Kori King: Kakigori that's as easy on the wallet as it is on the eyes

Kakigori is a Japanese shaved ice dessert that dates back to the 11th century. It was initially made only for the Japanese elites but have since gained popularity in Japan over the past few decades. Riding on the wave of shaved ice, Kori King is the pioneer to offer Kakigori in Singapore in a young more hipster-ish kind of settings at really wallet-friendly pricing.

Made from ingredients imported from Japan with no additives, colourants or chemical flavours, Kori King offers its customers an extensive menu of different flavours to choose from. This includes local delights such as Gula Melaka, popular favourites - Matcha and fruity flavours such as Mango and Strawberry.

Five-Ten: Taiwanese inspired Pop-Up

In place of the late CATO along South Bridge Road comes Five Ten, a trendy spot sporting homely Taiwanese inspired eats. Judging from the long queues snaking out the door every weekday night, its popularity amongst the young and voguish is unmistakable. A major home-run, evidently seeing that its name is based off a beloved pre-drinking game enjoyed by most Singaporeans (preferably equipped with adequate counting skills); conceptualised by the Kishore brothers most known for helming the 90s themed club FRESH!; their appeal preceding over the same audience in their latest establishment.

Song Garden - Custard Salted Egg Lava Mooncakes to die for

Missed out on the early bird discounts for mooncakes?

Have no time to visit the mooncake fair?

Fretting over which mooncake to purchase for the family (without burning a huge hole in your wallet)?

Then you had better heed my advice and head down to Song Garden located on the 2nd floor of Mercure Singapore Bugis to get in on their mooncake selection. The emphasis on the traditional baked mooncakes a refreshing respite from the peculiarities of this year's snow skin offerings from various establishments touting strange flavours such as tom yum, pink peppercorn and more. Call me old school, but there are certain lines that can't be crossed in celebration of such a historical occasion.

Redolent with nuts, the Five Assorted Seeds is one that would pander to the more matured taste buds. Almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, persimmon and sesame seeds are held together with a sticky maltose filling which is just sweet enough to allow for the roast on the nuts to shine through. Unlike many renditions I've had, Song Garden's version doesn't crumble at the slightest touch nor stick to the teeth in unglamorous nooks and crannies. Definitely a keeper and a fine display of the artistry in the kitchen.

I've always been one to love white lotus paste, plain. However, come Mid-Autumn Festival, I cave in to the occasional yolk inception. The dynamite orange ball adding just that bit of luxurious salt to bring out the best of the smooth lotus paste. At song garden, the mooncakes come just a little more tanner than usual, the crust itself yielding a robust flavour that I prefer.

White Lotus (1 Box of 4 pieces): $50.80

White Lotus Single Yolk (1 Box of 4 pieces): $56.80

White Lotus Double Yolk (1 Box of 4 pieces): $62.80

Five Assorted Seeds (1 Box of 4 pieces): $62.80

Perfect little gold ingots; these salted egg yolk lava custard mini mooncakes from Song Garden are my recommended for most 'worth-it' purchase this mid autumn festival. Heat it up a little and you're guaranteed a nice flowy centre providing a faintly salty contrast to the milky crust.

Mini Custard Salted Egg Lava Mooncakes (1 Box of 8 pieces) for $62.80.

Note that this mooncakes are only available for purchase from Song Garden itself from now till the 4th October or until stocks run out.

Song Garden

122 Middle Road

Level 2

Mercure Singapore Bugis

t: 6521 9299

Lewin Terrace: 500 Days of Summer

There's barely anything left to coincidence on the plates as presented by Chef Shinkai that night at Lewin Terrace. His well-flourished career that took him through the kitchens of 3 Michelin star restaurant L'Osier in Tokyo to the beloved 1 Michelin star Beni on local grounds erecting some high expectations at the white-linen lined tables. Sure, we do know that the Chef is well-versed in the unique fusion of Japanese-French cuisine, but a quick glimpse at the summer menu revealed baffling misplaced words such as 'laksa' and 'lemongrass' - would these prove to be feign attempts at pushing the envelope, or will they actuate as pure ingenuity? I was curious to find out.

Full of Luck Club: What's Newer and Hotter.

Since my last visit to Full of Luck Club last year (read here), the joint has taken measures to reinvent the menu, pushing new-fangled offerings to match their stalwart menu items that have received a sort of cult status amongst the tipple-cravers.. think Braised Pork Bao and Golden Sand Corn washed down with ice cold beer. Yes, it does feel a little more like Friday doesn't it?

ADRIFT by David Myers will bait you with their Crazy Late Night Supper Menu

I can't pretend that I like any of the restaurants I've ever dined in at Marina Bay Sands very much. But one things for sure, when a kitchen delivers a full-fledged menu (Till 2am) complete with a wild bevy of high-strung cocktails till 4am every morning, It's a keeper and it deserves my support.

ADRIFT by David Myers (read my previous review here) has had raving reviews from me in the past, no thanks to golden crispy ingots of fried chicken karaage dredged through furikake mayonnaise that stole my heart on the first instance. If you've never visited the joint, the new super late-night menu will provide enough incentives for you to do so.

Rosso Vino: like an Italian Trattoria scene from Lady and the Tramp

Stuck in its ways. stepping into Rosso Vino is like a step back in time. Red napkin lined bread baskets and waiters dressed in starched and stiffened white shirts; the joint cashes in on the nostalgic factor; instilling in its diners an enthusiasm quite similar to what you would experience when you were ten and were told dinner is at Jack's Place. Despite it's conservative decor and even more time-honoured menu, dining for the first time at Rosso Vino is a dangerous love affair. The said waiters and waitresses working the dining room with effortless hospitality; like they'd been doing this their whole lives. I bet a bottom dollar that partaking in their fettuccine bolognese would be like a magical scene out of Lady and the Tramp sans the waiter serenading you with his impeccable accordion skills (though they would if they could).

Things to do this weekend: Sansiri's The Finest Thai Event

Hot, sweaty bodies push up against you and you revel in the occasional bursts of fresh relief as you round the corners of the festival grounds which house the cooler machines. As uncomfortable as it reads, you get a sense of satisfaction, almost akin to traversing the grounds of the former Bangkok markets. The hustle and bustle combined with the excitement conjured from discovering something new around every corner is infectious.  For those of you who aren't aware, Sansiri's The Finest Thai Event takes place this weekend, running from the 8th -10th September on the plush grounds of the Royal Thai Embassy (yet another reason to visit the festival).

What should you expect? Food of course! And lots of it, a good mix of Thailand favourites as well as local vendors who have proven their mettle and worth amongst Thai cuisine aficionado's here in Singapore. Some of the good folks include Kombi Rocks, Soi Thai Soi Nice (click to read my review), Porns Thai Food and April's Bakery amongst a bevy of other delicious things. 

Unavoidable to the inquisitive eye are the snaking lines that have formed for the famed After You Shibuya Toast. Take note that due to heavy demand, these are only served during 12pm to 2pm and 4pm to 6pm or until the item is sold out from its daily limitation. So be quick and nimble to avoid disappointment. Oh, and there's a cash only rule so bring some moolahs only with you.

But besides the gluttony that is often associated with Bangkok night markets, there's a whole sluice of other activities that are taking place simultaneously. The aim, to showcase Thailand's hip, cosmopolitan lifestyle right in the heart of Orchard Road.

Take a tour of the grounds and admire the delicate craftsmanship of skilled artisans - there's Thai Calligraphy and weaving to provide entertainment when the food situation gets a tad overwhelming. And as the night draws on, traditional dance performances and live acts put on by Paradise Bangkok will fill in the gaps. Don't miss out! Oh and there's an added incentive - Admission is free! So what are you waiting for?

Best selling beer -Singha beer represents at the festival! Quench your thirst here!

Kin Arai Thai Kitchen along Jalan Sultan dishes out their fiery fare here too!

If you're a Thai tea fanatic, options are aplenty at the grounds. Come take your pick.

Last but not least, visit "The Finest of Living" zone and get to know more about the neighbourhood of Thong Lo and Ekkamai and stand a change to win a plane ticket to Bangkok. All you have to do is snap and share as many photos as you like with the hashtags #SansiriGlobal #SansiriThailand #SansiriTheFinestThai.

The Finest Thai Event runs from 8th - 10th September 2017 from 12pm - 9pm, conveniently located along Orchard Road, it's just beckoning for you to grab the entire family and head down for a culturally enriching experience. 

The Finest Thai Event

The Royal Thai Embassy

370 Orchard Road

S(238870)

Event dates: 8 - 10th September 2017

Time: 12pm - 9pm

Crackerjack: Absolutely crackin' joint that serves up weekend brunch for sinners

Singapore's brunch game just got even stronger with the emergence of all day wine and dine concept Crackerjack along Tanjong Pagar Road. with the backing of powerhouse 28 HongKong Street team ironing out all the logistics down pat. Yes, we all know that I'm a huge fan of Crackerjack by night, roast chicken with chermoula sauce and dingley dell pork collar chop with a chance of sprightly imbibes including my favourite mezcal negroni; its hard to pass up a friendly invite to the joint. And we're talking any day of the week, any time of day.

Come weekends, the joint does a roaring breakfast trade that panders to the alcoholic side of me. If you want to keep it PG, the guys do some pretty bonafide coffee work that will have you raring to go through your entire weekend, but I would definitely do a 180 degree slant to the spirited renditions. But before the onset of early afternoon (when the lure is strong), couples fresh out of the gym and families with hungry kids are placated with cereal milk and fluffy pancakes, rich hippie granola completing the wholesome imagery.

Dehesa X Bodegas Comenge: #SwineWineDrink

We all need a little spark of a reminder sometimes. A little confetti in the air. A little whipped cream on top (somewhere, anywhere). A little something-something, je ne sais quoi to end off the tidings of a Monday. For me, its a gratifying wine dinner, complete with swash buckles of fat-licked meaty delights and perhaps a swig of sweet sherry to come to terms with the dire fact that there's 4 more days to the weekend. The recent Dehesa X Bodegas winemaker dinner I attended was all that with side of jovial banter and amicable ruckus caused by a case of too much wine. Nothing that the Monday blues can't handle given the amount of turmoil its already been put through. Sod that, give me a good glass of red and you'll have me purring over plain vanilla ice cream.

It's the ease with which they do it, this slightly inebriated airy wave at the door and the boisterous call to attention for Alvaro Comenge's introduction speech, by the reps of Iconic Wines Singapore that makes you think - hey - if it only took them till 6pm on a Monday to reach this state of enlightenment, the wines ought to be good. There's no sales pitch better than permission marketing; and at this stage, surrounded by light banter and blissful smells, I wanted in on the magic.

VLV Riverside - New Riverside Zi-Char Dining Experience

Zi Char is a never-dying trend in Singapore, with crowds willing to bear with the uncomfortable coffeeshop stools, creaking fans and the shouting aunties for a sumptuous meal of home-style dishes. But what if I told you that these dishes can also be enjoyed in a more comfortable setting; one that overlooks the Clarke Quay riverfront, with cushioned chairs and even live music to boot?

Look no further than VLV Singapore, as they have recently introduced their newest dining concept, VLV riverside, which offers diners local zi char favourites with a twist.