Friday, October 13, 2017

Morton's Steakhouse Fall Menu - The Chanel of Modern Cuisine

Somehow, classics can never go out of fashion. Look at Chanel and Audrey Hepburn, timeless icons that will remain as sought after as they are classy.

Morton's Steakhouse belongs to that same category when even in an culinary era of gimmicky foams and colourful purees, the sense that stepping into this equally timeless institution will guarantee you a night of unmatched deliciousness and gastronomic satisfaction.

Thursday, August 31, 2017

BakBak at Circular Road - Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh in a New Light

Traditions are hard to change, especially when it comes to heritage food. For decades, our popular Bak Kut Teh has remained largely the same since the 60s.

White peppery, garlicky broth filled with chunks of pork ribs. Served with a side of soy braised pork trotters and pickled vegetables. Finished off with a brew of Chinese oolong tea.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Antoinette Heritage Menu - The Hakka Son Returns

Sometimes, it is all about the execution. And in the case of Mod-Sin cuisine, very few can pull it off, not even the originator of that movement.

But now, Chef Pang from Antoinette has come dangerously close to making Mod-Sin his own. And in the process, he has also thoughtfully revisited his Hakka roots, something that I have always wished for.

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Double Happy Bak Kut Teh - The Golden Age of Singapore Hawkers

Whenever people talk of bak kut teh, they will invariably point to either the peppery Teochew version, or the herbal Hokkien rendition that some say originates from Klang in Malaysia.

The truth of the matter is that we may never know how this pork bone broth originated, save for some scant details published on the web.

Friday, June 9, 2017

Audace - Precise, Retrained Modern French Cooking

Audace means audacity in French, and that is also the new name of the restaurant formerly known as Cocotte located in the main lobby of Wanderlust Hotel.

But the cooking is less audacious here, and more inclined to a cuisine that has a Steve Jobs focus and precision, and Chef Jeremy Gilon shows much restraint on his simple but visually pleasing crafted plates.

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Authentic Carbonara - Cooking the Classic Italian Pasta Dish

Carbonara is such a bastardised dish in Singapore. Almost everywhere you go, you get the wrong interpretation of the classic Roman dish.

Cream, bacon and watery renditions are the ones that will likely show up on your social media feeds. And worse, some joints even dare to paddle authentic Carbonara dishes when ingredients like wine and chicken stock are added into the mix.

Saturday, June 3, 2017

The Return of Simon Road Oyster Omelette

There are a lot of fans of the original Simon Road Oyster Omelette. And when they left their original location along Upper Serangoon Road, many have thought they were gone for good.

It was around five years ago that the father and sons team moved into a stall a few units away next to the Punggol Nasi Lemak place. A few loyal fans managed to find it but was largely unnoticed.

Friday, May 26, 2017

Boru Boru - Chirashi Gem

Teppei's Chirashi revolution is showing no sign of slowing. It has, instead, initiated a horde of other entries into this visually appealing trend of Japanese inspired rice bowls.

For the most part, the other rice bowl establishments have only added more colour and creativity to the scene. Very few can match the quality and freshness from Chef Teppei's outlets.

Monday, May 15, 2017

Ristorante Luka - Simply the Best New Eatery of 2017

Sometimes, it's really tough to get excited about new restaurant openings. New eateries rely too much on marketing and social media, and rarely do they live up to the hype.

Compounded by the fact that very little is accurate from what you read both online and offline. Reviews are too condescending to the establishments, and when you consider that many reviewers have little idea of what good food entails, it takes a rare gem to really stand out.

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Morton's Spring Menu 2017 - Faultless as Always

Steakhouses in Singapore are certainly becoming more commonplace these days. Whilst the Cuts, Wooloomooloos and Chop Houses offer up a variety of options and prices,  Morton's still rules.

In recent years, they have seen a facelift and even opened up for Sunday lunches. Despite the various changes to cater for an ever discerning and equally fickle dining crowd, their signatures are still as good as ever.

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Hawker Legends - Sheng Cheng Char Kway Teow

Behind that tough exterior, there is a gentle soul that has a sense of compassion well beyond the average man on the street.

Uncle Tan is 67 years old, and for most of his life, he knows little else besides the art of making a great plate of char kway teow.

Friday, March 24, 2017

Hawker Legends - Original Serangoon Fried Hokkien Mee

Unassuming and soft spoken, Ah Hock begins his work day in the middle of the afternoon. Moving with a habitual pace, he sorts out his stall, ready to fry the first plate of Hokkien Mee.

His weary lines betray a trying life behind a sweat inducing environment. Yet, when he spots us anxiously waiting for him to start, he immediately beckons us to fire the first order of the day.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Bosch Active Water Dishwasher - Washing Dishes Made Easier

Somewhere along the line, we thought we would always get a dishwasher to settle our dirty plates and utensils. Especially on those party nights, when entertaining the guests takes precedence over washing duties.

Last December, we finally had one of these installed at our home. It is the Bosch Active Dishwasher.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Singapore Food Journalism - Distinguishing Authentic and Legitimate Food Views

Whether you like it or not, food marketing is everywhere these days. On main media and especially, on social media platforms.

You might be just an individual, taking food pictures for the fun of it. But once you establish a following, invitations from food establishments will invariably start to come.

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Hidden Hawker Gems - Lim Hokkien Fried Mee at Kembangan

Hokkien fried mee is, in my opinion, the hardest hawker dish to master. The recipe has been out in the wild, barring some minor differences. But the real test and quality of this dish lies in the person frying this dish.

With the same ingredients and base, this plate of seafood infused noodles can turn out very differently.

Friday, March 3, 2017

Hidden Hawker Gems - Sheng Kee Cooked Food and Soya Chicken

While lavish attention has been put on the French tyre starred soya chicken place in Chinatown, there is another soya chicken stall in Kallang Bahru that has been wowing its local audience for years.

The lady owner, Mrs See, started this place 36 years back with her husband. Now, it is a popular haunt for the residents around this area. But very little media attention has been given to them, save for a few blog posts here and there.

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Hidden Hawker Gems - Jia Xiang Mee Siam at Redhill Market

Somehow, finding a good mee siam these days is proving increasingly difficult. Most renditions are watery moats with diluted flavours and half hearted cooking.

There is one, however, in Redhill Market that might just surprise you. It's a half century old stall, and it is hardly talked about in the culinary media scene.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Hidden Hawker Gems - The Original Nan Xiang Chicken Rice

Seriously, when you talk about the best char siew places in Singapore, you should avoid fine dining restaurants. Instead, look for authentic hawkers using old school methods for their classic roasting goodness.

And before discovering this, my only other two "go to" char siew stalls are Foong Kee and Fu Shi. The former is as classic as it gets, and the latter, a newer entry that has similar traits to the KL's Ming Kee which I still hold as the gold standard for char siew.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Hidden Hawker Gems - Blanco Court Traditional Hainan Beef Noodles

Instead of perpetually showcasing fine dining food, this is gonna be the start of a new series to showcase hidden hawker gems.

The idea behind this is that we are far too familiar with the STB favoured hawkers for too long. In addition, blogs and other publications tend to only write about the ones that are already having too much attention, or hawkers that have become media savvy.

Pollen at Gardens by the Bay - Immaculate Cooking

Pollen has a new head chef and his name is Steve Allen. The Briton's resume includes stints with Gordon Ramsay and in person, he looks like a slimmed down version of the famous loud-mouthed celebrity.

Talking to him, however, is a totally different ball game. He's actually quite unassuming, though when engaged on the subject of cooking, he will light up immediately and is rather animated to talk about the stories behind his dishes.

Friday, January 13, 2017

2017 Yusheng Round Up - Lan Ting

Seriously, if you really want to celebrate Lunar New Year, you should be cooking at home for your family as there is a true spirit of bonding at work.

But I do acknowledge that the majority of Singaporeans would prefer their matriarchs to take a breather for once and dine out. So here is my round up for the coming rooster year.