Showing posts with label good eats around tanjong pagar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good eats around tanjong pagar. Show all posts
Ding Dong releases 18 new dishes that incite wanderlust in Southeast Asia
I've always had a soft spot for Ding Dong (read my previous extolments here) and its representing unbuttoned Asian-trendy-comfort-food virtues. In a commitment phobic world, it's always refreshing to see a restaurant so enterprising in the spirit of introducing an ever-changing spectrum of Southeast Asian dishes and flavours to its diners, yet still retaining a contemporary edge that's party-ready (it's always tempting to hit the cocktails and bubbly hard). This season, Ding Dong puts on its thinking cap once more and derives a spread of eclectic offerings that will have you at the edge of your seat.
Crackerjack: Absolutely crackin' joint that serves up weekend brunch for sinners
Singapore's brunch game just got even stronger with the emergence of all day wine and dine concept Crackerjack along Tanjong Pagar Road. with the backing of powerhouse 28 HongKong Street team ironing out all the logistics down pat. Yes, we all know that I'm a huge fan of Crackerjack by night, roast chicken with chermoula sauce and dingley dell pork collar chop with a chance of sprightly imbibes including my favourite mezcal negroni; its hard to pass up a friendly invite to the joint. And we're talking any day of the week, any time of day.
Come weekends, the joint does a roaring breakfast trade that panders to the alcoholic side of me. If you want to keep it PG, the guys do some pretty bonafide coffee work that will have you raring to go through your entire weekend, but I would definitely do a 180 degree slant to the spirited renditions. But before the onset of early afternoon (when the lure is strong), couples fresh out of the gym and families with hungry kids are placated with cereal milk and fluffy pancakes, rich hippie granola completing the wholesome imagery.
Hansul Korean Dining Bar: Contemporary Korean dining that opens till 6am!
Labels:
affordable,
cocktails,
drinks,
good eats around tanjong pagar,
grilled meats,
hidden finds,
japchae,
kimchi,
korean,
korean bbq,
must go,
soju,
tanjong pagar,
will return
·
Singapore's Korean Food scene has never been better. And we all know with the Koreans being the funnest bunch you can possibly befriend, the best way to end a riotous night out is at a Korean barbecue joint for soju, beer and meats grilled at the table. Self satisfied gluttony ensues and hopefully this ends off with a detour to the nearest karaoke bar to put your bathroom singing skills to good use.
Many places fit the bill but there's one new kid on the block that has caught my eye recently. Serving the most compelling sides and stews to accompany the gentle wisps of smoke rising from your sticks sunbathing on the hwaro charcoal grill.
Ninja Bowl: Indulge in their NEW brunch nosh
Once again, Ninja Bowl satisfies Singaporeans need for constant innovation in the brunch fare department with the addition of 5 new dishes to it's menu. Was I blown away? Not really, the 'ingenuity' fostered by a clever permutation and combination technique of it's long time signatures such as the Gyu and Tama as well as the Ebisu (read here). Still, I waxed lyrical after my meal since every dish presented me a refreshing facade. The Japanese flair represented, more forthright than before.
Ash & Char: pushing the blackened boundaries
2016 has seen an extremely warm reception to cauliflower in my culinary dictionary. I can't even begin to describe the reverberating excitement that floods my soul when the thought of Renaa Matbaren's Gratinated Cauliflower crosses my mind. Nicely blackened on it's edges and bathed in a luxurious cheese gratin sauce, this fat-ladened indulgence coupled with frigid -10 degree temperatures on the outside certainly made for a revolutionary experience.
Fast forward to the brink of 2017, where friendly bistro Ash & Char sets the stage for what could potentially make or break my most pivotal first year encounter with the Brassicaceae species. Their Fried Cauliflower with gochujang and lemon dressing with gremolata ($9) sets some high expectations with bonus mark scored on aesthetics. The end result is safe. Taking bites of the browned and slightly crisp florets, the lemon dressing uplifts the equation and gochujang lends a feisty profile. As a staunch believer in the importance of doing the humble bouquet justice, I found Ash and Char's efforts to be admirable. Sugar, we're headed somewhere.
SBCD Korean Tofu House: Tofu to lust after
All it took was the word 'uplifting' on the press release to reel me in; that accompanied by depressing 3 days worth of non-stop showers. I was sold on the concept that anything hot and steamy could eventually work as a therapy. And it did.
SBCD Korean Tofu House is the latest addition to the CBD dining, stowed away in the basement of the new Tanjong Pagar Centre (a bright establishment and latest extension of the Tanjong Pagar MRT station). Here you'll find a full fledged menu of Korean comfort food
[NEW] Nadai Fujisoba: Exemplary Soba in S'pore
If you remember the old Itadakimasu food cluster located on the 3rd floor of Millenia walk, you'll be elated to know that this has been revived with the food village finding its new grounds of residence at 100 AM Mall in Tanjong Pagar.
Japanese dining clusters are all the rage this year with Japan Food Town, Nihon Food Street, Japan Foods Garden setting up in different districts dotting the island. The idea, to present a multi-restaurant dining enclave to offer a plethora of choices for an audience who have already formulated a plan to tuck into Japanese fare. One of the newest joints that have just thrown open its doors in Mid December dishes out what I deem to be the best Soba in Singapore.
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.
13 Duxton Hill: BEST EVER Birthday meal by a long shot
One of the 9 or so courses (non-inclusive of the escapades on the drinks frontier) served to me the first time I ate at the new 13 Duxton Hill was a cathedral rock formation cluster of daikon rolled shavings and cured apple with a raw sunchoke creme filling ($10).. It looked pretty and almost pagan at the same time, I could have sworn it was sorcery when the first mouthful touched my lips and the vinegar lit a steady burn on my ulcered lips.
This plate was more than just a pretty picture. Wrapped inside its towering lengths was an earthly whirl of goodness, pulverised till it no longer resembled its usual crunchy state. In the following dish, there was baby corn, salted prawn head butter and dusted with meanders of burnt cocoa powder ($16) for that slight astringency amidst lashings of lavishness. The combination of prawn head butter and toasted croissant was a complete surprise, extraordinary in ways I'd never imagined before.
Tippling Club's NEW Sensorium Menu has got something that would stir those memories
An aromatic affair greets those looking to venture to Tippling Club. I've always treasured my sense of smell, sure, my taste buds may be faulty at time, but nothing trips the nose. So imagine my delight when I found a cocktail at Tippling club with a description of "rain"- one thing you gotta know about me is the inexplicable swell of joy in my heart whenever the smell of incoming rain hits. The thousands of memories evoked turns the corners of my lips, such is the effect of Tippling Club's recently conceived Sensorium Menu.
Tippling Club and International Flavors and Fragrances have collaborated to put the boundless possibilities of a flavors and scents marriage into actualisation through the Sensorium Menu. Designed to stir deeply-rooted memories by nervous-system information carried down the olfactory nerve, this 'new technology' is as deeply profound as it is delicious.
[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.
Maggie Joan's: Lunch affairs and the Prince of Pasta
Labels:
good eats around tanjong pagar,
hidden finds,
lunch,
must go,
pasta,
romantic,
tanjong pagar,
telok ayer,
will return
·
Adding to the diversity of its night menu, Maggie Joan's rolls out equally delicious lunch exclusives that have the intention of setting the days' grievances right without taking too big a wedge from your wallets.
Taking inspiration from familiar Mediterranean flavors, the lunch menu delves in the same field without being too overly abstract. Start your meal off with the usual.. their Homemade Sourdough still rakes in as one of the best renditions I've had the blessing of slathering butter on, and not any normal butter at that, we're talking Smoked Beef Fat Butter... yes, talking about over-indulgence here.
Le Binchotan: French-Japanese tapas with a mean cocktail bar @ Amoy Street
Perched behind closed doors... Yes... that seems to be the trend nowadays. The presence of open-air brasseries with doors flung wide open, a thing of ancient history. Yet another dining concept to join the ranks is Le Binchotan, BurgerJointsg's not-so-simple girl next door. Here, Chef Atsuhiko Hagiwara from Ginza Tokyo restaurant En.Terrible together with Singapore Head Chef Jeremmy Chiam churn out a sophisticated bar menu with a Japanese touch and a special homage paid to the technique of smoking meats and seafood over bincho-tan (white charcoal).
By lunch, the dark den offers a much-needed respite from the hard-knocked life awaiting most executives on the outside. Lunch sets range from $38+ for 3 courses to an affordable $48+ for 4 courses with the added luxury of having one of the city's more talented bartenders Sugar Ray Ruban (previously of Cufflink Club and Vasco) mix you a stiff one to while away the remaining dreary afternoon.
Wanton: Seng's Noodle Bar - Meat fest with a side of egg noodles
Labels:
good eats around tanjong pagar,
must go,
noodle,
tanjong pagar,
telok ayer,
will return
·
My first encounter at Wanton was filled with lofty aims to please the stomach and prevent the impending doom of a incurable hangover on the partner's part. However, this came to naught with the annoying chimes from the service staff cajoling the two of us, starving wanderers to purchase sake? Not the best way to start the meal, especially when the partner had visibly entered a state of euphoria from a little too much liquid confidence earlier. We shouldered on and politely declined three times before the stoves were fired up to greet our last orders.
The menu is relatively simple to navigate. The staple egg noodles ($1) followed by an entourage of premium 'sides' in the form of Braised pork knuckle, pork belly, pork belly and more pork belly. I kid you not, the feast that you'll derive at the table is nothing short of a nutritionist's nightmare. What's going to stop you from ordering a beer now?
The HungryGoWhere Awards 2016 & my vote for 'Best New Restaurant' - KITE
The HungryGoWhere awards are back with an exciting season this year in search of crowning Singapore's best food and drinks in over 21 categories ranging from 'Best Buffet' to 'Best Bar/Lounge' and a more expansive Hawker category including specific dishes such as 'Roti Prata', 'Laksa' and 'Hainanese Chicken Rice'.
This year, aside from voting via their website (link here), the public can now cast their votes via social media by posting a public post on facebook, twitter or instagram with these two hashtags: #HGWawards and #(business name). Note that voting ends on the 26th June'2016 11:59pm so speak your mind quickly! Bonus reasons for casting your votes includes the chance to win a pair of tickets to $100Gourmet, a dining event which sees Michelin Starred chefs collaborate with local talents happening in August and September 2016 - you could be one of the lucky 50 voters!
[GIVEAWAY] Food Trail with Quandoo: Singapore online reservation platform
Labels:
cocktails,
date night,
events,
food trail,
french,
fusion,
good eats around tanjong pagar,
steak,
tanjong pagar,
will go
·
There were drinks. Plenty of drinks. And for an instant, I was convinced that Quandoo was the best restaurant reservation platform there was. Not to sound cheap or anything, but let's do a recap of the food trail arranged by Quandoo and PR Bespoke; the fabulous foodie adventure unravelling in such halcyon fashion with a clear reflection of the various establishment's concept that you'll come to admire the curation of brands in Quandoo's care.
Quandoo, launched in Singapore in late 2014; now has a network of over 720 bookable restaurants and seated over 1.5 million diners over that course. Clearly remarkable for a business that has only been around the block for a while.
[NEW] Burger Joint Singapore: Good things come to those who Wait
Imagine
You just knocked off work and are immediately besieged by the unkind and humid weather. In spite of all this, all you can think about is that new burger joint that just opened. Maybe about a block down, maybe 5 blocks down. Heck, who cares? You walk past Gemmill lane, the neon burger sign beckons from afar. And my god, that delicious grilled meat scent wafting through the thick velvet curtains is unmistakable. Push past those gymming regiments and yield to the alluring siren call of the neon sign. Here, you make a deft left turn. And, alas, this is exactly the sight that greets you at Le Parker Meridien Hotel.
And what a sight at that. The ambience is like Happy Days all over again, albeit with the unmistakable vibe of the New York hip jazz scene as sounded through the speakers.
Freehouse: Stairs to Beer heaven
"No Strangers Here" shines in neon lights from the headboard above the gleaming tap system at newbie craftbeer joint Freehouse. Here, there is not such a thing as "VIP" treatment., the mandatory greetings and introductions with the friendly staff on deck, the only rite of passage to access the incandescent streams of cold beer flowing through their glycol cooled beer dispensers.
Freehouse, as the name states is a pub that isn't tied to just one brewery. A sight not so prevalent overseas but more predominant on local shores given Singaporean's thirst for variety. Located a flight of stairs up from Cheek by Jowl on Boon Tat street, this craft beer and cider haven is a labor of love from the same folks of The Mad Tapper, Singapore's first craft cider distributor to rally up the sweet-carbonated-alcohol loving crowds since early 2015. With a distribution representation throughout several breweries in NZ, Australia, United states and UK; it's not surprising to see them diversifying and fitting in the role of a tap-house with 16 beers on demand.
Gemmills: Hole-in-the-wall wine bar
Labels:
bar,
barfood,
desserts,
good eats around tanjong pagar,
hidden finds,
romantic,
tanjong pagar,
tart,
telok ayer,
will return,
winebar,
wines
·
I've kept a secret for way too long. A hidden find,waiting like a wild child to pounce on the hearts of the free spirited and the closet introverts. Newly opened Gemmills, a drinking hole celebrating the best of affordable wines and dapper bar grub has inched its way into my heart, stealing snippets of my sorrow away as its' mischievous red trickles down my parched throat.
With wildly successful backing under its wings, (think Maggie Joan's and its wonderfully rogue cuisine); its easy to see how the new bar venture runs in the same tangent, exuding a kind of 'too-cool-for-school' vibe with patrons eagerly cradling glass vessels of ruby red or sweet crystal over jaunty conversation.
Gemmills, inspired by its namesake John Gemmill; who apparently was a successful auctioneer and banker in the 1840s donated the Gemmill fountain, a drinking fountain, and first of its kind in Singapore - in a bid to quench the parched throats of the public with nothing but the gift of sky juice. Likewise, the new all-day dining concept pushes in the same direction, except with more frivolity and a slightly exclusive conception.
Maggie Joan's: Backlane Dining
Hidden in a once decrepit corner on the back alley of Amoy Street facing Gemmil Lane is a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, well hidden from sight but promises to wow diners with the overall eating experience exemplified by the likes of Loh Lik Peng's Hua Bee and Jack & Rai's The Flying Squirrel. Not surprisingly this location was intentionally chosen by Glen and Daniel Ballis, the father and son duo behind the successful Moosehead modern tapas a few blocks down the road. Occupying a disused kitchen space of the old Gold Leaf porridge in a century old shophouse, this small and cosy establishment retained a lot of old world charm; the bricks that were stripped bare of its paint are the original's while Victorian floor tiles restored by Maggie Joan's in the inner quarters contribute to the ambiance of the place. Owner, Daniel also specially commissioned aged metal drum shades to evoke a sense of the bygone era.
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