Shabu Shabu Gyu Jin – Where they have the Japanese Wagyu Nailed

Did somebody say Free-flow Japanese Wagyu?

The moment that escaped her lips, there was no holding me back from the sacrilegious affair that was unravelling in my mind. Thin slices of well-marbled beef swished briefly through a gently boiling dashi broth, curling irrefutably from the heat and then coated in a salacious raw rich egg yolk before it graces the mouth. I imagined how much I could eat in excess in a time span of 90-mins, the impending doom marked by the several Japanese stopwatches just outside the kitchen spurring my cause. But that's not all at Shabu Shabu Gyu Jin, a sprawling labryinth of semi-private dining rooms and large communal dining spaces set on the third floor of 100AM mall in Tanjong Pagar, you can have you quality meats served authentic Shabu-Shabu and Sukiyaki style or even on the barbecue, Yakiniku style, should you wish. The hardest part is making that choice.

Famous JB101 Firewokz - Simple Zi-char Dishes Done With a Flourish Are The Order of The Day.

Betcha never think I would be reviewing a Tze-Char stall, but a whole slew of Italian and Thai eats have got me lusting after some familiar flavors. Lugging myself from spreadsheet designed outlets to concept driven "fast casual", forever cramping joyless food into my blighted face, eating, boating, never satisfied. Then along comes this gem, introduced by the least suspecting foodie member of the family (satiated by just a sandwich diet on a daily basis) - my mum, and it took my palate by force. No outlandish fare, no need for allowances; the end result was something like 4 happy bellies rolled into a car crooning to the tunes of Greenday.

Ding Dong: runs the night with their New Menu

There's just something about Ding Dong after dark that has got me charmed. I'm bought into the lure of a lardaceous affair of Pork Trotters in between alcoholic thirst quenchers; the illustrious neon lights reflecting off mahogany wood table tops hitting the spot where party vibes are concerned. The menu needs little decoding, recently revamped by new Assistant Head Chef Miller Mai under the guidance of Chef Ryan Clift, it screams of modernised childhood nostalgic dishes and some of which are stellar. While the food is loosely based on local favourites, the kitchen pushes far beyond those boundaries. Subverting and reinventing dishes, Ding Dong targets a new generation of novelty-seeking urban diners. I, for one am extremely grateful for this tenant on the mega food-centric Amoy Street.

[Seasonal Specials] ilLido at the Cliff celebrates the White Asparagus

The White Asparagus is the harbinger of spring. These tender stems packing in some amazing sweet and clean flavors that fetch some insane prices at the onset of the season, and then subsequently making an appearance in every nook and cranny of Farmers markets all over Europe till the end of July.

Every year, there's a slew of restaurants that put these albino varietals on their special menus even on our local shores. From gnocchi to the classic egg Milanese, ilLido at the Cliff joins the ranks, even resorting to using white asparagus in a fancy dessert to seal the deal. There is an awkward, inexplicable backlash to this trick; but whether or not it showcases the vegetable in all its glory, you'll just have to hang in there till the finale for the verdict.

BAM! - It's Monday, for goodness' sakes. hurray.

Monday, sucks, period. That is, until you remember that we share a city with a bunch of roving alcoholic devotees; you'll never be shortchanged of the best drinking deals in town even on the bluest day of the week. When it's all too much to deal with - the smoothest libations, the cosiest nooks and rich bites - BAM! is there to cosset you in ingenious fare and put out that raging fire with sparkling cool bottles of the best sakes.

Venture to conspire after a tumultuous day at work at BAM! where they do a Sake-Tapas Tasting every Monday from 6 - 8pm. It's not the generic over-the-counter-top kind of sessions, instead, revel in a full-fledged congruous pairing of 5 sakes and 5 tapas at S$48++ per person. (note, teething issues have been ironed out from it's launch on the 5th June and better pairings have been implemented). Spanish Chef Pepe Moncayo may be a through-bred, but his dishes provides a pleasing break from tradition with his fastidious ode to 'Modern Shudo' where sake is employed to bring out the umami flavors in food; this paves the way for toothsome bites. Dishes are unmanned by a specific country or cuisine, instead they are all presented with the finesse of Japanese Teishouku, small but power packed. 

Dining with a View [Part 4]: CÉ LA VI introduces New Executive Chef Joey Sergentakis

Most tourists to Singapore would be familiar with CE LA VI as a go-to destination for a quick sunset tipple and killer views of the harbor area. Not necessarily dubbed as spot to put Singapore's culinary scene on the map, I always felt that its stellar "high-off-the-ground" location to be such a waste. Hence imagine my interest piqued at the mention of a new Executive Chef taking over the reigns! Chef Joey Sergentakis who previously ran the kitchen floors of Mr and Mrs Fox in Hong Kong and propelled it to Hong Kong Tatler's Best New Restaurant 2016 position; is the best news I've heard from the joint in a while. I gathered my skirts in eager anticipation of the refreshed menu featured.

[OPPO R9S Plus]: Tips for Flawless Food Photography (Lighting)

Of all that factors that influence the quality of a photo, lighting ranks as one of the most important. But that doesn’t mean you need a truck load of expensive lighting equipment to take a gorgeous, insta-worthy food photo. In fact, in order to create mouth-watering food shots, you’ll only need a diffused light source and a camera. At the moment, I’m using the OPPO R9s, which comes equipped with a 16MP rear camera and an all new Sony IMX398 sensor for phenomenal focusing speed and low light performance.

Put the remarkable camera capabilities of the OPPO R9s together with a good lighting source, and fantastic food photography comes naturally. Here are some techniques to manipulate countless lighting scenarios to create images that will leave your viewers salivating.

[Town Restaurant] Famed Michelin-Starred Hong Kong Soy Sauce Chicken Rice comes to Fullerton Hotel!

If you absolutely detest queuing for hours on end for good food, you'll probably be delighted to know that Chef Chan Hon Ming of the famed, one Michelin-starred Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle in Chinatown Food Complex will be bringing his signature Chicken dish to Singapore Fullerton Hotel. For ten days only, diners will get to savour the winning soy sauce chicken - that takes about five-hours to prepare - alongside the usual Town Restaurant dinner buffet fare that comprises of a comprehensive spread of fresh seafood, sushi, sashimi and a whole assortment of local delights and desserts.

Served with a dash of soy stock and chili sauce (if you like) as well as Chinese Parsley for added aroma, the chicken certainly lives up to expectation. The skin is sweet and not too oily, while the meat is tender. Even the chicken breast that we usually shun from, is palatable. Have your chicken served on some steamed white rice to soak up the excess gravy, alternatively, have it on its own if you're slashing out the carbs.

Either way, the soy sauce chicken counter is worth a visit and besides, Chef Chan himself would also be making appearances on the 1st - 3rd and 8th - 10th June' 2017 from 7 -9 pm. So you better not chicken out on this opportunity to finally meet the affable chef himself. Take some photos for memorabilia of course, and get your hands on the much talked about dish without waiting in line for hours.

Held from 1st - 10th June' 2017, 6 30pm to 10 30pm, the buffet is priced at $56 per adult and $28 per child (6 - 11 years old) from Sunday to Tuesday; S$69 per adult with a seafood selection and S$34 per child, or S$89 per adult with free-flow draught beer and Singapore Slings, and S$44 per child from Wednesday to Saturday.

Town Restaurant

Fullerton Hotel

t: (65) 6877 8911 / 8912

Written and photographed by Stanley Lui.

A fashion blogger who is also an avid food lover at heart, Stanley Lui has written for luxury titles like Senatus, Robb Report, Singapore Tatler and HungryGoWhere. When he's not busy sussing out the latest food trends and hot new restaurants, he can be found sipping champagne and gobbling up canapes at the latest fashion event. Read more from Stanley at http://fashionide.comhttp://fashionide.com.

Dining with a View [Part 3]: Shisen Hanten, 2-Michelin starred Szechwan restaurant. Sink or Swim?

Lunch time at Shisen Hanten, and the crystal chandelier illuminated high ceiling room is bathed in natural light. The scene is as such: the gentle pad of well-shod waitresses' feet and clientele that looked fluent in the language of high net worth make the ambience a little intimidating.

The first of its kind to make a debut outside of Japan, Akasaka Szechwan Restaurant or Shisen Hanten as it is popularly known was founded by late Chef Chen Kenmin in 1958. Highly regarded as Japan's "Father of Szechwan Cuisine", his legacy lives on through his son, Chef Kentaro who diligently picked up the tools of his trade under his father's guidance. Awarded with 2-Michelin Stars in 2016; the establishment is highly recommended for propelling Chinese cuisine to a more glamorous vantage point. It's only uncanny that the restaurant is perched on the 35th floor of Mandarin Orchard which sports some sweet city views. Do request for a window table.