TAB: Feed yourself during a live concert at Orchard!

TAB

Located at the head of Orchard Road, TAB opened its doors in August this year. There is something interesting going on in there almost every night. The best part is that you can have good old comfort food and cocktail drinks that spell creativity to go along with it.

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Fellow food bloggers Daniel and Phoebe, and their partners, amongst many others were also invited to this casual tasting session. Just in case you are wondering about the bluish lightning at TAB… That’s because we were standing in front of TAB’s very own live concert stage! Yup, imagine having your dinner at a live concert!

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This gastropub located at Orchard Hotel is a mid-sized concert venue that has a floor area of 9000+ square feet. TAB is bigger than your typical music bar and can accommodate a capacity of 600 standing. Given a live music and dining scene, this is really impressive. TAB is dedicated to live, original music and showcases both local artistes like Daphne Khoo and international artistes like Ernie Halter nightly (except on Monday).

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Photo taken by Chewy Charles

Alternatively, if you are here on a casual date, TAB’s lounge area on the second floor promises a more intimate setting when the lights are dimmed. You can definitely get the conversation going with the music in the background.

Cocktails
Photo taken by Chewy Charles

TAB has a very extensive drink menu and its out-of-this-world cocktails are guaranteed to blow you away. Wait till you get your hands on drinks inspired by desserts like the lemon meringue pie and black forest cake! Almost anything is possible at TAB.

Fried Whitebait

To kick things off, four different pub grubs were served. The Fried Whitebait ($13) is lightly seasoned and deep fried. They are bite-sized and we could not stop popping these into our mouths because they are just so addictive! Underneath the layer of crisp batter lies something juicy and squishy. Dip it in the accompanying citrus mayo for an added kick.

Fried Calamari

Your usual onion rings are gonna step aside once you have had your hands on TAB’s Fried Calamari ($12). These spice-coated squid rings are deep fried to a beautiful shade of golden brown and they are succulent on the inside. Extremely tasty! It is also served with citrus mayo.

Cinnamon Sugar Cheese Tortilla

We were close to rubbing our hands in anticipation when the plate of Cinnamon-Sugar Cheese Tortilla ($10) was presented on the table. Baked with cheese, it was sheer pleasure biting through that firm and chewy piece of tortilla. It was aromatic given the sugar and cinnamon sprinkled all over. I say, indulge while you can because you are gonna crave for it anyway.

Buffalo Wings

I suppose the Buffalo Wings ($12) were meant to be crispy upon serving but since they were coated with fiery cayenne pepper sauce, everything turned out to be a little soggy instead. The sauce had a hint of spiciness which made the wings all the more delectable. Great for sharing!

Mains

TAB Burger

As the name suggests, the TAB Burger ($16) is TAB’s very own burger. Do not expect a huge and clumsy looking burger as the people over at TAB think that it is a hassle if their diners have to slice the burgers up. We loved everything about it, from the juicy beef patty to the lightly toasted bun.

Chicken Parmigiana

Currently, TAB does not serve pizzas but the closest thing that could probably pass of as a pizza, in terms of taste would be the Chicken Parmigiana ($18). The breaded chicken breast is oven-baked with a topping of marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Strong in flavors, be prepared to wash it down with a glass of water. The chicken parmigiana is served with mashed potato and sauteed vegetables. Very filling and satisfying, this will appease a hungry man.

Fish & Chips

Dory fillet battered in Negra Modela beer, the Fish & Chips ($16) was nicely done. Lightly crisp and not overly deep fried, the slight bitter hint of beer in the crusty layers certainly did not go unnoticed. The homemade fries were a big draw and the curry mayo dip sweetened things up a little. Chewy Charles and I agreed that it tasted somewhat similar to McDonald’s curry sauce, except that the one at TAB is not as watery.

Seafood Marinara Pasta

The Seafood Marinara Pasta ($20) featured a good mix of mussels, scallops, prawns also chunks of sliced fish. The consistency of the marinara sauce was thick and mildly spicy.

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TAB does not do desserts at the moment but the cocktails should make you feel contented all the same. Light, smooth and refreshing, the concoction of gin, fresh cucumber and elderflower is described as reminiscent of a long summer day, spent under a garden marquee. Now that’s Fan-TAB-ulous ($15).

Hansel & Gretel

Hansel & Gretel ($18) is inspired by the Black forest fairy tale featuring two lost kids with a sweet tooth. This union of fruits, jam, cream and vodka resulted in something sweet, accompanied by a slight burning sensation which lingered at the back of my tongue. This drink won the hearts of many around our table.

First Wives' Club

A lovely blend of Bourbon, mangoes and rose makes up the First Wives’ Club ($18). We were deceived by its bright and cheerful orangey appearance. Just when we were expecting something sweet and fruity, the strong alcoholic taste was a bit difficult to wash down. There was a very slight hint of mango and the aftertaste of rose lingered in our mouths.

Caipirinha De Maracuja

Inspired by the cult film ‘City of God’, the Caipirinha De Maracuja ($18) is essentially a Brazilian drink with a twist on the classic caipirinha with fresh limes and golden-ripe passionfruit. Although refreshing, it was too bitter for me and I did not manage to finish this.

Charlie Brown

Charlie Brown ($18) is what all of us have been waiting for! Just like the Peanut’s comic character, peanut butter in this case is described as the perennial underdog and loser. However it finally gets a fitting tribute! The taste of peanut butter and vanilla was full bodied. Spiked with vodka, Charlie Brown is a smooth and creamy drink. Peanut butter lovers will go nuts over this one. Pun unintended.

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TAB closes its kitchen at 11pm on all days but on Fridays and Saturdays, serving of the mains stops at 11pm but the small plates will still be served until 12.30am.

Happy Hour at TAB is from 5pm – 8pm, or 9pm for DBS card holders. DBS card holders also enjoy 10% off their F&B bill, 1-for-1 on selected Martini’s and a free main dish with every three main dishes ordered.

You can also enjoy these great drink promotions at TAB:
– Full-Pint Kronenbourg Draught Lager Beer, 2 for $20
nett: Tue and Sun
– Order a Bucket, Get a side: Wed, Thu, Fri and Sat
– Housepour Bottle Deal @ 2 for $288 nett
– Russian Standard Bottle Deal @ $168 nett
– Singleton Single Malt 12-yrs @ $168 nett
– Ketel One Vodka @ 1 for $168 or 2 for $288.00 nett
– Yamazaki 12yrs @ 1 for $188 or 2 for $328.00 nett
– Any 3 Bottled Beers for $28 nett after Happy Hour

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My partner and I had a very good time at TAB. Thank you, Kimberly and Vivian from Fulford Public Relations for the invitation and TAB’s director, Adrian for hosting the session.

TAB
442 Orchard Road
#02-29 Orchard Hotel
Tel: 6493 6952

Opening Hours:
Tue to Thu
5pm – 1am
Fri to Sat
5pm – 3am
Sun
5pm – 1am
(Closed on Mondays)

Ku De Ta: Your invitation to a lifestyle less ordinary.

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We were simply blown away by this magnificent view that the Skypark at Marina Bay Sands had to offer right after our dinner high up in the skies at Ku De Ta. It was Chewy Charles’ and my first time at MBS. Prior to this invitation, we just wanted to avoid the crowd at all costs.

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The food of Ku De Ta is contemporary Asian cuisine which results from a deliberate attempt that is being made to blur the boundaries of ethnic Asian cuisine from places like Bali, Japan and Thailand. A special emphasis is placed on the fact that the dishes at Ku De Ta are designed for sharing. Yes I like to share my food with others! That way, you get to sample a bit of everything 🙂

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We started off with the Sliced Semi-Fatty Tuna ($48) which is essentialy raw tuna prepared with young ginger, kaffir lime and green tea salt. I reckon that it is a very expensive plate of tuna. Psst.. I counted 14 thin slices. Nevertheless, the tangy flavors kicked things off nicely for us.

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The Whole Baby Chicken Teriyaki ($26) proved to be a winner. The chicken was remarkably tender and delicate. The seasoning helped to bring out the taste of the chicken nicely. It was nothing like how we had expected chicken teriyaki would taste like. Chewy Charles and I really loved this.

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I thought that the ‘No Bone’ Typhoon Shelter Crab ($38) tasted pretty much like 星洲米粉 apart from the fact that the smell and taste of garlic was impossible to miss. There were lots of crab roe and it felt as though my cholesterol levels shot to the sky. Not complaining though 😛 The addition of toasted almond lent a nice fragrance to this dish and thanks to the sansho pepper, this dish was made to be even more palatable.

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The desserts made their appearance and boy were we blown away. The Steamed Palm Sugar Cake ($12) definitely did not look like the normal kind of cake that I had visualized in my mind. My eyes were frantically making a search for the ‘cake’. What we got instead were caramelized banana, salted caramel cream, frangelico & black sesame. We could feel the joy and excitement building up inside us when we were devouring this. The salted caramel cream and caramelized candy tasted like something sweet and comforting that I used to have when I was a little girl but I just couldn’t point out what. We were both staring at the brown blob of caramelized banana which looked at *toot* before I decided to try a tiny mouthful. It was rather thick and gooey and tasted a little bitter.

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I’m a big fan of green tea especially if it comes in the form of cakes and ice cream 😛 The Green Tea & Pistachio Slice ($12) was another of Ku De Ta’s dessert which looked very pleasant. The combination of the house-made cherry jam and matcha cream provided a mix of sour and sweet. The matcha cream was thick and smooth The overall taste was made more unique with the cherry blossom infusion.

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The name of this dessert – ‘Apple & Honey’ ($12) sounds really boring but let me tell you: Do not judge a dessert by its name. The ‘Apple & Honey’ is basically cubes of fresh green apple jelly and bits of comb honey crumble topped with milk and honey crémeux. The overall result of this wonderful creation is something that that is sweet and a little sour, yet light and refreshing. If I had to pick a favorite among the three, this would be it 😀

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After the dinner, we went over to the much talked about Infinity Pool. Ku De Ta’s club and bar happen to be located just next to it. Ku De Ta promises you to a lifestyle less ordinary. What do you think? 😉

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We would like to thank Chua Pei Rong, Marketing Executive of Ku De Ta for the kind invitation.

Ku De Ta
1 Bayfront Avenue Sands
SkyPark Tower 3
Marina Bay Sands Hotel Singapore
Tel: +65 6688 7688

Opening Hours:
Mon to Sun
6am – 4am

Chaozhou Inn: Quality Teochew cuisine

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Hands up, those of you who are familiar with Teochew cuisine! I have to admit that dining in Chinese restaurants is the last thing on my mind when I eat out with my friends, unless Dim Sum is involved. Hello, I’m Teochew but ask me the number of Teochew restaurants I have been to and I am only able to do so with five fingers, oh wait.. maybe three! Recently, I was invited to do a review on Chaozhou Inn which is located at Parkway Parade Shopping Centre. The tasting menu features some of Chaozhou Inn’s signature dishes and we were first introduced to three new additions to the Dim Sum list. Oh my Dim Sum! 😀

Steamed Spinach Dumpling with Prawn & Dried Scallop

First on the Dim Sum list was the Steamed Spinach Dumpling with Prawn & Dried Scallop (3 for $4.50). The skin of the dumpling was deliciously translucent like how it should be. Some people may not like spinach but upon my very first bite, I could not help but notice that the crunchy prawns and scallop lent a rather rich sweetness to the dumpling. The addition of spinach provided a twist to the usual steamed prawn dumplings, making it moist and juicy. In my opinion, spinach is also a good alternative to chives.

Braised Pork Belly Buns Chaozhou Style
Photo credits: Chaozhou Inn

Braised Pork Belly Bun Chaozhou Style

I’m not one who runs away and hides at the sight of pork belly and whatnot. The Braised Pork Belly Bun Chaozhou Style (3 for $3.60) might be popular among people who prefers leaner braised pork. The meat is a little dry and slightly tougher. I would have liked it better if it was more tender and I think this can still be achieved without having to use very fatty meat.

Pan Fried Black Sesame Cake

I was a little puzzled when the Pan Fried Black Sesame Cake (3 for $3.90) was presented right before my very eyes. I usually associate them with weddings.. But then again, they are sweet and I’m proud to say that I have a sweet tooth. Best consumed warm but we spent quite a bit of time taking photos of this dish. The rice cake was chewy and very sticky. I think it can be quite a challenge for some to chew on this thoroughly. I personally like this very much and hope that it will also be well received by others.

Double Boiled Old Yellow Melon Soup

Ahhh.. This reminds me of the good ol’ yellow melon soup that my mum makes for my family every once in a while. The bad news is, my mum would probably strangle me if I were to ask her to replicate this dish for me. We were pleasantly surprised by the presentation of the Double Boiled Old Yellow Melon Soup ($8). It’s creative to use the melon itself for holding the soup.

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The soup was piping hot and I truly appreciate the wonderful sense of warmth that a bowl of good soup can offer upon sipping it slowly. We were delighted to find chunks of meat and prawns too!

Braised Platter Chaozhou Style

This humble plate of Braised Platter Chaozhou Style ($10) sure requires a lot of ingredients such as herbs and spices and the cooking process is fairly time-consuming. While the duck gizzards are dense and tough, the duck meat is smooth and tender. This is essentially a Teochew dish that I am certain my parents would enjoy!

Chilled Jelly Pig Trotter

The Chilled Jelly Pig Trotter ($10) is supposed to be served at the beginning because it’s a Teochew appetizer. It’s not included in the tasting menu. It arrived in the middle of the tasting because we were asked to name our favorite Teochew dish if we had any, and this wonderful cold appetizer came to my mind. I agree that most people, especially youths are somewhat unfamiliar with this favorite Teochew dish of mine. You ought to try it for yourself 😉

Pomfret Porridge Chaozhou Style

The Pomfret Porridge Chaozhou Style ($12) came in an earthern pot and easily makes up a serving size of 4 to 5 bowls.

Pomfret Porridge Chaozhou Style
Photo Credits: Chaozhou Inn

A distinct characteristic of Teochew porridge is that it is like watery rice instead of being smooth and mashy. The slices of pomfret are very fresh and the soup was sweet tasting. There was quite a strong hint of ginger and I appreciated that it was very thinly sliced so that I don’t end up choking when I bit into them.

Oyster Omelette Chaozhou Style

Truth be told, I was very surprised upon discovering that oyster omelette, or more fondly known as oh-chian (Hokkien) / oh-luak (Teochew), is actually a Teochew dish! Apparently, it originated in Guangdong. I hadn’t quite gotten used to the fact that this typically-seen-in-hawker-centres dish is now served in a classy restaurant. Dip the Oyster Omelette Chaozhou Style ($12) into the spicy tangy chilli sauce for added taste! Personally, I would prefer the texture of its base to be crispier. Plus point is that I did not find it ridiculously oily.

Chao Yang Four Treasure Vegetables

The Chao Yang Four Treasure Vegetables ($9) dish is as classy as it sounds. Featuring a very healthy selection of mushrooms, cabbage, beancurd and gingko nuts, these are drenched in delectable abalone sauce. This, I highly recommend!

Steamed Promfret Chaozhou Style

Teochew-style steamed fish involves boiling slices of ginger with preserved sour plum, tomato and slices of preserved vegetable. The broth is then added to the fish before it is steamed. The Steamed Pomfret Chaozhou Style ($22) was served in a slightly tangy light broth. In fact, the broth is noticeably lighter than the normal broth. The pomfret was definitely firm and fresh.

Yam Paste with Gingko Nut and Pumpkin

Orh Nee is the one and only dessert that I will order every single time if it’s available on the menu. We were delighted to find out that Chaozhou Inn’s Yam Paste with Gingko Nut & Pumpkin ($4.90) does not contain lard. Even so, the yam paste remained silky smooth. Coconut has already been added into the mixture prior being served. I enjoyed every mouthful right from the very start.

Dou Hua

The Soya Bean Curd ($4.50) is currently not in the menu but do watch out for it. It will be out really soon!

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Prices at Chaozhou Inn are reasonable and definitely wallet-friendly. Check out their Executive Set Lunches priced at $12.90++ and $14.90++!

Special thanks goes to Sharon Poh and Neo Hwee Ping of Fish & Co. Restaurants for the invitation, and also for being such wonderful hosts. Do check out what The Hungry Cow has to say too!

Chaozhou Inn
80 Marine Parade Road
B1-84D
Parkway Parade
Tel: +65 6346 6617

Opening Hours:
Mon to Sun
11am – 10pm

Ananda Bhavan Vegetarian Restaurant: The Putu Bola – A sweet slice of history

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Established in 1924, Ananda Bhavan Vegetarian Restaurant is the oldest and most established Indian vegetarian restaurant in Singapore. Over a history spanning more than eight decades, Ananda Bhavan has gained a fine reputation for authentic Indian vegetarian cuisine at its best.

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Ananda Bhavan has five outlets which serve close to 5000 customers daily. It started off at Selegie Road and slowly expanded to two at the heart of Little India, one at Changi Airport Terminal 2 and this is the one that is located along Syed Alwi Road, opposite Mustafa Centre.

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This is an invitation to participate in the Putu Bola making demonstration and I got Chewy Charles to accompany me. Honestly speaking, I have not heard of the Putu Bola. It seems like it has been rendered virtually extinct in our generation. Ananda Bhavan Restaurant hopes that the Putu Bola will revive the nostalgic times with the older generation and gain new fans with the younger ones.

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Celebrate this National Day at Ananda Bhavan, with sweet memories of the Putu Bola as it makes a comeback after close to 30 years on 8th August and 9th August to commemorate the nation’s birthday.

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Considered a by-product of the Putu Mayam or string-hoppers, the Putu Bola is made with the residual rice flour from the Putu Mayam. The chefs of Ananda Bhavan were seen busy preparing for the Putu Bola making demonstration.

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Mr. Nadarajan, Managing Partner of Ananda Bhavan Restaurant started the session proper by sharing with us the heritage of the restaurant and giving us an overview of the Putu Bola. Originating in the mid 1940s, the recipe was invented by the Putu Mayam sellers who had migrated to Singapore from India. Popularly consumed at breakfast, the soft and fluffy Putu Bola was inexpensive and filling. However, the once popular Indian dish slowly faded away from the local food scene by the early 1970s as an increasing number of Putu Mayam sellers gradually gave up their trade.

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Mr. Nadarajan said that it is very important that we do our best to preserve Singapore’s lost traditions and heritage and hence this is a good opportunity to provide the younger generation with the opportunity to sample a slice of history.

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The chefs had already prepared the mixture by adding water to rice flour. The mixture was loosely kneaded, sieved and then steamed for 10 minutes at 100 degrees celsius. Fresh desiccated coconut was then added to the steamed flour and the next step was to shape the mixture into balls of about 80 grams each.

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For a first-timer, my ball of Putu Bola became smaller and smaller as bits of the mixture started to fall off as I was trying to shape it. Hehe but it looks okay in the end right? 😛

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The mixture was steamed again for another 10 minutes at 100 degrees celsius. Hoo boy! All of us couldn’t wait to have a taste of the Putu Bola!

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It was nice meeting some of the other bloggers who were present at the event – Leroy from The Hungry Cow, Amanda from Life Is What You Want It To Be and CalvinTimo from The Foodie-licious World .

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The Putu Bola is served with a generous dose of grated coconut and red sugar. It is available at all five Ananda Bhavan outlets islandwide on the 8th and 9th of August and is priced at $1.20 per piece. Come on down now and experience a sweet slice of history!

I would like to thank Ms. Anu Ramasamy of Fulford Public Relations for the invitation and to Mr. Nadarajan for hosting this special event.

Ananda Bhavan Vegetarian Restaurant
95 Syed Alwi Road
Tel: +65 6295 9595

Opening Hours:
24 Hours daily