Showing posts with label telok blangah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label telok blangah. Show all posts
Peramakan @ the Keppel Club: Family Birthday Dinners
Labels:
birthdays,
circle line,
family,
family friendly,
hidden finds,
keppelclub,
peranakan,
telok blangah
·
Nothing is more motivational than having a fire lite under your ass.
I kid you not, and this was the circumstance I faced when thrown into the deep end with some vigorous finger-pointing action over a family whatsapp conversation. Yes, so I had to organise the twin's (my mum and auntie's) 55th birthday celebration. Confounded with a variety of food intolerances ,whims and fancies from a large group of finicky diners; I looked to the cause of Peranakan cooking for a solution.
Nonya cooking as defined by Wikipedia is the 'result of blending Chinese ingredients with various distinct spices and cooking techniques used by Malay/Indonesian community'. For instance, Malay dishes such as assam fish and beef rendang have been reinterpreted to suit the Chinese palates and more often than not are more subtle in spices and possessing more of a tangy edge.
As I had taken the liberty to select the dishes before the event day (please take my advice and follow suite for a more efficient dinner service), dishes starting filling the turn table slowly but surely, like some Chinese wedding banquet sequence gone haywire.Thanks to the ravenous appetites of my surrounding company, we soon got cracking on the intimidating stockpile of food.
The Ayam Buah Keluak appealed to me, regardless of its black ominous stare. For those clueless ones, Buak Keluak is a black nut originating from Indonesia, for this dish, these tough nuts are cracked, prepped with age old traditional methods to get rid of its toxins then then fleshy parts of the nut are removed, mixed into a delicious paste with minced pork and then stuffed back in the the shell. These, together with chicken are then stewed with a copious amounts of spices till tender. I found delight in Peramakan's version, the lavish amount of aromatic filling, highly addictive when mixed in with plain rice.
The Nonya Chap Chye ($10) is not jaw dropping but scrumptious nonetheless, the cabbage achieving an ethereally soft texture carrying the full fledged flavor of the tau cheow (fermented soybeans). A light addition of dried shrimp introducing more umami to the dish.
Food here ranges from average to very good, but what is amazing is how reasonable the prices are.
One dish we did not care for was the Otak Otak Makanan Laut ($18), a mackerel based otah with prawns in spicy paste. It had an almost turgid bite to the finished product, the innards not moist nor fragrant as you would with most generic versions.
Turn your attention instead to the Babi Pongtay and Penang Nyonya Pork Ribs, the former stealing the limelight with its ode to the pork belly, swathed in a sweet and savoury sauce, this was sinfully rich enough with a good refreshing sharpness thanks to a good lashing of vinegar. The latter, a tad more popular amongst the health conscious folks around the table seeing that the dish was big of flavor without featuring such a 'waist-line detrimental' cut of meat.
Perfectly decent is the Beef Rendang, shin beef is used here and it is braised low and slow in a coconut based broth till fork tender. Being more accustomed to the Malay Nasi Padang store versions, I preferred my gravy more thick and textured from the use of desiccated coconut and hence found Peramakan's version a little pedestrian.
If there is still room for dessert (you'll be dammed if you insist you don't!), jump in on the Durian Chendol ($6), the mind blowing experience that comes from devouring the dreamy durian paste with the rich coconut milk and addictive savoury sweetness of the gula melaka syrup, like a random jolt of inexplicable bliss. Not to be missed! Other desserts like the Bubor Cha Cha and the Sago Gula Melaka paled in comparison to the mastery of engagement that the former offered to its tasters. Smitten, we were.
The Peramakan located at Keppel Club has my strong approval for proposed family birthday dinner venues. Armed with helpful staff who are non-intrusive, the joint sees a good healthy business even on a lethargic Monday. The fact of the matter is, you get good food in healthy servings that won't cost you an arm and a leg. What's there not to like?
Peramakan
Level 3 Keppel Club
10 Bukit Chermin Road
Singapore 109918
website: http://www.peramakan.com/
STREET 50 Restaurant and Bar: Celebrate National Day with MORE FOOD
Labels:
bay hotel,
buffets,
dinner,
family,
family friendly,
harborfront,
national day,
special occasion,
telok blangah,
vivocity
·
When I was younger, National Day holidays for me would mean family congregations over a hodgepodge of familiar Singaporean classic dishes like chili crab, bee hoon, curry chicken and spicy pig stomach soup. After a massive feast, the cousins and I would crowd around our humbly sized television sets, placing our fists to our chest and saying the pledge with gusto and conviction; the world at our feet and our little minds soaring as high as the chinooks bearing the Singapore flag.
With the National Day long weekend (for the fortunate few) looming around the corner, many will be contemplating finding a spot for lunch/dinner with family and friends. Should you be stumped, look no further than STREET 50 Restaurant and Bar located at Bay Hotel Singapore just opposite Vivocity. This coming National Day, 9th Aug 2014, STREET 50 will be launching a one day exclusive National Day Buffet Dinner (from 6 30pm to 10pm) priced at $49++ per adult. And get this, with every 3 paying adults, the 4th adult gets to enjoy the buffet at just $4.90++. What a shocker!
And what better way to commend the occasion then with a tantalising spread of national foods and classic local favourites such as Bak Ku Teh, Rojak, Teochew Braised Duck, Steamed Hainanese Chicken with Breaded Rice Ball and Yam paste with coconut cream and Gingko Nuts?
Starting with the Tiger Prawns with warm ginger sauce, we were treated to some finger licking steamed crustaceans marinated with ginger juice. A good way to kick start the meal without the filling one's stomach with too much starch.
The next dish, throws a curve with the traditional rice balls that accompany the local favourite Steamed Hainanese Chicken, coated with a layer of Japanese breadcrumb and fried to a smoking hot golden brown. Instead of the usual chili sauce, Chef Ricky has paired the dish with a special tomato chutney which borders on spicy just enough to highlight the smooth silkiness of the chicken. Though some may be unconvinced by the outcome of the breaded rice balls, I personally enjoyed it as it gives that crunchy texture around the soft grains of garlic infused rice.
The Chilli Crab Penne (to be prepared a la minute to avoid the potential distressing circumstance of stodgy pasta in a buffet line) combines al-dente pasta with fragrant crab meat and a killer homemade chilli crab gravy. Aggressively spicy yet strangely sweet at the same time, this dish is likely to haunt your breathe for the better part of the week. Unless adjustments to seasonings be done, you might consider giving this dish a miss. unless, deep fried mantous are present of course.
The Paper wrapped Chicken Risotto is one of the few dishes in which STREET 50 pushes so hard against the original cuisine that it breaks through the other side. Here, the Chinese and the Italians are at loggerheads with one another as traditional paper wrapped chicken is stuffed with risotto, marinated with a blend of Chinese herbs and spices before being deep fried to perfection. Harmonious marriage? I beg to differ. The uneven cooking on the arborio rice mares the entire dish, some portions, delicious and slightly firm whilst other reduced to a mush more reminiscent of rice pudding. The deboned chicken needs no distractions with its labor intensive showing of flavors, yet the kitchen's choice to bring new interpretations to a classic threatens to undermine it's potential.
Another of my favourites
A fresh coat of cheer arrived in the form of desserts. The Yam Paste with Coconut Cream and Gingko Nut was gobsmackingly good. Cooked with a little bit of lard and drizzled with luscious coconut milk, it was kissed with just a pinch of salt that gave this version an edge. This would definitely have seen me eating way more than I should if I had a buffet line's worth in my sight.
The Durian Pengat appealed to me with a thin layer of crepe enveloping a generous chunk of pure durian flesh then christianed with gula melaka sauce. I would have like to see the sauce a little bit thicker; but that was just a small issue. A fantastic sweet ending for the durian fanatics out there.
Chef Ricky has created a National Day menu to reflect everyone around here. For sure he casts a wide net with his selection of perennial local favourites. The variety sounds like a lot for one kitchen to master, and the truth is STREET 50 counts weak lines in its repertoire. Still, for a one night only event, STREET 50 does offer up quite a bargain for National day dinner, so wrap up your folks and family and head on down! Reservations are open now.
Disclaimer: Fundamentally-flawed dined as a guest of STREET 50.
STREET 50 Restaurant and Bar
Bay Hotel Singapore,
50 Telok Blangah Road
Singapore 098828
Tel: 6818 6681
Alkaff: Second Chances
Labels:
brunch,
circle line,
hidden finds,
italian,
restaurants,
telok blangah,
wedding
·
Second chances don’t come by easily.
With Alkaff mansion, its’ redeeming opportunity came shortly after the first (my cousin’s wedding, unfortunately during which the food, fell short of expectation).
Stepping into the grandeur and romantic atmosphere of the mansion, one can’t help but feel the rush of unexpected expectations surmounting.
We kick-started the meal with a Caprese salad amuse bouche. Meh…
The wait drew in the next victim to go under the knife, the Marinated Scottish Salmon ‘Carpaccio’ with Yellow Frisee Salad with Salmon Roe, this dish was light, appropriately seasoned to bring out the savoury goodness of the expertly sliced salmon. A dish definitely worthy of a young chef’s repertoire.
the Handclosed pumpking casoncelli with taleggio cheese fondue and veal jus unfortunately failed to impress. I do confess my deep love for taleggio cheese in any sort of pasta. Unfortunately, this rendition did not cut it. The veal jus failing to gel with the subtle creaminess of the taleggio cheese and the sweetness of the pumpkin puree within; confusion on a plate.
Mains that followed were a feast for a gargantuan carnivorous appetite. First, the US prime beef short ribs with potatoes ‘charlotte’ and chestnuts fondant($42). The short ribs yielding to the slow cooking process like a fat kid to cake, cushiony soft, the individual slabs of flesh yielding to the knife like warm butter. The accompanying chestnut fondant contribute earthy flavors to the tantalizing mix.
The Slow cooked suckling pig ($42) served with celery root and wild berries sauce did not fare as well, to my dismay. The attractive golden sheen of the crackling atop the flesh, winning votes amongst my fellow diners; its mouthwatering bubbling uncovering a hint of charred flavor; however, what lay below was slightly disappointing with the overbearing porky flavor. I must admit the marriage of the celery root and acidity of the berry sauce with the protein definitely helped to cover up some of that.
Lamb Lovers will take to the Oven baked lamb rack ($44) from England with glazed pearl onions and grain mustard sauce. Cooked to pink perfection, this gamey meat yielded with zero contention to the knife. Its assertive flavors only enhanced by the slight sweetness of the mustard sauce drizzled over. Definitely the highlight of the night for me.
Finally, end the meal with the White Chocolate and Coffee ‘Parfait’ with Espresso Sauce and Hazelnut Meringue ($14); the play of flavors, textures and colors on the plate are sure to cause a swirl of emotions. I first met the dish with much contempt, as do I contemplate most plated dishes that appear all ‘dolled-up’ at restaurants; this time it was different, this dish surely impressed with the luxuriously smooth cubes of white chocolate mousse flavored with coffee, the sweet crunch of the hazelnut meringue playing up the perfect match of flavors between nuts and coffee. The Valrhona chocolate cake ($16) with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce was mediocre despite its provocative flashing of the lux ‘V’ branding. The following Alkaff Mansion Tiramisu ($14) ending the night on a low with its lackluster flavoring.
Below are the dinner items from the ‘first chance’ that was granted to Alkaff Mansion. Canapes which I hardly recall the details to, except for the extraordinary foie gras tartlets.
Appetisers, the Marinated Scottish Salmon ‘Tartare’ with Yellow Frisee Salad with Salmon Roe which similar to my latter experience was spot on in terms of seasoning, the minced up form of salmon allowing the marinade’s flavors to shine through better.
Mains: The US prime beef short ribs once again, was miles apart to the tasting portions in terms of gastronomical satisfaction. This could have perhaps used a couple more hours of braising, the flesh slightly tougher than I would have liked it.
As far as consistency goes, Alkaff Mansion has much improvement to be made in this department. Without a doubt, the ambience here is attractive, so much so that people are blindsided to the quality of the food here given its price point. However, if food standards were to continue in the light of the night where second chances were granted, I would be proud to promote Alkaff as the go-to and fail safe destination for an affirmative wedding proposal dinner. But until then, I will only take my chances with that.
10 Telok Blangah Green
Singapore 109178
T: 6510 3068
Website: www.alkaff.com.sg/
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