Edge @ Pan Pacific Hotel - Theatrical Sunday Champagne Buffets
Labels:
buffets,
expensive,
hotel,
marina square,
might return,
pan pacific hotel,
promenade,
special occasion
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Hailed to be the longest brunch, I arrived at the grounds in search of a elongated magic carpet of sorts festooned with delicacies representing lands of unimaginable outreach only to be met with death glares when the reality of "long" being represented by its 4 hours duration dawned upon me. Pardon my ignorance but I don't deal well with buffet lines and my failure to even surpass 2 hours in an overindulging session makes me the worst kind of companion for sessions such as these.
The newly revamped Edge Buffet at Pan Pacific does however pique my interest solely based on the upbeat music drifting out for the make-shift area right smack in the middle of the buffet grounds with a live band stationed within. "Let's lose our minds and go f****** crazy. I-I-I-I-I-I keep on hoping we'll eat cake by the ocean." warbled vigorous voices without so much of a strain.
And that's exactly what I did.
[SAVOUR 2016]: Reasons why it's worth a visit
Labels:
bayfront,
family friendly,
food festival,
marina bay,
marina bay sands,
must go,
savour,
will return
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Reasons why its worth paying a visit to SAVOUR 2016?
I would say, because of Fried Chicken. Hallelujah. Or maybe complimentary entry to festival grounds? hmph... if that isn't reason enough to warrant a visit, we'll just have to dive a little deeper.
First things first, to make sure we're on the same page, patrons of last year Savour 2015 (you can read my wrap-up here) would have noticed that premises have been severely downsized. No, it's not because officiates have lower budgets but because they've decided to space it out over 3 sessions throughout the year to pique the interest of gourmands and specific target groups; in which I share a strong affinity with the second group of 'outcasts'.
The 2016 SAVOUR calendar looks a little something like this
SAVOUR Gourmet: 12 - 15 May
SAVOUR Wines: 8 - 11 Sept
SAVOUR Christmas: 17 - 20 Nov
Brotzeit's NEW exclusive German draft beers by Lowenbrau and Franziskaner
Labels:
beer,
big groups,
craft beers,
family friendly,
german food,
orchard 313,
somerset,
special occasion,
will return
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It's not everyday that you are graced with the presence of beer royalty, so imagine my astonishment when Brotzeit Singapore invited Master Brewmaster George Reisch of Anheuser-Busch and Honorary Knight of the Brews Mashstaff to launch four draft beers from two German heritage breweries, Franziskaner and Lowenbrau, brewed since the 1360s and 1380s respectively.
In conjunction of their 10th 'wunderbare' anniversary. Brotzeit has these exclusive drafts on tap at all of their Singapore outlets - the Lowerbrau Original Munchner Lager, Franziskaner Hefe Weissbier, Franziskaner Dunkel Hefe-weissbier and Lowenbrau Original Munchner Dunkel Lager for the first time. And not only that - a bevy of new German items were introduced to the menu as beer pairings.
Nobiro Japaneses Restaurant and Sake Bar: Hidden Gem in the West
Labels:
affordable,
hidden finds,
japanese,
large groups,
must go,
special occasion,
teppanyaki,
will go,
yakitori
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I distinctively remember the day we ventured into the secluded vicinity of Nobiro Japanese Restaurant and Sake Bar. The driver starred at us with bemusement as we forced halted the cab at a rather peculiarly situated bus stop across the highway from the restaurant, supposedly rested within residential property. Sure enough, a little walk up from the bus stop found us starring with rare wonder at a small stretch of shops along Faber Hill estate, housed below an old albeit spacious looking residential apartments.
[NEW OPENING] Honolulu Cafe: a taste of Cha Chaan Teng culture
Labels:
affordable,
centrepoint,
family friendly,
hidden finds,
hong kong,
orchard,
tart,
will return
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Beloved Hong Kong treasure, Honolulu Cafe spreads its wings across the seas for the first time and unfurls its first international outlet right here, in Singapore. Despite the quizzical reactions that are stirred due to its unorthodox choice of location - in Centrepoint - a rather drab mall along the main stretch of Orchard. It's isolation further proven when my partner was left skirting around the mall for an additional 20 mins in a fruitless attempt to unearth the delicacy that is their infamous Egg Tarts. I on the other hand, found the exploration process strangely intriguing, it's convenient yet seemingly secluded position bringing new life to the mall, that I've heard, have grand re-branding plans in the pipeline.
Paper Crane @ Waterloo Street: Cafe Food with Soul
Labels:
affordable,
bras basah,
cafe,
fried chicken,
hidden finds,
homemade,
rocher,
romantic,
will return
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If ever I had plans to set up a cafe, Paper Crane would be a visionary example of what would manifest. A hole-in-the-wall located within the premises of Singapore Council of Women's Organisations; the vibes are straightforwardly bright and sparky, almost as simple as the menu layout which remains as chalkboard writings sprawled across blackboards; greeting visitors once they step into its cozy premises. If you must know, the cafe is co-owned by ex-magazine editor and her partner, a big burly Canadian with a teddy-bear like persona, who trained in Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and previously worked the stoves at Wild Honey - with such food credentials at bay and a certain anti-establishment act put in place; you know that quality and price of the food will be un-debatable.
It took me a while, but I finally made my pilgrimage to the quaint little 40-seated cafe touting a lean, mean Fried Chicken dish that was highlighted recently on the Today newspaper. The Signature Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($15) served alongside UBO's homemade chilli and ajwar (roasted capsicum and eggplant) is a real winner. A sturdy cornmeal crust infused with a healthy dose of spices enrobes succulent chops, whilst the sprightly mannerism of my accompanying Citrus Sunshine Slacker from Evil Twin Brewing provides a fizzy finish.
Also on the menu are some really value for money deals, take for example their $10 specials which come with a free homemade coolant from 11am - 2pm daily. The Pesto Spaghetti with Mushrooms is a delightful tangle-weed of freshly made pesto evenly coating individual strands. Despite the dish needing just a wee bit more extra virgin olive oil to enhance the intensity of the sauce; admittedly you can't really complain since its a pretty decent meal for just 10 buckaroos.
At the end of the day, regardless of the finished product and its failure to evoke a 'life-changing' experience; the food at Paper Crane is a true reflection of our urges to involve ourselves in a bit of slow-cooking from time to time. Everything here is made from scratch, albeit with lots of love injected; so hold the comments and indulge in the unpretentious fare dished, as if you were in a friend's kitchen.
Paper Crane
96 Waterloo Street
S(187967)
t: 6837 0836
Operating Hours:
Mon - Sat: 11am - 10pm
KEK Pandan Gardens: Modern Zi-Char with some of the usual suspects
Labels:
affordable,
family friendly,
fusion,
hidden finds,
modern,
must go,
pasta,
will return,
zichar
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Keng Eng Kee's modern rendition opened up in a make-shift box-like fixture at Pandan Gardens, just a stone's throw away from my maiden church Pandan Calvary Bible Presbyterian. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the tze-char institution had found residence near a spot I've been trying so hard to avoid for the last 5 years of my life (Yes, I admit to being a backsliding Christian; but the orthodox and rigid practises of the church just rubs me in the wrong way). So, contrarily, with little resistance, I packed my bags in search for enlightenment to the establishment coined as serving up 'modern zi-char'
Sakurazaka: Traditional shabu-shabu with refined European flair
Labels:
expensive,
greenwood avenue,
hidden finds,
japanese,
must go,
romantic,
shabu shabu,
will return
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It's hard to fault an establishment when the starter blazes a trail in its path. The meal begins on an all time high with the Ishiyaki and Onsen Tamago leaving me tongue tied. Depending on the set that you've ordered (Pork Set - 95++, Bouillabaisse Set - $108++, Beef shabu shabu set ($128++), Sukiyaki Set ($150++); slices of Iberico pork, Japanese wagyu beef or seafood is served alongside a searing hot stone heated till 140 degrees in the oven so that your thin slices of protein get cooked with a quick swish in under 15 seconds. Proceed to dip your loot into the bowl of onsen egg mixed with spring onion and sukiyaki sauce - and after that is done, smash the rest of the egg mixture in one elegant swoop.
Sakurazaka, an upscale shabu-shabu-sukiyaki-kakigori joint has got a lot of things going for it. Bringing to life several menu items that are just a tad unusual for the run-of-the-mill 'eat-all-you-can' shabu shabu establishments targeted at feeding the young and ravenous. Debuted at the kitsch little neighbourhood of Greenwood avenue, the team, mostly consisting of consultant chef, Masashi Horiuchi of Shelter in the Woods and Verre fame; are well known for injecting modern European flair into his heartwarming Japanese upbringing led cuisine. Needless to say, Sakurazaka, with the backing of wine merchant, Wine Culture, curates an exquisite choice of wines, sake and Japanese craft beers.
Asanoya Bakery: [Limited Ed.] Sakura Range bakes
Labels:
bakery,
boulangerie. bakery,
bras basah,
Bread,
breads,
croissant,
hidden finds,
japanese,
must go,
rocher,
salted egg,
will return
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Can't get enough of the Sakura season in Japan? Asanoya Bakery celebrates the romanticism of the pink blossoms with a whole range of baked goods ranging from the Sakura Swiss Roll ($15.80 for a whole and $3.50 per slice) to their traditional Karuizawa loaf in Sakura style with Cured peaches ($3.50/100g).
My favourite of the lot being the Bonjour Sakura ($2.80) buns filled with red bean paste and salt-cured sakura leaves. Cured between kombu and sea salt, these leaves have a gelatinous slimy sort of texture with hints of preserved plums in its wake. A lovely addition to the thick and sweet sakura infused red bean paste that fills the flat buns. The buns have a peculiar structure, a tad distinct from the usual pillowy fluffy soft textures of Japanese bread, instead, these are slightly dense and chewy even; quite possibly to serve as a better foil to its rich fillings.
Tim Ho Wan (Plaza Singapura): NEW menu items
Labels:
afternoon tea,
dim sum,
must go,
tim ho wan,
will
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Call me a noob or whatever you wish but my recent trip to Tim Ho Wan can be regarded as my virgin experience since take-away BBQ Pork buns doesn't count as patronage. The immensely successful brand has expanded to 6 locations dotting the island, making it convenient for people from all walks of life to enjoy its affordable yet deeply satisfying dabble into Hongkong Michelin-starred fare.
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