Archive for the ‘Area: CBD’ Category
The Halia at Raffles Hotel: Contemporary European Cuisine with Asian Inspirations
- Tasting Invite –
The Halia group was established in 2001 with the award-winning The Halia at Singapore Botanic Gardens. Subsequently in November 2012, The Halia at Raffles Hotel officially opened its doors and is proud to be the first home-grown restaurant brand to set foot into the historic hotel and also Singapore’s most graceful landmark. Known for its quality cuisine, well-trained staff, excellent service and ambient settings, the Halia group is poised to establish itself as a leading brand in the food and beverage sector in Southeast Asia.
Together with a few other foodies, misterchewy and I made our way to The Halia at Raffles Hotel after work!
Prior to being seated indoors, all of us ordered a drink each before we started the dinner proper. On the left is CnG ($12) for misterchewy, which was essentially Coke, Grenadine syrup and whipped cream. A deliciously sweet and fizzy drink which we both liked! I had the Halia Mint Berry ($12) which was a refreshing combination of ginger, mint leaf, fresh blueberry and sprite.
Helming the premises of the former Seah Street Deli, The Halia at Raffles Hotel preserves the charming black and white floors of its predecessor, while incorporating the lush surroundings of The Halia at Singapore Botanic Gardens. The 100-seater restaurant offers a spacious dining environment decorated by planted foliage, a collection of wood-carved tables and an abundance of daylight that peeks through the restaurant’s classic French windows
The Halia at Raffles Hotel takes away the convention of a standard three course meal and introduces a “small” and “big” plates concept instead. This encourages free form dining and casts away the notion that an appetizer has to precede a main course. The big plates are also generous enough to promote communal dining.
It is always nice to order some sides to share and potato-loving people would be happy to know that The Halia’s Potato Fries ($8) totally rocked with light yet detectable hints of truffle oil, further complemented by truffle aioli and piquant mayo.
Easily mistaken as deep fried fish fingers, the Polenta Coated Asparagus ($9), as its name suggests, is asparagus coated with polenta and then fried. It tasted good on its own and also with the basil lemon mayo sauce that came with it. A great way to sneak vegetables into your diet!
We had the chance of sampling 5 different small plates. I’m not a fan of salads to begin with, and so I wasn’t particularly eager to touch the Chicken Breast Salad ($14) to be honest. However, I found that this was not your typical salad. The chicken was quite tender and it was interesting that the salad tasted sweet from the ginger flower dressing, yet a little spicy at the same time, due to the addition of chilli.
I had mixed feelings about the Foie Gras Salad ($23) because as much as I liked the nicely pan seared foie gras, it was on the overall too sweet and fruity for my liking. Apricot chutney, candied ginger pecan, blueberry and crouton had also been added into the mix.
The Confit Salmon ($16) had an interesting semi-cooked texture because it had been poached in oil at a low temperature. It was kinda like eating sashimi, except that its texture was slightly firmer. Its taste was further enhanced by the cauliflower purée and vanilla.
This probably doesn’t look very appealing but the Celeriac “Lasagna” ($12) was one of my favorites that night. It is a “lasagna” because celeriac replaces the usual pasta and provided that extra crunch. This Vegetarian dish was creamy without being overwhelmingly so.
I absolutely approve of the Oriental Pulled Duck ($18) which was very well executed. The duck confit which had been seasoned overnight and cooked in its own fat, was very flavorful and when eaten together with the cold soba noodles, provided that refreshing mouth feel.
The Sous Vide Baharat Chicken Leg ($28) didn’t leave much of an impression; I thought that it was kinda dry from the grilling.
The Seafood Gratin ($26) won me over. The Pignolina pasta had a firm, chewy texture and the parmesan cheese was rich, creamy and very satisfying.
The Javanese Spiced Maori Lakes Rack of Lamb ($47) was very tender, and had a nice sweetness to it from the red pepper relish. There was nary a hint of gaminess, likely due to the Javanese spice that had been coated on it.
I’m not sure about my fellow dining companions but I was excited by the presentation of the Chilean Seabass en Papillote ($43) when it arrived in parchment paper. The fish had been cooked in tasty mirin broth together with shiitake and wakame mushrooms. Interestingly, the fish was served together with a plate of sushi rice, which made this a very Japanese dish on the overall.
Sometimes I fear that I will be disappointed by fusion dishes but with the Halia Chilli Crab ($25), my fears were unfounded. The chilli crab tastes exactly like our Singaporean chilli crab, perhaps even better with its perfectly balanced sweet and spicy ratio.
Moving on to desserts, let’s just say that I really liked all four that we tried. I’m the sort who doesn’t mind having a heavy dessert after a meal. If you are like me, then the Sticky Toffee Pudding ($10) would probably work well for you too. This is by far the best sticky date pudding that I have eaten in my life. The combination of date, butterscotch sauce, sea salt and vanilla ice cream is truly awesome beyond words.
I’m not sure if you have to be 18 and above before you can order the Chocolate & Orange Custard ($10) because the orange gel had been laced with Grand Marnier, a type of brandy liquor. The shortbread crumbs and almond bits provided an extra crunch to this dessert.
I like my desserts sweet and also not too sweet. Paradox I know. The Ginger Nougat Parfait ($10) was certainly not something that I would expect myself to like. The combination of caramelised pineapple, puff pastry, almond, anise and cinnamon worked extremely well together, resulting in a unique mild ginger taste.
I couldn’t decide if I preferred the sticky toffee pudding or the Chilled Strawberry Soup ($12). Both were my favorites out of the four. A good amount of sparkling wine had been poured into the chilled strawberry soup and together with the lime sorbet, this was slightly sour and very refreshing.
The Halia has also launched a very attractive Pre-Theatre Dinner Set ($28++ for 2 course, $33++ for 3 course) which is available daily from 5.30 – 7.30pm. It showcases a number of Halia’s signatures such as the celeraic “lasagna”, Halia chilli crab and sticky toffee pudding. Nope, you don’t really have to produce your movie or theatre ticket and I don’t suppose you will be chased out if your dinner stretches past 7.30pm :P
Thank you FoodNews for the invitation and LeRoy for hosting us. Connect with The Chewys on Facebook!
The Halia at Raffles Hotel
Raffles Hotel
1 Beach Road
#01-22/23
Singapore 189673
Tel: 9639 1148
Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri
11.30am – 10pm
Sat, Sun & PH
10am – 10pm
Ristorante PepeNero: Simply Italian, Simply the Best
- Tasting Invite –
Pepenero, meaning black pepper in Italian, refers to the world’s most popular and commonly used spice. As for Ristorante PepeNero, it is a semi-fine dining Italian restaurant located in the CBD area of Singapore that offers a dining experience that excites the senses. I was invited by one of PepeNero’s co-owner, Amy Sim, to try some of the dishes and went there on a Saturday night. This photo was taken after our dinner, which explains the unoccupied tables but it was surprising that the restaurant was almost full on a weekend despite its location. Amy told us that PepeNero is usually very packed on weekdays, both during lunch and dinner. As for the food, they strive to bring freshness and purity to their menu and almost all their quality ingredients are imported fresh. The ambience is relaxed which makes it a perfect place for business meetings, family gatherings, birthday celebrations or that special date.
We had a bottle of Prosecco to keep us happy throughout our dinner :P I’m not sure how many types are there in the market, probably plenty, but this was really smooth and a little sweet which was easy to drink. Chef Donato planned a degustation menu for us, after making a mental note that we do not eat beef. A degustation menu at PepeNero usually costs between $100 -$120 depending on the number of courses and seasonal ingredients incorporated.
We kicked things off by sampling 3 types of Antipasti dishes, which are normally served individually in a larger portion. I will introduce the dishes from left to right because the photos are arranged as such, even though we started with the lightest tasting dish.
I’m a huge fan of parma ham and the Buffalo Mozzarella from Puglia Cheese with “Pachino” Tomatoes and Parma Ham ($29) certainly exceeded my expectations. The thinly sliced parma ham, when paired with the buffalo mozzarella, was excellent. It was seductively savory enough to whet our appetites. We also had the Deep Fried Seafood “Frittura” with Jumbo Prawn, Calamari, Soft Shell Crab, Wasabi Mayonnaise and Tartar ($24) which was thankfully not overwhelmingly hot enough to make our eyes tear. If you would prefer a light tasting starter, I strongly recommend the Tuna and Swordfish Carpaccio with Orange Salad, Marinated in Sicilian Citrus Dressing ($24) which tasted really refreshing and would not fill you up that quickly if you are planning to try more dishes.
I didn’t manage to find the Pumpkin Soup with Pork Cotechino ($19) in the menu but I reckon that it will be well-received. What is a cotechino, you may wonder. It is a type of cured meat, similar to salami. The fresh sausage is made pork and fat, with pig skin that is ground in with the meat. The sausage had also been heavily spiced, so you can imagine a myraid of delicious flavors – sweet, savory and spicy, all in one dish.
Not surprisingly, PepeNero’s pastas are all made in-house. Both misterchewy and I were full of praises for the Pappardelle Pasta with Slow Cooked Pork Ribs Ragù and Pecorino Cheese ($24) as we savored every mouthful. The pasta was cooked al dente and the pork ribs ragù was extremely tender, and not forgetting, flavorful. This dish was truly exemplary.
There’s something sexy about showing off one’s black stained teeth, but that’s only if you are having PepeNero’s Home made Black Squid Ink Risotto with Calamari and Pan-Seared Scallop ($29). This was another dish that we fell in love with. The rice grains are plump and sticky, which managed to absorb the rich flavors from the squid ink and parmesan cheese. The pan-seared scallop was done just right, but then again, the risotto on its own was really good enough.
I used to proudly profess my love for fatty pork belly and that I have absolutely no qualms about eating its fats. However, this Oven Baked Pork Belly with Au Jus, Eggplant Involtini and New Baby Potatoes ($30) made me eat my words. This pork belly had been cooked for many hours and had a huge layer of soft white fats which I slowly found hard to finish. The skin was also akin to that of cuttlefish, which was difficult to chew. On the other hand, the eggplant involtini, layered with tomatoes and cheese, was pretty brilliant.
The Pan Seared Tuna Goulash with Grilled Leeks and Crustacean Reduction ($30) fell short of our expectations as we were deceived into thinking that it would be delicate and succulent since it was pan-seared. It turned out to be quite hard and dry, and the accompanying sauce failed to salvage it.
Here’s a cross-section of the tuna, shot by misterchewy. We are still puzzled as to why the meat was so tough.
After so many courses, it was finally time for some Italian desserts! The Cream Caramel with Almond Biscotti ($11) had a smooth, silky consistency while taste-wise, it was rich and creamy. I also liked the fact that it tasted a little eggy.
I was happy to spot vanilla bean specks on our Cream Pudding “Pannacotta” with Fresh Strawberry and Forest Berry Compote ($12). This was more refreshing than the cream caramel. If I had to pick a favorite out of the two, I would pick both :P
Not sure where to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Now you do! PepeNero has already planned its Valentine’s Day dinner menu! ;)
Here’s a shot with Amy, Chef Donato and PepeNero’s restaurant manager. Thank you for the invitation and warm hospitality!
Connect with us at www.facebook.com/missuschewy :)
Ristorante PepeNero
14 Stanley Street
Singapore 068733
Tel: 6222 5808
Email: info@pepenero.sg
Opening Hours
Mon to Fri
12pm – 2.30pm (Lunch)
Mon to Sat
6.30pm -11pm (Dinner)
Bar Hours: 12pm – 12 midnight
(Closed on Sundays)
Begin the Year on a Bountiful Note with Si Chuan Dou Hua this Chinese New Year!
- Tasting Invite –
Si Chuan Dou Hua is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in Singapore and I’m always very happy to be back to sample the chefs’ new creations every now and then. A few weeks ago, I was invited to Si Chuan Dou Hua’s Lunar New Year Dinner, which took place at the top of UOB Plaza, on the 60th floor.
Before we started the Lo Hei proper, we were introduced to the emerald green pea strips which are specially created to herald the Year of the Snake, in addition to the salmon.
Topped with crispy fried fish skin, the Prosperity Salmon Yusheng with Emerald Green Pea Strips ($88-4 to 6 persons, $108-8 to 10 persons) is a multitude of flavors and textures! The husband and I really enjoyed the emerald green pea strips that had an interesting jelly-like chewy texture.
The Six Delicacies Combination featured a variety of appetizers, namely the Spicy Pork Belly, Spicy Cucumber, Black Fungus, Sesame Chicken, Seasoned Jellyfish, Prawn Salad. Naturally, my favorites were all the spicy ones, especially the spicy pork belly which had an extra fiery kick.
Prosper in health with a wholesome version of this season’s traditional pen cai offerings. The Scarlet Fortune Pen Cai ($438 for 4-6 persons, $588 for 8-10 persons) is the traditional Cantonese pen cai reinvented with the drizzling of a light capsicum sauce over a bubbling pot that had been lavishly filled to the brim with delicacies such as abalone, sea cucumber, dried oysters, prawns, and many more.
The pen cai was also given a finishing touch with shimmering gold flakes for that extra wow factor.
The flavor of the broth was really sweet and robust, which is not surprising given the chock-full of ingredients in it, and was highly addictive. Nobody stops at just one helping! My favorite ingredients were the abalone and sea cucumber. Hehe.
Some of the other ingredients found in the pen cai.
The Stir-Fried French bean with Prawn in Garlic and Chilli, which was spicy and piquant, was pleasing to the taste buds.
As much as I would like to restrict my carbo intake especially during dinner time, the Fried Glutinous and White Rice with Waxed Meat was impossible to resist. The wholesome and flavorful rice grains, coupled with the sweet waxed meat, made this seemingly humble-looking dish a very delicious one.
We ended our dinner with Nian Gao which came in an assortment of flavors – Traditional, Red Bean Cake with Red Date, Water Chestnut Cake with Sugarcane and Osmanthus Cake. Definitely beats something overly sweet and nian gao represents good luck as it simply means ‘higher year’. A ‘Four Seasons’ Harmony Box ($28.80) with all 4 types of nian gao (each one is about the size of a large mooncake) is available for takeaway.
Si Chuan Dou Hua’s Chinese New Year promotional set menus start from $688 and are available from now till 24 February 2013. All guests who select set menus of $688 and above will receive a complimentary bottle of house red wine. The restaurant will be open throughout the 15 days of CNY and UOB cardholders get to enjoy 20% savings off its a la carte and set menus on the first three days (10 to 12 Feb).
Thank you Joyce, Pamela and Martina for hosting us.
Si Chuan Dou Hua
Top of UOB Plaza
80 Raffles Place
#60-01
UOB Plaza 1
Singapore 048624
Tel: 6535 6006
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road
Singapore 199591
Tel: 6505 5722
PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road
181 Kitchener Road
Singapore 208533
Tel: 6428 3170
Fan Play Savouries: Best Ipoh Chee Cheong Fun in Singapore!
As much as I would like to accept all invites thrown at me, my busy schedule forbids me to do so. I usually accept the ones that pique my interest, and Fan Play Savouries was one good example. The thought that was running through my mind at that time was, “OMG! Are we gonna have a Chee Cheong Fun party or something?!” “Fan Play” translates cheekily to “play with your chee cheong fun”! :P Located at Suntec City Mall’s Carrefour on Level 1, Fan Play brings to Singapore the authentic flavour of Ipoh old town street cuisine, but tweaked to suit the local Singaporean palates!
Chee cheong fun experts would be ecstatic to know that Fan Play imports their chee cheong fun twice a week from Ipoh, which the historic town is famous for. You may ask what’s so special about the chee cheong fun in Ipoh? It’s the water that makes the vast difference in the texture of the chee cheong fun! And unlike the usual cheong fun with sweet sauce, Fan Play introduces savoury gravies to cater to local taste buds.
I say, ditch the soft drinks and go for Fan Play’s Organic Soya Bean Drink ($1.50). I support all things organic, plus this was very fragrant without being overly sweet. :)
We really enjoyed the Cheong Fun in Savoury Brown Sauce with Beer Battered Dory Fillet ($4.50). I was actually very impressed that the taste of beer was discernible in the fish and later found out that 1 full can of beer goes into making four pieces of dory fillet! The light beer batter, together with the special brown sauce with pieces of minced meat made this very delightful. As for the chee cheong fun itself, clearly, it was the most silky smooth chee cheong fun that I have ever tasted in my 20++ years of life! Eating is believing! :D
By the time the second dish of chee cheong fun came, I was already madly in love with Fan Play. How crazy can eating a simple plate of cheong fun get! If you always find yourself ordering Japanese Katsu curry, then go ahead and try the Cheong Fun with Chicken Cutlet in Curry Sauce ($4.50). It does taste very much like Japanese curry, and the chicken cutlet is surprisingly tender and juicy. The curry was a little dry which did alter the texture of the cheong fun.
Not to be mistaken for soy sauce chicken hor fun, the Cheong Fun with Teriyaki Chicken in Sichuan Kung Pao Sauce ($4.50) will win the hearts of many. The sichuan kung pao sauce is a little sweet with a hint of spiciness that lingers at the tip of your tongue. Needless to say, I very much prefer this to soy sauce chicken hor fun!
I would be lying if I told you that all the savoury gravies went really well with Fan Play’s imported cheong fun. The Cheong Fun with Laksa Gravy ($3.90) was a teeny weeny bit of a letdown because the cheong fun did not seem to be able to absorb the flavors from the laksa. On its own, the laksa tasted great. Perhaps a thicker gravy would help the absorption by the cheong fun.
Fan Play is thoughtful enough to come up with a Cheong Fun with Mushroom Sauce ($3.00) dish for vegetarians. The delicious gravy is prepared using mushroom and a Chinese herb called ‘dang gui’. You can actually smell the fragrance when it’s served hot.
Lastly, we tried the Sar Kok Liew (80cents each), which is very difficult and tedious to make, according to the chef. None of us had ever heard of, much less tried, this Ipoh specialty. I find that it tasted somewhat like a starchier version of the Teochew ngoh hiang.
For the best Ipoh Chee Cheong Fun in Singapore, you really have to head down to Fan Play! However, do note that there has been a change of chef. We will definitely be back to do a further taste test! :P
Thank you Fan Play Savouries for the invitation.
Fan Play Savouries
3 Temasek Boulevard
#01-199
Suntec City Mall Tower 4 (inside Carrefour Deli Section)
Singapore 038983
Tel: 9321 3688
Opening Hours:
Daily
10am – 7pm
MissTamChiak’s Birthday Surprise @ Akari Japanese Dining & Bar
Our dear misstamchiak turned a year older recently! Initially, my plan was to give her a dinner treat, and it was supposed to just the two of us. Romantic right! LOL. We had agreed to dine at a particular Spanish restaurant but in the end, we settled for Akari Japanese Dining and Bar at Marina Bay Link Mall. And not only that, dinner between two ladies turned out to be a group of eight foodie friends! :D
Photo credit: Nadia
Ok the story goes like this. I was one of the lucky three winners of the new iPad following the Standard Chartered’s The Good Life contest. Haha shall not elaborate on the contest here. The date to collect the iPad at Marina Bay Financial Centre had been set and yes, it coincided with my dinner date with misstamchiak! Told her that we can either postpone it or dine somewhere around MBFC so that she doesn’t have to wait too long. Since Derrick won himself an iPad too, Maureen said that he can join us if he wants to. Just nice Celes asked me if I wanted to join in for a dinner surprise for Maureen and I told her about our plans. Hence, we asked the others along!
Celes made reservations and we were given a private dining room with 8 seats, and Maureen was clearly suspicious! LOL. While waiting for the others to spring their surprise on Maureen, I tried to buy time by asking her to accompany me to the washroom. When we were back, they were still waiting for Jiayi! So we took some photos in the private room.
Maureen and Derrick.
This is Derrick’s gf! So for those of his females readers out there who think he’s single and available, please give up already. HAHA! Kidding~~
Before we could stop Maureen, she went out of the private dining room and began snapping pictures in the restaurant. When the rest of the group arrived, she was backfacing them and Celes gave her a scare from behind! That was when we heard a loud shrill~~ Lol.
It’s very difficult to order food in a large group especially when everyone goes, “Anything. Anything.” I’m glad we ordered sashimi because it’s my favorite! The Salmon Zukushi ($58) is a 3-kind salmon sashimi platter consisting of salmon, salmon belly and salmon roe. I love the salmon belly because it’s loaded with fat!
This has got to be one of the most expensive sushi platter I have eaten in my 2X years of life. The Tokusyou Nigiri 12 Syu ($64) featured 12 types of premium sushi. We ordered 2 sets to be shared among everyone. All I can say is that the raw fish were firm and fresh.
Whoever ordered this must love rice a lot. LOL. The Kaisen Sansyoku Wan ($38) was 3-kinds mini rice bowls with sea urchin & salmon roe, yellowtail & sesame sauce, seasoned tuna red meat. Much to my *ahem* delight, nobody except for Jiayi and I wanted to eat the sea urchin. And I was like, “This is good stuff! Why nobody eat?!” The combination of melt-in-the-mouth texture and briny taste is something I found heavenly!
We ordered two types of fish, one of which was the Gindara Saikyo Yaki ($26). The cod fish was well marinated with sweet miso sauce and its moisture was retained even after grilling. I have always liked cod fish for its oily, flaky texture.
I didn’t really fancy the Madai Yaki Anchovy Flavour ($24) because it had this mild fishy taste but the red chilli pepper and anchovy paste helped to cover it up a little. Perhaps we should have squeezed some lemon over it! Haha.
Strangely, the Buta Shiro Kakuni ($18) reminded me of the canned Narcissus Stewed Pork Chop. *shudders*
It was a good thing that we also ordered the Kurobuta Miso Yaki ($26). The marinated black pork was grilled to perfection with homemade miso sauce. It was very succulent with a slight buttery flavor which I enjoyed thoroughly.
With Jiayi and Rae!
Maureen and I started the ball rolling for a series of crazy wacky shots! We wanted a proper picture first and we banged into each other on the head! Quite painful lor! Anyway, some of the following photos are koped from Maureen. Don’t say I never give credit ah. Hahaha!
And then Derrick became trigger happy and started snapping non-stop!
Maureen and Yan Cai.
Celes and Maureen are about to start a cat fight. LOL.
Ending this post with a candid shot! Byeeeee! :D
Akari Dining & Bar
8A Marina Boulevard,
GP #01-02
Marina Bay Link Mall
Tel: 6634 0100
Opening Hours:
Mon to Sat
12pm – 3pm (Lunch)
6pm – 10pm (Dinner)
Si Chuan Dou Hua: Vegetarian Discovery Feast till 30 June 2012
First established in 1996, Si Chuan Dou Hua is the pioneer of authentic Sichuan cuisine in Singapore which features traditional specialities ranging from mild soups and vegetarian dishes to fiery deep-fries and savoury dessert. Its extensive menu also includes the widely popular and authentic Cantonese cuisine and exquisite handmade dim sum dishes.
After the success of its first outlet, a second was opened at UOB Plaza 1 in 2002 making this the highest Chinese restaurant in Singapore, followed by a third at PARKROYAL Kuala Lumpur in 2003 and a fourth in Tokyo in 2007. Its latest outlet was unveiled at PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road in June 2011.
Tian Fu Tea Room, by Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant, boasts the first Chinese tea room concept within a restaurant in Singapore, carrying a wide selection of over 25 types of premium Chinese tea ranging from the ubiquitous green and red tea to more exotic variations of yellow, white and flower tea.
Guests can savour the art of tea appreciation with the guidance of knowledgeable Tea Connoisseurs or spend a leisurely afternoon relishing the delicate aromas from the finest teas. A perfect complement to Si Chuan Dou Hua, the elegant tea room is the most ideal prelude to a delectable meal or a sweet culmination of a memorable dining experience.
Stylish private rooms and spacious VIP suites that can hold up to 22 guests are also available for the discerning clientele and their private functions.
Available for a limited period every year, the Vegetarian Discovery Feast makes an anticipated return to Si Chuan Dou Hua from now till 30 June 2012. Combining their wealth of experience, Executive Chefs Zeng Feng, Leung Wing Chung and Consultant Peter Tsang (pictured above) have once again put their heads together to push the culinary envelope in carving a healthy gourmet experience that does not compromise on delectability. The result is a comprehensive array of flavorful vegetarian dishes that employ fresh and nutritious greens instead of deep-fried flour batter.
Dining at Si Chuan Dou Hua is also complemented with a skilled Tea Master display, in which hot tea is poured through a long-spout kettle into your teacup.
We started off the Vegetarian Discovery Feast with the Vegetarian Combination Platter which features four different dishes. At first glance, the Bean Curd Skin with Sichuan Hot and Sour Sauce kind of resembles pork intestines, given its bunched up form. Its soft and slightly rubbery texture, coupled with spicy sichuan sauce makes it a very palatable starter.
Some might find the Braised Bean Curd with Vegetable an acquired taste but I quite liked the contrast of soft beancurd and crunchy vegetables in this one.
Out of the four dishes in the Vegetarian Combination Platter, my favorite was the Vegetarian Ham Roll which was wrapped around a slice of cucumber and drizzled in salad dressing. I guess it’s because it has the same concept as the suckling pig roll and peking duck roll!
I’m not a fan of gingko nuts but since research has shown that there are a wide range of health benefits including boosting one’s memory, I eat them once in a while. The Spicy Gingko Nut with Mock Chicken was soft in texture and has a nutty, bittersweet taste.
I personally find that vegetarian cuisine encompasses flavors that are light and easy on the palate and this Double-boiled Carrot Soup with Bamboo Pith & Mushroom is a perfect example by being subtle yet refreshing.
Both misterchewy and I are potato loving people and this Mashed Potato with Preserved Vegetable has a very creamy texture and tasted simply heavenly! It was paired with crunchy corn bits and preserved vegetable which seemed like dried seaweed to us. Secretly wished we could have more of this!
Golden Marrow with Salted Egg & Vegetarian Sliced Beijing Duck Roll
Straight out of the pan, the Fragrant Vegetarian Fried Brown Rice smelled really tantalizing. On the overall, the fried rice wasn’t sticky nor dry. In fact, it was moist with the rice grains separate and distinct. I never knew brown rice could be this tasty!
For dessert, we had the Homemade Green Pea Soup with Orange Skin which was quite light on the palate. The faint yet noticeable hint of orange skin made this rather refreshing.
The Vegetarian Discovery Feast is available for lunch and dinner in a la carte menus starting from $48 per person from now till 30 June 2012 at PARKROYAL on Beachroad, Kitchener Road and TOP of UOB Plaza. DBS/POSB card members can either enjoy 20& off a la carte menu or one dines free with every 3 paying adults for set menus or 20% off set menus for groups of 3 or less.
Thank you Joyce and Pamela from Si Chuan Dou Hua for the invitation and for hosting us during the dinner!
Si Chuan Dou Hua
Top of UOB Plaza
80 Raffles Place
#60-01
UOB Plaza 1
Singapore 048624
Tel: 6535 6006
PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road
Singapore 199591
Tel: 6505 5722
PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road
181 Kitchener Road
Singapore 208533
Tel: 6428 3170
Stellar @ 1-Altitude: The Good Life App by Standard Chartered
Last week, Hubby Chewy and I had the honour to be invited to an influencer event where we were treated to an exquisite dinner specially prepared by the award-winning culinary team of Stellar @ 1-Altitude. We were seated right next to the window and this amazing view left us gaping in awe. We were very lucky because we had the opportunity to enjoy the scenic view while savoring the delectable dishes with a glass of wine. :D
Stellar on level 62 is a restaurant that serves modern cuisine focusing on artisanal methods of preparation. Stellar’s kitchen is a culinary workshop where the highest degree of attention is paid to sourcing the best seasonal produce and refining recipes, allowing ingredients to speak for themselves.
The focal point is a multi-concept open kitchen where guests are presented with a dazzling display of variety.
The night started off with a glass of Mojito for yours truly.
Me and my handsome date. Hehehe :P
Fellow bloggers Jacob (cooksnapeatlove) and Shi Ting (lobsterpaints) were seated across us! :D
Next to us were Derrick (dashtaz) and his girlfriend! As you can see, we were quite on time. The seats behind us were still unoccupied.
Prior to this influencer event, we were requested to bring along our iPhone or iPad as part of the dinner would require us to place our “order” via an iOS device.
In between courses, we were being introduced to The Good Life app by Standard Chartered. I will tell you more in my next blog post! :)
First came the Amuse Bouche which was Poached lobster with mango salsa. I have never tasted anything like this before and I can’t quite put a word to it. The mango salsa was a lovely and harmonious blend of pistachio, sesame and mango.
Everyone had the same appetizer, the Crab & Sevruga Caviar which was specially created for that night. There were various tastes and textures in this one. My favorite? The Sevruga Caviar of course!
When it came to the mains, we had a peek at the choices via The Good Life app, which can be downloaded free at the App Store. Both Jacob and Derrick’s partner had the Wagyu Rib Eye as their main course.
We decided to something different from one another so that we could try a bit of everything and so, misterchewy ordered the Slow Roasted Suckling Pig with iberico jamon and Fig Stuffing paired with a glass of red wine.
The slow roasted suckling pig was just so juicy and tender beyond words that every bite was sheer delight.
I noticed that misterchewy was uncomfortable with the kurobuta pork because it appeared fatty and he began fumbling with his fork and knife. I knew I just had to patient before he sliced up parts of the meat for me. One of the best kurobuta pork I have ever tasted. Its texture exquisite and supple, flavor rich and sweet.
Yours truly went for the Cod Fillet, another main course specially created for the night.
Served with grilled artichoke, truffle, parsnip puree, tomato salsa and lemon foam, the cod fillet was moist and rich with a buttery flavor and its texture was firm.
Needless to say, we had to end the awesome meal with an equally awesome dessert. We were first served the White Chocolate Bomb with Lemon Verbena Pannacotta and shortly afterwards, Hot Citron Sauce was drizzled on top of the white chocolate.
The end result revealed the Lemon Verbena Pannacotta within the White Chocolate Bomb, which tasted pretty much like natural yogurt. The white chocolate was really sweet and not many could finish it, but misterchewy and I did so with ease!
We rounded off the lovely evening with some drinks at 1-Altitude – the world’s highest al fresco bar located 282m above sea level!
Want to enjoy The Good Life? Well, find out more in my next blog post! Cheers to a marvelous week ahead! :)
Many thanks to Wild Interactive and Standard Chartered for the invitation and wonderful hospitality.
The Tastings Room: Possibly The Best Brunch Place in Singapore
With the ever increasing number of restaurants and cafes serving brunch in the local scene these days, it is certainly difficult to pinpoint a favorite. I honestly wasn’t expecting much when I was invited to try out the newly launched brunch menu at The Tastings Room recently, but I’m happy to say that I walked away feeling rather impressed at the end of the meal.
Situated on the first floor of Marina Square, The Tastings Room stands out from the usual brunch place as it carries a strong emphasis on food and wine pairing at affordable prices. The brunch menu comes with wine recommendations with wine tasting portions starting from as low as $7.
My dining partner, Derrick, and I had a good start to the meal by kicking things off with the Truffle Mushroom Puree Soup ($8.90). Blended from button and shitake mushrooms, the result is a perfectly smooth, silky textured bowl of mushroom puree. The flavor and aroma of truffle oil enhances the taste of the mushroom soup in the most subtle of ways.
A sharp contrast to the previous starter, the Seafood Smoked Vine Tomato Soup ($9.90) is very well-flavored and full of zest. The slightly stinging and tangy flavors from the smoked vine tomato puree need some getting used to, but the blending of the puree into the aromatic seafood soup promises to stimulate the senses and whet the appetite.
If you can’t decide what to have for brunch, stick to the good ol’ Egg Benedict ($15.90). Nothing can go wrong and in fact, this classic brunch item is very well-executed at The Tastings Room. Gotta love the buttery rich hollandaise sauce! And what would you do when the yolk oozes out? I say, soak it all up with the fluffy bread! This dish would be perfect had the bacon strips been more crisp.
An equally charming alternative would be the Egg Royale ($15.90). The poached eggs are wrapped with smoked salmon and topped with egg roe that bursts wonderfully in the mouth.
I love eggs and scrambled eggs are definitely my favorite of the lot. Creamy and velvety smooth scrambled eggs infused with truffle oil, the Truffle Scrambled Eggs with Wild Mushroom ($15.90) is undeniably my kind of luxurious comfort food.
If you are looking for a place to have brunch, look no further. The Tastings Room serves quality food at affordable prices that is guaranteed to impress. The new brunch menu is available daily from 11am to 4pm.
Photo courtesy of Jacob
Thank you Delished and The Tastings Room for the invitation.
The Tastings Room
6 Raffles Boulevard
Marina Square
#01-08
Singapore 039594
Opening Hours:
Sun to Thu
11am – 9.30pm
Fri and Sat
11am – 11.30pm
Vanilla Bar & Cafe: Smells so ooh-la-la good
Met up with Bee for lunch recently. We have been BFFs since secondary school, about a good 10 years now! O_O Haha old already lah. But we are still very young at heart! :) Bee is also very much into photography lately. It’s really nice to hang out with friends who share the same interests as you. :D
For a blur sotong like me, it’s great when your friend is like a walking GPS. You know you can count on him or her to not get lost! Haha. Vanilla Bar & Cafe is located along Boon Tat Street. After consulting google maps and gothere.sg, I still have not the slightest idea as to how to get there. Ok lah maybe I should just admit that I’m lousy. Lol. Luckily it wasn’t a case of the blind leading the blind. *Gives Bee a pat on the back* Anyway when we opened the door and stepped into the quaint, cosy cafe, we were greeted by a very pleasant whiff of vanilla.
I think we had come under the impression that we better order all things vanilla and decided to go ahead with the Vanilla Popcorn Chicken ($5.90). Took a small bite but there was no hint of vanilla. Haha felt cheated. But then again, maybe what was meant here is that Vanilla cafe has its own popcorn chicken, just like how KFC has its very own KFC popcorn chicken. These tender morsels of chicken are thinly breaded and make a great snack!
Good friends share everything right? Even food! We decided on having the Norwegian Smoked Salmon & Egg Mayo Sandwich ($8.90) since it’s easier to share as compared to rice or noodles. Each of us just have to take half. *Sings Jit lang jit pua, kam zheng beh sua..* I like the dry toasty texture of the panini. Goes very well with the mashy ingredients!
Believe it or not. This is our dessert.
The Vanilla Dirt Cake ($8.50) looks exactly like a real potted flower! We were so amazed that we took photos of it from all different angles until we decided that enough was enough. Haha :P
Look! The dirt cake is topped with crushed Oreo bits to replicate the appearance of soil. Is that yucks or what? While the gummy worms failed to pass off as real worms (we didn’t scream), the Oreo bits were enough to make us think twice about digging in, whichever way you wanna interpret this.
Yup dig in and dig in! :) The Vanilla Dirt Cake is highly recommended for the incredible experience that is associated with eating it. It is easily mistaken for vanilla and cream cheese ice cream, given its icy cold texture. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to make you feel as though you are really digging through soil! We certainly didn’t regret ordering this :)
Vanilla Bar & Cafe
3 Boon Tat Street
#01-01 Singapore
Tel: +65 6423 0366
Opening Hours
Mon to Thu
10.30am – 11pm
Fri and Sat
11am – 12am
(Closed on Sun & PH)
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