Marina at Keppel Bay?

We end up at the Marina quite often on a Friday evening, or mid-week when we can’t be bothered to cook, or when we just fancy kicking back in their comfy sofas on the breezy decking, or supping some wine in their cozy wine bar… Tonight however we ventured deeper into the depths of the complex, and found ourselves at the Japanese restaurant, Takumi Tokyo.

As soon as we had set foot in the door, we were greeted by a chorus of Japanese welcomes, and a waitress in a kimono shuffled quickly towards us to take our umbrellas and show us to a seat. The restaurant is split into three areas – normal table seating, the Teppanyaki counter, and the Robatayaki (charcoal grill) counter. We opted for the Teppanyaki couter, and were again greeted by a chorus of welcomes as we approached – this time from the chefs.

Not being particularly versed in Japanese cuisine, we decided to make things easier and go for one of their set meals - they offer several different options, and we chose the Tokyo Teppan Course (from the Teppanyaki counter) and the Edo Robata Course (from the Robatayaki counter). There wasn’t a lot of difference between them – apart from the different styles of cooking, the main difference was that the Robata course comes with fish instead of meat – and the choice of rice is slightly different.

So all that was left was for us to sip on our Asahis and wait for the meal to emerge. It didn’t take long – first up was our Appetizers which were presented to us with much bowing and smiling. Here we had a selection of four different dishes – some Sushi, some Wagyu beef slices, Gluten and Pickled Vegetables.

Next up was a very generous Sashimi course – with three different types of fish.

Followed by the Assortment of Seasonal Vegetables
(this from the Tokyo Teppan course)

(and this from the Edo Robata course)

Next up was where we got some input – to choose our main courses: For the Tokyo Teppan course this was a choice of Premium Sirloin Steak with Grated Daikon Radish, Sauteed Kurobuta Pork with Rock Salt and Japanese Condiments or Selected Wagyu of the Day (additional $50.00). Well Mr Greedy Glutton’s a bit of a steak man, so Sirloin Steak it was:

For the Edo Robata Course, we got to take a trip to the other side of the restaurant to choose our fish from the ‘market’ (which is apparently flown in daily from Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market, the biggest fish and seafood market in the world). I have no idea what type of fish I ended up with – I just pointed at one that took my fancy, and a few minutes later it turned up on a plate in front of me:

There wasn’t too much room left in our expanding stomachs by now, but next up was a very tasty Seafood Miso soup

and some accompanying Garlic Fried Rice (for the Tokyo Teppan Course)

and Toasted Rice Ball (Edo Robata course).

Which only left time (and room) for one other thing – dessert: a semi-peeled grape, some rather delicious black sesame ice cream and an exceedingly sticky something-or-other.

All in all we had a pleasant evening – the food was enjoyable and the service attentive and cheerful. However, I’m not sure we will be rushing back for a mid-week meal any time in a hurry, mainly because of the cost I guess ($316.00 without drinks)… and besides, there are so many 100s of Japanese restaurants in Singapore to try… how could we justify returning here without trying all of them first?

Takumi Tokyo - http://www.takumitokyo.com/

Over-priced Chicken Rice

2008-09-18T15:24:00.006+08:00

Chatterbox at the Meritus Mandarin hotel always gets mentioned in magazines, blogs, travel books etc etc, and yet despite being up on Orchard Road several times a week, I have never ventured in there. Recently, however, its well-publicized move to the 38th Floor finally tempted me over the threshold.

First things first – the view is impressive. We can quite often be found making use of the New Asia Bar’s happy hour, especially when we have visitors in town, and Chatterbox’s view certainly gives it a run for its money. Granted it’s not as high as the New Asia Bar, but this actually gives you a better sense of perspective over the buildings, and it also has a better outlook.

Now back to the food – Chatterbox has made its name serving up an array of hawker favourites in a modern and comfortable atmosphere. Its reputation, however, seems to have been gleaned from one dish and one dish alone – its Mandarin Chicken Rice. Obviously I had to try it – despite the outrageous price tag ($24.00++ for chicken rice anyone?!)…

but not before my ever-present Satay cravings got the better of me:

The Satays were okay, but no better than I’ve had from any hawker centre, and hugely more expensive (perhaps you pay for extra for the presentation of the cucumber and onion kebab and the pandan wrapped rice cakes).

So, on to the famous Chicken Rice – well it was a huge portion, no way I was going to finish it, and rather nicely presented (although that felt wrong somehow!)

and yes it was tasty – the chicken was succulent, the rice well flavoured, the soup tasty although rather overly peppered.

So probably one of the best chicken rices I’ve tasted… although I’m still not sure about that price tag!

And while I’m having a moan about the price tag – guess how much they charge for a cup of Jasmine Tea? I'll tell you - $8.00++! And it came in a mug with a Twinings tea bag….

I’m glad I waited to come here until the move to the 38th Floor. Somehow the view made up for the outrageous prices. I’m not sure I will return here in a rush… although if we have visitors in town, it would certainly be an option for lunch… but mainly because of the view…

Chatterbox - http://www.meritus-hotels.com/hotelresort/meritus_mandarin/dining/chatterbox.htm

Meritus Mandarin Hotel, 38th Floor

Fondue Night

2008-09-12T18:24:00.005+08:00

I love skiing – the adrenaline rush of hurling yourself down a mogul run, the wind in your hair, the fresh crisp mountain air, vin chaud in the mountain restaurants… and of course, fondue! Well there aren’t any snow-covered slopes in Singapore that’s for sure, but I have discovered a fantastic little fondue restaurant.

Tucked away behind its rather more popular neighbours Long Beach and Samy’s at Dempsey Hill Green, is La Fondue. Keeping up with the European theme, the people at La Fondue have tried to recreate a ‘medieval castle’ atmosphere in which to enjoy your fondue. In fairness the restaurant is rather too contemporary to achieve this aim, but the stone walls, exposed beams and subdued lighting do make for a cozy environment for a fun dinner with friends.

In fact so modern is the set up here that each table is equipped with its own fully controllable electric hot plates – no naked flames and lighter fluid here thank you very much.

As there were four of us, we opted for two of the 4 course ‘Fondue Feasts for Two’, which enabled us to sample a good proportion of the menu between us. This kicked off with a choice of 3 salads - we chose the Caesar which was surprisingly good.

Next up was the first of the fondues – the Cheese course. Out of a choice of four different cheese fondues, we went for the Swiss Traditional Cheese (Gruyere, Swiss Emmenthal, Kirsch and White Wine) and the Black Pepper Cheese (Smoked Black Pepper, Stilton Cheese, Coarse Pepper, White Wine). Not only did two enormous pots of fondue appear fairly swiftly, but they were accompanied by a mound of bread cubes and trays of cooked crunchy vegetables.

These were pretty good – although a small complaint would be that the Swiss Traditional Cheese was perhaps to strong on the Kirsch flavour, and the Black Pepper Cheese perhaps not stilton-y enough (although this suited me fine).

Next up was the Meat & Seafood Course. Here, we opted for the Bourguignonne European Style Soup and the Chicken Broth (the other choice was a Flat Pan Grill which didn’t sound half as fun as dipping into the fondue).

With the soups we were served an amazing array of meat and seafood to dip in and cook - Garlic Herb Chicken, Marinated Sirloin, Shrimps, Teriyaki Chicken, Venison, Black Pepper Pork, Honey Pork, Sausages, Cajun Fish, Marinated Salmon, Spicy Fish, Beef Tenderloin – phew!

And it was all fantastic – each meat really carried its own flavour, and also differed depending on which soup they were cooked in. This led to several comments such as “Ooh, ooh, you have to try the Shrimps in the Bourguignonne” “Oh my God, have you tried the Honey Pork in the Chicken Broth yet?”… Ah, endless hours of fun!

Thankfully the fun didn’t end there, and the best was yet to come – yes, every girl's wet dream come true – the Chocolate Fondue. Again we were presented with a choice and after much deliberation we decided on the Original Chocolate (straight up Milk Chocolate) and Orange Chocolate (Dark Chocolate, Liquor, Orange Peel). To be honest, looking back at the menu now it is beyond me why we didn’t order the Cookie & Cream Marshmallow (Dark Chocolate, Marshmallows and Cookies), but anyway what we did end up with was certainly worth coming back for. Served with a selection of fruit, marshmallows, pieces of chocolate brownie, pieces of donut and ice cream, this was a heavenly end to a fantastically indulgent meal.

I will definitely be returning here – on top of the fantastic food, the serving staff were some of the most welcoming and attentive I have come across in Singapore. The only thing lacking was a buzz – there was only one other table in when we were there, so I hope it doesn’t suddenly disappear like so many other places in Singapore.

And if you happen to venture to La Fondue yourself… I can recommend the chocolate brownie dipped in the chocolate fondue, with ice cream on the side… sounds like chocolate overload… tastes like heaven…

La Fondue - http://www.lafondue.com.sg/

25 Dempsey Road, Dempsey Hill Green. Phone: 6474 0204

I’ll take the Fake

2008-09-10T13:47:00.004+08:00

So the much-hyped Supperclub has finally opened its Asian doors in Singapore. Having had such a good night at the Bed Supperclub in Bangkok (note – no relation to the Singapore/Amsterdam chain – like so many others things in Bangkok, that one is a fake/copy), we were keen to check out the new one here. With this being the original from Amsterdam we had high hopes, so with a group of friends we booked a 'bed' and made our way down to Odeon Towers.

Walking into the Supperclub is exactly like the one in Bangkok (oh yes, like my Chatuchak market Gucci handbag, Bangkok does a good fake) – whitewashed walls, large communal beds lining the room, DJ box, bar, upstairs balcony, dance floor… although perhaps the waiting staff here were a little stranger.

Having kicked off our shoes and made ourselves comfortable on the beds with a glass of wine (no cocktail menu here unfortunately), we sat back and waited for the entertainment to begin. In Bangkok we were continually being entertained – there was always something weird and wonderful going on, but unfortunately it didn’t quite happen the same here.

Never mind, the food was brought along so we had something to keep us occupied. The five course surprise meal (unlike the one in Bangkok where the menu was revealed after each course on the projection screen, we were never told what each course was) kicked off with a Tuna Tartare, served in polystyrene takeaway boxes, with chopsticks.

It then moved on to a Seafood and Sweetcorn "Cappucino", served in a half pint Heineken glass

Followed by Swordfish with a Risotto

Lamb Cutlets with a Sweet Potato Puree and Vegetables (unfortunately raw – no, not rare, I said raw!)

And finally a Chocolate Molten Cake with Caramelized Pineapple and Ice Cream.

The food unfortunately was all pretty average - so back to the entertainment. Well, somewhere between those courses they did eventually bring in a painted lady offering suggestive dance moves with a large snake round her neck. It lasted about 10 minutes... then we went back to entertaining ourselves. Then once the meal was over an artist wearing a gimp mask turned up to paint some canvases in the middle of the dance floor for 45 minutes – well there’s only so much paint splashing that can keep you amused and after five minutes most people had got bored of it... so we went back to entertaining ourselves.

So our highly anticipated evening out ended up being a bit of a damp squib really… the entertainment was lacklustre, the food average and the bill exorbitant ($250 per head in fact) So in otherwise in comparison to the copy in Bangkok, the Singapore Supperclub is half as good for twice the price… thanks Singapore, but if I’m thinking of heading back to a Supperclub, I’ll take the fake in Bangkok…

Supperclub – www.supperclub.com

Disappointment at Dempsey

2008-09-09T16:31:00.004+08:00

A few of our friends had been to Barracks and said how much they had enjoyed it so myself and Mr Greedy Glutton decided to give it a whirl for a Friday night ‘date’.

First impressions weren’t great as we started off in ‘Camp’, the bar area. The restaurant and bar are housed in the former mess of the British army barracks up at Dempsey, hence the name and the rather over-the-top theming of the establishment. Whilst the location of the bar with views over the rainforest should have been perfect for an alfresco pre-dinner tipple, the desire to carry the army theme throughout meant utilitarian furnishings which are just uncomfortable.

We tried to take one of the canvas covered sofas made from tent poles which suggested they might be slightly more comfortable than the steel upright chairs, but were told that they were fully booked (nobody sat in any of them in the hour that we were there – in fact there were only 2 other tables full). Despite there being next to nobody in the bar, flagging down a waiter wasn’t the easiest task, but we did finally manage to order some cocktails.

Camp boasts that its cocktail menu has been put together by a group of global mixologists and claim to be ‘here to help you discover a better standard of drinking’, so we thought perhaps things were about to look up. They also claim that their Madagascan Mojito (“a vanilla twist on the classic Cuban refresher”) was voted Best Mojito by I-S magazine.

Well I’m guessing the people at I-S magazine didn’t try any others, because this was the worst mojito I have ever had the misfortune to try. I’m all for a good serving of mint, but this was taking it to extremes – between the mint and the ice, there was no room left for any liquid and after two sips it was gone – at $17.00 ++ that’s two expensive sips of cocktail! Thankfully the Latin Fling was more successful – with Freshly Muddle.d Pineapple and Lime, Brown Sugar, Cachaca 51, Havana Club Anejo Reserva Rum, this was refreshing and unique.

Unfortunately the service in the restaurant, Barracks, wasn’t much better – there was much confusion over our booking despite them phoning me earlier that afternoon to confirm, and us confirming with them on our way to the bar an hour earlier. We sat for ages waiting for the menu and wine list; the water we asked for on sitting down didn’t appear until half way through the meal and even then only because we had to ask again; when we ordered a bottle of wine the waiter walked off without even acknowledging our order only to return ten minutes later to tell us it was out of stock; when we eventually ordered the wine it appeared about 20 minutes later, just before our starters…

I could go on, but writing this is depressing me as much as sitting there did on the night. Focusing on the positives – the wine list was fun and quirky (even if half the bottles were out of stock!) presented like a Pantone reference guide

and, thankfully and most importantly, the food was good. We started off with the Sweet Corn Soft Shell Crab, which were lovely and crisp, served with baby herb salad, a creamy sweet corn puree and ‘Mojo’ sauce, and topped with a novel addition - curry popcorn.

I then moved on to the Slow-cooked Crispy Pork Belly, which they claim is slow-cooked for 7-9 hours. Of course I don’t know if this is true but it was fantastic, with delicately crispy crackling and the crunchy sweet pickled vegetables complemented it perfectly.

Mr Greedy Glutton’s option of Cod Fish and Chips a la Indian was slightly less successful. Despite being described as being ‘curry and coriander cod fish’ it just tasted like, well – fish and chips… they weren’t bad fish and chips, but certainly not as interesting as the menu suggested.

I have to say that their desserts sounded fantastic – Mango Marshmallow Melt anyone? Or how about Hazelnut & Raspberry Chocolate Cake Crunch? Sounds tempting… but to be honest we had just had enough by then (bad service can be terribly exhausting!)… and we decided instead just to get the rock out of there…

Camp/Barracks - http://www.dempseyhouse.com/

(be careful, the website keeps crashing my internet browser!)

Chocolate Heaven

2008-09-02T15:19:00.003+08:00

I had just enjoyed a decidedly good Thai feast at Café Supunsa and decided that a coffee would finish of the meal perfectly. Crossing the courtyard at Robertson Quay, I just couldn’t resist the comfy lounge chairs and sofas outside Laurent’s Café and Chocolate Bar.

Now I might just have stuffed my face full of Pad Thai and Beef Penang, but I challenge anyone to walk inside Laurent’s Café and Chocolate Bar and return having ordered only a coffee. This place is a utopia for every chocoholic out there… even an apathetic chocolate eater such as myself could not resist the goodies on offer – cookies, cakes, chocolates, ice creams… my goodness, it’s like a visit to Candy Heaven, there’s even a walk-in fridge, full of… CHOCOLATES!

I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I do confess to a weakness for a slice of cake with my coffee and so, after much deliberation, I finally decided on a slice of the very aptly named ‘Pleasure’. Oh and pleasurable it was indeed – a chocolate, hazelnut biscuit base, topped with layers of chocolate hazelnut mousse and wafer thin chocolate slices, I’m swooning all over again just writing this.

It was amazing, fantastic, orgasmic even… but exceedingly rich, and for someone who can normally only stomach two squares of a chocolate bar in one go, it was quite a challenge to eat the whole slice. I can proudly announce however, that I rose to the challenge admirably… and despite my protestations of feeling sick, I was even to be seen wiping that plate clean with my finger…

Laurent’s Café and Chocolate Bar - http://www.thechocolatefactoryonline.com/

A Hidden Gem

2008-09-01T17:03:00.003+08:00

I was down at Robertson Quay with a couple of friends, looking for a place to stop off for lunch. None of the options were immediately grabbing any of us, so one of the girls suggested a little Thai place, tucked around the back of the main drag – so Café Supunsa it was…

This is a tiny, basic restaurant with only a handful of indoor and outdoor tables, and as we were quite late for lunch, we were the only clientele. Nevertheless the staff welcomed us in and we ordered ourselves up a feast:

Starting with some Spring Rolls:

And moving on to Beef Panang:

Pad Nam Mun Hoi Goong (stir fried prawns with oyster sauce and fresh vegetables)

Pad Kra Pao (Stir Fried Chicken with fresh vegetables, chilli and basil)

And a Pad Thai:

Now this may not be the most glamourous or comfortable restaurant in Roberston Quay, but I tell you what… if good, cheap Thai food is your thing… this little bad boy is well worth seeking out…

Café Supunsa, 30 Robertson Quay, #01-04 Riverside View

Cozy Steak Place

2008-08-26T16:05:00.003+08:00

I first read about Les Bouchons on The Travelling Hungryboy’s website, where he promised “an unpretentious French place specializing in Steak Frites”. Well that was enough to sell it to Mr Greedy Glutton and I, so we took our hungry stomachs off to Ann Siang Road.

This was actually the second time we tried to get in here – the first time it was fully booked (not surprisingly when you see the limited number of seats) so I rang ahead this time and booked a table. Well, I fell in love with this cozy little restaurant as soon as I walked in – it was exactly as we’d anticipated – unpretentious, undeniably French… and the food smells wafting through from the kitchen were amazing… There was even a table of Frenchmen on the table next to us, just to complete the ambience!

This is definitely a carnivores-only place, with a very limited menu of Steak Frites and very little else (well, with the exception of a couple of Lamb dishes, and a couple of Fish dishes). We dithered over whether to go for the 1kg “Cote de Boeuf” Prime Rib for two, but I eventually settled on the Grilled Rib Eye Steak with “Vigneron” Butter,

while Mr Greedy Glutton went for the Grilled Sirloin Steak with Herbs. All the plats here come with a free-flow of crispy frites, and a side salad.

Well what can I say? The steak was delicious, the fries were delicious, and washed down with a nice bottle of Red, we had ourselves a fantastic evening in this lovely cozy little hideaway.

I almost don’t want to tell too many people about it in case it becomes so popular that I can’t get a table… but Les Bouchons has definitely become my number 1 spot for Steak Frites in Singapore…

Les Bouchons – 7 Ann Siang Road

A New Lunch Option

2008-08-25T18:26:00.007+08:00

It was girly lunch time again and this time we made our way to the recently-opened, much anticipated PS Café at Palais Renaissance. First impressions of this place are very favourable – the high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, tiled floor and Parisian café-style seating gave the restaurant a breezy, classy, European feel.

Unfortunately having been seated there for a few minutes, you would have been forgiven for thinking you were actually in Europe (outside, in the winter), it was so cold in there. In their defence they did offer pashminas to wrap around our goose-pimpled limbs, but I can’t for the life of me understand why it’s necessary for the room to be quite so arctic.

Anyway, back to more important things than climate control… the food. We kicked off with a shared starter – the crudités:

These were really fantastic, fresh, crunchy vegetables with two different dips – a curried lentil one, and I have to confess to forgetting what the other one was…

The main courses we chose were a bit of a mixed bag really. I opted for the King Prawn Caeser, which was one of the better options – a large bowl of crispy leaves, smothered in a rich dressing with plenty of bacon, a soft sticky egg and generous sized prawns.

Other options, whilst tasty, were rather miserly in the portions and I dread to think what some of our other halves would have done with the tiny morsels of food provided for the Poached Salmon:

And the Lamb Kebabs:

I’m afraid I have another criticism of this new venture – there wasn’t a single vegetarian option on the menu, leaving my vegan friend in a bit of a sticky situation. They did eventually rustle her up a salad, but I can’t help thinking this is a bit of an oversight.

Girls being girls, and this being the P.S Café (and their portion sizes being what we have already discussed), we of course continued to enjoy coffee and cake and I wolfed down a rather delicious Lemon Tart.

Unfortunately I have now discovered another restaurant with an annoying ‘No photographs’ rule… and so the camera had been banished to my handbag under the table by this stage… so you’ll just have to trust me when I say it was good…

P.S Café, Palais Renaissance - http://www.pscafe.sg/palais.html

Birthday Brunch

2008-08-20T12:07:00.008+08:00

It was Mr Greedy Glutton’s birthday so a group of us headed to the Ritz Carlton’s Greenhouse restaurant to try out their Champagne Sunday Brunch.

What is immediately attractive about this brunch over others is that it runs for longer – 11:30am until 3:00pm, instead of the usual 12:00 to 3:00, closely followed by their champagne selection – a choice of Vintage Moët or Rosé Moët. Not only this, but they also have a cocktail bar included in the free flow, with Mojitos and Caipirinhas muddled up to order. Throw in a bright and airy atmosphere, live music, fantastic spread of food and exceptionally friendly and helpful staff and we quickly saw we were on to a winner.

As always, I kicked off with a few oysters to whet the appetite:

Unfortunately most other people also decided the oysters were a good start-off point, and downside of the Greenhouse is that most of their stations provide food to order (oysters are opened, sashimi and roast beef are sliced, pancakes are tossed, and chocolate puddings are baked – all to order), Whilst on one hand this is obviously a positive aspect as the food is fresh, it meant there was a long queue wherever you went – perhaps that’s why they allow you the extra half hour.

Moving on, my next stop was the Barbecued Lobster station –freshly cooked and with a self-serve helping of thermidor sauce, making it probably the best I’ve had at any brunch in Singapore.

A momentary willingness to at least attempt to be slightly healthy led me to the Salad station, where I piled on the Caeser salad, asparagus spears and salmon:

Before moving on to the Sushi/Sashimi station where I loaded up myself up:

This lead nicely onto the Meat station, where I was served some beautifully cooked roast beef, a fantastic lamb cutlet with mint sauce, crispy pork belly, and some Chinese-style spare ribs.

Then it was time to move on to the Dessert station, where I just couldn’t decide between the strawberry and crème anglaise stuffed pancake with a choice of ice cream… or the molten chocolate cake with choice of ice cream… so yep, you guessed it – I took both…

This only left room for a selection from the fantastic Cheese station,

before we sat back and enjoyed a few final mojitos before closing time… (fantastic mojitos by the way, with your own brown sugar swizzle stick to stir into so you can adjust sweetness to taste).

Well, what can I say? A fantastic spread indeed and lot of fun was had by all… in fact we’re already planning our return visit…

The Greenhouse, Ritz Carlton, Millenia Singapore - http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Singapore/Dining/Greenhouse/Default.htm

Special Indian

2008-08-19T14:55:00.005+08:00

It was Mr Greedy Glutton’s birthday eve, so being the loving and doting wife that I am, I booked us a table at Song of India, somewhere he has been dying to try for a while.

Set within a colonial black and white bungalow, with its pillars and chandeliers and modern art-clad walls, this is certainly a notch above the rest when it comes to class and style. Unfortunately though, it was one of those atmospheres where I felt the need to lean across the table and whisper to my other half, as there wasn’t much of a buzz about the place.

The menu too was certainly a notch above the rest, particularly the Starter section. After much deliberation, we decided on the Lahsooni Jhinga – Jumbo prawns stuffed with spiced crayfish and shrimps in a garlic enhanced tandoor marinade, and the Til Ke Aloo – Tandoori potato buckets stuffed with peppers, cheese, sesame and pine nuts.

These were beautifully presented – shared up between us and elegantly served on long plates, complete with decorative swirls. And they were completely delicious. Not only this, but they also bought us an amuse bouche – an upmarket version of a chaat in its own crispy little basket.

Moving onwards to the main courses, the menu wasn’t quite as inspiring, featuring all the usual favourites – Chicken Tikka Masala, Rogan Josh, Goan Fish Curry etc etc. We opted for their Chicken Tikka Masala

and the Kashmiri Rogan Josh.

Both of these were exceptionally good examples of these famous dishes, and you could really taste the distinctive flavours of the various spices within. However, at the end of the day – it was just a Tikka Masala and a Rogan Josh…

We did however team these with the Kuttu with Appam – mixed vegetables in coconut curry with fluffy rice hoppers, which was slightly more unusual, truly delicious and a great accompaniment to the richer meat dishes.

Washed down with a bottle of Kanonkop Pinotage

(we visited the vineyard whilst on honeymoon in South Africa and therefore become very excited when we spot one of these on the menu), this was a really fantastic meal.

However, for the prices they charge, I’m not sure I would justify returning for a ‘curry’. Instead I would be tempted to come back and make up my meal from their imaginative starter menu… and then I feel you might be in for something rather more special…

Song of India - http://www.thesongofindia.com/

Post-Yoga Dim Sum

2008-08-15T18:53:00.010+08:00

It was post-yoga on a Friday afternoon and we were all hungry and ready for a large helping of dumplings... so we went to the closest possible spot, Crystal Jade Palace and dug right in, going for all the usual favourites:

Har Kau

Xiao Long Bao

Rice Roll with Shrimp

Char Siu Bao

All of these, it has to be said, were top notch. We also tried their Pork Dumplings Teochew Style, which were fantastic and have become a new favourite:

And the Crispy Pork Belly which was luscious:

As you can see, we weren't shy in our ordering, but it was all so fantastic, there was nothing left to go back to the kitchen I can assure you.

In fact, we went on to order dessert - the waitress recommended these little fun bags, describing them as being sesame and peanut - I'm not entirely sure what they were, but they were uber-sticky and oozed sweet black 'ink' all over the plate (if anyone can enlighten me, please do!)

And of course we had to order everyone's favourite - Custard Buns, which were so awesome they had five women round the table moaning with ecstacy...

My usual dim sum hangouts tend to be Crystal Jade Dining In at Vivocity, and Yum Cha at Chinatown (mainly because I'm lazy and they're easy to get to)... but I think I have now found a new favourite... courteous service, a classy surrounding... but most importantly, fabulously fantastic food... In the words of Mr Schwarzenegger: "I'll be back!"

Crystal Jade Palace - http://www.crystaljade.com/CrystalJadePalaceRestaurant.htm

Bali Dining in Style

2008-08-12T16:57:00.011+08:00

Still in Bali and fine dining seemed to be the order of the day… so this time we took a quiet stroll along the beach and ended up at the luxurious Legian hotel. First stop was the Pool Bar for cocktails. Set right above the beach, this is the perfect venue for a pre-dinner tipple, sipped to the sound of the crashing waves.

Having enjoyed the Frozen Strawberry Daiquiris at next-door’s fabulous Breeze bar the night before, I had to give the Legian’s Pool Bar the opportunity to prove themselves worthy of my cocktail-enjoying presence and so ordered the same. I am happy to report that they were just as fresh, just as alcoholic… just as tasty.

As was the Royal Mandarin, and the Mojito... A successful start to the evening.

Having supped a few of these, we made our way round the infinity pool to not-very-imaginatively-named The Restaurant. Thankfully the name is the only thing lacking pizzazz at this restaurant – the wine list, the food, the service and the ambience were all second to none and we had ourselves an exceedingly enjoyable evening.

Between us we managed to sample most of the menu I think – I kicked off with the Prawn Croquette with Pea Puree, Japanese Bail, Watercress and Sesame Vinaigrette;

Mr Greedy Glutton opted for the Cappellini Pasta with Freshwater Shrimps, Prawn Oil and Konbu;

and the Greedy Guts chose the Truffle Risotto with Seared Scallops and Black Truffle Oil

and the 36 Months Aged Jamon Iberico with Bruschetta respectively.

We also threw in a Carpaccio of Organic Baby Zucchini with Pine Nuts and Parmigiano Reggiano for good measure (because we’re greedy like that).

Onwards and upwards we moved onto the main course – a fantastically crispy Fillet of Sea Bream with Aubergine Caviar, Tomato Confit and Potato Rosti pour moi;

The Oven-Roasted Lamb Loin with Organic Green Beans, Semi-Dried Tomatoes, Braised Shallot and Thyme Jus for Mr Greedy Glutton (and for once it was I who suffered from food envy);

Mrs Greedy Guts chose Grilled Mayura Platinum Full Blood Wagyu Striploin with Watercress and Rosemary Oil (Score 9, if you know your stuff) – I recently wrote bemoaning the over-use of Wagyu on Singaporean menus here, finally I came to understand what the fuss is about… here was a true melt-in-your-mouth, outstanding steak;

And the Braised Wagyu Cheek with Truffle Mashed Potatoes and Tamarind Jus for Mr Greedy Guts, which I believe he proclaimed to be the best dish he had ever eaten, and continued to talk about for days later.

I, of course, tasted all of the above meals and can safely say that they were all superb…

Now I’m sure most people would have been satisfied with the above, and indeed we were all fairly brimming with food, but after the quality of the starters and mains, how could we not opt for dessert? We tried to be sensible by ordering two to share – the Baked Chocolate Molten Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

And the Selection of Farmhouse Cheese … with a few glasses of dessert wine too…

But you know what? They were so good, we ordered seconds of everything… So the Greedy Gluttons and the Greedy Guts together again… and living up to our names in style…

The Restaurant at the Legian Hotel - http://www.lhw.com/property.aspx?id=507

Straight into the Top Ten

2008-08-07T15:40:00.003+08:00

Last time we were in Bali, Hu’u Bar & Restaurant was our favourite place we visited for dinner, so we couldn’t resist a return visit this holiday, especially as we wanted to share our discover with the Greedy Guts.

Thankfully it didn’t disappoint and has now made its way firmly into my Top Ten Restaurants of All Time – it has the whole package: winning ambience, alfresco dining, fantastic cocktails and truly outstanding food. I’m hooked!

Mr Greedy Glutton has never quite got over the fact that I trounced him on my choice of meal last time we were here, and so this time, guess what? He ordered my exact same meal from before – the Crab Cakes with Mango Salsa, followed by the Seared Tuna. Luckily for him it was every bit as good as last time and he was happy diner.

This time I kicked off with the Duck Pancakes and oh my goodness, I fell in love with this restaurant all over again. The blend of Asian-style duck wrapped up in French crepes rendered this dish absolutely sublime – little bundles of Fusion joy.

My follow-up dish was no less impressive – a platter of Tamarind Chilli Prawns – thick, juicy and delicious.

Determined to drag this meal out slightly longer and get absolute maximum enjoyment, we then plumped for dessert – a truly awe-inspiring Caramelized Banana Tart, which quickly had our four spoons fighting for the remaining scrapings on the plate.

Hu’u Bar & Restaurant, I salute you… you’re just another reason to keep me coming back to Bali for long weekends…

Hu’u Bar & Restaurant, Seminyak, Bali - http://www.huubali.com/

Lunch in Bali

2008-07-31T17:05:00.004+08:00

We were back in Bali, this time with our good friends the Greedy Guts, who featured in this blog early on when it first started. Our first meal of what turned out to be an excellent culinary holiday was lunch at Café Bali.

On first impressions, this was a great little find – a breezy café/restaurant with high ceilings, open windows, white-washed walls and furniture and cozy sofas in the corners, giving it all the comfort trappings of home. And most importantly for yours truly – free wifi!

Unfortunately the food didn’t quite live up to its promising surroundings. It’s not that it was particularly bad, it just wasn’t very exciting. The Greedy Guts opted for the Tuna Nicoise, which looked okay but certainly didn’t evoke food envy from me.

Mr Greedy Glutton went for the Special – Enchiladas, which were fairly tasty but a rather miserly portion.

I decided to go local and ordered the Mixed Satay, which was good, but nothing to write home about.

Still, all of the above were far more successful than the sides we ordered (well we have to live up to our names, don’t we?) The Har Kau was unlike any I have tasted before (and not in a good way) and the Vietnamese Spring Rolls were unfortunately a bland, greasy mess.

So a bit of a shame all in all – I definitely don’t think I’ll be returning for food here, although I might be persuaded to spend a lazy afternoon sipping wine on one of their sofas…. If I must!

Café Bali, Jl Laksmana, Seminyak, Bali

Japanese for a Hen Night

2008-07-30T13:19:00.010+08:00

Yet another night out with the girls, but this time in honour of a friend’s hen night. So we donned our Little Black Dresses and some rather fetching feather boas and, after a day of pampering at Spa Botanica and quaffing champagne at the Marina at Keppel Bay, we made our way to Shochu-tastic Satsuma at the Gallery Hotel.

This funky little Japanese restaurant specializes in grilled meats and Shochu, a sake-like liquor made from sweet potato. Thankfully we had a few Japanese friends with us, so we left the ordering to them – kicking off, of course, with a bottle of Shochu from their 80+ strong list.

Once we were all comfortably seated on the floor around our sunken table, sipping our shochu, the dishes began to arrive – and what a selection we had!

From the ‘Drinking Food’ section:
Edamame (Green Soy Beans)

Hourensou Goma Ae (Spinach with Sesame Sauce)

Momotaro Mozarera Chiizu (Japanese Tomato with Mozzarella Cheese)

Kinoko Itame (Assorted Stir Fry Mushroom)

From the ‘Charcoal Grill’ section:
Hamachi Kama (Yellowtail Cheek)

Tsukune (Chicken Meat Balls)

Mochi Buta Maki (Rice Cake rolled with Pork)

Monohoshi Kare Nikuzume (Curried Minced Chicken)

Gyuu Tan (Ox Tongue)

Foie Gras

And from the Deep Fried Section:
Miso Katsu Chiizu (Pork Cutlet with Bean Paste and Cheese)

Phew! And I think I’ve only accounted for approximately half the dishes we actually ordered… All in all it was a fantastic spread of food and despite the vast quantities ordered, I seem to remember very little being left.

Satsuma is also famous for its after-dinner waitress-led raucous shochu drinking games, but unfortunately nobody offered us this opportunity.... hmmm... perhaps they thought we were being raucous enough already.... (they should've seen us later on in the privacy of our karaoke lounge!)...

Satsuma - http://www.satsuma.com.sg/english/index.html

A Girly Night Out

2008-07-04T18:46:00.005+08:00

It was a very special evening for us girls – 22 of us had hired out one of the Gold Class cinemas at Vivocity for our very own viewing of the hotly anticipated Sex and the City movie. As you can probably imagine, there was much squealing and giggling, tears and laughter in that movie theater, but at the end of 145mins or oestrogen-filled fun, we felt that not quite enough wine had been consumed, so we all made our way to the nearest bar, Wood.

This sleek new restaurant with its trendy neon-glowing bar, subdued lighting and stylish furnishings seemed the perfect venue to host our post-movie tipples. The restaurant has also received glowing reviews in the press for its inventive wood-roasted/grilled/smoked dishes. Unfortunately our drinks experience has not left me inspired to be quite so glowing.

Wood prides itself on its wine list, evident in the impressive circular display of bottles you walk past to enter the restaurant. In fact, their website boasts: “With prices starting from an affordable $45 per bottle, the extensive wine list never fails to impress even the most picky wine connoisseur”. (I have corrected the spelling mistakes in my quote, but have left the grammatical errors for effect)

Shame then that they couldn’t offer us a simple Sauvignon Blanc, or anything remotely similar, or remotely affordable, when we were there. They blamed this on a function the night before which had left them high and dry – rather poor though given that this was a Friday evening, and we were 22 thirsty girls looking to celebrate our fabulous-ness, à la Carrie Bradshaw and crew. This unfortunately resulted in half the girls picking up their clutch bags and marching their stiletto-clad feet over to the Bellini Room at St James Powerstation. Those of us that remained reached for the cocktail list.

This was marginally more successful (in that they actually had in stock all that was required to make the cocktails), although we did have a wrangle with both the waiter and bartender about whether it was possible to make a Virgin Daiquiri (ie. without alcohol) – the waiter said he didn’t think it would be possible, the bartender said it was too difficult, we all shouted for a third time “It’s on your menu!”, and eventually the drink appeared.

Nobody was particularly complimentary about their choices – a mixture of Cosmopolitans (but of course), Lychee Martinis and a Strawberry Mojito failed to excite us, but perhaps by now we were just a little tired of how difficult it had become to get a decent drink.

So, you guessed it… we grabbed our handbags and tottered across the road to the Bellini Bar… where our friends and a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc awaited us…

Wood - http://thecaffebar.com/wood/

A Favourite Lunch Spot

2008-07-03T17:31:00.003+08:00

Din Tai Fung is one of my favourite lunch spots and I usually pop in here alone if I am out and about for a gut-filling, good-for-the-soul noodle soup. This time, I happened to be with some friends – which can only mean one thing…extra dishes!

I am terribly unadventurous whenever I come here, but I just cannot see past their Noodle Soup with Pork and Prawn Wanton, so predictably that is what I ordered today, and it was as satisfying as ever.

We also ordered a few side dishes – the Kang Kong with Garlic,

some Xiao Long Bao, for which Din Tai Fung is famous, although I am not entirely sure that this fame is justified – don’t get me wrong, they are good… just not that good…

And some new additions to my Din Tai Fung usuals: the delicious Crispy Prawn Pancakes

and the Vegetable Dumplings (which I didn’t actually get a chance to try so can’t comment).

I don’t think you can really go wrong with Din Tai Fung, it continually delivers the goods… although I’m not sure about their ‘no photograph’ policy… and no brownie points go to the waiter who rudely told me to put my camera away…

Din Tai Fung, Wisma Atria - http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/area_a_detail.asp?AreaNO=147&AreaCountryNO=5

Lunch with New Friends

2008-07-02T12:43:00.005+08:00

I made some new friends in my yoga class and so suggested a Dim Sum get-together for us all. I had read a few complimentary reviews on the net about Imperial Treasure Nan Bei on the fifth floor of Takashimaya, so booked us a table there. Being first to arrive, I had a few minutes on my own to get excited about their extensive lunch menu, which is divided into three – a Hong Kong Dim Sum, Shanghai Dim Sum, and Soup/Noodles menu (these are in addition to their normal a la carte menus).

Once the girls arrived, however the challenge of choosing dishes became somewhat more complex as it turns out amongst five of us we had one vegetarian (who thankfully eats seafood), one vegan (who clearly doesn’t) and one diabetic (who luckily isn’t too restricted by Dim Sum).

Despite this, we still managed to order a generous spread, including many of the favourites:

Char Sui Bao

Har Kau

Teochew Dumplings

Char Sui Sou

Crispy Prawn WanTon

Vegetarian Spring Rolls

And one of my all-time favourites, Barbecued Pork in Honey Sauce:

I also tried Custard Buns for the first time… I know, I know, how could I be such a massive Dim Sum fiend and never had the custard buns? Well usually I am just too pigged out to be tempted, but today on the advice of my friend, I tried them and damn, were they good! My friend was somewhat less impressed, but having not had any previous experience with which to compare, I was suitably satisfied.

All in all it was an extremely pleasant afternoon, and the staff were happy to let us sit and natter over copious amounts of Chinese tea long after the Dim Sum had been cleared away. However… Given that the Crystal Jade Palace, where we recently had an extremely good lunch, is a mere escalator ride away… I’m afraid the quality of the food here just won’t have me returning for more…

Imperial Treasure Nan Bei - Ngee Ann City #05-12/13

A Wedding Celebration

2008-06-19T15:10:00.004+08:00

Two of our lovely friends got married and held their post-nuptial celebrations at Flutes at the Fort. This black and white house makes a fantastic venue for a restaurant, and especially for celebrating a special occasion. We started off with champagne and scrumptious little nibbles on the verandah, before moving inside for the meal.

This kicked off with a Chilled Tiger Prawn Salad, served with mango and pomegranate, with a lime dressing. This was a fantastic, light way to start the meal – the mango was fresh and ripe, the prawns big and juicy and all the flavours complemented each other perfectly.

Moving on to the Entrée, we were served a Vol-au-Vent of Sautéed Fresh Mushrooms in a creamy white wine sauce, which was rich and creamy and smooth.

There was then a Lemon Sorbet interlude, while we quaffed some more fine wine, before the main course arrived – a very succulent Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek with crushed potatoes and baby vegetables, with a Star Anise sauce – pure melt in the mouth gorgeousness.

Of course everyone was feeling very full (and particularly spoilt) by this stage, but everyone evidently managed to save a tiny space in those expanding bellies of ours to squeeze in a decadently rich Warm Chocolate Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream… a perfect end to a perfect evening.

So congratulations to a gorgeous couple… (you know who you are!)… and thank you for a fantastic evening of fabby food and fun….

Flutes at the Fort - http://www.flutesatthefort.com.sg/index.php

Disappointing Vietnamese

2008-06-16T16:48:00.006+08:00

I used to stop by at Orange Lantern for my lunch every now and then and we occasionally pick up a takeaway from there on the way home, but it had been a while since we’d sat down here for a bite, so we decided to give it a go.

The warning bells did start to go off when we saw how busy it is – they are always so slow in here, we did worry that food would take forever, but deciding we weren’t really in too much of a hurry, we took a seat anyway. However, we weren’t quite prepared for the ridiculously long wait that ensued, or the particularly poor service.

Over half an hour after we ordered, our Kang Kong arrived… nothing else, just some Kang Kong… we waited, and waited but still nothing else arrived. When we finally managed to get hold of someone to ask where the rest of the food was, two bowls of rice appeared. By this stage, of course, the kang kong was completely cold and there was still no other food in sight.

When we sent the kang kong back, I fear it was bunged in the microwave, as it returned a couple of minutes later, mildly warmer and looking decidedly wilted.

We had some success however as the rest of the food came along not long afterwards - Grilled Squid Stuffed with Mince Pork, which was disappointingly bland

Grilled Chicken Chop marinated with lemongrass, which thankfully was more successful – juicy and succulent and exceedingly tasty, this was more like the Orange Lantern we were used to.

Then finally, after a bit more nagging from ourselves, and a good while after the rest of the food arrived, the Starters finally put in an appearance:
Shrimp Paste on Sugarcane (again disappointingly bland)

And their Combination Platter – Fried Spring Rolls, Rice Paper Rolls, Mango Salad and Barbecue Beef cooked in Betel Leaves, none of which was particularly inspiring I’m afraid.

Well, what can I say? Disappointing food and appalling service… what a travesty, considering we thought we had a gem of a little Vietnamese restaurant on our doorstep. I can safely say I shan’t be back here for dinner in a while, although there is still the possibility of a takeaway bowl of noodles once in a while.

We did manage to enjoy one aspect of the evening however… two mugs of beer for $10…. Just as well as we managed to go through a few while we were waiting all that time for our food …

Orange Lantern, #01-98 Harbourfront Centre

Haute Dim Sum

2008-06-10T18:25:00.006+08:00

The Shang Palace at the Shangri-la Hotel has been receiving a lot of press lately due to its recent $4 million refurbishment, so we decided to head along there last Sunday to check out whether it deserves all the hype surrounding its Dim Sum.

Well this place might be popular but we certainly weren’t expecting the level of security required to enter the hotel! Turned out we chose to visit on the same day as an international Defence Secretary convention… first our taxi was directed to a holding bay where it was searched for explosives, then we were ushered through an enormous armed barrier, past some snipers at the door (yes, really!) and then finally once out of the taxi, we and our bags had to pass through airport-style x-ray and metal detectors.

Once inside the place was swarming with armed police and military personnel – and I mean swarming, there were even three armed policewomen in the Ladies restrooms! So it was a relief to reach the relative calm of the restaurant – I say relative, as this place itself was buzzing, but thankfully with the chatter of large groups of friends and family enjoying their Sunday yum cha, rather than police radios and guns being loaded (ok, I made that last bit up for effect, but you get the picture…).

The first thing I loved about this restaurant was its tea menu – no just asking for Chinese Tea here – they have an entire menu of different premium Chinese teas, from different regions, each with their own unique properties. To add to the fun, their tea ‘menu’ is displayed as a set of Chinese fortune sticks, with each stick representing a different tea.

I have to confess to getting thoroughly over-excited by this and painstakingly making my way through each stick, reading its explanation and slowly narrowing it down... to a shortlist... to a short-shortlist... until we finally made our decision – the Peony Blossom Pearl Tea.

I drink quite a lot of green and white tea, but I have to say I hugely enjoyed this – it had a real floral flavour to it, not sweet but very delicate and exceedingly easy to drink vast quantities of!

Once we had finally chosen our tea, our minds turned to the Dim Sum menu. Again we had to endure a rather painstaking process of narrowing down our choices as so many different dishes sounded appealing, but even we conceded that eight dishes between the two of us was perhaps a little too greedy. We started off with a couple of old favourites (as Mr Greedy Glutton said, we needed a few regular dishes against which to benchmark the quality)

I can honestly say that this is probably the best Har Kau I have tried yet… big statement I know, but they really were delicious with their big, juicy, fresh prawns.

Unfortunately the Xiao Long Bao was rather disappointing after the Har Kau – not that flavoursome at all, which is a huge let-down when it’s one of your faves.

Moving onwards, we also ordered the Crab Meat Spring Roll with Egg White, which made an interesting change from the normal vegetable filling.

Crispy Beancurd with Prawn, elegantly presented wrapped in seaweed

Deep Fried Prawn Dumplings with Mayo

And the rather interesting and hugely tasty Sesame Fried Ball with Barbecue Pork, which was oozing with delicious char siew.

We were both fairly full by this stage, but I couldn’t resist trying one of their desserts, and so ordered up some Gelatinous Strawberry, Mango and Cream Dumplings. These were particularly odd – exceedingly sticky (the type that sticks your tongue to your teeth) and very sweet – not unpleasant, but certainly not on the top of my list for ordering again.

Pricewise, the dishes weren’t much different from the Crystal Jade’s or Yum Cha, but what threw the bill off balance was the tea ($8 per person) and the high price of the “pickles” ($5.00), making our overall bill about 50% higher than normal.

So was it worth the hype (and the extra expense)? Well the ambience of the restaurant is lovely, and we really felt like we were a world away, despite the proximity to Orchard Road (and perhaps it was the airport security at the entrance, but throughout lunch I had a real holiday feeling about me). The Dim Sum dishes were certainly more elegant than any other I have tried – right down to the little pancakes they were served on (kind of like an edible doily!), with some interesting twists on the norm… and of course there’s that fantastic tea menu.

Having said all that, I can’t imagine the two of us coming back here in the near future as there are so many other places to try and it didn’t impress me that much… However … if there were a group of us looking for a nice place to go for a weekend brunch, I wouldn’t hesitate to suggest it…
Shang Palace - http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/singapore/shangrila/dining/restaurant/shangpalace

Why Wagyu?

2008-06-09T18:10:00.003+08:00

It was Saturday night and we were due to meet some friends at the Screening Room on Club St. The Screening Room provides five floors of food and entertainment venues – the very cool basement Lounge; the ground level Bistro, which we have yet to try; a Studio available for private hire; the Film Theatre – a cosy little cinema room with comfy sofas; and our choice of venue for tonight – the Rooftop Bar.

The Rooftop bar is the perfect venue for alfresco drinks, with what they describe as “East meets West” views – offering a birdseye view of nearby Club St and Chinatown, with the skyscrapers of the CBD looming in the background. Add to this comfy sofas, a great cocktail list and chilled, laid-back tunes and you’ve got yourself a right little evening get-together hotspot.

We were running late and didn’t have time to eat before we got there at 8pm, so needless to say we were fairly hungry and immediately made for their food menu (ok, perhaps we ordered a mojito each first…) On the roof terrace they only serve their ‘Snack’ menu, which consists mainly of finger food and nibbles, so we both went for the one thing that looked capable of satiating the appetite – the Wagyu Beef Burger.

Now I don’t know about the rest of the world, but it seems that Singapore is obsessed with WAGYU. I’d never heard of it before I moved here, but now you can’t open a menu or read a restaurant review without the words jumping out the page at you (that and its porcine equivalent, Kurobuta Pork).

So Wagyu is known for its intense marbling, which not only gives a better flavour, but also improves the ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats – so it’s apparently better for you. From a foodie’s point of view, it is famed to be the most tender, succulent and tasty meat in the world… I don’t know about that, but what I do know is it is always way more expensive than any other type of beef on the menu. This little bad boy set us back $25.00++ and that didn’t include the fries (an additional $11.00++).

Unfortunately I didn’t really see how they could justify this price tag – the burger was pretty bland, not that juicy and not that big either. I’m really struggling to understand – for a burger on a snack menu, why use Wagyu at all?

This was my first time to try Wagyu and I wasn’t all that impressed – but I realize that a burger may not be the best vessel on which to base my judgement. So I shall obviously have to sample a wider range, before I decide for myself whether it’s worth all the hype... or a restaurateur’s licence to print money…

The Screening Room - http://www.screeningroom.com.sg/

Kushiyaki

2008-06-06T19:06:00.003+08:00

I get cravings all the time – usually it’s for dim sum or noodle soup, or occasionally a burger. But today it was all about grilled meat for me… I really wanted satays, but in the end I happily settled for some ‘Kushiyaki’ at Shin Kushiya.

For the uninitiated (ie. me before I went to Shin Kushiya), Kushiyaki basically mean ‘grilled skewers’, but unlike Yakitori, it is not limited to chicken dishes… so they grill a wide array of ingredients - pork, prawns, fish, beef etc. Here they pride themselves on using a particular type of charcoal, Bincho Charcoal, a very dense type which enables it to burn without emitting vast quantities of smoke, yet at the same time imparting a smoky flavour to the grilled items.

All well and good – back to the restaurant itself. I was pleasantly surprised by the interior with its contemporary design, warm lighting, and translucent curtains dividing the various dining areas. We were shown to a table at the back, where the floor-to-ceiling windows afforded a view out across the water to Sentosa (let’s just forget for a while that this part of Sentosa is one giant building site at the moment) – definitely a notch above the majority of other Vivocity restaurants.

But more importantly, on to the food. They have a fairly extensive menu, divided into sections of Sushi, Sashimi, Zensai (appetizers) Sarada (salads), Yakimono (chargrilled meats and seafood), Agimono (tempura), Donburi (rice) and Menrui (noodles) and desserts. They also have an interesting drinks menu including beers, sake, sochu, cocktails (they specialize in saketinis) and for the non-drinker - flavoured teas, fruit coolers, juices and mocktails.

Wow, such choice, where to begin? Well, a Japanese meal wouldn’t be complete without some Sushi, so we started off with some Spicy Salmon Sashimi Maki, which was very tasty and a very generous portion.

And of course we couldn’t leave without sampling the Kushiyaki selection, so we opted for some Black Pepper Yakitori and Aspara Maki. These servings were very small (allowing you to mix and match) but the meat held a strong chargrilled flavour, which was exactly what my craving was calling out for.

We also plumped for the Pumpkin Croquettes from the appetizer menu, which were a major success –light and crisp on the outside and sticky and surprisingly sweet on the inside.

Threw in some Ton Katsu – breaded pork loin with plum sauce.

And a salad, the Yakitori Sarada with a Citrus Soy Dressing - although this really wasn’t necessary considering how much salad is served with all the other dishes. It also arrived a while after the other dishes, so we could really have done without it.

All in all I was fairly impressed with this meal – it wasn’t anything overly special, but for a mid-week bite to eat, I am sure we will be back when the craving takes us.

You know, I realized at the end of the meal that I hadn’t actually had all that much grilled meat, which was the whole point of the evening… ah well, sometimes when you’re surrounded by so much choice, the craving becomes diluted…

Shin Kushiya, Vivocity - http://www.shinkushiya.com/

Hokkien Fried Prawn Mee

2008-06-06T17:43:00.004+08:00

I was in Vivocity with a noodle craving. So my choices were a) go upstairs to Food Republic or b) go downstairs to Kopitiam/Banquet. This time I chose upstairs and Food Republic. The first time I came here I have to say I was a bit put off by the ‘historical’ ambience they have tried to create with the quaint wooden stalls, complete with lanterns, wooden furniture and traditional Chinese music. However, over time I’ve come to appreciate the fact that it isn’t all plastic furniture and fluorescent lighting like most food courts– and it certainly doesn’t put anyone else off either – this place is always rammed.

There are around 30 food stalls here, but every time I come I always see people eating the Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee from Yong Heng… but I’ve never tried it myself. So, this time I joined the ever-present queue and took some time to watch the chef at work, while I waited my turn to be served.

I do like to watch the chef in action cooking up my food – here he was tossing the noodles around in his giant wok, throwing in the pre-cooked squid rings, followed by some fried egg, beansprouts and finally the prawns were added to each dish on serving. Meanwhile we were all standing in the queue salivating (and jostling to get to the front).

It was pretty tasty – it had a nice prawny flavour to it, presumably from the stock the noodles were cooked in, and was even better with some of the chilli sauce stirred into it. So yes, I enjoyed my lunch… but I’m still not convinced that it deserves its 'fame' and I’m sure there are better Hokkien Prawn Mees to be had on the island…

Yong Heng Fried Hokkien Prawn Mee, Food Republic, Vivocity

Pizza on the Beach

2008-06-04T14:24:00.003+08:00

It was my birthday (how old you ask? I don’t know, I stopped counting a few years ago now!) so a group of us met up at Trapizza at Siloso Beach, Sentosa to line our stomachs with pizza before commencing an afternoon beach bar crawl.

The menu at Trapizza consists mainly of pizza, pasta and salads. I’ve tried their salads a couple of times and not been overly impressed – too much raw onion, too much dressing and the tuna in the Nicoise is canned and mushy.

Today, however, it was all about the pizza. I chose the Siciliana – Italian Sausage, Pepperoni, Red Onion, Roasted Peppers and Basil. The pizza was a good size (for a greedy person), with a generous sprinkling of toppings (though not too much), the Sausage and Pepperoni were tasty and, most importantly, the pizza had a thin, crispy base, that hadn’t gone soggy in the middle.

One friend ordered the Lasagne, which was particularly disappointing, and as I’ve said the salads aren’t anything to write home about, so take my advice – if you’re on Sentosa and find yourself at Trapizza, go for the pizza.

I’d even go so far as to say that this was actually the best pizza I have had in Singapore… and as if that wasn’t reason enough to return… the beer is pretty cheap too …

Trapizza – http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/singapore/rasasentosaresort/dining/restaurant/trapizza

Celebratory Steaks

2008-06-02T16:37:00.006+08:00

It was my Birthday Eve and Mr Greedy Glutton had arranged to take me out for a slap-up carnivorous meal at famous steakhouse, Morton’s, The Steakhoue at the Mandarin Oriental, what a lovely surprise!

I started off with a ridiculously-priced Pomegranate Martini in the bar, which certainly looked impressive and, once I’d managed to suck through the thick layer of froth, packed a powerful punch.

We then headed through to the restaurant itself. This has a very different atmosphere from the outset from most other restaurants we’ve been to in Singapore. The windowless room with, low ceilings, comfy seating and walls adorned with photos of past patrons gives a definite flavour of North America, which is of course the home to the original Morton’s.

The service too is more akin to a North American restaurant than to your typical Singaporean one. As we all know, Singaporean waiters can be somewhat lacking in attentiveness, and often friendliness – but here we were welcomed like long-lost friends and made a thorough fuss of the whole meal… even if it hadn’t have been my birthday, I should certainly have felt like it was.

As soon as we were seated a waiter appeared with some bread. However, this was no small bread roll to nibble on while we perused the menu –oh no at Morton’s they serve you an entire loaf of freshly baked bread!

We were even warned by the Maitre D’ not to eat to much or risk ruining our steak appetites… so they obligingly parcelled it up so we could enjoy for breakfast the next day!

The fun really began when our waiter arrived to explain the various cuts of steak. He carried with him a tray filled with lifesize (Read: enormous) versions of these hunks of meat to illustrate his banter – which was quite theatrical in delivery as he talked us through how he envisaged each being prepared and cooked.

All theatrics out of the way, we were finally allowed a peek at the menu, although the Sommelier wouldn’t assist with the wine choice until we had chosen our steak, as obviously each different cut merits a different accompanying wine! So obviously we made a quick decision so as to get our hands on a bottle of red quickly! Although the wine list was long and comprehensive, with the majority being in the very expensive range, I am pleased to say that the Sommelier was more than happy to help us choose a suitable wine to fit our still-expensive-but-not-ridiculously-so budget.

So, to the food… as we were obviously going for fully carnivorous main courses, we looked to the ocean for our starters, with me opting for the Colossal Shrimp Cocktail and Mr Greedy Glutton choosing the Lobster Bisque. The Lobster Bisque was very tasty – rich and creamy and garnished with large lumps of lobster tail.

I was a teensy bit disappointed with my Shrimp Cocktail – mainly because the dipping sauce was loaded with Horseradish, which happens to be a bit of an aversion of mine – and without the dip the Shrimp was left a little lost.

Never mind, onwards we went to the main reason for being here – the Steak. Having taken note of the ridiculous size of the cuts of meat on our waiter’s tray, we both opted for the “Slightly Smaller Steaks” – a New York Strip Steak for Mr Greedy Glutton, served with a Peppercorn Sauce (yes, this really is a ‘Slightly Smaller Steak’ despite the fact that it takes up the entire plate!)

And I opted for the Filet Diane- a filet mignon with a mushroom, cognac and mustard sauce. It was delicious… and cooked exactly how I like it. Whilst I normally order my steak rare, the waiter warned me that it would still be cold in the middle, so I upped my order to medium-rare, and it was perfect.

We threw in a side order of fries and some garlic sautéed green beans to pretend we were being healthy and we had ourselves one ginormous feast.

We were completely and utterly full to the brim by the end of the steak course… but it was a special occasion, and everybody knows that special occasions merit desserts… What did look particularly special was the soufflés that were being carried to other people’s tables – but these need to be ordered at the same time as the main courses, and we wouldn’t have had enough room anyway… so we shared a Crème Brulee instead.

Well those lovely waiting staff only went and stuck a candle in the dessert and accompanied it en masse to our table where they all sang Happy Birthday to me (in harmony, no less!) – they then took our photo and turned it into a dated birthday card signed by all the team…

So yes the food, and in particular the steaks, was delicious… but what really made the evening was the enthusiasm and energy of the waiting staff… who made me feel like a very special birthday girl indeed…

Morton’s - http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hotel/509000168.asp

Lunch in a Deli

2008-05-30T17:50:00.012+08:00

Back in Singapore after our lovely break in Bali and it was soon time for lunch with the girls again. We managed to somehow end up at another firm tai tai favourite, Jones the Grocer at Dempsey. This is first and foremost a deli, with counters encircling the room brimming with tasty looking treats, an entire room dedicated to cheese, and a very impressive looking cake counter.

I was particularly surprised therefore by their menu – mainly consisting of heavy dishes such as Steaks, Chicken served with Potatoes, Pastas and Sausage with Mash. In my mind, lunch in a deli should consist of platters of cheese and cold meats, with fresh breads, pickles etc. The closest we got to this was the blackboard specials which included soup, sandwiches and salads.

My friends opted for the Chicken Caeser (got the thumbs up)

And the Portobello Mushroom Sandwich with Sun Blush Tomatoes and Pesto (which was “okay”)

I was torn between the Roast Ham and Cheese Sandwich and the Eggplant and Roasted Tomato Quiche… I asked the waiter which he would recommend and was told in a bored voice “They’re both good”, which decided it – the Quiche.

Unfortunately they weren't both good at all, or at least the quiche wasn't - in fact it was verging on tasteless and, not really knowing whether it wanted to be hot or cold, had settled on being lukewarm instead. Topped off with a ridiculously salty side salad (perhaps this was an attempt to give the quiche some flavour), and it was a very disappointing lunch - to put it mildly.

We finally managed to track the waiter down to order a dessert – the main courses certainly weren’t filling enough to leave without one – and whilst he was at the table, we held a little competition amongst the four of us, to see who could get the waiter to crack a smile… alas, we all failed miserably and he continued miserably on with his work.

The desserts however faired a little better than the main courses: The Lemon Tart was sticky and gooey and struck the right balance between tart and sweet, although the crème fraiche was a slightly odd accompaniment, as was the lemon zest ‘syrup’ which was far more vinegary than syrupy.

The Fruit Tartlets sounded and looked promising, but whilst rich and sweet, didn’t really taste of anything in particular.

The highlight of the meal was my little cupcake. It was my birthday week so my friends had snuck a beautiful little marshmallow-covered cupcake out of the counter and arranged for it to be brought to me with a candle. By this stage I was too full of my Lemon Tart, and half of my friend’s Fruit Tartlets (yes, that’s why they call me the Greedy Glutton) to manage it… but they obligingly boxed it up for me and I enjoyed it later on that evening whilst watching the American Idol final… and very tasty it was too…

So it was meal over, and after several attempts to get the waitress' attention and eventual frantic waiving of hands, we finally managed to get the bill… and pay… and no, we couldn’t get the waitress to smile either…

Jones the Grocer - http://www.jonesthegrocer.com/store/singapore

Seafood on the Beach

2008-05-29T13:02:00.004+08:00

It was our last night in Bali and we were on our way back from a Kecak Dance performance at the spectacular setting of the Uluwatu temple, when we stopped off at Jimbaran Bay for a large dose of seafood. This to me epitomizes how seafood restaurants should be – tables right out on the beach so you can tuck into your fresh catch of the day with your toes in the sand, to the sound of the crashing waves (ok, we’ll just forget about the ubiquitous guitar band serenading embarrassed-looking couples with their renditions of Country Roads and Delilah for one second!)

Our driver was obviously on some kind of commission-earning exploit, so we humoured him and found ourselves a seafront table at his ‘recommended’ restaurant – I forget the name of it, but I’m not sure it really matters, a short walk up and down the beach showed them all to be much of a muchness in price and ambience.

We settled ourselves at a table and ordered a round of Bintang beers, and then joined the scrum of our fellow hungry patrons at the seafood counter. Once we had finally managed to elbow our way to the front, we chose ourselves a nice big fat Red Snapper (this came barbecued to perfection and came served slathered with ‘Balinese Spices’ – really very tasty indeed)

An equally large Squid, which they fried into crispy calamari for us

And a whole pile of Prawns, which were fried in Garlic Butter and served with an onion and chilli garnish – truly delicious.

Having thrown in some rice, vegetables and even a side order of Fries, we had ourselves a true feast. Unfortunately the rain chose the moment our food arrived to pay Jimbaran Bay a visit, so we ended up moving our feast indoors to the less-picturesque interior of the restaurant… but by then we were too busy demolishing the goodies to notice our surroundings so much…

Jimbaran Bay, Bali