DOMVS @ Sheraton Towers: A Seafood Fête from Norway

An email popped up in my browser, 'A Seafood Fete from Norway...' and instantly I was sold. Big Whoop! No ways I was letting a fresh seafood catch slip through my fingers. The potential mercury poisoning stemming from the copious amounts of pippies, oysters, cod, turbot and flathead I've consumed during my last few days in Australia, not holding me back as I indulged in a full-fledged seafood fiesta courtesy of the kind folks from Sheraton Towers. 

From 1st Nov to the 8th Nov, Sheraton Towers Singapore in collaboration with Guest Chef Markus Peter Dybwad, from Norway will present a Norwegian seafood extravaganza, riding the delicacies of various Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified produce to cook-up culinary excellence. This demonstration will be displayed over at DOMVS, the Italian restaurant (1-4 Nov) and The Dining Room (5-8 Nov) through specially curated menus.

Craftsmen Specialty Coffee: Far East bites.

I concur that the East-siders have it better when it comes to food. It has always been an unspoken rule where nobody debates the East-siders choice when it comes to dinner options, their exposure to unearthly delicacies at a young age grooming their intelligible taste buds to ultimate snobbishness. I recall my first boyfriend (hailing from the better side, of course), who spent the first 3 days of our lives together looking at me as if I were a complete alien; our journey to the Joo Chiat area for dinner bringing an oddball glow to my face as we trod the well beaten eaten paths. Well, my ignorance has long gone, my frigidity with the eastern munchies gradually bridged over the years.

As do most cuisines, well , needless to say, the cafe scene on the flipside have a slight edge over us west-siders too. Craftsmen Specialty Coffee located at both Siglap Village and Eastwood is a contender for this myth. It's recent dabbling into sourdough on the menu pulling off a healthier image with quiet subversion.

Maggie Joan's: Backlane Dining

Hidden in a once decrepit corner on the back alley of Amoy Street facing Gemmil Lane is a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, well hidden from sight but promises to wow diners with the overall eating experience exemplified by the likes of Loh Lik Peng's Hua Bee and Jack & Rai's The Flying Squirrel. Not surprisingly this location was intentionally chosen by Glen and Daniel Ballis, the father and son duo behind the successful Moosehead modern tapas a few blocks down the road. Occupying a disused kitchen space of the old Gold Leaf porridge in a century old shophouse, this small and cosy establishment retained a lot of old world charm; the bricks that were stripped bare of its paint are the original's while Victorian floor tiles restored by Maggie Joan's in the inner quarters contribute to the ambiance of the place. Owner, Daniel also specially commissioned aged metal drum shades to evoke a sense of the bygone era.

Weekend Haunts: Bar Bites @ Spiffy Dapper + The Hotel Vagabond Bar

Yes, we can

Friday is upon us. Naturally, some of us would gear up for a tipple or maybe two as the work day draws to an end and the anxiety weighs less heavily on the mind. It's the freakin' weekend people, let loose, and live a little.

Not so visible to the naked eye, Singapore does a few things very well, one of them being their cocktail bars. With such fabulous options in the city, we, Singaporeans have become quite discerning with our tastes and it takes something extra special to impress us.

I'm not about to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous Group meeting now, but I must admit to drinking a little too much for my own good. The gnawing pain at my back area suggesting some kind of liver inflammation from the copious amount of craft beer I've been ingesting over the past few days at Sydney Craft Beer Week. So here I am, ready to spread some of my love for my current two most outstanding cocktails bars of the moment. That's right, Ladies and Gentlemen, the vote is in.

The Benjamins: More than just milkshakes

If you haven't heard of The Benjamins Cafe in Forum Shopping Center, I'm going to say this... Where have you been?!? Not that the Benjamins has a sterling menu but if you're even present on Instagram, you would have caught a glimpse of these outrageously over the top, extraordinary milkshakes that threaten to fill up every inch of your square frame. 

For most of us, a trip to The Benjamins would be a group of friends huddling over a couple of these babies, but I was bent on trying their food, especially after sipping on an outstanding mug of  cappuccino made by owner, Pearlyn. There must be more to it than meets the eyes. The burgeoning queues snaking its way around the corridors of the shopping mall urging me to warm my seat a little more.

Bridge: Weekend free flow Brunch

A world of excellent truffle honey french toast exists in the same universe as the posh lobster croissant in this quaint eatery along gentrified Seah Street.

Brunch, is the ultimate meal to have when the weekend comes around and has eclipsed every other meal when it comes to where diners are spending their dollars. Bridge restaurant and bar, joins in the masses, offering up this popular, affordable luxury with a different twist.

[ANYMAP] The 10 Best Burgers in Singapore

I've been writing about burgers. Plenty of times. Desolate looking burgers, dry burgers, larger than life burgers, black burgers, gourmet burgers. We love them all, the way a mother loves all her children; but as a middle child would tell you, we detests it when mum pretends to love all of us equally. In fact, we all know that it should come to this. Finally, a definitive list or ranking of my burger obsessions - napkins required.

D'Good Cafe: Deutsch Skillet Pancakes and Birthday Wishes

D'Good Cafe celebrates its 3rd birthday today, and to spread the joyous mood, everybody will enjoy a whopping 30% off the total bill only today, the 15th Oct' 15. Now, that's worth a trip down. You know what else warrants a visit? The new menu headlining D'good's foray into the Dutch Skillet Pancakes, that's what is.

[ANYMAP] Top 5 most affordable Chirashi Don in Town

In Singapore, you'll find the locals preference for food walking the thin line between brunch-fare and Japanese food. Or perhaps that's just me vouching for my own demeanour. More often than not, we see the soothing technicolour spread of donburi bowls permeating our instagram feeds; the notion of been satiated by a one-bowl meal so obliquely wholesome in a way. 

Shifting our focus to the beloved Chirashi Don; "chirashi"  which means scattered in Japanese by enlarge would get you a bowl of seasoned rice topped with scattered slices of raw fish, fish roe and the occasional tamago, if you're lucky. Sounding seemingly simple, the mark of a good chirashi bowl is balance. Quality sushi rice should be evenly seasoned with slicks of tangy, alkaline sweetness from the rice vinegar. Different types of fresh fish layered on top - bonus points granted for textural diversity and attention to colour variation. It's deviously simple constitution paving the way for huge success on some parts and epic failures for others. Read on for 5 of our favorite most affordable chirashi bowls in Singapore.

1. DSTLLRY (21 Media Circle, #01-01, Infinite Studios, 138562)

DSTLLRY needs no introduction, especially among the die-hard chirashi loving fans. Though highly inaccessible, this placidly shaded den is a multi-level temple to the glorious bowl that is their infamous Bara-Chirashi Don ($16.90) - hipster Asian eateries don't come much cooler. Super bang-for-buck, the sublime bara-charashi don is jammed pack with salmon, maguro and hamachi tossed in their secret sauce of mirin, dashi and soy sauce over a comforting bowl of rice.

OverEasy (Orchard): I'll let it slide easily.

Familiarity breeds contempt and in my case, too many good burgers made a food snob out of me. 

Overeasy used to occupy a top spot on the score board, right up next to the Black Swan's saucy pileup of seasoned chuck patty and mature cheddar plastered over head; however, my most recent trip to Overeasy's second venture onto the bustling streets of Orchard Road resulted in a rather distasteful burger experience. The drastic performance standards between the two outlets, somewhat of a mystery I couldn't quite comprehend.

Quick Picks: The Dessert Edition

While healthy living and the benefits of staving away from desserts may be admirable, once in a while, it's just nice to sink your teeth into sugar coated treats. Waffles and ice cream, move to the side as more culturally diverse confections tickle our taste buds. So, from Korean originating churros to immaculate hazelnut swirled danish pastries, dig in to my quick picks guide to the freshest and newest dessert joints in town!

Churros 101

Yeah, you like that don't you? Well, hold on to your mind as Singapore is getting a glimpse of Korea's best loved churro brand, Churro 101 with its first outpost opening up in the heart of town, Bugis Mall.

The churro fueled menu is designed just the way we like it, true to its form with all ingredients used specially imported from Korea, and recipes followed strictly to a T , if that doesn't guarantee consistency and authenticity, I don't know what else will.

Red Eye Smokehouse opens in Jalan Besar

If you're not addicted to smoking, then you haven't tried Red Eye Smokehouse - the newest kid on the block, a hipster homestead which carves up one of the city's best smoked delicacies.

Don Quijote: More than just Suckling Pig

Time goes faster than you blink. Nothing's ever was like it was.

But you and me, babe, we still have a special thing going on.

Don Quijote, 5 years ago you stole my bleepin' heart with a plethora of goodies ranging from Squid Ink Paella to the much less ostentatious garlic wild mushrooms (read more about it here), this year on a surprise return trip to common grounds, I was equally dazzled. I refer to it as a surprise because I unknowingly trudged into the restaurant with no clue that the establishment had relocated to its new residing grounds located on Dempsey Hill. 

Swankier, with higher ceilings and mosaic tiled bar counters; Don Quijote seemed to have metamorphosed into something a little more upmarket. Falling in the footsteps of most of its next-door vendors, but still retaining the same humble and warm Spanish hospitality vibes throughout. This is highly evident from the framed photos documenting the food driven journeys of owner, Mr Ken Lim and his family though Spain. Each one of which withholding some lingering tale in its wake.

{Wordless Wednesdays}: Bottura

Arancini al Ragu ($8)

I initially condoned this to the 'Shall keep mum' folder on my desktop, but what the heck.. it's better suited for my 'Wordless Wednesday' movement.. simply because that's exactly where a meal at Bottura left me. At a loss for words.

And not in a good way too.

Quick Picks: 5 places for a Swift and Scrumptious Lunch in S'pore

It's not everyday that you have the luxury to sit down to a lavish lunch without having thoughts of impending doom from the stockpiling workload weighing heavily on your mind. But with this little window of opportunity to escape as far away from work as possible, its always a good idea to treat yourself to something a little more substantial, a little more gratifying, if I might add. Here are a few of my go-to places for a quick lunch with perks of enlightenment and spiritual healing afterwards.

Pick of the Precinct || Orchard Central - Joie, Shi Li Fang, 以利泡泡

Whenever it comes to dining options in the Orchard area, my mind cognitively draws a blank. The maddening crowds and the lack of personal space driving me far away from the prospects of heading out to town on the weekday night, much less on a weekend.

However, on closer inspection, it becomes evident that the usual 70% F&B based occupancy in every shopping mall, straddling the strip would be able to feed the crowds. Now the real problem is identifying which are worth your while.

Orchard Central is home to several outstanding food establishments; though the life of a certain kind of restaurant, one is given to understand, can be nasty, brutish and short. Sumiya and Ootoya, some of my long time favorites have stood the test of time and gone on to expand their humble business concepts to other heartland malls. That aside, my knowledge in regards to the other existing tenants squirrelled away disparately among 12 floors of concrete was close to zilch. It was for that reason alone that, when recently approached to be led on a food tour of certain selected vendors in the building, I happily obliged.

[ANYMAP] Best 5 Waffles in Singapore

A great waffle needs no diatribe. As long as the exterior's golden and crunchy, the gelato or fried chicken (whatever floats your boat) authentically flavoured/juicy, and the added bonus of having a kick-ass sauce; the ingredients speak for themselves. And yet, even as the emergence of new waffle types, reimagined as pizzas and waffurger push past stereotypes with their wacky toppings and remarkable condiments, its no getting past the fact that the proof is in waffle itself. The variance of options on our tiny island, allowing every man to momentarily assume the position as a waffle philiosphers; debating the merits of waffle crumb, gelato and yeast versions versus baking powder, put against the souffled forms. But in the end, as with so many things, what matter the most is how it makes you feel inside; and thankfully there's room for all styles, from buttermilk to Belgium-yeasted and even filled with macaroni and cheese. So, keep an open mind and waffle-on! Here's where to find the best, my best at least: