Fundamentally-flawed | Singapore Food Blog

Showing posts with label may return. Show all posts

Showing posts with label may return. Show all posts

Zafferano presents New Dishes by Chef Emanuele Faggi

If there is anything more alluring about dining at Zafferano, is the fact that the new Head Chef Emanuele Faggi possesses the same charisma, in and out of the kitchen - both to bedazzle your tastebuds and to charm your socks off when he out working the dining room.

The young budding talent is a Tuscan native, who interned at the famed L'Albereta Resort led by legendary late Chef Gualtiero Marchesi. Following that, his culinary journeys whisked him away to 2-Michelin starred Cracco Ristorante where he honed his skills for five years under the wings of Chef Carlo Cracco. One precious value that is heavily emulated through the meal is the conscious effort to reduce food wastage, with various food discards or "trash" reappearing on dishes such as carrot skin powder and onion skin powder repurposed as flavouring agents. Meaningful, and I might add, brilliant all at once.

Don Ho: Sunday brunch with resort feels in the heart of the city

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.

Friday night picks: Tapas Club @ Orchard Central

Despite the recent, and when I say 'recent', I'm referring to a good 10 culinary years in Singapore's culinary context, Spanish cuisine has seen a booming business amongst diners. Hence its not peculiar that I've never had the urge to venture into a new tapas joint in search of greener, more authentic pastures, since most of us would have settled into the constancy of our regular Spanish joint when the craving hits. Binomio on Craig road may be a homestead for some of you, hence this news might come across as pleasantries.

D+1, the largest Spanish company in Asia's F&B industry and regional franchise owners of popular frozen yogurt chain llaollao has decided to expand its portfolio, adding a casual tapas dining concept to its empire. And despite the mass-market appeal of the brand, the authenticity factor is not displaced in the new venture, Tapas Club, located in Orchard Central. Executive Chef Jose Alonso (also Head chef of Binomio) keeps things on a tight leash and the dishes are relatable, most of them tugging at the heart strings in regards to flavours.

The Disgruntled Brasserie: Bellyaching meals guaranteed

This buzzy all-dayer has the smooth and swanky feel of a private member's club, but the food of your favourite British auntie, albeit swooshed up a nosh in terms of presentation. The menu features an array of dishes, ranging from small plates to larger full sized portions to encourage flexibility and communal dining; and that is precisely what you witness when dining at The Disgruntled Brasserie - large groups or passably comfy setups of quartets bent over a plethora of dishes, passing it along in a convivial atmosphere.

Arteastiq: Valentine's Day Dinner + Art Jamming special

Well, I may just be a little late to the game. But if you're like me, a non-keeper of deadlines, and if you've got an other half to impress, you would be freaking out by now.

Fret not, here's me presenting to you the best Valentine's day experience I've had the pleasure of encountering last week. And guess what? They still have seats available for tonight's Dinner + Art Jam Special ($188 for 2 pax). So all you stragglers, you're in luck.

Talay Thai: a Drinking hole with Thai twists

A new urban watering hole backed by Thai influenced nosh has just opened up in Clarke Quay. An area more known for the seductive night life and late-night libations, Creative Eateries have yielded to conventions with their newest concept, Talay Thai. Upon traversing through the ostentatious interiors, you will notice the rustic red floors, large screaming neon sign " Love you long long time" and eclectic fish scale feature walls. These are details mandatory for any exotic drinking hole to stand out in the precinct.

Otto's Deli Fresh: Wholesome bites in the heart of Holland Village

I had my qualms about this place initially. It's rather peculiar positioning in Raffles @ Holland Village reinforced by second floor placement raising concerns about low footfall and visibility even if placed in the bustling neighbourhood. The newest labour of love, Otto's Deli Fresh by one of the most respected veterans in Singapore's Food and Beverage industry, Otto Weibel sets to present a curated food selection showcasing provenance and quality in a snugly familiar way. The all-day dining menu allowing customers to enjoy even the most illustrious of breakfast dishes late at night.

Starker Fresh Beer @ Zhongshan Park:

With regards to locally brewed beer, there a couple of establishments that come to mind; but I have strongly mixed feelings about gentrification. Starker Fresh Beer has proved its case with it's Lager beer achieving gold award in Asia Beer Fest 2011 - also the same beer used to marinade those wicked classic wings that I devoured with monstrous ferocity later.

The largest branch of Starker Fresh Beer located in Zhongshan Park has some rather queer design details to its facade. Gently curved arches and shuttered facade reminiscent of traditional pagodian designs on the building that reflect the oriental spirit of the Park it is laid in; framing the views of Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall at one end.

As much as it is queer to find a western style brewery in such settings, the family oriented crowd will fancy its child-friendly surroundings, the courtyards and open gardens serving as a perfect playground for the children to roam around, still under the watchful eyes of parents pouring themselves a pint from the mini barrels of Starker Fresh Beer (a choice of lager, charcoal, dunkel, lychee or aromatic ranging from $43-$48 during Happy Hour to $57.90-$61.90 during regular hours)

Hokkaido Sushi Restaurant @ M Hotel: launches The Hokkaido Buffet Experience

Gone are the days when I used to gorge myself silly on mediocre ala-carte buffets. Shin Yuu in 2012 being my last undertaking; memories of overtenderised wafu steak leaving a bad taste in my mouth. So when broached with the subject of attempting The Hokkaido Buffet Experience at Hokkaido Sushi Restaurant in M Hotel; I held my breathe. Is it worth all the apprehension and grief it occasions?

At the end of the day, pushing past the ugly, Hokkaido Sushi is worthy of a shout out; especially for the sushi and sashimi stalkers. Here are some star attractions to place your bets on; and others that you should steer clear of.

First and foremost, a brief introduction to the joint that occupies a section of the 9th floor of M Hotel. Famous for dishing out ala-carte items as well as Omakase set menu; the venue presents itself as a bit dated; it's shady pine interior with the usual bamboo work and ghastly purple table cloths in the private dining room impressing no one. But you're not here to be charmed by the ornamentation; you're here to stuff yourself silly on the free-flow of fresh fish and seafood. And that's exactly what you should be doing.

20F Specialty Coffeehouse: Where Chicken makes way for Duck

Imagination worth the added price? Now, that's worth debating over at newbie cafe 20F Speciality Coffeehouse located along Foch road just right beside a Pig Organ Soup institution .Yes, so an unhosted tasting would mean a mandatory partaking of their illustrious Duck and Waffle combination. I'm sorry, but I can't hold out against the lure of a rendition that debacles my love for chicken and waffles.

Entering the shady alcoves of the cafe, the back premises offering several twists and turns in terms of ambiance; things could get interesting, I thought. In fact, the rest of the meal did unravel in a fun sort of way. In ways that those who love cafe cuisine wish would happen more often in Singapore.

Weekend Haunts: Places worth checking out for their [NEW MENUS] part 1

With a whole slew of restaurants/cafes being opened every week; diners are being spoilt for choice whenever the weekend rolls in and the hellish decision as to 'where to eat' has to be made. Take our advice and commit to visiting the oldies (but goodies). Here are some of our picks for the newest menus in town, discounting the fact that these joints have been stationed there long enough to prove that they have a certain amount of substance to survive the gruelling trials of the F&B scene in Singapore. These joints are dishing out heavenly fried chicken, tender beef cheek rendang and outstanding eggs benedict, all guaranteed to make your weekends a whole better.

Oxwell & Co.: Christmas Fabulous Feast

Christmas kind of snuck its way into our calenders once again, the entire year passing us by like a whirlwind affair. Now, its time to line your stomachs with traditional Christmas roasts and prepare for the assault of one, too many alcoholic beverages in the course of merry-making. Naughty or nice, I'm sure Santa's too busy overworking his minions to tell.

So, moving on, Oxwell and Co.; the British inspired gastro-pubs rolls out its festive menu in true English style, with traditional roasts and pork crackling to foster the spirit of sharing and caring with a convivial communal dining practice.

Oxwell & Co. resides in this over-trodden neighborhood of Ann Siang Hill being knocked around mercilessly by the well-heeled crowd, bar-crawling their way through the vicinity and punishing their livers in the midst. Walk in the front door and you're in a wood sheathed interior with minimalistic walls decorated with twisted piping, similarly defiant lamp shadings bouncing off the walls in a free spirited disarray. It's a bohemian space, like a dingy pub gone rogue; and the food here is equally manic.

Sprigs: European Restaurant ventures out of the box with its New Menu

It seems as if Sprigs had gained enlightenment; its bid to strike off heavier European flavors in favor of a newer and more adventurous stance, littered with the pungency of Asian flair; manifesting itself in the form of a revamped menu

While the previous menu sported a more rustic images, Titus Tiong, one of the founders of Sprigs was quite to notice the change of trends in the dining scene and made the mandatory call to overhaul the menu. Focusing on driving a more contemporary direction with more emphasis on the visual appeal of the dish. I hear you, sir.. with so many camera touting hipsters around, you might just want to work on making your dishes just a little prettier.

The meal kicks into gear with most dishes pushed out at a comfortable pace. The Friday night crowd just a little less intimidating than expected. Roasted Veal Carpaccio ($22) and the Baby Squid 'A la' Plancha ($22) whets the appetite - the seemingly popular Northern Italian dish combines veal with a mayonnaise like sauce flavored with tuna. Sounds like a stretch, but the oddball configuration actually works out perfectly, the sluice of broken egg yolk flooding the slightly chaotic plate with more juices than desired. I would strongly recommend the baby squid instead, presented in a cast iron pan, this Spanish inspired dish with tender baby squid served over a sunny side up egg and decorated with lomo iberico, panzanella (a Tuscan bread salad) and a sprinkle of freshly chopped chili was a top notch dish that could have seen a flawless transition into breakfast form with the addition of chorizo.

[GIVEAWAY] Morganfield's: Christmas feasting with more than just Sticky Bones

With Christmas just around the corner, the long enduring relationship between food and booze is reaffirmed again. No, this ain't a post about the merits of pairing alcohol with food, because sometimes I prefer to turn my focus to the former. Food, especially Christmas feasts refers usually to a massive, horrendously dry bird perched unceremoniously on a tray with side condiments of dull roasted vegetables and lumpy mashed potatoes, which you'll usually proceed to drown in processed brown gravy and store-bought cranberry sauce on the side to sweeten the appalling deal, before turning to the host to say, "This is lovely, (fill in victims name), we should do this again next year.". Fake smiles fill the awkward space in the room.

We all the drill. The intensive efforts it takes to plan a Christmas feast, much less prepare one from scratch. This year, cut yourself some slack and head on down to Morganfield's for some Christmas joy both in-store as well as take home packages for your home or office parties. Starting from 16th November onwards till 31st December, tuck into an enticing range of Christmas eats such as Bourbon Marmalade Glazed Leg of Ham, Christmas Roast Chicken and Pork Roast amongst a slew of other regulars.

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.

Craftsmen Specialty Coffee: Far East bites.

I concur that the East-siders have it better when it comes to food. It has always been an unspoken rule where nobody debates the East-siders choice when it comes to dinner options, their exposure to unearthly delicacies at a young age grooming their intelligible taste buds to ultimate snobbishness. I recall my first boyfriend (hailing from the better side, of course), who spent the first 3 days of our lives together looking at me as if I were a complete alien; our journey to the Joo Chiat area for dinner bringing an oddball glow to my face as we trod the well ~~beaten~~ eaten paths. Well, my ignorance has long gone, my frigidity with the eastern munchies gradually bridged over the years.

As do most cuisines, well , needless to say, the cafe scene on the flipside have a slight edge over us west-siders too. Craftsmen Specialty Coffee located at both Siglap Village and Eastwood is a contender for this myth. It's recent dabbling into sourdough on the menu pulling off a healthier image with quiet subversion.

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.

Restaurant Sela: Modern European with a fleck of Asian confusion

Situated between Cityhall and Bugis, Seah street is home to one of my favourite baking supplies shop; my frequent visits to the joint during my better days as a budding pastry chef blinding me to potential great food experiences along the way as I spearheaded my way thru Raffles Hotel with cumbersome bags full of chocolate and dry ingredients to spin up sweet tales in my kitchen. Apart from my distasteful meal at Third and Sixth that forever left a mark on my soul (read about it here), Seah Street occupied no space on my map to achieve culinary satiety on local shores. Up till now.

This is SELA, an industrious restaurant dressed in a gobs of muted whites and muji like shades of wood and old fashioned tweed; fortuitous swirls of ink across white canvas decked the walls with their artsy intentions. Pushing past all that, I was solely focused on the food, having heard some amazing stuff about the petite courses, I came armed with expectations. Some of the most dangerous weapons, so they say...

FYR: Weekend Nibbles

I'm a real stickler for a good weekend meal, not that I'm not contented with my temporary out-of-job situation rendering my weekdays to assume pseudo-vacation vibes; but there's nothing like watching the worlds' pace slow down hugely, and your alcoholic ways deemed as socially acceptable practices for a small window of two days.

After a huge night out, the first thing I crave for is a good stomach-warming brunch, one to ease the queasy innards. FYR in the city offers up some unique brunch offerings, backed by the horsepower of the Josper Wood Charcoal Oven outback; the usage of lychee wood imbuing most of its dishes with a bonafide smoky note.

Nassim Hill: when the lights go down.

Mussels

Apart from being a really good brunch venue, Nassim Hill churns out a solid good dinner menu in substitution for the absence of its signature Reuben Sandwich (watch me wax lyrical here) at night.

With nightfall, lights are dimmed and the normally breezy cafe assumes a more seductive image. In sync with its intimate vibes are the elaborate dishes like the Market Fresh Mussels ($25) for example. Feisty with a hint of Chili, live French Bouchoty mussels are first cooked with white wine, sriracha butter, cilantro and garlic till its wilful lips are pried open, allowing for the salacious aromatic juices to pour into its folds. Tuck into this dish with a good hunk of baguette to soak up the ambrosial liquids at the bottom of the bowl, trust me, this was one of the rare moments that I actually looked forward to a soggy loaf of bread.

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