Congee for Breakfast

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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