A Love Affair with Singaporean Food

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/