Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts
HRVST Vegan Restaurant and Bar
Labels:
bar,
cocktails,
restaurants,
shenton way,
vegan,
vegetables,
vegeterian
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Healthy vegan food. Never have I in my wildest dreams would have imagined signing up for something like this and eventually coming out from the other end of the tunnel, convinced that this is a much needed subculture movement.
HRVST restaurant and bar located on the 5th floor of the OUE downtown gallery shares its space with Kilter Avenue, a gym that's driven by movement. In the big picture , the restaurant is a holistic extension of the healthy lifestyle concept - touting vegan food and beverages to both gym users and the general public alike.
[KL] Table and Apron: Made from Scratch with lots of Heart
Labels:
communal,
fried chicken,
kuala lumpur,
must go,
restaurants,
sharing,
side dishes,
vegetables,
will return
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Table and Apron. It's a good egg.
13 Duxton Hill: BEST EVER Birthday meal by a long shot
One of the 9 or so courses (non-inclusive of the escapades on the drinks frontier) served to me the first time I ate at the new 13 Duxton Hill was a cathedral rock formation cluster of daikon rolled shavings and cured apple with a raw sunchoke creme filling ($10).. It looked pretty and almost pagan at the same time, I could have sworn it was sorcery when the first mouthful touched my lips and the vinegar lit a steady burn on my ulcered lips.
This plate was more than just a pretty picture. Wrapped inside its towering lengths was an earthly whirl of goodness, pulverised till it no longer resembled its usual crunchy state. In the following dish, there was baby corn, salted prawn head butter and dusted with meanders of burnt cocoa powder ($16) for that slight astringency amidst lashings of lavishness. The combination of prawn head butter and toasted croissant was a complete surprise, extraordinary in ways I'd never imagined before.
Pick of the Precinct || Orchard Central - Joie, Shi Li Fang, 以利泡泡
Labels:
affordable,
desserts,
hidden finds,
lists,
orchard,
orchard central,
quick picks,
sommerset,
vegetables,
will return
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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.
ON-YASAI @ Chijimes: A Welcome Relief
Labels:
ala carte,
beef,
beer,
buffet dinner,
buffets,
chijmes,
cityhall,
family friendly,
health,
shabu shabu,
steamboat,
vegetables,
wagyu
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Weekends are when the guilt sinks in, a culpability towards the stress that I put my body through with my horrendous diet during the weekdays. Take today for example where I followed a Chicken Tikka Naanwich from Fix with Pulled Pork tacos from Mex-out and then rounded up the whole sinful affair with the BEST fried chicken and waffles at The Beast. All this washed down with copious amounts of alcoholic beverages... hey.. don't judge.. after all #TGIF folks! Continuous days of dietary insurgence with hardly any greens in sight usually leaves me feeling sluggish and out of shape. Then, as my mind shifts to the notion of healthy eating, I am deterred by the thought of bland tasteless dishes. Well, if some of you out there are faced similar dilemmas, fret not, I reckon I've found a solution to this problem.
ON-YASAI is a shabu shabu joint hailing from Tokyo. With origins since 2000, this chain currently has more than 300 outlets in Japan alone. ON-YASAI aims to challenge the common concepts, firstly that shabu shabu is an expensive affair and secondly, to delineate the all-you-can-eat steamboat experiences you often get in Singapore brimmed with cheap ingredients and frozen meats. Targeted at the families, couples and the professional woman, they strive to provide a healthy selection of ingredients driven by seasonal produce with a creative array of soup bases.
Besides its usual ala-carte menu, there is the buffet option which comes with 40 different types of vegetables and appetizers. Each diner also receives 1 tray of meat, 1 Chicken Tsumire (Japanese minced chicken in bamboo stick) and 1 dessert. Priced at just $49.90++ on weekdays and $54.90++ on weekends for adults; this is a wallet friendly manner of eating healthy yet eating well. Do take heed that there is a time limit of 1.5 hour per table on the buffet so pace yourselves.
Japanese hospitality meant us trying a multitude of appetizers before the real deal. Jagakara ($8.90) was a peculiar combination of potato and pickled squid that was very much acquired taste, the distinct poignant taste of the sea with the squid kicking up an appetite. Another stellar dish to order with your beers is the Brown Sugared Broad Beans ($3.90), sugar coated with a brief touch of salt, this crunchy snack is extremely addictive and I dived at it continuously much to my embarrassment when the host offered to refill my bowl.
One of the main characteristics of ON-YASAI is the assortment of soups, there are Tomato Soup, Citron Soup with Collagen, Japanese Style Spicy Soup, Golden Soup (truffle flavored), Seaweed Soup, Sichuan Spicy Soup, Soyamilk Soup and secret Sukiyaki Soup. Best part is.. you get to select 2 soups for every pot!
Soon, the pots of soup (we chose the citron soup, golden soup, seaweed soup and soyamilk soup) placed on the induction stoves had reach a rolling boil and we proceeded to cook our meats with gentle precision. The Japanese Wagyu Chuck Roll ($34.90) and Australian Wagyu Chuck Roll ($23.90) both had excellent marbling and cook within seconds of its interaction with the hot stock. Boosted by a refined setup, we were encouraged to leave our meats on a drip tray before dipping in our choice of goma or ponzu suce to prevent watering the sauce down. Utter brilliance and such attention to detail on the restaurant's part. The Japanese Momoiro Pork Collar ($18.90) was best savored in the soyamilk soup, the milky richness of the soup enhancing the fattiness of the protein. I found refuge in the exquisite goma sauce, the use of foie gras adding an extra flavor dimension. Truth be told, I would have loved to take a swim in this sauce had it not been for my nagging reminder to maintain proper table manners in front of my hosts.
The Chicken Tsumire ($6.90) is a house special of chicken mince stuffed in a bamboo skewer that eventually becomes meatballs as you carve them with a spoon into the pot of soup.
Let the feast begin.
The assortment of fresh vegetables and mushrooms filled us up quickly. The excellent broths adding to the pageantry of the dish, the restaurant's consideration for every aspect of the meal pushing it past any type of expectations I've had for a shabu shabu experience.
The Soya Milk Cheese Risotto Set ($5.90) hit the nail right on the head with a grand finale that I've yet to encounter anywhere. At the end of the meal, instead of letting a good rendered down broth with the essence of all that cooked meats and vegetables in it go to waste, we are given cheese, rice, condiments and an egg. After a few magical whisks of the wrist, we were presented with a bowl of silky smooth risotto. As simple as it sounds, it's an ingenious and satisfying way of appreciating the entire shabu shabu experience at ON-YASAI.
The meal concludes in a wave of gustatory pleasure capped off with a dazzling cat-walk of light desserts to sweeten the deal. The Homemade Pumpkin Pudding ($8.90) comes strongly recommended, the dish entailing a restrained sweetness with elegance, stacking earthy flavors from the steamed pumpkin to comforting nuances of cream with the warm toasty notes from the brown sugar syrup.
We also indulged in the Peach Sorbet ($6.90) and the ON-YASAI ice cream ($7.90), a pleasant way to round up the evening of food festivities.
ON-YASAI on the grand scheme of things offers up a holistic experience that intends to debacle some old school shabu shabu controversies. With the backing of such an excellent array of soup bases to boot, I reckon that factor alone seals the deal for many return visits.
ON-YASAI
Chijmes
30 Victoria Street
#01-03/04
t: 6336 4002
Website: http://on-yasai.co.sg/
Ootoya: From Farm to Table
Labels:
clementi,
dinner,
health,
japanese,
media event,
orchard central,
restaurants,
salad,
salads,
sommerset,
vegetables
·
Most of the time, being a 'food blogger', and we often get blinded sided in our rat race to get to latest food fads; more often than not, losing sight of the true essence of food and it's humble beginnings. Especially in Singapore, because of geographical limitations and monetary considerations, very rarely do we come across individuals or corporations that show a remote passion in stressing the importance of sustainability practises in the Food and Beverage industry. While living in Sydney, 'farm to table' movements and 'local produce used' were a dime in a dozen. akin to the magnitude of the waffle and gelato craze here on our local shores, yet returning back to my motherland has cast a huge soaking wet blanket over my conviction to pursue environmental sustainability through local produce. Up till now...
A recent invite to Ootoya opened my eyes to a whole new realm of farming in Singapore. Panasonic Factory Solutions Asia Pacific (Panasonic) has announced it's pilot commercial supply of locally harvested vegetables to Japanese restaurant Ootoya. Cultivated in a 248 square meter indoor agriculture facility, 10 types of vegetables are grown via soil based environment with LED lighting, out with which 3 varieties are now employed in Ootoya's local menu. What impressed me the most tenacity of Panasonic in using their advancements in technology to derive methods to drive self sufficiency through a sustainable cultivation method. In the course of doing so, astutely roping in Ootoya whose focus on quality of life by offering up authentic home cooked Japanese food to their customers is unquestionably in sync with Panasonic's vision to adopt an sustainable and cost efficient method of farming that still hits the home run with the freshness and quality of its vegetables.
Shrimp Salad with Aurora dressing ($4). Mini Red Radish, red leafy lettuce, mizuna and shrimps served with creamy dressing made from bell peppers and tomatoes. Not my favourite but still does a great job in highlighting the great produce that is the local farm vegetables.
For the mains, we were treated to a choice of 3 sets of different proteins. S couldn't get past the Hokke Set, consisting of a charcoal grilled fish, miso soup, chawanmushi, rice and a side dish of braised vegetables; this instantly took me back to my experiences of dining at a Japanese home stay. The style of cooking so delicate and earnest that it almost felt like you were dining under the expert care of a matronly chef, the pride and meticulous ways of the kitchen individuals shining ever so brightly.
My Pork Belly Shiokuji Set presented different flavor dimensions and textures with each bite. The tenderness of the grilled pork belly achieving transcendence with the diners in the room.
Watch out for the new salads featuring the locally grown vegetables to be released officially somewhere in Mid-August. Meantime, for you faithful followers of Ootoya, here's a little something special.
fundamentally-flawed dined as a guest of Ootoya. A major thanks to Adrienne of Golin Harris for the kind invite!
Ootoya Japanese Restaurant
#08-12 Orchard Central
181 Orchard Road
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