Showing posts with label chinatown singapore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chinatown singapore. Show all posts
Five-Ten: Taiwanese inspired Pop-Up
In place of the late CATO along South Bridge Road comes Five Ten, a trendy spot sporting homely Taiwanese inspired eats. Judging from the long queues snaking out the door every weekday night, its popularity amongst the young and voguish is unmistakable. A major home-run, evidently seeing that its name is based off a beloved pre-drinking game enjoyed by most Singaporeans (preferably equipped with adequate counting skills); conceptualised by the Kishore brothers most known for helming the 90s themed club FRESH!; their appeal preceding over the same audience in their latest establishment.
[UOB Dining] Royal Pavilion: Good Cantonese fare at the fringe of the city
Labels:
business lunch,
cantonese,
chinatown singapore,
chinese food,
hidden finds,
large groups,
roast,
roast duck,
uob dining
·
Settling in to certain opulent and grandeur settings in Royal Pavilion's main dining room may be a bit intimidating. But the solid and stalwart service standards immediately fixes that and put us at ease. In line with their modern Cantonese out take, courses are dished out in individual portions, each presented with finesse and looking just a little too pretty to eat.
Phat Cat Laundry: Not a Washout
Jiak Chuan road has a party vibe that has made it synonymous with neon lights. And that is what you get with a brief introduction to Phat Cat Laundry as you stumble past the fake facade of a laundromat up front (apparently licensing for a proper laundromat, to throw guests off is quite a hard deal to get around). Instead you find lengthy black marble bar counter and heaps of lounging space illuminated by artificial candle light. The walls meandering in the same backwash with cheeky aphorisms with visuals to match: dry hump with consent? do not dampen spirits? - a tad cheesy we think but superimposed on white laundry tag like cloth, it does relay a strong theme.
[POP-UP] WOLF X Bird Bird: The Burger Breakdown
Lest we forget, a good burger is a thing of beauty. Oneness in the patty fat-to-meat ratio and sauces knitting all into a 'perfect burger'. It's satisfying, messy manifestation of all things umami: beef, melted cheese and tomatoes, all ready to be augmented by additions such as bacon, relish, slaw... there are a few things culinary that can be relied on to do their job as effectively. Much less in a tidy package. But hey, it's personal, a burger does the job of lifting the spirits for me, it might not for you, but hold on to your horses as I reveal one of the newest burger kids on the 'Ann Siang Road' block. Get your paper towels ready.
Man Man Unagi Restaurant by Teppei: The Search is over.
Labels:
chinatown singapore,
hidden finds,
japanese,
must go,
outram,
unagi,
will return
·
Don't want to sound too melodramatic or anything, but the minute my calender sounded out an opportunity to photograph Teppei's latest concept, I jumped higher than an alley cat who just had a bizarre looking cucumber thrown his way. Yes, Man Man is Chef Teppei Yamashita's 5th concept after the reveal of several other stellar ventures including Hanare, Teppei Syokudo and Hana Hana. He lets out a bemused laughter when questioned about plans for another concept, in it embodying a undisclosed confidence as though he something up his sleeves. For you curious cats, you'll just have to wait and see.
But for now, there's Man Man Unagi Restaurant which puts to rest, the endless search for delicious yet affordable unagi dons. I assure, from the secret marinade to the freshly grated wasabi and use of binchotan; Chef Teppei Yamashita has got everything down pat. And it shows immaculately in the dishes.
Chir Chir introduces a Honey Butter Chicken and other new dishes
Labels:
chinatown singapore,
comfortfoods,
drinks,
family friendly,
fried chicken,
large groups,
pubfood,
will return
·
I'll find any excuse to treat myself. Actually, my whole system of self-adulting is based on an intricate balance of tasks and rewards to keep myself happy and motivated. I clock in 6 miles, I get pistachio gelato. I pay a bill, I get a cocktail (and a significantly lighter wallet). I make it to the weekend, I go down to Chir Chir and get myself that very exciting looking pile of Honey Butter Chicken. This very deliberate systems that involved foot rubs from the mister, exotic beers and the occasional burger; works, and it gets the job done.
Since we've all made it to the weekend, I'm absolutely certain that we're all due for a treat ourselves. Here are some new dishes from the Chir Chir's new menu from me to you.
Chir Chir (Chinatown Point): Fried Chicken for Supper?
Labels:
chinatown singapore,
comfortfoods,
family friendly,
fried chicken,
korean,
mac&cheese
·
A major incentive to braving the crowds in Chinatown during the Lunar New Year period to either, soak in the spirit or do last minute CNY shopping, is the opportunity to drag the entire family to Chir Chir at Chinatown Point to indulge in some fried chicken goodness after the sticky deed is done.
Chir Chir opens up their third outlet in the bustling region of Chinatown, dishing out crowd favourites such as their Nest Snow and Korean styled spicy chicken wings to the eagerly awaiting public.
My favourites include the Crispy Fried Chicken ($26.90), nothing fancy or over the top in its notion with just crispy puffed up skin to boot and irresistibly moist and succulent flesh that puffs a smoky sigh of relief when the golden hide is breached.
IndLine: Contemporary Indian Cookery
Labels:
affordable,
chinatown singapore,
Indian food,
keong saik,
must go,
outram,
restaurants,
will return
·
I have a love-hate relationship with Indian food. Often cursing it for the gluttony it induces in me and the subsequent wrath incurred in the digestive tract after the spicy, coconut milk laden meal. But despite my 'not-so-frequent' return back to the Ethnic cuisine, my heart still love songs for a good butter chicken and garlic naan one in awhile. Well, if you share the same concerns as me, you'll be glad to discover Indline, a newly opened contemporary Indian cookery right smack in the heart of Keong Saik road.
Cha Thai: an Air of Confidence
Labels:
big groups,
chinatown singapore,
expensive,
family friendly,
hidden finds,
telok ayer,
thai food,
will return
·
Leah, business owner and head chef strides out of the kitchen, aromatic wafts of Thai Basil following in her wake. With a firm handshake exchanged, she proceeds to vouch for the quality of the menu, stopping briefly to evaluate our likes and dislikes before pushing out her recommendations . "People who don't go the wet markets to shop wouldn't understand why our food is so expensive," She laments, "but we only use the freshest of ingredients that we pick personally that's why the price." I shrug in contention at her unsettling air of confidence. However, the instant she dropped the French Culinary Institute background training, I was sold on her promise that her clear Tom Yum Goong would be "nothing like you've tried in Singapore before."
The Rockin' Diner by The Mustard Incident: Hot Damm..
Labels:
affordable,
american,
beer,
big groups,
brunch,
chinatown singapore,
comfortfoods,
craft beers,
dinner,
hotdogs,
midnight munchies,
telok ayer
·
I remain adamant about my fixation on American stylised food. To add to the list of must-try American diners, The Rockin' Diner has the advantage of being a venue to satisfy midnight munchies as well. Situated along Club Street, it may just be perfect spot to sort out hunger issues, a prevalent problem, especially where drinks are involved.
The Rockin' Diner , previously located in TANGS basement one, has recently shifted its operations to larger premises across a two-shophouse space in the thick of the vibrant night-motivated Club Street. Serving up Gourmet Hot dogs, the menu flaunts a wide spread range of appetisers, breakfast items (suited for curing hangovers), mains and dougs, of course. Owner Kelly Koh, owes his culinary inspiration to time spent in San Francisco and Hawaii, hence, the food is inexplicably generous in portioning and hearty in flavor.
Monochrome Fusion Bistro: the black and white of things
Labels:
affordable,
big groups,
bistro,
cafe,
chinatown singapore,
coffee,
craft beers,
family friendly,
fusion,
hidden finds,
tanjong pagar,
will not return
·
I do not mince my words, and having just put my food evangelist thinking cap on, please pardon me for any feelings trampled on along the way. Believe me, I do not mean it. And even so, we live, we learn and we grow.
Newly opened in February, the Chinatown Precinct sees the looming presence of a casual bistro touting its hold on providing an alternative dining experience, its main aim, to attract the inquisitive taste buds with a penchant for creative design as well as good food.
Unfortunately my visit to the establishment proved to be majorly disappointing. On the design front, I loved every inch of detail within the compound, the white washed walls with whimsical table cloths hanging on knobs, decorative shelves with a bunch of eccentric publications greets the wandering eye as you trod through the narrow corridors leading to the bathroom. The intersperse of striped blocks and circles of black and white imprinted boldly on the walls, tending to the fastidious pastry chef-y side of me. Service staff were young and upbeat, sporting mischievous smiles all around. I basked in the therapeutic ambiance of this design studio vibe restaurant, with the air-conditioning on high in stark comparison to the blinding heat outside.
Life was good.
That was till the torrents of food started flooding our tables.
Senso: Sunday Prosecco Brunch
Senso Ristorante and Bar has got a special place in my heart (and tummy). Recollections from a somewhat suggestive first 'business lunch' with the current boyfriend (read more about it here) float as thick as smog around our window seats which were sadly occupied by another eccentric couple. To celebrate our monthsary, we turned to the trusty folks at Senso for a good time, armed with our Entertainer apps, we were ready to rock out the Sunday Prosecco Brunch in style and reckless abandon. Working in the F&B industry, day-offs are rare and that explains our 'go big or go home' attitudes.
Priced at just 98++ with free flow of Prosecco, wines, beer, soft drinks, coffee and tea, it sounds like a steal, but truth be told, it gets better! Think a buffet of starters, Cause nobody does cold cuts better than the Italian!; fresh Italian breads, a galore of cheeses, salami, parma, prosciutto, smoked salmon, oysters. Tuck into a bowlful of the freshest prawns and revel in the crystal sweetness of these babies.
Folks Collective: food that brings tears to your eyes.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I tucked into the food. Yes, so admittedly, the food was good, but it was even spicier.
Having quite a reputation as a drinking spot of sorts, we put the food at Folks Collective to the taste test.
The Grilled Pork Neck Salad ($10.90) packs quite a mean punch and had us gathering our skirts up in buckets of sweat and dirty whistling in between gulps of ice cold water. Sips on our house wines that came surprisingly cheap due to the festive promotions ($5.50 for a glass of NY Merlot/NY Sauvignon) did aid in putting out the fire. Putting its fury aside, the dish was nothing short of excellent, tender pork neck with a slight smoky tang, well balanced with a good splash of lime, crushed nuts and cool herbs. Heat seekers wouldn't want to miss out on this one.
One bite into the Signature FOLKS Wings ($6.90) revealed that bar snacks is Folk's Collective forte. The spicy notes again, part of an outrageously clever plan to up sell plenty more pints of ice cold draft beer. The wings were juicy, finger licking good with crisp heads of fried skin that shatters in the mouth. Shards of crispy fried garlic creates a separate party in the mouth.
For something a little more substantial, indulge in the Chicken Pad See-Eww ($8.90). Successfully sweet, wok-hei kissed bowl of noodles tantalises ones taste buds. A simple yet satisfying choice should you be thinking of just choosing a single dish to partake in.
A wonderful addition to the table is the Prawn Omelette ($10.90), So it may appear a bit underwhelming as the prawns are chopped to tiny pieces and then scattered midst the fluffy golden crackling of fried egg, but there are apparently advantages to this method as the distribution of prawns is more even and there was zero risk of overcooked prawns.
Offering affordable cuisine with the combination of a chill out environment, Folks Collective has got all the right qualities to draw in the crowds and I'm sure I'll be back to sample more dishes in the near future.
Folks Collective
20 Cross Street
#01-25 China Square Central
S(048422)
t: 6536 6739
w: http://www.folkscollective.com/
w: http://www.folkscollective.com/
Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 11am - 11pm
Sat: 12 pm - 11pm
Mon - Fri: 11am - 11pm
Sat: 12 pm - 11pm
Platypus Lobster Shack: Weak in the knees
Some nights I dream about this.
The thoraic warmth of the creamy homemade mayonnaise mixed in with the succulent chunks of butter poached lobsters; the smell of grilled, slightly charred bread filling my nostrils. This makes for such a umbrian treat.
Repeated visits, and I've always called for the same item. Like a blindfolded mission evoked by memory sensory pleasures. Not tonight, not this night cause when 5 and a 1/2 unite , a larger congregation of seafood delights can come together.
Grand Mandarin: I'm so fancy
Labels:
chinatown singapore,
chinese,
chinese food,
dinner,
family friendly,
lunch,
may return,
outram,
special occasion
·
Grand Mandarin, located in a inconspicuous building just off Outram Park MRT (inside joke: take heed that this IS in fact the nearest mrt station to the restaurant) houses a somewhat dated, dark and sophisticated dining room serving elaborate Chinese dishes that appeal the mid-tier diners and up. If you're got money to splurge and want to avoid the usual suspects hailing from large culinary groups, then Grand Mandarin would be a good pick of an underdog.
Take for example the empura fish that swims with such a lavish aura around it, as if it has come to self-awareness of it's prized existence from watching itself on television re-runs. The price on its' head escalating above the mortal thousands. I imagine the creamy sweetness of its flesh in my mouth and swiftly shut it down. It's not something worth dreaming about...
For the common folk, like me, Grand Mandarin does offer a wide range of impeccable Cantonese cuisine ranging from the customary dim sum to the homely doubled boiled soups and finally to the more extravagant roast duck. And just like so many new restaurants, the Grand Mandarin isn't strong across the board; for starters, service can be lackadaisical and not exactly polished. Requests for tea top-ups were forgotten and dirty plates not cleared with structured procession. The appetizers got the ball rolling with a delectable gleaming Deep Fried Prawn coated with creme lemon sauce ($32++ per order), earning points for its unparalleled flavor combination. The prawn still retaining a nice bite, melded well with the welcome rays of sunshine derived from the lemon sauce. The rest of the items, I was disagreeable with there after. Famous as it is, the Honey Glazed Barbecued Pork Loin ($15++ per order) with its pudgy rings of uncaramelized sugar on its exterior went down with a fight, the crunch exposing a figurative circle of refined white sugar that was slow to disintegrate compared to the pork loin that was melt-in-your-mouth tender - an addition that I found added unnecessary heft and calories to the dish. The Crispy Soft Shell Crab coated with Chicken Floss and Curry Leaves ($18++ per order) was a tad too sweet for my liking, the inclusion of curry leaves not providing any flavor profile assistance to the dish.
The Double-boiled chicken soup with cordycep flower ($9++ per person) was pedestrian with a general lack of seasoning. Though, I did enjoy the cordycep flowers which provided a crisp and chewy factor.
Another dish that didn't knock my socks off was the Steamed Silver Cod with pink ginger topping in bonito sauce ($22++ per person). Yes, the cod was supple and fresh, but the random jolts of piquant cured ginger layered like a mossy green carpet on a polished parquet floor was again haphazard and excessive. The bonito sauce working wonders to revive the umami of the rather neutral tasting steamed cod. I would suggest making a beeline for the baked version with lemongrass infusion sauce instead.
Tofu with crabmeat and egg white in carrot broth ($24++ per order) caused many quizzical looks round the table as the use of firm tofu failed to accentuate the luscious qualities of the crabmeat and eggwhite mixture.
A quintessential dish at every Cantonese food fest would be the roasted duck. Here at the Grand Mandarin, things are kicked up a notch with their Roasted Duck with Perigord Truffle ($28++ per order). At the very mention of truffle, I was afraid of the assault on the taste buds, however, contrary to that, my first bite had me on a wild goose chase for the lingering note of truffle. None. Where is it? I felt cheated.
The last dish on the tasting menu was a Stir fried Crystal Vermicelli with Pork Collar in X.O. chili sauce ($22++ per order), an adventurous carb offering with short plump strands of vermicelli tossed in a divine sauce forming the base of a bejeweled bowl of ingredients. The pork collar came in the form of decadent silvers of pearlescent fatty meat perfectly cooked and curled into submission. I revelled in the successful execution of the dish.
Liu Sha Baos were our next order of business. Fluffy balls encapsulating a torrent of sickly sweet salted egg yolk custard that flows out without much persuasion. Still, Mouth Restaurant's version has stolen my heart.
A more worldly dessert rounds up the meal. The Refreshing Green Apple Jelly with Lime Sorbet ($8 per serve) with it's tangy notes and cold construction had its desired felicitous effects and I greedily slurped up the stray bits of aloe vera earnestly. Definitely a humble but sensuous way to end the meal.
'
Notably, Grand Mandarin prides itself on being one the few solo establishments devoid of links to the big leagues. And serving such cuisine in Singapore, it certainly makes it a dime in a dozen. That being said, food standards with its price relativity leave much to be desired from this restaurant and unless improvements be made to befit the slightly heftier pricing, clients are likely to pack up and go after a one time experience.
Grand Mandarin
325 New Bridge Road
#01/02-00 S(088760)
t: 6222 3355
P.S. for those of you who would like to get a chance to win The Entertainer App. Please visit here to participate in my {GIVEAWAY}!
Mouth Restaurant @ China Square Central: #LikeABoss
Let me first make a disclaimer; Chinese cuisine and it's intricacies are not and never will be my forte, hence my opinions are entirely subjective and very personal. But nevertheless, being an experimental diner, I was more than thrilled to be invited to Mouth Restaurant to taste the Treasure Pot Feast 九大簋盆菜.
Priced at just $31.80++/person for a party of 6-9 pax, the number scoops down to a low of $29.80++ when you round up more than 10 people for the feast. All this for a palatial and ostentatious 9 course meal fit for a king (promo last till 15th Dec'14). Story goes that the Treasure Pot Feast was invented in close resemblance to the common man's poon choi, but this one done with lavish intent.
We started off the meal with Steamed Shanghai Hairy Crab. Note that this was a replacement to the usual Suckling pig as denoted on the usual Treasure Pot Feast menu; however, Mouth Restaurant is currently having some promotion sets for the hairy crab that are worth checking out. Digging into the cream, roe-infested flesh of this hairy crustacean does set the tone for the meal. Succeeding in gearing the palate up for some culinary pampering.
The Early Days Shark Fin Soup was a well executed version with the extra bells and whistles contributed by the fine shreds of deep fried wanton skins placed on the side that provided texture; the brightening jolt of acid from the vinegar highlighting the affair.
The next dish is an ode to a classic old school dish of prawn toast. The Nostalgic Whole Prawn given a twist with the emergence of whole prawns instead of the conventional prawn mince used to adorn the normally dry door stopper like tiny toasts. A clever reinvention, revealing a dish that I'm sure would steal the hearts of the young and old alike.
The chef's fine-dining chops show on such preparations such as the Sauteed Asparagus with wild mushrooms in truffles. Heady with the aroma of the forest floor wafting through the dining room, I relinquished in the expert execution of this dish, from the crunchy asparagus to the tangle of mushrooms, all this gleaming from a thin coat of oil that gave the dish visual impact.
The next plate featured the traditional braised 'pi-pa' tofu. Deftly shaped in soup spoons, these elegant parcels of silken tofu, minced pork and prawn and other condiments were the epitome of Chinese comfort food emerging in more exquisite forms. It was delicious, enhanced by a crusty exterior that allowed for the salty brown sauce lathered over the top to adhere to it.
The star player of the line-up was undoubtedly the HK Temple Street claypot rice, that true to its form showed up in jaw-drop worthy moments as the gargantuan claypot lid was lifted up. It is a pleasant mix of tender juicy chicken, rice and other proverbial goodies. Dig into this with a generous dash of the garlic vinegar sauce for maximum utility.
But for me, the best dish of the day had to be the Sauteed Basil Grouper in 3 cups sauce. It's sprawling mermaid like stance in the deep bowl revealing hunks of meaty grouper lightly tossed in soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and Thai basil. I chopstick-ed my way through the cascading pyramid of succulent fish, followed bravely alongside Li Tian (dairy&cream) who gamely wrestled the fish head and carcass. Like a boss.
My least favourite dish of the spread came in the form of Braised trio Sea Treasure in Abalone sauce. Since I was not a big fan of either 魚鰾 or 海参, I struggled to find common grounds with the rest of the diners dishing out nothing but praises for this hot plate of delicacies.
Given how impressive the savouries were, we were looking forward to the desserts. The Double Boiled Ginger Tea with Glutinous Rice Balls did not disappoint; I sank deep into the recesses of my seat as I revelled in the warm syrupy sweetness of the ginger tea, the ridiculous burst of flavor from the sesame glutinous rice balls helping to break the monotony.
And if you're not watching your weight, keep a lookout for the cholesterol -busting Baked Salted Egg Yolk Buns. Fragrant, rich salted egg yolk custard is encased in flavorful pastry with a crisp top. Decadence that would cost you another hour on the treadmill if you're addicted. Don't say I didn't warn you. The Squid Ink Char Siew buns are a novelty item that is worth saving some tummy room for too.
Mouth Restaurant
China Square Central
South Bridge Court Shop House
22 Cross Street
#01-61
S( 048421)
T: 64385798
w: http://www.mouth.com.sg/http://www.mouth.com.sg/
Opening Hours:
weekday: 11 30am - 3pm, 6pm-10pm
weekend & PH: 10am - 10pm
The Reading Room: Honesty is the best policy
Labels:
beer,
brunch,
bukit pasoh,
burgers,
cafe,
chinatown singapore,
coffee,
dinner,
hidden finds,
outram,
setlunch
·
dumbfounded, adj
"And still, for all the jealousy, all the doubt, sometimes I will be struck with a kind of awe that we're together. That someone like me could find someone like you --- it renders me wordless. Because surely words could conspire against such luck, would protest the unlikelihood of such a turn of events.
I didn't tell any of my friends about our first date. I waited until after the second, because I wanted to make sure it was real. I wouldn't believe it had happened until it had happened again. Then, later on, I would be overwhelmed by the evidence, by all the lines connecting you to me, and us to love."
David Levithan - The Lover's Dictionary
-----
Today's write-up is about The Reading Room at Bukit Pasoh road, hence the not-so-short quote from one of favourite recent reads. I digress. Such a sublime book to digest though. But if its books you're looking for and a comfy couch to snuggle in with a fresh cup of brewed coffee, then, this place might just be your cup of tea.
Stowed away on the quiet streets of Bukit Pasoh Road, just next to the trendier, more bustling Keong Saik street of parallel characteristics; sits The Reading Room cafe.
The beaming pride and joy of the cafe lines the establishments from wall to wall. It's shelves packed to the brim with books of different genre and category (some collected by the owner himself while others spawning from generous donations). Each one praying to spill its tales to an unsuspecting cafe go-er at arms length. If you spot plane ticket stubs or name cards jutting out from the top of books, don't be alarmed, and I implore you not to switch the positions of these books; painstakingly tucked away by regulars currently coddling over their specific reads with every return visit.
Here in Singapore, we are no strangers to the concept of cafe by day and bar by night. But we fail to realise that this is no new concept, in fact, it has been adopted by The Reading Room for the last two years now, the transition, flawless, it's laid-back living room settings camouflaging the existence of seams between day and night even. Here, patrons are encouraged to hang one's hat up, dwell and rest within the oasis of books. Reading is optional, one can also exploit the free wifi and enjoy the lackadaisical afternoon.
The lovechild of owner Gino Abate, The Reading Room originated from his passion for entertaining the masses. Down-to-earth with a slight disgruntlement towards the level of respect for food here locally, it was easy to understand his vision for his cafe. "Good, honest food. Nothing fancy, but we do try to make sure that everyone leaves having enjoyed a good hearty meal."
In a nutshell, it was all comfort food, everything made to order, from scratch; a logic that resonated very well with me.
I had the TRR's Aussie Burger with the Lot ($22.80) -- sans the grilled pineapple cause it reminds me of the Hawaiian pizza which I have hold a great amount of animosity towards. A 180g beef patty is topped with sweet onion chutney, fried egg, lettuce, onion, tomato, tomato sauce, homemade mayo and bacon; a respectable burger with all the expected bits of the formula in there, however the fireworks didn't light up with this rendition. The beef patty needing that little bit more fat ratio injected, it's sticky innards falling a little on the mushy side; egg as binder perhaps? It's evident that TRR lavishes care on the burgers though with evenly melted cheese and a good dash of fresh ground black pepper, the sauces diligently made from scratch.
Desserts are a modest rosters of classics. The Crumble Cheesecake sourced from Gobi Desserts, an absolute pleasure to demolish, it's sweet, slightly savoury crumb topping complimenting the creamy innards of the cheesecake. Shame about the soggy base, otherwise, a real tight effort with the balance of flavors. Another solid discovery is the Homemade Tiramisu, despite it's non-alcoholic nature which I find to be a bore, the final concoction churns out hits of deliciousness percolated by intense hits of coffee and charitable amount of mascarpone cheese unruffled by the distraction of whipped cream. It's no wonder my host was beaming from ear to ear as I tucked in with my spoon unabashedly.
The Reading Room has a facade that is so unassuming, you can mistake the restaurant for a residence, which is exactly the feel the owner is trying to convey. Unlike the usual hipster haunts nowadays, this is the place you would go to stare into space and not to be seen by others. A hidden gem for the socially inept such as I am.
Note that TRR has extended operating hours and is now opening its shutters from 8am onwards on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. On top of that, an all-day-breakfast menu will be on offer on the weekends as well! Stay tuned for more daily specials on their Facebook page. Be warned that this could be severely distracting at work.
Fundamentally flawed dined as a guest of TRR, in the course of which she was absolutely smitten by the place itself. period. A major thanks to Jake for sharing the calories of that yummilicious tiramisu with me.
The Reading Room
19 Bukit Pasoh Road
Singapore
T: 6220 9019
Bread and Hearth: Bread and Butter letters
Labels:
boulangerie. bakery,
Bread,
chinatown singapore,
croissant,
keong saik,
media event,
outram,
patisserie,
tart
·
Butter. there was butter dredged all over the walls, it enveloped me, luring me into its warm embrace. If you cringe at the smell of this yellow villain, then avoid Bread and Hearth by all means. However, my love-hate relationship with it (referring strictly to my days in the kitchen spent tackling a 25kg block of butter with a really blunt knife) draws me one step closer.
Bread and Hearth is the newest artisanal bakery to open amongst the playground of F&B riches in the Ann Siang/ Keong Saik neighborhood. Dedicated to using the best quality ingredients to set it apart from its competitors, I was keen to taste a difference.
And I did.
Working within the constantly cool realms of the fastidiously packed kitchen, staff laminate the croissant doughs from scratch. Plowing the natural levain dough, hiding sheets of French butter within, through the dough-break, book-turn after book-turn till the cross-section reveals some mind-blowing layers of alternating dough and butter. Once proofed, these babies enter the mouth of the blazing hot German oven and the water content in the butter blisters, swelling causing the pastry to puff up. There you have it, crisp, flaky pastry, the hinterland of every butter worshipper.
Here at Bread and Hearth, they take their coffee seriously. One sip of my cappuccino and my coffee nerd consensus attained a quizzical standstill, unable to establish a familiarity with the blend. The owner explains that the coffee beans used for their coffee have been 'blended' in house, a fixed ratio of arabica and robusta beans in order to balance out the tannins, acidity and nuttiness of it. The end result, a smooth, medium bodied coffee which leans ever so slightly to the more nutty side of life. Adding to the pageantry of the fancy coffee art is the subtle fairy dusting of nutmeg powder over the top that works miracles with its rich woody spice.
With a spread of goodies to conquer, we nibble our way around the table. For me, the real strengths are in the Croissant, the Raisin roll and Pain au Chocolat; shedding some light on the dark and depressing state of such boulangerie items in Singapore. Retaining a crisp crust even after the relentless shootings, the butter taste was profound, deliciously rich and salty. The chocolate batons from cocoa barry spilling its hot fudge like melty innards within those flaky layers. Frankly, though, the Matcha Orange soft roll and White Chocolate bun are not particularly tempting with a strange doughy texture.
Part and parcel of any boulangerie spread are tarts. Here at Bread and Hearth, the tart shells are made from scratch, another applaud worthy moment for the hard working folks here. That aside, the result is this strange cookie like crust that screams it's tormenting experience under the hands of an overcompulsive dough maker. The Lemon Meringue Tart, your usual suspect has a lovely bright citrusy note, let down only by the biscuit like dense tart base; whilst the Salted Caramel Tart shows up sweet with sticky caramel, jazzed up with a wee bit of sea salt (could use a lot more in there to warrant the use of the descriptive word 'salty') and nuanced by the simple addition of roasted hazelnuts speckled over the top. With a bit of fine-tuning, this combination has a lot of potential to be the unique selling point of the cafe.
Like every new kid on the block, Bread and Hearth uncovers a mixture of hits and misses throughout its menu. However, with a concise business plan and niche products on offer, this place is set to conquer the hearts and stomachs of croissant lovers with a couple of tweaks.
For now, I vouch for that Pain au Chocolat. Why not give it a go?
Fundamentally-flawed dined as a guest of Bread and Hearth. However, opinions are strictly her own. Thank you Mapwerkz for the invite.
Bread and Hearth
18 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089215
T: 6534 7800
Website: www.breadandhearth.com
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