Pepper Lunch launches new multi-sensory dishes

It all started with a humble takeaway lunch of grilled chicken rice entry on Instagram that sparked off the start of this campaign with Pepper lunch. It is with no shame to announce that I've always been a closet fan of Pepper lunch and its affordable meal options touting a healthy meat to carb ratio (as all of you know, I'm very much a carnivore 80% of the time), and to add to the pageantry of the dining experience, that hot plate which evokes certain nostalgic vibes.

This mid of year 2017, Pepper Lunch pushed out new sizzles to whet the evolving taste buds of its customers. From risottos to carbonara and curry rice, their expanded repertoire definitely piqued the picky likes of me and I was more than happy to be able to taste the entire flight in a single session.

Here's the scoop.

Flaming Don 烤丼 : When Yakiniku and Donburi make merry

Flaming Don 烤丼  is the latest dining concept by Creative Eateries, the same company that spearheads popular brands such as Bangkok Jam, Suki-Ya and Barossa Bar and Restaurant. As its name suggests, Flaming Don specialises in Japanese rice bowls and strives to provide high quality ones at affordable prices.

The restaurant takes on a self-service concept, whereby customers use kiosks to order their food and make payment. A receipt that displays their queue number will then be printed. While waiting for the food to be prepared, diners can help themselves to free-flow miso soup and beverages. When the food is ready, the corresponding queue number will flash on the screen displaying in front of the pick-up counter. Diners can then collect their food and dig in!

Bird Bird: Gut-busting meals that are guaranteed not to get you laid.

I partook in this meal with someone. And as much as the company was great, I wish it was a lone venture; at least then the only person who was left unsatisfied when I took my clothes off would be me. However, small victories like stumbling upon crispy fried chicken in the suburbs should be celebrated, so I'm going to push past this glut of negativity.

Fried Chicken revolution has been a long standing infatuation within the local community, Prawn paste chicken, chicken and waffles, Chicken 65, Indonesian Ayam Goreng, Korean Fried Chicken, there's a flavour profile to match every occasion. Unfortunately, my obsession with Southern Fried Chicken hadn't received much love from the general public, and over the years, we haven't been blessed with multiple vendors. My firm favourite still being The Beast for their out of this world 24-hours buttermilk fried chicken, waffles with yeasted centers and a jar of magic bourbon maple butter sauce.

[NEW OPENING] BURG Kitchen opens in Eat at Seven

BURG Kitchen, which is now part of the enclave of top-rate Japanese restaurants at Eat at Seven is a Japanese concept restaurant that specialises in juicy, handmade hamburgs.

The Wildseed Bar: Where the kitchen takes one step closer to nature.

At Wildseed bar, one floor below the rustic Summerhouse dining room in Seletar, you're already exposed to the elements of nature. We suppose a strong gust of wind during a major downpour would soak those chiffon skirt endings or the still humidity in the air just before the storm hits, will render you listless and grumpy. But, fortunately for us, none of that today. The cascading sun radiating warm golden rays of sunshine across the magenta hued skies. If there was a perfect time to be nursing a cocktail, it would be now. And for that reason, I held on to my Grapefruit Negroni ($18) with fervour; it's absolute bitterness hugging the taste buds with warm familiarity.

The Wildseed Bar has recently revamped its menu to incorporate more nature-inspired elements, with a stronger relation to the sprawling garden at its foot, and locally sourced produce. The cocktails reflect the same conviction. One of my favourite being the Sunkiss ($18) - whimsical pulses conveyed through raspberry liquor - chambered, cointreau, fresh orange, cream and rosella; the overall mix tasting like a cross between a red velvet cake and strawberry milkshake. Sounds delightful? It is.

Xiao Ya Tou: New Brunch Menu

There are a thousand and one variations on the classic eggs Benedict, and as much I confess to being a nazi (most probably a condition derived from being fazed by exaggeratedly bastardised versions that are both messy in appearance and jarring on the palate); Xiao Ya Tou's new Unagi Benedict ($16) radiates with a warm glow. I'm guessing its the yuzukoshu hollandaise at work, but no. The star of the dish being the attack on the flank - prawn and potato kewpie mayo salad with tobiko on crispy potato croquettes. Needless to say, the combination of mushroom duxelles, fresh fried mantou, poached egg and unagi was exceptional. This one is worth wiggling out of your PJs early for.

Xiao Ya Tou has recently revamped their menu to include a larger repertoire of local influenced dishes at more affable pricing to encourage sharing. Henceforth the best if you're an indecisive (or greedy) diner like me who are easily enticed by key words like 'kewpie', 'ragu', 'confit' and 'mantou' amidst a galore of drool worthy food jargon featured on the menu.

The KL Journal, Boutique Hotel - Come rest your bones with me

With a twist of fate, visits to Kuala Lumpur are all but becoming regular events for me. With that, the Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs comes to mind. The KL Journal conveniently located in the heart of Bukit Bintang satisfies that physiological needs to the maximum of its capabilities, providing affordable luxuries with the added benefits of convenience where traversing the city is concerned.

[NEW outlet] Ramen Champion at Clarke Quay Central

The new outlet at Clarke Quay Central is Ramen Champion's first full-service restaurant and the only one to offer a free-flow salad bar. For a top up of $4 for every main course ordered, diners can enjoy a spread of over 20 dishes, from fresh greens to pasta, salads and the unanimous favourite mentaiko potato salad. Those with a sweet tooth would be pleased to know that the salad bar also includes desserts such as almond pudding with mango and houjicha pudding with matcha.

Friday night picks: Tapas Club @ Orchard Central

Despite the recent, and when I say 'recent', I'm referring to a good 10 culinary years in Singapore's culinary context, Spanish cuisine has seen a booming business amongst diners. Hence its not peculiar that I've never had the urge to venture into a new tapas joint in search of greener, more authentic pastures, since most of us would have settled into the constancy of our regular Spanish joint when the craving hits. Binomio on Craig road may be a homestead for some of you, hence this news might come across as pleasantries.

D+1, the largest Spanish company in Asia's F&B industry and regional franchise owners of popular frozen yogurt chain llaollao has decided to expand its portfolio, adding a casual tapas dining concept to its empire. And despite the mass-market appeal of the brand, the authenticity factor is not displaced in the new venture,  Tapas Club, located in Orchard Central. Executive Chef Jose Alonso (also Head chef of Binomio) keeps things on a tight leash and the dishes are relatable, most of them tugging at the heart strings in regards to flavours.

Makan@Jen: East Meets West

Juxtaposing the best of Eastern cuisine and the best of Western Cuisine, Hotel Jen Orchardgateway rolls out a buffet spread with the full works and we were allowed sneak peaks of the offer available from 2 July 2017 to 30 November 2017. For just $42++, dive into and endless array of Asian and International delights, all dubbed to be given a 'Jen' twist.

Jiak Pa Lang Eating House: reinvents Singaporean cuisine

With National Day around the corner, there's always room for Singaporean fare, especially if you're not allocated a  waterfront spot to flail your arms in the air under the impressive illustrious displays made of drones in synchronised movement, oh how we've moved on from mass dance formations in the National Stadium.

Chef Nixon Low, previously of Portico group fame has moved on set up Jiak Pa Lang Eating house, a  restaurant that focuses on bringing a new edge to local dishes. Not limited to resuscitating hawker food, the improvisations extend to multi-cultural as well, speaking volumes about Singapore's expansive growth in terms of global reach over the mere 52 years of its independence Many of these renditions playing on food and its associated memories such as the Braised Beef Cheek which is a spin-off a chef's tale of after-hours with the buds - of Guinness stout and peanuts.