Coffee Break @ PS Cafe, Paragon

It's a warm & lazy Sunday afternoon. It's days like these that I crave the insanely strong air-conditioning in the shopping malls, but mostly I crave a steaming hot cuppa latte! I'm a caffeine fiend who has to have a caffeine fix whatever the weather.

Unfortunately for me, its Formula 1 Grand Prix fever here in Singapore. The main shopping belt, Orchard Road, is packed with visitors and locals alike. I decided to stay away from the madding crowd and make myself a cup of strong black coffee before heading out to meet friends at a suburban location.

This gave me some time to finally sort out some of the pictures that I had been taking over the past few weeks.

Sticky Date Pudding @ about S$9.50

A Dutch friend had stopped over in Singapore recently, LB & I had met her for lunch followed by coffee.

LB & I couldn't resist sharing a plate of Sticky Date Pudding @ PS Cafe. Though I'm generally not a fan of sweet food, I love this dessert because of the caramelized flavour of the toffee sauce that smothered the warm and moist pudding-cake. I didn't particularly enjoy the vanilla ice-cream that was served with it as it lacked the oomph that one gets from ice-cream made with real vanilla pods. Nonetheless, it helped to counter the richly sweet flavour of the toffee sauce. The Sticky Date Pudding here is a MUST-TRY!

Latte @ about S$4.50

I like the latte here as its adequately strong, not too acidic and has the right balance of milk & coffee. *caffeine-buzz*

PS Cafe @ Paragon
290 Orchard Road,
Level 3 Paragon Shopping Centre,
Singapore
Tel: +65 6735-6765

Operating Hours:
Daily: 9.30 am to 10.30pm (last order @ 9.45pm)

PS Cafe @ Harding Road
28B Harding Road (close to Dempsey Road)
Tel: +65 6479-3343 / 9070-8782

Operating Hours:

Lunch & Tea:
Tues - Fri: 11.30am - 5.00pm (Last food order @ 3pm & last drink order @ 4.30pm)
Brunch:
Sat & Sun: 9.30am - 5.00pm (Last food order @ 3pm & last drink order @ 4.30pm)
Dinner:
Mon - Thurs & Sun: 6.30pm - 12am (Last food order @ 10.30pm & last drink order @ 11pm)
Fri & Sat: 6.30pm - 2.00am (Last food order @ 10.30pm & last drink order @ 1am)

PS Cafe @ Palais
390 Orchard Road,
Level 2 Palais Shopping Centre,
Tel: +65 9834-8232

Operating Hours:

Lunch:
Weekdays: 11.30am - 4.00pm (Last food order @ 3pm)
Brunch:
Sat & Sun: 9.30am - 5.00pm (Last food order @ 3pm)
Tea:
Daily: 3.00pm - 6.30pm
Dinner:
Mon - Thurs & Sun: 6.30pm - 12am (Last food order @ 10.30pm & last drink order @ 11pm)
Fri & Sat: 6.30pm - 2.00am (Last food order @ 10.30pm & last drink order @ 1am)

Sum Long Teochew Braised Duck Noodles @ Tiong Bahru

On my previous visit, I had sampled some of my aunt's Teochew Braised Duck Noodles in soup. It was excellent and I had been waiting for an opportunity to return and order a bowl for myself. Unfortunately, the parking situation was almost always so bad that we had to resort to buying take-away portions of duck.

We were lucky to get parking close by and a table at the coffeeshop on one occasion.

Teochew Braised Duck Noodles (Dry) @ S$3

My brother ordered a "dry" portion of duck noodles. It looked delicious except that I'm generally not a huge fan of starchy gravy. That said, the gravy here did not look as starchy as the ones I've had at other places so I guess, I shall have to give the "dry" version a try the next time I visit. If you're new to the term "dry" noodles, in local lingo it refers to noodles served without soup but tossed in seasonings like soy sauce, chili sauce etc.

Teochew Braised Duck Noodles (Soup) @ S$3

I'd ordered the "soup" version as I like the slightly gamey and spicy (not of the chili-hot variety) flavour of the broth. Its thickened occasionally by adding the duck gravy (yep, saw them adding dollops of gravy). Nonetheless, this was a lighter alternative (starch-wise) in comparison with that of the "dry" version. Though the thin slices of duck look dry in the picture, biting into them, one is amazed at the tenderness of the flesh. The flesh had been infused with the flavour of the spices used to season the duck.

I felt that the best way to enjoy the duck was to dip it into the tangy and spicy chili sauce. This is definitely a MUST-TRY!

This stall is located in the same coffeeshop as Chin Ho Fishball Noodles (they're next to each other) and they serve the braised duck with rice too.

Sum Long Teochew Braised Duck
@ the coffeeshop diagonally opposite Tiong Bahru Market
corner of Eng Hoon Street & Seng Poh Road
Block 57 Eng Hoon Street,
#01-88,
Singapore 160057

Operating Hours:
Mondays - Fridays: 7 am to 7 pm
Saturdays & Sundays: 7 am to 4 pm

Chin Ho Fishball Noodles @ Tiong Bahru

After a string of entries on restaurants, I think its time to write about local street food. Being a true blue Singaporean, I grew up indulging in local cuisine in the various coffeeshops and hawker centres that dot the island.

My parents were craving Hainanese Pork Chop from "Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice" stall (close to Tiong Bahru Market) so we headed there for lunch on a weekend. This stall is extremely popular and there's always a line of people waiting to place their orders (not to mention the insane parking situation). According to mum, the best dishes there are the Pork Chop and the Stewed Cabbage. However, you would be well-advised to head there early (ie. 11am) to get the best batch of food as apparently the later batches are cooked in a hurry and do not taste as good. I'm not a big pork fan neither am I a fan of pre-cooked dishes, so I passed on the rice and ordered noodles instead.

Fishball Noodles (Dry) @ S$3

I love fishballs! It was a rainy afternoon and I was famished, so I ordered a large bowl @ S$3. The fishballs were springy and fairly tasty. I wish they had added more fish paste in them so that the flavour would be more intense but nonetheless, it was decent. The chili sauce that the noodles were tossed in were quite spicy (yum, I love spicy food) but the best part was the nutty aroma that the browned bits of garlic added to the dish! This is worth a try if you're in the area.

If you have a small appetite, you can always order a $2 bowl of noodles. In an era of rising food prices, its quite rare to find a place in Singapore that serves up a decent bowl of noodles for S$2.

Teh-C Kosong @ S$1.10

I washed down my meal with my first caffeine fix of the day, a local-style cup of tea known as "Teh-C Kosong". Non-Singaporeans must be wondering what the term means. Its actually a mix of Hokkien & Malay words. "Teh" is "tea" in Hokkien (a Chinese dialect), "C" refers to Carnation Evaporated Milk and "Kosong" is Malay for "nothing/empty" which essentially means "no sugar added". This is one of my favourite "kopitiam" drinks. "Kopitiam" is another local term with Hokkien and Malay origins. "Kopi" is Malay for "coffee" whilst "tiam" is Hokkien for "shop". Loosely translated, kopitiam = coffeeshop.

Now that we've done the requisite translations, let's talk about the tea. The tea here has a good balance of the creamy flavour of evaporated milk and the slightly strong tannins of black tea. Despite the absence of sugar, it was not overly bitter (unlike the concoctions I've had in some places) and was a pleasantly warm beverage.

Chin Ho Fishball Noodles
@ the coffeeshop diagonally opposite Tiong Bahru Market
corner of Eng Hoon Street & Seng Poh Road
Block 57 Eng Hoon Street,
Singapore 160057

Lunch @ Ristorante da Valentino

The first time I visited Ristorante da Valentino was about a year ago, to celebrate my birthday. On my recent visit, I found it interesting to note that there were 2 tables celebrating birthdays. My lunch companion remarked that there was almost always a birthday celebration whenever he ate there. I started to think about something another friend said about there being lots of birthdays in the months of September and October. His theory was that these babies were conceived during the Christmas season. Interesting theory! :)

Pan-Fried Scarmoza Cheese wrapped with Prosciutto di Parma

We started the meal with an appetizer of Pan-Fried Scamorza Cheese (similar to Mozzarella) wrapped with Prosciutto di Parma (Parma Ham). Cheese and Parma Ham are amongst 2 of my favourite ingredients (I happen to have a long list of favourite ingredients, but who's counting?). This is my all-time favourite dish at Valentino's. It's a simple dish, yet I felt that it was brilliantly executed as the parma ham was pan-fried evenly to a give the combo a fragrant and crisp exterior. Biting into the crisp ham crust, the teeth sinks into the soft, molten and chewy texture of the cheese.

The fat from the ham had coated the blob of Scarmoza Cheese, enhancing its smoky flavour. It was a tad too salty (even for a savoury food lover like me) but this problem was easily resolved by eating the cheese together with the salad that was served on the side. This is definitely a MUST-TRY (barring any lactose-intolerance)!

Melanzane al Forno (Baked Eggplant) @ S$16.90

I love eggplants (aka brinjals/aubergines) in almost every form. So when my lunch buddy suggested the Baked Eggplant dish, I was all for it...besides, there would be melted cheese too! How cool is that? My lunch buddy loves this dish as its like a Vegetarian Lasagne dish sans pasta-related carbs. The flavours of the rich tomato sauce had largely been absorbed by the smoky-tasting and soft aubergine pieces. The slight tartness of the tomato sauce helped to whet my appetite and though I was afraid that I might not have room for my main course, I couldn't help but finish whatever was placed on my plate.

Linguine al Nero di Seppia (Squid Ink Linguine) @ S$24.90

My lunch buddy had initially ordered the Linguine alla Pescatora (Linguine cooked in Fisherman-Style). When the baked eggplant dish arrived, he remembered that his pasta dish would also be cooked in a tomato-based sauce. Thus, he requested for his pastasauce to be changed to squid ink instead. The waiter was very helpful and acceded to the request. I tried a little linguine and thought it was absolutely delicious, if only I didn't have to worry about squid ink stains on my teeth and tongue! One of my galfriends, Sam, is crazy over this dish and having tasted some myself, I understood what the fuss was about. This dish is a Must-Try if you're not worried about black teeth, tongue & lips! :P

I like Valentino's for their flexibility, they're willing to make off-menu items or improvise your dish. That said, what I dislike about dining at Valentino's is the fact that they have 2 seatings. I find the timing of the first seating @ 6pm too early whilst the second seating @ 8.30pm is a little too late.

Risotto ai Porcini (Porcini Risotto) @ S$22.90

I'm a risotto freak and love mushrooms too so I had to order the Porcini Risotto. The arborio rice was just a little softer than I would have preferred but the stock was very richly flavoured and the chunks of porcini mushrooms added texture to the dish. This dish is worth a try if you like mushrooms, cheese and risotto as much as I do.

We were too stuffed for desserts so I ended my meal with a steaming hot cuppa latte. What a perfect caffeine-fueled ending to a delicious lunch!

Ristorante da Valentino
(off Rifle Range Road)
11 Jalan Bingka
Singapore 588908
Tel: +65 6462-0555

Operating Hours:
Tuesday - Sunday: 12pm - 2.30pm & 6pm - 10.30pm
*Reservations required. 2 seatings: 6pm & 8.30pm

Restaurant Reviewer's Blog Roll

I was recently invited by Hendersonville Epicurean to participate in the "Restaurant Reviewer's Blog Roll ". Hendersonville Epicurean is another foodie whom I added as a friend on FoodBuzz, a website that I refer to as a Facebook for Foodies! The Blog Roll sounded interesting so I thought I'd give it a try.

Fellow food bloggers, you might like to sign up too. :)

Disclaimer: I blog about street food in addition to restaurants. This blog is essentially a rarely updated diary of what I've eaten. I love gazing at food pics and fantasizing about my next meal. :)

Yhingthai Palace @ Purvis Street

My family members and I love Thai food for its interesting marriage of spiciness, hint of sweetness and tanginess that whets the appetite. Our favourite Thai restaurant in Singapore is Yhingthai Palace.

Khao Tang Nah Tang @ S$10 (small)
Crispy Rice Crackers with Minced Chicken & Prawn Dip

One of my favourite Thai appetizers is Khao Tang Nah Tang. Its like a Thai version of Guacamole and Chips. The dip is fragrant with the sweetness of minced chicken and minced prawn cooked in a mildly spiced and slightly sweet-tasting coconut cream-based sauce.

I first tried this appetizer when I was on a business trip in Bangkok many years back. My Thai business associates had taken me to a local joint as they were determined to make me sweat (not from the heat of the weather, but from the heat of the chili). I had told them that I love spicy food and that I wanted to eat like the Thais do. My criteria: Not for farang (farang is the Thai word for foreigners). They were kind in ordering some milder dishes in case I couldn't handle the spiciness but I must have shocked them with the amount of chili that I ate during that meal as I added bird's eye chili (prik kii noo) to many of the dishes.

Here is a picture of a piece of rice cracker that I have slathered with the minced chicken and prawn dip. If you like chips & dips, this is a MUST-TRY!

Yam Woon Sen @ S$15 (small) & S$30 (large)

Thai Tang Hoon Salad (also known as glass noodles salad)

The portion that you see in this picture is a "small" serving of Tang Hoon Salad. We usually order a small portion first to pace ourselves and will order a second plate if we have room for more food. My family and I love the refreshingly tart flavour of the dressing in which the tang hoon (mung bean vermicelli) and seafood were tossed. The firm texture of the fresh prawns and squid added a nice crunch to the springy strands of tang hoon. We always seem to find room for a second serving of this dish as (1) the serving size isn't very big and (2) the tangy flavour stimulates our appetite for more. This is a MUST-TRY!

Tom Yam Talay @ S$6 per bowl

Seafood Tom Yam Soup

There are many variations of Tom Yam Soup as the recipe differs from region to region. We love the Tom Yam Soup here because the clear broth is delicately seasoned with the aromatic flavours of Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime (also known as Mottled Lime/Limau Purut) Leaves, Galangal (also known as Blue Ginger/Lengkuas in Malay & Kha in Thai) and Chili Padi. Coupled with the sweetness of seafood and chicken, this is a clear, piquant broth that warms both palate and tummy. The herbs used in this dish help with fighting the flu bug so, unless you can't take spicy food, this might just be the Asian version of "Chicken Soup for the Flu-Ridden".

Do not be fooled by the innocent-looking clear broth. It is spicier than some of the reddish-coloured versions that we often get at other Thai restaurants. I prefer clear Tom Yam Soup as the red ones indicate that nam prik prao, a sweetish-tasting Thai chili paste, was added. The most popular brand, Mae Pranom, is often used in many establishments for various dishes.

Tom Kha Gai @ S$6 per bowl

Coconut Milk Soup with Chicken & Galangal

This is similar to Tom Yam soup except that the flavour of galangal is stronger in this dish compared to the stronger flavour of lemon grass and kaffir lime in Tom Yam. The addition of coconut milk reduces the spice factor though it adds a fragrant and slightly richer dimension to the soup. It is often made with chicken (gai) or seafood (talay). This soup is recommended for those who have never had Tom Yam soup in their lives and are too "chicken" (no pun intended) to try it.

Kra Phoh Pla Nam @ S$8 per bowl
Fish Maw Soup

The Fish Maw Soup here is excellent. The thick soup has a rich flavour that is quite close to that of a good bowl of Thai-style shark's fin soup. I'm not a huge fan of fish maw (fish gas bladder) but those who like fish maw seem to enjoy the chunks that dot the soup. At S$8 for a rice bowl-sized serving, this is a pretty good deal especially the soup is not watered down and is enhanced by the addition of dried scallops. One can enjoy a flavour that is close to that of shark's fin soup without hurting any sharks in the process.

Peek Kai Sord Sai @ S$3 per piece
Deboned Chicken Wing Stuffed with Mushrooms & Asparagus

Even if you're watching your fat intake (unless health reasons forbid you from having deep-fried food), this is one dish worth busting your diet for! The chicken wings had been stuffed with juicy bits of well-seasoned chunks of mushroom, chicken and asparagus, fried to golden brown perfection with a crisp exterior and succulent flesh. Do take care when eating this dish as the chicken wings are served piping hot with an even hotter stuffing that could burn your tongue. In spite of the dangers posed by the hot stuffing, this is definitely a MUST-TRY!

Thord Mun Pla @ S$2.50 per piece
Deep-Fried Spiced Fish Cakes

Moving onto another fried dish, the Thord Mun Pla here is delicious. The colour of the fish cakes is due to the red curry paste that was used to season the dish and the strips that you see embedded in the cakes are actually slivers of kaffir lime leaves. The fish cake has a crisp exterior with a juicy and springy interior. The accompanying dip is a slightly sweet-tasting sauce but I prefer to eat my fishcakes on its own or with sliced chili padi.

Hor Mok Talay @ S$14 (platter of 7 pieces)
Steamed Spiced Seafood Mousse

I generally love to eat otah (spiced fish/seafood paste), so I would usually order Hor Mok (Thai otah) at any Thai restaurant that I come across. I like the Hor Mok Talay served here partly because of the flavour and partly because of the presentation. They are served on a earthernware platter with grooves for the otah to sit in and individually covered with conical shaped covers that resemble the cover on a Moroccan Tajine.

I love the little covers as they help to keep the Hor Mok moist and warm. What I love about Thai-style otahs is their soft, mousse-like consistency and the touches of coconut cream to add fragrance and creaminess. This is a MUST-TRY!

Gaeng Keow Wan Gai @ S$15 (small)
Thai Green Chicken Curry

I didn't like this dish as (1) I'm generally not a huge fan of the sweet-tasting green curry and (2) the chicken pieces were overcooked. I loved the Thai aubergines (orb-like vegetables that look like green tomatoes) but I prefer spicier curries (like a Massaman Beef Curry) on any given day.

Phad Krik Khing @ S$20 (medium)
Thai Long Beans in Spicy Sauce

This dish must have been cooked in red curry paste albeit a drier version. I didn't enjoy this dish as the sauce was not spicy enough for me and had a sweet flavour which I didn't like. Its my personal preference for main courses to have savoury sauces instead of sweet-tasting ones.

Khao Pad Nam Liap @ S$20 (medium)
Thai Fried Olive Rice

We love the Fried Olive Rice here because the individual rice grains are firm and fragrant. The dish is served with condiments on the side comprising sliced chili padi, sliced shallots, small chunks of kaffir lime, deep-fried dried shrimps, bits of toasted cashew nuts and strips of marinated chicken. Mixing all the condiments into the fried rice is definitely recommended. The condiments add nuggets of flavour that are spicy, sweet, tangy, nutty and savoury. This makes the rice such a pleasure to eat because unless you analyse every spoonful, you're in for a tasty surprise with each mouthful. The flavour of the black olives is subtle and blends well with the other flavours. This is definitely a MUST-TRY!

Phad Khad Na @ S$12 (small)
Thai Baby Kailan stir-fried with Oyster Sauce

This is such a simple vegetable dish yet it was very pleasurable because the kailan (Chinese Kale) is firm and adequately flavoured. I enjoyed eating the vegetables with my fried olive rice.

Hot Lemongrass Tea @ S$3.50 per cup

I washed down my meal with a cup of refreshing hot lemongrass infusion that had been slightly sweetened. Given that we're usually too stuffed to have any desserts, this provided a sweet ending to many of my meals here.

This was the view from my table on my last visit. The quaint conservation shophouses and lush plants provided for a most relaxing view.

Yhingthai Palace
36 Purvis Street,
#01-04 Talib Centre,
Singapore 188613
Tel: +65 6337-1161 / 6337-9429

Operating Hours:
Daily: 11.30am - 2pm & 6pm - 10pm

Mooncake & Tea Pairing @ Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore

I'm not much of a desserts person (though I've found that as I grew older, I've grown to love sweets more) but flickr's invitation for a photography cum mooncake & wine pairing session at St. Regis sounded too interesting to pass up. Apparently, part of the selection criteria was that we had to be Singapore food bloggers who use flickr and link back to our flickr accounts. I've heard that St. Regis carries an interesting selection of fusion snow skin mooncakes, which sounded appealing as I prefer snow skin mooncakes to traditional baked mooncakes.

I was expecting a fairly large crowd so I was surprised to discover that it was a small and cosy affair held at Yan Ting, the Cantonese restaurant. Thankfully, my fellow bloggers (most of whom I already knew) were a fun bunch. MilkMilk, DimSumDolly, Recent Runes and Camemberu (whom I met for the first time) were great foodie companions at the event.

We were hosted by Wye Leng (Director of Marcom), Lorraine (Senior Marcom Executive) and Danny (Yan Ting's Manager & Sommelier) from St. Regis. The Yahoo! team that invited us to this event was represented by Suzanna (Yahoo! flickr) and Michelle (Yahoo! Answers).

Our hosts had decided to pair the mooncakes with gourmet teas from Damman Frères, a brand of premium teas that is carried exclusively by St. Regis, instead of wine. I was grateful for the switch as I prefer to drink tea to wine. Besides, I always thought that mooncakes went best with tea. Danny walked us through the entire pairing session. He got us to start with the mildest tasting mooncake first and work our way to the stronger tasting ones. How similar to cheese appreciation! He described the ingredients that went into each mooncake. He also explained why he selected a particular blend of tea to complement each mooncake. It was a very interesting experience.

Almond Snow Skin with Premium Bird's Nest & Custard Paste
@ S$228 for a box of 8 mini mooncakes

We started with the snow skin mooncakes as they were lighter in flavour and texture to that of baked mooncakes. First up was the Almond Snow Skin with Bird's Nest & Custard Paste. This was the most expensive mooncake in their menu. It was opulently embellished with an edible gold leaf on each mooncake. Apparently the filling (look at the centre of the halved mooncake) consists of a single strand of good quality bird's nest. The bird's nest added a candy floss-like texture to the smooth and light custard filling that was encased by a soft, pliable snow skin casing (similar to marzipan). The snow skin dough was delicately flavoured with fragrance and flavour of almond milk (a Chinese drink that is used to relieve coughs and phlegm). This mooncake was paired with a fragrant cup of Chrysanthemum & Wolfberry Tea. Interestingly, chrysanthemum is also used by Chinese to relieve a sore throat and general "heatiness" whilst wolfberries are to enhance the immune system and improve eyesight.

Seven Perfumes Snow Skin with Single Yolk & White Lotus Paste
@ S$48 for a box of 8 mini mooncakes

The second mooncake on our "Eat List" was the Seven Perfumes Snow Skin with Single Yolk & White Lotus Paste. This mooncake was named after the Seven Perfumes blend of Damman Frères tea. This blend of Chinese and Ceylon Teas is flavoured with lemon, bergamot, fresh fig, lotus flowers, pitanga/Cayenne cherry, orange peel and sprinkled with rose petals (red and white roses).

Looking at the glistening brown skin, I couldn't help but note the absence of a light dusting of white powder that one usually finds on snow skin mooncakes. Danny began to explain to us that the snow skin's brown colour was due to the infusion of the black tea and that it was not a baked mooncake. He then went on to talk about how the snow skin mooncakes at Yan Ting do not require a dusting of "Kou Fen" (fried glutinous rice flour) to prevent the skin from becoming too sticky because their chefs have perfected a technique whereby the skin is not excessively sticky while remaining pliable.

The skin was deliciously scented with the delicately floral and fruity qualities of the Seven Perfumes tea. Coupled with the sugar-free white lotus paste and a rich salted duck's egg yolk, this was a winner for me. Do note that whilst the filling in this mooncake is sugar-free, the skin contains sugar so its not recommended for diabetics.

Almond Snow Skin with Advocaat Egg Liquer Truffle
& Black Sesame Paste
@ S$42 for a box of 8 mini mooncakes

Next, we tried the Almond Snow Skin Mooncake with Advocaat Egg Liquer Truffle & Black Sesame Paste. This has to be the most interesting mooncake for the evening. The core of this mooncake was a white chocolate truffle shell filled with blended salted egg yolk, egg custard and Advocaat liquer (contains eggs, sugar and brandy). The truffle was a delightful mélange of sweet, alcoholic, salty and eggy flavours. It blended well with the smoky black sesame paste and delicate sweetness of the almond snow skin. This is definitely a Must-Try!

Bloody Mary Snow Skin with Custard Paste
@ S$42 for a box of 8 mini mooncakes

Then we came to the Bloody Mary snow skin mooncake. This mooncake was created as a tribute to the iconic cocktail that was first concocted at St. Regis Hotel, New York. I was apprehensive about how this mooncake would taste. It did not taste as bad as I thought it might. Upon biting into this mooncake, the palate is assaulted with a medley of flavours: sweet, tart, savoury with a spicy afternote. Apparently this flavour is a hit with the press but I'm not a member of the press, I'm simply a person who loves to eat. I took a big gulp of tea to cleanse my palate in preparation for the next mooncake.

Seven Perfumes Snow Skin with Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac Truffle
& White Lotus Paste
@ S$68 for a box of 8 mini mooncakes

This was another variation of the Seven Perfumes Snow Skin Mooncake with White Lotus Paste. The first thing that hit me when I bit into this mooncake was the alcohol from the Cordon Bleu truffle. I'm not much of a drinker, thus I found the alcohol level in this mooncake to be a little too high. I could not discern the flavour of the tea in the snow skin and could barely taste the lotus paste. If you love your cognacs, this is definitely the mooncake for you.

Almond Snow Skin with Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac Truffle
& Custard Paste
@ S$64 for a box of 8 mini mooncakes

Then we came to the innocent looking variant of the mooncake above. The alcohol level was even stronger in this mooncake. Apparently, the dense lotus paste of the earlier mooncake made it difficult for the alcohol to permeate through the entire mooncake. That was not the case with this mooncake as the egg custard was a perfect medium for the alcohol flavour to pervade the entire mooncake. I guess it makes sense since eggs typically absorb flavours even when stored in the refrigerator.

Slices of 5 of the 6 types of snow skin mooncakes on my plate.

The Potent Threesome



Baked Single Yolk & White Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake
@ S$48 for a box of 4 mooncakes

Moving on, we came to the baked mooncakes. Thankfully, Danny started serving Aged Pu Erh which had a slightly astringent flavour to cut through the heavy and sweet flavours. I do not like baked mooncakes as they tend to be denser and sweeter in flavour. I tried the white lotus seed paste mooncake and found the paste to be very smooth, a little less sweet that many other varieties out there but it was still not my cup of tea.

Baked Single Yolk & Golden Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake
@ S$48 for a box of 4 mooncakes

Danny explained to us that the same ingredients are used to make the White Lotus Paste, Golden Lotus Paste and Red Lotus Paste. The differentiation in colour and flavour is due to the caramelization of the sugar in preparing these pastes. The darker the colour, the greater the caramelization resulting in a smokier flavour. I ate a tiny piece of the Golden Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake but as I'm not into sweets, this was too sweet for me.

Baked Mooncake with Jin Hua Ham, Assorted Nuts & Seeds
@ S$64 for a box of 4 mooncakes

Then we came to the traditional Cantonese favourite. A baked mooncake stuffed with bits of Jin Hua Ham, assorted nuts & seeds. I've never liked this particular flavour of mooncake but Danny was quite convincing so I tried a little. The distinctively smoky, salty and sweet flavour of the Jin Hua Ham imparted a pleasant flavour to this crunchy mooncake. Evidently, they had used very good quality Jin Hua Ham in the preparation of this mooncake.

Baked Double Yolk & Black Sesame Paste Mooncake
@ S$52 for a box of 4 mooncakes

Finally, we came to the Baked Mooncake with Double Yolk & Black Sesame Paste. I took a tiny slice and found the smoky flavour of the black sesame paste to be interesting but I still prefer snow skin mooncakes to baked mooncakes.

For a person who generally doesn't like to eat much mooncakes, I must have eaten my 2 years quota of mooncakes in one sitting! What was just as amazing was the amount and varieties of teas that we had. The picture above was taken halfway during the session.

The bowl in the picture above contains dried orbs of good quality Pearl Jasmine tea. It was one of many premium quality teas that we drank at this session. What better way to pair good quality mooncakes than to pair them with good quality teas?

This picture was taken at the end of the session. Check out the number of teacups on my half of the table!

We were introduced to the chefs during the session. From left, Chef Lee, Danny Chan and Chef Chan. Thank you, St. Regis and flickr for an educational and fun-filled evening.

Yan Ting
Level 1U,
29 Tanglin Road,
Singapore 247911.
Telephone: +65 6506-6866

Operating Hours:
Daily: 11.45 am to 3.00 pm & 6.00pm to 11.00 pm (last order @ 10.30pm).

Mooncakes available @ :
Yan Ting : Daily during opening hours (until 14 Sep 08)
St Regis Hotel Lobby: Daily 11am - 9pm (until 14 Sep 08)
Retail Booth @ Change Alley: Mondays - Fridays from 11am - 7pm (until 12 Sep 08)

* UOB Credit Cards : 15% discount on mooncakes

Dinner @ The White Rabbit

A bunch of us celebrated a friend's birthday at The White Rabbit, a fairly new restaurant in the hip and happening Dempsey Road area. The place is whimsically named after the cute character with a pocket watch in "Alice in Wonderland".

I had heard mixed reviews (mostly bad feedback about the service and food) about this place so I had very low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised that the staff were pretty attentive despite packing a full house.

I was held up by a prior appointment and was thus pretty late. I couldn't help but note the irony that like The White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, I was indeed running late and scurrying around. Shortly after I arrived (and walked from the back door to my table), the menu was presented and I was served bread and water without having to call for attention. Not too bad.

Thankfully, there was not need to sing the little ditty a la The White Rabbit : "I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date! No time to say hello, goodbye! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" to get my glass of water. :)

Scallop Linguine Aglio Olio @ S$26 (sorry its not S$18)

I was not very hungry so I ordered a main course of Scallop Linguine Aglio Olio, skipping both appetizers and desserts. The linguine was pretty well-executed as the pasta strands were al dente and lightly seasoned. I wished it had just a little more salt to add some kick to my pasta. The browned, succulent chunks of scallops were adequately seasoned and seared such that the flavour was sweet, slightly savoury and smoky.

We shared a portion of the signature Mac & Cheese. I didn't snap a shot as the setting was too dark and I was too lazy to reach into the middle of the table to steal the plate for a picture. It was lightly seasoned (seems to be the order of the day here) and I could barely taste the truffles in this dish.

I ended my meal with a cup of Earl Grey Tea (again no shot taken due to the very dim lighting). My poor little point & shoot camera was struggling to take decent shots in the dark environment. I wondered if they were trying to make a case in point about the restaurant's name as white rabbits are albinos which tend to be sensitive to bright lights. Perhaps, the place might get brighter if we actually held a Mad Hatter's party so we can all admire each other's hats. Yep, I'm getting whimsical and am contemplating watching the Disney cartoon for the umpteenth time. *grinning a la Cheshire Cat*

The restored Ebenezer Chapel, in which this restaurant is located, was beautiful but I think it could have been better lit to allow for greater appreciation of the Gothic architecture. This wrought iron window stood above the main doorway, I snapped a picture of it (pardon the dark picture due to the dim lights) because I was drawn by the 3 Latin words: "Ego Te Baptizo" meaning "I baptise you". I didn't have the opportunity to check the other windows to see if the words combine to form the sentence: "Ego te baptizo in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti." meaning "I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit/Ghost."

When my tea was served, I saw what was printed on the cup and saucer set : "Coffee is my life". I thought it was cool and took a picture of the saucer with a chocolate chip cookie, great with coffee. Apparently they serve Giancarlo coffee. I've never tried this brand before. Looks like a return visit to try the coffee should be in the cards for me. :)

The White Rabbit
39C Harding Road
Singapore
Tel: +65 6473 9965

Operating Hours:
Tuesdays to Sundays: 11am - 2.30pm & 6pm - 10.30pm
Closed on Mondays

Dinner @ Tetsu, Tanglin Mall

Tetsu invited Skinny Epicurean, Nibble & Scribble and I for a food tasting session. Tetsu prides itself as being the first Japanese restaurant to offer Kushi-style (skewered) Tempura as well as Tonkatsu dishes, prepared before your eyes. We didn't get to watch the preparation process as we were seated with our hosts at a table away from the chef's counter.

The set meals are reasonably priced (ranging from S$22 to S$55). I was advised to try Kaiseki Course B @ S$45, which consists of an assortment of 4 appetizers, vegetable crudites, Kani-Suki (Crab Sukiyaki), Kushi-Age / Kushi-Tem, Inaniwa Udon (Warm/Cold) or Rice with Pickles & Soup and Dessert.

Kami Tofu

We started our meal with a duo of appetizers : Kami Tofu and Ohitashi (blanched spinach with soy sauce & topped with bonito strips). As Ohitashi is commonly found in just about every Japanese restaurant, I focused on the Kami Tofu which I enjoyed immensely.

Chef Ken made the tofu with a base of julienned kani (imitation crabmeat) sticks, coated with a richly flavoured sauce made with pureed century egg yolks and stock (probably dashi) and topped with chopped preserved egg whites (actually, brown is a more accurate description of the colour), chopped spring onions and crunchy Ebiko (prawn roe). I generally hate kani sticks and was apprehensive when I saw that the tofu on a bed of kani strips. However, I love century eggs, tofu and Ebiko/Tobiko (flying fish roe) so I ate it anyway. The richness of the century egg sauce and the delicately flavoured smoothness of the tofu made the sweetish flavour of the kani stick less obvious.

Vegetable Crudites - part of Kaiseki Course B

The vegetable crudites here were served with sweet miso sauce (regular dip) and mayonnaise.

Assortment of 4 Appetizers - Part of Kaiseki Course B

The appetizers comprised (clockwise from bottom right): Ohitashi, Stewed Vegetables, Fried Salmon in Sauce & a Matcha Tofu. The Matcha Tofu is interesting. It was like a green tea panna cotta and had been made with soy milk. It was a tad too creamy for my liking but worth a try for the novelty.

Assorted Kushi-Age - Part of Kaiseki Course B

Then came the Kushi-Age. They were fried skewers of meat/seafood/vegetables coated with specially imported bread-crumbs. I like the rough texture of the bread crumbs that were crisp and not soaking in oil. I also like the clean taste of the crust which was a sign that the oil was used too many times. I loved the scallop and zucchini best as it was a pleasure biting into the crisp exterior which yielded to a juicy interior. The beef was just a little overdone for me but the prawn was delicious.

The Kushi-Age was served with a selection of dips which comprised (from top of the picture): a Curry Salt dip, Chili Sauce, Mayonnaise and Tonkatsu Sauce. I loved the Curry Salt dip best as it was an interesting variation from the regular dips. It added a fragrant and salty dimension to the dishes.

A word of advice: Don't be too gung ho and coat your food with this dip, as salt...well, is salt thus adding too much can result in excessively salty food.

Kani-Suki - Part of Kaiseki Course B
(Snow crab legs served in a paper steamboat aka Kaminabe)

The snow crab legs were sweet and I enjoyed the tofu and golden mushrooms but I generally prefer a more savoury soup to the sukiyaki base offered.

Rosu Katsu (pork loin tonkatsu) - a la carte

Apparently, one of their most popular dishes is the Rosu Katsu. We had a portion to try. I generally do not like to eat pork but I must say that this is one of the best tonkatsus I've had in Singapore! It was crisp on the outside (like the Kushi-age) but the meat was succulent, which I attributed to the layer of fat on one end of the cutlet. It was served with the curry salt dip and Tonkatsu sauce. I ate my slices with the curry salt dip. Nibble & Scribble had ordered the Rosu Katsu-ni set (tonkatsu lightly simmered with sauce). I preferred the version without the sauce as the piece I tried had been simmering for a while and was a little tougher. The Rosu Katsu here is a MUST-TRY!

Inaniwa Udon (served cold) - Part of Kaiseki Course B

Skinny Epicurean told me that she had heard so much about the udon here so I should try it instead of opting for rice and miso soup (the alternative to udon). I generally hate udon even though I'm a major noodle/pasta lover. Why do I hate udon? Its because most of the versions I had are too heavy and starchy. Our hosts assured us that the udon here is not starchy unlike the regular ones. At the behest of my companions, I agreed to give it a try.

Boy, was I glad I did. When the dish arrived, I couldn't help but note how the glistening strands were significantly thinner and looked lighter in texture than regular ole udon. When I bit into the smooth strands, I was amazed at the springy texture and the delicate flavour that was enhanced by the light dip that accompanied it. I was an instant convert and finished my entire portion of udon. This is definitely a MUST-TRY!

Garlic Fried Rice - a la carte

We were already feeling very stuffed when the garlic fried rice arrived. We were shocked at the size of the plate of rice. The aroma that wafted over was tempting so we ate some despite how full we felt. I thought the rice could do with a little more garlic (yep, I love to drive away vampires especially at night).

Dessert: Warabimochi Monaka

We were told to try the Matcha Mochi which is apparently another specialty. It was interesting but I felt that the mochi was a little too hard and the Matcha (green tea) flavour was a little too overpowering. Perhaps this is an acquired taste.

Thank you, Racheal, Pris & Chef Ken for taking the time to host us and to explain the dishes. I had a great time.

Tetsu
163 Tanglin Road,
#03-18 Tanglin Mall,
Singapore 247933
Tel: +65 6836-3112
Email : tetsu@fnc.com.sg

Operating Hours:
Daily: 11.30 am to 3pm & 6pm to 10pm

Dinner @ Basilico, The Regent Singapore

Some weeks back, a group of friends and I had dinner at Basilico, a new Italian restaurant at The Regent Singapore. Basilico is located in the space previously occupied by Capers (an all-day dining restaurant) and while it offers a lunch and dinner buffet (like its predecessor), the restaurant's focus is primarily on Italian cuisine.

Walking into the beautifully renovated restaurant, we were greeted by an antipasti buffet laid out on a round table in the middle of the main dining area. The pizza kitchen was to the left of the table and the dessert buffet was on the right. I wished I could have snapped a picture but I didn't want to disturb the other diners.

The waitress attending to us explained that we could opt for the antipasti buffet, choose a main course from the a la carte menu and end the meal with the dessert buffet. The antipasti buffet is priced at S$28+++ and the dessert buffet is priced at S$20+++. If you're not into buffets, no worries, they have a good selection on the a la carte menu.

Antipasti Buffet @ S$28+++

I couldn't resist the selection of cured meats (Bresaola, Parma Ham & Salami) and cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano & Blue Cheese were my favs) in the buffet spread thus I started my meal with a selection from the Antipasti Buffet and ordered risotto as a main course. The seafood salads were very bland so I was glad I took some capers and sun-dried tomatoes to add flavour. Thankfully, the cheese and cured meats were good so that helped to make up for the disappointing seafood items.

Risotto alla Pugliese @ S$31+++
Risotto with diced lobster, tiger prawns & scallops

The service staff had recommended me the Risotto alla Pugliese. Apparently, its their most popular dish and many regulars love it. After the bland seafood salads that I had eaten, I was worried about how the risotto would turn out. It was too late to change my order so I decided to try it anyway.

I was sorely disappointed. The risotto was bland and was dotted with diced, tasteless seafood bits. It was akin to eating airline food and you know how food tastes like paper when you're in the air. Besides, why would any fine restaurant dice seafood for a dish like seafood risotto, which are typically served with beautiful chunks (if not whole pieces) of fresh prawns or lobster? My theory is that this would only happen when the ingredients are not fresh or flavoursome enough to stand on its own as a firm chunk. Plus, it is likely that this dish was made from odds and ends of prawns, scallops and lobsters that were used to make other dishes. Eating this dish reminded me of bland starchy diced seafood soups that we sometimes get at Chinese set dinners. Granted that for S$31, one cannot expect a whole lobster but a chunk or two would be nice, or simply omit it altogether and give us chunks of prawns. This was definitely a deal breaker for me and I resolved never to have any seafood dishes here, if I ever return.

Basilico Restaurant
1 Cuscaden Road,
Level 2, The Regent Singapore,
Singapore 249715
Tel: +65 6725-3232

Operating Hours:
Daily: Noon - 2.30pm & 6.30pm - 10.00pm
Sunday Brunch: Noon - 3.00pm