Fundamentally-flawed | Singapore Food Blog

Showing posts with label lunch. Show all posts

Showing posts with label lunch. Show all posts

LeVeL33: Saturday Lunch with a View

LeVeL33 - penthouse dining with the world's highest urban craft brewery at your disposal - makes a great first impression. Design-wise, the attention to detail is marvellous, with a personalised lift that takes you from the ground floor of the Marine Bay Financial Centre Tower 1 in a jiffy (no time for hanky panky in there!), walk past the cushioned sofa area past a broad semi-open kitchen, shiny marble counters which houses the bar and an epic view of the city skyline on your left side, all while gliding thru the rest of the natural lit space. It's a gorgeous place to while away a weekend afternoon over craft beer, vino or even a spicy Bloody Mary.

The newly launched Saturday brunch menu served from 11 30am to 3 30pm rolls out a globally inspired lunch for patrons looking to enjoy the high life. Spearheaded by L33's Executive Chef Tegerdine, don't expect to be finding bacon and egg rolls or the generic eggs benedict here.

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.

Quick Picks: Katto @ One North

Let's be honest, the thing that first drove us to Katto was the *drum roll*, craft beers. Just the mere sight of Stone Go to IPA, which the husband claims is in short supplies throughout most bottle shops, led to us venture out of our comfort zones in search of a meal.

And boy were we rewarded.

One-month old Katto in One-North Galaxis wing (just opposite the BreadYard) finally brings poke a little closer to home. To break it down, $12.90 gets you a sturdy carton of either salad/brown rice/ white rice and 2 choices of marinated fish in 70g portions each, finished with a choice of 2 sides.

Choices are aplenty here with the diverse range of marination on both tuna and salmon, including everything from the original shoyu to goma sesame to ginger shoyu and more. My picks would be the original shoyu and the CRC salmon - the latter, a short form for chicken rice chili. Here the cubes are enrobed in a spicy sesame oil laden dressing which packs quite a feisty punch. The perfect accompaniment to the hop heavy GO to IPA.

Sides aren't that exciting in the spectrum of things but provide enough color and texture to keep the party going. The mushrooms are excellently seasoned and juicy, lending the poke bowl the moisture it needs.

If you're not a fan of marinated dish, there's the new Yakitori Chicken bowl with leeks and onsen egg that sounds terribly attractive as well. One-North residents, you guys sure are fortunate to have a new haunt for poke bowls; but to the rest of us, fret not! Katto has recently joined the ranks as a Deliveroo vendor, so you can now get your healthy fix via delivery. Chew on that.

Katto

1 Fusionopolis Place

Galaxis Building

#01-21

S(138522)

w: https://www.facebook.com/kattosingapore/

Operating Hours:

Mon - Fri: 11am - 8pm

Sat: 11am - 2pm

Maggie Joan's: Lunch affairs and the Prince of Pasta

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.

Knicker + Bockers: $12.90 customisable pizzas in the heart of the CBD

CBD warriors can now rejoice in having another tasty and reasonably priced option to satisfy their hunger pangs during the workday. Located at the basement of Ocean Financial Centre. Knicker+Bockers is an New York inspired pizzeria offering handcrafted pizza with unlimited toppings. Yes, you heard that right. Unlimited toppings! At only $12.90 for a 10-inch pizza, this is a really good deal.

First off, the menu reads more like a checklist of your heart's desire - 8 kinds of cheese, check; 20 different options for healthy veggies, check; 16 varieties of gourmet meat toppings and 6 choices of seafood garnishes, check and check!

The Ramen Chronicles: Ramen Keisuke Lobster King, Menya Takeichi, Men Tei

The Good, the bad and the ugly. Let's break the rules and reverse order, shall we?

Starting with the relatively new Ramen Keisuke Lobster King located in party capital, The Cannery at Clarke Quay. Ramen Champion Chef Keisuke Takeda has fervently worked his ass off to open up 10 outlet joints in Singapore within a span of 6 years, each touting a different concept that veers away from the traditional ramen. The Clarke Quay outlet features a specially concocted Lobster broth ramen which draws inspiration from a certain French mannerism.

But truth be told, how does the ramen measure up?

Truly Test Kitchen: Gen-Y hawker daredevils

This review is going to be short and sweet. Mainly because most of you who have dined there have called it as it is. Truly Test Kitchen, set up by the two tenacious owners of Truly Curry Rice formally located at Telok Blangah Drive Food Centre have since moved to 'greener pastures',which in retrospect appear to be devastatingly dreary circumstances - stranded right in the middle of Taiseng industrial estate. Located on the level 7 of Jun Jie industrial building, chills run through my spine as we rode up the passenger lifts with a peculiar long pole straddling the entrance way to prevent delivery men from their hooligan ways. Let's be honest, to say that Truly Test Kitchen serves up 'budget cuisine' wouldn't be doing it justice since I've had personal experience working in the central kitchens of Taiseng before, my only form of sustenance in the afternoons being $2 economy rice from nearby staff canteens, which proved to be beyond satisfactory on your meagre breaks. Then again, what the owners have done right is to harvest customers from both sides of the spectrum. Using attractive pricing to lock down the 'locals' and using their hipster image, touting a gansta name and riding on waves of social media to draw in the unsuspecting victims who want a slice of the provincial pie. For that, I salut the steadfast efforts of the two Gen-Y hawker daredevils.

Sumiya @ Suntec City: of sake dispensers and table-cooked rice

I remember the first time I visited the Suntec City branch of Sumiya (read my previous post here) - all eyes lit up when we spotted the gleaming elephant in the room. A spotless temperature controlled Sake dispenser that taps 16 different varieties of Japanese fermented rice wines from taps at the command of a key card - a seemingly illustrious process up til the bill shows its associated tabs afterwards. But for now, let's dine with no care for consequence, shall we?

Seorae: Korean Charcoal BBQ with NO chance of 'Smoke gets in your eyes'

An army of soju bombs lined up in sweet precision. That's enough to convert me into a degenerate drunkard even on a breezy Tuesday afternoon. I kid you not, a trip to Seorae, Plaza Singapura's latest resident Korean BBQ joint will have you battling some alcoholic tendencies as the yakault soju makes repeated anonymous visits to the table (I blame the ninja boyfriend). But drinks aside, food is the real deal here, capturing the true essence of Korean communal dining in a tight space.

Unveiled for the first time in Singapore, the signature galmaegisal (also occupying a significant space on the wall with porky directory) - also known as pork skirt steak is available here. Marinated in a delicious blend of Korean spices and grilled to perfection, the result is something so tantalizing, rich flavored and juicy that it would have you hissing in anticipation as you proceed to pop the piping hot jewel into your mouth. Dip it into braised sweet onions or the accompanying spicy sauces to amp up the flavor.

Bacchanalia @ Hong Kong Street: $48 Set Lunches

Award winning restaurant, Bacchanalia has since 'cleaned up its act' after moving from the mysterious and moody hangout in a Masonic hall in Coleman street to Hong Kong Street in July 2015. Sporting drastically modern vibes, for a change, with the kitchen transported into the dining room, the connection between chef's work and diner's gluttony for excellent fare is further strengthened.

Still, looking past the metamorphosis, the same tenacity lies in the skills of the chefs; and no doubt, Bacchanalia would be your best bet for a special occasion meal. In fact, my birthday privileges scored me a lovely Gin and Tonic inspired sorbet dessert complimentary from Chef Ivan Brehm after pleasantries were exchanged at the end.

But rewinding back to lunch, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the affable price tag of their 3-course set lunch. At $48 per pop, this buys you a remarkable insight into innovative top-notch food, in the running for a Michelin star (I hope). Book ahead and maybe, just perhaps you'll be granted a Chef's table, right alongside all the tussle in the kitchen. Otherwise, there's always the tables straddling the busy service counter and kitchen pass or the larger, more aloof unit in the deeper end.

Quick Picks: Weekday eats that won't gnaw into your wallet.[Part 1] || Koji, Attap House, Nan Hwa Fishboat

Eating on a budget doesn't need to swear off tastiness and border on mediocrity. Here are some of my quick picks for lunch/dinner spots that would be great catch-up spots with friends or even a less romantic deviant for a weekday date night.

First up, Koji, a name synonymous for delightfully engaging chirashi don bowls amidst some pretty tight circumstances. Yes, squeeze your way past the backed up chairs against the wall surrounding the middle island of frenzied chefs and pent up frustrations, and you'll be rewarded with a superfluity of fresh seaward bounty.

Grand Mandarina: Top notch dining in the Orients

Call me despicable, call me a desperado, but when one puts a plate of that ridiculously succulent honey glazed roast pork in front of my nose; gastronomical success is almost guaranteed.

Of course, it helps that Grand Mandarina's new inventive ala carte menu is successful on so many levels. Giving the conventional Cantonese cuisine a real booster in the fine dining direction with the use of seasonal ingredients employed in cutting-edge techniques. Take for example the Duo of combination of foie gras with slice peking duck and scallop with salted egg yolk

($26 per person); in usual circumstances, one would expect to find a slab of pan seared goose liver; but here, the precious mother-load is rolled into a tight roulade and braised in 乳水 for that slight Asian infusion and served alongside crispy fingers of cucumber and silvers of uber crunchy duck skin, Send a slice of toast over and I would happily smear the heavenly pate all over it. Then there's the scallop, a parcel of perfect succulence underneath a sheath of golden brown, smothered in salted egg yolk sauce; the crunch of edamame beans below helping to bring harmony to the tumultuous world of dangerous flavors on the plate.

Quick Picks: No-frills meals for the weekends

Singapore's restaurants run the gamut from sleek and chic to fuss-free. Yet behind all the glitz and ritz of new year brunches are options of places to dine without breaking the budget. Try Thai street food at the newest instalment of Aroy Dee or settle for something a little more romantic at Halia. Whatever you fancy, here are some of my recommendations for great food, perfect for the new year feasting.

Merdandy Raffles Place: let's focus on the grub.

'It's a daily struggle, especially the part where we have to turn down guests who come in looking for an after-work tipple,' Alvin says, 'initially, it's heartbreaking, but after a while, it becomes normalcy.'

I hear you Alvin.

Merdandy, Haji Lane's biggest player alongside the groovy Blue Jaz cafe has decided to venture out of its comfort hipster zone and don a business suit instead. Situated on Chulia street in the midst of Raffles Place, the 2nd outlet retains its too-cool-for-school alfresco settings, but ramps up the front in the food department with a more concrete menu. Unfortunately due to a certain sort of recklessness, the granting of the alcohol license has been severely delayed, hence a trip to the joint would mean giving your liver a lovely respite from the daily damage. I speak on my part mostly; but for one, I was glad to be able to savor the quality of bar grub in absolute clarity.

DOMVS @ Sheraton Towers: A Seafood Fête from Norway

An email popped up in my browser, 'A Seafood Fete from Norway...' and instantly I was sold. Big Whoop! No ways I was letting a fresh seafood catch slip through my fingers. The potential mercury poisoning stemming from the copious amounts of pippies, oysters, cod, turbot and flathead I've consumed during my last few days in Australia, not holding me back as I indulged in a full-fledged seafood fiesta courtesy of the kind folks from Sheraton Towers.

From 1st Nov to the 8th Nov, Sheraton Towers Singapore in collaboration with Guest Chef Markus Peter Dybwad, from Norway will present a Norwegian seafood extravaganza, riding the delicacies of various Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified produce to cook-up culinary excellence. This demonstration will be displayed over at DOMVS, the Italian restaurant (1-4 Nov) and The Dining Room (5-8 Nov) through specially curated menus.

The Benjamins: More than just milkshakes

If you haven't heard of The Benjamins Cafe in Forum Shopping Center, I'm going to say this... Where have you been?!? Not that the Benjamins has a sterling menu but if you're even present on Instagram, you would have caught a glimpse of these outrageously over the top, extraordinary milkshakes that threaten to fill up every inch of your square frame.

For most of us, a trip to The Benjamins would be a group of friends huddling over a couple of these babies, but I was bent on trying their food, especially after sipping on an outstanding mug of cappuccino made by owner, Pearlyn. There must be more to it than meets the eyes. The burgeoning queues snaking its way around the corridors of the shopping mall urging me to warm my seat a little more.

Gin Khao: I wish I have more than two thumbs (up)

I will get to the heftier items on the menu. I will sing praises about the Stir Fried Squid with Runny salted egg, that I still finish the sentence usually with a longing sigh. I will reminisce the intensely flavored Kang Ob Woon Sen, the glass noodles dampened with the concentrate of seafood broth and stippled with Thai garlic and pepper. I'll try to explain how I manage to make space for the Thai Green curry Gelato and sticky rice at the end of lavish meal- because it was so good - in due time. All in due time.

Top Picks: The Naked Finn, The Missing Pan, Essen @ The Pinnacle

Hidden gems, cafe fare and the usual suspects, fine dining in hawker settings, call it whatever you like, but these are a few joints that have piqued my interest over the last couple of weeks.

Just hear me out, it's only going to take a couple of minutes and following which, put on some knickers and prepare to hit up these various spots, because good food don't lie, and my personal marvellous reviews of the exceptional produce should by and large do the rest of the work.

Ding Dong: New menu that takes you down memory lane

I shuffled, no, rolled out of the restaurant, uttering an endless string of words in contentment in the midst.

My tummy lucked out on a recent media tasting at Ding Dong, Ann Siang Hill's gem of playful mod-Asian cuisine. In the recent month, the establishment has injected an air of nostalgia into the menu with a series of eclectic culinary creations and the team was proud to showcase their new lineup in true peacock fashion; the resulting protestation of my exploding belly seemingly irrelevant in this situation.

SG50 themed Sushi @ Ichiban Boshi

My earlier dinners at Ichiban Boshi were filled with ominous black trays touting a myriad of hearty dishes; katsu-don glistening at its peripherals with egg barely set in a soya-sauce-mirin mixture; golden fried kaarage simmering in Japanese curry over a small stove, the blanket of kraft cheese tracing its outlines as it yields to the heat. In a nutshell, Ichiban Boshi was better known for it's bang-for-buck set meals then anything else, despite the rather extensive menu showcasing everything from tonkatsu, to sushi and even kushiyaki.

This time around, I shall turn your attention to the establishment's venture into Sushi, especially apt since Ichiban Sushi and Boshi outlets have curated an array of SG50 themed sushi as a tribute to the nation's birthday!

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