SPR.MKRT: Supermarket sans the vowels
Labels:
Bread and Butter Pudding,
cafe,
chiffoncake,
desserts,
hidden finds,
pumpkin,
soup,
tanjong pagar
·
This cafe-cum-retail space boasts an atmosphere of conviviality, and I was hoping that its food doesn't fall short behind this spirit. Named SPR.MKRT, I was first befuddled by it until I realised it was nothing more than the word "supermarket" with the vowels extracted out; undeniably, it is a rather cool monogram for an up-and-coming establishment in this well-trodden zone.
After reading numerous reviews, I was expecting a crowd no less on a Wednesday night, strangely, what I encountered was only a thin whisper of guests that passed through the kitchens that night, most of them settling in the calm private interiors of the cafe with work in tow and a cup of joe. Perhaps the cafe sees the most traffic come lunch time and during it's more popular weekend brunch periods... , I took this opportunity to go trigger crazy.
Visiting the cafe with Li Tian of Dairy and Cream (whom I got to know from a recent Food Panda media invite session over at Chili's), we seamlessly devised a plan to attack the desserts for dinner. Pity there were only two to choose from that night, hence our choice to do both complete with a soup to share.
The Azuki Vanilla Chiffon was a bit of a let down, at first, when we were presented with a dried piece of cake that we suspected was portioned out much earlier in the day and left to sit out on a plate prior to being served to us. After a subtle prompting, we were then offered another fresh piece, sliced and portioned from the centre of the chiffon cake. This in all honesty, fared a little better, it's large aerated pores holding in a little more moisture than the former. Taste wise, we enjoyed the thin wall of azuki cream enveloping the sponge and yearned for a higher ratio of cream:sponge; that aside, the dessert was rather forgettable.
Available that night was the Curried Pumpkin Soup ($9); the result of this combination leading to a confusing blend of flavors on the palate. Mostly, our sense were assaulted by the strong powers of the pepper added, and strangely, not the curry. The sweetness of the pumpkin that my taste buds strained to attain a familiar grip on was washed out completely by the overwhelming use of vegetable stock and the jarring layer of oil floating on the top. It was a frustrating attempt at making a pumpkin soup that failed to deliver in terms of texture and flavor.
Saving grace of the meal had to be the Bread and Butter Pudding ($6.00) which came with a minuscule pitcher full of damm good vanilla sauce on the side. The pudding, a blend of varying textures throughout, crisp, nicely browned edges near the top and a moist, chocolate chip studded centre. Comfort food at it's best.
That being said, I probably wouldn't be planning a revisit very soon. My advice to the rest of you who are, check out their website for daily specials should you want to check out a specific menu item.
2 Mccallum Street
Singapore 069043
Hours: 8am-9pm (Mon-Fri), 9am-4pm (Sat)
Tel: 6221 2105
Website:http://www.sprmrkt.com.sg/
Jin Shan Lou: Walk the talk please.
Labels:
chinese,
chinese food,
food tasting,
HGW,
marina bay sands,
porridge,
restaurants
·
Jin Shan Lou located at the lobby of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel has an imposing opulence to it, perhaps it's just me, but dining within it's regal aesthetic surroundings made for a somewhat uncomfortable experience. Thank goodness for the velvety arm chairs that made the long dinner a little more tolerable.
The dinner was spotted by tiny glimmers of hope; take for example the Jin Shan Special Combination that warmed us off. The platter consisting of roast duck, roast pork and cold chicken; vanished quickly before our eyes as the lazy susan took two spins on the dance floor. My favourite was the roast duck with its beautifully crisped skin and succulent flesh. The chicken paled in comparison with a somewhat dry interior.
Our next course was a Seafood Soup served in mini Pumpkin, another excellent dish that was well thought and executed. Presentation was spot on with the mini pumpkin steamed to perfection, ready for the diners to scrape away at it's tender sweet flesh whilst slurping down the sweet seafood broth studded with generous bits of prawns and dried scallops.
Pass up on the Golden Sands Fresh Prawn with Salted Egg, the batter on the prawns lack the tight crispness and the salted egg yolks sauce was grainy and strangely spicy at some points with the unsuspecting bits of chili padi conjuring up coughing fits amongst some of the diners.
Instead, turn your attention to the Steamed Cod Fillet with Chinese Wine and Egg White , this dish, similar to the version I had at Crystal Jade presented itself with a replacement of more luxe ingredients. The Cod Fish sat like a dainty beauty atop a bed of fluffy egg whites steeped in chinese wine and a myriad of sauces, making for an explosion of umami with every mouthful. Definitely my favourite dish of the night.
Cartilage Soup? My eyes trailed across the tasting menu, summoning a bit of doubt in me. Frankly, the Poached "Xian Cai" Served in Cartilage Soup turned out to be another winner, the cartilage adding a wee bit of milky silkiness to the broth. The balance of flavors and the soft greens making for a delightful experience.
The Mandatory carb dish at the end of our Chinese dinner was a Fujian Wheat Vermicelli with Shredded Meat. This dish despite it's simplicity, came with an extremely well balanced ratio of noodles to ingredients. The prawns, fried eggs and silvers of beansprouts adding a much needed contrast to the well seasoned noodles. Pity I didn't get to eat much of it warm...
Dessert was a Chilled Mango Sago with Pomelo. Didn't fancy this dish much because it was way to sweet for me, almost akin to eating a bowl full of sweetened mango puree.
Based on the dinner tonight, Jin Shan Restaurant has many hits and misses. But without a doubt, one of it's major draw factor would be the ridiculous operating hours, opening from 11pm-4am daily. So all you night owls out there, this is a spot worth checking out!
Marina Bay Sands Hotel
1 Bayfront Avenue
L1-05, Tower 2 Hotel Lobby
+65 6688 7733
The Ascot Revisited
Labels:
beer,
british,
bukit timah,
burgers,
fish&chips,
Grandstand,
pubfood,
restaurants
·
The seed had been planted. The shameless facebook burger porn activity luring me into its webs. It was not long after my previous visit that I found myself once again threading light-footedly into it's comfy realms.
This time round, accompanied by my family, we savoured a whole round of new dishes. The BLT Sandwich ($14.00) with additional chicken ($4.00) was honest and simple comfort food. With sizable portions, generous portions of succulent grilled chicken, silvers of beautifully fried bacon together with crisp lettuce and juicy tomatoes; this was a joy to eat.
Despite the major lovin' that I was showing for The Ascot, cracks did appear, to my dismay. The Fish and Chips ($20) was disappointing, slightly fishy in flavor, the beautifully battered sticks had too uniform a shape that made the whole affair seem a little to.. structured. Perhaps a different choice of fish would have fared better, something with a slightly flakier texture like skate. Despite it's momentary failure to please the hungry diners, the accompaniments of mushy peas and double fried fries were sure winners. The former, well seasoned and thank goodness mint was left out of the equation; the double fried thick cut steak fries combined the best of both worlds, a crispy exterior with fluffy starchy goodness encapsulated within.
But one would have to agree that the showstopper of the night had to be the Ascot Burger with fries ($18.00/ $25 with a pint of Stella Artois). The soft buns a perfect platform for the alchemy of bacon grease, creamy guacamole and sweet mayonnaise. The patty itself, a 160g carnivorous treat that could have used a little more help in the seasoning department, also, the mince could have been grounded down a little finer to aid the texture of the patty. Aside from that, I was a happy camper enjoying riotous mouthful after mouthful of salty, sweet, creamy and soft goodness, all at once.
My second visit to The Ascot gets the thumbs up again. Slowly but surely, I've set my mind on eating my way thru this menu, so feel free to join me!
The Grandstand
200 Turf Club Road
#01-16
Singapore 287994
Tel: +65 64620881
Kome Japanese Dining: a night of pleasant surprises
Labels:
circle line,
food tasting,
HGW,
hidden finds,
japanese,
restaurants
·
Thanks to Hungrygowhere and Kome Japaneses Dining for the invite.
Some say that the secret to happiness is to have no expectations. In fact, I came with none; and when I say none, I meant zero knowledge of the place; not even knowing the distance from the main road to the inner depths of the country club (my chosen decision to walk in, one that I slowly came to regret as beads of sweat rolled down my spine). Piece of advice for the next adventurous diner, catch a cab in and after you've eaten your fill, roll out; it's a much better way to aid digestion.
We warmed off the night with tiny tipples of Yuzu Shochu, a citrusy blend of sweet liqueur that is popular with the ladies. Undeniably so, since it's deceivingly saccharine image steers people away from it's secretly potent nature that will kick into gear, a little later into the night. I much prefer this over the Blueberry Shochu which has a more medicinal taste to it.
Just a bit of background information before we start off the feasting, Kome Japanese Dining is situated in Keppel Club (nearest MRT being Telok Blangah), helmed by Chef Albert, a whimsical looking, tiny but resolute man and managed by Bobby, of happy go lucky personality, unfazed by pressures of any sort. With such soulful people holding the reigns, you can be sure that Kome serves the absolute best quality Japanese food.
The Sashimi Moriawase was the first testimony to my theory. On the platter were tuna, tuna belly, salmon belly, yellow tail, yellow tail belly and scallops. Chilled down to a perfect temperature, these were a joy to eat, fresh, sweet and ultra smooth on the palate. The yellow tail belly (the one that looks suspiciously like swordfish) stole the show with it's stranger-like appeal and mysterious airs.
Next, we were hit by a medley of grilled items. Firstly, the Grilled seasonal fish which I single-handedly devoured to the bone. Despite not being too big a fan of fish that hasn't been filleted, the meekness of the flesh and it's milky sweetness was a cause for unseeded temptation for me. I went back for more till there was nothing left.
The Grilled Yellow tail cheek, which some raved about; wasn't my favorite. Served with grated daikon and a lemon wedge, this massive chunk took the fans of this prized-cut by surprise. Dang, the fish it hailed from must have been quite a monster.
My favorite of the night was the Grilled Salmon Belly, it's glistening fats underneath that crisp skin beckoning to me. The soft flesh yielding quickly to the heat from our mouths, melting to into a pile full of umami goodness.
Kome Japaneses Dining is popular for it's buffet Shabu Shabu where monkfish is used as a major ingredient in their stock base. This results in an intense sweetness of the broth with slight hints of the sea well incorporated. Unlimited servings of topside beef are also provided to diners together with a fine selection of vegetables. For our tasting portions, we were given Alaskan Crab as well, a delicacy that was well enjoyed by my fellow companions after being poached in the delicious soup-base. I must have had two bowlfuls of this liquid gold, because apparently I was stuffed there after. Yes, it was that good.
A sizable portion of Grilled Cod Fish greeted us next. Presented with a sweet teriyaki like sauce, I found this dish underwhelming, the beauty of the cod fish weighed down by the one-dimensional sauce it was plonked it.
If melt in your mouth, uncomplicated fattiness is your thing, go for the sublime Foie Gras off the ala carte menu. Each mouthful garnering swoons of satisfaction and lust around the table as it delivered desired bursts of fats with a more complex flavor complimented by it's gentle tossing in a sweet sauce.
Last savory dish to grace our visit was the Beef cubes which didn't cut it for me. It's artificial softness suggesting a heavy use of tenderisers and again it's sauce, very one dimensional and one-noted.
On the dessert front, we were treated to a refreshing number to conclude the night of over-indulgent feasting. The Yuzu Sorbet was delicately sweet and mildly creamy, it's assertive sourness, bothering on a tinge of bitterness refreshing the fat-laden palate. A great finale to this meal.
Overall, Kome Japanese Dining proves to be quite a treasure trove, a hidden find which blew me out of the water with it's simple unadulterated food paying homage to the quality of the ingredients with a quiet reverence. Though it's location may be a bit daunting for some, it's food still serves as a major draw factor, a fact blatantly observed from the room packed full of regulars on a usually quiet Tuesday night.
10 Bukit Chermin Road
The Keppel Club
Singapore 109918
Tel: 6273 0118
East 8, New York Fusion Tapas + Bar : Let's get cosy
Labels:
bar,
beer,
cityhall,
drinks,
hidden finds,
restaurants,
tapas
·
Looking for a quiet and intimate venue for drinks in the city hall region. Look no further than East 8 New York. Tucked away near the entrance of Grand Park Hotel on Hill Street. We've got a bonus in tow as well... they've got tapas style food for creative sharing as well. And if you take your food seriously, this tight knit menu, offering some really unique dishes really appeals the more discerning diners. Serving a diverse menu of Asian fusion tapas dishes, chopsticks are provided to establish it's Asian inspiration (don't worry they have forks and knives too if requested for).
In fact, everything in East 8 looks deliberately planned, the details in the fabric all works of 2 talented graphic designers, Emil and Steven, who resided in New York for about 5 years. From the tiny patches of green astro turf installed amidst concrete grounds to the clever use of height juxtaposition within its small indoor seating area (kind of resembles a loft apartment), to the tastefully designed menus, it seems as though the owners neurotic efforts to translate New York living into the restaurant design was seamless; creatively constructed and artfully presented.
We settled in on a quiet Thursday night for a couple of drinks and just one Tapas dish to feed the hungry companion. On the drinks menu, there were plenty of sake and shochu-based cocktails, tying in with the Asian representation of New York being used as pivotal point. The East 8′s signature espresso tiramisu whisky cocktail, was delicious, like having a dessert in a cup. Whereas my Soho Noho ($18) was a well balanced circus act of citrus flavors hailing from the pink grapefruit and lime spotted with refreshing bursts from the fresh mint. With the cocktails nailed, the prospects of this young establishment were looking good.
Then came our one and only dish of US Pork Cheek braised in Asian Style reduction was a comforting dish to have for the night. Tender, the rich flavors of porky goodness melding together with the gentle sweetness of the simmered down soy reduction. We were happy campers nibbling down on this dish. The usage of chopsticks for that informal sharing session with a few bouts of sticks over the delectable meat injecting a bit of playfulness. Again, well played...
East 8 New York is not cheap, having small dishes and bespoke cocktails, the figures add up slowly but surely. Is it worth it? Yes, definitely. A haven for those seeking a little private space boosting some mean design, compelling menu and sophisticated drinks to match, this is pretty much a go-to place. I'll be sticking around for more.
#01-21/22 Grand Park City Hall
Tel: 63388289
Website: http://east-8.com
A declaration of hazy love: Two Blur Guys
Labels:
beer,
burgers,
cafe,
CBD,
desserts,
hidden finds,
restaurants,
tanjong pagar
·
Yes, it's apparent that the the Two Blur Guys will appear a little 'blurer' in light of the recent haze problem which has seen my Facebook feed come to life with up-to-date reports of the current PSI Index. With record high levels that spiked high above the hazardous level 300, it's a cause for major resentment among many disgruntled workers, who on the hindsight get the enjoy the comforts of air-conditioning most of the time. So if you aren't a blue collared worker or a construction worker of sorts, please keep your complaints to yourself. Let's deal with this in a more matured way.
So back to the story of the Two Blur Guys, basically it is what it is. A collaborative act between Anthony, blur guy #1 and Chef Jimmy Chok (from Bistro Soori), blur guy #2. Within the cosy innards of their well packed New York concept cafe comes the likes of good food, beer and pastries. A strange combination that has somewhat garnered lots of attention to its humble abode. After you place your order at the counter, reserve a bit of humility, do not gawk and DO NOT underestimate the power of multi-tasking, this would probably take place as the friendly service staff smiles at you, returns you back your change, and turns his back to cook your burger to a perfect medium rare state.
Here at Two Blur Guys, the Prime Beef Burger($12.50) is kept simple, with just smears of truffle mayonnaise on the pillowy soft buns toasted to a crisp, they don't crowd the palate, allowing the true flavors of the beef patty to shine through. The prime beef grounds mixed with a special blend of spices could have used a little more work as the result was a slightly chewier patty. But the sweet relish and the pungency of the gruyere cheese really helped to pull its weight.
I had the Pulled Pork Burger ($11.50) which came with potato salad and mesclun salad on the side. For those who are super gung-ho about their crunchy truffle fries or thick cut chips... just let it go, this gangster creamy concoction of boiled potatoes, chives and sour cream (may have been a bit too heavy handed with pepper in this instance) may just be hit you in all the right spots.
The pulled pork was soft, tantalising and renders a burst of savoury juices with every bite. Topped off with gruyere cheese and sweet mustard mayonnaise sauce, these worked hand in hand to create some sort of a burgasm in my mouth. I felt... pleasantly dirty. Licking my chops and wiping the grease off the corners of my mouth with an impending weakness at the end of the deal.
Take my word for it and head down to this humble joint for your burger fix right in the heart of town now.
Orchid Hotel
1 Tras Link #01-13
Tel: 6636-4183
Mondays to Saturdays: 11am to 9.30pm
Cha Cha Cha: Chiquitita, tell me what's wrong?
Labels:
beer,
circle line,
holland village,
mexican,
restaurants
·
My recent endeavours into Mexican food have seen some major disappointments and some other temporarily high points in my otherwise mundane life. Today I introduce to you one of my regular haunts when the Mexican cravings hit home hard. Cha Cha Cha, located at Holland Village has the benefit of it's convenient location, hence drawing in the crowds of expatriates that tend to flood into the area almost every night; however faced with direct competition from El Patio just next door, I report with much conviction that the former does a much better job of highlighting the authenticity of Mexican cuisine and at cheaper prices too!
Service is fast and friendly at this no-frills joint so don't worry about having to expend unnecessary energy getting the attention of a waitstaff. And for the famished, food arrives with a sense of urgency and piping hot to the table as well. That's two ticks right there.
We ordered the Pitcher of Lime Margarita ($40), flavors of fresh lime and a generous dosage of tequila muddled into one slushie of a drink, perfect for the warm tropics. You're, almost always, guaranteed a fun night sharing (might I add) with friends.
My Chicken Burrito ($16), essentially a flour tortilla filled with rice, topped with melted cheese and chili con carne, served with refried beans, guacamole and sour cream comes to the table with the sense and sensibility of a sumo wrestler, chubby and mean. You'd certainly do well in ordering this signature dish, the mixture of textures, flavors and contrasting temperatures of it's condiments creating a sweet dance of sensations on the palate. All was good till the refried beans which I did not fancy. Random note, avoid eating too much beans should you be on a date. These tend to make you gassy.
My friend's Beef Fajita ($21) stole the limelight with its smoking hot entrance, served on a sizzling plate accompanied with warm tortillas with a garnishing plate of lettuce, salsa mexicana, sour cream and guacamole. Hearty in flavors, but a little bit of a scrooge when it came to tortillas.
Cha Cha Cha isn't the cheapest Mexican Joint around (it also isn't the most expensive). But I like its unpretentious ambience, faultless service, and overall dependent food.
32 Lorong Mambong, Holland Village,
Singapore 277690
Tel: 6462 1650
Operating Hours: 11 am to 11 pm Daily
Crystal Jade: A little bit of home.
Labels:
chinese food,
circle line,
food tasting,
HGW,
holland village,
restaurants
·
Disclaimer: A major thanks going out to Ms Samantha Yap from Crystal Jade Culinary concepts Holding and Hungrygowhere for organising the tasting.
On a typical weekday night, you'll find Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao crawling with people. Throngs of people, groups of hunger driven crowds. Located at the ever-popular Holland Village (made more accessible by the Circle line), the La Mian Xiao Long Bao represetative of the Crystal Jade group is just one of the 21 concepts with over 100 outlets across 18 major cities in the Asia Pacific region; and it's evident that despite it's mass expansion and rolling-in-the-dough expeditions, Crystal Jade's high level of quality control and act of preserving the fine art of Chinese cuisine have kept customers coming back for more.
Arriving at the crest of a balmy afternoon, I was greeted with a flash force of cold air as I entered the premises. All around me, tables were full, comfortably housing diners tucking into their early dinners. Instead of the South Northern Steamboat buffet, the few of us were steered to sample the ala carte menu. But just for your information, the Steamboat buffet is offered daily (at a different price through the weekends and public holidays) with a fixed seating timing (5pm -7.15pm, 7.30pmpm - 9.45pm, 10pm - 12am). Look forward to a good variation of soup bases, an unlimited selection of ingredients from sliced meats to pork dumplings and their famous homemade la mian! Not forgetting the free flow of Xiao Long Baos... yes you heard me right. I see a magical liberation of pants buttons and a loosening of belts occuring.
Foodwise, we began with the Steamed Soupy Xiao Long Bao ($5.20 for 4 pieces), a dish that needs little recommendation. Delicate parcels of sweet broth and pork mince, this held up to the chopsticks test pretty well and I adored that the skins weren't so chalky, dry nor thick. The broth inside was well balanced in flavor resulting in a terribly addictive snack of sorts. Now I understood why some were hooked to the steamboat buffet.
Next, we had the Chicken marinated with Chinese Wine and Wolfberry ($9.00), basically a bowlful of health benefits rolled into one smooth and luxurious chicken dish.
The Spicy & Sour Thick Soup in "Sichuan" style ($7.50) made much more of an impression on me. Despite it's devilish hot looks, this soup was neither too sour nor spicy, even without the addition of chili oil or vinegar, the flavors were right up my alley.
Another favourite here is the Braised Pork Belly served with pancake ($14.80), I was taught to sandwich the gelatinous mass of fatty goodness between the steamed buns but seeing that the buns weren't exactly cut out for the job, I went ahead to devour the proteins first before using the "pancake" to mop up the sauces. I reckon it was a good move since the pork belly wasn't that heavily spiced, leaning towards a more mellow and sweet twang; and hence the plain pancakes would definitely have drowned out the flavors even more.
But the show stealer of the night was definitely the Sauteed egg white with fish meat and Conpoy ($13.50), cooked to resemble crabmeat, this dish was best savoured piping hot. Harbouring slithers of chinese ham and conpoy (dried scallops), these injected bursts of savoury chewy goodness to the porridge like dish. Simple yet with an air of secrecy and tight balance, I would have worked through a second bowl with ease.
The Spicy Chicken with poached La Mian (9.80) was a mix of fiery heat and tang. Such that the final outcome of this carby dish left me feeling more refreshed than full, very appetite whetting. A great dish for the ladies.
We drew a close to the night with their very famous Mango Pudding ($6.00), it's price justifiable by the fact that two mangoes are used in every single bowl of pudding. One for the custard and the other chopped into bits and strewned through the chilled smooth custard. A luxurious way to end the night.
For me, dining at Crystal Jade has always invoked memories of my childhood, after church lunches, engagement dinners and the list grows long. And with my most limited foresight, I see many more enjoyable dining experiences closely linked with kindred spirits to be built in the future. So stick around Crystal Jade.
Holland Village
241 Holland Avenue
Singapore 278976
Tel: +65 64630968
Website: http://www.crystaljade.com
Lustings for Shashouka : Wild Honey
Labels:
all-day-breakfast,
Bread,
brunch,
cafe,
orchard,
restaurants
·
I was craving breakfast. No, to be more specific, Shashouka eggs. Lashings of bubbling savoury goodness in earthern claypots, memories of work and all that good food at Hangry Cafe in Balmain, Sydney hits me like a brick. I needed my fix... fast.
Wild Honey was my solution.
Wild Honey has been doing considerably well for itself over the past couple of years. Expanding out from it's hole in the wall venue in Mandarin Gallery to a much more spacious branch in Scotts Square. My past two visits (here and here) have been extremely well recieved by both me (the delighted consumer) and my companion. This time, a mere 2 years later (oh how quickly time zips by); I am once again floored by food presentation, portions sizes and variations of breakfasts served up.
Let's take a quick look at some of the items ordered around the table.
Breakfast Hangover
scrambled eggs, smoked speck, roasted vine ripe tomatoes, swiss cheese and smoked paprika aioli on grilled ciabatta with breakfast potatoes
this hearty dirty dish would definitely aid in some form of recovery. Essentially a made up version of the Golden Arches's Big breakfast; it's a winner for anyone looking for something simple.
Monte Cubano
pressed toasted foccacia roll with spiced pulled pork, virginia ham, dill pickles, swiss cheese, arugula, coriander mayonnaise and mustard
didn't get to taste this one. But looks wise.. a pretty neat package of delicious stuff.
Last but not least, the straw that broke the camels back. My Shashouka, which I happily dug into along with a glass of house chardonnay. Shashouka is a culinary contribution that traces its provenance to the ancient lands of Tunisia, an egg dish poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, onions and spiced with cumin; Wild Honey's version of the classic was studded with chorizo sausage and served with signature brioche and Isreali Salad. Instant gratification. Middle Eastern food cravings, done.
6 Scotts Road
Level 3 Scotts Square
Tel: 66361816
Website:http://www.wildhoney.com.sg/
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