Dinner @ Lamont's East Perth

Lamont's, I was told, is a well-respected name in the Perth culinary scene. It began as a family-owned winery and expanded into a small chain of restaurants and wine bars. I had to squeeze in a visit at the East Perth location before catching my flight home.

The menu changes every season (with monthly variations) in keeping with their philosophy of using the freshest ingredients of the season.

The menu is unpretentious and fairly descriptive so one knows exactly what one is getting instead of having to decipher a menu that makes even the simplest thing sound complicated.

Seared Scallops, Petite Panzanella, Confit Beetroot,
Baby Basil & Sherry Vinaigrette @ A$18.50

I was advised to try the Scallops for my starter. Hmm, I've had quite a bit of scallops lately but Rob (the guy who took the order) was very convincing. I was glad I took his advice as the perfectly cooked fresh scallops were juicy and sweet with a fragrantly caramelized crust. They went very well with the refreshing Panzanella (a Tuscan salad of bread, basil, tomatoes, peppers and olive oil) and Beetroot Confit.

The selection of main courses was well-balanced with a good variety of seafood, poultry, meats and a carb dish for carb-fiends like me. On Rob's advice, I took the Marrons, a freshwater crayfish which seemed to be pretty popular.

Grilled Marron, Thyme & Goat's Cheese Tortellinis, Saffron Vierge @ A$39

The grilled flesh of the Marron was firm and sweet with a slightly smoky flavour. This has to be closest thing to Lobster albeit without the saltiness of the sea. The fragrant and delicately tart Saffron Vierge (a Saffron-infused Sauce Vierge comprising olive oil, lemon juice, chopped tomato & chopped basil) with cubes of fresh tomatoes that burst when bitten into enhanced the sweetness of the Marron with a play of flavours on the palate. I didn't enjoy the tortellinis as much as the pasta dough was too thick for my liking. I ate the Thyme and Goat's Cheese stuffing and left most of the pasta shells behind. Heavy tortellinis aside, this dish is a Must-Try!

The item that caught my eye on the dessert menu was the Fig & Frangipane Tart with Salted Caramel & Pecan Ice Cream. I am not a huge fan of figs (despite their health benefits) or Frangipane (a sweet ground almond mixture) but the Salted Caramel & Pecan Ice Cream was too alluring to ignore. Unfortunately, the chef was not too pleased with the current batch of Salted Caramel & Pecan Ice Cream so a swap with Burnt Honey Ice Cream was suggested. Ok, I'll try that anyway as I love the smokiness of caramelized sugar and honey.

Fig & Frangipane Tart with Burnt Honey Ice Cream @ A$16.50

The tart was delicious with a flaky pastry crust that had a beautifully browned glaze and a caramelized fig topping. The Burnt Honey ice cream was a little too sweet for my liking so I couldn't help but wonder how the Salted Caramel & Pecan ice cream would have tasted with the sweet tart.

The service staff were very friendly and efficient, which made the entire dining experience even more pleasant. Thank you, Kerry and Rob for your warm and fantastic service!

Lamont's East Perth
11 Brown Street
East Perth WA 6004
Australia
Tel : +61 8 9202-1566
Fax : +61 8 9225-7066
Email: eastperth@lamonts.com.au

Operating Hours:
Wednesdays to Sundays: Noon till late

Lamont's Margaret River

Gunyulgup Valley Drive
(off Caves Road)
Yallingup WA 6282
Australia
Tel : +61 8 9755-2434

Winetasting
Thursday to Monday: 11am to 5pm
Lunch
Thursday to Monday : 11.30am to 5pm
Dinner
Saturday night

Recipe: Haroset for Passover Seder

I was supposed to prepare Haroset (aka Charoset) for a "Last Supper" reflection in my parish on Maundy Thursday (9 April 2009). The first time I tried making Haroset (using a recipe that I had randomly come across while surfing the web) about 3 -4 years ago, the results weren't good.

This year, I was given a "killer recipe" except that it came without any measurements, indication of proportions, and the directions were simply to mix everything together then refrigerate for 2 days. Panic, panic...what if I got the proportions or sequence wrong etc?

The person who had given the recipe has been making it for so long that he didn't need any measurements but through his highly honed powers of estimation, has been able to churn out delicious batches of Haroset year after year. Unfortunately, he was unable to prepare the Haroset this year so I had to fuzzy logic my way through his recipe and the 22 others that I found on the web. The amazing thing is amongst the many recipes I read, no 2 recipes were identical and tended to have varying methods of preparation.

I sought to record the quantities as I was preparing the Haroset and to hopefully pen down a recipe that I would use (if required) for years to come. I also replaced some of the ingredients in the recipe with items that I preferred or had access to. Thankfully, it worked and many of my church mates liked the Haroset. I was told to post the recipe on my blog to share.

Coincidentally, Taste with the Eyes is collating Passover Seder 2009 photos for her blog, which she will post on 17 April 2009. Please email her a photo of your Seder plate, Passover dish(es), or your Passover table at: mailto:tastewiththeeyes@cox.net and tell her a little about you and your Seder photo.

Haroset
(Serves about 60 - 70 pax, a tablespoon each)
*reduce quantity to suit your requirements

Ingredients:

1 kg Raw Cashew Nuts
1.5 kg Raw Peanuts
100g Raw Almonds
100g White Sesame Seeds
1 kg Raisins
600g Medjool Dates (coarsely chopped)
150g Dried Cranberries
500g Dried Apricots (diced)
400g Prunes (diced)
187.5ml/6oz Red Wine
2 tsp All Spice Powder
3 tsp Cinnamon Powder
1 tsp Black Pepper
3 tbsp Honey
3 tbsp Grand Marnier
4 cups Water

Method:
1) Roast the nuts in a dry pan (without any oil) over a slow flame till fragrant.
2) Leave nuts to cool before chopping them coarsely (how coarse/fine depends on your preference).
3) Bring water to a boil and then to a simmer in a pot.
4) Add the chopped dates to the simmering water.
5) Mash the dates to create a date sauce (think: the toffee sauce for sticky date puddings).
6) Add spices (note that the quantities are indicative and you should add to taste).
7) Add the raisins in batches and stir well to incorporate the raisins into the sauce.
8) Ensure that there aren't clumps of raisins as the idea is for the raisins to absorb the moisture in the sauce and plump up. Add more water if required but keep to a thick toffee-like consistency.

9) Add the dried cranberries, apricots and prunes. Mix well and add water if required.
10) Add Honey and Grand Marnier. Stir well.
11) Add Red Wine and stir well for another 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat.
12) Mix in nuts. If your pot is not large enough to accomodate, you can add the cooked fruits mix to a large bowl of chopped nuts and mix well. Leave to cool and then refrigerate for 2 days before serving.

* Feel free to tweak the recipe to your preference. My Jewish guinea pig friend thinks the Haroset should be sweeter (more honey) but many of my Singaporean guinea pigs (those without a sweet tooth) are pretty happy.

PS: Thank you to all my "fearless guinea pigs" who put their palates and stomaches to the test and lived to tell. :)

Dragon Inn Char Siew Rice Stall @ Toa Payoh

Close to my favourite Fried Carrot Cake stall at Block 22 Toa Payoh Lorong 7, is a stall that sells delicious Roasted Pork Belly (aka Sio Bak).

I chanced upon this stall some years back (think it was about 6 years ago) while waiting for my takeaway packets of Fried Carrot Cake to be ready. The flesh is moist, tasty and tender coupled with a crisp crackling. The pork belly is also usually a little leaner than those sold by many other stalls. This is worth a try.

If you're buying takeaway portions of the pork, do toast them in an oven before consuming because the packaging traps the moisture which compromises the crisp skin. The Char Siew here is a little too sweet for my liking and I've never tried their Roast Duck. Do let me know what you think, if you've tried the Roast Duck from this stall.

Everytime I come to this stall, I fight to keep a straight face while placing my order. The stall is named "Dragon Inn", after a martial arts movie of the same name.

In the movie, a beautiful and sultry innkeeper cons and kills lecherous men. Then she disposes of their bodies by erm...recycling them...ie. make them into meat buns. I saw the old version of this movie in the late 80s, I think they called the meat buns "Ren Rou Cha Shao Bao" which translates into "human char siew buns" but of course, they would never tell the clients the actual name and so they simply sold "Cha Shao Bao". Being the big CSI fan that I am, I am constantly reminded of what Gil Grissom said about human beings and pigs having a similar chemical make-up (or something to that effect) when he conducted an experiment using a pig.

Dragon Inn Char Siew Rice Stall
Block 19,
Toa Payoh Lorong 7,
Singapore 310019

Fried Carrot Cake - Toa Payoh

Whenever I mention Carrot Cake in Toa Payoh to my foodie friends, they immediately think of the famous stall located in Toa Payoh Lorong 1 (recipient of Makansutra Street Food Masters 2008 award).

Fried Carrot Cake @ S$2.50 / S$3

My family's favourite Fried Carrot Cake stall is located in Toa Payoh Lorong 7. We've been patronizing this stall for at least 15 years. We like the carrot cake here because the carrot cake is tasty and soft unlike the harder and blander ones sold at some other hawker stalls. I also like the chili that they use to fry the carrot cake with and would usually ask for a plate of "White Carrot Cake" with more chili.

For the uninitiated, Carrot Cake in the Asian context is actually steamed savoury radish cake and not the sweet baked dessert that was popularised in America. It is called carrot cake because the Chinese name for Radish is "White Carrot". Most Fried Carrot Cake stalls sell both "White Carrot Cake" and "Black Carrot Cake". The only differentiating factor is that the latter is fried with sweet dark soya sauce.

The stall is run by a middle-aged couple. They make their own carrot cake which is probably why the texture is so unlike the factory-made ones readily available in the many foodcourts that dot the island. If you're ever in that part of town, this is a Must-Try!

Xin Ji Fried Carrot Cake
Block 22 Toa Payoh Lorong 7,
#01-60,
Singapore 310022

Hock Seng Choon Fish Ball Noodles @ Bedok South

One of the hawker dishes that I have to eat upon my return to Singapore from any trip is Fish Ball Noodles.

My favourite stall for Dry Fish Ball Noodles is located within the hawker centre at Block 16 Bedok South Road (opposite Temasek Junior College). [Click here for previous post]

Unfortunately, this picture doesn't do justice to the white fish balls. I've been eating fish balls from this stall since childhood. Fish balls are my favourite hawker food so I would tend to try this dish at most hawker centres or foodcourts.

I love the bouncy texture and rich flavour of the fish balls here as they are generous with the fish paste. Many hawker stalls add too much flour to stretch the fish paste and to make larger fish balls causing the fish balls to be rubbery and lacking in the natural sweetness of the ikan parang fish. If you're planning a steamboat party, you can even buy raw fish balls to take away and cook at home.

I love the dry noodles served here because the chili sauce is very spicy and the noodles are springy. Though no attention is paid to the presentation of the noodles, I find it deliciously tasty with the spice factor exactly how I like it.

Hock Seng Choon Fish Ball Kway Teow Mee
Block 16 Bedok South Road,
#01-211,
Singapore 460016

Operating Hours:
Daily (except Wednesday): Noon to 11.00 pm

The Mussel Bar @ Fremantle, Perth

Fremantle is apparently a Must-See when in Perth. I had to squeeze in a visit to this quaint little town as my last visit to Perth was when I was a child and I don't remember much of it.

Fremantle is about half an hour's drive away from Perth city centre and is an interesting place to hang around for a few hours. The clear blue skies, warm sun and cool sea breeze were most conducive to strolling around or chilling in the park. The best time to visit Fremantle (affectionately called "Freo" by the locals) is during the weekends when it comes alive with activity. Fremantle Markets is open from Thursdays to Sundays.

The Mussel Bar looked like a nice place to stop for a quick Mussel lunch. It's prime location at the Fishing Boat Harbour ensured a nice view of the luxury boats that were on show, away from the madding crowd as there was a boat show going on that weekend.

Oyster Menu

The Freshly Shucked Oysters looked appealing so I ordered one of each flavour for the fun of it. I usually eat Oysters au Naturel and rarely give other variations a try but I thought I should buck the trend this time.

Natural Oyster @ AUD3.50 (about USD2.52)

I started with the Natural Oyster as I wanted to savour its freshness with nothing more than a spritz of lemon juice. The plump oyster had the fresh salty flavour of the sea and a touch of zinc. This is a Must-Try!

Oyster Kilpatrick @ AUD 4 (about USD2.88)

I generally prefer my oysters raw but I thought I would give Oyster Kilpatrick a try. The tomato and Worcestershire sauce overpowered the flavour of the oyster, which reaffirmed my belief that oysters are always best eaten raw and freshly shucked.

Oyster with Shallot & Balsamic @ AUD 4 (about USD2.88)

I could barely taste the balsamic vinegar for this version and the dollop of chopped shallots was just a little excessive for my liking.

Oyster with Tomato Jelly & Basil Sorbet @ AUD 4 (about USD2.88)

Next I tried the Oyster with Tomato Jelly & Basil Sorbet. The tomato flavour was a little muted and the basil was only barely discernible. The topping made for an interesting palate cleanser and the flavour of the oyster was not overshadowed by it.

Oyster with Avocado & Ginger Salsa @ AUD 4 (about USD2.88)

The Oyster with Avocado & Ginger Salsa was delicious! The creamy and buttery flavour of the avocado that had been spiced up with the slight sharpness of ginger and the tanginess of lemon juice. The combination of rich avocado and succulent oyster was divine! This is a Must-Try!

Oyster with Tobiko & Truffle Oil @ AUD 4 (about USD2.88)

This item looked really interesting on the menu and I was initially thrilled by the combination of colours. Unfortunately, the Tobiko (Flying Fish Roe) was rather bland and the truffle flavour in the truffle-infused oil was not strong enough. Though the menu had described this as truffle essence, it tasted more of olive oil than truffles. I would much prefer a classic Oyster with Caviar combination.

Moules Marinières @ AUD29 - Main (about USD20.85)
(Mussels with White Wine & Fresh Herbs)

When in a Mussel Bar, eat Mussels. That was my philosophy though Fish & Chips would have made a very interesting option. I was afraid that I would not be able to stop eating the chips so I avoided that choice altogether even when ordering my mussels.

The Mussel Bar offers 4 different styles of cooking mussels: 1) Traditional Chili, 2) Italian, 3) Moules Marinières and 4) Thai Red Curry. I chose a French classic, Moules Marinières because I love shellfish (mussels/white clams) in white wine. I probably should have opted for the Traditional Chili version that was on every table because my large bowl of Moules Marinières was disappointing! The mussels were very fresh and sweet but the white wine sauce was bland save for a strong sourish aftertaste which was rather unpleasant. I yearned for the rich flavours that I enjoyed in the simple bistro fare of Moules Frites (Mussels with Fries) in Nice.

House Bread with Olive Oil @ AUD7 (about USD5)

I loved the warm and soft bread with a crisp crust. It was great dipped with the Olive Oil and would have been excellent with the Mussel "broth", if only it wasn't so bad.

The Mussel Bar
42 Mews Road,
Fishing Boat Harbour,
Fremantle, WA 6160,
Australia
Telephone: +61 (08) 9433-1800
Email: musselbar@musselbar.com.au

Operating Hours:
Mondays: 6pm till late
Tuesdays to Sundays: 12pm till late

Dining Promotions @ Jing & Shangri-La

The recession is biting hard but restaurants are fighting back with various promotions. Here are 2 recent promotions that has some friends excited:

1) Weekend A La Carte Brunch & Dinner Buffet @ Jing (edited 10 April 09)

Download the A la Carte Buffet Brunch menu here.
Download the A la Carte Buffet Dinner menu here.
Download the weekday S$35 set lunch menu here.

2) Flash Your Age Promotion @ Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

* Promo is valid for food only, beverages excluded.
** Called to enquire. The promo is available till further notice.

Originally posted on 19 March 09

Okinawan Food @ Nirai Kanai

I was craving noodles so after the mooncake tasting event at St Regis, I hoped that the group would take my suggestion to go for Nirai-Kanai's Okinawan food at Tanglin Shopping Centre. They seemed more keen on chicken wings at Jerry's, which I wasn't in the mood for but went with the flow. Thankfully (shh...don't tell the others), Jerry's was closed! Ha ha! the stars are shining in my favour!

Okinawan cuisine has a strong Chinese influence (lots of stir-fries). The chopsticks in their holder remind me of divination lots in a Chinese temple.

DL had introduced Nirai-Kanai to LK & I about 2 years back. It was a refreshing change from standard Japanese fare. In spite of its inconvenient location, it's always crowded everytime I've visited.

Jiimami-Dofu (Peanut Tofu) @ S$8.00++

When DL raved about the Peanut Tofu, LK & I were a little skeptical but gave it a try anyway because DL is known to be a picky (Politically Correct version: discerning) eater. The Peanut Tofu was excellent! It had a texture that was similar to pudding but despite the paleness of the tofu, the flavour of the peanuts permeated throughout. Though I don't generally like sweet food, the sweetened soy sauce added an interesting dimension to the dish. It reminded me of the sauce (albeit a slightly thinner version) used to coat Mitarashi Dango (a traditional Japanese sweet of boiled rice flour balls coated with a sweetened soy sauce). This is a Must-Try!

Pork-Rib Noodle @ S$6.60++ (small) / S$8.80++ (medium)

This is the dish that I had been craving, the fact that the restaurant was located in a building within walking distance from the St. Regis made my craving even stronger. I raved about this bowl of noodles to the others and recommended that they order medium portions without any hesitation.

On my first visit, I had ordered a small bowl in an effort to pace myself since DL had ordered quite a few other dishes but regretted the decision because the small serving was definitely not enough to sate the carb-freak in me. The rich and flavourful broth was comfort food for the soul. The springy noodles (like a Japanese version of Linguine) went very well with chunks of well-seasoned and tender pork. This is a Must-Try!

Okinawan Pancake @ S$9.00++

Another dish that I like here is the Okinawan Pancake. It's floury (read: carb-y) and reminds me of Korean-style pancakes that contain more flour than ingredients. It's not filled with seafood though but relies on toppings of bonito shavings, pickled ginger and seaweed to add flavour.

Grilled Pork Belly with Salt @ S$12.00++

The last 2 times I visited, they ran out of Grilled Pork Belly so I had to settle for the Braised Pork Belly, which I found to be a little wanting because the flesh was not as tender as I would have liked it. The flesh for the Braised Pork Belly was also a little stringy. I was determined to try the Grilled Pork Belly when I realised that it was available.

It was awesome! The crisp exterior added a fragrance to the well-seasoned slices of pork belly. Though I generally try to avoid the fat in pork belly, the browned fat bits were tasty and added an interesting touch to the flavour. Squeezing some lemon juice on the slices helped to cut the fattiness of the pork belly and whetted the appetite for more. We loved it so much that we had 3 servings! So much for a light bite after all the mooncakes that we ate! This is a Must-Try!

Unagi Fried Rice (forgot the price)

I am not a big fan of Unagi (Grilled Eel), I guess it's because I ate too much of it when I was younger. I tried some out of curiosity. This was fabulous because the fried rice was very tasty with bite-sized chunks of eel and egg. The dish had "wok hei", a quality that is treasured in many Chinese stir-fries whereby a smoky flavour and enticing fragrance is imparted to the dish (by cooking over high heat). This is a Must-Try!

Grilled Ox Tongue

I'm not a fan of organ meat so I was really apprehensive about trying this dish. I took a little piece and found that it didn't taste as bad as I thought it might. On the contrary, the marinade used to season it was very tasty and helped to counter the organ-y flavour. I added quite a bit of lemon juice to make it more palatable though in general, this is not a dish that I see myself ordering when I return.

Deep-Fried River Shrimp

We were feeling pretty stuffed after all that food but the glistening plate of deep-fried river shrimp that passed our table was too enticing to miss. The serving size wasn't large so we ordered a plate to try. It was a good thing that we did because it was delicious! The deep-fried fresh and sweet shrimp had very crunchy shells and a succulent core. The flavour was enhanced by squeezing lemon juice over the shrimp and a dip in the little mound of salt. This is a Must-Try!

Nirai-Kanai
19 Tanglin Road
#04-05 Tanglin Shopping Centre,
Singapore 247909
Telephone : +65 6737-5811

Operating Hours:
Lunch: 12pm to 3pm (Mondays to Saturdays only)
Dinner : 6pm to 12 am (Mondays to Thursdays)
6pm to 2am (Fridays & Saturdays)
5pm to 12 am (Sundays)

Okinawan Diner Nirai-Kanai
(smaller menu)
B1-01/02 Liang Court
177 River Valley Road
Singapore 179030
Telephone: +65 6339-4811

Operating Hours:
Daily: 11.30am to 1am

Dumplings & Noodle Lunch @ Yu - Burswood, Perth

A friend remarked that I hadn't blogged for a while. I apologize to my readers for the long silence as I usually blog on weekends but have been really busy lately.

I was in Perth, Australia last weekend to attend a friend's wedding. Naturally, I took the opportunity to check out the food scene. I had read about Yu Restaurant, located within the Burswood Entertainment Complex in Perth, Australia. Apparently, they had spent A$3 million on their renovations and pride themselves as being one of the premier Chinese fine-dining restaurants in Perth. Even the guy at the Front Desk of the Intercontinental Burswood said that it was good.

I was surprised to note that entrance looked like a Chinese temple with coils of incense hanging from the ceiling. Perhaps as homage to the Laughing Buddha (deity of abundance and good fortune)? It felt Zen crossing the bridge over glossy dark tiles with spotlights embedded in them till one steps into the bright red lounge. The plush reception looked enticing but the egg-shaped lamps seemed a little out of place.

The next thing I noted was the exorbitant prices quoted on the a la carte menu! I can't imagine paying A$9 (about US$6.40) for a piece of Peking Duck (minimum order of 4 pieces)! Even St. Regis Singapore only charges about S$55 (about US$36.50) for a whole Peking Duck which equates to about 12 - 16 pieces. I could eat at any nice Chinese restaurant in Singapore for a much lower price! Besides, there weren't many Chinese amongst the 15 or so guests that I saw, which usually doesn't bode well. The 3 course Dumplings & Noodle Lunch deal at A$30 (about US$21.45) seemed relatively reasonable so I gave it a try.

Steamed Assorted Dumplings (a la carte price: A$13.50)

The first course was an assorted Dim Sum Basket. No explanation was given about what variety of dumplings were served. Other than the distinctive Siew Mai and Har Gao, I guessed what the others were from their shapes and colour. Counter clockwise from top left: Siew Mai (pork dumpling), Har Gao (prawn dumpling), Prawn & Carrot Dumpling and Sharks Fin Dumpling (based on the shape of the dumpling).

Upon closer inspection of the Dim Sum, I couldn't help but notice that the dumplings were not well-shaped (a sign that they had been made by inexperienced hands). The skin of the Har Gao (Prawn Dumpling) was too thick and it didn't help that the prawns were not well-seasoned. The other 3 dumplings were bland and non-distinctive in flavour (ie. all tasted the same). This ranks highly as one of the worst Dim Sum I ever had.

Rice Noodles (Hor Fun) with Beef in an Egg Sauce 滑蛋牛肉河

Guests are given a choice from 3 carb dishes (the other choices were Stir-Fried Singaporean Fried Bee Hoon & Yang Chow Fried Rice) for their main course. The rice noodles were bland and lumpy. The sauce added a hint of flavour but in general, this dish was another epic failure. There was no "wok-hei" at all and I found myself homesick for the ones served at Zi Char stalls or Crystal Jade Kitchen in Singapore.

Thankfully there was some chili oil on hand to make the noodles more palatable.

Mango Pudding served with Canned Lychee & Raspberry Coulis

(a la carte price: A$8)

Dessert was a mildly-flavoured Mango Pudding (read: not much Mango in that pudding) served with some canned Lychee and Raspberry Coulis. I guess one can't ask much from a fine dining restaurant with a budget lunch but the plating above looks like what one gets from a canteen. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience. Some Perth residents that I chatted with later also spoke of disappointing and expensive dining experiences but one summed it up really well, "It's Burswood."

Yu Restaurant

Burswood Entertainment Complex,

Bolton Avenue & Great Eastern Highway,

Perth 6100,

Australia

Restaurant Reservations: +61 8 9362-7551

Telephone: +61 8 9632-8238

Email: yu@burswood.com.au

Driving directions from Perth International Airport (18km):

Go South on Horrie Miller Drive. Right into Tonkin Highway.

Left into Leach Highway. Right into Orrong Road.

Left into Great Eastern Highway & Right into Bolton Avenue.

Driving directions from Perth Domestic Airport (8km):

Go West on Brearly Avenue.

Left at Great Eastern Highway & Right into Bolton Avenue.