Bishamon Sapporo Ramen: looks are decieving
Labels:
great world city,
japanese,
ramen,
restaurants
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Weekends are for...
looking through your never-ending archive of backlogged photos and trying your best to set some sort of regiment to getting these fresh off the press. It's a hopeless case. Many times, this results in an unproductive mixture of self destructive things, hanging out hopelessly on facebook/instagram whilst eating my weight in kok zai (watch this to get in the action). I hang my head in shame.
This weekend.. I made a difference. Mainly because tomorrow I'll be sweating it out in the Safra Avventura hence I need to indulge in a little stress relief on
Bishamon Sapporo Ramen located at Great World City being my subject of scrutiny.
The Sashimi salad was our first dish that set my experience on a downward spiral. Sad slices of coarsely sliced discolored fish on a salad that was limp on every level.
My auntie's Bishamon Combo set came with a flurry of Chicken, Fried Prawn and Rosu Katsu. Not too bad... but I would definitely pick the superior Tonkichi's Version over this anytime.
Apparently, the curry rice fared the best out of the lot. Shift your attention to this low-key player should you be dining here. The pork katsu curry rice had a substantial portion of breaded and fried katsu that was surprisingly tender; the curry, sweet (as it should be) had a robust flavored unlike some of the water-ed down versions spamming the island.
let's talk about Sapporo Ramen, I left feeling like a miserable rat. You would expect a top notch rendition giving the establishment's name and it being the signature dish. However, my mini miso sapporo ramen was a sad picture. I didn't complain about the lack of puddling soup only because it tasted so diluted and lacked the slightest hint of Miso even. Portion sizes were miserable, for $3 I got an extra single piece of cha shu that was dry and marginally tasteless. Heed my advice and avoid the ramen at all cause.
The saving grace of the day came in the form of a mixed plate of Kushiyaki. I was struck by a bout of food allergies closely after. I suspect the oh-so-good peanut sauce on the side to be the culprit. That aside, the bacon wrapped enoki mushrooms and grilled pork belly with leek shone as real stars in an otherwise depressing dinner. I left the place miserable still... I hold grudges, what you going to do about it?
1 Kim Seng Promenade
01-21B Great World City
Tel: 62352890
HGW invited session: Todai
Labels:
buffets,
food tasting,
HGW,
marina bay sands,
seafood
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Elmer Dills, famous Los Angeles food critics, once described Todai as "THE MOTHER OF ALL SEAFOOD BUFFETS"
After taking a sneak peak at its premises in the basement of the ultra sleek mall of Marina Bay Sands, my expectations grew by a mile. Beware at this point...
Dinner at Todai was a invited food-tasting session by HungryGoWhere and I arrived ravenous from a hard days work in the kitchen. Thank goodness for the lovely Kirin beer to get conversations started over the table. Not that it was too important given that the buffet line was the star of the show. I very quickly ran over to introduce myself.
What I loved most about Todai's international seafood buffet spread was the diversity and structure of it all. If my memory doesn't fail me, there was the pizza and pasta section, noodles, korean food, Churrasco station, crabs, sashimi and sushi station, cold cuts and salads, teppanyaki (NEW), chinese food, dim sum and dessert stations.
To cut to the chase, if you, like me, do not excel at orientating buffets then heed my advise on this one. Attack the Alaskan Crabs, beef short rib, sushi, sashimi and Churrasco stations for maximum gratification.
You'll be surprised to find out that most of the kitchen staff behind the counters hail from Korean hence do not be surprised if communication is minimal despite the open kitchen concept. Inherently, the Korean food (try the pan fried egg battered fish) is impressive despite it's potential to be neglected in a predominantly seafood menu concept. Some of my favorites of the night include the pork belly from the Churrasco section and the wide array of colorful sushi unique to the Todai's kitchen.
After filling yourself to the brim with all things savoury and making an extra run just to double check that all items have been sampled. Make your way to the dessert counter. The cream cheese swiss roll and new york cheesecake were delightful; so are the shortbread cookies that would make a great accompaniment to a cup of hot coffee as finale. Avoid the apple crumble and brownie unless you want a parched desert as a mouth.
In all honesty, I find Todai's buffet a bit on the pricey side. An affair only justifiable should you be an avid crab fan willing to get your hands dirty. Unfortunately, I failed miserably in that department and on hindsight, would not have parted with the money for such ordinary fare. Todai offers a very casual "non-buffet" type dining experience gearing more towards family outings and large gatherings. So do give it a shot if you fall within that category and are urgently seeking a venue large enough to cater to your group size.
2 Bayfront Avenue
#B2-01A Marina Bay Sands
Tel: 66887771Fax: 66887701
The Essence of Christmas
A severely late but mandatory Christmas Dinner post. I was reminded of the essence of Christmas this year as being a celebration of God's gift of salvation and love to us. Misrepresented by modern practices, it is not the gifts nor the food and the making merry that make up Christmas but our hearts in communal gratitude while receiving God's precious gift.
Still.. there must be food. Hence...
an excessive 3 turkeys on the chopping block = turkey sandwiches for a good long time.
Homemade Pork roulade with apple sauce
a never-ending traffic of busy hands grappling for food over the dining table.
The Best of Year 2012
Labels:
australia,
cookies,
family,
Le Cordon Bleu,
pastry,
sydney,
thoughts,
travelling
·
I had this depressing notion that new years day was nothing but an overrated day celebrated by fools around the world despite it being a mere continuation of life's mundane-ties. Then it came to pass that even story books should have chapters, the purpose of it's existence very much applicable to the essence of the new years day celebration. (view here). This time around, the change of location and point of view being predominant. No kidding, but its time to pick up the pace and focus on new goals and resolutions in the coming years. Entering a new phase of life.
My resolutions these year are a mash up of so many things that it almost appears like a disarray of false hope. But more importantly, for the new year, I pray that God grant me strength to manifest my big dreams and reward me with the courage to face new experiences.
What follows is a recap of the previous year. I hope that they inspire you to reflect on the richness of your year.
Single best thing that happened this past year?
Attending Pastry school @ Le Cordon Bleu (Sydney) with a follow up of a 7 month internship at Cheeky Chocolate where I worked with the most fantastic team in the world. Thanks Elicia, Yumi, Adele, Mia, Edwin and Andy for the many good experiences. Chef life just wouldn't have been the same with all those wild nights of drinking games. Tsk. (Read more about my experiences here)
single most challenging thing that happened?
Participating in the Callebaut Hunter Valley Entremet competition. Many weeks of trial and work finally led to a silver medal worthy piece. Never did saw it coming, but with the encouragement of my dearest Chef Andre, I pulled through.
What was an unexpected joy this past year?
My nga nga, who stuck with me relentlessly through my overwhelming negativity.
Pick three words to describe 2012
surreal, restorative, tough
Best dining experience in 2012
That would be dining in the Qantas first class lounge in Sydney terminal. A big thank you going out to Darryl who pulled a fast one to grant us access. Who would have thought we would be dining on lavish fare in slippers...
In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?
catching up with many relationships that I have neglected over the past years and most importantly reuniting with the girls (you know who you are!)
What was biggest thing you learned this past year?
Once you decide on your occupation... you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That's the secret of success... and is the key to being regarded honorably -- taken off "Jiro dreams of Sushi"
Lastly, Happy new year to all my readers. In this new year, eat sweet and stay sweet always!
I'll leave you with some shots of my works over at BakersWorld through the festive season... Stay tuned for my next post on the season of festive gorgings!
Log cakes designed by yours truly for the Xmas sales. Chocolate Banana logcake versus Mango, White Chocolate and Coconut log.
Chinese New Year cookies already up for grabs and available for corporate orders as well.
Birthday Weekend: Shin Yuu and frolicking in St Regis
Labels:
birthdays,
cakes,
desserts,
japanese,
restaurants
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It's been almost two weeks since my last posting. It seems as though I have an extremely tough time adhering to regiments. Darn. Just when I thought I had reached a regular stride. Blame it on the coming of Christmas; I'm left exhausted and honestly, just a teenie bit spiritless. Turns out this Christmas has become a record breaking uninspirational one for me. Thank goodness my birthday just falls a step ahead of this busy procession. My birthday weekend was a blast, thanks to my lovely girlfriends and dearest family.
Shin Yuu @ Greenwood Avenue was my choice for dinner. (turning around at this point, I kind of regret my choice) Tucked away in a serene neighborhood of shophouses housing tons of dining choices; I was surprised not to have discovered this till a while back when a young friend of mine mentioned it in his deep perplexing hunger after having to fast then gone through an operation.
We were given the private tatami seating area upon reservation. Extremely claustrophobic in my opinion, kind of tampered with my appetite.
With regards to dinner, there were extremely high points and very depressing trenches of misfortunes. Complimentary items were the stars of the show more often than not, with the tea pot soup and aburi special sushi leading the way. Some other items that you should fill up on is the sashimi. Not because, we're pretentious cheapos and chiong-ing the sashimi would guarantee our money's worth. *snorts* On hindsight, the Sashimi Moriawase was undeniably good. An assortment of Maguro(Tuna), Hiramasa (kingfish), Mekajiki (Swordfish) and Shake (salmon); these set a benchmark so high that caused an inevitable failure of most of the following dishes.
The Kani Kaarage (soft shell crab) was another my favourite dishes. Generous in portion and possessing a crispy light batter that remained crunchy throughout our long dinner. The Agedashi tofu, yum, Hotate Mentayaki, yum, the Wafu tenderloin steak, not so yum. The texture of the meat carrying a strange bite, possibly from an overloading of meat tenderizer.
The dishes right above and below this comment failed miserably, even more so as highlighted dishes by the establishment themselves. The Shin Yuu Special Sakana Chiizu (“Dory Fish topped with Cheese”) had a offensively cloying layer of bechamel like sauce draped over the fish. It could be an error on the chefs part, but most of the roux sauce carried the flavor of raw starch. The description of the dish below eludes me, yes, it was that unimpressionable. Prawns drenched in some kind of dashi stocked cooked egg. A terrible idea gone viral. Avoid this at all cause.
Shin Yuu meaning 'best friend' in japanese did not live to expectations. Thank goodness for real close friends who planned a St-Regis staycation.
From surprise birthday riesling toasts to un-refrigerated birthday cakes from Basilico Sweets; I appreciate all the effort put in by the girls. Transition into mid twenties has been plausibly calmer than expected. The night preceded in true party fashion with us girls let loose in Clarke Quay. We partied hard! Cheers to long standing friendships and many more trips to come. Love you all.
16 Greenwood Avenue
Hillcrest Park
Tel: 6763 4939
Opening Hours: Daily Lunch 12pm to 3pm (Adult - $36.90++, Child - $21.90++)
Daily Dinner 6pm to 1030pm (Adult - $49.90++, Child - $29.90++)
2Fifteen kitchen
Labels:
apple,
brunch,
desserts,
french,
hidden finds,
restaurants
·
Curiosity kills the cat. and the cat rises to heaven after its ordeal.
After spying on an article recently published in the local Food and Travel magazine. I decided to give the establishment a call to find out more about their month old ala-carte brunch buffet offer. To my surprise, I encountered a very friendly and knowledgeable staff member over the phone who graciously explained the brunch buffet and its benefits to me in detail. Taking the time to state the special mains of the previous week as well as to highlight to me the prospects of a lamb roast carving available this week. I was sold instantly, who could say no to such brilliant service standards?
Mind you, but finding 2Fifteen kitchen may lead to quite a treasure hunt. Located at the back of Rochester Mall, it is the easiest to spot from the carpark located at the mouth of Rochester drive. Helmed by Chef Kenny Yeo, 2Fifteen kitchen attempts to bring French fine dining to the ghettos (or should I say to a more approachable level). However, since I was partaking in brunch, there weren't so much references to the french cuisine; still I held high hopes for the finesse of the dishes.
Choice of breakfast items were aplenty, nonetheless, I was lured by the intent of gluttony. Couldn't shake off the notion of a buffet with the added luxury of an ala-carte dish. For those who pick this option, don't raise your hopes too high, the modest buffet spread may not exhibit the grandeur of the usual hotel renditions but please don't be disheartened. On a general note, all the items are akin to the creme de la creme. Here we're talking about artfully presented cold cut selections, salmon and horseradish cream. Beautiful cheeses (not to mention the raclette swiss cheese coupled with a petite pair of gherkin and pearl onion; to die for) served with toast which was brought to the table, piping hot, by the earnest staff.
Special mentions go out to the roast lamb which was carved to order by a chef. It's pinkish hues telling sweet tales of its succulent nature. Our ala-carte dishes arrive shortly after, Pan seared Barrumundi with Pernot Sauce. This was delicious, the fish cooked to a perfect doneness, the firmness of the flesh melding with the complex creaminess of the sauce.
Our other main of Pan friend pork collar with cheese, mixed herbs and tomato sauce was profoundly disappointing, the thick pork steak, alluring cut and all, brought down by the richness of the sauce and the cheese crust that had somehow turned soggy with the spate of tomato sauce.
There and then, we wiped off our knives and leaped on to desserts. An ode to the bread and butter pudding stationed on the line. You are the air that I breathe. It's mind boggling how something so seemingly humble can evoke such a huge response in my palate.It was by all means.. perfect. Layers of thinly sliced apples, buttered bread well soaked in a vanilla custard and a sprinkling of lightly toasted buttery crumble over the top. This was a delight to eat along with the vanilla bean creme anglaise. Until today, I am jealousy of the in-house pastry chef's wizardry. Another dessert item that blew my mind was the apple tart ( a complimentary item courtesy of Chef Kenny); wafer thin with a robust apple zing and toasted almond flakes; this was a sure winner in my books.
Will return for more main courses and desserts one day. Thanks Chef Kenny Yeo for your kind hospitality.
35 Rochester Drive, #02-15,
Rochester Mall,
Singapore 138639
Tel: 66598215
Burgers galore: Soho Coffee vs Fatboy Burgers
Labels:
burgers,
cafe,
coffee,
restaurants
·
I've been obsessed with burgers lately.
I'm obsessed with the magnitude of toasted done-ness to the bun heads. A sprinkle of sesame seeds over the top, good. Generously buttered surfaces, even better. Sometimes I admit to being a snob for good patties where the ratio of fats to meat accentuates a perfect balance of robust carnivorous bite, tenderness and juiciness. Recently, I got down to trying Fat Boy's the Burger Bar located along Joo Chiat Road. A winning joint combining a liberally nonchalent atmosphere with the likes of beer and burgers served way into the night; I was praying to be dazzled. Since I felt like an ordinary burger, I dived in for the Wimpy in beef ~ Single beef chuck patty, crispy bacon, cheddar cheese and fried egg with homemade Fatboy's sauce.
In all honesty, I walked out of Fatboy's feeling a need to tell you guys about the alternative souped up version at Soho Coffee Boutique. Just look at that succulent beef patty below... it's self explanatory, we'll just let the pictures do the talking. (fyi, every bite was a slice of heaven; long wait... totally worth it)
Fatboy's signature burger was a major let-down with a over-seasoned patty encompassing strangely stringy textured minced that crumbled in a disorderly fashion when sliced. Perhaps it's the fillers or the done-ness of the it that was exaggerated (I swore I ordered a medium that emerged more on the matured side). The sesame buns, well buttered were a delight to eat. Otherwise, quite a disappointing experience.
Craving for a good burger? Head on down to Soho Coffee instead and while you're at it, grab a coffee as well; they do it pretty good!
36 Armenian St, #01-08 (Corner of Hill St & Loke Yew St, fronting Loke Yew St)
Singapore, Singapore 179934
tel: 6634 7977
Fatboy's The Burger Bar
465 Joo Chiat Road
Tel : 6346 6081
Vintner's Wine Tour: Cool Climate Wine dinner @ Praelum Bistrot
Labels:
french,
restaurants,
wines
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Who wouldn't want to be part of a function that ended up with a table looking like this?
The mad array of glasses, the cause of a losing battle of logical thought.
Adding to it, an alluring melodramatic sky to greet the eye as we meandered our way through Tanjong Pagar to the doorsteps of Praelum Wine Bistrot. This year, the bf and I decided to participate in the Vintners Wine Tour organised by ewineasia.com with a wine pairing dinner introducing wines from the Jurtschitsch winery in Austria.
Having had a few drinks before at Praelum, I've always been impressed by their good selection of wines offered via their enomatic system. With each diner/drinker offered a personal card which records the prices of the specific volumes and wines chosen with each tipple; it was literally like "Marche" except for the choices of much more potent liquid diets.
This time around, we decided to sign ourselves up for the Cool Climate Wine Dinner held in conjunction with the Vintner's wine tour's stint in Singapore. A wine affair which combines the multifaceted varietals of Austria with a classic french menu pairing. Hopes were risen and the damage was done. After a very thorough introduction by Alwin Jurtschitsch (son on duty in this family run business); who meditated upon the potential of Austrian wines in comparison to the success of Austrian exports like Mozart. We were set off for an exciting meal starting off with a glass of Sekt(Austrian version of champagne, made using Gruner Veltliner grapes)
Dinner commenced with a tipple of Gruner Veltliner Loiserberg 2011 paired with Salmon-En-Croute with Ratatouille. This dish eventually became my favorite of the night. The wine, spicy, finishing off with a slight bitter note almost like cinnamon. Extremely well balanced in my opinion. The salmon was done perfectly and I can't help but sweep up the buttery light puff pastry crumbs feverishly at the end.
The next dish that followed closely was the Roasted Pork Parcels with portobello, tomato-honey and apple sauce. The two wines fighting for rights to the dish being the Gruner Veltliner Schenkenbichl 2011 and the Gruner Veltliner Kaferberg 2011. Despite both wines being very fresh off the press and incidentally harvested from the same region, both varied immensely in flavors mainly because of the type of soil growth. I love the purpose of the choice, being just a play to let the diners decide on what they want. The former struck me as citrusy and much more acidic and assertive than the latter. The Kaferberg won me over with its subtle hints of apple and roasted fruit when consumed together with the pork parcels.
The seafood casserole with tiger prawn, seabass, scallops and calamari was definitely a hearty portion of creamy goodness. The prawns, crisp and turgid to the bite. What I love most was the use of the pomodoro based sauce instead of a cream sauce as suggested by the word 'casserole', the sweetness of the tomato lending a push-pull factor to the balance of the dish. The pivotal point of the casserole would have to be the crisp potato dauphinoise layer that crusted its steamy innards.
Last of the mains came in the form of Beef Bourginon with carrot pea mash paired with a Pinot Noir 2007. As it may be, I was too sated to pass fair judgement; but this course was the weakest of the lot. The beef chunks carrying a liver like consistency. The richness of stew contributed by the red wine addition, absent. The mash on the other hand was ultra silky smooth with immaculate seasoning.
We concluded dinner with a Baked Apple Pie with seasonal berries. *ahem*.. maybe without the berries in this case. A second-thought attempt at dessert in my opinion. A crusty cap of Puff Pastry billowing over a ramekin of thinly sliced baked apples. A bit of spices and perhaps a handful of sultanas or raisins could have elevated the dish up several notches. Pity.
All in all, an enlightening dinner featuring the likes of Gruner Veltliner grape varieties from the Jurtschitsch winery in Austria. After observing the restaurant handling the busy establishment that day whilst juggling the handful of us, wine drinkers; I'm pretty sure I'll be back there soon to sample the ala carte menu. Should you be dropping by, be sure to say hi to the very friendly General Manager and Head Sommelier, Gerald Lu, who would be more than happy to share a snippet of knowledge acquired from his repository of experience regarding wines.
And if you're tired of the usual whites and reds especially after a grand evening such as this one? How about a cocktail? Maybe a Toblerone flavored, Toblerone chocolate shavings, hazelnut liqueur, Kahlua, and Irish Bailey Cream would do the trick. Happy diabetic days...
4 Duxton Hill S089590
Tel 62385287
http://praelum.com.sg/
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