Showing posts with label Siglap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Siglap. Show all posts
Bird Bird: Gut-busting meals that are guaranteed not to get you laid.
Labels:
comfortfoods,
East Coast/ Joo Chiat,
family friendly,
frankel,
fried chicken,
might return,
Siglap
·
I partook in this meal with someone. And as much as the company was great, I wish it was a lone venture; at least then the only person who was left unsatisfied when I took my clothes off would be me. However, small victories like stumbling upon crispy fried chicken in the suburbs should be celebrated, so I'm going to push past this glut of negativity.
Fried Chicken revolution has been a long standing infatuation within the local community, Prawn paste chicken, chicken and waffles, Chicken 65, Indonesian Ayam Goreng, Korean Fried Chicken, there's a flavour profile to match every occasion. Unfortunately, my obsession with Southern Fried Chicken hadn't received much love from the general public, and over the years, we haven't been blessed with multiple vendors. My firm favourite still being The Beast for their out of this world 24-hours buttermilk fried chicken, waffles with yeasted centers and a jar of magic bourbon maple butter sauce.
Lan Ting: for Crackin' Dim Sum this festive season
Labels:
cantonese,
chinese,
dim sum,
hidden finds,
large groups,
Siglap,
will go,
will return
·
If the trayfuls of roast meat and leftover turkey are starting to give you the heebie jeebies then look no further than the wealth of dim sum choices at Lan Ting.
The only folks I know to churn our dim sum at 8 am in the morning, you'll be sure to visited by pangs of nostalgia similar to those you get when making your rounds of the Hong Kong dim sum restaurants.
Craftsmen Specialty Coffee: Far East bites.
Labels:
affordable,
all-day-breakfast,
Bread,
brunch,
cafe,
coffee,
family friendly,
healthy eating,
hidden finds,
may return,
sandwich,
Siglap
·
I concur that the East-siders have it better when it comes to food. It has always been an unspoken rule where nobody debates the East-siders choice when it comes to dinner options, their exposure to unearthly delicacies at a young age grooming their intelligible taste buds to ultimate snobbishness. I recall my first boyfriend (hailing from the better side, of course), who spent the first 3 days of our lives together looking at me as if I were a complete alien; our journey to the Joo Chiat area for dinner bringing an oddball glow to my face as we trod the well beaten eaten paths. Well, my ignorance has long gone, my frigidity with the eastern munchies gradually bridged over the years.
As do most cuisines, well , needless to say, the cafe scene on the flipside have a slight edge over us west-siders too. Craftsmen Specialty Coffee located at both Siglap Village and Eastwood is a contender for this myth. It's recent dabbling into sourdough on the menu pulling off a healthier image with quiet subversion.
The Big Sheila: Big on flavor
Labels:
bistro,
brunch,
cafe,
cakes,
hidden finds,
restaurants,
Siglap
·
Sundays are special days. A day for sleeping in and perhaps for take multiple swigs of champagne (ideally) after a full on brunch; it is even more so for me since my 6 day work week only allows for one full on day in the sun. Coming to full terms with this fact, I've even took to the habit of sleeping in early Saturdays just to muster enough energy for a full day of activities which include a slightly reluctant and very sluggish trip to Sunday morning service (my bad, I know). That aside, Sundays are meant for eating out, and I go big, working down a list of "must-visits" that have been slowly piling up over the weeks. Is it just me or restaurants and eateries are popping up like baby rabbits all over this island?
So, if like me you are looking for place significant enough for today than The Big Sheila at Opera Estate, Siglap would be my suggestion.
I was a little bewildered by the location of the establishment. Nestled amongst a row of shop houses similar to Jalan Riang, most of which are main kitchens and holding areas for catering and dispatch functions, The Big Sheila stands out as the new kid on the block. Opened by an Australian expat, Fleur Glover, her switch over from a career in IT to F&B speaking volumes about her passion for the artistry of feeding the masses. And her unique styles certainly make for an interesting experience, the food menu constantly evolving, a showcase of Fleur's skills and talent for recognising the need for constant change to feed the Singaporean palate.
Upon entering the dining area, I was struck by the lovely display counters. A throng of beautifully put together delicacies gracing the white counter tops. One can't help but gawk at it's mouth watering appeal.
As for me, I passed and settled in on the couches (what's with all the pillows?!) with my boyfriend. Browsing thru the menu, the counter top mains beckoning from the other side, I finally ordered the Scotch Eggs whilst he went with A Ploughman’s($24++): piggy terrine, packed with pistachio and prune, baby scotch egg, pickles, homemade chutney, aged cheddar cheese and a crusty French baguette.
The scotch eggs were gorgeous, a delicate soft-centered quails eggs enrobed in loosely packed mince adequately spiced and seasoned and then crumbed and lightly fried. A far cry from it's rustic origins of having a full sized hardboiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, crumbed and baked.
The ploughmans platter was a a sight to behold as well. Bright colors and a myriad of textures smearing the granite slabs. I adored it's simplicity yet complexity of flavors when put together. The pork terrine with pistachio and prunes, a winning combination when eaten together with the crusty baguette. Definitely a must have!
I've heard loads about the desserts at the Big Sheila but not wanting to have the temptation of scarfing down an entire slice of cake (look at the size of that Frangelico layered cake!) by myself (since the bf doesn't eat dessert), I gave it a miss. Pity...
All in all, The Big Sheila is a quaint addition to the sleepy chai chee estate. With a ever changing menu of such transcendence quality, it's no wonder the rave reviews and mad gushing from some fellow foodies keep coming. You have to taste it to believe it's magic.
15 Swan Lake Ave,
Siglap Singapore 455711
Tel: +65 6645 4422
Macarons, no.. not Laduree's
Labels:
bukit timah,
cafe,
cakes,
Cheesecake,
cookies,
desserts,
East Coast/ Joo Chiat,
Grandstand,
macarons,
Siglap
·
With the renowned French brand, Laduree recently stealing the limelight and bringing macarons back into fashionable conversation material; I took the liberty to suss out a few other Patisseries at work with their versions of the sweet sandwich.
First stop, De La Creme where the Gulu Melaka Macaron ($2.40 per piece) offered a fusion of Asian flavors into this usually dowdy French pastry. I adored the coconut infused buttercream filling and squealed in delight with the flowy gulu melaka (palm sugar) surprise center; unfortunately, the macaron shells themselves weren't a thing of beauty, pasty white and severely unbaked in the centers with a clear show of squishy uncooked meringue. It led me to wonder how these macaron shells were unmoulded in the first place...
While we were at it, the Genevive ($6.90) became our next victim. Employing the magic of Valrhona chocolates in this dessert, white chocolate ganache is layered over 70% Guanaja chocolate mousse and then cast over a crispy praline feuilletine base. Composition wise, this was very similar to the Douceur we had at Patisserie G sans the dacquoise layer at the bottom. Having the crispy layer stationed at the bottom made for cleaner cuts and swipes at the rich confectionary.
Our next port of call is ET Artisan Sweets at the Grandstand along Bukit Timah Road. Decked our in pretty pastels, the shop front was a sight for sore eyes. The display case itself was quite a stretch with items ranging from macarons to cheesecakes and even freshly baked tarts.
Spoilt for choice, I did my ordering on a whim. A hunch and a slight glimmer of hope that my choices would speak volumes on behalf of the kitchen's standards. The Blueberry Macaron ($2.50 each) was a lovely shade of lilac. Despite it's less than smooth surface and lack of shine, the macaron shells were near perfect. Reminiscent of a strong flavor of almond, these delicate beauties gave way to a fruity buttercream within. The Yuzu Macaron did not disappoint as well, the complexity of it's citrus nature standing out in the curd fillings. I was beginning to understand why some have told me ET Artisan Sweets had some of the best macarons in Singapore.
The Black Sesame Cheesecake however failed to translate the seedy flavors of the black sesame. I should have been a better judge, it's faint grey color tint, a tell tale warning sign. Thank goodness for the Lemon Tart that wowed us with it's ingenuity. A thin layer of sponge lay buried between the crisp tart shell and the puckery sour lemon cream. A dam to prevent soggy tart bases, now that is surely the work of a genius since the sponge offered a twist with textural contrast as well. Definitely highly recommended!
Aside from it's range of confectioneries, ET Artisan Sweets prides themselves on their customised cakes. Splotches of evidence blotting the shop, these elaborate works of arts placed around the shop allowing customers to fully admire the prospects of having literally any cake they want. Service staff adding fuel to the flames with their beckoning that ,"yes, we can even cover the whole cake with macarons if you wish!" when I gushed about the macarons after my meal.
On a separate note, Mothers' Day is around the corner, what are your plans to surprise the most important woman in your lives?
42 Siglap Drive
Singapore 456167
Website: http://www.delacreme.com.sg/
ET Artisan Sweets
200 Turf Club Road
The Grandstand #01-35A
Singapore 287994
Website: http://www.etasweets.com/
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