Backyard@Dempsey: Casual and Laid-back Dining in the Woods!

Posted on August 10, 2012 by missuschewy

Are you looking for an ideal and unpretentious getaway from the everyday hustle and bustle of Singapore? Look no further because Backyard@Dempsey is your answer to a casual and laid-back dining in the woods, nestled in the lush and mature greenery off the very hip Dempsey catchment of F&B restaurants!

Here’s a map so that you know how to navigate your way there 😛

Backyard@Dempsey is all about being casual and comfortable, and more importantly, letting your hair down after a long hard day at work. Oh hey, there is ample free gravelled parking lots which is a bonus. Tuck into delicious comfort fare and knock down a few glasses of beer too!

Enjoy awesome live music on Friday nights! Both misterchewy and I have a thing for live bands, and I have every intention to revisit Backyard@Dempsey with him soon! 😀

Was invited down for dinner and I extended my invitation to my tennis partner, YP. She’s a foodie too! 😀

Backyard’s drinks list is really extensive! I reckon it’s always safe to stick to something that’s named after its very own F&B establishment. The Backyard Jungle Juice ($11 till 7.30pm, $14 after 7.30pm) is concocted with gin, pomegranate and mango, resulting in a very cool and refreshing drink!

YP ordered the Backyard Nookie ($11 till 7.30pm, $14 after 7.30pm) which does sound alot more alcoholic with vodka, frangelico, kahlua, baileys and milk.

I admit that I have kinda high expectations for mushroom soups and am always afraid of being disappointed whenever I try one. However, I’m glad to say that Backyard’s Cream of Shitake Mushroom ($6.30) tasted really splendid to me! The earthy taste of mushrooms was evident yet not too overpowering. What a pleasant start to our dinner!

I liked the generous chunks of lobster meat found in the Lobster Bisque ($7.30) but it was a little watered down for my liking. A thicker lobster bisque would have packed a punch.

It’s always good to share some light bites, especially with a glass of beer in hand. The Ayam Goreng Kunyit ($2.10 each, minimum 3 per order) are your good ol’ kampong style fried chicken wings marinated in turmeric and cumin. Squeeze some lemon over them for some finger lickin’ goodness!

“Not all fries need to be made from potatoes.” Wise words indeed by the folks of Backyard@Dempsey. People who love luncheon meat would definitely know how to appreciate the Spam Fries ($9.80). These luncheon meat slices were not over fried and they went extremely well with the wasabi mayo dip!

Not for me but I reckon the health conscious would love the Spinach Salad with Marinated Chick Peas & Feta with Grilled Chicken ($14.30)! It’s something that’s very wholesome.

I highly recommend the Kronenbourg Beer Battered Fish & Chips ($14.30) as this was extremely well executed! The batter was light, crisp and airy, while retaining the fish’s moisture within. The fruity overtones of the Kronenbourg beer were clearly discernible and I really enjoyed this dish.

If you favor pasta over everything else, I suggest that you try Backyard’s Pomodoro Sausage Linguine ($12.80). Nothing could possibly go wrong when you can have a plate of linguini with sliced chicken sausage in a light cream herbed pomodoro sauce. For just a dollar more, you can have the spicy Italian pork sausage version instead!

I’m a cream-based pasta fan and the idea of a pasta with light Cajun cream sauce sprinkled with diced jalapenos seemed like a brilliant idea. The Grilled Chicken Spaghetti ($12.80) had the right amount of creaminess but the grilled chicken with cajun spice mix was definitely too tough.

Backyard has a range of yummy hot dogs and the most interesting one would be the Dressed Up Dog with a Sunny Side Up Egg ($14.80). Eating a giant chicken/beef frank wrapped with streaky bacon and topped with melted cheddar cheese is a messy but exhilarating affair. No doubts about that!

Instead of ending your meal with a cup of hot coffee, have an Affogato ($7.30)! A shot of espresso served over a scoop of clotted cream ice cream is guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings.

Another dessert which I would recommend is the Blueberry Panna Cotta ($7.30) which was light, creamy and silky-smooth. Also available with a choice of honey walnut.

YP and I had a glass of Nuts Over Nuts ($11 till 7.30pm, $14 after 7.30pm) which is a blended drink consisting of hazelnut liquor, chocolate, walnuts, oats, milk and ice Cream. This is so so so goooood!

All of us also had the classic Grasshopper ($11 till 7.30pm, $14 after 7.30pm). With crème de menthe, cream de caco and milk, this makes a very popular after-dinner drink!

We thank Han and Valerie, owners of Backyard@Dempsey, and also Jerome , Creative Director of Ideas Incubator for the kind invitation and for the wonderful hospitality.

I have fallen in love with Backyard@Dempsey! Its off the beaten track location, unpretentious atmosphere, wallet-friendly prices and live music are good enough factors for me to revisit real soon! 😀

Backyard@Dempsey
130E Minden Road
Singapore 248819
Tel: 6479 0388

Opening Hours:
Daily
11am – 12midnight

ZESPRI Kiwifruit Dinner + Giveaway @ The Living Cafe

Posted on August 8, 2012 by missuschewy

Do you know that ZESPRI kiwifruit contains twice the Vitamin C of oranges? Just by consuming ZESPRI kiwifruit alone helps you meet your Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of Vitamin C everyday! After last year’s memorable ZESPRI kiwi-licious four-course dinner at Heart Bistro, missuschewy is very delighted to be once again invited to another round of bloggers’ dinner that cleverly incorporated ZESPRI kiwifruits! This time, the dinner was held at The Living Cafe along Bukit Timah Road.

Asked my secondary school BFF along because for someone who loves fruits, I’m sure she would enjoy the dinner!

Great to see Maureen and Rae too!

Once again, it is proven that ZESPRI kiwifruit can be used to create a wonderful four-course meal. We started off with Raw Bruschetta with Pesto and Kiwi Salsa. By ‘raw’, we mean unprocessed or uncooked so please do not be alarmed when you see the words ‘raw kiwi’. The starter was a great appetite whetter due to its amazing tangy-sweet-sour combination!

I thought that the Raw Kiwi and Apple Gazpacho Soup had turned cold because we took too many photos and then Maureen reminded me that it’s ‘raw’. Ahhh silly me. Not your usual type of soup. I personally found that the taste of onions was a little overpowering.

If there’s one thing I want to attempt to recreate in my own kitchen, it would definitely be the Grilled Salmon Fillet! Stuffed with cauliflower puree, served with mixed salad and kiwi citrus, I give it two thumbs up.

Now comes the best part of the meal. The Raw Kiwi Pie was simply amazing. Apart of kiwifruit, it was made using nuts and nut milk. This dessert was admittedly sour with a good mix of sweetness! I finished off the raw kiwi pie with ease.

Thanks to ZESPRI, I will be conducting a giveaway on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/missuschewy next week! Be sure to ‘like’ my page to stay updated on the amazing ZESPRI giveaway! There will be really awesome prizes to be won!

In addition to the benefits for cold and flu, regularly eating ZESPRI kiwifruit can also help with digestion, skin care, heart health, weight loss and boost the immune system. Head over to ZESPRI’s website for more fun facts and interesting recipes!

Thank you ZESPRI and Edelman PR for the invitation.

Kohii Gourmet Coffee’s 1st Anniversary Celebration!

Posted on August 7, 2012 by missuschewy

I love anniversary celebrations because it marks a significant milestone and when you look back at what has happened over the years, it brings you this warm, fuzzy feeling. And when you know that your cafe or restaurant has done well, not only do you give yourself a pat on the back but showing appreciation to your customers for their support and patronage is a good way to celebrate too!

So here’s misterchewy and myself at Kohii’s 1st Anniversary Celebration on a Friday night. We can still vividly remember visiting Kohii earlier this year. Their seafood salad is definitely one of the best that I have had so far.

At the anniversary event, we had the opportunity to get a taste of some unique Japanese beers that are now available at Kohii.

I was allowed to bring up to 2 guests so I asked my tennis partner along! Time really flies! YP remarked that our friendship is 5 years and counting. Unbelievableeeee~ Are we that old?!

There were a few pretty girls to serve us that night. Haha I asked misterchewy if he wanted a photo with two of them and he said no. So I had to force him. But seriously, I think he was quite happy with my request -_-

Spot any familiar faces? 😛

Part of the new menu was showcased during the event and these were served in the form of nibbles.

I liked the Hitachino Nest White Ale! 😀

It was great catching up over food and drinks! Heartiest congratulations to Kohii once again and thanks Warren for the invitation!

Kohii
1 Shenton Way
#01-06
Singapore 068803
Tel: 6509 9639

Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri
8.30am – 8.30pm
Sat
9am – 3pm

Si Chuan Dou Hua: 50 Items Dim Sum Buffet at $25++ only!

Posted on July 27, 2012 by missuschewy

Traipse down memory lane with 50 dim sum items from now till 31 August 2012 as Si Chuan Dou Hua celebrates its 1st anniversary at PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road with a Nostalgic Dim Sum Buffet Feast (那些年，我们吃过的点心). Priced at $25++ per person, minimum 4 to dine, this is an extremely sweet deal!

The promotional menu offers a wide selection of 50 items, a mouth-watering repertoire of dim sum items, conceptualized by Master Dim Sum Chef Wen Xin Wen, that will trigger memories of the olden days. On top of that, look out for his new and creative dim sum dishes with a modern twist.

I hereby emphasize that there is a requirement of minimum 4 to dine. Grab as many friends and relatives as possible so that everyone can share and enjoy all 50 dim sum items!

Before the official dim sum feasting began, we were treated to four very appetizing dishes such as the Soya Chicken which are available only at a single serving at the buffet. Delicious soya sauce drizzled over tender slices of chicken!

My favorite has got to be the Crispy Roasted Pork. Tender meat with a crisp layer of crackling skin!

The Honey Glazed Char Siew wasn’t too bad as well. In fact, it was pretty addictive!

Cannot do without spicy food? The Seaweed with Shredded Carrot and Radish in Chilli Oil will keep you contented. This dish had a nice crunchy and rubbery texture.

I didn’t like char siew pau when I was a kid but I grew to like them as I got older. Here, we have Char Siew Bun with Preserved Vegetables.

I really couldn’t resist those soft fluffy buns and the sweet taste of char siew.

Of all the dim sum items that we had, I really enjoyed eating the Pork Belly Roll with Taro and Chinese Mushroom because it simply melts in the mouth!

Siew Mai with Quail Egg

Chicken, Chinese Mushroom, Dried Fish Maw and Duck Web wrapped with Chinese Marrow in Black Bean Sauce

A bit like eating Teochew soon kueh, the Hakka Dumplings with Turnip were generously stuffed with bits of turnip and gave a good crunch with every bite.

Rice Flour Roll with Spare Rib in Yellow and Black Bean Paste

Chicken Feet with Bitter Gourd

Resembling fried wontons from afar, these Crispy Glutinous Minced Meat with Shrimp Dumplings were served with a bowl of clear broth.

Dipping the shrimp dumpling into the stock helps to moisten the deep-fried batter a little, while still maintaining its crunchiness. I can’t decide whether I liked the dumplings with or without the stock. Try both and let me know what you think!

Beef Brisket Noodle Soup

Yes I know that this is a dim sum buffet, but there’s no harm in trying some yummy Casserole Rice! There are three types to choose from – Sliced Pork with Salted Fish, Spare Rib with Preserved Vegetable, and Chicken with Mushroom & Chinese Sausage. Absolutely yummy beyond words!

Pan-Fried Carrot Cake

Stir Fried Roasted Pork with Bean Sprout

Crispy Taro Ball with Minced Chicken and Mushroom

After sampling most of the savory dim sum items, it was time for the sweet ones! I’m a fan of fried sweet potato balls and the Deep-Fried Peanut Cake in Teochew Style came as a real treat for me!

Interestingly, the Honeycomb Cake topped with Chrysanthemum tasted like some kind of Malay kueh. It was fragrant, chewy in texture and not too sweet. I really liked this!

The Glutinous Rice Balls in Brown Sugar Syrup (Tong Bat Lat) resembled Japanese mochi and were very chewy!

Seriously, my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at the sight of the Giant Deep-fried Sesame Ball! We heard that these are not easy to make. Think sesame balls without any filling in it. An advice: Stop ogling and just eat them while hot.

The Nostalgic Dim Sum Buffet Feast is only available during lunch time daily, till 31 August. Yes that includes weekends too! Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to sample all of Chef Wen’s exquisite creations!

One dines free with every 3 paying adults for UOB credit/debit cardmembers.

Thank you Joyce & Pamela from Si Chuan Dou Hua for the invitation and for hosting us during the session!

Si Chuan Dou Hua
181 Kitchener Road
PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road
Singapore 206533
Tel : 6428 3170

Nostalgic Dim Sum Buffet Feast
Daily
11.30am – 2.30pm
Adult: $25++
Child: $16.80++
Minimum 4 to dine, till 31st August 2012

Go on a Japanese Gourmet Journey & Redeem Sushi Cushions @ Liang Court till 29 July 2012!

Posted on July 18, 2012 by missuschewy

-Sponsored Post-

Hello friends, I bet you guys are looking forward to the weekend already! Fret not if you don’t have any plans yet because missuschewy strongly urges everyone to go on a Gourmet Journey in Japanese style at Liang Court. Besides a host of gourmet choices and yummy treats, there are many entertaining and exciting activities such as cooking demonstrations, authentic Japanese performances and gourmet challenges that people of all ages can take part in and also win fantastic prizes at the same time! Why spend your precious weekend wandering aimlessly along the streets of Orchard Road? Come on down to Liang Court and immerse in the wonderful Japanese culture! 🙂

The kind folks at AsiaMalls Management sponsored us some shopping and dining vouchers. Grabbed Celes, Derrick and his partner along to check out the host of activities at the mall last Sunday!

If you crave for Japanese cuisine, the best place to head to is of course Liang Court! Isn’t it obvious? Haha. My favorite restaurant at Liang Court is Tampopo. There are many others like the famous Marutama Ra-men, Botejyu Okonomiyaki, and Saizeriya that you can choose from too! We decided to have a quick lunch at the relatively new Dulcet & Studio which is also under the Tampopo group.

I like Dulcet & Studio for its relaxed and laidback vibe. Will definitely pop by again for more cakes and tea!

After lunch, we wanted to catch the Japanese Lion Dance with Mask performance at the main atrium and spotted the performers while we were making our way there!

All the performances, gourmet challenges and cooking workshops are held on weekends so the next one would be on 21 and 22 July from 1 to 6pm.

This little boy is all prepared for the Japanese Gourmet Journey too!

I must really hand it to the performers for giving their best shot in the Japanese lion dance with mask show. Everyone stopped in their tracks to watch the performance and we all learned a thing or two about the Japanese culture. Next weekend, there will be a Special MIYAKE DAIKO performance and Japanese Folk Dance performance so watch out for them!

Next up was the Subway Tasters Challenge where shoppers who spend a minimum of $20 in a single receipt will be eligible to put their taste buds to the test! The first to guess correctly the most number of sauces and fillings on their Subway sandwiches will walk away with the most number of prizes!

Spot anyone familiar up on the stage? LOL.

Not sure what that look from misterchewy meant. Probably a little caught off guard?

Good thing this wasn’t a eating competition in terms of who can eat the most, if not the atmosphere would be a tensed one! The contestants seemed to be enjoying their Subs! 😀

I must say that misterchewy had been very courageous to take part in this tasting challenge because the only Sub that he eats is Subway Melt!

All participants will definitely go home with some prizes. The higher your ranking, you get to draw more prizes! The Subway Tasters Challenge will take place again on 22 July, next Sunday at 2pm.

Yay! The boy won a lovely Japanese sake set! I think it’s a sign that we should start stocking up on sake. Heh 😛

The Japanese fair features a wide range of food products and simple kitchen appliances, etc.

Keep the little ones happy with the Gourmet Journey Coloring Book for Kids! It is also a good way for them to learn about the different Japanese food such as sushi, ramen, bento, etc.

Having passed by many shops, the one that intrigued me the most was LALU. Its interior is so 1980s and many of the pretty frocks are very feminine!

The fashion collection consists of the White Romance Collection, Dress with an Edge Collection and Glam Chic Collection. Depending on your mood and style, you will definitely find something you like!

For easy, one-stop shopping for the entire family, I suggest that you check out Miki Outlet Store (M.O.S). Not only can you find clothes for the adult male and female, there are clothes for kids and teens as well!

This looks like a two-piece but it’s actually a dress! Perfect for casual outings. I bought not one but two dresses at M.O.S 😛

Yup and this was the other dress that I chose. Really flatters my figure! Hehehe! :PPP

After shopping, we settled our dinner at Nirai Kanai Okinawan Restaurant.

It was our first time trying Okinawan food and we liked it very much! Felt that it wasn’t distinctly Japanese and the pork belly dishes gave us the impression that there had been some Chinese influence on Okinawan dishes. The total bill came up to about $120 which is very reasonable.

If you spend $120 in a maximum of 2 same-day receipts, you can redeem for an adorable Sushi Cushion, while stocks last! Terms and condition apply so do check with the customer service staff at level 2.

I’m loving my Ebi Sushi cushion! It’s so soft and huggable! <3 Next in the series are Sushi Roll from 18 July and Maki Sushi from 24 July. A word of caution: They might be fully redeemed really quickly!

Click here for a comprehensive listing of the programme highlights that will be taking place this weekend!
The Chewys had an awesome weekend at Liang Court and we hope you will too! Have fun everyone! 😀 😀 😀

A big thank you to AsiaMalls Management for the vouchers.

Covelli Italian Bistro & Wine Bar: A Touch of Luxury In Every Bite

Posted on July 16, 2012 by missuschewy

Conveniently located in the heart of Orchard Road, Covelli Italian Bistro & Wine Bar has been serving up rustic Italian favorites with a touch of luxury since October 2011. Chef Dean Ng has put together an innovative menu – simple yet contemporary, with creations filled with such delectable flavors leading you wanting more after each bite. This modern bistro and wine bar combines unrivalled freshness and impeccable plating for every dish. If food presentation does matter a lot to you, you will be impressed over at Covelli!

Occupying a sprawling 3000 square feet with a total seating capacity of 80, Covelli is great for intimate meals as well as events. The restaurant’s simple white and black themed décor, soft lighting and tables decorated with bright fresh flowers, accompanied by classic love songs really set the atmosphere for a romantic dinner!

My dinner date <3 <3 <3

Wine connoisseurs will be heartened to know that Covelli boasts one of the most well-stocked cellars in Singapore, featuring more than 60 different types of wines from Italy, Australia, France and Spain.

Our dinner took off on a positive note with the Baby Spinach Salad ($16). Served on a bed of baby spinach, the sauteed tiger prawns had a nice pinkish color and was extremely firm in texture. The prawns were dressed in garlic-devon cream which tasted rich and heavenly!

I really enjoyed the Antipasto Frutti di Mare ($18) although it was slightly on the salty side. A winning combination of seared tataki tuna, cured salmon, crabmeat and avocado topped with avruga caviar and balsamic reduction is definitely something that I would order again on my revisit! There is a myriad of exciting tastes and textures in this one.

And the “cherry” on top would be the caviar! Can I have more please? 😛

The husband and I have a habit of posting photos of our food on Instagram! Add us @missuschewy and @misterchewy! 😛

We were given two pieces of Black Truffle Ravioli ($20) to sample. This makes up to about 20g as told by the waiter. The standard serving would be about 180g. You do the math. The subtle earthy flavor of black truffle is hard to miss as one bites into the al dente ravioli.

While I found that the brown butter cream sauce a tad heavy, I liked that the ravioli was topped with grated hazelnuts. Two pieces of black truffle ravioli was more than enough for me and I cannot imagine having to finish a standard serving. This is probably best for sharing.

We were caught by surprise when the Barramundi e Astice ($30) was served. The ‘black stuff’ was actually charcoal lobster, which in my opinion, tasted like fried fish with a slightly chewy texture within. The pan roasted barramundi was very well executed and the sweetness of the flesh was magnified with the addition of Gewurztraminer cream.

Out of all the dishes, I loved the presentation of the Kurobuta Pork Belly ($28) the most. While the chocolate spiced US pork belly was not the most tender kurobuta pork that I have tried, its unique taste more than made up for it. The porcini mushroom tortelli in hazelnut butter cream and blackberries complemented the pork belly really well and made this dish a very exquisite one.

We concluded the dinner with Lychee Champagne Panna Cotta ($10) which was silky smooth. I’m not a particularly huge fan of lychee but the hint of champagne was much appreciated.

Please note that the above dishes that we had were served in tasting portions. Despite this, we were really full by the end of the meal because of all dishes we sampled were cream-based! 😛

Thank you Covelli and Publicist PR for the invitation.

Covelli Italian Bistro & Wine Bar
181 Orchard Road
B2-13/22
Orchard Central
Singapore 198785
Tel: 6238 6400 / 8181 8023

Opening Hours:
Daily
11am – 11pm (Last order at 10.00pm)

The Crab Fiesta @ Park Royal on Beach Road till 31 August 2012

Posted on July 14, 2012 by missuschewy

You might or might not have already heard of this but I’m going to say it again. In April this year, I underwent surgery and had to stay away from seafood for at least a month! This is absolutely devastating news for a hardcore crab lover like me. Since young, I have always favored black or white pepper crabs over chilli ones, and recently have fallen in love with salted egg yolk crabs. When I was invited to try Chef Jackson’s new crab recipes at Park Royal on Beach Road, I totally jumped at the chance! From now till 31 August, Plaza Brasserie will be offering their Sumptuous Crab Feast from Mondays to Sundays. They have a wide range of appetizers for crab lovers to get started and some of the items include Dijon Crab Cakes with Coriander Paste, Chilli Crab Roll with Vegetables, Crab Meat Gyoza with Dip Sauce, Bread Crab Claw, Mini Crab Meat Samosas and Olive & Potato Crabmeat Balls with Pesto.

Since the tasting was held on a Friday, we were in a TGIF mood and I decided that we should wear (kinda) matching color blocking outfits 😛

Among some of the other bloggers, we met Lobster and Jacob again. It’s always good to see them!

We sampled crabs prepared in six different ways. The first, which also happened to be one of my favorite, was the Butter Crab. There wasn’t much gravy to begin with but it was very creamy and finger lickin’ good! The butter crab was all too yummy and addictive. Later on, I found myself wanting to have more helpings of the butter crab even as I was savouring the other crabs!

As evident in the above photo, the Stir Fried Sri Lanka Crab with XO Sauce had been nicely cracked and it did save us quite a fair bit of trouble without having to resort to using the crab cracker. The sweet, delicate flavor of the crab was further enhanced by a touch of XO seasoning.

Flower crabs are supposedly sweeter but it wasn’t really the case for the Stir Fried Flower Crabs with Spring Onions. In fact, it tasted mildly bitter, probably from being left to cool for too long.

I urge everyone to try the Nonya Curry Crab, which I reckon is totally out of this world. The intense gravy tasted more like an Indian curry dish, which I personally found pretty exceptional.

I didn’t take a fancy to the Chilli Crab because the gravy was kinda sweet.

Not surprisingly, I could not decide whether I preferred the butter crab or Stir Fried Crab with Egg Yolk because both tasted highly similar. The stark difference was that the latter was undeniably sweeter and richer in taste. The curry leaves complemented the richness of the salted egg yolk, while the thinly chopped up chilli lent a slightly fiery kick.

Here’s taking a peek at the buffet line at Plaza Braserrie. I always aim for e sashimi! Hahaha. Can never get enough of them.

Hubby Chewy strongly recommends the Laksa!

On top of the renowned chocolate truffle cake, us girls went for some yam ice cream!

The Carrot Cake is worthy of mention. It was soft and moist, almost like a kueh-like texture.

Yo wassup, you can call me shawty~~ LOL.

Thank you Park Royal for the invitation and Karen for being such a lovely host.

Plaza Brasserie @ PARKROYAL on Beach Road
7500 Beach Road
Singapore 199591
Tel: 6505 5710

Opening Hours:
Daily
6am – 12midnight

The Crab Fiesta
Dinner (Mondays to Thursdays): Adult $52 Child $31
Dinner (Fridays to Sundays): Adult $55 Child $33

Gu Ma Jia (姑妈家): A Taste of Heartwarming Homecooked Food

Posted on July 12, 2012 by misterchewy

(Photos by missuschewy, words by misterchewy)

For the benefit of all readers, the direct translation for Gu Ma Jia (姑妈家) is “aunt’s place”. In this context, it should be “First aunt’s place” because Gu Ma, the owner of the restaurant, is the eldest among six siblings and has numerous nephews and nieces calling her “Gu Ma”. Gu Ma likes to cook, and on a regular basis, she would invite her siblings, nieces and nephews over for her homecooked meals. Prior to setting up this casual restaurant, Gu Ma has over ten years of experience in selling chicken rice and wanton noodles!

Gu Ma is a very jovial and hospitable woman who sat down and chatted with us while we were eating. I believe everybody would be curious as to why she came up with the name “Gu Ma Jia”. Initially, Gu Ma wanted to call her restaurant “我家” (My Place). However, it was not available for registration. Since her nieces and nephews called her Gu Ma, she decided to go ahead with Gu Ma Jia in the end.

Gu Ma told us that she selects her ingredients and seafood from the wet market daily to ensure that she picks only the best. Dedication, passion and her ability to whip up yummy dishes won her an award at the Singapore Food Festival 2010.

Figuring that we wouldn’t be able to finish so much food on our own, missuschewy got her bff to join us and also give some comments about the food at the same time 🙂

There are a number of drinks available but I would strongly recommend the Ice Jelly with Lime.

The drink was cool, refreshing and sweet with a tinge of sourness. You have to order this if you intend to try the Assam Fish Head, which you really have to order as well. The tadpole-like agar agar gives you something to chew.

When the first dish was served, we were a little surprised that the aluminium foil came enveloped in flames. No, not to worry! This is actually a highlight of the dish 🙂

At Gu Ma Jia, the Kyoto Pork Ribs ($20) are wrapped in aluminium foil and sprayed with a good amount of rose wine before being lit. The strong sweet aroma is then emitted as a result of the chemical reaction. That made us salivate and dug into it straight. It was actually my first time eating such tender soft and juicy pork ribs! A word of advice is to have it while it is will hot as it will stick to the aluminium foil after it is left to cool. We revisted Gu Ma Jia just last week with my family and we ordered this again.

Crispy Bean-jal ($12) is a unique dish in my opinion. The brinjals were thinly sliced and deep fried to crisp before coating with a layer of sweet sauce. It tasted so good that I couldn’t believe I was having brinjals. Similarly, please consume the fried brinjals while it is hot else it will lose its crispness.

Special Made Tofu with Lingzhi Mushroom ($12) is one of my favourite dish over at Gu Ma Jia. The homemade tofu had a crispy skin and silky texture. There were hints of egg in the tofu that enhanced its taste. We also ordered this during our revisit.

If you ask me what’s the signature dish of Gu Ma Jia, it is definitely the Assam Fish Head ($25, half head). The first thing that hit us was the fragrant smell of the Assam gravy. It is Gu Ma’s special recipe and consists of 13 different spices. The assam fish head is really spicy and slightly sour. This is where the ice jelly drink comes in. A must order at Gu Ma Jia.

Gu Ma’s daughter, Gwen, recommended the Cereal Sotong with Curry Flavour ($20). Since young, I have always loved the smell and taste of fried cereals. This time round, this dish did not let me down. The sotong was slightly battered such that I could taste the tenderness, and the curry flavour lingered on the tip of my tongue.

Eat this with Gu Ma’s special belachan which really stank in a good way. Would order this again and again.

Prior our revist with my family, my MIL headed to Gu Ma Jia with her mother and sisters for lunch and they like the food too! Best of all, there’s no service charge and GST. Also, if you check-in to Gu Ma Jia on Facebook on weekdays, you can get $20 off your total bill with a minimum spending of $100. Do check with the waitresses upon placing your order.

Thanks Gu Ma and Gwen for playing wonderful hosts to us.

Gu Ma Jia Food Pot (姑妈家)
45 Tai Thong Crescent
Sennett Estate
Singapore 347866
Tel: 6285 2023

Opening Hours
Daily
11am – 10pm (Closed 3.30pm – 5.00pm)

Outback Steakhouse: From A Non-Beef Eater’s Perspective

Posted on July 10, 2012 by misterchewy

OpenRice organized a makan session for the foodies at Outback Steakhouse. Celes extended the invitation to us but I attended this event without my partner because she had to stay at home due to an eye infection. People with similar interests hit off very easily, as it was the case with Cheryl and Alexis. We had a round of ice breaking game to know the names of the attendees. Celes was so enthusiastic throughout the game and she helped everyone to solve the puzzle that was given to us.

Photo Credit: Celes

A group shot before we started the dinner proper. All of us were looking forward to the 4-course meal which we would be having.

Happy people and the dinner spread 🙂

We were treated to Cherry Lime-ade before the feasting started. It was essentially fresh cherry syrup mixed with lime and Sprite. A refreshing beverage which dispels all forms of fatigue upon consumption which sounds pretty much like a HP potion.

Freshly baked honey wholemeal Boston bread was served to us along with home made whipped butter that was made in house. The warmness of the bread coupled with the cooling butter was a perfect match and I liked it.

Ahi Tuna Chopped Salad was a combination of fresh iceberg lettuce mixed with cucumbers, tossed with wasabi vinaigrette and topped with sashimi-style, pan-seared tuna. The tuna was fresh and the pepper crust enhanced its taste. Very good starter to warm up the taste buds.

When the Combination Platter was brought forth to us, I was very excited as those were comfort food to me. I mean who does not like crispy fried mushrooms, Kookaburra Wings and Cheese fries? If only we could have some beer! Personally, I liked the fries most.

Another closer shot of the fried mushrooms.

Typhoon Bloom is a nice name but unfortunately, it did not blow us off our feet. I felt that the Cheese fries served earlier was better. If you are looking for bar bites, I would recommend the Combination Platter instead of the Typhoon Bloom.

Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla was a hit in my opinion. The grilled flour tortilla was crispy while the taste of the grilled chicken breast, sauteed mushroom and melted cheese complemented each other. It was so good that you do not need the honey mustard sauce to enhance its taste.

If you are a non-beef eater like me, you can consider ordering the Seafood Pasta. It contains shrimp, calamari and fish fillet with fettuccine tossed in homemade marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese. It was decent and provided an alternative for non-beef eaters.

Another dish that impressed me was the Ribs and Alice Springs Chicken. As for the 1/2 rack of ribs, the meat was tender and fell off the bone easily without much effort to cut up the meat. The barbecue sauce went well with the ribs. I felt the chicken was rather tough and too salty. I preferred the ribs to the chicken.

Please refer to the ladies’ reviews on the beef dishes. I was busy eating the ribs and fries while they are savoring the steaks.

Outback Steakhouse rolled out their Desserts Sample Trio for us towards the end of the dinner. Amongst the three, I thought that the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under was the best. It was a very sinful dessert with lots of whipped cream. The warm and moist brownie, together with ice-cream, is a combination that can never go wrong. If you are one who needs something sweet to end your meal, you can consider ordering it.

Thank you Celes for extending the invitation and OpenRice for hosting us.

Outback Steakhouse
9 Raffles Boulevard
#01-99
Millenia Walk
Singapore 039596
Tel : +65 6837 3242

Opening Hours:
Daily
11.30am – 10.30pm

Get Hooked On A Sea of Flavors @ Singapore Food Festival 2012!

Posted on July 6, 2012 by missuschewy