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Ginger Thai, Healthy Thai Food near Somerset Mrt

11/13/2017

A few friends dropped by to Ginger Thai on a weekday for lunch and was pleasantly surprised with the service and food quality. At 37 Cuppage Terrace, in the heart of Orchard Road just behind The Centrepoint, delicious and healthy thai food is found at Ginger Thai.

The nearest mrt, Somerset MRT is just 5mins walk away and having thai food so near where I stay is a definite pleasure. Delicious and healthy Thai Food at Somerset Mrt, imagine that!

We were all really excited about trying the food as we love Thai Food! It's full of fresh herbs and ingredients, and best of all, innovative and unpredictable.

We started off with some of their lovely mocktails and fruit based pretty drinks! From rainbow coloured fuit based mocktails to avocado with gula melaka, their drinks are interesting and they have a wide selection of them!

When the food came, some would say that it is bland, but the magic is in the seasoning - and you can customize the dish to exactly how you like it with the condiments provided. Like it more sour? Add more lime! Saltier? Add more fish sauce. Like it slightly sweeter? Use sugar at your own risk!

Sundar, mentioned that his chef has won several awards in the past, and this concept to provide the healthiest version of Thai Food with no added MSG, just liberal use to herbs is the brainchild of Sundar and his chef. By providing condiments like fresh lime (cut to order), fish sauce, sugar, chili flakes, chili padi and white vinegar, one is able to create a unique dish, customized to your own tastebuds.

Healthy Thai Food in Orchard

Live Videos at Ginger Thai

Check out the table side flaming prawns! Must watch! It's fun and amazing, what a great experience! Feels like a birthday party with the lovely flaming grilled prawns! Loving the super fresh Sea Bass too! Live video with real, unedited reactions to the food!

Hover over each dish to see what we thought of each! Healthy Thai food in the heart of orchard road, near Somerset MRT. Ginger Thai is a place that is cosy, service was great and we loved customizing our own dishes with the condiments provided. Not oily is a plus point too! Our soups didn't have oil globules floating on the top, which is a super plus point for us as we are all pretty health conscious. Also, did I mention minimal MSG was used, if any at all? Usually, Thai Restaurants are teriibly liberal with their use of MSG as it is part of their culture - normal thai places even have MSG in all their salads!

Thank you Ginger Thai for the lovely food and experience, Thank you Sundar for the amazing hospitality too!

Ginger Thai Restaurant Information

37 Cuppage Rd, Cuppage Terrace, Singapore 229460
Tel: 8342 7367
Website: https://www.gingerthai.com.sg/
Reserve and get a voucher: Reserve a seat on chope!

Best Herbal Chicken Soup In Bedok and Singapore!

7/15/2017

Ever ate something that evokes childhood memories and memories of every other moment you hold dear?

Taking a taste of the Seng Kee Herbal Chicken Soup was an experience like this - and it was brought over for pot luck at home! Everyone attacked the food and this was the first to be finished, with friends gnawing on every bone, eating up every bit of cartilidge. The herbs were in perfect proportion and I enjoyed the flavour of Tang Kwei which did not overpower the entire dish.

Everyone asked where this was bought from, and the answer was Seng Kee Black Herbal Chicken. We were curious - this is not black chicken!

My friend explained that besides black chicken, Lee Seng Kee ( Owner of Seng Kee Black Herbal Chicken at Bedok, 511 Bedok North Street 3#01-31/32 Kaki Bukit 511 Market & Food Centre
Singapore 460511 ) also has a mean dish of fresh red snapper, prawns and mee sua. She brought over only items that didn't get cooked with pork and lard as we have a muslim friend at the potluck party.

Affordable Chef's Menu at Clarke Quay Central

4/10/2017

Chef Azlie has moved On - Kings and Barrels no longer serves the food reviewed. Do call to find out what they are serving before heading down.

Imagine being invited back to Kings and Barrels for yet another food tasting! This time, I arrived at twilight, and the view was breathtakingly beautiful. Opting to sit outside, the boats were passing by on the Singapore River and the whole experience was mesmerizing.

This time, Chef Azlie will be featuring an all seafood menu on the 19th of April 2017. He promises a special Chef menu every month, and if the Valentine's Day menu was anything to be judged by, this 3 course meal will be memorable too.

Surprisingly, you get fine dining dishes at only $36++ which is under $40 for a 3 course experience.

Reading the menu, I was eager to taste all he was offering.

First Course - Oyster Veloute with Toast

If only they would serve the Oyster Veloute in their regular menu! I would come here everyday for my oyster fix - iodine is great for health! The soup is a winner!

Drizzled with truffle oil, the oyster veloute was similar to a chowder with potatoes and oyster beautifully paired with a slightly spicy toast that was sprinkled with paprika. Oyster jus, stock made from boiling the bones of seabass (1 hour, afterwhich it was strained and reduced) balanced out the bacon perfectly. Oysters were ala minute and they burst in my mouth when I chowed down.

Best Goumet Burger under $20 at Clarke Quay Mrt

2/16/2017

Chef Azlie has moved On - Kings and Barrels no longer serves the food reviewed. Do call to find out what they are serving before heading down.

Imagine my surprise when Chef Azlie invited me down for another round of food tasting, right after Valentine's Day at Kings & Barrels. Chef Azlie seems to be creating new dishes everyday!

Also, Kings & Barrels has a spanking new logo that is really cool and representative of what they are - party like a king with loads of great whiskies from the barrel and good wine.

This is a true classic. Unpretentious and super juicy, it was so good that I brought my girlfriend down the next day for the delicious food at Kings & Barrels. It is very rare that I will revisit a place so soon, but I kept thinking of how it would taste if I could eat the whole burger instead of merely a quarter - I had to head down for a proper meal! It's really irresistible!

My girlfriend, Singapore's premier female emcee Shandy Tan, enjoyed the burger with a tall glass of French beer, the Kronenbourg Blanc 1664. It was a match made in heaven, with the citrusy beer being a refreshing accompaniment to the big juicy 180gm beef burger with cheese.

We also had a healthy salad that was refreshing and a great appertiser - Kale drizzled with a wasabi yuzu dressing. But I digress! Back to the delicious burger, which I had the pleasure of watching Chef Azlie put together.

K & B Burgers

180gm beef patty grilled to a juicy perfection, accompanied by sweet relish, 2 slices of cheddar cheese nicely melted over the party and Chef Azlie's secret garlic sauce that provided the omph in this fabulous creation.

Both sides of the brioche bun were buttered with his own garlic butter before being oven toasted for the extra crisp.

I was was surprised that there was no lettuce in the bun, and to this, Chef Azlie mentioned that his beef patty and bun, being super hot, will cause the flavour and texture of the lettuce to change. That's pretty lucky that he didn't put lettuce in, as nothing irks me more than wilted vegetables in my burger. He did, however, provide a delightful wasabi yuzu kale salad with cherry tomatoes on the side.

To top it off, he had a pretty unusual Cajun fries on the side that went beautifully with the burger ensemble. At only $15++, this K & B Cheese burger is a steal. I only had a quarter during food tasting and it was pretty filling. But then again, I had quite a lot of food to taste that day!

Look at the perfectly grilled chicken! The meat was so tender, well marinated and downright tasty. I couldn't get enough! Even when I was feeling so full, I wolfed down the entire chicken leg burger. I felt like I had the most satisfying burger ever!

You can see how big the K & B Chicken burger is! At $15++ as well, served from 12-8pm, this is definitely another burger I would come back again for!

Just when I thought it would not get better, he brought out the K & B Chicken burger! Again, it was paired with his secret garlic sauce, and this sumptuous whole chicken thigh fillet at a whopping 200gm pleasured!

200gm of pure delight! The meat was well marinated before being grilled to tender perfection - and the taste of grilled chicken was indeed one of the best I have tasted. Chef Azlie's background in French fine cooking really shines in his chicken burger, which I think is the best in The Clarke quay area!

Salad

If you want more vegetable in your diet, get the Kale Salad at $9++! It comes tossed with a wasabi yuzu dressing that wasn't oily - it was refreshing and served with "beautified" orange wedges and grilled chicken, it is a verifiable meal on its own if you don't feel like eating meat. Kale is full of antioxidants, vitamin A, C and K! It also provides a lot of calcium and fibre for strong bones and good digestion. I actually asked why Chef Azlie served Kale Salad instead of the normal rocket or mesclun mix, and he said Kale is one of the super vegetables that is really good for health! If you google "Kale", you would see all the health benefits!

Pasta

The chili crab pasta is simply amazing! Creamy with a chili crab based sauce with generous servings of flower crab meat, this is the best I have tasted! You can ask for more chili padi in the sauce if you are really into spice, but this is mild enough for me as I am not really able to take food which is too spicy.

Look at the amount of crab on my Chili Crab Spagetti at Kings & Barrels! Chef Azlie mentioned he would invite me again for the different pastas that he has, and I am definitely happy to come by again.

Their pasta dishes are all at $15++ as well!

Food for sharing

The garlic bread with hand chopped garlic made fresh daily with parsley is also fabulous, and it goes well with the Asahi Black, going at $9++ per pint. The garlic bread is $6++ for eight huge pieces and it is great for sharing.

The pizza came out next. My only complaint is that it is too big! Four people can share this easily!

The cheddar cheese was a pleasure, and it made the pizza more flavourful as opposed to the usual mozzarella cheese which melts stringy but is a little tasteless.

The pizza sauce made daily from fresh herbs in tomato paste is another winner. You get the full flabour of basil and garlic that is reminiscent of your grandma's cooking of pasta!

What set this pizza apart was the lovely scent of truffle oil which gave this pizza extra flavour and character.

They have other classic toppings available as well, so do check their menu for the latest. This is the mushroom cheese pizza with truffle at $20++.

King & Barrels has an Asian section on their menu as well, and I can't wait for their next food tasting!

Kings & Barrels comes alive at night with a local bands hitting the stage and the bands they have on rotation really know how to party! With Asahi Super Dry, Asahi Black and Kronenbourg 1664 blanc on tap at just $9++, it's crowded at night with everyone partying like a King!

Where can you find them?

Kings and Barrels
Tel: +65 9237 6198
Add: The Central @ Clarke Quay
6 Eu Tong Seng St, #01-15
Singapore 059817

Go to Clarke Quay Mrt, exit and walk towards the river. They are next to the big red heart, and next to Chillis too. It's a fully stocked bar with a live band at night, which I will be checking out the next time I come!

These prices are introductory, so do head down before the increase!

Valentine's Day Menu at Kings & Barrels

2/8/2017

Chef Azlie has moved On - Kings and Barrels no longer serves the food reviewed. Do call to find out what they are serving before heading down.

When I was invited to the tasting for the Valentine's Day menu at Kings & Barrels, I was pretty surprised, as this relatively new setup was known for the cheap drinks (Imagine draft beer, Asahi Super Dry and Asaha Black at $9 a pint) and standard fried finger food. They had taken over Shui Gastro Lounge in December, revamping the menu as well as drinks list.

Salmon Tartare with melon and yuzu dressing served with focaccia crust and petit salad.

I was amazed at the appertizer that greeted me when I arrived, and asked if they have hired a new Chef. It turns out that Chef Azlie has just joined Kings & Barrels as Executive Chef.

Chef Azlie was one of the featured Chefs in World Gourmet Summit in 2014, he was the executive chef at the now defunct fine French dining restaurant, Fatien and had previously worked with Michelin Starred chef, Jean Francois Paige at 1-Altitude. He was also executive chef at middle eastern restaurant Cafe Le Claire for 9 years till they closed due to the Shisha ban.

With more than 20 years of cooking experience and more than 10 years as executive chef, I was looking forward to the rest of the three course Valentine's Day menu at Kings & Barrels created by Chef Azlie.

So, how was the appetizer?

It left me wanting more - my only wish was there was more of it, though for an appertizer, the portion was generous enough. I loved the delicate yuzu perfuming the raw salmon - Chef Azlie had marinated the salmon for 2 hours and the result was a flavourful salmon tartare that went really well with the focaccia crust.

I also liked his presentation, with salad leaves and edible flowers that made the dish a work of art. Here's another clearer photo of the Salmon Tartare.

Next, I got to try both main courses that diners will have to choose one of. How lucky am I! For this Valentine's Day 3 course meal, diners get to choose either the chicken or the sea bass.

I was was enjoying the cool breeze from the Singapore River and couldn't help but think how romantic it will be at night, with all the lovely lights as the bum boats sail past. What a sight!

I also love their swing chair and wooden tables - they also have a smoking section with outdoor seats that are big and comfortable.

Now, back to the food! The seabass on leek fondue was served next. One bite and I fell in love instantly... with the creamy leek fondue. This is Chef Azlie's signature dish, and I would highly suggest having this if you like fish.

Pan seared sea bass on a bed of Sarladaise potato and leek fondue with tobiko and baby carrot.

Sweetness of the baby carrots with the crunch of the fine French beans was a match in heaven - coupled with the soft sweet onions and grilled potatoes, the leek fondue with ebiko sauce it was paired with made the whole experience, sublime.

Here's another closeup shot you can drool at!

Finishing the sea bass was the hardest thing to do, as I didn't want this lovely main course to end. Every bite filled me with delight and I was literally eating with shivers down my spine with every other mouthful.

Next, I took a taste of the other choice of main course. Equally good!

Tender chicken French styled on a bed of sesame cream spaghetti delighted and dazzled with a touch of sautéed onions. Another flavourful dish that pleased. Only wish was that it had more garlic, as I love garlic!

Here is another angle so you can see the plate design better! Looking at it again made me wish I could go back down to Kings & Barrels right now for another serving!

Finally, it is time for the dessert. This has to be the best Panna Cotta I have tasted! And I have tasted a whole lot of Panna Cotta! Most of them are firm like a pudding, but this Baileys infused Panna Cotta is the real deal - soft, wobbly and creamy.

Baileys infused Panna Cotta was poetry, and the contrast of the soft creaminess of the Panna Cotta with the dark chocolate soil gave a warm fuzzy feeling that was both familiar and foreign all at once. The crunch of the chocolate soil with the soft Panna Cotta was too delicious! Without being too sweet, this dessert ends the meal beautifully.

Chef Azlie's French cooking background is all too apparent in this lovely dessert that was just perfect.

So what's my verdict?

Romantic venue with a tasty menu to match. Sweet beginnings for an exciting night with low cost drink prices to match.

Kings & Barrels
Tel: +65 6225 9388
Add: The Central @ Clarke Quay
6 Eu Tong Seng St, #01-15
Singapore 059817

Valentine's Day Menu 2017
at $45++ per person, inclusive of a glass of red or white wine.

Appetizer
Salmon
Tartare with melon, yuzu dressing,
bread cracker and petit salad

Entrée
Landes Chicken
Herb roasted with spaghetti and japanese
sesame cream sauce
OR
Seabass
Pan seared on the bed of leek fondue,
baby carrots, sarladaise potato

Dessert
Panna Cotta
Baileys scented with strawberry compote
and chocolate soil

Widest Selection of Craft Beer in Geylang

6/15/2016

One wouldn't expect to find Craft Beer in Geylang, but lo and behold, it IS here. And it is here in a big way! The Tuckshop has the widest selection of Craft Beers here in Geylang, and at last count, there were more than thirty labels. Not forgetting Ciders and alcoholic teas.

What's even more awesome?

They have their own beer named after them, which is only available at The Tuckshop. The beer is really awesome - light, refreshing and keeps its bubbles really well. Even after an hour, it didn't taste flat, which is surprising. It's going for $14 for 500ml except during 5-7pm. their happy hour. During happy hour, it's $11 for ANY draught beer.

What i really like about The Tuckshop is how they are very concerned with social issues in Singapore and in the region. "Soles for Souls" is a collaboration with local social enterprise Soules, to buy school shoes for disadvantaged children in Singapore and in China.

In fact, The Tuckshop is such a firm believer in empowering the community in Singapore, that The Recess, a eclectic co-working space, event space for local artists, a party space, space for ROM, space for a seminar or meeting, space for any imaginable purpose was born.

With plenty of double powerpoints all over, it transforms into whatever your imagination fancies.

Local artists, authors and firms use The Recess as an event space regularly for art events, launches, seminars, art jams, poetry slams, comedy nights and parties.

The Tuckshop Food Review

Hover over the photos to read the comments - can you guess my favourite dish?

The whole meal of 3 main courses and 1 latte came up to $65.27. There is no service charge, just GST. I also loved the fact that they had huge containers of water for customers to get their own water from - drink as much as you like! It's responsible of them, especially when they are serving alcohol.

So where is The Tuckshop and The Recess? Depending on where you are standing, you could be either at Geylang or at Guillemard Road!

Check out the parking options - there are 300 lots just across the road at HDB parking rates. If you are heading over via MRT, Dakota MRT station is just a 5 minute walk.

The Tuckshop
http://www.thetuckshop.com.sg
403 Guillemard Road, Singapore 399795
Tel: +657448205

The Craft Beer Menu and The Tuckshop's Quirky Decor

So where is The Tuckshop and The Recess? Depending on where you are standing, you could be either at Geylang or at Guillemard Road!

Check out the parking options - there are 300 lots just across the road at HDB parking rates. If you are heading over via MRT, Dakota MRT station is just a 5 minute walk.

The Tuckshop
http://www.thetuckshop.com.sg
403 Guillemard Road, Singapore 399795
Tel: +657448205

First Microwavable Frozen Crab Dish in Singapore

2/19/2016

I was invited to a ground breaking press conference two days ago, and it was quite the eye-opener. Where will you be able to find such dishes? Only at the House of Seafood. They created a process whereby they would cook the crab dish the regular way, and the magic comes when they flash freeze each dish at -40 degrees celsius before vacuum packing to perfectly preserve the essence of the dish.

This locks in the flavour as well as the firmness of the flesh - in theory.

When I read about it, I knew I had to make the long trip down to Punggol Settlement to take a taste. Zeline drove me up and we both had an interesting time trying the three different crab dishes. So which are the hits and misses? Crab when flash frozen gets dry - think of the Alaskan crab legs that have been steamed and flash frozen to get a feel of how the flesh turns a little dry and stringy. So, will this happen to the crab dishes, enveloped in sauce? Would the sauce be compromised and taste different because of that?

How does Frozen Crab Taste?

House of Seafood has won several awards, among which they are voted to have the BEST PEPPER CRAB! I couldn't wait to try the crabs, which are going at $55/box, 1 KG, +/- 100g. No more having to wonder about the seasonal price of crab.

The price is standard for their
MICROWAVE READY-TO-EAT CRAB!
Just $55/box

Microwavable Black Pepper Crab

After microwaving for 7 mins, the black pepper crab is ready. The taste is exactly like that which is served in the House of Seafood, and this is one of the most famous dishes that they are known for. Receiving awards for this dish, the peppery aroma is addictive - remember to check your teeth for black bits of pepper after eating the crab though, there are bound to be some! The texture of the crab was fantastic - they managed to seal in the sweetness and smoothness of the flesh for this dish. Truly remarkable!

Microwavable Salted Egg Crab

For the Salted Egg Crab, it took about 8 - 10 mins for the whole microwaving process. Slightly spicy because of the little red chili padi, the hint of curry leaves left a lovely whole mouth feel with the salted egg which was not salty at all. In fact, it was a little sweet, which pretty much surprised my palate. The texture of the flesh however, was a little dry and stringy, akin to the Alaskan crab legs I love. Perhaps it could be improved by having more sauce, so that the crab is "protected" from the flash freezing. The claw itself was, however, meaty and the texture was to the bite. This led me to think that the crab must be smothered in more sauce to preserve the flesh properly. Do also note that the crab was chopped into pieces, but the claws are left intact - you need to prepare your own crab mallet to crack the shell.

Microwavable Chili Crab

For this dish, they added more sauce than what was in the box. I felt that I would have preferred to just taste it exactly like how it would be served out of the pack, as it would have been better represented. The taste and amount of egg white in the sauce was addictive, and the texture of the crab was pretty much preserved. However, I am unable to comment much about whether the sauce that it is frozen with will be enough when you serve it out of the box.

Verdict

Finally, delicious restaurant crab dishes in the comfort of our own homes - where we can gorge ourselves silly and not worry about looking awkward!

The claws are as big as my hand! Awesome taste and texture.

Look at how the black pepper sauce clings to every tasty morsel of this crab!

The sauce covered the exposed potions of the crab - but not quite enough. I really enjoyed the taste of the sauce!

So, where can you buy the first ever microwavable crab dish in Singapore?

This makes a great gift if you hand carry it over to other countries that are within 15 hours via flight - that's how long the crab will stay frozen and fresh in a thermal bag.

Punggol Point
(Seaside & Aircon Dining)
3 Punggol Point Road, Singapore 828694
The Punggol Settlement #01-01 & #01-02
(Near Punggol Jetty) More than 200 carpark lots
Monday – Sunday 11am-2pm, 5pm-11pm
Tel: (+65) 6466-9000
Fax: (+65) 6467-9000

Upper Serangoon
(Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre Fully Air-conditioned with VIP rooms)
756 Upper Serangoon Road #03-33, Singapore 534626
(Opp S’Post, next to Hotel81) More than 100 parking lots
Monday – Sunday 11am-2pm, 5pm-10:30pm *Satuarday 11am-3pm, 5pm-11pm
Tel: (+65) 6285-9711
Fax: (+65) 6285-9722

Todai Alaskan Crab Legs

1/5/2016

Buffet lovers who enjoy crab legs will definitely rush down to this amazing buffet restaurant filled with sashimi, oysters, creative sushi and of course, their Alaskan crab legs!

Do you know the fastest way to get the crab out of the shell? There is a secret to it, and once you learn this technique, you will be able to eat as many crab legs as you can in record time!

Watch and share this video if you think it is amazing!

If you watch carefully, you will see that the second cut of the scissors does not go all the way, hereby allowing you to have a "handle" to hold the crab as you pull it out.

Todai is located at Marina Bay Sands, and is the buffet "To DAI" for! From time to time, they also have special promotions like strawberry dessert time, or crab madness or seafood delight. Call ahead to find out what they are having next!

I have a gallery of food found there and you can check out just some of what you can find!

Contact Todai Today

http://www.todaisingapore.com/
Address: #B2-01 The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave Singapore 018972
Phone: +65 6688 7771
Fax: +65 6688 7701

Best Salted Caramel Lava Cake in Singapore

7/4/2015

Baked Fresh upon your order at Offshore Club (YES! I came back again, for the third time....the food is great, the service is wonderful, and Leona constantly surprises with new food on the menu!) This salted caramel lava cake is so delicious and eggy that I couldn't get enough! Warm and buttery, served with a fabulous french vanilla ice cream, the pairing is perfect and the secret ingredient added by the Chef takes the cake literally! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this, and I'm so glad that Offshore Club in Loyang is putting this on their menu!

I really like their steak! Juicy and marinated overnight, I ate up everything except the dish. Yes, including the thick fat, telling myself that it's collagen.

I had to get another angle so you can see how thick it is!

My medium rare steak, done the way I like it! I also loved the potato salad, which has apple in it too! Makes me feel healthy and loved.

Despite showing dessert first, I had a memorable main course of medium rare steak with garden vegetables that was nicely blanched with a serving of the chef's potato and apple salad. Perfect!

The Salad Buffet is my favourite as it is included in the main course. Before you get your perfectly done main course, you get to go and have as much salad as you like, included with any main course order.

The choice of three dressings change daily, and on the day I went down, there was honey mustard (FAV!), Italian and thousand island. Fruit like mandarin oranges, peaches and lychees make it a stellar salad bar.

My freshly baked Salted Caramel Lava Cake with French Vanilla Ice Cream

Love at first bite...look at it oooooooze

best salted caramel lava cake in Singapore

I can't get enough of it, the taste lingers in your mouth and this has to be the best salted caramel lava cake in Singapore!

It's un-un-un-unbelievable, but I still had room for Coffee! With the FREE WIFI at the Offshore Club in Loyang, I was bunkering down to do serious work that day, and the Wifi speed was fast enough for my massive uploads of videos!

That's Leona behind the bar! She makes the most seriously delicious alcocoffee I have ever tasted, and also the strongest, with 42.3% Galliano Liqueur. One entire pack, enough for anyone to get happy in the middle of the day! Their spanking new coffee machine makes seriously good coffee even without the alcohol.

Loyang Offshore Supply Base.
25 Loyang Crescent, Blk 103A
TOPS Avenue 1, #09-01, Singapore 508988
Look for the TOLL Neon Sign from the road!

If you want to order what I did,
Ribeye Steak $21.50 ( Salad Bar FREE)
Salted Caramel Lava Cake $8.90
Italian Coffee $12

REVISITED!
Check out my first visit here:
http://www.chanchop.com/food-porn/offshore-club-luxury-food-at-cafe-prices

My Second Visit with the full menu available:
http://www.chanchop.com/food-porn/best-burger-in-loyang-offshore-club

Offshore Club

Bob Lee Rice Burger in Singapore

7/4/2015

My Bob Lee Tuna Wasabi Burger! Simply Delicious!

This is one of the most yummy rice burgers I have tasted and it is HUGE! It's a real meal that's really tasty, fast and healthy too. What's inside? That's the tuna with WASABI spread all over the inside of the top side. Not too spicy, with loads of flavour from the seaweed and sesame mixed up in the rice, this is so filling that I couldn't finish the whole burger - I kept half in the fridge for lunch the next day.

So what is the secret? Why does the rice burger not fall apart? The founder, Bob Lee was in Singapore for the launch of the Takashimaya Food Fair in July 2015, and Bob Lee is really passionate about his rice burger - he calls it "The Best Rice Burger in the world!". What's more, he is the brains and brawn behind the entire franchise, with outlets in Korea and outlets soon to be opened by his Malaysian master franchisee in Malaysia.

So who's Bob Lee and why are his rice burgers so amazingly delicious?

Bob Lee and his delicious, healthy blend of rice for his rice burger. Created and formulated by Bob Lee himself, you can be sure that the rice is as Korean as it can be!

Bob Lee Rice Burger's Bob Lee! That's his real name and he's the President, CEO, Inventor of the company!

Apparently, the franchise fee for the Bob Lee franchise is only USD12,000, and the space needed to operate a Bob Lee burger is just 30 Sqm! All you need is space for the huge rice cooker, the rice moulding machine, preparation area and containers for the fillings.

The rice burger making machine takes up approximately the space taken up a sheet of A4 paper! It's so easy to use, an auntie was making the burger "buns".

All the delicious fillings! I'm going back there to try all the different fillings. The food fair is on till the 19th of July 2015!

There are 5 burgers to choose from at the fair, knock yourselves out!

High quality rice from Korean is the main ingredient of this burger, and it is a mixture of short grain rice and short grain glutinous rice. A seaweed mix is then added into the piping hot rice, increasing the "stickiness" of the rice mixture so it would not fall apart while you are eating the rice burger. This is pretty unique to Bob Lee Rice Burgers, the ability to not disintegrate from start to finish!

The different fillings that you can choose are also very Korean, they even have a Kimchi and a Bimbimbap burger.

Available till only the 19th of July 2015 at the Takashimaya food fair, do hurry to take a taste before they go back to Korea!

Beautifully packed, Bob Lee created a method of wrapping the rice burger so that you can eat it easily with no mess! Check out his fold, flip and stick method!

Bob Lee burger with Bob Lee from Korea! #boblee #riceburger

A video posted by zephyh (@zephyh) on Jul 3, 2015 at 8:00am PDT

If you are interested to take up the franchise and bring this to Singapore, you can check out the following!

Singapore Office
ATZ International Pte Ltd
Blk 211, Henderson Road #04-04 Singapore 159552
Tel: +65 63762878 Mobile: +65 91052801
www.bobleeburger.co.kr

Hahn Lee, Singapore Office, Director of ATZ International. He's Korean but speaks English and has lived in Singapore for many years, so he's very localised.

Make your own 1 minute sandwhich

5/21/2015

It is really easy to make a one minute hot sandwich. I usually make the sauce and pack the microwavable boxes once so I can just make the sandwiches everyday if i wanted to. The sauce is made using pasta sauce and tuna with minced meat. The whole loaf of bread goes into five boxes, one for each day. Place your mouse over the photo below to see the instructions appear.

First you need an egg and the sandwich in a box

You can see that i have put the sandwich in the box with the filling already.

Put it in the microwave for 30s.

Your egg should be half cooked now.

On the other slice of bread, add cheese.

Put both in for 30s.

Your egg should be perfectly cooked and still runny.

I love my egg yolk runny!

Add rocket salad.

Your hot sandwich is done!

I use paper plates as I am too lazy to wash up.

Flip the sandwich over and lightly tap on the microwavable box.

Your hot sandwich should pop out nicely.

Look at how yummy it looks!

Really tasty and healthy too.

I cut up my sandwich into bite sized pieces.

Ooooo I cut into the yolk so you can see it run!

Closed Down - Offshore Club

4/24/2015

No Longer Available

The first time I went to the Offshore Club at Loyang, I had fish and chips together with a rack of lamb. This time, I decided to go for something simpler - or so I thought! Their humble burger was an immense open faced edition and it was simply amazing.

The patty was a hefty 180g hand mixed minced beef with garlic and spices affair the taste is more spectacular than he looks. The egg yolk was a wonderfully runny egg surrounded by the lovingly pan fried egg white. My salad came drizzled with the loveliest balsamic vinegar and dazzled with the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes.

My only gripe is the the gherkins were not as tart as how they normally are, as many locals had complained that they were too tart, so the chef soaked the pickled gherkins to remove the tartness.

Oh Oh Oh Oh So Awesome! Look at the texture of my burger! The best way to taste a burger is without the distraction of sauces, so you can revel in the meaty beef of the patty! I also enjoyed their buns, which were big enough to stay crisp and toasty throughout the meal, and I eat really slowly.

I can wax lyrical about the patty, but I'm going to get direct to it - it's meaty, tasty and worth the to and fro cab fare ( for me! ) of $45.00! It's thick enough so you are able to even specify how you want the patty done - well done, medium well or medium.

The steak cut fries are worth highlighting as well, the were crisp from start to end, together with the burger buns which are toasted in the oven to get the crisp, crusty sides and softer center that supports the burger patty beautifully.

The secret of their juicy patty? Fresh mince which is not frozen and patties which are made fresh and kept chilled instead of frozen. You can taste the quality of their Australian or New Zealand minced beef and almost dance with delight at finding such an awesome, HUGE burger! I did a jig, a kind of celebration dance, because I had found the best burger in Loyang, and to me, in the east of Singapore as well! Look at how big and fresh their patties are!

My favourite Swing Chairs

The bar at Offshore Club

Loving that huge boat that helps set the theme at the bar! Imaging sipping your 12 year vintage whisky next to sails like these!

The atmosphere feels really romantic and comfortable in the evening after the sun sets, due to the beautiful orange lamps, the lounge-at-home feel of the swing chairs and the lazy sofas that a group of ten can easily sit on. The 100 seating Offshore Club at Loyang is perfect for a under the sea or pirate themed party and the food portions are big enough even for Americans.

Espresso Cheesecake at Offshore Club

Leona put so much effort to make the cheesecake and ice cream look pretty, I felt guilty eating it all up...not so guilty when I licked the plate clean!

I was so full by the time I finished the patty that I almost couldn't eat anymore. Almost...
But the cheese cake looked too good to pass up, so I had the Espresso Cheese Cake $8.90 that is placed deliciously on a chocolate espresso painting of sorts with a lovely cherry balancing precariously on a huge scoop of ice cream.

The espresso shot that was mixed in the chocolate paint made my cheese cake taste like a Tiramisu! YUMMY! After the cake, I finally rolled my way home after the great security guys at the entrance helped me call a cab!

Pink Pussycat at Offshore Club

The pink pussycat is a great mocktail that reminds me of bubblegum. Mildly sweet, it was a perfect beauty to sip by the window as the sun goes down and birds fly by. We had an almost 180 degree view of the sky right there at the Offshore Club! Found under the Mocktail Menu, it is just $7.50.

Offshore Club Menu

Loyang Offshore Supply Base.
25 Loyang Crescent, Blk 103A
TOPS Avenue 1, #09-01, Singapore 508988
Look for the TOLL Neon Sign from the road!

REVISITED! Check out my first visit here:
http://www.chanchop.com/food-porn/offshore-club-luxury-food-at-cafe-prices

Offshore Club

Japanese Food in Orchard Road - Gion Dining

4/12/2015

Gion Dining, a japanese restuarant in Orchard Road, located on the second level of Royal Plaza on Scotts astounded my tastebuds. I was shocked, confused and amazed all at once while eating the humble Chawanmushi, also known as steamed egg. Why, you may wonder...I will reveal that later, but here's how I found them a few days ago - on my facebook timeline when a friend invited me to "like" the page. The page is displayed below, do like it and enjoy their 100 day promotion of a whopping 50% off till 25th June 2015!

Gion Dining

Finding the restaurant was easy, it's at the Royal Plaza on Scotts, and you can either enter through the private life on the side closer to Shaw Center or via the red carpeted opulent stairs at the hotel lobby. Walking up and turning to the left, I found Gion Dining easily but decided to head to the bathroom to quickly freshen up first. The bathroom was beautifully done up, fit for royalty, I thought. It wasn't till later that I found out that there is a princess's suite in the hotel, and the princess would stay at the hotel each time she visits Singapore. I'm keeping mum about the country though. Located at such a beautiful place known for their amazing Halal buffet restaurant, I wondered if Gion Dining is Halal certified too.

After speaking to the owner, I was surprised to learn that Gion Dining was the top favourite of stars and politicians in Beijing since 1996, and it was THE place to go if you wanted to entertain your guests there in China. It was one of the first few Japanese restaurants there too, with founder and Head Chef Mr Mino. She moved to Singapore and started Gion Dining here, renovating and setting up the huge restaurant at the tune of more than a million dollars. (Imagine their alfresco seating area is more than 3000sqft!)

She's the owner of Gion Dining, and she serves and entertains the guests as well. I was really impressed that she would be so hands on!

The private lift to Gion Dining, the lights in the glass lift would change colours slowly, I felt like I was in a glass snow globe.

I arrived at 5.30pm and didn't start ordering till nearly an hour later as I was so excited meeting my old friend Louisa who's a consultant at Gion, and she entertained me with stories about the challenges they met while creating a 200 dish menu which is strictly Halal. (They are waiting for their license at the moment.) Making Japanese food Halal is extremely difficult, as they are not allowed to use Sake nor Mirin nor any other ingredients containing alcohol of any kind, besides the usual no pork and no lard policy. I couldn't wait to order and taste their food, and even though their menu is on the ipad, the waitress would usually wait for your order and explain the menu items if they are not running at full house. I've taken some shots of the menu so you can check it out before heading down. However, their menu is also available online at www.giondining.com

So what did I order? I love checking out how good and how authentic a Japanese restaurant is by ordering items that are not easy to prepare / items that look easy but are hard to deliver.

This is one of the delicacies in Japan, and I was wondering how the liver was going to taste since it couldn't be rinsed in sake. The flavour was delicate, with the whole mouth buttery feel of taste and texture. I was amazed by how creamy it was and how utterly not fishy it is. You can tell it is hand rolled from the slight uneven crumbling. The balance of the ponzu and the slight saltiness of the liver was just the thing to kickstart my tastebuds.

Ankimo, Monkfish liver (The Monkfish comes from USA)

THIS IS A MUST TRY!

According to Wikipedia,Ankimo is a Japanese dish made with monkfish liver.

The liver is first rubbed with salt, then rinsed with sake. Then its veins are picked out and the liver is rolled into a cylinder and steamed. Ankimo is often served with momiji-oroshi (chili-tinted grated daikon), thinly sliced scallions and ponzu sauce.

Ankimo is considered one of the chinmi (delicacies) of Japan. It is listed at number 32 on World's 50 most delicious foods compiled byCNN Go in 2011

Next, I had the Akagai Su, the sashimi ark shell (red clam) in a japanese vinegar dressing with seaweed and thinly sliced Japanese cucumber. The freshness of the Akagai was a sharp contrast to the vinegar and the seaweed served to enhance the flavour of the sea. The thin silvers of the cucumber helped cleanse the palate and I was ready after a mouthful of green tea with roasted brown rice, to start on the small sashimi platter I had ordered.

I had asked for tasting portions, as I wanted to experience the freshness of the sashimi - I read so many reviews of their incredibly fresh sashimi. I especially enjoyed the Kampachi -the flesh was firm and slightly crunchy and it was cut beautifully with no veins of the fish distracting from the lovely texture. The salmon was cut in a strange way though, thick and in a style that I have not previously experiences. Not unpleasant, but I prefer my salmon in larger, thinner slices.

This is another winner! The Gion Lover's Roll - sweet potato encrusted in tempura with startling thin slices of avocado topped with a bud of mayonnaise. According to the owner, a lover's heart is soft and sweet, hence the name. She's really poetic while speaking in Mandarin, and I just wished I had paid more attention in school so I could fully appreciate the nuances of Chinese. This is fabulous of vegetarians!

Don't you think the tear dropped shaped rolls are so beautiful, arranged on a Japanese long plate? Reminds me of the Hana (flower). The ever popular vegetarian maki set, made of long dried gourd strips marinated in a sweet sauce wrapped in rice and seaweed, (Kampyo Maki), matched with cucumber maki (Kappa Maki) and Takuwan Maki (Picked Japanese radish wrapped in rice and seaweed) were lovely one bite rolls that taste good on their own without soy sauce and wasabi.

I was a little overwhelmed by all the items on the roll menu, so I took the easy way out and ordered the assorted rolls. My favourite has to be the salmon and tuna roll that is paired with a tad of avocado and balanced with the slightly salty flying fish roe.

Another very pleasing sushi - the soft shelled crab sushi coated in a light batter and deep fried. What surprised me was that the soft shell crab was still crisp and yet moist on the inside. I enjoyed this rather immensely and was so tempted to order the full sized version.

THIS IS ANOTHER MUST TRY!

Tororo (Grated mountain yam) is full of health benefits, and it is known as the medicine from the mountains. Aside from its antioxidant properties, it is very good for the digestive system as it contains an enzyme Amylase. It's also refreshing and tasty, and I love mixing in the wasabi for an extra sweet kick!

The onsen is not just a normal 60 degree egg which is firm on the outside and runny on the inside - it is served in a broth of ginger and light soya sauce mixed with a little bit of sugar, making it a very comforting egg indeed.

I can't resist eggs, so every time I see them on the menu, I have to order them!

This chawanmushi is the smoothest I have ever tasted - imagine a smooth bean curd that is so light and so incredibly creamy that it floats and dances on your tongue. Coupled with the fish roe, this is a joy to consume. YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS!

After having the eggs done in three different ways, I still couldn't decide which I liked best. It's a close fight between the light-melt-in-your-mouth Chawamushi and the lovely runny egg in a light gingerly broth that has so many layers of flavours in the really deceptively simple dish. If you like eggs the way I do, just order both. That's going to be a whole lot easier than deciding on one. After you order both, share them!

Cod and Scallop platter saw the scallop fried with an egg coating that helped keep the scallop moist and sweet. The grilled cod was a little dry that day when I tried it, so I suspect when I asked for smaller portions, the chef cut it thinner than usual. The potato salad is something I would order on it's own, it's that good!

The Ebi Mayonezu was so tasty I had to stop myself from licking the last bits of mayonnaise off the plate. Prawns were exceedingly fresh and the heads were sweet, the lightly "aburi" of the mayonnaise was awesome - I have no idea how they made it crisp and creamy all at once!

I finally made it to the grilled section, and there are still loads to explore. By now, I have eaten so much over a course of 5 hours of inspiring conversation that I really couldn't take another bite. I really surprised myself when the first mouthful led to yet another, as they were just too delicious! The scallop and cod ensemble is a fabulous duo paired with potato salad, and the juicy grilled prawns butterflied in their mayonnaise blanket that was lightly torched were just the stuff food dreams are made of.

Throughout the course of conversation, I found out that the 80 year old Japanese chef who is one of the founders of Gion Dining came to Singapore where he stayed for a few months to create a whole new genre of authentic and fusion Japanese food - Halal Japanese dining using ingredients that are able to replicate the taste of using alcohol in Japanese cooking. Initially thought to be easy - (they first thought that all they needed was just needed to eliminate the pork dishes) the endeavour to obtain a Halal certificate was a whole lot more difficult. From not being able to soak the liver in sake, to not using sake nor mirin in staples like sushi rice and Chawanmushi, I would say that they have managed to successfully recreate and innovate a new genre - Halal Japanese Food. Muslim and non-Muslim friends out there now have the option to eat in a lovely, exclusive Japanese Restaurant and entertain their friends and clients in a charming, quiet environment.

Gion Dining
Add: 25 Scotts Rd, #02-01
Royal Plaza on Scotts,
Singapore 228220
Tel: 6735 6100
Mon: 17:30–21:00
Tues - Sun: 11:30–14:00
17:30–21:00

Please note that their head chef and some serving staff are off on Mondays, so if you would like to have the full experience of dining at Gion Dining, do make a reservation any other day.

They are available for private dining requests in their VIP Tatami Rooms that have hosted Royalty and VVIPs from all over the world, and do let them know your budget for each person so they can create a customized menu.

The secret of frying eggs without oil

4/7/2015

What do you need? An egg and what else?

All you need is a microwaveable cup!

Break an egg into the cup, put it in the microwave for 30s (if you like runny yolk, 20s) and you get a perfect "fried" egg without using oil or butter! The timing may vary with different microwave ovens, so be sure to start with 20s till you get the doneness you like.

My beautifully done egg in less than 30s, without using oil!

Japanese Yakitori at Golden Mile Tower

8/23/2014

The most exciting discovery greeted me when I walked up the carpark ramp to level one of Golden Mile Tower - a cosy homely Japanese Yakitori joint, Yorimichi Yakitori. Sake casks greet you at the entrance, giving you a small hint of what is to come. They have a comprehensive list of Sake, with seasonal offerings in limited numbers from time to time. I had to grab a bottle - that was $18 for a lovely floral sake with slight bubbles, perfect with the food that I was about the encounter.

This sake I chose was pretty low in alcohol content, but the taste and smell of it was very lovely.

Among all the Thai food at Golden Mile Tower and coaches going to Malaysia, I was really surprised to find this homely Japanese Yakitori place. It is small but can expand at will! The most number of people they managed to fit into the restaurant is 40!

Everyone seems to be ordering the chicken skin, so I did the same, and it was amazingly delicious. I asked how it was made so crispy and yet not a tad bit oily, and the answer was surprising!

"Our chef removes the chicken skin, scrapes off all the fat, then dries it. After it is well dried, it is fried and then the oil is left to dry off on the baking paper."

Wow. All that to make a dish of chicken skin! You have to take a look at how yummy and crispy it is!

Crispy Chicken Skin @ #Yorimichi Yakitori

Always eat Sashimi before starting on the Yakitori, so that you are able to appreciate fully the delicate taste of the fresh fish with its wasabi and soy sauce combination.

Before tucking into the yummy chicken skin, my Sashimi came and it was super fresh with good cuts. I loved how thick each slice was, and even though I normally don't like tuna as it is usually overly strong tasting, the tuna that Yorimichi Yakitori serves is especially fresh and mild. Perhaps it was due to the fact that the fishes only arrived in the afternoon that day I was there. Tuna, Maguro is not always available, so do call ahead if you are there for the Tuna!

Tuna and Salmon Sashimi @ #Yorimichi Yakitori

Japanese Cucumber with chef's homemade miso honey sauce @ #Yorimichi Yakitori

Fried Mini Crabs @ #Yorimichi Yakitori

Another tasty appetiser would be the cucumber with the chef's homemade miso and honey sauce, also known as Kyuri. The pairing of fresh crunchy cucumber with the slightly salty miso sauce was simply heavenly. I also especially liked the crunchy mini crabs, fried to absolutely crispness, as it made it easy to eat up the entire crab.

Club Vivaa - Home cooked food NO MSG

7/4/2014

Favourite Food at
Club Vivaa

The curry chicken features super tender chicken wings in a mild curry with a tinge of laksa leaves for that extra kick. The gravy is so tasty that I drank it all up after eating up the chicken. Did I mention that it comes with a super soft baguette that is toasted to perfection, where it is warm and crisp and yet still soft and easy to bite / break off.

This is my favourite, and I absolutely love the bacon wrapped deep fried noodles. The Japanese Lok Lok is drizzled with a sweet japanese teriyaki sauce, and this adds to the flavor of the bacon wrapped items. You can choose which items are preferred, from enoki mushrooms, tomatoes to crispy noodles and vegetables. This is so tasty that you completely forget you are munching on bacon!

I'm a big fan of food, and if the chef / cook doesn't use MSG ( Mono sodium glutamate ), all the better, as I get rashes after too much intake of MSG. This is the reason why I was pleasantly surprised when I visited Club Vivaa. Though it is a bistrobar, or what people call a pub with food, the standard of cooking and range of dishes is pretty good.

Salt, Pepper and Garlic Tofu which is crisp on the outside and nice and soft on the inside. Lovely with the homemade sambal chili.

This is really awesome Sambal Fried Rice! My friend who at first didn't want to order as she wasn't hungry yet ate this up in just 10mins! It was that yummy! Not only was the taste amazing, the smell was awesome too!

Club Vivaa Opening Hours
Monday to Sat
1700-0100
Sunday
1800-0100

Before you head off, spend some time in this cosy GastroBar with it's lovely mocktails, cocktails, or simply, a beer!

Club Vivaa is a great place to chill out at if you happen to be in Bukit Timah. Located centrally opposite Bukit Timah CC, it has FREE Wi-Fi and parking at the back.

If you don't drive, there is a bus stop just outside as well.

If you get tired of conversation with your friends, you can play Darts or Pool.

The currently have a Pool Challenge which gives anyone a jug of beer if they can put in 8 balls within 8 tries.

Innovative ideas and great food makes this a lovely chill out place!

Do check out their FB page for more regular updates, and their website for their full menu!

Offshore Club - Luxury Food at Cafe Prices

6/21/2014

When my friend told me about Offshore Club, nothing would have prepared me for the actual experience. Set in an industrial estate, it has Western and Local fare that is prepare ala minute by Chef Victor Tan, who had extensive experience working in the States. It wasn't easy to find the place, but the satisfaction of finally finding it and the tasting of the fabulous food makes it all worthwhile!

For those looking for the place, the address!
Loyang Offshore Supply Base.

25 Loyang Crescent, Blk 103A TOPS Avenue 1, #09-01,

Singapore 508988

The lamb at Offshore Club is beautifully plated with a dash of mint jelly and features a generous portion of lamb.

Three hand sized portions, served with steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes is perfect for the pickiest palates as it is juicy and the texture of the meat ( no lamb smell! ) is to the bite and even the fat ( which I normally don't eat ) was tasty and well marinated.

If you like lamb, this is a must try - the doneness was perfect too, when we ordered a medium rare.

Rack of lamb: $19.50

Offshore Club Menu

Click on read more for more photos and a longer review!

Ah Lai White Curry Noodle VS MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodle

5/13/2014

After the review of MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodle, one of my facebook friends suggested that I should try Ah Lai, as it is even better!

I decided to do a taste test, using the same amount of water and the same pot too. The only variable was the packets of noodles.

The results were amazing...my friend, Anabelle and I reached a similar verdict - both were equally good, but the curry for Ah Lai is BETTER! It's a true white curry which is tasty, with a full body and enough coconut cream! As some friends say, enough Lemak and lemon grass is very important for good curry.

I bought both packets of noodles in Malaysia, in a provision shop in Genting, for the same price of 10.90RM for 4 packets.

The packaging is quite similar, I wonder who created the white curry noodles first! I did a search on Ah Lai, and realized it is marketed under Fa.E.Fa ( Fa Yi Fa! ), but the main company is Nam Seng. To find out who created the noodles first, I checked out their Halal Certs ( It was the easiest way to check as there was no information about Ah Lai anywhere online. ) MyKuali came first, followed by Ah Lai, as seen in the later expiry date of Ah Lai's halal certificate.

For the full review with pictures, click read more!

MyKuali Penang White Curry Faceoff

5/6/2014

After looking at so many of my friends post about the MyKuali White Curry Noodle with the Natural Ingredients, I decided to get a pack too. It comes in a pack of 4, costing $4.50 at Cold Storage. Apparently, it is the latest and yummiest instant noodle, sold out in Malaysia, with hordes rushing around buying up cartons and snapping them off the supermarket shelves!

Woke up one early morning feeling really hungry, so I decided to make both the MyKuali Penang White Curry and my favourite Nissin Chilli Crab Cup Noodles, and have them face off in a taste challenge. Yes I know, they are totally different, but Chilli Crab Flavour is my absolute favourite! Can the MyKuali instant noodles take over my Nissin Cup Noodles as my absolute favourite?

MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodles

Nissin Cup Noodles

Looking at the packaging, I was pretty excited about the Penang White Curry Noodle - it claims to have natural ingredients in the Chili Paste and I couldn't wait to taste it. The total time it took for me to make the noodles, however, was not 3 or 4 mins, but a total of near 11mins. Why?

I boiled the water ( 3mins ), but the noodles in to the boiling water, waited another 3mins for the noodles to soften and be ready for the seasoning. When I opened the seasoning pack, I expected to see some bits of dried vegetables or prawns or something, but it was just fine slightly yellow powder. The non-dairy creamer was fine and white, and I stirred it into the still boiling hot water. ( I had switched the induction cooker off already. ) Opening the pack of chili required me to find a knife as it was near impossible to tear open, and that took some time.

When I first opened the pack of chili, I was very happy to smell the distinct shrimp in the chili, and it took about a minute for me to stir in and get all the seasonings and paste nicely dissolved. Click on Read more for more photos and the verdict!

New Ubin Seafood at Sin Ming - Amazing!

3/17/2014

Despite its obscure location in the middle of a industrial estate at Block 27 Sin Ming Road (behind Block 26), #01-174, Sin Ming Industrial Estate Sector A, Singapore 575680, there were hordes of people here! You definitely need to make reservations any day of the week, to avoid the disappointment of being turned away even when you are so close to savouring their wonderful food.

Thanks to my sister who called a week ahead, we managed to get a good table in the airconditioned section. Sorry about my shaky photo, was really tired from not eating the entire day in anticipation of the feast.

Here a much better photo of the section we were in. The staff were really alert too, as they spotted two birthday cakes my dad was carrying and offered to help chill it.

Click Read More to see more photos and discover the affordable price of this meal for 8 people!

TungLok Signatures - Fabulous Food, Low Rates

1/29/2014

Walking into TungLok Signatures, one would expect the food to be delicious but expensive. I was pleasantly surprised by the attention to detail and the low price due to the use of Tung Lok's loyalty program. My meal was less than $60 for 2, and we ordered quite a lot! This is largely due to the welcome pack vouchers that we utilized.

Fine dining at the price of a normal Chinese restaurant was a pleasant surprise indeed, and the ambiance, together with the view, was a great plus point. Located centrally at Vivocity, you can get there easily via MRT, Bus or Taxi. Walk towards the seafront restaurants and you would find a whole range of available cuisines, from Chinese to Western.

Service at Tung Lok Signatures was much better than what you would expect at a chinese restaurant - in fact, it was very pleasant and not at all the brash Hong Long style service you would get at most places. The hostess showed me to my table in double quick time, and she also told me about the loyalty program and got me a brochure when I showed interest. The menu was brought to my table and after ordering, food appeared like magic - unobtrusive and on time.

French Foie Gras $14.80

This has to be my favourite foie gras - and also the lowest price I've seen in Singapore. $14.80 for a generous portion, nicely crisp on the outside and soft and runny on the inside - just the way I specified. I have a very specific way of eating foie gras - it must be rare and yet crisp - and the chef was able to cook it to perfection!

I took it apart so that you can see the individual components of this fantastic dish. Its modern Chinese Cuisine roots amalgamated with a french star - Peking Duck style presentation with Foie Gras.

Adventures with the Silver Chef - Latte E Miele Artisan Gelato

1/28/2014

When Ian Low of the Silver Chef Fame invited me out for a food tasting, I was really excited to meet him in person at last. I've been following his awesome food photos and interesting writeups for quite a while already, and when he posted about his songwriting on the ipad, I knew I had to meet him for real.

Fortunately, I was given the chance to learn more, and we met at a quaint ice cream parlor with the most amazing savoury waffles - Latte E Miele Artisan Gelato.

Ian Low is probably the only person in the world who composes songs using only the ipad and no other tradditional instruments, do check out his music here....I love the instrumental ones especially. Ian also writes beautifully, did I mention that earlier? He's reviewed the Latte E Miele Artisan Gelato outlet at Turf City already - almost on the same day as the food tasting. If you check his blog out, you will be treated to his music, and if you want to download and keep the songs, they are available both on Android and on iTunes. Ian has created an entire pop Album, entitled "Broken Earth" on the ipad.

Strangely, I didn't take any photos with Ian that day, but I did capture him in action, at work. As a full time composer, singer and blogger, he seems really passionate about all he does, including photography on his iphone.

Someday I'll start a new blog category about the interesting people that I get the chance to meet, but right now, let's get on to the review of one of the yummiest gelato I've had in a long time, and the best service staff in ANY outlet.

Latte E Miele Artisan Gelato - Passion and creativity in a single scoop

Rarely do I step out of my comfort zone, but I am really glad that Ian Low invited me out for a tasting at The Grand Stand, formerly known as Turf City, formally the real track for horse races in Singapore.

It was a little difficult to find it, but all stress melts away once you are in Latte E Miele Artisan Gelato. I was greeted by Marlon, whom I first mistook for the owner, as he was such a happy server, and so knowledgeable about everything on the menu. He had great initiative and even offered water to accompany the Irish Affogato that I ordered.

$7 for the Irish Affogato was really affordable, especially when it comes with a shot of Irish Cream. The ice cream is usually vanilla, but I asked for a different flavour so that I could taste as many flavours of Gelato as possible.

The espresso smelt amazing, and I could nearly float away on its perfume. The dash of Irish cream gave a bit of warmth to the coffee and sipping it slowly gave me a feeling of pure bliss. Paired with the gelato made from all natural ingredients with no artificial colouring nor flavours, it was such a yummy start to the adventure that would soon follow.

Best Valued Japanese Buffet - En Dining

11/19/2013

During my first visit, the pitan tofu looked awful but tasted good. This time round, it looked alot better, probably because they are not as busy on a Monday night.

Pitan Toufu on a Sunday Night

En Japanese Dining Bar has really outdone themselves in the Marina Bay outlet, part of Parco Marina Bay's Itadakimasu enclave of Japanese restaurants. Near the toilet on the third floor of Millenia Walk, En Japanese Dining Bar is the only outlet offering a buffet as of now. Dinner is from 6pm -10pm and it is wise to make a reservation.

I visited the outlet twice, as during my first visit on a Sunday, it was running at full house and the food service was really slow as they only have three staff manning the front. I was however, impressed enough by the food to head back.

Besides the fantastic pork and beef in their Shabu Shabu section, they also have great starters like cold tofu with pi tan and a Caesar salad that is out-of-this -world great. A free flow of Sashimi was the main draw for me, and they have three of my favourite - Salmon, Mekajiki and Hamachi. They were also accommodating enough to serve sashimi style, the items that were supposed to be sushi, like the ika (Squid ) and the tamago (Sweet Egg).

Pitan Toufu on a Monday Night

Food presentation, cutting of sashimi and food service were all pretty terrible on a busy Sunday night...avoid their busy nights and you get food that is better prepared with much better presentation with much better service too.

While I tried my best to taste everything on the menu, it was not possible, not even with three people eating. I had lovely mentaiko chicken skewers the last time, so I decided to try the wasabi chicken skewers this time round - also fantastic! The wafu steak is also memorable, with juicy, tender cubes of steak nicely done to medium rare and sprinkled with crisp garlic slices that were nicely grilled. What was badly done this time round was the Kimchi pork, ginger pork and mentaiko spaghetti. These three dishes tasted like the chef was a little too happy in the kitchen, dancing with the salt shaker. For dessert, I had the vanilla, green tea as well as the chocolate ice cream - they were all pre-scooped and refrozen, and the texture was a little rough though the taste remained the same and there were no visible ice crystals. I think this is the best valued Japanese Buffet in town - mostly because of the fabulous, tender meats for the Shabu Shabu and the free flow of my favourite sashimi at $48++ ( Nearly $60 per person after GST and service charge. )

En Dining Bar Full Menu ( From several photos of each page )

Possibly the Best Mookata in Singapore - Moojaa

8/21/2013

Battle of the Moo Ka Ta in Singapore

Over the weekend I set out on a MooKata adventure, eating MooKata with my friends from Thailand everyday till we find one that we like. In Thailand, MooKata is very much the social thing, and friends would gather and sit around the pot, talking and having beer. It's one of the more entertaining highlights of eating out in Thailand, and now, it has gotten popular in Singapore as well, with MooKata joints popping up all over. So which is the best I've been to? MooJaa at Keong Saik Rd, due to the service, ambiance, food quality, soup base (with no MSG!) and choice of ingredients. MooJaa is a clear winner, so it wins my full review! What's even better, they close only at 6am, so you can eat there anytime you want, from 11am onwards.

MooJaa at 25 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089132
Call 6536 4780 for reservations or click here.
(Third place I tried and now it is my favourite!)

MooJaa in Keong Saik Road was a clear winner with the fantastic service - here you see our server placing the food in the pan for us.

MooJaa has two sauces available, one great for seafood and the other for meat. I also enjoyed the amazing soup (Made from Chicken and Pork) and the really tasty Thai Tea and lemongrass drink.

One set is $45 but you have the option to get the buffet at just $32 + $5 for free flow of drinks of your choice per person.

Waiting for the charcoal to arrive felt short, as we had the fish skin and the delicious pork balls with cheese oozing out as a starter. It took about 15 - 20mins for the charcoal to be hot enough for them to bring out the pot of coal and the pan.

Air conditioned, you get to eat in comfort.

Golden Mile Level 1
( First place I tried, No.2 on my list of favourite Moo Ka Ta places )

My thai friends raved about this place in Golden Mile and took me out for dinner. The food was good, and if I didn't try MooJaa, I would think it is probably the best in Singapore.

The thai tea that they have as well as the flexibility to order thai dishes from the neighbouring stalls were a plus point too.

Their dipping sauce is spicy with peanuts mashed in, delicious! Service is better if you speak thai, but one set that comprises pork, chicken, seafood, liver and vegetables go for $39 and the portions were really small.

Reordering pork or liver sets you back by $10 per plate, and the portions are small, so be forewarned.

Air conditioned but you will sweat while eating.

Geylang Lorong 8
( Second place place I tried and if I return, it would only be for the Fish Head Curry )

We went to look for durian in Geylang and chanced upon the Mookata at Geyland Lorong 8. We waited so long that we ordered their Fish Head curry (FANTASTIC) and were overwhelmed by the HUGE portion of meat thrown haphazardly on top of a mountain of cabbage.

Mookata was ok, but not as good as their fish head curry. The set here is $39 and the prawns, though big, were not really fresh. It could also be due to the fact that they brought the raw food out of the fridge and set them on our table while waiting for approximately 20mins for the black charcoal to be hot enough.

The staff only speak Mandarin, so if you speak English or Thai, you will probably have to gesture.

Outdoors and set next to the road.

The MooJaa Reveal Review

I went on a "bbq steamboat", "Le Yang" or "Mookata" binge from Sunday to Monday, but it was the very last Mookata Place I went to that really stood out from the rest. MooJaa, pronounced as "Mu Jaaaaaaa", explained in the menu to mean, my "Lovely Pig", a common pet name for couples in love.

" Moo Ka Ta, for the uninitiated, literally means "Pork Skillet" in Thai and refers to the special cooking apparatus created to enjoy both barbecue and hot pot at the same time. A trough of soup sits on a crock of charcoal, and a dome shaped grill is placed on the trough. This allows the smoke from the charcoal to waft up to the grill, perfuming the meats with some seriously fragrant "wok hei" (wok's breath)." Written by MooJaa, this accurately sums up what Moo Ka Ta is all about, and at the same time, gives you a little insight into the little details that help set MooJaa apart from the rest of the Moo Ka Ta places in Singapore.

Before walking into MooJaa, I brought my friends on a tour of Chinatown and we walked up the historical Keong Saik Rd which was really nostalgic especially for me, as I remember coming to one of the houses when they were still houses, as a child of 3 or 4 years old. They were gorgeous and big, but only had one toilet and washing area for the 6 or 8 families living in that huge house in which everyone had one room. The old lady I visited lived in one of the rooms, and I remember her bed was made of wood, with no mattress. While the houses have since been converted to offices, shops and restaurants, the largeness or rather, the depths of the houses remained the same. Keong Saik Road also used to be the "red light district", way before Geylang became popular. I remember as a child, I sat at the entrance of the house marveling at all the pretty "aunties" and "jie jies" that walked in and out of houses marked by red lights or lanterns. Of course, it has radically changed and no semblance of that history is left here.

The place looked classy and when I stepped in, I was wondering how much the meal would cost. I was immediately put at ease after looking at their menu. Both their servers were simply wonderful - they took the time to explain each set, the buffet and then their ala carte dishes. I can't help but wonder if they had a properly scripted explanation, as both described everything systematically and clearly. What is even better, you can log on to their wi-fi network for FREE and order online by keying in menumoo.com on your internet browser. By ordering online, you get a free drink as well! If you would like to check out their menu before heading down, here it is. Click "Like" on their facebook page and get a FREE Cha Yen ( Thai Iced Tea). Coupon instructions appear after clicking Like. Talking about the Cha Yen, it's super tasty with the lovely perfume of black tea sweetened with milk. This has to be the best Facebook page for a restaurant, peppered with special promotions and FREE stuff.

Find out more about the food and experience by clicking read more....

Beijing No. 1- Disappointing coffeeshop presentation style

8/19/2013

I've heard a lot about the place, and when my Mum decided to host my Dad's birthday celebrations there, I thought it would be a good time to try it out. To get a private room at Beijing No. 1 at Marina Bay Sands, you need to spend $3000 and above. We spent $1000, so we got a semi-private room with one other table.

My dad, the birthday boy! HE's 65 already, it's quite unreal though - I still think of him as 50.

Beautiful centerpiece that went really well with the rest of the decor.

The menu matched the entire theme and was sturdy in my hands.

If you would like a copy of their menu or simply want to browse before heading down, it is available here.

The lights were gorgeous, and to me, the reflections it throws on the ceiling makes it look like an eye.

The lazy susan was ornate and it definitely made the table look a lot classier.

Decor at Beijing No.1 is impressive, no terracotta warriors but it certainly looked regal and imposing, with little touches that helped secure the imperial feel. How about the food? The food paled in comparison to the decor, I expected more subtle flavours and layers, but unfortunately, two dishes in our selection seems to have used the exact same stock, and for the price we were paying, I expected the flavours to be a bit more varied.According to their site, Beijing No. 1 is conceptualised by Master Chef Liu Guozhu, and helmed by Executive Chef Shi Wei Dong, who has over 40 years of experience in the Chinese culinary world.

Beijing No. 1 has good servers but managers who are not as service orientated - it took the manager quite a while to find my reservation, and in the end, I had to point out my mother's name right on the top. Not a complicated name, just Mrs Goh. In his defence, perhaps they are used to writing the names in Chinese. The menu I asked to look at didn't come, so I had to walk over to the counter and pick up a copy.

Ah yes, the food awaits, and they are in the order that they were served, which to me, was strange as the Longevity noodles came out third, after "Peking Duck" and the soup that was more like sauce.

If you would like to try eating at Beijing No.1, its details are as follows:

LOCATION:THE SHOPPES, ATRIUM 2, L2-03

ACCESS VIA THE SHOPPES BAY LEVEL (L1) LIFTS AT UOB AND GRAND COLONNADE NORTH
OPERATING HOURS
LUNCHDAILY

11:30AM - 2:30PM
DINNER5:30PM - 10:30PM
TELEPHONE:

+65 6688 7515

Photos follow, with comments on each dish. Click Read More to check them out.

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