[BALI Eats] Artotel Beach Club bring Cool Tropical Vibes to Sanur

Away from the havoc and maniac of the party-region Kuta and the increasingly health conscious, acai bowl ardent areas of Seminyak and Canggu lays the seemingly more mellow, Sanur. Known for its central location and manageable wave action, this seaside village has been dubbed most family-friendly by Bali travellers. A quality that's further affirmed by its 25-minutes driving distance from International airport of Ngurah Rai.

On my recent trip to Bali, I had the privilege of stopping over for one night at Artotel Sanur Bali before my red-eye flight back to Singapore the very next day. And boy was I elated about the proximity to the airport. That and the flexibility of the staff in helping us pack our 'breakfast-inclusive' of Nasi Goreng ready for our 4 am journey,  this certainly made for outstanding service brownie points.

But before we return to the comforts of the tastefully decorated Artotel, let's talk about the newly opened Artotel Beach Club (ABC) that has brought an air of briskness to the sleepy beach side town. If you're used to the eclectic mix of businesses in Sanur, Artotel Beach Club's bold splashes of color across its 7000 sqm beach side oasis is a perfect fit. It's peachy vibes spilling across luscious lawns with the occasional cabana and its two storey bamboo clad restaurant.

Unagiya Ichinoji: Unagi specialised restaurant opens in Robertson Quay

Following the success of Man Man Unagi, other restaurants have joined the bandwagon - choosing to dedicate their full menus to the delicacy. The newest addition to the list is Unagiya Ichinoji, a 34-seater restaurant located in Robertson Quay.

The Lobby Lounge @ Shangri La Hotel does The Local Spin-off at their semi-buffet lunch

For the first time ever, 7 legendary hawker dishes come together at the luxe Shangri La Hotel's Lobby Lounge at lunch. It's as easy as choosing one main from the range before digging into the plethora of local delights on the rather extensive line-up which feature Popiah, Kueh Pie Tee, Braised Pork Belly, Ayam Buah Keluah, Cheng Tng, and finally concluding the debauchery with nonya kuehs from HarriAnns.

I applaud the hotel's ability to recalibrate something as easily accessible as Bak Chor Mee and make diners see it with fresh eyes; albeit for the convenience of choosing from the best representations in the land without the long sufferance of queueing nor enduring the outdoor elements. As a bonus, each monthly edition of new Heritage Weekend popups features a live station headlining a beloved hawker classic - Prata from Springleaf Prata Place in March and the much lauded Chendol from The Coconut Club in April (happening today!).

Le Binchotan: It's the Remix to Ignition

There is an air of nostalgia as I entered the cylindrical fashioned, moody realms of the restaurant, Le Binchotan. Yet amidst the somber nature of the space, there's a spark of excitement in the air, Chef Jeremmy Chiam's impish smile affirming rumours. Taking over the reigns of the restaurant, it's outwardly apparent that new Chef-Owner, Jeremmy had a new spring to his step.

Le Binchotan, known for it's manifestation of modern French-Japanese cuisine in the back alleys of Amoy Street has had a new fire lit under its ass and with that comes swooshing in, promises of something fresh, vital and extraordinary. With great mental resistance, I consigned my previous experience of the restaurant to oblivion - after all, everyone deserves a second chance.

The Summerhouse's New Menu defies classification

It has been a while since my last visit to Summerhouse. I zoomed in to the edible garden to check in on the cocoa pods progress and was delighted to observe that they were in good shape. Looking around, there is a discernible difference in the yard’s outlook - 3 ominous domes are dispersed through the luscious foliage. It’s fairy-lit interior slowly coming to life with the dramatic setting of the sun that unleashes a whirlwind of peach-pop colours across the sky. And there you have it, as any great ‘special occasion’ type-esque restaurant experience begins, it pulls me in from more then one direction. The alluring settings of plush fur carpets draped over solid wood benches, champagne flutes that tilt to your lips to reveal fresh hits of thyme and cool drafts of air circulating the domes, all work to prime my appetite for the food, even before the rye bread hits the table. And when it did, I reached zealously for the house made butter; making sure to fill all nooks and crevices with it. No patch was spared. The scrumptious morsel, a prequel to the fortuitous meal to come.

[WED Buzz] Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf introduces new Peach Jasmine range

Cheers to the weekend (wait, what? it's only Wednesday?) with Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf's new Peach Jasmine Nitro Cold Brew Tea and Peach Jasmine Cold Brew. The Nitro Cold Brew Tea is the first ever in Singapore - jasmine tea cold steeped for 5 hours before adding in peach puree made of real peaches and finally infused with nitrogen.

Singapore's first dedicated duck ramen at Kamo Soba Keisuke: Take a quack at it

My mind is engrossed with flashbacks from Mighty Duck (yes, I am an 80s kid), the awkward beginnings of the "Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack" at their first game building to a crescendo of triumphant cheer that illustrated true camaraderie. It never gets old. Ducks fly together.

And even more in the not so proverbial combination of Irish duck and ramen. Yes, before you voice your confusion and perhaps disapproval with this very non-Japanese ingredient, hold up. Chef Keisuke has succeeded in many combinations before this masterpiece, Kani King (Crab) and Lobster King leading up to him picking the bird as his new muse. And given his former training in French training, the pieces of the jigsaw begin to make sense.

[BALI eats] Kayumanis Resto Jimbaran dishes out authentic cusine emblematic of spiritual Bali

Thin whiffs of smoke float up from the skewered duck, conjuring up spiritual references to Balinese rituals performed by high priests. And that was exactly what it was. Mysterious in its musky aroma, you're transported right to the centre of the action. Gone is the disengagement with your dream Bali holiday, and all of sudden, you're caught gazing at the swaying of the coconut trees with your head in the clouds. Kayumanis Resto Jimbaran has this effect on me, sending me veering, crashing straight into the intended pleasures of a spiritual trip to Bali.

PABLO Cheese 'tarts' in the NUDE

Just like how there are split camps for "biscuits or cream" for Oreos, the same goes for tarts.

Some prefer the crusts, others fancy the filling. If you're a fan of cheese tarts, but only fancy the cream cheese filling, rejoice! PABLO Singapore is releasing Nude, a cheese "tart" without the crust.

Beast and Butterflies: where culinary insurgence takes trip

I'm saying this only because of the Crispy Pork Knuckle, served with the most ridonkulous  Nam Jim  sauce that you'll just want to bottle and use at BBQs, with grilled chicken wings, etc... Okay, then maybe I'll also make leeway for the Scallop Carpaccio and the Yam Brulee -  a most ambrosial ramekin of orh nee blessed with a crackin' caramelised lid - both humble, but no less, better, incarnations of their original inspirators.