Fan Play Savouries: Best Ipoh Chee Cheong Fun in Singapore!

Posted on July 4, 2012 by missuschewy

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”! 😛 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! 😀

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! 😛
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

Swensen’s Rolls Out New ‘Pirate’s Adventure Kid’s Meal’!

Posted on July 2, 2012 by misterchewy

A big hello from misterchewy to all readers out there! Last week, I checked out Swensen’s new menu on behalf of missuschewy and I must say that Swensen’s sure had one good intention to make the children’s school holidays an extra special one when they launched the all new and exciting Pirate’s Adventure Kid’s Meal early this June! It comes with an entree, healthy side snack and a fruit juice for only $8.90.

There are seven main courses to choose from and each comes with a nutritious corn-in-cup plated up in an exclusive Pirate Ship. Yes you heard it right – a Pirate Ship souvenir! The kids will be so thrilled! I must say that Swensen’s have got it right by coming up with this Happy-meal styled promotion that will certainly appeal to many children.

Not just that, the Swensen’s team has also specially designed an activity sheet to keep the children entertained and occupied with solving the various puzzles while the parents enjoy a rare moment eating their meal in peace.

Presenting to you: Swensen’s very own Pirate Ship, helmed by Captain Snowie (answer to one of the puzzles) & friends!

We were given the opportunity to sample two of the mains from the Pirate’s Adventure Kids Meal. Chicken with Homemade BBQ Sauce is clearly the healthiest of all the choices. The chicken breast is steamed and then drizzled with Swensen’s home-made BBQ sauce. Served with mashed potato and a healthy portion of corn-in-cup, this will keep the kids satiated and contented.

Chick ‘N’ Chips comprises of crispy breaded chicken strips, mashed potato and a corn-in-cup. It tasted decent like how all fried food should. However, I felt that the mashed potato (same as the previous) would taste better if more sauce came with it.

On the same season, Swensen’s revamped their menu to include new delectable treats which are perfect for family dinners and gatherings with friends. The Tuna Ciabatta ($12.20) provided a refreshing bite with its tuna mayo and greens sandwiched between the soft crusty bread. The fries that accompanied the sandwich made me a happy boy as I’m a big fan of them.

The Swensen’s 88 Chicken Sandwich ($12.80) was rather ordinary to me. I felt that the chicken was not well-marinated enough.

The Spiced King Prawns & Chips ($16.50) is a must try for crustacean lovers. The prawns were big, fresh and not forgetting firm. The crispy batter was a result of Swensen’s very own spice recipe which did not disappoint. I would have enjoyed it more if they had Wasabi mayo to go along with it. Just a personal preference!

All the other mains were good but the Crabmeat Fried Rice ($13.90) stole the spotlight. Seldom do you associate local classics with Swensen’s, but the fried rice that Swensen’s served was fragrant and so homely such that it reminded me of the fried rice that my mum used to cook for me when I was young. Sumptuous ingredients include crabmeat, soft shell crab and shiitake mushroom which give an additional exciting bite to the fried rice. Definitely recommended by misterchewy.

Laksa Aglio Olio with King Prawns ($14.90) is a dish that impressed me with its name but not its taste. The only good thing I love about it is the fresh prawns that come with the pasta. Sadly, I was not able to taste the laksa-flavored pesto as the spiciness from the chilli padi could have overwhelmed it.

Finally, we are on to the desserts after all those hearty mains. The Rock ($8.20) reminded me of the legendary WWE wrestling star rather than an ice-cream. Like its name-sake, it made a flashy appearance before us with the sublimation of dry ice that was served with it. 3 ice -cream flavours namely Hazelnut, Cookies ‘N’ Cream and Rocky Road were garnished with marshmallow sauce, hot caramel and wafers from Italy.

I thought that the Ice Cream Sandwich OS of Swensen’s ($7.90) is cute because of the cookie robot. The Swensen’s personnel shared with us this dish was inspired by the Ice Cream Sandwich phone, running on the Android OS (Where is my iPhone 5 ice cream?!). I thought they were creative with having this on their dessert menu. For an awesome heavenly treat, it is strongly recommended that the vanilla ice cream sandwiched between handmade chocolate cookies are first dipped into the warm chocolate sauce before eating!

At the Swensen’s outlet in Ion, patrons will be able to indulge in a full day Ice Cream Buffet where there are over 50 ice cream flavours to choose from. Guaranteed to make you feel spoilt for choices. The buffet is priced at $18.90 per adult and $13.90 for kids aged 12 and below. With any of the mains ordered, the buffet will be at $12.90 instead. Try the Durian Gelato and be surprised! 🙂

There are over 40 toppings to choose from to go with the ice-cream. Maltesers, Rocky road, Kit Kat etc are some of which you can select.

There is even a Chop Chop station for you to mix and match the flavours and toppings that you prefer.

You can also have waffles to go with your ice-cream!

With two chocolate fondue fountains at Swensen’s, it’s going to be difficult for kids and chocolate loving adults to contain their excitement.

An assortment of cakes are also included in the ice-cream buffet. There are so many items available and it is really value for money.

I feel that Swensen’s have put in a lot of effort to revamp and introduce new elements into their menu to constantly surprise their customers. In my opinion, it was a pleasant experience for me and I am more than happy to share this with everyone.

Thank you Touch Communications and Swensen’s for the wonderful invite and for hosting us throughout the session.

Swensen’s Singapore
ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn #B1-31
Tel: 6884 5967

Opening Hours
Mon to Fri
10.30am – 10.30pm
Sat, Sun & PH
8am – 10.30pm

Naomi Kitchen Bakeshoppe: Fruit Cakes, Fruit Rolls, Fruit Tarts!

Posted on June 28, 2012 by missuschewy

Run by a husband and wife team, Naomi Kitchen was first established at Golden Mile Hawker Centre in 2010 which then expanded to a shop space at Crawford Lane and subsequently at Tampines Mall. A lot of emphasis is placed not only on taste, and it is clear that Naomi’s products are visually appealing as well. Do take note that the outlet at Crawford Lane kinda works like a takeaway counter.

Starting with a savory item, the Chicken Shepherd Pie ($2.80) hit all the right notes with a very delectable and piquant chicken stew sauce, with chunks of meat, mushroom and carrots.

The Mixed Fruit Slice Cake ($3) is definitely something that you should try! The fresh cream is very light in taste, and not too sweet on the taste buds. Biting into the different types of fruits gives a burst of delicious juiciness that is simply marvelous.

Fresh cream and fresh fruits are also used to create the various types of Fruit Rolls ($1.20 – $2.20/piece or $5.50 – $10/uncut roll). I like the different combinations of fruits being used and also the fact that Naomi is so generous with the sizes and portions of their fruits!

Naomi Kitchen Bakeshoppe has a wonderful assortment of Mixed Fruit Tarts ($1.70 per piece, $3.20 for 2 pcs or $10 per dozen) so there’s something for everyone!

How does a Grapes Cheese Cake ($2.20) sound? Yeah it does seem a little sinful but hey, at least there are chunks of grapes in it!

Apart from the swiss rolls and fruit tarts, Naomi Kitchen Bakeshoppe also sells Tiramisu ($4.50) which tasted quite strongly of coffee liquer.

Thank you Naomi Kitchen Bakeshoppe for the invitation.

Naomi Kitchen @ Crawford
Block 465/466
Crawford Lane #01 -08 S(190465)

Opening Hours:
Daily
11am – 8pm

Naomi Kitchen @ Tampines
Tampines Mall
Basement 1
Inside NTUC (vegetables section)

Opening Hours:
Daily
10am – 9pm

Rumah Rasa at Bay Hotel: Featuring Exotic Flavors of Indonesia

Posted on June 25, 2012 by missuschewy

Bay Hotel Singapore’s pan-Indonesian restaurant, Rumah Rasa, serves up exotic and authentic flavours of the Indonesian world. Armed with years of experience and passion in Indonesian food, Chef Sharifah Zaharah bte Syed Yaakub’s philosophy is in using fresh seasonal produce to sincerely share the beautiful flavors of Indonesia with the dining public.

Called House of Taste, Rumah Rasa is a cosy space sporting a minimalist wood-accented interior as well as landscaped greenery and banquettes in a beautiful shade of purple, setting the stage for a beautiful culinary date with the world of Indonesian food.

Soda Gembira ($6) – is essentially Bandung with soda. Remember to stir well before drinking!

I preferred the Ais Serai ($4), which is Rumah Rasa’s homemade lemongrass beverage with soda. It was a very refreshing drink to beat the heat on a hot sunny day.

Everybody should try the Tahu Telur Surabaya ($8) – a stately tower of fried beancurd and egg combo, drizzled with a sweet and spicy dark sauce sets the stage for an appetizing Indonesian dinner. Biting into the crispy beancurd gave off a whiff of aroma which I really liked.

The Udang Petai Belado ($12) features fresh prawns sautéed in chilli with petai beads where the belado is a laboriously-prepared chilli-based sauce made using a variety of fresh ingredients like fresh chillies, small chilli padi, garlic, red shallots, calamansi and tomatoes. The combination of petai beads and spices was unique and brilliant.

One of the best I have eaten thus far, the Ayam Panggang Berkakak Jakarta ($14) is definitely a must order at Rumah Rasa. The tender pieces of lightly charred grilled chicken was served with Rumah Rasa’s spicy sauce which complemented the layer of sweet sauce perfectly.

What I liked best about the Ikan Bakar Rumah Rasa ($28) – was actually the green homemade spicy sauce. It enhanced the taste of the charcoal grilled red snapper which had been marinated in turmeric for hours.

For desserts, we had the Banana Fritters ($8) which were lightly battered and very crispy. Nothing can go wrong with ice cream!

Thank you Publicist PR Communications and Chef Sharifah for the invitation.

If you are wondering where Bay Hotel is, it’s actually a short walking distance from Vivocity and Harbourfront MRT Station 🙂

Rumah Rasa
Bay Hotel Singapore
50 Telok Blangah Road
Level 1
Singapore 098828
Tel: 6818 6681

Opening Hours:
Daily
6am – 4am

Pietro Ristorante Italiano: Creative Fusion Italian Cuisine by Celebrity Chef Peter Neo

Posted on June 15, 2012 by missuschewy

The official launch of semi fine dining Italian restaurant Pietro Ristorante Italiano has recently been announced by celebrity chef Peter Neo. If you are wondering what ‘Pietro’ means, it is Italian for ‘Peter’! Well-known for his superb culinary skills, witty and innovative creations for fusion Italian food, Chef Peter Neo is widely sought after for food demonstrations, interviews for events, radio and TV programmes. I met Chef Peter for myself and clearly, creativity is the key to his success as he demonstrates quick wit and innovation in creating new dishes, blending European tastes with local preferences that are surprisingly palatable.

Pietro Ristorante Italiano is located along 12 Jalan Kelulut off Yio Chu Kang Road. No doubt it is slightly off the beaten track but at least Pietro offers valet parking to customers who drive. Definitely a very nice place to unwind and chill after work or during the weekend, over a glass of wine!

Featuring a total seating capacity of 88 seats, Pietro has an alfresco dining for 32 pax and indoor seating for 56 pax. Pietro has a luxurious touch to its interior decor as well, with a beautiful feature wall (more photos at the end of this post) that blends into the alfresco dining area and it really made me want to fly to Europe there and then!

Pietro uses only the freshest, top quality ingredients and original homemade sauces in their dishes. The open area around the Pietro red wood fired oven allows customers to witness how their pizzas are being made by the chefs!

It was a delight to start our dinner with the Prosciutto & Melone ($18). Paper thin, pinkish red Parma ham wrapped with rock melon proved to be a refreshing starter. The intense and lightly salty taste of the parma ham was masked to a good extent by the sweet rock melon slices.

I strongly recommend the Zuppa di Mare ($12) which was a very flavorful and full-bodied seafood soup concocted with prawn, clams, mussels, squids in tomato sauce, white wine, basil leaves and chilli. Had to resist the urge to lick the bowl clean! True story.

The Funghi Portobello ($20) was baked with crabmeat, ebiko and prawn. Tasted absolutely brilliant when dressed up with the rich and creamy gorgonzola sauce!

If i had to point out one dish that failed to impress me, it had to be the Gnocchi alla Marinara ($22). Ok honestly, I’m not sure what exactly makes up a perfect gnocchi in terms of texture but I found it quite mushy instead of being chewy. The marinara sauce was perfect though.

Chef Peter’s roasted pork belly was one of the most highly sought after dishes at his former restaurants and I was really looking forward to his Pancetta Arrosto ($26). The roasted pork belly was served with porcini, kidney beans and apple sauce. Chef Peter was able to create a magnificent roasted pork belly that was remarkably tender on the inside and crispy on the outside because the pork was steamed before it was roasted. The tangy apple sauce served at the side was made from scratch and was indeed a wonderful accompaniment for the roasted pork belly.

I bet misterchewy’s favorite dish for the night was the Costolette di Agnello ($42). The Australian lamb rack in gorgonzola sauce was grilled to perfection and it was fall off the bone tender. We couldn’t fault this one!

After tasting Chef Peter’s Spaghetti alle Vongole ($18), I must say that he has certainly raised the bar for what seems to be the perfect Vongole. The pasta was al dente and the Vongole sauce had a beautiful creamy texture even without the addition of cream and also had the rich flavors of the sea.

Surely, a pizza named after Chef Peter had to be at least good, if not fantastic. The Pizza Pietro ($26) was topped with Chef Peter’s homemade pork sausage which had a nice hint of herbs and spices. I love a chewy pizza base and its crust was crispy with some parts slighly chewy due to the presence of air bubbles in the crust.

Chef Peter has a secret method for these Calamari Fritti ($18). The squid body rings were lightly coated with homemade batter and deep fried to a beautiful golden crisp, while retaining a slight chewy texture within.

Even though we were pretty full by then, we couldn’t wait to try the desserts!

We thought we were too full and could only stomach a mouthful or two of the Tortino di Lava con Rum ($15) but it appeared otherwise. The warm luxurious molten chocolate lava with rum was simply exquisite beyond words!

Newly released in Pietro’s menu, the Tortino alla Frutta ($14.80) is a slight variation from the chocolate lava with rum. Deliciously sweet and tart frutti lava made this an amazing dessert as well!

Seems like this oozing molten phenomenon is a consistency at Pietro. Thumbs up!

Chef Peter was eager to let us try his Tiramisu ($12) even though we had raised the white flag. It was moist and slightly spongy soft, so I suppose it had the right amount of coffee liquer in it. The mascarpone was surprisingly light and creamy. There was one thing for sure though, the tiramisu was a little too bitter than what I would have liked it to be.

And this is the beautiful feature wall at the alfresco dining area! It was kinda cold indoors, so my lens fogged almost instantly. So here’s a tip, take all the photos you want first!

Pietro is offering a very sweet deal! There is a 1-for-1 promotion for lunch from 11.30 am to 2.30pm on weekdays, excluding public holidays. Be sure to drop by!

Thank you AT Marketing Consultancy and Chef Peter for the invitation and for hosting us.

Pietro Ristorante Italiano
12 Jalan Kelulut
Singapore 809030
Tel: 6484 5528

Opening Hours:
11.30am – 2.30pm (Lunch)
6pm – 11pm (Dinner) Close on Mondays temporary till further notice (except public holidays and eve of public holidays, close on the day after public holiday).

The Lawn @ Biopolis: Customize Your Salad with Grilled Meats!

Posted on June 7, 2012 by missuschewy

Salads. Salads. Salads. Hoo boy whoever said salads are plain and boring are so so wrong. To be honest, I was one myself. I could never imagine myself having a salad for lunch or dinner but thanks to The Lawn Grill & Salad Café, now I can! I don’t like to call myself a meat person but I have to stop living in self-denial because yours truly can’t survive more than 24 hours without meat! At The Lawn, the idea of creating your own salad with delicious grilled cuts such as chicken breast with herb infusion, salsa duck, garlic prawns, and many more, is simply too irresistable. As The Lawn puts it, “meat your greens”! 😀 😀 😀

Launched in November 2011 at Biopolis, The Lawn is the latest addition to the salad scene in Singapore. Catering to busy working professionals, students and anyone who wants a more delicious alternative to healthy food, The Lawn has a steady and ever increasing flow of customers, most of whom are regular patrons!

When owner Jonathan Lim was working in California, he chanced upon a place with a huge barbecue grill in front of the shop and assumed that it was a grilled meats shop. To his surprise, it turned out to be a salad place that paired grilled meat with salad and he was left impressed because he didn’t know that salads could taste so good. He then brought back the concept to Singapore and set up The Lawn together with business partner Sarah Ang. She believes that The Lawn is the only salad cafe in Singapore to offer fresh premium grilled meat as part of the standard order package.

Placing your order at the counter is easy once you get the hang of it after the first time! Basically there are two serving sizes to choose from – Pot – 2 Grills + 6 Toppings + Greens ($10.90) or Bowl – 1 Grill + 4 Toppings + Greens ($8.90). Next you choose your grills from either the Classic or Premium range. Each of the premium grills are an additional $1 or $2 which is still very much worth the price. Now comes the interesting part, selecting your toppings and dressings! If you think ordering at Subway is difficult, wait till you try The Lawn. Their range of toppings is incredibly wide! Broccoli, tofu, raisins, fusilli pasta, eggs, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, bacon bits and the list goes on.

Derrick ~~jio-ed~~ invited us to join him for a tasting and here we are, all eager to try out the grills, and not forgetting the greens! Of course, photos first! 😛

Pictured above is the bowl serving. We had the Char-grilled Garlic Prawns which were deliciously juicy and they gave a crunch with every bite. As for the toppings, we opted for fusilli pasta for that extra carbo boost, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and a hard boiled egg. Red Island is one of their recommended dressings which I found very creamy and zesty!

I strongly urge you to go for the pot serving if you have a vivacious appetite. Otherwise, you can always share your food with a friend. The enhanced menu had just been put in place when we were there, so we took this opportunity to try the Grilled Salsa Duck and Butter Seared Pacific Dory with Parsley Rub, both of which were moist and tender! Again, we chose fusilli pasta amongst other toppings such as baby potatoes and parmesan cheese. I particularly liked the Me So Spicy dressing which gave a slight fiery sensation lingering at the tip of my tongue. Wasabi lovers should try the Wasahonie which is a mild, sweetened version of wasabi itself. I’m in love with The Lawn’s salads! You should seriously give it a try soon! 😀

Thank you The Lawn for giving us the opportunity to meat our greens!

The Lawn
31 Biopolis Way
Nanos
#01-07
Singapore 138869
Tel: +65 64789739

Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri
9am – 9pm

Si Chuan Dou Hua: Vegetarian Discovery Feast till 30 June 2012

Posted on June 4, 2012 by missuschewy

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

Seki Japanese Restaurant: Freshest Sashimi From Tsukiji Market

Posted on April 30, 2012 by missuschewy

Japanese food is one of my favorite cuisine. I constantly crave for sashimi and this can happen anytime of the day. To be honest, I was very thrilled when Seki Japanese Restaurant opened its doors at Rendezvous Hotel on 31 December last year but I never had the chance to sample some of its offerings. Sashimi is flown in directly from Tsukiji Market, Tokyo Japan, on Tuesdays and Thursdays so we are talking about ultimate freshness and quality at Seki.

Seki follows a traditional Japanese restaurant layout where preparation of one’s food is in full view of the customer.

At Seki, enjoy fine fusion cuisine without the stiff and cumbersome feel associated with fancy restaurants. With a casual, pleasant and inviting environment coupled with impeccable service, patrons can indulge in the best dining experience.

The husband and I were invited to try out Seki’s Omakase menu. In Japanese, Omakase entails entrusting the chefs and leaving the selection of dishes to them. As I was still recovering from a recent surgery, I had some dietary restrictions. I wasn’t allowed to consume seafood especially prawns and cuttlefish. Not supposed to eat chicken either but… 😛 Anyway, please note that the dishes we had were served in tasting portions.

This starter of Fugu Mirin Boshi was served to misterchewy only. *Pouts* Ok but I took a tiny bite 😛 Essentially blowfish seasoned in sweet sake, it kinda tasted like a cross between cuttlefish and bak kwa. Very interesting dish. I didn’t know that fugu can be prepared in such a manner. Having said that, I finally had my first bite of fugu. Haha! But I would really love to try raw fugu liver soon!

I don’t think anybody mentioned this during the tasting session but I personally thought that the order of the dishes served was a little bizzare. My Japanese sensei (from my ‘Food in Japan’ module in NUS) told us that typically, light dishes such as sashimi are being served first and the dishes get richer as we go along, so as not to cover up the taste of the light dishes. The Seki Kamo Salad was quite flavorful, given the homemade dressing drizzled over it.

Again, I didn’t have the luxury of devouring this 3-Kind Sashimi Moriawase on my own 🙁 I was told that I can eat salmon though so I koped a thick, fat slice from misterchewy! Ohmygod. It’s like so super awesome melt-in-the-mouth salmon!

This Bacon with Asparagus was part of my special menu. Nothing to shout about but I liked that bit of crunch from the asparagus.

I have been forbidden to eat eggs but I forgot to make that known to the chefs so for some reason, they gave me Cheese Chawanmushi which tasted a little odd. The husband had the Foie Gras Chawanmushi and it seemed clear that he was enjoying it a great deal.

I thought that the Teriyaki Chicken was a bit overdone. Didn’t quite enjoy the charred bits of chicken skin. Apart from that, the chicken was well-marinated.

See what I mean about the order of dishes being served? By now, I don’t think we can judge the Sushi Moriawase and California Roll as accurately as we all want to, although I can safely say that the ingredients used are of optimal freshness.

Pretty standard Miso Soup.

Seki is having a Mother’s Day Promotion and also a value for money 1-for-1 lunch set for a limited period of time. Do check them out!
Thank you Juliana and Seki Japanese Restaurant for the invite.

Seki Japanese Restaurant
Rendezvous Gallery
9 Bras Basah Road #01-02
Singapore 189559
Tel: 6336 3806 / 6336 3807

Opening Hours:
Daily
Lunch: 11.45am to 3.00pm (last order 2.15pm)
Dinner: 6.00pm to 11.00pm (last order 10.15pm)

Oasia Hotel Singapore Staycation Blog Review

Posted on April 27, 2012 by missuschewy

–Sponsored Staycation–

Hot on the heels of our blog post on The Chewys’ very first Singapore staycation, we have lined up another mega blog post filled with many photos taken during the 1st Year Anniversary Party and staycation at Oasia Hotel! The party was very fun and lively; with lots of cocktails and chocolates to go around. As for the staycation, we are summing up our experience in three words: awesome, impressive and exclusive! 😀

Oasia Hotel is situated in the heart of the charming Novena enclave, just a stone’s throw away from shopping malls, Novena Square Velocity and Square 2, as well as the Novena MRT Station. Talk about extreme convenience and accessibility! Since it was a little early for us to check-in, we settled our lunch at Square 2’s Sakae Sushi before crossing the link bridge over to Oasia. At about 2pm, we proceeded straight to Level 22 because that’s where the check-in/check-out is done for Oasia Club rooms or suites guests.

The club room that we stayed in for the night is on the 24th floor, highest being the 25th. The room features understated modern decor, subtle hues of nature-inspired elements and ambient lighting that will soothe one’s senses.

All Oasia Club Room guests will also enjoy very exclusive privileged access to The Living Room and its pool facilities on the 22nd floor, as well as complimentary breakfast, cocktail and all-day coffee, tea, juices, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks at The Living Room, complimentary one piece of suit pressing per stay (non accumulative) and daily newspapers.

Fresh fruits in our room. How nice! 🙂

There’s even stationery! It’s all the little things and personal touches like these that are both welcoming and intuitive, which left us impressed.

We love listening to music and we were grinning from ear to ear upon seeing the iPod/iPhone docking machine! 😀

Most hotel rooms only have like two or three pin power point sockets so it was pleasant to have this USB power socket. One USB cable does the trick of charging all your electronic devices like your camera, mobile phone and MP3 player. At least it works for me! Imagine the hassle of having to bring ten different chargers for all your devices. 😛

All Oasia Club rooms are equipped with unlimited broadband access. Here’s misterchewy calling the reception to find out what’s the correct ‘last name’ to key in together with our room number, in order to log onto the WIFI network.

46 inch LED television!

Woots! Complimentary mini bar is rather well-stocked. 😀 😀 😀

If you want a hot drink, there’s also Nespresso coffee-making facilities! 😀

Not a fan of coffee? There’s Naturalis tea!

We went, “Whoaaaaa!” In this wardrobe, there are bath robes, bedroom slippers, iron with ironing board, and even a large umbrella! Very thoughtful indeed!

And here comes the part many would be concerned about, other than the bed. Bath tub on the left, rain shower on the right!

I first had the chance to use these bath amenities from Thann when I stayed in one of the hotels in Taiwan. Madly in love with the aromatic wood scent!

Everything that you need, it’s in there! Toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, shaver, showering cap, cotton buds, loofah, etc!

Heh heh heh. You can derive a little bit of fun and excitement from watching your partner shower! 😛 The blinds can be operated with a simple click in the bathroom.

Same goes for the blinds and shades in the room! We were greeted by a very breathtaking view of the city! Basically, the husband and I just sat on the ledge and admired the sight for a good 10 minutes 🙂 Haha but of course, we had to pull down the blinds after a few minutes because it was getting kinda hot! 😛

As we had a couple of hours to kill before the event, Hubby Chewy and I went for a little tour around the hotel! Went to level 8 first.

The swimming pool looks very nice right! I like the ‘feel’!

There’s a jacuzzi too!

The gymnasium is located on level 8 too. Not very big but it has a handful of cardio machine like the treadmill and stationary bike. Those who are on an endurance or strength training regime can make use of the free weights and the all-in-one machine!

And now, level 22! Over here, Oasia Club room guests get to enjoy very exclusive benefits and be pampered like kings and queens!

Tadah! This is The Living Room! Very nice place to chill out!

Here’s a sneak peek of the setup for the event at night! 😉

We pushed past the glass door and stood in awe in front of this very beautiful infinity pool which boasts a magnificent view of the city! Oh man, I wish I could jump right in! Anyway, this is only open to club room guests!

This jacuzzi looks way bigger than the one we saw at level 8!

How relaxing it is to just lie here and enjoy a glass of orange juice as you get your dose of Vitamin D! Just remember to apply sunblock! 😛

Hey hey hey! That’s not all to it. Light bites by the pool are available for club guests between 6-8pm at the Club Lounge. If you are like me who gets hungry after a swim, you should rejoice to this! 😛

Since the event was scheduled to start at 7pm and we didn’t have time for dinner, we ate a bit from the spread.

We are now ready to party! I love how these glasses are being made use of here. Brilliant!

Some of the early birds that night 😛

Very addictive Monbana chocolates from France! I loveeee dark chocolates 😀

Pretty Monbana girls who flew over to Singapore as a team!

I met winner of Project Superstar Season 2, Daren Tan Sze Wei!

Turns out that he’s the Sales and Marketing Director of Naturalis! Their products include teas, jams, spreads, honeys and sauces.

The bartender was preparing the welcome drink for everyone, which made use of products from Naturalis.

Summer’s Bouquet is a lovely concoction of vodka, elderflower syrup, Singapore Sling tea, lemon and ice cubes!

I’m sure everybody present that night enjoyed the exclusive Chocholatier Masterclass conducted by Mr Geoffroy Maubon, who’s the first barista of Monbana!

I can’t recall the name of this drink but I loveeee its color very much! My favorite color 😛

Next up was the highlight for the night, the unveiling of Oasia’s signature cocktail drink! It has also been very aptly named, “L22“.

Since we were there to celebrate Oasia’s 1st year anniversary, we couldn’t go without a massive birthday cake topped with macarons that brought about surprised gasps from the awe-stricken audience!

We called it a night after singing the birthday song and grabbing a piece of macaron! What a night! 😀

Hahaha I kinda sabo-ed misterchewy to be interviewed instead of me doing the job because I’m camera shy! Oops! 😛

Back in our room. LOL! I told misterchewy I’m gonna do a test shot and he did this pose. Super cheeky la!

Oh yes, after the event ended, I was feeling kinda hungry and we hopped over to Novena Square. It’s that convenient! Had a craving for sashimi, as usual, and we grabbed some from Cold Storage. Half price somemore. Hahaha!

Feeling very refreshed after a long hot shower! 😀

Face masking time for us! I swear we friggin look like Alien Workshop! LOLOLOL.

The bed was way too comfy and we decided to just lie there watching Titantic on our iPad! 😀 😀 😀

I can’t believe I got hungry again towards the end of the movie! Hubby Chewy then suggested that we order something from the supper menu that’s available from 11pm to 5am by calling room service! He had the fries while I was contented with my mushroom soup with truffle oil.

Time for bed! A couple who brushes their teeth together, stays together. Hahaha! 😛

We had a very good sleep and woke up to the rhythmic pitter patter of raindrops against the window pane early next morning. 🙂

Nothing beats lazing in bed with your loved one while listening to music from the iPod docking machine! It was fabulous! We played songs from Rita Ora, Katy Perry, The Wanted, Jayesslee, Jay Chou and many more. 😀 😀 😀

The husband and I have a thing for having breakfast in the hotel. Good thing we remembered to tick the items that we wanted and hung our order on the door knob before we slept the night before.

I don’t have much of an appetite in the morning and settled for the mini pancakes and some cornflakes while misterchewy had a hearty American breakfast with bacon and poached eggs!

Woots! Breakfast is served! No words can explain how blissful we felt 😀

That’s all folks! Have a fantabulous weekend and a lovely holiday on Chewsday! 😛
Thank you Far East Hospitality and Dice Studio for the kind invitation.

If you have been wondering about Oasia, wonder no more! Click here to enjoy 10% off Oasia Hotel Singapore Weekend Package! 🙂

Click here to check out our list of Singapore staycation reviews!

Oasia Hotel Singapore
8 Sinaran Drive
Singapore 307470
Tel: +65 6664 0333
Fax: +65 6664 0300
Email: info@oasiahotel.com

Marmalade Pantry at the Stables: A Dose of Countryside Romance

Posted on April 23, 2012 by missuschewy

As a newly married young couple, my husband and I are constantly looking out for restaurants that offer romantic atmosphere. Sometimes, especially on special occasions, it’s gonna be more than just cheap and good food. The perfect ambience matters a lot to us and I must say that Marmalade Pantry at the Stables fits the bill. It’s tucked away in the lush greenery of Bukit Timah Saddle Club and you might even catch a glimpse of the horses if you swing by for brunch! As for the food, there were some hits and misses but the overall dining experience was a great one.

We had a few starters for sharing. Just by taking a whiff of the Sweet Red Pepper and Tomato Soup ($10) is enough to whet one’s appetite. I quite liked the strong, tangy flavors.

Mildly salty cheese cubes in this Pan Seared Haloumi ($21) dish went well with the tomato slices. This is not your everyday starter! Highly recommended for cheese lovers.

This doesn’t look like salad, does it? With crispy tortilla and chicken bits drizzled in salsa sauce, I’m sure most of us would love this Mexican Chicken Salad ($22)!

This plate of Crab Caesar ($22) turned out to be my favorite starter of the night! Chunks of crab meat sweetened the deal for this dish.

The Basque Chicken ($30) proved to be well marinated given its tender, juicy texture accompanied by somewhat strong flavours coming through.

I personally found the Pan Roasted Red Snapper ($28) to be mediocre. Something that will fill your stomach but will not leave you impressed.

Same goes for the Fish and Chips. In fact, the breading was a little thick for my liking.

Definitely the star of the night, the Spaghetti Cabonara ($24) was like a godsend just before desserts were served. Coming from a cream-based pasta fan, I might sound biased but I reckon everyone enjoyed this as much as I did! Al dente spaghetti and savoury bacon strips tossed in thick creamy sauce, this is one hell of a dish that everyone must go for.

What I liked most about the Granny Smith and Stem Ginger Pudding ($13) was the salted caramel ice cream!

I didn’t really fancy the Sea Salt Caramel Cheese Cake ($8). Probably would have appreciated it if it was more moist.

I have always had a thing for sticky date pudding! The Sticky Date and Toffee Pudding ($12) gets my vote. It was light, slightly spongy with a chewy kueh-like texture and not exceedingly sweet!

If you don’t already know, Marmalade Pantry’s cupcakes sell like hot (cup)cakes in Singapore!

Psst.. Give the legendary Red Velvet ($4.50) a try, will you? Can’t stomach all that after dinner? You can choose to takeaway these cupcakes! Makes a good breakfast or afternoon snack with tea!

Thank you FoodNews and Marmalade Pantry for the invite.

Pantry at the Stables
55 Fairways Drive
Singapore 286848
Tel: 6467 7748

Opening Hours
Daily
10am – 10pm

missuschewy

Singapore Lifestyle and Travel Blog

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