Showing posts with label bras basah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bras basah. Show all posts
Paper Crane @ Waterloo Street: Cafe Food with Soul
Labels:
affordable,
bras basah,
cafe,
fried chicken,
hidden finds,
homemade,
rocher,
romantic,
will return
·
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
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
·
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.
The BetterField: In search of greener pastures
Labels:
affordable,
all-day-breakfast,
bras basah,
burgers,
cafe,
coffee,
eggs benedict,
fusion,
hidden finds,
i want sugar,
lunch,
will return
·
WE WANT SUGAR!
Slogan sounds familiar? That's because it's the ringing jingle for The SUGAR App. Being roped in to join the brand ambassador program recently, it has kept me on a tight ship of endless scrolling through various merchants in the wee hours of the morning. Reason being that the vouchers refresh at around 7am every morning with only an availability of 1 per day. In this case, the early bird catches the worm and since the window of opportunity is so small, it compels its users to act on a whim, grabbing chances at plain sight; that my friends, is the key success to the app's advocating of discovery and spontaneity.
That's SUGAR in a nutshell. And my first attempt at being reckless led me to the frosty facade of this cafe located in a non-descript alley along waterloo street.
Montana Brew Bar: Waffles Gone Rogue
Labels:
affordable,
ala carte,
bras basah,
cafe,
coffee,
dhoby ghaut,
family friendly,
fried chicken,
little india,
mac&cheese,
may return,
selegie,
student friendly,
waffles,
x
·
Montana Brew Bar is one of the newest kids on the block to amp up the waffle game in town. Yes, it is evident that these honeycombed imprinted crisp vessels do have a soft spot in our hearts and stomachs; and with these validation, MBB takes it to level with their ingenious savoury adaptations.
I'm here at brunch hour on a Saturday; a modest trade is coming and going in that lazy weekend kind of way. Tables are packed with languid diners hoping to score a waffle or two with friends; most of them young and vivacious, in the mid twenties; a crowd seemingly drawn from its location advantage , right smack in the middle of several schools and learning institutes in the vicinity. On a weekend, this isn't the kind of place you want to sit and linger for too long if you're a party of one; the glaring lights (plus odd stares from other people) and bustling foot traffic traversing through the malls, not exactly conducive for 'me-time'; perhaps the odd hours of the weekdays would be a better choice.
Shi Fu Korean BBQ: Meat Lovers Rejoice
Labels:
affordable,
barbeque,
big groups,
bras basah,
dhoby ghaut,
family friendly,
hidden finds,
korean,
korean bbq,
little india,
no frills,
will return
·
Shi Fu sited below the bright florescent lights of the many KTVs located near peace centre, may not be the most attractive sight to wander into. The thick fumes of garlic laden smoke streaming out of the open doors, yet again another dampening factor. But Shi Fu Korean BBQ is the common's best Korean BBQ in a joggers mile. So karoke party revellers seeking something to chew on after a madhouse session, this would be your best bet!
Balzac Brasserie: Old school French
Labels:
bras basah,
circle line,
dhoby ghaut,
food,
french,
hidden finds,
restaurants
·
There are just some days when you crave for traditional foods. Debating our choices for dinner venues, my companion (a schoolmate from Le Cordon Bleu Sydney) and I settled on Balzac Brasserie for a quick escape from the usual rigours of nouvelle cuisine. Tonight we go old school.
Balzac Brasserie is exactly what you would picture a typical French brasserie that claims to serve simple, homey food: the interior styled in a interesting juxtaposition of sidewalk cafe and Parisian bar and bistro, with deep shade of mahogany and leather. To one side of the dining area are cafe chairs that usually line the sidewalks of Paris with a back drape of luscious greenery cascading from the high ceilings; the other side features a antique zinc bar with high chairs and booth seats, exuding a cool underground vibe as the trades picked up pace through the night.
Drawing inspiration from his own family's recipes, Executive Chef Jean-Charles Dubois serves up a classic french menu and manges to do so with aplomb; highlighting the integrity of the fresh produce he employs. Perusing the menu, it wasn't hard to zoom in our final decisions despite the rather extensive menu.
The meal begins with Foie Gras de "Castaing" ($24) for me; homemade foie gras terrine served with fig and raisin compote, farmer's toast and petite salade. Seriously rich stuff with the crunchy farmers toast helping to mitigate the taste. I adored the delicate endive salad on the side which helped me to ease into each sumptuous bite of the good stuff.
The Escargots de Bourgogne (Dozen for $22);gratinated beure Provencale style with parsley, garlic and butter; was a real disappointment. Bland. We had to resort to massive movements with the salt shakers to achieve a nice balance of flavors. And honestly, service standards were truly lacking. If you want to ask us how the meal was, please stand still for a moment at the table instead of zipping around the tables, leaving our answers hanging in mid air. Basic courtesy.
Entrecote ($34) - 200gr black angus served with bearnaise sauce and pommes frites. Definitely a commendable dish with the red meat cooked to a perfect medium rare , an enthralling sear on the outside to seal in the juices. The sauce also made a world of a difference - the bernaise made of clarified butter emulsified in egg yolks, white wine vinegar and flavoured with herbs, well seasoned, it's lusciousness a good partner to the integrity of the steak.
Another success was the Duck Confit($26) , the duck, a melt in your mouth kind of delicious, humming with the romance of a fine pinot noir. The bed of truffle mash, so smooth, almost like it was sieved thru the finest strainer. With crispy skin, the salt helping to draw any left remnants of moisture out, this provides for the only textural contrast required in this traditional dish. Very well executed indeed.
Balzac Brasserie separates itself from the throngs of new and old restaurants springing up all over the island with its dedication to old school French cookery techniques and dishes. For one, the food certainly hits the spot, but the same cannot be said for the whole dining experience. The service could use a little fine tuning: more attention to detail, perhaps a little more friendly interaction with the guests? I'm not asking for a lap dance over here, maybe just a sincere warm smile once in a while wouldn't hurt?
Balzac Brasserie
#01-01,
Rendezvous Hotel,
9 Bras Basah Road
Phone: 63360797
Website: http://balzacbrasserie.com/
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