Showing posts with label keong saik. Show all posts
Showing posts with label keong saik. Show all posts
The Guild Singapore: Hong Kong's independent craft brewery and it's 'conscious' kitchen
Labels:
cocktails,
craft beers,
from farm to table,
gastropub,
happy hour,
keong saik,
large groups,
local food,
must go,
pubfood,
restaurants,
sustainable,
will return
·
Like The Library, before The Guild, there's a certain exclusivity and 'hidden gem' factor in stumbling upon The Guild - a polished marble round bar housing a centralised beer dispenser of 20 taps (19 bars, 1 Gin and Tonic), dark wood accents and kitschy heritage tiles. Beers and comfort food, it isn't quite a groundbreaking combo, but upon closer inspection, you'll be surprised to find out that the newly minted The Guild Singapore peddles the duo with so much originality and spunk that its akin to being on a carousel. For your palate at least, and thank goodness it's nowhere near as pompous as its previous occupant.
Don Ho: Sunday brunch with resort feels in the heart of the city
Labels:
brunch,
cafe,
cocktails,
keong saik,
may return,
sunday brunch
·
Stepping into Don Ho Instantly makes me feel as if I've been transported to a resort. The first thing that catches my eyes was an insta-worthy wall of bright pink flamingos in tropic green, palm leaves surrounding. Then my gaze shifts to the ceiling high cabinet decked out with potted plants and animal figurines. Walking through sliding doors and into the main restaurant area reveals a space that is generously decorated with foliage, pale wooden chairs accompanied with teal coloured cushions, a wall printed with palm leaves and light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. I was utterly impressed by the interior even before the food was served. Secretly adding brownie points to the final score.
[Weekend Pick]: Butcher Boy for late night munchies and Sunday therapy
Labels:
burgers,
cocktails,
fusion,
keong saik,
large groups,
late night eats,
modern,
must go,
restaurants,
steak,
sunday brunch,
supper,
will return
·
On first glance, Butcher Boy comes across as just another one of the bar-touting restaurants flashing a modernistic approach on Asian cuisine in the hope of enticing the ignorant tourist or expatriate. But on closer inspection, the joint boasts some amazing accolades, mostly with Andrew Walsh of Cure helming the finances and kitchen. Cure, having survived more than 2 years in the merciless Keong Saik neighbourhood, has proved its mettle; the informal diner is in good health and does a bustling trade with a spotlight placed on ever-changing menus dictated by seasonal goods.
Chef-owner Andrew Walsh has turned it up a notch in his second and newest venture, churning out grilled meat specialities with Asian sauces - think baos and buns, sharing plates and Asian centric cocktails - all inspired by his tasty adventures whilst traversing Asia. There's an immediate sense of ease and comfort, something metaphysical as you step into the low-light of the longish dining room. The high stool seatings and the tight tables encourage communal dining with a lofty chance of alcoholic tipples, the open bar making sure to fortify those thirsty needs. Staff are affable and not before long, a bottle of wine graces your groups table, and fret not, it is a perfectly plush spot to indulge in a tipple at mid-range prices.
Neon Pigeon: Autumn Migration
Labels:
cocktails,
fusion,
hidden finds,
izakaya,
japanese,
keong saik,
modern
·
If you asked me to name two things the Singapore dining-scape (in specific the Keong Saik precinct) already has plenty of, I'd reply "modern-Asian cuisine and cocktail bars." So did I need to review another place that thrived on selling a combination of these two concepts to the unsuspecting audience, mostly expats, sorry. Theoretically, no. Especially where full-house bookings and raucous crowds are concerned on a daily basis. But gastronomically, where the autumn menu is headed, yes.
Hear me out.
[Weekend Pick]: Potato Head Folk for killer burgers and cocktails
Labels:
barfood,
burgers,
cocktails,
comfortfoods,
fries,
keong saik,
large groups,
restaurants,
will return
·
It's Friday. What could be more perfect than grounded meat seared to Maillard reaction glory between two sweet slices of buns? Maybe that old-fashioned you're holding in your other hand while studying the bewitching cross-sectional view of the burger. A burger is a simple premise, but doing them well is a dark art. For me, Potato Head Folk has always been on my radar (view here and here) and in a world where consistency is scarce, repeated visits have proven their culinary pedigree.
But first, the illicit goods.
Entertainer App 2016: Food Trail + Promo Code
I'm a huge advocate of The Entertainer App. After raking up $700 plus in savings in the past year whilst happily satisfying the tummy with yummy nosh, I can't help but laud praises for the handy app that promotes 1-1 deals at several establishments spotting the island. Aside from the mandatory F&B merchants (after all, we know Singaporeans can sniff out a good food bargain from a mile away), the entertainer app boosts several other premium lifestyle choices that will luxuriate your life.
Recently I've had the privilege of participating in a tour of some great merchants situated along the Duxton region along with the company of like-minded foodies.
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.
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
Potato Head Folk: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Labels:
american,
burgers,
dinner,
hipster,
keong saik,
no reservations,
outram,
tanjong pagar
·
Potato Head Folks needs no introduction. A huge cloud of media banter rising from the dust weeks before it's opening here in Singapore. Indonesian brand Potato Head, known for their unorthodox operations in Bali has quite a following. With that, the launch of their local outpost builds a flutter of anticipation in me, especially so since one of the gentrifying factors of their multi storey complex alone Keong Saik features a burger joint.
Potato Head Folks is an interesting premise - a Bohemian flower child space with butterfly and bird motifs, inspiration from Melbourne-bourne artist David Bromley. His obsession with little prepubescent boys puts me on edge, bordering near paedophilia disorders. But that aside, it's rebellious and showy interior paves the way for some great food.
Featuring a menu from Three Buns with its kitchen planted on the ground floor, Potato Head Folks pull out all the stops with a devoted menu of hearty burgers and naughty sides accompanied by a mix of devilish drinks. Roping in Chef Adam Penney, the previous Head Chef from London's Patty and Bun , our expectations have now exceeded the roof.
From the list of "Jerk Cocktails", we sampled the Mexican Mule ($15), a refreshing mix of cimarron blanco tequila with lime and ginger beer, the good dose of tequila, a sturdy work horse in the background as the conjugal bliss of tangy lime and candied ginger provided that 'ka-pow' effect similar to a donkey's sidekick. Paying homage to their Indonesian roots is the Albens Fine English Cider ($14), brewed in the Alben cider factory and bottled at Molly Malones in Jakarta, this is as honest as it gets. Clear pale golden, this cold filtered cider is clean and spritzy with sweet notes of green apples. Perfect after the walk in the sweltering heat.
I ditch the fancier versions in favor of the basic burger, Baby Huey ($20), prime 150g beef patty, stacked with cheese, lettuce, notorious T.O.M sauce, pickles and spiced mayo. A simple convening of well executed items that cumulates in a smackdown when first bitten into. Special mentions going out to the artisanal breads that are all baked in house ( i did notice that my friend's Burning Man burger had a different rendition with a more wholemeal like bun, so again, hats off to the kitchen for taking the extra effort). The beef patty renders a burst of juices from it's larger ground size and level of doneness. This for me, was my answer to the replacement for Mary's on local grounds...
Potato Head Folks do feature some other more interesting spaces on the upper decks should you want to linger. The third floor is home to a more intimate, reservations only bar where future plans for small plates, vintage spirit tastings are still in the works. Climb another flight of stairs and you'll find yourself in an oasis of fragrant herbs and exotic flora, a modern rooftop bar exuding tropical vibes and dishing up tiki cocktails created by Dre Masso.
As for me, my passion is solely focused on that burger joint. I will be back to try that Honky-Tonk soon!
Three Buns by Potato Head Folks
36 Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089143
Tel: +65 6327 1939 (no reservations policy)
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