PinkyPiggu

After Saveur and Concetto, hawker-guys turned restauranteurs Joshua Khoo and Dylan Ong are now wooing us with their latest dining concept, Saveur Art! I was there for a lunch session last week, and my heart was effortlessly won over by their repertoire of French-inspired cuisine. How can I not be, when the food was visually beautiful and taste delicious, with prices that are easy on the wallet? One of the dishes was so mind-blowing good, my dining companion, Nat (Rubbish Eat Rubbish Grow) teared. #notexaggerating

Situated on level 4 of Ion Orchard, the restaurant is located conveniently in the heart of town (nearest mrt station: NS22 Orchard). I like its mostly black and white simple interior, with pops of colors adding a touch of vibrancy, casual yet exuding a sense of modern classiness.

Art paintings decorated the wall, food are plates of culinary Art, business is drenched in God's blessings and goes by the motto of How Great Thou Art, Saveur Art couldn't have been more aptly named.

It wouldn't be far off to say that Saveur Art is the atas sibling of Saveur (which prides itself as a restaurant that offers quality yet affordable French cuisine to the masses), going the upmarket route with more exquisite plating and use of premium ingredients like freshly shaved Alba Black & White Truffle and Mangalica Pork.

Prices are correspondingly higher but still kept affordable. With 2-course Lunch for $29, 3-course Lunch for $37 and 4-course Dinner for $52, the set menu deals are still very much value for money.

I've no complains whatsoever on the pricing for the ala-carte menu either, with appetizers starting as low as $10. Popular mains such as Duck Leg Confit ($19) and Managalica Pork Two Ways ($22) are well-kept under $30, with the only exception of Whole Poached Maine Lobster ($49). It's undeniable that prices are in the range of what we have to pay for mediocre fare at most cafés, but the offerings at Saveur Art excel so much higher in terms of quality, taste and presentation.

We started off with complimentary amuse bouche, Squid Ink Crisps with marinated anchovies and pimento coulis, as well as Seaweed Sabayon in roasted potato dashi, both of which I enjoyed tremendously. Saveur Art's Pasta ($13) soon followed, a serving of chilled angel hair pasta dressed in kombu and olive oil emulsion, accompanied by the delightfully bouncy flesh of Mozambique Langoustine. The pasta could do with a firmer bite, but overall, this was a highly pleasing appetizer.

One thing which you shouldn't leave Saveur Art without getting it down your throat first is the Egg Confit & Truffle ($12, add $18 for freshly shaved truffle). Oh my goodness! It was an orgasmic party of luscious organic egg slow-cooked in water bath, crunchy roasted macadamia nuts and thin crisp chips, heightened by inexplicable lovely scent of truffled potato mousseline and freshly shaved truffles.

Best way to enjoy this appetizer would be to mix all the elements well together, and send generous spoonfuls of it into your mouth to fully savor the medley of flavors and contrasting textures. Hehee that's exactly what I did. The egg confit was so so so awesome, I shouldn't be taken aback when I saw Nat's eyes welled up in sheer gratification.

Ahh..... but those freshly shaved truffles..... to add or not to add? The additional slices of indulgence can be considered pricey, and besides, the dish is already "truffled" with truffled potato mousseline. My advice? Just add lah! You have to experience it at least once.

Chestnut & Toasts ($10) was a mini flood of wondrous sensation with the creaminess and subtle sweetness of chestnut velouté, and the additional shavings of truffles enhanced its flavors further. Oops I didn't even spare the side serving of homemade butter brioche which was decidedly too soft and fluffy to be ignored (usually I will skip the less-worthy carbs).

Salads could come across as a tad boring in most cases, but one could not say the same of Greens & Soil ($18), a colorful garden medley of Ibérico ham and warm seasonal organic vegetables such as baby carrots, purple cauliflower and Romanesco broccoli, saltish plots of edible "soil" and moistened with an assortment of pumpkin, beetroot, garlic, pea and yoghurt purees.

It was refreshing and rested lightly on the palate, but we wished for more pieces of ham for a better savory balance. Not to say the dish is not pleasant, but I'd rather spend the same amount of moolah on Grilled Foie Gras ($18) instead on my next visit.

Moving on to the mains, we had the Asian Spiced Braised Short Ribs ($28) that was masterfully executed to fork-tender perfection! Though paired with jalapeno & rosemary crumbs, its predominantly Asian flavors brought forth a familiar taste of homey cooking which I grew up with, making it a safe, comforting and delish choice all at once.

Another dish with an Asian touch was the Poached Maine Lobster ($49 for whole / $25 for half, as seen above). The chunks of lobster meat and one precious piece of lobster ravioli were paired with lobster jus, as well as lentil de puy and lentil puree that was spiced distinctly with cumin, evoking whiffs of of Indian cuisine. My eyes lit up when I bite into the butter-poached crustacean. So fresh and succulent, wow!

Though already quite full when desserts of Vanilla Parfait ($13) with strawberries, rhubarbs, lavender meringue, and Chocolate & Pistachio ($13) arrived, we still polished everything off. The latter made an especially memorable impression. Using superior Valrhona chocolate, it was an alluring combo of Guanaja dark chocolate fondant, Tanariva milk chocolate mousse, Ivoire white chocolate espuma (foam) and Araguani dark chocolate chips, completed with a dollop of pistachio ice cream.

The staff were surprisingly efficient and very knowledgeable about the food they served despite that the restaurant is still very new in operations. We later learned that the team had undergone 2-weeks of training and role-play before opening, to ensure they are all well-prepared.

I truly admire this dedication of Saveur Art which not only strive to bring us sincere, honest food, but an all-rounded dining experience as well. Certainly a place I would recommend to all. How Great Thou Art!

Saveur Art
Address: Ion Orchard #04-11, Singapore 238801
Contact: +65 6634 1141
Website: http://www.saveur.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saveursingapore
Opening Hours: Daily 12pm-9.30pm

Woohoo, another new opening and what a great one! You may think I'm crazy for visiting Pantler thrice within a short span of 6 days, but the quality pastries at this bakery-café is really that worth the time and calories. Really.

Nestled among the row of conserved shophouses along bustling Telok Ayer Street, Pantler is located just 2 units away from My Awesome Café, and easily accessible by nearest mrt stations: EW15 Tanjong Pagar & DT18 Telok Ayer.

The word 'pantler' is defined as "a servant or officer in charge of the bread and the pantry in a great family". In this case, we have not just one, but two 'pantlers', founder Matthias Phua and Chef Tomoharu Morita.

Leaving his job as a writer to pursue his passion for baking, Matthias subsequently worked at Grand Hyatt Tokyo and Joel Robuchon Singapore, where he met Tomoharu, who was part of the award-winning pastry team at Hyatt Tokyo for close to a decade! You can say they have quite a wealth of experience between them.

I always thought "men who can cook are very charming!" (会煮饭的男人很帅!), but now I think men who can bake are equally attractive too! Lol! I can visualize the duo working away in front of their ovens, with an intent focus on crafting freshly baked, high quality products which they pride themselves on.

Everything is said to be thoughtfully made. Flour from Japan, butter from France, these are just some of the finest ingredients which goes into the array of cakes, pastries, tarts and croissants at Pantler.

Signature items include the pleasantly light Ricotta Cheese Tart ($8.50) which I enjoyed tremendously, as well as Pound Cakes (Matcha & Azuki/Chocolate/Orange/Fruit, $22), and Pâtes de fruits ($3.50 for 3 pieces), little jewels of intensely flavored fruit jellies which we don't see very often in most patisseries.

Oh my goodness! Everything looked so enticing that gluttonous me almost ran into a high risk of over-ordering again! Fortunately, we had Matthias around to give some recommendations, and the Yatsura ($8.50) he picked was one of the best chocolatey treats I had recently.

The layers of hazelnut feuilletine and chocolate mousse topped with a glossy coat of dark ganache was gorgeous in all senses. A wonderful mélange of crunchiness with creamy smoothness, its contrasting textures was matched with a balanced interplay of chocolate flavors and lingering aromatic notes of hazelnut.

Surprisingly, the entire combination wasn't too rich, yet lush enough to satisfy a chocolate craving. My maturing palate greatly appreciate the toning down of saccharine level, which was also apparent in the Banana Eclair ($8.50) with dark chocolate cream and caramel.

The pastries at Pantler can be described as generally not over-the-top fancy, but will effortlessly win one over with its subtle beauty.

Take for instance, the Pithivier ($7.50), a pie filled with sweet frangipane of almonds, and the Pantler Cheesecake ($6.80), a classic pairing of cream cheese with biscuit base. The latter was not as dense as the New York-style ones nor as fluffy as its Japanese counterparts, but was enjoyable in its own class, though we felt it can do with just a little more moisture.

Both confections will quietly have you finishing it to the last crumb sooner than you realized.

What I have been raving about and feel is a MUST-TRY: Choux Crème ($5.50)!!!

Available for dine-in only, Matthias stands by his principle of wanting his customers to savour the choux crème at its best. Saved from the possible dismal fate if we have it as takeaway, the light puff pastry ball stayed crisp and freshly-piped filling of luscious vanilla cream spiked with vanilla pod beans and bits of almond nougatine was still nicely chilled. One bite was all it took to make me fall in love with this ball of edible happiness!

Another delight which I would have bypassed if not for the recommendation was the Crème Caramel ($5.80). Looking deceptively plain, but the velvety custard pudding capped with a gentle layer of caramel soon had us nodding our heads in agreement that it's too good to be missed.

The plain Croissant ($3), which I had with my Latte ($5.80) (brewed using 100% high-grade Arabica espresso beans roasted by Dutch Colony Coffee Co.), wasn't as crisp and buttery as we would like it to be. I much preferred its savory variant filled with Parma Ham & Gruyère Cheese ($6.80) which scored points in terms of overall taste.

Its sweet offerings are clearly the main draw here at Pantler, my return visits can more or less attest to that. The minimalist space exudes a tranquil chic aura, making Pantler a truly lovely place to delight in some simple yet elegant bakes. No doubt I'd be there again. Do say "hi" if you see me, okie? :)

Pantler
Address: 198 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068637
Contact: +65 6221 6223
Website: http://www.pantler.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pantlersg
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 8.30am-8.30pm / Sat 10.30am-5.30pm / Closed on Sunday

"What have I gotten myself into?", as carnivore me accepted a tasting invitation before realizing that JOIE By Dozo specializes in modern meatless cuisine with Japanese-European influences. My eyes were distracted by the photos of the restaurant's enticing dishes, plus, the convenience of its location at Orchard Central (next to 313@Somerset, directly linked to NS23 Somerset mrt station) played quite a decisive role in scheduling my tummy in for this dinner too.

But hei hei, after an evening of going without meat, I was filled with joy. What an experience!

Perched high on Orchard Central's roof garden with sweeping views of the city's skyline, the premises of JOIE (pronounced as 'joy') was absolutely lovely. The restaurant is bathed in tones of bronze and grey, completed with gleaming table tops and plush leather-quilted seats, and fully enveloped in a contemporary chic ambience.

With an alfresco area, a spacious main dining hall and six private rooms (seating 4 to 16 pax) available at no additional cost, JOIE can be suitable anywhere from romantic dates to business luncheons and dinner gatherings.

My initial impression was that dining in such a stylish establishment would be costly, but upon taking a look at the Prix Fixe Menu, the set is actually reasonably priced: 6-course Lunch at $38.80++ and 7-course Dinner at $68.80++.

Ahh this brings to mind restaurants like SET (Pomo) and The Clan (Bukit Pasoh Road). They too go by a similar set menu concept where diners can select their preferred choice from several options for each course. What differentiates JOIE from the others then?

(Look out for my review on SET and The Clan which are coming soon on this blog!)

Meatless! No Meat! JOIE presents this refreshing concept which is influenced by the new wave dining trend in Europe and Taiwan. Here, we will not find any mock-meat substitutes which are very common in most Chinese vegetarian eateries, because the focus is on uplifting and innovative natural fare prepared with the freshest vegetables, fruits and herbs. Sounds so healthy!

However, this meatless cuisine contains onion, garlic, and uses eggs and dairy products, so it might not be most suitable for our vegetarian or vegan friends.

Each course of the set dinner is poetically named: DIVINE (amuse bouche), PRELUDE (starter I), AWAKENING (starter II), ELIXIR (soup), CRESCENDO (main), SWEET ENDINGS (dessert) & POTION (hot/cold beverage).

With Executive Chef Sherwin Sim (formerly of Coriander Leaf Restaurant) helming the kitchen, what we can expected are refined and original meatless creations, such as Matsutake Cake, a spongy-textured steamed Japanese mushroom cake with golden enoki and pistachio crumbs, as well as a heavily-seasoned and peppery Spring Vegetable Terrine with aubergines, carrots, mushrooms encased in vegetable broth and accompanied with pistachio 'soil'.

What also impressed me are the efforts made into the presentation of each dish.

All are beautifully plated, some exquisite, some playful like the refreshing Cubes of Duo Watermelon which had colorful red and yellow watermelon, feta cheese and mint gelée stacked against each other like a rubik's cube.

The Mushroom Gratin was very much a teaser as much as it was delicious: It had the sautéed herb garlic butter button mushrooms smothered by creamy mozzarella served in escargot plate, which doped me momentarily into thinking that I'm gonna have the real thing haha.

I like it that unlike conventional set menus with limited choice, JOIE offers a good variety with 4 to 6 options per course.

Some choices rested more lightly on the palate than the others, such as the double-boiled Snow Pear and Napa Cabbage Consommé with almond which was mildly sweet and delicate in flavors. The Tomato Broth with Garbanzo (chickpea) with orzo pasta and spinach dumpling was comparatively heavier with doses of appetite-whetting tanginess. One thing in common though: both soups were delicious, I slurped it up readily!

JOIE also prides itself on using quality ingredients including Tennessee heirloom potato and Belgian endive. Just on the plate of Baby Garden Root Vegetables alone, we get to enjoy nicely sous-vide sweet golden baby beetroots and green zebra tomatoes from Holland, and Nasu eggplant from Japan served on bed of fragrant truffle mash and finished with a drizzle of horseradish butter garlic sauce.

If a purely vegetable dish for main course doesn't sound that appealing, Wild Rice, a deceptively simple-looking but highly satisfying fried wild rice with crunchy mixed vegetables or Trio Of Spheres comprising of a creamy butternut pumpkin risotto ball with curry mayonnaise, a flaky puff pastry stuffed with wild mushroom, onion and truffle, and a crispy fried mozzarella cheese ball with panko crumbs would the next best choices.

The portion of each course may seemed petite but it all added up to quite a substantial meal. I almost slumped into the typical food coma but was jolted by squeals of excitement as the dessert trolley is wheeled in. I jumped right up from my seat for some instagrammable moments!

We get to take our pick of any 5 items from the assortment of macarons, cakes, chocolates and candies! Certainly being spoilt for choice, but regrettably to say, the process of selecting was more fun and enjoyable than the treats itself.

My feel is that what was being offered were rather ordinary in terms of variety and taste, perhaps a couple of intricate and thoughtfully-plated desserts would be more aligned with the innovative element of JOIE as seen in the earlier savory courses.

We finished off the set dinner with our choice of fruit-centric beverages such as the popular Iced Fruity Refresher, Ice Rose Lemon Tea infused with pink rose buds, and Mocktail of Love, test tubes of uplifting cranberry, orange and pineapple mix.

This meatless meal at JOIE is one of those where I smiled back and say I've enjoyed all the savory dishes, albeit to varying degrees. Not to say that I will give up on my favorite chicken wings or steak anytime at all, but the occasional bout of going without meat felt healthier and almost guilt-free. I can accept.

JOIE By Dozo
Address: 181 Orchard Road #12-01 Orchard Central, Singapore 238896 (access via escalator on level 11)
Contact: +65 6838 6966
Website: http://www.joierestaurant.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Joie-Restaurant/1500765866845726
Opening Hours: Daily Lunch 12pm-3pm / Dinner 6pm-10pm

Prices are subjected to 10% service charge and prevailing government taxes.

Pie Face was a very familiar "face" when I was in Sydney earlier this June. The popular Australian micro-bakery café chain has a presence of more than 80 stores around the world, so perhaps you'd like to imagine how many outlets they have in their "home-ground" alone. Pie Face is new in Asia though, the two recently-opened stores at Singapore's 313@Somerset and Bugis Village marked their first foray into this untapped market.

At the risk of sounding like a food snob, admittedly, I did not feel the lure to try out Pie Face's pies while in Sydney because it's everywhere (erm... too common like Old Chang Kee in Singapore?). I'd rather use my limited tummy space to check out the numerous indie cafés instead.

Btw, I love Old Chang Kee okay! My friends can attest to how often I eat it! Lol!

But upon my return to Singapore and learning that pies are Australia's favorite comfort food and Pie Face's popularity is not without delicious reason, I refrained from kicking myself in the butt because it means I have to wait for another year until I visit Sydney again and stuff one of those pies into my mouth. Oh what have I missed? But guess what, the pies made their way to me instead hehee.

The outlet at 313@Somerset is located in the basement food haven, with a huge counter right at the entrance with an enticing display of pies. It's convenient to grab a pie or two to eat on the go, or pack a box to share with family or colleagues. But to enjoy the warm pies at its optimal best, nothing beats getting a table in the simply-furnished seating area and savour it right away.

My initial impression of the pies were how cute-looking they all are. Just look at those expressions! Would you bear to bite into those smiley faces or when it cheekily sticks out a tongue at you? But rather than just being random "edible emoticons", it actually denotes the different fillings within each pie.

Not only do I get to try the pies in Singapore now, I tried a lot of pies! Oh my goodness! A bit of overdosed, but but but, I found my favorite.

Chunky Steak Pie ($5.20) - Said to be the crown jewel in Pie Face's array, the combination of beef chunks and carrots that have been braised in a flavorful gravy, is an easy one to like. If only the beef can be more tender.....

Chicken & Mushroom Pie ($4.90) - My favourite! Love the pieces of tender chicken with mushroom in a thick and creamy gravy. This is like the classic comfort food in pie form.

Chicken & Peppercorn Pie ($4.90) - Another chicken meat offering, but with a hint of peppercorn.

Thai Chicken Curry Pie ($4.90) - This is Asian-inspired, bringing together chicken meat, carrots, onion, garlic and coconut milk. I thought the flavor wasn't very pronounced though, why not have something more distinctive such as Tom Yum instead?

Tandoori Vegetable Pie ($4.90) - A medley of carrots, capsicum and mixed beans in tandoori sauce for the vegetable lovers.

Flavors aside, the winning factor of the pies has got to be its puff pastry, which is not unlike a croissant. I later learned that the dough itself takes 3 days to prepare, and the kitchen team is required to fold the special blend of butter to create 48 layers. So much effort went into it. No wonder the crust was so crisp, flaky and fragrant!

The savory pies come in both Regular ($4.90-$5.20) and Mini ($3-$3.30) sizes. Regular ones would be good for a more substantial bite, mini ones would be good to indulge in several flavors at one go.

Sweet offerings such as Mini Pecan Pie ($3.30), Mini Lemon Pie ($3.30), Mini Chocolate Pie ($3.30), as well as a variety of pastries including Croissants, Almond Stick, Cheese Stick and Chicken Sausage Roll are also available. Best accompaniment would be a cup of coffee, brews such as cappuccino, café latte, long black, mocha and mocchiato starts from $4.

Wow! So many choices! My advice is: Just follow your tummy. Lol!

Pie Face Singapore
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piefacesingapore

Outlets
313@Somerset
Address: 313 Orchard Road #B3-10, Singapore 238895
Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 10pm

Bugis Village
Address: 249 Victoria Street, Singapore 188034
Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 10pm

Shrove Tuesday, Sunday Folks, now we have Saturday House, a new café which has recently made its debut along Upper Paya Lebar Road in early November. Why Saturday? Because owner Adrian Koh (who also runs Changi Bistro) believes that Saturday is the best day of the week, there's no need to get to work nor face the impending Monday blues yet. And if you come to Saturday House, any day can be a happy day!

Saturday's food did make this PinkyPiggu happy! Though I must admit I wasn't expecting much from the usual suspects of soup, salads, starters, pizza and pasta, as well as charcoal grill mains (available from 6pm-10pm daily). Brunch items such as Saturday's Big Breakfast ($15.90), Smoked Salmon with Poached Eggs ($13.90) and Savory Pancakes ($13.90) are available on weekends 11am to 3pm. Erm..... so how is it different from the numerous run-of-mill café food which I'm really tired of having?

The answer to my initial thought was answered as I progressed into the meal. Saturday's strength lies not in any creative menu with "fusion until confused" dishes, but in the superior execution of familiar favorites. What they lacked in fancy plating or innovative variety, they made it up with quality ingredients and huge doses of sincerity.

Take for instance the Grilled Pork Collar ($18.90). Who would have thought that a small café will take efforts to specially import the pork from France instead of using readily available, lower-cost ones? The pork collar is said to be less porky in smell and yield a more tender bite, the way we polished off each perfectly-grilled, succulent slice is the best testament to how true that claim is.

Choice of dressing (black pepper, mushroom and hollandaise) for all charcoal grilled items such as Smoked Leg of Lamb ($18.90) and Ribeye Steak ($24.90), soup like Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup ($5.90), and beef & pork patties of their Mini Burgers ($15.90) are made from scratch. By not taking the shortcut of supplied convenience, that's sincerity part 1 for you.

Sincerity part 2: Adrian understands that the seemingly straightforward dishes are often the hardest to execute, and place an importance of not overlooking the finer details of each preparation step, no matter how basic the recipe may be.

This belief is drilled well into the kitchen staff who gives the food they are cooking the same respect. The deceptively simple Spaghetti Aglio Olio ($11.90) with mushrooms, capsicum, garlic and chilli, as well as Carbonara ($13.90) with bacon, mushrooms and egg yolk which they served up, exceeded our expectations in terms of al-dente doneness and balanced flavors.

It's not to say that Saturday's menu is entirely boring though, as there were surprises such as the "strange-sounding pairing but worked well"Bacon & Oyster Pizza ($13.90) and Marmite Mid-Joint Wings ($8). Ooh those wings! Our whole table were enamoured with its moist tender flesh and distinctly savory-sweet marmite taste.

Desserts could be their weakest link as there isn't much offerings yet and the Chocolate Lava Cake ($6.90) we had was still a tad undercooked with a soft crust. With feedback comes improvement, I hope.

I like it that Saturday opens till late (11pm Sun-Mon, 12am Fri & Sat). Besides food, we can also enjoy coffee brewed with beans from a local supplier, a decent selection of white and red wine, as well as beer by Sapporo and Paulaner.

Despite the lack of social media presence (no website, minimum information on their Facebook page, this could possibly be the first blog review on them), Saturday does sees its constant stream of customers made up of the nearby residents and working crowd. It might not be the most suitable place for an impressive date, or might even be deemed a tad shabby for birthday celebrations, but Saturday certainly has its homey charm and delicious food to draw people in. Perhaps what it needs is a stronger identity to stand out as a café.

Saturday House
Address: 339 Upper Paya Lebar Road, Singapore 534953
Contact: +65 6280 0338
Opening Hours: Mon-Thu 11.30am-11pm / Fri & Sat 11.30am-12am / Sun 11am-11pm

Grand Mandarina (御华庭) is the kind of posh nosh place to go for a delectable meal of fine Chinese cuisine, to impress the people you need to impress, or just to earn bragging rights that you've tried their most indulgent dish: The signature prized Empurau Fish (忘不了鱼) which cost a whopping $888 per kg!

Situated along New Bridge Road (right next to EW16/NE3 Outram mrt station), Grand Mandarina is also one of the few independent Chinese restaurants in Singapore which caters to the mid and up-market diners, and does not belong to any F&B chain or hotel groups. It presents a menu of Cantonese cuisine, traditional in most parts yet injected with a modern flair. Think along the lines of Roasted Duck with Truffle Sauce, Fried Rice with Foie Gras, and you'll get the drift.

This sail in culinary direction suited me just fine, as I utterly enjoyed my dining experience at Grand Mandarina.

Even though I can only watch the Empurau Fish displaying its worth in the tank, nor wasn't in the frame of mind to splurge on a 12 or 18-head quality Abalone ($650 to $980 per person), the deliciously tummy warming Double-boiled Chicken Soup with Cordycep Flower ($9 per person) and sampler platter which allowed me to taste some of their finest appetizers already had me contented.

The lightly battered Deep-fried Soft Shell Crab ($18 per order) coated with chicken floss and curry leaves was a crowd pleaser with its non-greasy crispiness and brilliant combination of textures and flavors. Who cares about calories or cholesterol levels when the Deep-fried Prawn ($32 per order) was an amazeball of crunchy freshness accentuated with a zesty crème lemon sauce? Any self-restraint was unleashed as I savoured my one and only precious piece.

But the most impressive among the trio of appetizer platter was undoubtedly the Honey Glazed Barbecued Pork Loin ($15 per order). I like it that the honey-glazed pork was thickly sliced for a more satisfying mouthfeel, and its luscious meat yielded a most juicy melt-in-the-mouth tender bite. What sealed the deal was the thin layer of caramelized sugar that gave it a delicate crunch in addition to the smokey charred edges. The sweet savory taste suited my palate just nicely, certainly one of the best char siew renditions I had!

The Roasted Duck with Perigord Truffle ($28 per order) was another highlight. From the name of the dish, one would have known that this is not just any roasted duck, but one which is atas-ified with a sauce infused with valued black truffle from France. The sauce had a gentle characteristic (comparatively if truffle oil was used), but its flavors was nothing short of sublime supremacy, making the pieces of awesome duck more awesomerrific, the crispy skin more crispilicious. You know I really love you when I shared the coveted skin with you hehee.

Not all the dishes were hits though, but the misses were not that bad, just felt a bit pedestrian, such as the Steamed Silver Cod with Pink Ginger in Bonito Sauce ($22 per person). Even though premium Norwegian cod was used, and lightly cooked nicely to smooth flakiness, it lacked the wow factor to warrant any repeat order.

I was rather amused when the Tofu with Crab Meat & Egg White in Carrot Broth ($24 per order) came stacked like mahjong tiles on a pool of "yin-yang" carrot broth where its unfortunate half was being unnecessarily marred by green coloring. The generic tasting beancurd was redeemed by the pleasant slivers of crab meat with egg white, and surprise surprise, wok hei flavors!

If only the Stir-fried Crystal Vermicelli with Pork Collar in XO Chilli Sauce ($22 per order) had some wok hei aroma too or be bolder in its spicy flavors, otherwise the springy strands of translucent tapioca flour noodles would have been a more carb-worthy dish. But with those slices of fabulously succulent quality US pork, it was still an overall enjoyment.

It seems that nowadays, an order of the Steamed Custard Bun with Salted Egg Yolk ($4.80 for 3 pieces) is almost mandatory if it's on the dim sum menu, unless we're leaving space for regrets. The well-executed rendition at Grand Mandarina gratified my perpetual lust for it temporarily. I was made happy, and happier when lunch ended on a refreshing note with Green Apple Jelly with Lime Sorbet ($8).

Grand Mandarina (御华庭)
Address: 325 New Bridge Road, #01-00, Singapore 088760
Contact: +65 6222 3355
Website: http://grandmandarina.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrandMandarinaRestaurant
Opening Hours: Daily Lunch 11.30am-2.30pm & Dinner 6.30pm-10pm

Prices stated are subjected to 10% service charge and prevailing government taxes.

East Coast Park could possibly be Singapore's most popular coastal park, with barbecue pits, chalets, dining attractions, as well as amenities for sports activities drawing in families and friends looking for recreation and relaxation, especially on weekends. Now, let's add café hopping to the list!

The newly revamped section (next to carpark C1) serves this purpose well. Aptly named Parkland Green, it hosts a couple of food and beverage outlets, including Pick Me Up Café, St Marc Bakery & Bar, SandBank, Patro's Sports Bar & Restaurant, and Atmosphere Bistro.

We visited Atmosphere on an early Friday evening and was blessed with moments of pleasing greenery and sea view completed with lovely breezes, before a sudden heavy downpour started. I had expected the bistro to be half emptied considering the weather's inconvenience, but surprisingly the sprawling space was filled up with dinner crowd in no time. Guess the casual and laidback ambience of Atmosphere could be its strongest pull factor.

In keeping with its slogan "two atmosphere, one space", Atmosphere caters to families in the day with its bistro offerings and at night, it transforms into a bar at night catering to an older crowd with live screenings of sport matches.

Their extensive alcoholic drinks list would probably impress with its variety of cocktails, beers, spirits and liqueurs. Being a teetotaler, I quite enjoyed my few sips of the now-trending frozen beer slushies from Kirin Frozen Beer ($13 per pint) range which comes in sweet, fruity flavors such as mango, cranberry and lime, but my more serious beer-drinking friends thought it lacked the malt flavor a good beer should have.

As always, I'm more keen on seeing what Atmosphere has to offer in terms of food. The usual suspects of western perennial favorites showed up our iPad screen menu. Even though we ordered just one selection from each category of soup, appetizer, pizza, pasta, burger, main courses and platter delights, our table ended up with more food than imagined because the portions were quite hearty.

Bad for waistlines, but nibbles such as Truffles Fries ($8.80), Sesame Chicken Wings ($9.80) and Sausage Platter ($19.80) with char-grilled bratwurst, chipolata and sun-dried tomato sausages, were great for sharing over conversations with friends. Though their less than spectacular taste did not make our tastebuds swooned with delight, they fared a notch better in comparison to the bland Seafood Aglio Olio ($14.80) which needs a much heavier hand in seasoning.

We were recommended the baked Miso Salmon ($18.80) which was a welcoming healthy protein option but it could perhaps do with a shorter cooking time to retain a more succulent bite. Other signatures includes the enjoyable thinly-crusted Flaming Pizza ($22.80) topped with a medley of prawn, salami, capsicum and assorted mushroom, and Baby Back Ribs ($19.80) glazed with citrus BBQ sauce but the latter failed to deliver the expected fall-off-the-bones tenderness.

The Atmosphere Burger ($22.80) was the one item which drew astounded gasps from the table. Oh my goodness! So humongously stacked with pork, chicken and turkey patties between sesame charcoal buns, it left us wondering how should we even start attacking it. Quite a challenge. Try it if you dare, though I must give you a little cautioning that the burger looks more exciting than it taste.

Having the Molten Lava Cake ($11.80) with a cup of impossibly cute 3D latte art Café Latte ($5) to end dinner were good choices. Atmosphere Bistro may not have performed best in the culinary arena, but scored highly in terms of great seaside atmospheric dining. Promising as a place to chill out, all it needs is some improvement in food.

Atmosphere Bistro
Address: 920 East Coast Parkway #01-25/26/27, Singapore 449875
Contact: +65 6440 9705
Website: http://atmosphere-bistro.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atmospherebistro
Opening Hours: Mon-Thu 5pm-12am / Fri & Eve of PH 5pm-1am / Sat 11.30am-2am / Sun & PH 11.30am-1am (Closing time subject to changes due to LIVE sport screenings.)

I have a soft spot for young hawkers, not because they can cook (会煮饭的男人很帅!) or are usually affable people such as Douglas Ng of Fishball Story, but because I can totally understand the sacrificial efforts behind the food they serve. To most of us, food may be a tummy filler, but to these new generation of culinary heroes, it represents their dream and the passion they are living at this very moment.

(Read: Sentimental Sundays: Being A Hawker. I Know How It Feels Like. I Was Once A Young Singapore Hawker.)

In Douglas' case, he also has a fishball story to tell. The taste of his grandmother's handmade fishballs is one which accompanied him through the years. Adapting her recipe which is simple, the emphasis is on using the best of ingredients, freshness of the 100% pure yellowtail fish paste, and the no-flour-added texture which differentiates it from the generic commercially-made ones.

Keen to preserve and share this traditional food heritage, 23-years-young Douglas set up a stall at Golden Mile Food Centre selling fishball noodles.

The challenges he faces are not unlike the many which I've heard before: Rent and operational costs, locational disadvantages, tough working conditions, daily long hours with hardly any work-life balance. Passion aside, Douglas also has to be realistic about making enough money to sustain the business and keep his motivation going.

Still, his love for community service also sees him forgoing a day of profit and instead, doing his part for charity by participating in the recent Ultimate Hawker Fest.

Despite all the struggles, the young lad derives his satisfaction from seeing his customers enjoying his dish. "It gives me a tremendously 'shiok' feeling when customers are happy and tell me good things about my dish", he said.

After trying the fishball noodles at Fishball Story myself, it's not hard to understand why the customers are happy. The handmade fishballs are definitely above average, firm with a slight bouncy bite though our table thought it can do with a tad more seasoning to bring out the flavors better. We love the fishcakes slices which delighted us with its heavier taste, speckled with bits of chilli and scallions.

All these are freshly made daily by Douglas himself, who comes in at 5am each morning to start blending the fish paste and hand-pressing them into shape, before preparing the other ingredients like sambal chilli, lard and shallot oil.

We can choose to have just the Fishball Soup alone, or pair it with our preferred type of noodles and have it soup or dry, everything is priced at a very reasonable $3.50 across the board. While the Kway Teow Soup makes a light meal and is perfect when weather gets cooler, the Dry Mee Pok with Chilli is the one bowl you should really go for.

There's nothing to fault of the thin flat noodles which were perfectly cooked to a lovely al-dente texture. I would prefer the chilli to be spicier, but its robust hae bee (dried shrimps) flavor gave it an umami kick which was utterly addictive! Even with the fried pork lard and shallot oil added to further accentuate the flavors, there was none of the expected greasy or surfeit mouthfeel. The entire combination was delish!

A truly commendable effort by Douglas who deserves our support!

Fishball Story
Address: Golden Mile Food Centre, #01-85, 505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583
Contact: +65 9800 5036
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fishballstory
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm / Sat 9am-7pm / Sun 9am-3pm

Our eyes spaced into nostalgic mode whenever Jack's Place is mentioned. How many of you have grown up with this well-loved local restaurant synonymous with serving hearty steaks on sizzling hot plates at affordable prices in Singapore since 1968? Hands up!

While the popular steaks remain to be a mainstay on Jack's Place's menu, the offerings at its Great World City and The Grandstand has now went up a notch, with six new dishes featuring premium meat selection such as USA Brandt Steak cuts, as well as Kurobuta Pork.

So it was with this anticipation of discovering something new in something old that we visited Jack's Place's outlet at Great World City. Like a reunion of sorts, the carpeted flooring and checkered table tops were all so familiar. Bring those weird but strangely gratifying steak-with-spicy-sambal-sauce pairing back on yo!

It felt like I was transported back to those poor student days when dining at the casual establishment was considered a luxury, and only reserved for the more special occasions.

Of course, those poor students day are over and we do not have to wait for special occasions to dine at Jack's Place anymore. Its 16 restaurant locations across our shores ensures that there is always an outlet convenient to us no matter which part of the island we stay.

Prices has remained competitive for its signature items such as Cream Of Shiitake Mushroom ($4.90), Lobster Bisque ($5.90), Jack's Special Steak ($29.50) featuring the best centre-cut tenderloin topped with fresh asparagus & black mushroom sauce, and the Mixed Grill ($22.90) which is an all-in-one whopping combo of sausage, lamb chop, chicken fillet, beef steak, bacon & a sunny-side-up.

The premium selection was what we're going for and it is not unreasonable to fork out a little more moolah for the USA Brandt Ribeye ($36.80) and USA Brandt Striploin ($35.80).

I like the ribeye for its well-marbled tenderness and pleasing brown sauce pairing, while my dining companion prefer the striploin with Jack's special black pepper sauce for its thicker cut which yielded a more satisfying mouthfeel.

Black pig is getting to be extremely well-received on dining tables nowadays, so it came as no surprise that 3 out of the 6 new dishes were kurobuta pork-centric.

My favourite was the generous and succulent slab of Grilled Kurobuta Rack of Pork ($32) topped with caramelized onion brown sauce. Kurobuta Fillet of Loin ($21.80) with peppery glace and accompanied with roasted onions sounds promising, but we went for the deep-fried Kurobuta Pork Schnitzel ($18.80) instead for variety. Crusted with biscuit crumbs and deep-fried to golden crispiness, it would have been more enjoyable if the pork wasn't a tad to the dry side and too thinly-cut.

Chargrilled BBQ Baby Rack Ribs ($36), marinated in paprika spice and drizzled with pineapple BBQ sauce, would probably score points with fans of ribs. I want it to be more tender. I'm a fussy girl lol.

We decided to walk down memory lane all the way and ordered the very old-school Banana Split ($6.60). How many places still serve up this classic combination of fresh banana with vanilla, chocolate & strawberry ice cream topped with rich chocolate sauce & roasted almond nuts, as well as desserts such as Mango Jelly Delight ($5.90) with mango ice cream, jelly compote & whipped cream? And so dinner ended on a sweet nostalgic note.

Not a bad idea after to revisit Jack's Place afterall!

Jack's Place
Website: http://jacksplace.com.sg/

Outlets
Great World City
Address: #03-16, 1 Kim Seng Promenade, Singapore 237994
Contact: +65 6738 5868
Opening Hours: 11am-10.30pm

The Grandstand
Address: #01-29/30, 200 Turf Club Road, Singapore 287994
Contact: +65 6466 7933
Opening Hours: Daily 11am-10.30pm

Other Locations: Anchor Point, Ang Mo Kio, Bras Basah Complex, Bukit Panjang Plaza, Century Square, Compass Point, JEM, NEX, Orange Tee Building, Parkway Parade, SAFRA Jurong Club, The Grandstand, United Square, West Coast Recreation Center, Woodlands Civic Center

Staying afloat is this competitive café scene is not easy considering the sheer number of newbies popping up every other day. The newbies all want a slice of the pie, and the oldies have to ensure they remain afresh in customers' mind and encourage return visits, while stepping up efforts to attract new patrons. One way is achieve this is to entice with regularly revamped menus, and re-enforcing their presence by tapping on the influence of social media, just like what Backstage Café is doing.

Already in operations for over a year, Backstage Café falls into my "oldies" category (I define cafés which are opened for over 3 months as "old"), and I would probably have given the place a miss if not for their sincere repeated invitations. So glad we went afterall, as the food were decently good and I especially love its spacious interior completed with tall ceilings. Truly a space where we can relax and unwind, just like how performing artists take a breather backstage in between showtimes. By the way, that's the inspiration behind the café's name and concept, the building in which it is situated even houses a filming studio!

Being located within a rather secluded (so ulu!) industrial area at Kallang Way can mean inconvenience for a non-driver like me, but I can imagine how thankful the working crowd in the vicinity must be to have a nice air-conditioned café near them and enjoy 3-course Promotion Set Lunch/Dinner (main + soup + ice cream) starting from only $15nett & above. A very nice and affordable change from staff canteens or coffeeshops!

The usual cafe grub dominates the menu with popular brunch items like the Egg Omelette ($14) with mushroom, ham, bacon, onion and cheese and Backstage Benedict ($18), a hearty combination of poached egg on toast with salmon "rose", serrano ham and mesclun salad, as well as crowd-pleasing munchies such as Truffle Fries ($8) and Fried Chicken Wings ($8).

We also had the Seafood Marinara ($16) which satisfied with its well-cooked spaghetti and medley of prawns, mussels and fishes coated with an appetizing homemade tomato sauce infused with just a little white wine to further enhance the flavors. Not too bad at all for their pasta selection which also includes Prawn Aglio Olio ($15), Spaghetti Carbonara ($15) and Crab Meat Pasta ($16).

I was told that the Crispy Breaded Chicken ($16) layered with sauteed shiitake mushroom and melted trio cheese is a favorite at Backstage here and has remained consistently on the menu which changes every 2 to 3 months, but being a non-fan of breast meat, I went for what I thought was a more interesting choice: Duck Confit ($19) served unconventionally with white rice and spicy-sweet sambal chilli!

Marinated in Chinese herbs, the dish when enjoyed as an entirety reminded me of our roasted duck rice (I meant it in a good way!). The skin's thin crispiness was exceeding enjoyable, and I was surprised the duck meat still retained the desired succulence and tenderness. Certainly a far better execution than the renditions of most other cafés.

For desserts, their Chocolate Lava Cake with Berry Compote ($9), Waffle with Maple Syrup ($8, add $2.50 for a single scoop of chocolate/vanilla ice cream) and homemade Crumble Cheesecake ($6.80) did not disappoint. My Café Latte ($4.50) was brewed using beans which are darker roasted, as Backstage feels that its heavier taste and body suits their regular clientele better.

Overall, it was a good visit to Backstage Café. A very good choice if I wanna get away from the evening crowd or pretentiousness of some popular joints. Tip: Drive over (or get your friend to drive you) and get complimentary parking when you spend $20 & above.

Backstage Café
Address: 158 Kallang Way, #01-06 Performance Building, Singapore 349245
Contact: +65 6743 6893
Website: http://www.backstage-projects.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BackstagecafeSG
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-9pm / Closed on Sun

Just by the name "SELA" alone did not gave me any inkling that the restaurant serve modern European cuisine, but once I got to its premises at Seah Street (right across Raffles Hotel), I saw why it is named so. "Sela" means "rock" in Hebrew, and lovely white-painted stone walls are a prominent feature in both the interior and exterior of this cosy dining establishment. Minimalist-furnished in soothing tones of white and grey, with wooden furniture for added warmth, the intimate space is so elegantly beautiful!

The owners of SELA placed their faith on the solid Rock they stand, followed their passion and stepped out to start their first F&B venture. They roped in Chef Shahrom to helm the kitchen, who won first place in a cooking competition (Tutto Italiano in 2007) and went on a study trip to Italy, accumulating 7 years of cooking gourmet European cuisine behind his apron. His principle: Good European food does not necessarily have to come from a European chef.

I concur with this principle of Chef Shahrom after tasting a number of his European dishes, some classic, some creatively injected with an Asian flair, mostly delicious.

Though SELA's menu may not be very extensive, it showcases quite a good variety of main courses for lunch and dinner, as well as a selection of charcoal grilled tapas such as the Salmon Skewers ($13). It was prettily presented on a pink Himalayan sea salt plate, which is said to impart a delicate salt flavor to the food on which it is served. Nice touch, but the fish was a tad too dry for my liking.

Being a fan of both tomatoes and potatoes, I also ordered the wonderfully tangy Grilled Heirloom Tomatoes ($10) and Duck Fat Potatoes ($15). The latter could possibly be a dieter's nightmare, with carbs cooked in fats together with saltish chorizo, but it was ooh lah lah so yummy, no one at our table really cared about the calories. We polished off the tapas in its entirely, even those little slices of pickled jalapeno were not spared.

Grilled Asparagus ($16.50) with poached egg and parma ham was faultless and pleasing, though I thought it's a simple dish which does not require an extraordinary culinary talent to have it assembled in our own home kitchen.

Standout appetizers for me were the Carpaccio of Scallops ($19.50) in Thai fish sauce chilli dressing which delighted with its light refreshing taste, and the Miso Squid ($10) paired with sweet peas and salmon roe. I would prefer the squid to be a little less rubbery but its highly aromatic charred flavors more than made up for it. Not perfect, but each savory bite was nevertheless satisfying.

I love love love the Baby Bouchot Mussels ($26) and was initially surprised that SELA uses smaller mussels instead of the regular bigger and thus more visually-appealing ones, but soon realized it is not without good reason. The shellfish might be tiny, but its meat was fleshy and sweeter than the usual. What sealed the deal was the superbly delish white wine with blue cheese sauce it was cooked in, the croutons were a great addition to soak up every drip of savoriness.

The other mains which I tried were not particularly outstanding or special but decidedly well-executed in terms of texture and flavors. It's hard to go wrong with Baked Miso Chilean Seabass ($28) with its the melt-in-the-mouth creaminess, or Kurobuta Pork Cheek ($28) slow-braised to fork-tenderness. Herb-crusted Lamb Rack ($32) is a brilliant choice even if you're not a fan. There wasn't any overly gamey smell, and its meat boasted of a desired pinkish doneness and succulence. I was hooked.

Some restaurants placed an unbalanced focus on delivering their core menu well but neglected their dessert offerings, but I can safely say that this is not the case at SELA.

Far from being a secondary concern, Chef Shahrom demonstrated his innovative talent with his rendition of Lemon Cheese Tart ($14), Gula Melaka Crème Caramel ($12), Fig Sorbet ($10.50), Rice Beer Sabayon with Fresh Berries and Vanilla Ice Cream ($12). The most most most memorable was the Wasabi Ice Cream ($10.50). Anyone who tasted wasabi before would know how it stimulates the tongue and the kind of sensation it sends up the nostrils. Imagine enjoying it in ice cream form. Oh my goodness, it was freaking addictive!

My dining experience at SELA was a great one. With great ambience and good food that doesn't murder the wallet, this is a place I would recommend for a restful meal, or a not-too-extravagant romantic date.

If you're looking for ideas for the upcoming Christmas dinner, SELA do have seasonal specials on their menu, such as Turkey Breast Escalope with Plums & Feta Cheese. Wash it all down with some fermented grape juice from their extensive wine list, or some exclusive sake and Japanese craft beer. Happy feasting in this joyous season, everyone! :D

SELA Restaurant
Address: 32 Seah Street, Singapore 188388
Contact: +65 6337 6358
Website: http://www.restaurantsela.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/selarestaurant
Opening Hours: Mon -Sat 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30pm-11pm / Closed on Sun & Public Holidays

I was full of anticipation as my footsteps hurried me towards Summer Palace, Regent Hotel Singapore's award-winning Cantonese restaurant, for their Claypot Indulgence which features a sumptuous selection of 6 claypot rice specials. It's available only for a limited period from 22 Nov 2014 to 31 Jan 2015, so must hurry!

The most unforgettable claypot rice experience I had was at a streetside eatery in Hong Kong, where we scoffed down piping hot rice served in a sizzling claypot at our al fresco table amid the pleasantly chilly year-end weather. My experience at Summer Palace was just as memorable, all thanks to the yummilicious Crocodile Meat Claypot Rice, an adventurous creation by their Executive Chinese Chef Liu Ching Hai, a Hong Kong native.

Being asthmatic when young and having a mum who believes that crocodile meat can somehow alleviate the condition, dishes like herbal crocodile soup or stir-fried crocodile meat with ginger and scallions are not new to me, but I was very eager to try the Crocodile Meat Claypot Rice With Spicy XO Sauce which sounds so appealing.

Texture wise, the slivers of crocodile meat were tender and succulent, not unlike chicken thigh meat. I thought the rice grains were cooked more deliciously soft and moist than usual. Also noteworthy is Summer Palace's housemade XO sauce which brought a hint of addictive spiciness to the whole pot of crocodile meat, rice and shimeiji mushrooms goodness, tying each element beautifully together! This pot of comforting bliss suited my tastebuds exceedingly well!

If your palate is also open to the more unusual meat, Whole Frog with Sausage Claypot Rice would be another exotic creation to try. Yes, frog. The edible breed of course :p

Fans who prefer the traditional, fret not as Chef Liu serves up the perennial favourite Assorted Preserved Meats Claypot Rice (Lap Mei Fan) as well.

The quartet of waxed duck, preserved pork belly, air-dried Chinese pork and liver sausages are what I would call the "4 heavenly kings" of cured meat kingdom, the very epitome of sweet, savory, fatty, fragrant divineness.

All the wonderful flavors are infused into the rice which is simmered to smoky perfection with a beautifully burnt crust. This one-pot wonder just need a touch of soy sauce to enhance the overall taste. Lip-smacking good!

Other specials includes the luscious Preserved Pork Sausage with Sliced Abalone & Chicken Claypot Rice, the "pairing of 2 fishes"Salted Fish & Garoupa Fillet Claypot Rice, as well as a lighter tasting Lobster with Ginger & Onion Claypot Rice, which will certainly appeal to those who love the delicate sweetness of the fresh crustacean.

I'm not complaining that I've to wait 30 minutes before my claypot rice are served, because everyone should know that a good claypot rice needs the rice grain to be slow-cooked from scratch in the claypot together with the rest of the ingredients. This method of preparation traps all the moisture inside and the rice soaks up all the flavors of the ingredients intensely. Though comparatively more laborious, there's no shortcut to this, the superiority in standards is evident in the taste.

While waiting for our claypot rice to be ready, our hosts were wise to start us off with a bowl of clear yet flavorful Double-boiled Bamboo Piths Soup with Morel Mushrooms & Chinese Cabbage to warm up our tummies. Other dishes such as the crowd-pleasing Crispy Fish Skin with Salted Egg Yolk and Stewed Shimeiji Mushrooms with Truffle Sauce also made great accompaniment to our claypot rice meal.

Our lunch was indeed rather heavy, we were stuffed, but we couldn't say no to the Chilled Lemongrass Jelly with Aloe Vera in Lime Juice, ending our claypot indulgence on a refreshing note.

The Claypot Indulgence is available for a limited period from 22 Nov 2014 to 31 Jan 2015.

Flavored Assorted Preserved Meat Claypot Rice | $68++ for 2-4 pax
Preserved Pork Sausage with Sliced Abalone and Chicken Claypot Rice | $88++ for 2-4 pax
Lobster with Ginger and Onion Claypot Rice | $138++ for 2-4 pax
Crocodile Meat with Spicy XO Sauce Claypot Rice | $68++ for 2-4 pax
Whole Frog with Sausage Claypot Rice | $68++ for 2-4 pax
Salted Fish and Garoupa Fillet Claypot Rice | $68++ for 2-4 pax

Orders for the Assorted Preserved Meats Claypot Rice must be placed at least one day prior to reservation date.

Summer Palace
Address: Level 3, Regent Hotel, 1 Cuscaden Road, Singapore 249715
Contact: +65 6725 3288
Website: http://www.regenthotels.com/EN/Singapore/Cuisine/Summer-Palace
Facebook:
Opening Hours: Lunch 12pm-2.30pm (Mon-Sat), 11.30am-2.30pm (Sun) / Dinner 6.30pm-10.30pm (Daily)

Prices are subject to 10% service charge and applicable government taxes.

PinkyPiggu loves Decembers! Always a joyous month when we celebrate the greatest love that came down from heavens and the love around us, with our loved ones. So much love? Yes, yes, yes, lol!!! Add one more to that: Harry's Festive Celebration Meal for 4 at their newest outlet at Cuppage Terrace which is conveniently located in Orchard Road (next to Centrepoint).

Since it's the season of giving, Harry's Bar is giving PinkyPiggu's readers a chance to enjoy this feast (worth $250) for free! Read on for details on the Giveaway!

Harry's Festive Celebration Meal for 4 features the following menu:

Festive Platter: Harry's Wingmen, Crusty Crab Cakes, Crackin' Ribs, and Love Me Tandoor
Big Plates: Harry's Jazz Burger, Harry's Beer Battered Fish & Chips, Prawn Star Pasta, and Moroccan Chicken
Sticky Date Toffee Pudding
Christmas Snowball Cocktail
Limited Edition Beer Popsicles made with Harry's Premium Lager

Woohoo, what a sumptuous spread of Harry's famed specialties and yuletide creations! I would say portions are generous enough for 4 people to share, as my friends and I were totally stuffed at the end of our meal. Yes, we had all the food you see in the pictures here, which made great accompaniment to our evening of mirth and delightful conversation!

A first for me would have to be these Harry's Beer Popsicles! Available exclusively at the Cuppage outlet, the 3 popsicle flavors are all made with Harry's Premium Lager (HPL): I especially like the Pure HPL Beer Popsicle for its clear refreshing taste, Mango HPL with Strawberry and Lychee HPL with Raspberry are nice for those who prefer something fruity and a little bit sweeter.

Who said beer is just for drinking?

Thanks to Harry's, PinkyPiggu is giving ONE blessed reader 1x Harry's Festive Meal for 4 (worth $250), at their newest outlet at Cuppage.

To join this GIVEAWAY, all you have to do is:

Step 1 - LIKEPinkyPiggu's Facebook page.
Step 2 - SHARE this post on your facebook page.
Step 3 - COMMENT below which dish you would like to try most.

Do note that:
- All the 3 steps have to be fulfilled to be eligible for the giveaway.
- Open to all readers residing in Singapore.
- Giveaway ends on Wed 17 Dec 2014, 2359hrs Singapore time.
- One blessed reader will be picked by a random winner generator and name will be announced on Facebook/Instagram on Thu 18 Dec 2014.
- Harry's Festive Meal's redemption period is till Sun 4 Jan 2015.

I'd be running this giveaway on PinkyPiggu's Facebook and Instagram too, so join join join to increase your chance at winning! You and your friends might very well be the ones to enjoy the festive meal.

Harry's Bar @ Cuppage Terrace
Address: 17/19 Cuppage Road, Singapore 229450
Contact: +65 6836 0706
Website: http://harrys.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harrysbar.sg
Opening Hours: Mon-Thu 4pm-1am / Fri & PH Eve 4pm-2am / Sat 12pm-2am / Sun 12pm-1am

"Let's go for dinner at The Clan", so I was brought to this cozy dining establishment one evening. Apparently, The Clan Restaurant was chosen because it's somewhere which I've not been to before, and my dear thought I would like the place. He couldn't be more right. Elegant ambience, delectable food, excellent service, our lovely dinner marked a very memorable start to another blissful season in life.

The Clan Restaurant is nestled in a hundred over years old building within the conservation area of Bukit Pasoh (Chinatown), with nearby The Lokal and Majestic Restaurant as its neighbours. I guess its name has got to do with the The Gan Clan Association that is also located in the same premises.

Spanning two levels, the restaurant houses an open-concept kitchen on the first which brought forth a sense of bustling warmness, while the upper room where we were ushered to was decidedly more serene and intimate.

Tip: If you're planning to have a romantic dinner here, a table on the second level would be comparatively more ideal, unless the restaurant is hosting big groups that evening. It's always good to ask beforehand when making your reservation.

The Clan's cuisine is described as "Modern European with Asian Touches", featuring a combination of chef's starter, cold dish, side dish, soup, main and dessert to be enjoyed as a set meal. The concept is such that several options are available for each course, so we get to chose what we fancy.

If your dining companion is one who doesn't mind sharing food, my advice is to order different items like what we did. One price, double the experience. Moreover, 一人一半, 感情不散 lol! Definitely not advisable for business meals though, and please don't start raining dining etiquette rules onto me. Just relax and enjoy.

A 5-course Lunch goes for $49.80++, and 6-course Dinner is at $69.80++.

Very worth our moolahs and calories I would say, considering both the quantity and quality of food that was served up.

We were started off with a glass of Lemon Sorbet each, which refreshed our palates for the meal that followed.

Next up, Chef's Starter. Most places would called it amuse bouche which is more often than not, a petite one-pop-in-the-mouth wonderment, so I was quite surprised when presented with a platter of Seared Scallop with Truffle Foam, Foie Gras Chawanmushi and Prawn Sushi.

The trio were all delicious, but our unanimous favourite was the scallop. Freshness and succulence in each bite with just a subtle scent of truffle to enhance the flavor. Uber nice!

None of the cold dishes such as Beef Carpaccio or Foie Gras Terrine appealed to us unfortunately, so we decided to forgo it and had 4 side dishes (instead of the usual 2). Glad that The Clan is flexible in allowing its patrons to do so.

The taste and contrasting textures of the Herb-crusted Mushroom Escargot was pleasing, Tempura Espuma Soft Crab was crispy and well-complemented with a zesty Homemade Citrus Sauce, Potato Gratin and Marinated Crabmeat with Aged Balsamico & Pumpkin Sauce wasn't too bad and Kurobuta Pork Belly Confit with Pork Cracker & Passionfruit Sauce satisfied the pork lover in us.

We enjoyed these side dishes, as well as the creamy Cepe Mushroom Soup with Truffle Paste, a tad more than the mains. Not that the mains were no good, but it did not wow spectacularly in terms of flavours. Compared to the somewhat exquisite flair displayed earlier, the mains seemed to come across as more traditional in rendition. Perhaps it need a dope of innovative excitement.

The Prime Beef Short Ribs was still too rare for our liking despite leaving it for some time to cook on the sizzling lava stone, and the hoba leaf on which it rested imparted a strong fragrance which overpowered any beefy flavors the meat might have. The dish did not resonate with us and we couldn't go beyond a slice each.

We decided to leave the beef aside (sorry chef if I broke your heart, I do have friends who tried this dish and liked it, so it's just us), but our server was quick to notice the desertion, asked for our feedback and immediately offered us a replacement dish. I thought it was very decisive of her, all F&B staff should be empowered this way.

The Duck Confit was a great substitute with its crispy skin and tender meat, the sweetness of plum mustard sauce paired it brilliantly, and the accompanying truffle mashed potato was faultless to taste. BBQ Iberico Pork Ribs dressed with sautéed fresh vegetables and cinnamon pumpkin puree was a choice we knew we had to make the moment we saw it on the menu, and it didn't disappointed with its savoury-sweet tenderness.

All too soon it was time for dessert with a wobbly smooth Green Tea Panna Cotta with mixed berry compote, as well as some light fluffy Homemade Cheesecake, concluding the exceedingly pleasant and substantial meal on a sweet note.

The affordability of a quality meal at Clan Restaurant probably explains its popularity. Reservations are encouraged.

The Clan Restaurant
Address: 18/20 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089832
Contact: +65 6222 2084
Website: http://www.theclanrestaurant.com.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Clan-Restaurant/814798585225666
Opening Hours: Lunch 11.30am-2.30pm / Dinner 6pm-11pm

A typical Bak Kut Teh (pork ribs soup) meal would not seem complete without a good pot of tea by its side, in fact bak kut teh is literally translated into Mandarin as "meat, bone, tea", which just shows how important tea is to the overall bak kut teh eating experience. Admittedly, I just eat and drink, without thinking much into this pairing, nor the type of tea leaves used, until I met Kenry Peh over lunch at Goldleaf New Taiwan Porridge Restaurant.

Kenry came across as very soft spoken and humble, little did I realized that this is the man holding forth a family business established since 1925. He is the 4th generation owner of Pek Sin Choon, one of the oldest tea merchants in Singapore. Pek Sin Choon supplies tea leaves to 80% of the local bak kut teh restaurants and stalls! Now I know where those packets of "Unknown Fragrance 不知香" tea accompanying my bak kut teh meal comes from, and actually made an attempt at hand-packaging it!

It was only recently during our meal at Lau Ah Tee Bak Kut Teh that we finally made plans to visit Pek Sin Choon at Mosque Street near Chinatown. Stepping in, the small shop house unit breathes of a very nostalgic feel and I seemed to be transported to a dimension where time has stood still.

Almost every corner are filled to the brim with packs of tea leaves, except the necessary walkways and the little nook where Kenry holds his tea appreciation sessions. Pek Sin Choon currently carry almost 100 of special in-house blends, all meticulously paired using different types and grades of both old and new tea leaves. The unique fragrance of each blend is found only at Pek Sin Choon.

It would be imperative to try at least a pot of tea during the visit, and I couldn't be more honored to have Kenry himself showing me the art of Gongfu Tea “工夫茶”. Gongfu tea relates to the art of brewing tea with skill and patience. Putting in effort and dedication for constant practices makes the mastery of this art form perfect in time to come.

I do not profess to be any tea expert after the Gongfu tea session, but the sheer variety of tea available and the different optimal temperature and timing that's needed to bring out each of their best properties, certainly intrigued me and piqued my interest in Chinese tea by another notch.

What also impressed me was the wealth of tea knowledge that Kenry possessed, accumulated since young from his tenure as an apprentice, learning and picking up the ropes without any preferential treatment, just like anyone else. Now as the head of the family business, the respect he commands are truly deserving.

There are traditions which Kenry continues to uphold, including the way tea packaging are still done manually by hand, such as this popular "Unknown Fragrance 不知香" tea. It is actually a premium blend of Wuyi Oolong and Anxi tea, specially created by Kenry's grandfather to accentuate the bak kut teh eating experience. The tea is strong enough to effectively cut through any greasiness associated with the fattiness of the pork rib soup, leaving the palate refresh with a bittersweet aftertaste.

If you don't know where the fragrance comes from, now you know :p

How tea and food complement each other is very much akin to wine and food pairing in the western society. I as a layperson, would spare myself of the attempt to venture further into this topic for now.

What I've since learn is that the heritage of tea-drinking has a much deeper meaning: It's about connecting people, just like how we had connected over a bak kut teh meal with a pot of tea by the side.

Special thanks to Kenry, for this special lesson in life :)

If you're unable to view the embedded version, please follow this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKsaqxwCXuc

Pek Sin Choon 白新春茶庄
Address: 36 Mosque Street, Singapore 059514
Contact: +65 6323 3005
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PSC1925

If you ask me, "Where do I find the BEST Lobster Roll in Singapore?", it's a difficult question for me to answer because I do not profess to have eaten all the renditions available to give a fair verdict of any kind. But I will tell you without hesitation that The Naked Finn serves such an awesomerrific lobster roll, it was the most memorable I've ever eaten to date.

The Naked Finn is not as kinky than it sounds, so don't ~~be disappointed~~ worry, you wouldn't get your lobster roll served on a bared torso. It really represents the casual joint's minimalist approach to the preparation of their food, where less is more, where more is no good. The menu is kept concise, with a focus on quality seafood just lightly seasoned and grilled for a more unadulterated taste.

Even the small standalone "shack" The Naked Finn is housed in is pared down to match their "simplicity is good" philosophy. The clear plastic-like panels held by black metal poles exposed us to the lush greenary of Gillman Barracks (near Telok Blangah Hills), a bit of the city skyline, and unfortunately the merciless UV rays of the afternoon sun as well. Still, I like the relaxing, makeshift feel to it. If only it's located next to the beach with ~~beach hunks~~ an oceanic view instead.

Dinner Set is available at $168 (for 2 pax) and $368 (for 4 pax) on top of the ala-carte offerings ($8 to $85).

We were there specially for Lunch, which features items not included in the dinner menu, and that includes the Lobster Roll ($29) and Hae Mee Tng ($25). Ouch, the wallet hurts! It's kinda pricey for sandwich and prawn noodle soup, but these dishes brought me intense gustatory gratification, so still okay lah.

Love love love the warm Connecticut-style Lobster Roll ($29), from all its 900g chunks of exceeding fresh and succulent Maine lobster meat, to the soft, pillowy bun it was sandwiched between. The bun, supplied by an old-school bakery, is first buttered before being toasted to bring out the aroma. Homemade mayonnaise is then applied directly onto the bun, getting it ready to give the lobster a creamy hug. Bites of happiness were delivered into our mouths. To say the entire combination is sublime makes it an understatement.

Broth of Hae Mee Tng ($25) is prepared using wild-caught spot prawn from Alaska, dried sakura shrimp and simmered in pork stock for 7 hours without any sugar and MSG. The resulting soup was surprising light in body, yet robusting with a highly pronounced crustacean flavor.

Crunchy whole prawns, tender Kurobuta pork belly and "soft like mee sua" Japanese somen almost completed this "angmoh" fancified version of prawn noodles soup, but wait, it also came with a condiment of Iberico pork lard in olive oil! This is completely in a league of its own, and would be extremely unfair to compare it to what you can get for a fraction of its price at hawker centres. The hae mee tng is a very slurpilicious treat worth splurging on.

The Secreto Ibérico Pork ($18), paired with invigorating chilled vermicelli, uses the "armpit" part (不见天) of the pig located between the shoulder and belly, an area where "the meat does not see daylight", hence the name. It was grilled to tenderness, yet retaining a delightful bouncy bite, and just needed a light drizzle of red wine thyme juice to enhance its flavor. Very yummy!

I wondered if the inclusion of Fish & Chips ($25) came as an afterthought to provide a ~~safe and boring~~ familiar choice to please the masses. To be fair, the vodka, beer and honey battered lingcod fillet wasn't that bad, sufficiently crispy but perhaps needs a heavier hand in seasoning. For sides, we enjoyed the wonderfully smoky Grilled Baby Indian Squid ($8) in sea salt and olive oil.

The Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream with Guinness Draught ($20) packed an exceedingly strong alcoholic punch, and is unduly overpriced for a dessert which can be easily assembled together in our own kitchen if not for its homemade ice cream. Chendol ($13) with refreshing coconut sorbet, pandan jelly and subtle sweetness of gula melaka (palm sugar) was a much better choice in any sense.

Service was efficient and friendly, with a pretty female staff who was knowledgeable about the food served. She was able to answer all our questions in details!

Would I come to The Naked Finn for their dinner which is comparatively more ~~exorbitant~~ costly than lunch? Maybe.

Would I be back to experience the scrumptious lobster roll and hae mee tng during lunch all over again? Definitely yes!

The Naked Finn
Address: 41 Malan Road, Gillman Barracks, Singapore 109454
Contact: +65 6694 0807
Website: http://www.nakedfinn.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TNF.Singapore
Opening Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 12pm-2pm / Brunch Sat 12pm-3pm / Dinner Mon-Thu 6pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 6pm-8pm (1st seating) & 8.15pm-10.15pm (2nd seating) / Closed on Sun

Yet another renowned Japanese brand ventured its way into Singapore recently ~ Asanoya Bakery! The collaboration with Tan Chong Motors (yes, you read it right, it's the same company which sells Nissan vehicles) marked the popular bakery-chain's first-ever outlet outside of Japan since its establishment in 1933.

While Henri Charpentier is the place to go for chi-chi afternoon tea sessions with lovely cakes and desserts, Asanoya Bakery is where you should be at for some serious gourmet breads and pastries.

I was a bit taken aback as I stepped into Asanoya's premises situated on the ground level of Wilby Central Building at Queen Street. It's unexpectedly spacious for a bakery, housing a long counter of enticing baked treats, a retail section where we can pick up some exclusive spreads and dips, as well as a commodious dine-in area.

The choice of location might not be the most conventional, but I guess one of the pros would be the luxury of space. Cons? Well, the full height glass panels are kind of wasted on the less than desirous concrete buildings views. Which brought us to really focus on what what Asanoya specialized in: Freshly-made breads using quality ingredients from Japan, with no added preservatives.

The variety of bread available can be a tad over-whelming for the indecisive ones, so perhaps it's a good idea to start with Fruit Rye, Asanoya's flagship product for over 20 years, and other signature items such as the Karuizawa Blueberry Bread ($2.60/100g), a crusty loaf with fluffy inner swirling with blueberry bits and fragrance, and Tea Bread ($4.20) which is highly raved for its soft, chewy sweetened milk dough infused with alluring scent of earl grey tea.

I'd chosen the Blueberry Danish ($3.20) simply because it looked visually appealing haha. Thankfully, the pastry with its crisp, flaky base topped with fresh blueberries and sour cream, was just as delicious to match.

The carb-on-carb Potato French ($3.20) featuring a whole potato encased in French Bread with butter and mayonnaise did not impress as much with its overall flat taste and texture.

My personal favourite was undoubtedly the Sweet Red Bean Donut ($2.80). Looking deceptively unassuming, but a cut into the sugar-coated dough revealed an inner generously filled with paste made from Hokkaido red beans. Not too sweet and ooh so yummy! It was immediately likable from the first till last bite.

The most dramatic moment of the afternoon came when we cut into the Chocolate Lava Cube ($4.50 / $8.50 with a scoop of Haagen-Dazs ice cream). True to what its name implied, the square bread burst with oozing chocolate, much like a molten cake. Have it with caution though, especially if you're eating this on the go. It could get rather messy with possible spills.

Besides the bread-centric offerings, Asanoya also serves Hot Soup, Sandwiches, Salads, as well as Barista Coffee, Artisanal Teas, Cold-pressed Juices, and even House Wine and Asahi Beer to wash it all down, making it a one-stop bakery not just for bread lovers, but you who are looking for a light meal too.

Asanoya Bakery Singapore
Address: 15 Queen Street, #01-03 Wilby Central Building, Singapore 188537
Contact: +65 6703 8703
Website: http://www.asanoya.asia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asanoyabakery
Opening Hours: Mon-Thu 10am-8pm / Fri 10am-10pm / Sat 8am-10pm / Sun 8am-8pm

2014 ~ Another year of food, glorious food! I don't understand myself sometimes, why this self-torture of continuing to make personal lists to conclude the year. Haha it's so difficult to narrow down with such abundance of delicious meals! But I guess it serves as a remembrance to the calories that went to the waist but not wasted, the sincerity and soul that the chefs poured into the dishes served, and the wonderful company of my dining companions.

So here it is, PinkyPiggu's Best 10 Dining Experiences of 2014! Listed not in preference but in alphabetical order, and includes both established restaurants and new eateries which opened this year. I have to list down my Top 5 Favorite Treats of 2014 too, little indulgences which I would return again and again for :)

(Also read: Best 10 Dining Experiences of 2013& Best 5 Unforgettable Meals of 2012)

On the blogging front, I'm thankful to be in the finals for Singapore Blog Awards, Best Food Blog for the first time this year (after Best Cooking Blog nomination in 2013). PinkyPiggu's YouTube channel is also launched on the blog's 2nd anniversary in September to showcase some of the gastronomic adventures. What can be expected are many more collaborations with restaurants, chefs, and fellow bloggers.

To an even greater year of deliciousness ahead. Happy 2015, everyone! Cheers!

Top 5 Favorites Treats of 2014

Cake ~ Fromage Melon @ Kki
Dessert ~ Matcha Lava Cake @ Babette
Dim Sum ~ Legendary Baked Salted Egg Yolk Bun @ Mouth Restaurant
Ice Cream ~ Mango Sticky Rice Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream @ Ice Queen
Pastry ~ Choux Crème @ Pantler

Chotto Matte

Chotto Matte is the place for great sushi and Japanese-inspired food! The generously-cut slices of shiro maguro, shima aji and hirame paired with petite dollops of sushi rice were so naturally sweet and meltingly tender, I astounded myself at how much I relished them. Till now, the Wagyu Foagura Fried Rice remained exceedingly unforgettable: Delicious grains of garlicky eggy rice with bursts of beefy goodness and duck liver's fatty creaminess. We experienced bliss in a bowl. Read about it at http://www.pinkypiggu.com/2014/10/chotto-matte-singapore-blair-road.html

GastroSmiths Bistro & Bakery

One of the best new openings this year! GastroSmiths aspires to bring us globally-inspired comfort food, their Atlantic Cod Fried Misua and Hokubee Ribeye Don were certainly comforting in a familiar yet lurking with surprises kind of way. We couldn't resist those Sea Salt Fries too, perfectly hot and crispy delight with truffle oil and parmesan cheese. Awesome! Read about it at http://www.pinkypiggu.com/2014/09/gastrosmiths-bistro-bakery-tan-quee-lan.html

Moosehead Kitchen & Bar

Pulsating with edgy vibes and delicious food! Moosehead is one of the BEST places I've been to this year where I LOVE EVERY DISH that was served to us. The cuisine is most suitably described as having a global edge, free-style with a core Mediterranean flavor and influences from around the world. Must-tries include Bacon-wrapped Chargrilled Dates, Crispy Spiced Pig's Ears, Grilled Octopus and many more! Read about it at http://www.pinkypiggu.com/2014/08/moosehead-kitchen-bar-telok-ayer-street.html

Salt Grill & Sky Bar by Luke Mangan

Dining with a view is always pleasing, even more especially so when we're talking about the spectacular city scenery offered by Salt Grill & Sky Bar, which is perched up high on level 55 in the bustling ION Orchard mall. Opened by renowned Celebrity Chef Luke Mangan, our lunch experience at his restaurant was nothing short of what one would expect from a swanky fine-dining establishment - Quality food, impeccable service and excellent atmosphere. Read about it at http://www.pinkypiggu.com/2014/06/salt-grill-sky-bar-by-luke-mangan-ion.html

Saveur Art

How Great Thou Art! After Saveur and Concetto, hawker-guys turned restauranteurs Joshua Khoo and Dylan Ong are now wooing us with their latest dining concept, Saveur Art! My heart was effortlessly won over by their repertoire of French-inspired cuisine. How can I not be, when the food was visually beautiful and taste delicious, with prices that are easy on the wallet? One of the dishes was so mind-blowing good, my dining companion teared. Read about it at http://www.pinkypiggu.com/2014/11/saveur-art-ion-orchard-how-great-thou.html

Sawadee Thai Cuisine

Thai restaurants are aplenty in Singapore, but Sawadee Thai impressed me with some unique dishes which are seldom found locally such as Betel Leaf Wrap and Otah unusually served in traditional clay plate. Perennial favorites like Duck Curry, Olive Rice and Mango Sticky Rice were superbly executed and left us salivating for more. Read about it at http://www.pinkypiggu.com/2014/06/sawadee-thai-cuisine.html

Suju Japanese Restaurant

Highly recommended for fantastic lunch sets! Suju uses their in-house miso, vinegar and soy sauce which gives a umami taste to their food that can't be found at other places. Most of the ingredients used are also sourced locally from Nagano, and I dare say their fine quality is easily distinguishable even to the most undiscerning tastebuds. Even the white rice is a noteworthy mention. Specially cooked in handmade copper pots, it was practically glistening like mini pearls in the bowl. Eat already have 幸福的感觉!!! 最高の幸せ!!! (feelings of bliss and happiness). Read about it at http://www.pinkypiggu.com/2014/05/suju-japanese-restaurant-mandarin.html

The Clan Restaurant

Elegant ambience, delectable food, excellent service! The Clan's cuisine is described as "Modern European with Asian Touches", featuring a combination of chef's starter, cold dish, side dish, soup, main and dessert to be enjoyed as a set meal. The concept is such that several options are available for each course, so we get to chose what we fancy. Very worth our moolahs and calories I would say, considering both the quantity and quality of food that was served up. Read about it at http://www.pinkypiggu.com/2014/12/the-clan-restaurant-bukit-pasoh-elegant.html

The Naked Finn

The Naked Finn serves such an awesomerrific lobster roll, it was the most memorable I've ever eaten to date. Served warm in Connecticut-style, featuring 900g chunks of exceeding fresh and succulent Maine lobster meat sandwiched between soft, pillowy buttered-toasted bun. Go go go for their slurpilicious Hae Mee Tng (prawn noodles soup) too, which is completely in a league of its own. Read about it at http://www.pinkypiggu.com/2014/12/the-naked-finn-gillman-barracks-go-go.html

Two Wings

One of the BEST CHICKEN WINGS I've ever tasted in Singapore! The first thing you'd noticed is the wings' beautiful golden brown exterior and nary any trace of oil can be seen on the wooden serving board. Next comes the exciting part! A bite into the wings rewarded my mouth with hot crackling crispy skin, before filling it with fleshy, succulent meat. It was certainly well-marinated, but not over powering the natural taste of chicken. The best part was, the wings did not taste greasy at all. I just ate and ate with minimum feelings of calories guilt hehee. Super amazing, I must say! Already lost count of the number of times I visited the stall for repeated indulgences. Read about it at http://www.pinkypiggu.com/2014/06/two-wings-bukit-merah-one-of-best.html

Situated just a few units away from SELA is Tess Bar & Kitchen, a gastropub which seems to be rather under the radar even among my foodie friends, despite that it has already been in operations for a couple of months.

Who's Tess? Where's Tess? Find TESS at Thirty-Eight Seah Street :p

The convenience of its location (opposite Raffles Hotel), plus the lure of having ice cream at the nearby Rabbit Owl Depot as part two of our evening plans made my friends and I decide on Tess as the meeting place to begin with some light dinner and drinks. It turned out to be a very delightful choice! :D

Tess describes itself as having a drink-centric but food-centred concept with a focus on a modern interpretation of cocktails and food. The credentials of the men behind its bar and kitchen are impressive to match. Steve Leong is an award-winning bartender, while head chef Martin Wong is an alumni of L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (another restaurant on my wishlist!).

My friends and I are not much of drinkers unfortunately, sticking to safe glasses of "fermented grape juice", and gave the cocktail offerings a miss. On hindsight, we should be more adventurous and ask for their signature fruity tequila-based Berry Berry Nice, quirky Bak Kut Teh cocktail (BKT!!!), or be surprised by a bespoke concoction. Okay, next time!

What holds in greater appeal to ~~gluttonous me~~ us was no doubt the food, which thankfully did not fall into the conventional bar grub category. The modern European fare with Asian influences is very well thought-out with varied options and serving portions, making it most ideal for sharing among both intimate gatherings or larger groups.

The menu features a combination of "small plates" tapas-style dishes, charcuterie, vegan selection, cheese platters, and heavier "medium plates" like Tess Wagyu Cubes & Bone Marrow ($28), Mushroom Risotto ($22), as well as "large plates" of Angus Prime Rib (1.2kg, $145) and Baeckeoffe ($98), a traditional French stew of lamb, pork, beef with vegetables and white wine served in a cast iron pot.

Our group of 3 decided to go light with just an order of a few small plate items, but it all added up quite substantially. The pieces of Crispy Pork Belly ($10) were adequately tender with a nice crackling, equally addictive were the Triple Truffle Frites ($10) which came whiffing with the subtle scent of truffle oil embracing a trio of deep-fried Yukon, Idaho and sweet potatoes chunks. I love sausages but the Homemade Irish Pork Sausages ($9) did not resonate with me as I prefer a firmer and bouncier bite.

The seafood choices were delectably good: Sea Bass ($12) was simply seared and paired with momotaro tomatoes and arugula. Tiger Prawns ($15.80) in herb garlic butter were fresh and burst with juiciness. The Sautéed Clams ($9) cooked in white wine, fennel, garlic and chilli was something which all of us totally relished in and would certainly order again. Its taste was full bodied albeit a tad saltish, but that's what made it a perfect accompaniment to our drinks too.

Pricing is overall easy on the wallet, service was friendly and efficient, food was more hits than miss and considering the quality rendered, there is really no valid reason for any complaints. In fact, we were all so comfortable at our table in the dimly-lit lounge area that I would have chosen to chill there all night at Tess if not for prior plans.

Tess, oh yes your dark, chic, minimalist space is quite a stunner too, and not at all pretentious. I like you!

Tess Bar & Kitchen
Address: 38 Seah Street, Singapore 188394
Contact: +65 6337 7355
Website: http://www.tessbar.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tessbar
Opening Hours: Mon-Thu 11.30am-1am / Fri 11.30am-2am / Sat 4.30pm-2am / Closed on Sun

Christmas! We decided to stay at home and cooked up a sumptuous 5-course dinner! It's easy to cook a simple meal for ourselves, but when having guests over, admittedly it can get a bit stressful lol. So we decided to keep to some real easy recipes with minimum preparation time such as:-

Mesclun Salad
Avocado & Tomato Bruschetta
Pan-seared US Angus Ribeye & Kurobuta Pork Collar served with Sautéed Vegetables
Truffle Mushroom Fettucine
Yogurt Parfait

I wouldn't praise myself to have executed all the dishes to 100% perfection, but it's still edible lah lol! As with all things, constant practices will certainly see improvements. Here's sharing the recipes with you. Let's get cooking!

MESCLUN SALAD

I love vegetables so having some greens is always welcome. It's easy to put together a basic dressing like balsamic vinaigrette, but bottled ones for convenience is fine as well.

Ingredients

1 pack Mesclun
1 small pack Mixed Nuts
1 small pack Mixed Dried Fruits
Cherry Tomatoes
Balsamic Vinaigrette (3 parts Extra Virgin Oil + 1 part Balsamic Vinegar + Salt & Pepper, combine well)

Method

Place mesclun in bowl, top with rest of the ingredients.
Drizzle desired amount of dressing over the salad. Serve chilled.

AVOCADO & TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

This is one of my favourite bruschetta variants, very refreshing in taste plus all the healthy benefits of avocados and cherry tomatoes! Sometimes I'm lazy and will skip the step of toasting the bread, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you're hard-press for time. Just a light toasting will up the aromatic and crisp factor so much more.

Ingredients

1 loaf Baguette (sliced)
2 Avocado (mashed)
1 pack Cherry Tomato (diced)
Parsley (chopped)
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Oil
Salt & Pepper

Method

Lightly toast the baguette slices.
Mix the avocado with lemon juice.
Mix the tomato with extra virgin oil, balsamic vinegar, season with salt & pepper.
Spread avocado over the baguette, topped with tomato and serve.

PAN-SEARED US ANGUS RIBEYE & KUROBUTA PORK COLLAR served with SAUTÉED VEGETABLES

It's actually not that difficult to prepare a steak meal at home, and I've been wanting to cook it since The Hungry Cow showed me how fuss-free it can be. Don't let all the aromatic oil left from searing the steak go to waste, sauté some vegetables with it!

Ingredients

US Angus Ribeye
Kurobuta Pork Collar
Brussels Sprout
Baby Carrot
Baby Potato
Salted Butter
Salt & Pepper

Method

Parboil brussels sprout (5 mins), carrot & potato (15 mins) in boiling water till soften, drain and set aside.
Season ribeye liberally with salt & pepper just before searing.
Heat oil in pan till smoking, add a knob of butter, followed immediately by ribeye.
Sear for 1 min, turnover and sear for 1 min (medium rare). Adjust timing accordingly to thickness of meat and your preferred doneness.
Remove from pan and rest steak for 5 minutes.
Repeat steps 2-5 for pork collar.
When meat are done, add parboil vegetables to same pan and sauté.
Add butter, season with salt and pepper.
Serve the steak and pork with sautéed vegetables.

TRUFFLE MUSHROOM FETTUCCINE

We were hungry and greedily cooked a whole pack of fettuccine which turned out to be too much for four of us since we have other dishes lol. The method of preparation is the same, so if you're cooking for fewer persons, just lessen the amount of ingredients and adjust it to your personal liking.

Ingredients

1 pack Fettuccine
1 pack Mixed Mushroom/Portobello (sliced)
10 cloves Fresh Garlic (finely chopped)
1 small packet Beef Stock (using only 300ml)
Parsley (chopped)
Truffle Oil
Salted Butter
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

Method

Add salt and oil to a large pot of boiling water, cook fettuccine for about 8 minutes till al dente. Drain, set aside.
Heat pan with olive oil, add garlic and saute till brown.
Add mushrooms and cook till soften.
Add beef stock and simmer till reduced to desired thickness.
Add in pasta, tossed well.
Fold in desired amount of butter, season with salt & pepper, add parsley.
Remove from heat, drizzle with truffle oil before serving.

YOGURT PARFAIT

Parfait are easy to prepare (just assemble, no cooking required lol) and a very refreshing dessert to have after a heavy meal. Furthermore, it's very healthy too! Since it's Christmas, I chose raspberry and kiwi to bring out the festive colors of the season, with plain yogurt to complement the fruity flavors, and added cornflakes for some crunch.

Ingredients

Plain Yogurt
Fresh Raspberry
Fresh Kiwi (cubed)
Cornflakes

Method

Place ingredients in alternate layers in glass. Serve chilled immediately.

Saveur Art @ Ion Orchard ~ How Great Thou Art!

Pantler @ Telok Ayer Street ~ Purveyor Of Thoughtfully Made Pastries!

JOIE By Dozo @ Orchard Central ~ I Found Joy In Modern Meatless Cuisine!

Australia's Popular PIE FACE Arrives In Singapore! Find It At 313@Somerset and Bugis Village!

Saturday House, A New Café At Upper Paya Lebar Road ~ Everyday Can Be A Happy Day!

Grand Mandarina 御华庭 @ New Bridge Road (Chinatown) ~ Chinese Dining At Its Indulging Best

Atmosphere Bistro @ Parkland Green, East Coast Park

Fishball Story @ Golden Mile Centre, Beach Road ~ Handmade Goodness In A Bowl

Jack's Place Launches Hearty U.S. Premium Selection Menu!

Backstage Café @ Kallang Way

SELA Restaurant @ Seah Street ~ Great Ambience & Good Food!

Summer Palace @ Regent Hotel Singapore ~ The Crocodile Meat Claypot Rice Is A Must-Try!

Harry's Bar @ Cuppage Terrace ~ Festive Celebration Meal 2014 + GIVEAWAY (worth $250)!

The Clan Restaurant @ Bukit Pasoh ~ Elegant Ambience, Delectable Food, Excellent Service!

Pek Sin Choon 白新春茶庄 ~ One of The Oldest Tea Merchant In Singapore + YouTube Video

The Naked Finn @ Gillman Barracks ~ Go Go Go For Their Lobster Roll & Prawn Noodles Soup!

Japan's Asanoya Bakery Opens In Queen Street, Singapore

PinkyPiggu's Best 10 Dining Experiences + Top 5 Favorite Treats Of 2014!

Tess Bar & Kitchen @ Seah Street ~ Great Chill-Out Place For Food & Drinks!

PinkyPiggu's Christmas Feast 2014! Recipes Included!