Yusof Arni's - Cooking With Heart and Soul

I get cynical when people tell me they are cooking with their heart and soul, as I always discover that those that really do so do not need to trumpet so loudly the essence of genuine cooking.

Cooking with real heart and passion is about the actual delivery on the plate, not a slogan you need to brand. And thankfully, this is what I got from the couple that is Yusof and Arni, and at their humble eatery at Far East Plaza, appropriately called Yusof Arni's.

Rilassi at Eunos

Chef Peter's success at Pietro has allowed him to start his 2nd outlet, this time near Eunos and simply called Rilassi, which is the Italian word for relax.

And relaxing it is, situated at a corner of a 2 storey shophouse, it is not air conditioned and yet it is fully comfy and cool for an alfresco like eatery.

Vietnam Splendor - The Video

Vietnam is an incredible country and the Vietnamese is an incredible people. You see it on travel shows all the time, but until you get to the heart of Vietnam, and travel through the cities and its villages, you will not fully appreciate how beautiful the country of Vietnam is.

So often, Singaporeans have relied on tour groups to visit foreign countries, but trust me, Vietnam is a place best experienced if you travel there on your own, and let the adventurous side of you take over.

Indonesian Delights - Exquisite Food in a Kopitiam

Hidden away in one corner of a rather obscure Tampines coffeeshop is this rather delightful discovery of Indonesian cuisine. Yes, it may be housed in a kopitiam, but the lady owner serves up some rather delicious dishes.

And she has only been at it for a couple of months, and business has been slow due to its rather quiet location. Nevertheless, this place is something to shout about.

Bishan White Bee Hoon - A Touch of Finesse

Since posting my own home version of the original Sembawang white bee hoon recipe, I thought it might be interesting if I could refine it and elevate to something that would not look and taste out of place in a fine dining establishment.

In doing so, my recipe has been modified and I have since named this version my definitive Bishan white bee hoon. It adds a couple of extra ingredients and coupled with a more elegant plating, it is now a favorite of Pauline's.

Autumn Red Snapper with Seasonal Vegetables and a Basil Sauce

There is a constant thinking among Singaporeans that fine dining cooking is out of the reach of the common man on the street, and fine dining food can only be found in expensive restaurants in places like Marina Bay Sands.

It is ludicrous the rates these places are charging, and despite the astronomical prices, it is, to me, not something that is so earth shattering that I will break the bank for it.

Traditional Famous Prawn Mee at Bedok South - Amazing Dried Prawn Noodles

I believe I am not alone in saying that I am a bigger fan of the soup variant of our classic prawn noodles hawker dish than the lesser eaten dried version, and I would not blame you for being in the same league.

For the dried prawn noodles served in most places are usually less flavorsome and is usually boosted with an overpowering of chilli and ketchup that makes up for the lack of strong shrimp flavors, leaving behind just a very normal bowl of noodles.

Yantra at Tanglin Mall - The Elegance of North Indian Cuisine

Indian cuisine is not necessarily the first thing that comes to my mind when it comes to fine dining, and even rarer is the opportunity to find one of the more exciting young chefs in Indian gastronomy in Singapore.

But such is the eagerness and enthusiasm inherent in Yantra's head chef, Asif Iqbal that one cannot resist but to make a trip down to Tanglin Mall to savor one of the most refined Indian fine dining establishments in Singapore.