I love Indian cuisine for its complex and extensive use of spices and herbs, making every dish so flavorful and aromatic. Where’s your favorite place to have Indian food? I would love to recommend Spice Sutra Restaurant & Cafe at Upper Thomson Road to all my readers out there. The vast and exotic array of North Indian cuisine priced affordably gives you the wonderful opportunity to be spoilt for choice. Also, do note that all ingredients used are halal certified.

I love Papadum! Some say that it’s the Indian equivalent of keropok. What do you think?

The Samosa Chaat ($5.90) was an interesting mix of crisp and soggy. Comprising of chick peas, boiled potatoes, yogurt, ketchup, chopped onions, lime squeeze and spicy garnish, this dish was excellent.

We took quite a while to decide on the grilled meats before getting the staff on hand for recommendations. Of course, the best way to sample a bit of everything is to try the Mix Grill Hotplate ($31.90) which is an assortment of the chef’s selection of meats, marinated with oriental spices and grilled. My favorite was the tandoori chicken which was remarkably tender and juicy. I have tried tandoori chicken from various places and they were all too tough.

The Prawn Biryani ($15.90) was very aromatic, and eating it was oh-so-gratifying. I personally would prefer more spices in the rice for a slightly more fiery taste.

Essentially boneless pieces of tandoor chicken cooked with puree of tomatoes, cream and mild spices, I was expecting a more flavorful dish of Butter Chicken ($15.90). The gravy was sweet and creamy, which was interesting for my taste buds but a little mild and did not quite pack a punch.

The Mutton Masala ($15.90) on the other hand, was extremely well executed and was deliciously fork tender. I enjoyed this dish the most.

So as not to let the gravy from the butter chicken and mutton masala go to waste, we ordered the Butter Naan ($3.50) and Garlic Naan ($3.90). These freshly made Indian bread roasted in traditional charcoal tandoor are fluffy and chewy, soaking up every bit of the mouthwatering gravy.

Lastly, we tried Gajjar Haluwa ($4.90), a traditional Punjabi dish made with carrots and milk. This dessert smelled great and its taste wasn’t cloyingly sweet. A must try!

Our overall experience at Spice Sutra was definitely a gastronomical one. Will be taking my parents there! Thank you Spice Sutra for the invitation.

Spice Sutra Restaurant & Cafe
200 Upper Thomson Road
#01-03
Thomson Imperial Court
Singapore 574424
Tel: 6255 4730

Award-winning Azur at the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport has recently launched its brand new weekend brunch menu which features an extensive list of delectable local dishes as well as international fare. Misterchewy and I were there to check out the buffet line and boy, were we impressed! 😉

Overseeing all culinary operations and menus for Azur, the hotel’s all-day dining and international buffet restaurant, Bar 75, the Lobby Lounge and the banqueting department, Alvin Leong is the Executive Sous-chef at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport since 2011. He brings with him over 12 years of experience in various culinary institutions and was Sous Chef at M Hotel.

In the revamped brunch menu, Chef Alvin’s passion in cooking is clearly demonstrated in his relentless efforts to experiment with different cuisines, interpreting and presenting traditional dishes in a new light.

Being a seafood lover myself, I headed straight for the Gallery of Crustaceans on Ice that features Freshly Shucked “Live” Oysters, humongous Boston Lobster Claw and succulent New Zealand Coastal Mussels.

The Foie Gras Mousse with Fruit Compote from the Exquisite Chilled Gallery certainly caught my attention as it is a very interesting idea to pair foie gras mousse with fruits!

Meat Loaf with “Ribena” Berries Sauce

Oh, and how could anyone miss out on having Hong Kong Dim Sum? Go ahead and satisfy your dim sum craving by having the Prawn & Mushroom Shao Mai and Crystal Shrimp & Chives Dumplings!

I was fascinated when i saw the chefs preparing Popiah with Turnip Filling at the buffet counter. I loved the crunchy filling wrapped in thin popiah skin!

Both misterchewy and myself are Teochew and we definitely had to try the Deep Fried Hokkien Ngoh Hiang. It tasted great especially when drizzled with dark sweet sauce but I personally feel that it would be even better if there could be a live cooking station for this as well so that the ngoh hiang can be eaten piping hot.

A point to note is that Azur has quite a significant number of live cooking stations and it allows a great amount of interaction between the chefs and diners.

Available at the live station is the Savoury Cheese Crepe with “Peking Duck”, which is one of Azur’s East meets West dishes. Instead of eating it the traditional way with sweet dark sauce, the roasted ducked is filled with cream cheese, chives and cucumber wrapped in crepe and grilled to perfection. Simply exquisite!

Here’s misterchewy ordering a bowl of laksa at the live cooking station! If you are like misterchewy who doesn’t like beansprouts, remember to inform the chef!

The Singaporean Laksa was undoubtedly our favorite! It had the full works – prawns, eggs, taopok, fish cakes and cockles! The spicy broth was very rich tasting and many of us had at least two to three helpings.

I absolutely loveeeee Hainanese Chicken Rice and I just can’t decide if I prefer white or roasted chicken! There’s also roasted pork and char siew to go along with your plate of fragrant chicken rice.

Top off the epicurean experience with the dazzling selection of sweet treats at the dessert counter!

Diners can dig into a luxuriously smooth Durian Mousse, or sit back and enjoy the succulent lychees in the Lychee Mirror cake.

Hehehe I went straight for the ice maker to D-I-Y my own lemongrass jelly!

It’s really simple and you get to customize your own dessert by choosing your favorite toppings!

And of course once you are done with enjoying your D-I-Y lemongrass jelly, a smorgasbord of intricate desserts await you!

We helped ourselves to some Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream as well! My favorite toppings were the green, pink and brown mini macaron shells 😀

The Changi Weekend Brunch is available every Saturday and Sunday, from 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm at $45++ per Adult and $22.50 per child.

To all missuschewy’s readers, here’s a chance for you to enjoy the Changi Brunch “Brunch Off” Promotion where you will be entitled to 15% off the total bill plus enjoy one round of soft drinks. Readers must quote the “MISSUSCHEWY” either during reservation OR at the counter upon walk-in. Reservation is encouraged. The promotion is not valid with other (credit card) discounts or promotions. Valid from 3 March – 25 March 2012.

Thank you Crown Plaza Changi Airport and McGagh Communications for the invitation.

Azur
Crown Plaza Changi Airport (Terminal 3)
75 Airport Boulevard
Singapore 819664
Tel: 6823 5354

Working in Raffles Place and feeling sick of the lunch crowd at Lau Pa Sat? Hop over to One Shenton where the newly opened contemporary yet casual Tokyo inspired cafe and sandwich bar, kohii, is located. The five-month old cafe is set up by a local, together with his Japanese wife. They have one goal in mind, which is to offer fresh, great tasting and healthy sandwiches to their customers. At kohii, the finest ingredients are imported from Japan and to compromise on quality is out of the question.

I was actually quite surprised to see the Mixed Mushrooms Soup ($9.80) in its cream of mushroom form as most places are starting to serve pureed mushroom soup. I personally prefer the latter for its chunky chewy mushroom bits. The mixed mushrooms soup, being a signature dish at kohii, did not disappoint too. It was very rich in mushroom flavor and does not contain cream or starch. The soup packed a punch. We like!

I only eat salad when there is some meat in it 😛 The Assorted Seafood Salad ($10.50), is something that I highly recommend, especially if you want to order a salad that has more bang for your buck. It is certainly very refreshing to see a chockful of seafood ingredients such as prawns, scallops, crabmeat and octopus in your salad! All ingredients were very fresh and succulent which made us relish every bite.

And you know what else really rocked our socks? It was the Goma Salad Dressing which is essentially a thick Japanese roasted sesame dressing. Very delicious and further enhanced the taste of the salad!

If you read my blog on a regular basis, you would have known by now that I love all things spicy. Surely, the Curry Chicken Sandwich ($9.50) caught my attention when I was scanning the menu. You have a choice or white bread or brown oat bread for all sandwiches. To be honest, the chicken breast meat was quite dry, and the fact that the curry was also dry did not help one bit. The taste of the curry was pretty mild too. Perhaps I should have asked for white bread?

I have to agree when we were being told that kohii specializes in mushrooms. There are different types of mushrooms such as shimeji, shiitake and button mushrooms in the Marinated Mushrooms Sandwich ($10.50) – This does not contain meat, i.e. is a vegetarian option, but it tastes excellent nevertheless! The mushrooms were cold, juicy and slippery which also means that it ultimately led to a pretty messy affair but we kept calm and carried on…eating.

Out of the 6 smoothies available, I chose the Ichigo Nana ($6.30) while misterchewy decided on Mango Momo ($6.30). We were then told that these two smoothies were named after the owner’s daughters, Momo and Nana! How concidental! Mango Momo is a combination of mango and peach, which has a few more notes to its flavor as compared to Ichigo Nana which I feel, is a much lovelier and creamy blend. For busy executives working in the CBD area, these smoothies are great to slurp on while you are on the go!

Thank you kohii 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

Lunar New Year. What is the first thing that comes to your mind? Bak kwa? Mandarin oranges? Pineapple tarts? Ang bao? Mah jong? It is definitely Lo Hei (prosperity toss) for me! I love it when family and friends gather around the table with a pair of chopsticks in hand, all ready to toss the salmon yusheng. It is a very enjoyable process tossing the ingredients high up in the air while shouting out various auspicious wishes. This year, indulge in the culinary treasures as you usher in the Lunar New Year with Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant at Holiday Inn Atrium Singapore. With 9 different types of set menus that have been specially designed to cater to the various budget and group size, you get to experience the best of Xin Cuisine! We had the Xin’s Gold Leaf Australian Lobster, Canadian Geoduck Clam and Salmon Yusheng which is only available from the Bountiful Harvest ($3999++ for 10) set menu. It is indeed very aesthetically pleasing, with the ingredients planted in a magnificent ice sculpture.

The various shredded vegetables such as carrots, red capsicum, white radish and red pickled ginger take the form of a majestic dragon. What better way to welcome the Year of the Dragon?

I have always loved the sweet and tangy taste of yusheng and this time, it was no different. For the record, I had at least 3 servings that night!

The Pan-Fried Scallop with Eggplant in Japanese Miso Sauce was a mix of taste and textures. Coated with sweet yet savory miso sauce, it was a delight biting into the firm scallop and crunchy eggplant at the same time.

I’m a scuba diver and have stopped consuming shark’s fin for obvious reasons which I shall not elaborate here. My friend provided feedback on the Double-Boiled Shark’s Fin and Baby Cabbage in Chicken Broth that, “It is like trying to be too many things.” To cut the long story short, she felt that the double-boiled broth was already very nourishing and the wanton, being overly salty, spoiled the dish.

The best way to enjoy a piece of fresh fish is to steam it! Light soya sauce, coupled with chestnut beancurd, made the Steamed Garoupa Fillet with Beancurd in Light Soya Sauce all the more appetizing.

The pen cai is typically filled with food bearing auspicious meanings. Each ingredient is layered and stacked very carefully in the huge pot. Xin’s Prosperity Seafood Pen Cai ($298++ for 6, $398++ for 10) is a treasure trove brimming with lobster, abalone, shark’s fin, fish maw, sea cucumber, dried oyster, dried scallop, wolf berry, fresh scallop, jelly fish, mushroom, sea moss, bamboo pith, radish, sea whelk and Chinese cabbage. My heart is filled with love just by looking at it.

Each layer has different ingredients and everyone had at least two servings of the pen cai. As all the juices blended with each other, the broth tasted very rich and flavorsome. Ingredients were fresh and of the finest quality.

Moving on to desserts, we were each treated to a bowl of Bird’s Nest with Almond Cream. I admit that I do have a very sweet tooth and was slightly disappointed that it was not at all sweet. However, the almond cream had a very delicate and nutty fragrance and I liked that.

This sticky sweet snack is one of my favorite items every Lunar New Year! Coated in a thin batter, the Deep Fried Xin’s Nian Gao is slightly crispy on the outside while remaining chewy and pasty. Simply marvelous!

They may look like your typical sesame balls but these Fried Sesame Balls with Red Bean and Chocolate Liqueur Filling were truly mind-blowing!

This exemplary dessert had me won over with its rich, bittersweet molten chocolate liqueur.

If you have not made plans for the eve of Lunar New Year, do check with Xin Cuisine. The last we heard, there are slots available! Thank you Holiday Inn Atrium for the kind invitation.

Xin Cuisine
Holiday Inn Atrium Singapore
317 Orchard Road
Level 4
Singapore 169075
Tel: 6731 7173

Opening Hours:
Weekdays
12pm – 3pm
6.30pm – 11pm
Weekends
11.30am – 3pm
6.30pm – 11pm

Given the fact that Indonesia is a big country with a diversity of cultures, people and delicious food, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Medan, on the north-east coast of North Sumatra, is a food heaven. Newly opened Pondok Rasa features a wide range of authentic Medan food and is run by a group of people from Medan including young chef Selamat Susanto who picked up traditional home-style recipes handed down over generations from this grandmother and mother-in-law. Starting the meal with a side dish, the Perkedel ($2) is actually a kind of potato croquette that has been seasoned with spices. Best eaten piping hot!

Served with a smattering array of vegetables such as bean sprouts, long beans, cabbage, tofu, sweet potato leaf, the Pecel ($5.80) is great for sharing as the portion is quite huge. I like the sweet and nutty peanut sauce that comes with it.

When served hot, the Nasi Tim Ayam ($5.30) smells really fragrant and is pure comfort food for most Chinese Indonesians. The chicken and mushroom are chopped up into bits, and seasoned in garlic and soy sauce before steaming together with rice. This Indonesian version of steamed chicken rice tastes slightly sweet and is served with a side of cucumber and tomato slices.

Simply put, Mi Sop Ayam ($5.30) is actually chicken soup noodle and is not to be mistaken with our very own mee soto. The broth has a sweet umami taste and is highly recommended if you want something light and tasty.

I must say that Pondok Rasa’s Ayam Bakar ($6.80) is very well done! The grilled chicken skin was slightly charred but the sweet delicious flavor was truly a mouth-watering experience for us! The fork-tender meat is also worthy of mention.

We tried the Kari Chicken with Rice ($5.80) which had quite a rich coconut taste but it did not leave much of an impression as it was not exactly very spicy.

If you can’t make up your mind, Nasi Goreng ($5.30) would be the safest item to order from the menu. What could possibly go wrong with fried rice? Fried with pieces of shredded chicken and garlic, the rice is packed with robust flavors, topped with a lovely sunny side up that has a runny yolk. My kind of comfort food.

When we saw the Soto Medan (Prawn) with Rice ($6.80), Thai green curry first came to mind. Using coconut milk as the base, this dish had a light, sweet flavor which further enhanced the taste of the crunchy prawns.

If I’m not mistaken, Sekoteng ($3.50) is actually a drink which can also be served hot. There are quite a few variants and the one served here has corn, dried orange skin, raisins and grass jelly cubes in it.

The Kolak Pisang ($4) is a must try classic Indonesian dessert. There is also an option for the hot Kolak Pisang but I personally like my desserts to be cold. I found this to be very novel and refreshing, something that I would definitely order on my next visit!

I absolutely love the banana fritters that were covered in a thin batter such that the sweetness of the banana managed to come through. However, I reckon the Pisang Bumbu ($4) is somewhat an acquired taste. I really like my desserts sweet but the peanut sauce that came with it was a savory one. Hence, I had trouble getting used to the taste of the pisang bumbu!

For a taste of authentic Medan cuisine, you really gotta head down to Pondok Rasa! Thank you to the awesome group for the dinner.

Pondok Rasa
103 Beach Road #01-02
Singapore 189704
(Marrison Hotel)
Tel: 6333 1239

Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri
11am – 2.30pm (Lunch)
5.30pm – 9pm (Dinner)
Sat
11am – 9pm
(Closed on Sun)

Hohoho! Christmas is coming! Dear friends, do you feel the lovely festive atmosphere around you? Oh, and I hope you are done with your Christmas shopping! What about your plans to celebrate Christmas with your special ones? If you are still cluecless, I urge you to consider The Halia for their Christmas Day Mega-Brunch which is a family affair with an extensive spread of over 40 items on the menu. Please note that it is available only on Christmas day itself. Besides carving stations featuring turkey and lamb classics and “live” stations for pastas and eggs, guests can also tuck into various The Halia creations. Christmas Day Mega-Brunch is priced at $88++ per adult without alcohol, and $108++ per adult with and endless flow of wines and sparkling wines. Children aged 10 years and below will be charged at $38++.

Terms & Conditions
1) Reservations & full payment in advance are required for confirmation of
booking.
2) Last Seating is at 2.45 pm.
3) Buffet & wine service starts at 11 am and concludes at 3.30 pm”

Here’s a sneak peek into the Christmas Day Mega-Brunch! Featuring the White Prawn on Butter Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomato and Piquant Mayonnaise from the Cold items section, the crunchy prawns were extremely delectable when eaten together with the creamy mayonnaise. There will be at least five more cold selections on Christmas day.

Everyone was raving about the Ocean Trout en Croute with Tarragon Cream Sauce. The pastry crust wrapping the moist and savory ocean trout was crisp and lightly buttered. A slice can be quite filling!

There will be plenty of other food choices such as the live station as well as the pasta station. And of course, the dessert station is the one that is close to my heart. I could not help but pick out a serving of each dessert during the dinner! Dessert lover? Definitely!

The Creme Caramel certainly caught my attention with its beautifully torched golden sheen glistening under the dim light. The good news is that it tastes as good as it looks! Beneath the hard caramelized surface lies a soft and smooth custard that was enticingly bittersweet.

The Pecan Pie was also wonderful in its own way with its chewy texture and crunchy pecan nuts.

If you love your fruits, you will be pleased that these Mixed Berry Tarts are available at the dessert station.

The best thing about having a Strawberry Oreo Cheesecake is that you get to experience sweet, tart and savory flavors all at once. The cheesecake was rich and dense but definitely not too overwhelming.

As the saying goes, do not judge a book by its cover. The Pumpkin Pie may look ordinary without the strips of chocolate and berries, but it was surprisingly aromatic and not too sweet for my tastebuds.

From now till 31st December 2011, diners can indulge in an exclusive signature Christmas a la carte menu comprising six seasonal dishes created by newly appointed Chef de Cuisine, Reynaldo Arriola. A 3-course set dinner featuring dishes from the signature Christmas a la carte dinner menu is also available from $118++. For reservations, call (65) 8444 1148.”

Out of the two appetizers that are available in the Signature Christmas Menu, I clearly preferred the Honey Baked Kurobuta Ham, Shaved Fresh Chestnut, Caramelised Fig and White Balsamic Dressing infused with Star Anise ($32). Despite the fact that I was looking forward to a savory appetizer, the sweet honey baked kurobuta ham took my breath away. Somehow, the caramelized fig and white balsamic dressing managed to mask the smell of the pork. On the overall, the tender slices of kurobuta ham were truly a delight.

If you are more a fan of seafood, the Crystal Bay King Prawn Cocktail, Beetroot Mango Salad and Calypso Sauce ($32) is another option for appetizer.

Turkey is naturally low in fat and I can totally understand when the Roast Turkey Supreme, Apricot and Raisin Turkey Roulade, Potato Puree, Buttered Brussel Sprouts ($68) turned out to be a little on the tough and dry side. Ask for more red currant jus and I’m sure that the wait staff would be more than happy to comply with your request.

I was having high expectations of the Grilled Blue Eye Cod Fish with Miso, Pan Fried Spinach Polenta, White Asparagus and Passionfruit Sauce ($78) but was quite let down by its overly firm texture. Interestingly, the pan fried spinach polenta was served as an alternative to rice. This too, was rather dry.

The Christmas Souffle with White Chocolate, Cinnamon and nutmeg, salted caramel ice cream and red currant compote ($22)is best eaten when it is still warm. While I was unable to detect any hints of white chocolate in the souffle, its smooth creaminess really shines through. It is also safe to say that the salted caramel ice cream fared reasonably well.

I very much preferred the Mille Feuille of Pistachio and Cream, Eggnog Ice Cream and Stewed Cherries ($22). The contrasting textures of flaky puff pastry and creamy pistachio, together with the eggnog ice cream which had that alcholic pizzazz, sent chills down my spine.

Feeling too full to move? Have some Hot Halia Infusion ($10)! This house specialty of sun-dried ginger and wild mountain honey is very warm and soothing and will ease the bloatedness in your tummy!

If you have not made dinner plans for Christmas, I hope this helps! Merry Christmas everyone! 😀

Thank you Karen from FoodNews for the invitation and warm hospitality over dinner.

Halia
1 Cluny Road, Ginger Garden
(enter via Tyersall Avenue from Holland Road)
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Singapore 259569
Tel: 8444 1148
(Reservations not accepted for brunch and tea)

Opening Hours:
Lunch – Mondays to Fridays, 12 noon to 5pm (set-lunch
only available till 2pm)
Dinner – Daily, 630pm to 11pm (last seating at 10pm)
Brunch – Saturdays, Sundays & PHs, 10am to 4pm
Tea – Saturdays, Sundays and PHs, 3pm to 5pm
From 5pm to 630pm daily, only drinks will be available