Christmas season causes a frenzy for those who need to prepare a festive feast for their family. It is deemed stressful and time-consuming to cook for the holidays. But not to worry, Perfect Italiano is here to provide guidance and inspire creativity to prepare you for this festive season.

Perfect Italiano is a cooking cheese brand that adds simple Italian flair to everyday family meals. It is simple and easy to use, to prevent homemade meals from being difficult, complex and time-consuming. They help transform your everyday ordinary meals into delicious, Italian-inspired creations.

Perfect Italiano Food Fixes in 15 shares a 5-Course menu from appetizer to dessert, featuring the right Perfect Italiano cheese to match each dish. It offers you the simple solution of providing new ideas and inspiration – just in time for the festive season! Each of the 5 dishes featured on their website comes together with 15-second video recipes to demonstrate just how quick and simple it is to cook with Perfect Italiano cheese.

There is a whole range of Perfect Italiano cheeses: Mozzarella, Parmesan, Pizza Plus, and Perfect Bakes. In this blog post, I have created 2 simple recipes – Tomato Pasta Bake and Turkey Roulade. Using Perfect Italiano Perfect Bakes, Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Cheese and Perfect Italiano Parmesan Cheese, these recipes are so simple and easy for families to enjoy for the Christmas season.

I adapted Perfect Italiano’s Alfredo Pasta Bake recipe and created my own tomato pasta bake! Tomato Pasta Bake is perfect for brunch, especially when you need a quick fix! I love anything with tomato sauce and with the help of Perfect Italiano Perfect Bakes, it makes my meal very delicious. Perfect Italiano Perfect Bakes is a full-flavoured Cheddar blend with a little Mozzarella for stretch and Parmesan for bite. When the Perfect Bakes is sprinkled on the surface and sent into the oven, it does not go oily and bakes a delicious golden brown crust. You can use this to make lasagna too!

Tomato Pasta Bake

2014-12-09 21:17:57

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Ingredients

1. 200g Perfect Italiano Perfect Bakes
2. 350g Farfalle Pasta
3. 100g turkey breast, sliced
4. 50g green peas
5. 4 cloves garlic, sliced
6. 150 button mushrooms, sliced
7. 200ml tomato sauce
8. 1 tbsp olive oil
9. some salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. In a hot pan with olive oil, saute garlic with the ham, mushrooms and peas for about 2 mins.
3. Add tomato sauce and stir for another 3 mins.
4. Toss with pasta and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Place pasta into a large baking dish and top with Perfect Italiano Perfect Bakes cheese. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180 degree celsius until cheese melts golden brown (about 20 mins) .

By Perfect Italiano

Adapted from http://perfectitaliano.com.sg/foodfixesin15-recipe/

Adapted from http://perfectitaliano.com.sg/foodfixesin15-recipe/

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

Because Christmas is just round the corner, I also made Turkey Roulade with stuffed mushroom, cranberry and spinach using Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Cheese and Perfect Italiano Parmesan Cheese. Following the recipe from Perfect Italiano website, it is very simple to do and you can achieve great tasty results!

Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Cheese is stretchy, really stretchy. It has a mild flavour and melts beautifully with every bite. Also, I have added Perfect Italiano Parmesan Cheese, which guarantees a rich and bold flavour. Not only is Turkey Roulade mouthwatering and tender, it’s easy to make, a breeze to carve, looks super elegant, cooks quickly. You can replace it with chicken meat as well.

Turkey Roulade with Stuffed Mushroom, Cranberry & Spinach

2014-12-09 21:19:56

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Ingredients

1. 100g Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Cheese
2. 100g Perfect Italiano Parmesan Cheese
3. 400g turkey breast, sliced lengthwise
4. 50g Portobello mushrooms
5. 50g dried cranberry
6. 50g walnut
7. 100g spinach
8. 3 cloves garlic
9. 1 tbsp olive oil
10. some salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a food processor, add mushrooms, dried cranberries, walnut, spinach, garlic, salt and pepper to blend.
2. In a heated pan, add olive oil followed by blended mixture to saute for 2 mins.
3. Place cling wrap on top of a chopping board and lay flattened turkey breast skin side down. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Spread the stuffing in a half-inch thick layer over the turkey breast, leaving a half-inch border on all sides.
5. Top with Perfect Italiano Mozzarella and Parmesan Grated cheese.
6. Roll up the cling wrap to secure turkey into a roll.
7. Leave it to bake in preheated oven at 200 degree celsius for 30-40 minutes or until nicely browned.
8. Let it rest for 10 min then slice Turkey Roulade to serve.

Adapted from Perfect Italiano

Adapted from Perfect Italiano

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

Festive meals do not need to be difficult, complex, time consuming or stressful. Hope this post inspires you to try and cook our festive recipes themselves. You don’t have to be great chef to know how to use Perfect Italiano cheese! In fact, these cheese is the simple solution to make your everyday meals effortlessly outstanding, exciting and enjoyable. Even making a simple toast, sprinkle some Perfect Italiano cheese and you can get the cheesy goodness!

Visit www.perfectitaliano.com.sg\foodfixesin15 to get festive mealtime inspirations and watch the videos. Don’t forget to hashtag your own Perfect Italiano creations with #perfectitalianosg.

When I started using Philadelphia Cream Cheese many years back, I see it only as a baking staple. My first bake using Philadelphia Cream Cheese was Blueberry Cheesecake. But subsequently, I realize the soft and mild tasting Philadelphia Cream Cheese is actually very versatile! With 60 percent less fat than butter or margarine, Philadelphia Cream Cheese is a delicious alternative for spreading, cooking or entertaining.

It can be added to any dish from sweet to savoury and everything in between. Newbie cooks can try adding it to basic dishes like pasta sauces, mashed potato and dips as an easy way to add a luxurious, creamy dimension. More experienced and adventurous cooks are encouraged to use Philly in creative ways to enhance the flavours of their cooking. E.g. sauces to accompany meats, stuffing for roasts, all kinds of bakes (cookies, muffins, cheesecakes) and desserts (puddings, parfaits, etc)

In this blogpost, I share with you 3 simple Christmas recipes that you can create at home using Philadelphia Cream Cheese. You can view more recipes from either www.phillycom.au or www.philadelphia.co.uk ENJOY!

Consisting of many tiny granules made from steamed and dried durum wheat, cous cous has become a popular alternative to rice and pasta. I have started to replace white rice with cous cous. It has a light fluffy texture which is a little bland in flavour but which readily soaks up the flavours of other ingredients. Cous cous is readily available from supermarkets and is very quick and convenient. All you have to do is to add it to boiling water to create light fluffy grains. In this vegetarian recipe, I use red peppers and zucchini to bring flavours to cous cous. Red and green – perfect for Christmas!

Baked Cous Cous & Courgettes Peppers with Philly

2014-12-11 21:56:55

Serves 4

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Ingredients

1. 4 red peppers
2. 60 g couscous
3. 200g Philadelphia Cream Cheese
4. 80 g cherry tomatoes, halved
5. 2 zucchini
6. 1 bread loaf, sliced

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Cut the peppers in half lengthways, removing seeds and stalk and place onto a baking tray.
2. Place the couscous into a bowl and pour over enough boiling water to just cover, leave for 5 minutes for the grains to swell and all of the liquid to be absorbed.
3. Mix Philadelphia Cream Cheese with the tomatoes, cous cous and zucchini. Spoon into the peppers and bake for 20 minutes until the peppers are cooked through and lightly browned. Serve with bread.

Adapted from Philadelphia Website

Adapted from Philadelphia Website

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

This homemade chicken goujons recipe is one of the best easy children’s recipes for busy mums. Tender chunks of chicken is coated with Philadelphia Cream Cheese which gives some moisture to the meat. If you don’t have an oven at home, deep fry it too golden brown.

Chicken Goujons

2014-12-11 21:58:50

Serves 2

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Ingredients

1. 60 g breadcrumbs
2. 15 g chopped hazelnut
3. 60g Philadephia Cream Cheese
4. some chives, mined
5. 240 g mini chicken breast fillets
6. salad leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven at 200 °C. Place the hazelnut into a processor and make into fine crumbs. Add in breadcrumbs and process again to mix together.
2. Mix Philadelphia Cream Cheese with chives. Spread it evenly over the surface of the chicken and then coat well with the breadcrumb mixture.
3. Place onto a lightly oiled baking tray and cook in an oven for approx 15- 20 minutes until golden and chicken is firm to the touch. Serve with salad.

Adapted from Philadelphia Website

Adapted from Philadelphia Website

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

This brownie recipe makes wonderfully dense and fudgey chocolate brownies which are delicious all by themselves. My friends commented that it is more like chocolate bars! Very simple recipe, you can get it done within an hour. For an elegant dessert, add dried cherries to the batter. Have fun!

Philly Cheesecake Brownies

2014-12-11 22:00:49

Yields 16

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Ingredients

1. 120 g butter
2. 125 g dark chocolate, chopped
3. 180 g brown sugar
4. 3 eggs, lightly beaten
5. 50 g plain flour
6. 50 g cocoa powder
7. ¼ tsp baking powder
8. 180 g Philadelphia Cream Cheese
9. 40 g caster sugar

Instructions

1. Combine butter, chocolate and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until the chocolate and butter have melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the eggs.
2. Add flour, cocoa and baking powder and stir until well combined. Pour into a greased and lined rectangular tin.
3. Beat Philadelphia Cream Cheese and caster sugar until smooth and creamy. Spoon randomly over chocolate mixture and swirl with the tip of a knife. Bake at 180 °C for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through. Allow to cool before cutting into squares.

Adapted from Philadelphia Website

Adapted from Philadelphia Website

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

Thinking of what to order for the upcoming Christmas celebrations? Check out what The Soup Spoon, Mr Bean, The Bakery Chef and Patisserie Glace have to offer! You can now enjoy these delicious treats in the comfort of your home or the office while ordering online and getting them delivered to you. Here is a list of food specials to enjoy this December!

THE SOUP SPOON
click here to order online

At The Soup Spoon, you can request for your food to be pre-warmed for a quick and hassle-free party. Or if you prefer to serve at a later time, it can be delivered chilled to your doorstop and only reheat when needed.

Begin your feast with appetizers such as Caesar Salad ($22.80/for 10) – a perfect combination of romaine lettuce and croutons covered in homemade Caesar dressing and tpped with parmesan cheese, sundried tomatoes and egg slices.

When you order The Soup Spoon, definitely must order their soup right! A bowl of comforting soup is an essential item for Xmas. The Soup Spoon offers 12 different kinds of soup in their ordering website, including four Christmas Chef Special – Prawn Bitsque ($31.20/1.5L), Beef Bourguignon ($29.70/1.5L), Peppery Chicken Hotpot ($23.40/1.5L) and French Onion Soup ($21.30/1.5L).

The Prawn Bitsque is really the embodiment of a perfect, old fashioned bisque – thick, full-bodied broth that has oomph and flavour. It is obviously a crowd favourite and taste so good when eaten with buns. Alternatively, go for French Onion Soup with caramelized onion rings that are cooked overnight in a homemade vegetable stock with red wine and fresh herbs.

Of course, there are some main items worth shouting. Louisiana Baby Back Ribs ($54.80/1.38kg) offers tender baby back ribs that are generously coated with BBQ and oven roasted. It has a great hint of smoke and sweetness characteristic .Pasta lovers can try their Meatballs Spaghetti ($32.80/1.5kg) with homemade lamb and pork meatballs in their own tangy tomato concasse atop spaghetti and baked with triple cheese – cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan.

My favourite dish for the party is Beef Shepherd’s Pie ($32.80/1.5kg). Tender grass-fed minced beef is cooked with an array of vegetables layered between creamy mashed potatoes. Baked to perfection with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, this is festive comfort food at its best! If you are not a beef lover, they offer Chicken Shephard’s Pie ($32.80/1.5kg) as well.

Honestly, I always thought The Soup Spoon only sell soups and I was really surprised by their extensive range of Xmas offerings. Plus, they also have very beautiful logcake. We tried the Mango Mousse Log Cake ($68/0.9kg) which is a refreshing mango-coated vanilla sponge cake filled with mango mousse.

The Soup Spoon also offers 3 festive sets to allow you to enjoy a variety of items and added savings – Vegetarian Delight ($168, worth up to $228.70), Meat Fest ($216, worth up to $298.20) and Seafood Premium ($240, worth up to $322.20). Each serves 12 pax. The dishes are packed in microwavable containers so simply pop it in and warm till desired temperature and serve. Complimentary party kits (serviettes and cutleries) will be provided.

Here’s the deal: order online at www.thesoupspoon.com/christmas. Enjoy 10% discount if your online order is above $50 with promo code TSSXMAS. Please allow 4 working days for order processing, excluding the day of order.

PATISSERIE GLACE
click here to order online

Pâtisserie Glacé was started in 2008 with the aim of bringing the best of Japan’s cakes, pies and cookies and tarts to Singapore. Chef Tomoko helms it. From inception of Pâtisserie Glacé to the current daily operation, Chef Tomoko and her staff have been intimately and passionately involved in getting all the products taste like they would in Japan. The style of Glacé’s pastries resonates with her core beliefs that the ingredients must be of the highest quality without any preservatives, creations that a mother will serve her child.

We really love Christmas Yuzu Roll ($38 for 5pax, $75 for 12pax). Their delicious green tea sponge cake is rolled with pear slices,chocolate sponge for accent and smothered with right amount of yuzu fresh cream. It makes this a refreshing treat during the holidays. We love the contrast of the delightfully fluffy cream against the crisp meringue.

Christmas Regalia ($40 for 5pax, $65 for 8 pax, $80 for 12pax) is a heavy-hitter for chocolate lovers. Chocolate roll surrounds the delicious ganache, which in turn forms the texture of the cake.

Of course, entertain your kids with Giant Gingerbread Man ($28 for 5 pax) which is upsized for a party!

MR BEAN
click here to order online

Yes Mr Bean! They are offering a delectable assortment of Christmas Soy Cakes and Party Platter online at shop.mrbean.com.sg! If you are a dessert lover, go for their Party Platter ($22 for 16 pieces) which comes in an assortment of Matcha Red Bean Soy Cake, Yuzu Mousse Soy Cake, Strawberry Mousse Soy Cake and New York Soy Cheesecake.

Winter’s Midnight (Oreo® Soy Cheesecake, $45/1kg) is a light soy cheesecake with crunchy oreo crust that’s loved by the young and old.

Santa’s Chocolate Log (Chocolate Soy Log Cake, $38/0.75kg) is a delightful blend of dark chocolate with crunchy chocolate balls, topped with a layer of fudge ganache.

THE BAKERY CHEF
click here to order online

Last but not least, The Bakery Chef’s signature rainbow cakes come in different flavours, including original, chocolate, matcha, calamansi and salted caramel. The Bakery Chef serves one of the best rainbow cake, in my opinion. The pleasant squarish sponge cakes of 6 different colours of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The sponge cake is so soft and moist. Lightly sprinkled with passionfruit syrup, it has a balance of sweetness and tanginess. I also love their salted caramel version. Each slice costs $5.80. They also have Christmas specials including stollen ($30), rainbow log cake ($78) and fruit cake ($50).

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Would you like more ideas and F&B choices for gatherings, celebrations, events or any other functions? Visit http://feedme.sg now!

I have my good days, and I also have my bad days. Especially after a long day of work, I just want to go home and take a rest. When I visited The Study, it was my bad day. I was tired and still very full from a long lunch, I kinda drag my feet into The Study for dinner (as you can see from the lousy photo quality). Approximately sized at 400 square feet, The Study is really small (cosy is a polite word). It can barely sit 30 people, with tables very close to one another. We were seated beside a huge group of diners who were laughing and talking loudly, that I have to literally scream to converse with my partner. Definitely not helping to ease my tiring day.

But the moment the waitress came and introduce the menu, my impression started to change for the better. Honestly, I can’t really hear her because the restaurant was way too noisy, and I have to constantly ask her to repeat. But she was all very patient and obliging when I ask her to repeat herself. That is starting the dinner right – good service and product knowledge.

Formerly Keong Saik Snacks, this cosy place has been recently rebranded into a British casual bistro. Blending local and British cafe culture, and giving modern twists to great classic comfort foods from around the world, this is the new go-to social bistro that is part brainchild of Michelin Star Chef Jason Atherton with an unpretentious environment. We started our dinner with iberico pork and foie gras scotch egg which was well executed and I thought the pickled beetroot was a nice touch. Like a beautiful garden!

As we moved into our mains, our mood was already lifted very much. The baked sea bass ($32) has a moist and tender meat and served with a few truffle potato gnocchi, leeks, charred onions with truffle dressing. We also ordered their 200g Rangers Valley sirloin ($42) with mushroom ketchup, crispy shallot rings, peppercorn sauce. Their onion rings were a real treat as it is so light and crispy. As you can see, portions wasn’t huge but quality and flavours were great!

Dessert ended with a bang – HUGE doughnuts ($15) with cinnamon sugar and salted caramel cream. The doughnuts were soooo fluffy like a flavourful cloud. When you dunk it into the not-so-sweet salted caramel, I feel like ordering one more set for myself. So I left the restaurant very happy. It’s rare, especially when my day was already a grumpy one. But The Study totally manage to uplift my mood and surprise us. Their ambience may not be the best for a romantic dinner, the dishes may not be something spectacular, but the dishes are familiar yet new, clever food options.

This sounds weird, but I recommend you to visit their toilet. Because they share the same toilet as the not-so-secret bar, The Library. So you get to take a look how it looks like! I will come back for their Weekend Punch Brunch! Reservations are highly recommended.

The Study
Address: 49 Keong Saik Rd, Singapore 089153
Tel: 6221 8338
Opening Hours: Tue to Sun 12pm – 2.30pm; 6pm – 10.30pm. Closed on Mondays.
Website: http://the-study.sg

24 Temple Street. I have been here so many times. First was CrazyWorld cafe. Next was Table 24. And now Arterial Cafe. But this time, the people behind Arterial Cafe seems to be clear what they are doing. If you are expecting a typical big breakfast set like any another cafe, you are wrong. Conceptualized by chef Siong and consultant chef Shen Tan (formerly of The Wok & Barrel and Ujong), the menu has been transformed into something totally different.

The dishes appear simple, but stand out with their exquisite flavours. The homemade Pork Aspic Terrine ($13.90) is made from pig’s ears, tongue and belly. A good introduction to all parts of the pig, the chilled aspic is crunchy yet gelatinous.

It’s not easy to find tripe on a menu, I was surprised Arterial Cafe served it. Their Hunter’s Beef Stew ($16.90) features tender braised offal in a tomato base sauce that was homey tasting and a nice accompaniment to the two crusty bread. You will be pleased to know that there is no funky smell in the dish. The sauce is so good that I mop the bowl clean with bread.

Like a size of a golf ball or maybe bigger, I like Meatballs Al Forno ($11.90). Formed, flour and pan browned, the meatballs are simmered in a lovely tomato sauce. They are tender and juicy.

The fresh and juicy Handmade Wantons ($11.90) were chockful of prawns and pork. Usually chinese wantons are paired with vinegar, but here, they serve it with with balsamic vinaigrette, which gave the wantons a tangy and fruity note.

I personally feel that the other dishes fare much better than the pasta in terms of flavour. But if you need some carbs, go for their Squid Ink Aglio Olio ($15.90, the most expensive item in the menu) and Mushroom Aglio Olio ($13.90). It’s also interesting to see chef listening to earphone will cooking the pasta. Quite cool leh.

Finally, a cafe in Chinatown that serves great food. I like how homely the dishes are and the portions are quite generous. Don’t forget to pair your dishes with a cup of Liberty Coffee.

Arterial Cafe
Address: 24 Temple Street, Singapore 058569
Tel: +65 6222 8589
Operating hours: Tues – Sun 10am to 10pm, Closed on Mondays

In my previous blogpost, I shared about the fantastic offerings at Forest森, Osia and Starz Restaurant. And this time round, I will be sharing more great deals from KT’s Grill, Palio and Tangerine.

RWS is currently running a members dine free promotion exclusively for RWS Invites members till 30 Dec 2014. Here’s the mechanics:
• Member with one dining guest: 50% rebate
• Member with two dining guests: 33% rebate
• Member with three dining guests: 25% rebate
• Dining party of 5 to 20 / Member dining solo: 20% rebate

Enjoy up to 50% rebate when you dine at Forest森, KT’s Grill*, Osia, Palio, Starz Restaurant and Tangerine.

RWS Invites Membership Promo!
RWS Invites membership for Miss Tam Chiak’s readers at a promotional rate of $135 (U.P. $150). Just click to rwsentosa.com/rwsinvitespromo and key in the promo code 000199S. SIGN UP NOW!

Palio
Address: Hotel Michael Lobby
Tel: 6577 6555
Opening hours: 0730 – 1030 (Breakfast), 1200 – 1430 (Lunch), 1430 – 1800 (Snack time, Fri – Sun & PH), 1800 – 2200 (Dinner)

Bringing in rare, seasonal ingredients all the way from Italy to showcase the authentic Tuscan dishes and sumptuous variety of traditional Italian dishes, Palio is a vibrant open-kitchen concept restaurant with great service and affordable Italian fare.

I started my lunch with Pan seared 80grams Duck Liver Foie Gras ($28) with port wine gel and aged balsamic vinegar. It’s fattening, but who can resist the creamy blob of liver on the plate.

The pasta we picked – vongole ($26) – was acceptable but could have added more garlic for stronger flavours.

Baked in wood-fired oven, Palio’s pizzas has intense flavours and provides an additional notch of much appreciated taste dimension. We went for the most basic Pizza Calabrese ($28). While the crust can be crisper, we love the generous amount of spicy Italian salami which provides splashes of flavours with mozzarella cheese and chilli flakes.

Palio’s classic Tiramisu ($14) is an instant perk-me-up. The mascarpone was smooth and light, adorned with sprinklings of cocoa powder and chocolate flakes was a delight. Pair them with moist sponge fingers soaked with coffee, it makes a wonderful eat. Also, they have affordable weekday set lunch at $22++ (for 2 course) and $30++ (for 3 course).

KT’s Grill
Address: Universal Studios Singapore
Tel: 65776688
Opening hours*: Sun – Fri: 11.30am – 8pm; Sat: 11.30am – 9pm. Closed on Tue and Wed. *Subjected to changes.

Theme park food isn’t always hotdogs, churros, burgers and pizzas. KT’s Grill is proof of that; opulent Victorian-era interiors with velvet drapes, lush seating, warm ambience and most importantly, an equally luxurious menu to match. All sitting cosily at Universal Studios Singapore’s (USS) New York zone.

Given how exorbitantly priced some steakhouses can be, the prices at KT’sS Grill are pretty fair. Steak Frites ($26) features thin-cut ribeye steak cooked medium, served with chips, garlic butter, green peas and confit tomato, which adds a brightness to the palate with each bite.

KT’s Shepherd Pie ($16) features a luscious plate of minced beef casserole with diced vegetables, topped with creamy mashed potatoes. It is a comforting and delicious pie!

When you’re all spent with the rides and shows, just pop into KT’s Grill for a delectable meal. With its cosy ambience and old-world charm décor reminiscent of a 1940s New York eatery, experience a New York Christmas celebration (without having to fly there!).

Tangerine
Address: Level 1 ESPA at Resorts World Sentosa
Tel: 6577 6336
Opening hours: 10am to 10pm

Food plays a vital part in our well being. At Tangerine, the restaurant draws inspiration from Asian and Western cuisines to create a unique and inspiring menu of innovative spa cuisine with light, healthy and nutritious dishes.

Comprising whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, sustainable seafood, premium free-range poultry and grass-fed beef, each dish is designed to be well balanced and easily digestible, providing the body with an optimum amount of energy. Tangerine’s menu aims to introduce a wide range of whole, natural foods to guests, along with recommendations from ESPA’ in-house nutritionist.

We started our lunch with – Asian-Inspired Pomelo and Coconut Salad with Prawns ($16) which is a refreshing plate of protein-rich salad. A Thai-inspired dish, the crunchy, refreshing savory salad is a perfect marriage of juicy pomelo and coconut meat. I love it that each dish in the menu comes with calories, saturated fat, carbohydrates and protein amount in the dish. Not that I really care but it is good for healthy conscious people

Sous Vide Salmon Fillet with Red Capsicum Coulis and Tamarind Sauce ($18) is indeed intimidating because I thought it would be very spicy. Of course no lah! This omega-3-rich salmon fillet is sous vide to the right texture, soft and tender yet retaining the moisture. It is enriched with an antioxidant-packed red capsicum coulis and a piquant tamarind sauce that awakens the senses.

ABOUT RWS INVITES

RWS Invites is the premier loyalty programme from RWS. With $150 annual membership, you get to pick one welcome package worth up to $248. Choose one welcome package:
– Marine Life Park (worth $168)
– Universal Studios Singapore (worth $148 before special access)
– Dolphin Island (worth $248)
– RWS Dining Vouchers (worth $200)
– ESPA at Resorts World Sentosa (worth $200++)

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* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Resorts World Sentosa. RWS Invites membership for Miss Tam Chiak’s readers at a promotional rate of $135 (U.P. $150). Just click to rwsentosa.com/rwsinvitespromo and key in the promo code 000199S. SIGN UP NOW!

Housed within AMOY Hotel, JIN Fine Dining is helmed by renowned sushi chef, Thomas Kok. Previously from Hokkaido Sushi Restaurant at M Hotel, Chef Thomas Kok prides his food on the use of fresh quality ingredients along with skillful technique and creative flair in executing his cooking.

His passion for authentic Japanese cuisine started early at a tender age of 16 when he was merely an apprentice at Nantei, one of Singapore’s pioneering Japanese restaurants. Gifted for the art of Japanese cuisine, he was awarded Best Cook within his first 2 years in the industry. Chef Thomas’s talent and passion in Japanese cuisine has gathered him loyal regular customers.

Marrying authentic Japanese culinary philosophy with fresh, air-flown ingredients and modern cooking techniques, fans of Japanese cuisine will enjoy classic favourites as well as sophisticated reinterpretations of best-loved dishes. Sample the season’s best catches with JIN’s omakase menus, or enjoy an explosion of flavours in a complex myriad of textures with one of JIN’s ten signature chirashis. Indulge in plump slices of quality sashimi (such as toro, kampachi, torigai, salmon belly and amaebi), prepared by skilled Japanese chefs and their exceedingly sharp knives. Savour the authentic flavours of Japan.

You don’t want to be missing out hamachi kama (or yellowtail cheek in English). It became our favourite immediately after we tasted it. It tastes best by grilling with some salt. The cheek we had was grilled to salty crisp on the outside yet firm on bite from the inside. The meat is so sweet and tender.

Saga is located on the northwest part of Kyushu island, and beef from Saga is considered one of the big three in Japan, along with Kobe and Matsuzaka. The cattle are free from stress and fed on special compound feed of corn, wheat, barley, rice bran, rice straw etc. They are generally 30 months before they get slaughtered.

If you want to try Saga beef in all its glory, be sure to visit JIN which serves the saga beef in many ways. We tried a bowl of hearty beef stew where the saga beef has been cooked slowly for hours, creating the kind of rich, caramelized flavors that make stews irresistibly good. This gives the meat time to melt and make the meat tender.

For something more traditional, go for the chargrilled saga beef sprinkled with fried garlic. Marbled to perfection, Saga Beef forms a beautiful pattern of pure-white fat weaving in and out of soft, red muscle. The sweet, rich flavored meat is a tribute to Saga’s mild climate, delicious water and clean air.

A bowl of clam soup and sushi to end the meal. If you wish to have a quick lunch, their lunch sets are affordable, from $18.80.

JIN Fine Dining
Address: Amoy Hotel, 01-02 Far East Square, 74 Telok Ayer St, Singapore 048464
Tel: 6536 6258
Opening hours: 7am to 10am; 10.30am to 2.30pm; 6pm to 10pm

It’s the weekend and you wanna hang out with your Muslim friends. Where should you go for brunch? Recently, we have seen an increase in the number of halal cafes in Singapore. We have tried many of them and they really offer quite awesome food with great ambience. Here’s a list of 20 halal cafes for your reference. Let’s makan!

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Penny University (*Muslim-owned*)
Address: 402 East Coast Road Singapore 428997
Tel: +65 9008 9314
Website: http://www.pennyuni.com
Opening hours: Mon – Thu 8.30am to 6pm; Fri – Sat 8.30m to 10.30pm; Sun 8.30m to 7pm
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Penny University is a term that originated from 18th century coffeehouses in London, England. Instead of paying for drinks, people were charged a penny to enter a coffeehouse. But here in Katong, you don’t have to pay a penny to enter the cafe lah. There is no cappuccinos or lattes here. You just have to pick from the 3, 5 and 7oz. cup sizes and simply state if you’d like milk in your coffee.

The place was bustling with cafe-goers especially on weekends. They source their beans from local roasters, serve specialist cakes and bread freshly baked daily in the area, support and collaborate with local bakers and aim to be a haven for people of the East Coast and beyond. I had a plate of Turkish Eggs ($8.60) for brunch. With lightly whipped yoghurt and topped with homemade spicy moroccan harissa sauce, it gives the eggs a spicy dimension. And there’s sourdough for dipping.

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I AM cafe (*Muslim-owned*)
Address: 674 North Bridge Road, junction of North Bridge Road and Haji Lane
Tel: 6295 5509
Website: http://www.iam.com.sg
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 11.30am to 11pm; Friday and Saturday 11.30am to 1am; Sunday 11.30am to 10pm. Closed on first and third Mondays of the month.
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Located at the junction of North Bridge Road and Haji Lane, I AM cafe is inspired by the city of Amsterdam. Owned by 3 Muslim friends, all preparation and ingredients are done in accordance to the Islamic way of guidance. This open space cafe serves hearty sandwiches, burgers, pastas, pizzas and fish and chips. W

Their Charcoal-grilled Juicy Beef Burger ($13.90) which comes with charcoal-grilled beef patty topped with pineapple, onions and melted cheese, is not bad. The patties are all painstakingly grilled over a charcoal-fuelled fire, and thus take a little more cooking time. It was juicy with consistent texture. Bright and fresh Homemade Beef Meatballs Pasta ($14.90) is also a comforting lunch. To complement the food menu, I AM also have a myriad of drink concoctions which are alcohol-free. Popular ones include Virgin Lychee Mojito and Bushramint.

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Mad Jack Cafe (*halal certified*)
Address: 304 Bedok Road, The Market Place (Near Tanah Merah MRT)
Tel: 6445 8168 / 6846 8231
Website: http://www.madjackcafe.com
Opening hours : 11.30am – 11.30pm daily
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Great halal Aussie Food at Crazy Value. Without using any MSG or preservatives, their signature items include Fish & Chips ($15.90), grilled rib-eye in black pepper sauce ($15.90), lamb rack in black pepper sauce ($29.90), blue mountain beef burger ($11.90) etc. Pair it with their Fruit of the Forest Smoothies ($7.90) consisting of strawberry, blueberry and raspberry.. Using 100% real fruits, it is rich in antioxidant, Vitamin C and fibre.

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Paddington House of Pancakes (*halal supplier*)
Address: City Square Mall 180 Kitchener Road #02-3/3, Singapore 208539
Tel: 6612 9029
Website: http://paddingtonpancakes.com/
Opening hours: 10.30am – 10.30pm Daily
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Paddington House of Pancakes is a franchise from Malaysia which serves variations of pancakes from all over the world. One of their popular item is Nice ($14) with grilled chicken, mozzarella, wild mushrooms, prawns, chicken bacon, ham, pineapple and topped with mushroom creamy sauce. For something sweet, try their Skinny Dip Pancakes ($12) featuring coin-sized pancakes topped with an ice cream with 4 different kinds of dipping sauces; raspberry, peanut butter, toffee and banana.

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La Marelle (*halal supplier*)
Address: 25A Baghdad Street Singapore 199664
Tel: 8138 7654
Website: https://www.facebook.com/lamarellecafe
Opening hours: Mon 10:45am to 10pm; Wed & Thu 10:45am to 10pm; Fri & Sat: 10:45am to 2am; Sun 10:45am – 10pm
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Up on level 2 in the heart of Arab Street, La Marelle is a French fantasy themed cafe and boutique. It’s pink with whimsical decor and the cafe collaborates with over 40 international artists for their quirky, unique and beautiful inventory featuring bags, iPhone cases, necklaces and stationery. The permise is not halal certified but their suppliers are halal certified suppliers and most of their staff are muslim.

La Marelle serves breakfast sets, selected bakes from Windowsill Pies, little cakes, and drinks at fairly reasonable prices. I ordered a Ala Ferme ($14.90) croissant with in house smoked BBQ chicken. Orders took some time to arrive but it was worth the wait. The croissant was good, crispy on the outside and yet so fluffy on the inside! They have free wifi too – perfect hangout place!

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Olivye Cafe (*halal-certified*)
Address: Blk 5 Changi Village Road, #01-2009, Singapore 500005
Tel: 81397418
Website: http://olivye.com
Opening hours: 11.30am to 10pm
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Gelato serves up honest Halal-certified western food and Gelato at unpretentious prices. They have been serving chicken chop and grilled fish in NTU for a decade. And they are one of the few who serve Halal-certified Gelato. They’re big on local flavours. Apart from the classics like Chocolate, Hazelnut and Vanilla Cookies, they’ve also got tropical flavours like Durian and Chempedak that will take you back to those kampong days – even your grandparents would approve!

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Fluff Bakery (*Muslim-Owned*)
Address: 12 Jalan Pisang, Singapore 199079
Website: http://instagram.com/fluffbakery
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They open their shop at 12pm and the moment it opens, you will see queue! I queued for 20 minutes before entering the small shop space and I was definitely NOT disappointed! They have interesting flavours like explosive eggnog latte speculoos crumbs, peacan cream cheese cinnamon roll, solgro ice cream etc. Being a traditionalist, I still prefer their nutella red velvet and salted caramel ones, they are so soft and fluffy! I know sometimes they serve Ondeh Ondeh, Mango Sticky Rice and Earl Grey Pear Honey for their cupcakes, I will be back to try those!

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Sarah’s The Pancake Cafe
Website: East Village, 430 Upper Changi Road, 01-62, Singapore 487048
Opening: Sunday to Thursday 9am to 10pm; Friday and Saturday 9am to 11.30pm
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Sarah’s The Pancake Cafe serves homemade Halal pancakes and crepes with a different twist. There are savoury options like The Benedict ($15), which is smoked salmon slices and poached eggs on pancakes served with housemade Hollandaise and mixed green and Al Istanbul ($14), which are grated potato pancakes served with smoked turkey ham and mixed greens. The sweet options look appetizing as well, especially Ala Dol ($12), a twist on the much-loved chendol. Crepes spread with red bean paste are topped with sweet corn kernels, pandan chendol and drizzled with palm sugar.

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Lynn’s Cakes & Coffee (*Muslim owned*)
Address: 11 Eng Kong Terrace, Singapore 598983
Tel: 6314 2886
Website: http://www.lynnscakes.com.sg
Opening hours: Tue – Thur 11am to 7pm; Fri, Sat & Eve of P.H.: 11am to 9pm; Sun & P.H.: 11am to 8pm. Closed on Mondays.
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Lynn’s Cakes & Coffee is a bakery café that serves freshly baked collection of layer cakes. Lynn started her baking journey in 2009 when she first baked for her daughter’s class party. From little cupcakes, she tried her hands on bigger cakes and found her passion in baking. Together with her husband, they decided to venture into business and founded Lynn’s Cakes & Coffee. Her cafe sells a variety of cakes such as rainbow cake, red velvet cake, salted caramel cake, cheesecake, carrot cake etc. If you wish to order wedding cakes, they are the ones to look for!

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And All Things Delicious (*Muslim-owned*)
Address: 462 Crawford Lane #01-61 Singapore 190462
Tel: 6396 0820
Website: http://andallthingsdelicious.com
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10am-7pm; Saturday 10am-5pm. Closed on Sundays.
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Previously an online cake business, And All Things Delicious now has a beautiful bakery amidst the old HDB flats in Lavender. It showcases a range of delicious cakes using halal ingredients. Never miss the scones, they have interesting flavours – orange cranberry scones and gula melaka scones.

On the day of our visit, carrot cake was not available. But we tried their special Pumpkin Cake and it was awesome! It’s not too sweet, very moist and loaded with pumpkin, decorated with pecans. The takeaway bakery can seat about six people, but if you manage to grab a seat, don’t forget to pair their cakes with raspberry mint lassi ($5.80), and lemongrass iced tea ($4.50). Seasonal cakes are also available for order.

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ButterScotch (*Muslim-owned*)
Address: #01-3625, 164 Bukit Merah Central
Tel: 6271 1164
Opening hours: Tue – Sun 10am to 10pm, closed on Mondays.
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ButterScotch is all about specialty coffee and variety of sumptuous dessert that are aesthetically appealing, exciting and piques every diners attention for more. I tried their truffle fries which is shoestring fries served with generous amount of truffle oil. They serve interesting burgers such as Chilli Crab Cake Burger and Ramly Meets Wendy Burger. The Churros served in Butterscotch is thick and has a distinct cinnamon fragrance.

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The Royals Cafe (*halal-certified*)
Address: Crescendo Building, 19 Upper East Coast Road
Tel: 6445 6457
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri: 9am to 10pm; Sat, Sun 8.30am to 10.30pm
Website: http://www.royalcakes.com
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Located in the east, The Royals Cafe is a cozy cafe serving affordable dishes with no GST. Their mee siam ($5.90) is a must try. It is rich and fragrant, yet not too spicy. There are other new additions to menu like the Braised Beef Cheek, Braised Lamb Shank & All-Day Breakfast selection.

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Badoque Cafe (*halal-certified*)
Address: 246 Upper Thomson Rd, Singapore 574370
Tel: 6552 1646
Website: http://fb.com/badoquecafeSG
Opening hours: Tues – Thur, Sat & Sun 12pm till 10pm. Fridays : 2pm till 10pm
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Their simpang bedok outlet is now undergoing renovations till end of January, but don’t be disappointed cuz they have a new branch in Upper Thomson! Be sure to try their beef ribs which is amazingly tasty and tender chunks of meat. Other worth trying items include Fried Breaded Oysters, squid ink risotto, baffalo wings and more!

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The Lab SG (*Muslim-owned*)
1 Jalan Pisang #01-01, Singapore 199069 (10mins walk from Bugis MRT)
Tel: 9875 7232
Website: https://www.facebook.com/weexperiment
Opening Hours: 11am – 9:30pm (Mon-Thurs), 11am – 10pm (Fri-Sat), 12pm – 8pm (Sun)
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Started only 2 months ago, The Lab SG is the latest cafe in Arab street. When you walk in, it feels like you are really in a lab, with chemical bottles at the counter and sewage pipes around the cafe. I tried their signature HeisenBurger featuring well grilled beef patty, with bacon, blue cheese, garlic mayo and served with sweet potato fries. The patty is really juicy with a slightly tangy tomato sauce, caramelized onions, and blue cheese on top! I am addicted to the fries which leaves a lingering sweetness in your mouth.

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FIX (*halal-certified*)
Address: 31 Ah Hood Rd, HomeTeamNS-JOM Clubhouse, Singapore 329979
Tel: 6256 1484
Website: http://www.fix-cafe.com.sg
Opening Hours: 11am to 9pm daily, closed on last Tuesday of the month
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The guys from GRUB who have recently taken the HometeamNS-JOM Clubhouse (open to public) in Balestier by storm with the opening of FIX cafe. Built on the premise of “Original Handmade Goods”, this halal inspired cafe has put a fresh spin on traditional naan, sandwiching fresh and tasty fillings within to create a wrap they call “naanwiches”. Be sure to try their Chicken Tikka Naanwich ($11) or Beef & Kimchi Naanwich ($11).

Since its opening, FIX has focused on putting an approachable spin on familiar home-style desserts using quality ingredients. My favourite is the refreshing Passionfruit, Mango & Coconut Chiffon Cake ($7). Butterscotch Arabica Choux ($6) is an instant hit among dessert lovers. Coffee-steeped Chantilly cream give this unique dessert a smooth finish, with a surprise treat of sticky vanilla caramel within. Other popular items include a fragrant Strawberry Pistachio Rose Tart ($6) and rich Cacao Barry Chocolate Truffle Cake ($7)

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Rouse (*Muslim-owned*)
Address: 36 Dunlop Street, Singapore 209364
Tel: 6292 2642
Website: https://www.facebook.com/rouseondunlop
Opening hours: Mon 12pm – 10pm; Wed to Thu 12pm – 10pm; Fri & Sat 12pm – 11pm; Sun 11am – 7pm. Closed on Tuesday
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They are barely a few months old but is always full house during weekends. Love the feel of this rustic cafe, very laid back and intricate hangout place with friends. We tried the Bakul of Bites ($13.90) offering a platter of sweet potato fries, onion rings & orange glazed chicken wings. The Crabby Patty ($17.90) topped with mango salsa & house salad on the side was nothing fantastic.

However, we quite like the Salmon Stack ($12.90) offering triple decker smoked salmon sandwich stuffed with crispy onion rings. Their house blend is roasted specially for them by Dutch Colony Coffee Roasters with a blend of Sumatran beans and Ethopian beans. Bright and smokey cuppa that leaves a strong roasty aftertaste.

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Butter Studio (*halal certified*)
Address: 147 Jalan Besar, Singapore 208865
Tel: 6294 7115
Website: http://www.thebutterstudio.com
Opening hours: Mon 12pm to 11pm; Wed & Thu 12pm to 11pm; Fri & Sat 12pm to 12am; Sun 12pm to 11pm. Closed every Tuesday.
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After the success of their takeaway counter at Changi Airport, Butter Studio now has a cafe along Jalan Besar. Aside from being larger in size, the cafe also has a larger menu, with pastries and butter cakes alongside their well-loved preservative-free cupcakes.

Their brunch menu may be limited but has the essentials. This includes scrumptious Turkey Bacon Eggs Benny – warm poached eggs atop hot buttered brioche buns drizzled with heavenly hollandaise sauce. Not forgetting the fresh made buttermilk pancakes and classic French Toast. Don’t forget to save your tummy space for their desserts such as Sea Salt Nutella Tarts, Lemon Meringue tart and a whole range of yummy cupcakes. I love the Rose Pistachio one – moist rosewater cupcakes with strawberry infused cream cheese topped with chopped pistachio and dried rose buds!

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Royz Et Vous (*Muslim-owned*)
Address: 17 Bali Lane, Singapore 189853
Tel: 6293 0270
Website: https://www.facebook.com/www.royzetvous.com.sg
Opening Hours: Sunday till Thursday & Public Holiday 11am-10pm; Friday, Saturday & Eve Public Holiday 11am-11pm
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A french inspired bistro that serves a range of dishes such as smoked duck breast ($24) with Thai coriander sauce dressing and roasted honey potatoes; lamb shank ($26), with carrots, beans, chickpeas and mashed potatoes; and chicken rendang ($14) with a choice of jasmine rice or Turkish bread served with achar. I had the Juicy Prawns Pasta ($16.90) served with juicy small prawns and garlic butter sauce. I quite enjoy their freshly brewed coffee (from $3.50) with desserts such as Royz bread pudding ($7), creme brulee ($6.50) and a selection of cakes.

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Fika (*halal-certified*)
Address: 9 Raffles Boulevard, #01-20 Millenia Walk, Singapore 039596
Address: 6336 7234
Website: http://www.fikacafe.com/
Opening Hours: Sun-Wed 11am-10pm; Thu-Sat & Eve of PH 11am-11pm
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Fika is a social institution in Sweden; it means having a coffee with one’s colleagues, friends, date, or family. Take a break from work at Fika Swedish Café & Bistro where they serve the best halal meatballs in Singapore! (And they have an option for gluten free pasta too!)

Owner / Graphic artist Tasneem Noor opened a Nordic cafe in 2009 when she was learning to cook Nordic food to feed her homesick husband, who is a Swedish artist. Her food is authentic homemade Swedish and you won’t find fusion here. The juicy meatballs is served with potatoes and lingonberry jam, and gone in a mouthful! It’s a plate of comfort food, simple but the best! They also serve classic Swedish coffee, and Swedish imported sodas.

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Toasties (*halal-certified*)
Address: Blk 201D Tampines Street 21 #01-1171
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Toasties
Opening Hours: 8am til Midnight Daily
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Served like a Subway chain, this sandwich shop serves a variety of six-inch or foot-long toasted sandwiches. First, you choose your carbs – bread, baked rice, salad, pizza or wraps. They make their own bread. Choose from the Premium (Italian Trio, Chicken Bacon or Beef Pastrami), the Classic (Egg Mayo, Tuna Mayo, Turkey Ham or Garden Delight) or Special (Smoked Chicken Breast, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Beef or Beef Ham), prices ranging from $5 to $7. Add $2.90 for clam chowder or mushroom soup.

Every year, Jiang Nan Chun @ Four Seasons Hotel Singapore selects a classic Chinese literature/legends and crafts them into amazing culinary dishes that depict the tales. Last year, I have tried their six‐course “Journey to the West” (西游记) menu that depicts the pilgrimage Buddhist monk Xuan Zang and his disciples ‐ Sun Wu Kong, Zhu Ba Jie, Sha Wu Jing and the White Dragon Horse ‐ took in search of the sutras in India.

This year, we are treated to an delicious journey across all senses by the lovely story of the Four Great Beauties of China. Weaving the legends into sumptuous menus that nourish body and skin, you can enjoy an exclusive beautifully chef-crafted dishes that encapsulate the essence of their tales.

The enchantment begins with Scent of the Heavenly Beauties Combination Platter (国色天香四美图), bringing together the essence of each beauty’s stories with exquisite tender meats and fresh seafood. Combining the charm of all 4 pretty ladies, we started our meal with chilled cherry tomato with lychee martini water, deep-fried shrimps paste with minced mushroom “pipa” beancurd, chilled foie gras with osetra caviar, and steamed seafood dumpling.

It continues with the most famous beauty Yang Guifei, concubine of the Tang Dynasty king. Lychee was a favorite fruit for Yang Guifei, and the emperor had the fruit, which was only grown in southern China, delivered by the imperial courier’s fast horses, whose riders would take shifts day and night in a Pony Express-like manner, to the capital.

Yang was known for having a full and fleshy figure, which was a much sought-after quality at the time. And she loves taking fragrant baths, so she was granted use of the Huaqing Pool which had been the exclusive private pool of previous Tang emperors. And she would always enjoy the fresh dewy lychee while having her bath.

Executive Chef Alan Chan has created an exclusive double-boiled soup – Dance of the Double-boiled Soup (贵妃醉舞华清池) that brings this story to life: the crystal clarity of the soup mirroring the fragrant baths she indulged in while sampling the dewy lychees. The double-boiled abalone soup with calipash, dendrobe and chicken is a bowl of delicious Chinese soup and really heartwarming on a rainy day.

Xi Shi’s beauty was so renowned that the famous Xihu (West Lake) in Hangzhou is named after her, and two famous Chinese poets Li Bai and Su Dong Po wrote poetry of her. Xi Shi’s beauty was said to be so extreme that while leaning over a balcony to look at the fish in the pond, the fish would be so dazzled that they forgot to swim and sank away from the surface. This description serves as the first two characters of the Chinese idiom 沉魚落雁, 閉月羞花 (comes from Aquatic Reflections of Beauty Fish Poetry, 浣沙俪影赛鱼儿) which is used to compliment someone’s beauty.

As such, chef created a very unique steamed Atlantic cod stuffed with wild mushrooms and wrapped in rice paper, superior broth and shaved black truffle. The rice paper was very thin, which was said to go through 17 times of R&D before achieving this silkiness. The tender Atlantic cod was wrapped with rice paper and the addition of black truffle brings the dish to another level.

Wang Zhaojun cemented enduring respect in Chinese history as the most famous political bride who was gifted at the tender age of 16 years old to the barbaric nomadic Hun king, and remarried to his son after he died. Although born to a poor family, she was beautiful beyond measure, and wise and talented beyond her age. Legend tells of how she, holding her beloved pipa (a musical instrument) in her arms, turned three times to look in the direction of her homeland as she journeyed hundreds of miles to the nomadic Hun tribe, bearing the self-sacrifice of being given away twice to a barbaric father and son.

Embodying the intensity of her love for her homeland in the tender delicacy of the pipa chicken is the dish Song of Lingering Memories Pipa Chicken (曲琵琶忆乡思) which features smoked french spring “poussin” with crispy rice ball. Inspired by our local chicken rice, the very succulent and smoky roast chicken was served with a fried rice ball and chilli sauce.

Last of the four beauties… Diaochan is the only beauty with no historical record, but written about in the famous literary classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms. An orphan used as a political tool to turn a brutal warlord and his lustful son against each other during the warring period, she was instructed by the court to engage in clandestine liaisons with the son while officially betrothed to the father.

However, she was secretly in love with her adoptive father – although he was the main orchestrator of her role to sow discord between the warlord and son – destined to never enjoy a blissful marriage, which was a woman’s greatest blessings back then. Dangerous Liaison Dessert (惊鸿一梦镜花情) portrays this game of intrigue in a symphony of flavours that tantalize the taste buds. Served in a duo, our meal ended with superior bird’s nest with black and white sesame pudding, and salted egg puff pasty with almond cream boasts a delicate balance of flavours that does not overwhelm the generous serving of bird’s nest.

“Four Beauties” five-course set meal is available till 31 January 2015 and priced at $148/pax with à la carte options available.

Jiang-Nan Chun
Address: 2F, Four Seasons Hotel, 190 Orchard Boulevard
For reservations, please call 6831 7220 or email jnc.sin@fourseasons.com

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It’s the new year and Perfect Italiano has launched a new addition – Perfect Italiano 4 Cheese Melt. Exclusive in Cold Storage outlets, Perfect Italiano 4 Cheese Melt is a delicious blend of traditional and easy melt Mozzarellas with Cheddar for full flavour and Romano for bite. As with all Perfect Italiano cheese, it is simple and easy to use and makes cooking family meals enjoyable. I created two dishes using Perfect Italiano 4 Cheese Melt, enjoy!

We love to eat chips while watching movies. So while we were watching a movie to celebrate the New Year, I decided to make some nachos! I love how it melts into a beautiful golden brown. You can simple pair it with chips or like me, I added some tomato salsa as well!

Cheesy Nachos with Tomato Salsa

2015-01-09 00:34:16

Using Perfect Italiano 4 Cheese Melt

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Ingredients

1. 2 large tomatoes, diced
2. 1/2 small sweet onion, finely chopped
3. 2 tablespoons coriander, chopped
4. 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
5. 2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
6. 1 teaspoon olive oil
7. 3/4 teaspoon salt
8. 1/2 teaspoon cumin
9. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10. 1 packet of corn chips
11. 1/2 cup of Perfect Italiano 4 Cheese Melt

Instructions

1. To make tomato salsa, combine all the ingredients together and put it in fridge for 1 hour.
2. Place the corn chips in the bowl.
3. Sprinkle tomato salsa and Perfect Italiano 4 Cheese Melt.
4. Bake for 220 degrees celsius for 15 mins or until cheese has melted. Sprinkle more tomato salsa and serve.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

Pork and Cheese patty is the perfect combination. This cheesy pork burger uses ground pork mixed with apples and onions to give it a crunch. While pan frying it, I added Perfect Italiano 4 Cheese Melt and it coats the entire pork patty into a beautiful golden brown without making the patty too oily.

Cheesy Pork Burger

2015-01-09 00:37:31

Using Perfect Italiano 4 Cheese Melt

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Ingredients

1. ½ onion, minced
2. 480g minced pork
3. ½ carrot, minced
4. 1 apple, cut into small pieces
5. Zest of 1 lemon
6. 2 tbsp lemon juice
7. 1 egg
8. 1/2 cup basil, cut into ribbons
9. 1 teaspoon paprika
10. ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
11. ½ cup of Perfect Italiano 4 Cheese Melt
12. 4 hamburger buns
13. Some lettuce for burger
14. Some tomatoes for burger

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, basil, carrot, onion, paprika, lemon juice, lemon zest, egg and pepper. Mix until the ingredient are distributed properly.
2. Scoop about 120g of ground meat mixture and mold each into a ball shaped figure. Gently press on the ball shaped meat mixture to form a flat ground pork burger patty. Make a little indent in the center of the burger. This will help it cook a little more evenly.
3. Put a little olive oil in a non-stick pan. Set the pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Fry them like this for a few minutes on one side, without moving them around too much. Flip the burger and cook it for about 5 minutes on the other side.
4. When it is half cooked, sprinkle Perfect Italiano 4 Cheese Melt over burger patties. Top with lettuce, tomatoes and pork patty as desired on a toasted bun.

Miss Tam Chiak http://www.misstamchiak.com/

For more recipes on how to use Perfect Italiano Cheeses you can check them out here. Create your very own dishes using the cheeses and hashtag #perfectitalianosg to share your creation with everyone!

I went on a Balestier Food Trail with Uncle Bob and ended with lunch at Whampoa market. Loy Kee was closed that day, Uncle Bob recommended us to try Nan Xiang Chicken Rice at the other end of the market. This name may ring a bell to some of you as there is also Nan Xiang at Square 2. In December 1986, founder, Nancy Lim, took charge of her first chicken rice stall at Whampoa food centre. In May 2007, Nan Xiang Chicken Rice launched its first restaurant-style eatery in Square 2. They have now moved this outlet to Basement 1 (‪#‎B1‬-01/05)

Nancy and his husband takes turn to manage the hawker stall. Honestly, it looks like another unassuming chicken rice stall. But when the plate of rice was served to the table, it was sooooo fragrant that I can’t help but to take a mouthful first (while waiting for the poor boyfriend who was still queueing for Hoover Rojak).

The taste totally reminded me of the chicken rice we cook at home, that is to first stir fried with garlic, ginger, shallots and chicken soup before cooking it in rice cooker. Not a lot of chicken rice stalls do that now because it’s laborious and takes extra time to prepare the rice. But it’s worthwhile because by frying the rice before cooking makes it more fragrant.

We ordered bottom 1/4 portion for $6, and 50 cents for each plate of rice. The meat is succulent and cooked just right, leaving a gelatin layer beneath the skin. The addition of lime juice to the chilli sauce also makes it very delectable!

Nan Xiang Chicken Rice
Address: Blk 90, Whampoa Drive, Whampoa Makan Place #01-21, Singapore 320090
Opening hours: Mon – Sun 11am to 10pm

Be it lunch or dinner, Man Fu Yuan at InterContinental Singapore will never disappoint. Every time when I am here for media tasting, there will always be surprises. This time round, we were treated to a series of sumptuous menus and take home delicacies, in celebration of the most important festival on the Chinese Lunar calendar. Created by Executive Chinese Chef Kwan Yiu Kan of Man Fu Yuan, each specialty dish and reunion menu is symbolic of the occasion, with themes of prosperity, longevity and happiness, ideal for an auspicious start to the Year of the Goat.

In keeping with the traditions of Lunar New Year, Chef Kwan has carefully selected the finest ingredients to prepare ten lavish set menus ranging from 5 to 8 courses, for guests to enjoy in the contemporary elegance of Man Fu Yuan. The menus are available from 1 February to 5 March 2015 and priced from $118++ per person to $3,688++ for ten persons. A wide variety of auspicious and traditional dishes are also available from the a la carte menu, featuring delectable culinary delights ranging from double-boiled soups, abalone and bird’s nest to an array of handcrafted dim sum specialities.

New on the menu, Man Fu Yuan’s Salmon and Japanese Hokkigai Yu Sheng ($98+/$148+) is served with a refreshing Ponzu Shoyu sauce, lending a tangy nuance to the sweet Japanese Hokkigai, Salmon and shredded vegetables. Chef Kwan’s alternative use of fried vermicelli lends a delightful crackle to the dish. A must-have each new year to bring one great fortune and good luck for the new year ahead, this luxurious Yu Sheng platter is topped with sweet golden flakes, symbolising wealth and prosperity.

For an impressive yet intimate reunion meal with family or business associates, opt for Man Fu Yuan’s
exclusive grand private dining room that seats up to 30 guests around the reunion table. Toss to a year of abundance with Chef Kwan’s mega-impressive Yu Sheng, arranged to form the Chinese character “祥”, meaning “auspicious” and “propitious”, and is also an ode to the Year of the Goat, available at a supplement of $688++.

A sell-out item every year, Man Fu Yuan’s signature Deluxe Treasures Pot ($428+ for 5 persons, with Yusheng) brings a visual and gastronomic treat to the reunion table. Filled to the brim with 23 premium ingredients such as succulent whole baby abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, goose web, scallops, and preserved meat sausage, all braised to perfection in a flavourful broth, it comes in an exclusively designed claypot with a colour palette of vibrant pink and auspicious red amidst floral patterns, signifying a blossoming beginning to the New Year.

For the quintessential steamboat reunion feast, Man Fu Yuan’s culinary team has thoughtfully put together the Steamboat Deluxe Collection ($328++ for 5 persons), which comes with an impressive array of handmade specialties including Minced Beef Balls with Water Chestnut, Fresh Crabmeat Shrimp Balls, Fresh Abalone with Minced Shrimp and a selection of fresh seafood and meat items, ensuring a fuss-free sumptuous reunion feast.

Indulge in Chef Kwan’s Double-boiled Buddha Jumps Over the Wall ($688+ for 5 persons, with Wok-fried Glutinous Rice and Yu Sheng), resplendent with delicacies like whole abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, dried scallops, deer tendon and panax ginseng. Cooked over low heat for 48 hours, the result is a luxuriously thick broth that is rich in both flavour and nutrients. Not forgetting the Braised Beef Brisket with Radish, a dish that has been in the menu for some time. It is a very hearty stew with tender beef cubes, tendons and tripe. Now, can I have a bowl of rice please?

Abalone lovers will enjoy their Braised Australian Green Lip Abalone and Chinese Mushroom with Seasonal Vegetables ($128++ per pax). Braised for 48 hours, the abalone was paired with soft sea cucumber. It was rich and dense. They have been so well braised that the ingredients absorbed the flavours well.

Next up, we also have the Double Boiled Fish Maw, Bamboo Shoot, Chinese Cabbage with Dumpling in Superior Stock ($365++ for 5 pax). The star is definitely the huge fat dumplings packed with prawns and cooked in a lighter broth. A taste of home would be Steamed Red Garoupa in Homemade Black Bean Sauce. The fish is light and tender, and the homemade black bean sauce totally lift up the flavours by a notch.

It’s crispy skin galore with Barbecued Whole Suckling Pig with Wok-fried Glutinous Rice ($488++). With careful preparation, this suckling pig also has a crispy skin flavoured with Asian flavours and you won’t feel too oily after eating it. The glutinous rice is cooked with cubes of preserved meat was equally yummy and pair very well with the suckling pig.

Last but definitely not the least, here comes my favourite Double Boiled Bird’s Nest in Whole Coconut. Such a sweet smelling scent of the coconut as I slurped up strands of bird’s nest using chopsticks. It soothes my itchy throat that night and brings a perfect ending to the night.

Alongside the Bird’s Nest, we also tried the new Koi Fish Nian Gao ($56+) of mango and pineapple flavours that is beautifully presented in a pair, a delicious symbol of abundance and wealth and also ideal as an auspicious gift. Stock your larder with Man Fu Yuan’s array of sweet treats and delectable titbits including the Golden Egg Custard Pastry ($38+ per jar), consisting of rich egg custard encased in a delicate pastry crust, Prosperity Pineapple Tarts ($38+ per jar), Honey-Glazed Walnuts ($28+) and savoury Steamed Radish Cake with Assorted Chinese Sausages ($28+).

If you prefer to stay in to celebrate with your family, you may want to check out Man Fu Yuan’s Dine-at-home takeaway delicacies, meant for you to have a taste of their creations at the comfort of your own home.

Man Fu Yuan
Address: Level 2, InterContinental Singapore
80 Middle Road, Singapore 188966
Tel: +65 6825 1008
Email: intercontinental.dining@ihg.com

Opening Hours:
Lunch 12.00pm – 2.30pm (Daily)
Dinner 6.30pm – 10.30pm (Daily)

I fell in love with Vietnamese cuisine for its diversity in tastes. It doesn’t make people bored as they use fresh herbs and spices extensively. Beside the use of some common condiments like sugar, vinegar, chilli, lemon, fish sauce etc, Vietnamese cuisine also uses mint, cilantro, lemongrass, star anise and have a selection of sauces, which vary from region to region.

I have been wanting to try MRS PHO for the longest time. The boyfriend is not a huge fan of herbs, so I have to pull my girlfriend for dinner there. Located in a shophouse along Beach Road, the decor is just like any back alley in Vietnam. We were greeted by the Vietnamese servers who took our orders and gave us recommendations.

There is no fusion in the menu, it is just traditional Vietnamese food, just like how Momma used to cook. Sipping a glass of Mrs Pho Summer Ice Tea ($2) which reminded me of longan tea, we began our dinner with a plate of Hanoi meat balls ($3.50) and Vermicelli with Pork and Spring Roll ($7.90). The pork is grilled to tasty slices and once we drizzle the tangy chilli sauce over the noodles, it immediately opens up the palette.

You can’t go wrong with the Phó at Mrs Pho (duh). My favorite is the Special Beef Combo Noodle Soup ($8.90), which comes loaded with slices of fatty brisket, beef round, and some beef balls (freshly shipped from Vietnam weekly). The broth is pleasingly delicate and sweet, with tender beef slices and not too gamey. The garden of fresh herbs that accompany it – basil, cilantro and mint brightens the soup, adding a vibrancy and freshness that make it desirable. If the taste is too earthy for you, squeeze some lime, add a dash of fish sauce and chilli sauce, and it will bring you to another taste profile.

We love it, plus you cannot easily gain weight because of the low fat content in many of the ingredients used in Vietnamese dishes. So my resolution this year, make the boy fall in love with pho so that he can eat this with me! (p/s I will be back to try their cockles!)

MRS PHO
Address: 349 Beach Rd, Singapore 199570 (opposite Concourse)
Tel: 6292 0018
Opening hours: Mon – Sat 11am – 10pm, closed on Sundays.

Located on the grounds of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, CORNER HOUSE is a 2-storey Black and White style bungalow built in 1910 to house officials and administrators during the colonial era. Set in lush tropical vegetation and with a small domestic scale garden immediately next to it, it has once served Assistant Director of the Gardens, E J H Corner, from 1929 – 1945, and this house in which he lived is named after him. Till today, E J H Corner has left a personal legacy that resonates within its walls and at the center of this multi-layered experience is the extraordinary cuisine of Singaporean chef Jason Tan.

Chef Jason Tan fell under the spell of the kitchen even before he was even old enough to drive. After ORD, he joined the famed Les Amis restaurant in 2004 and in fairly quick succession, he progressed through 2 other premier establishments — Le Saint Julien Restaurant in Singapore and the 3-Michelin-starred Robuchon a Galera (later renamed Robuchon au dome), at the Hotel Lisboa in Macau, China. His previous job was at Sky on 57, when Chef Justin Quek personally roped in Jason to be part of the preopening team for his new restaurant, Sky on 57, at the Marina Bay Sands resort. Jason remained at Sky on 57 for nearly 4 years, before decided to start CORNER HOUSE.

The cuisine created by Chef Jason Tan, Gastro-Botanica, combines the passion that E J H Corner had for Nature, especially plants, with the progressive techniques of a refined modern kitchen. The meats, poultry and seafood used are fastidiously sourced and chosen; and botanicals, in particular, are given prominence. Chef Jason Tan’s Gastro-Botanica is based on French cooking technique, with global influences in flavour.

We started our lunch with a whole range of amuse bouche to tease our tastebuds. This includes a Slow cooked Norwegian Salmon Confit with apple gel & microgreens; Obsiblue prawn from New Caledonia on cornmeal cracker with avocado mousse and onions; House-made fish cracker served with creme fraiche & tobiko; Greek yoghurt parfait on cucumber; Fribourg Gruyere cheese sponge, with shaved macadamia nuts and Steam brioche with house-made egg marmalade and ketchup.

Here, vegetables are given much fuller elaboration in range and preparation, and garnishing becomes a highlight in its own right. This is a vital innovation of Gastro-Botanica cuisine and sets it apart from the others. It’s interesting to see how Chef Jason plays with different tomato variations. One of Corner House’s signature dish – Carabinero Prawns with tomato variation – left me fascinated.

The prawns are poached, and presented on the plate with a medley of tomatoes. You will find a cherry tomato that is marinated with thai basil and honey, and another with mint and sour plum. There is also a tomato ‘cloud’, which is a creation from tomato water that is made into a marshmallow texture with raspberry vinegar, a sorbet of tomato with red capsicum, as well as a raw tomberry (one of the world’s smallest tomatoes), and lastly a tomato confit. The dish is topped with a prawn whisker that is dehydrated and lightly battered and fried.

When Chef Jason joined us for lunch to share about the inspirations behind the dishes, I asked him which was his favourite dish. Without doubt, it was Cevennes onions done in 4 different ways. Cevennes onion is Chef Jason’s favourite vegetable. In this course, I was first presented with a whole onion which was oven-baked and hollowed, and used as a cup for onion puree, 62 degree sous vide egg, onion confit and finely chopped black truffles. I was worried about having onion breath but the combination of onion puree and black truffles complemented so well that I finished it entirely.

Pairing with the onion puree, we also have mini onion tart made with a thin filo pastry base, onion confit and topped with parmesan cheese that is lighted grilled. I thought the filo pastry was too thin and would have work better with puffy onion tart. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the beautifully sliced onion chip that was lighted salted and dehydrated. Last but not least, we ended this course with onion tea, which is made of two components: an infusion of caramelised onion with Early Gray YinZhen tea served in a teapot, poured over an emulsion of onion confit and cream that is in a tea cup. I am onionified.

We took a walk around the bangalow and there was a shelf full of beautiful porcelain bowls and plates just outside the kitchen. I asked if these plates are for sale as each piece was so delicate that I wanted to buy some home. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. But it shows that the kitchen takes pride in the food presentation to enhance the overall dining experience. It was clearly seen in my next dish – maine lobster with riso pasta, sauteed squid and smoky leeks. Paired with apple cider and crustacean emulsion, it was a party in the mouth when all flavours combined. Don’t worry about “chiak buey bah” (still feeling hungry after a meal), because these dishes are part of a degustation menu, so you will feel “chiak bah bah” (very full) after all was served.

Like a beautiful painting, Japanese A5 Omi Beef was served with heirloom beetroot variation, black garlic pesto and natural jus. The Beetroot Collection is a variation of red, golden and chioggia beetroot, which helps to tone down the fattiness from the omi beef.

Before dessert was served, we had a bowl of passion fuit and Riesling jelly, iced pineapple, tapioca pearl with cardamon, basil/lime sorbet to cleanse the palette before Cocoa Pebbles was presented. This signature dessert features Alpaco chocolate mousse with a lemon curd centre shaped likes pebbles, and served over savoury chocolate soil and mandarin sorbet, topped with lightly pickled shimeiji mushrooms and mushroom-shaped meringue. We also had Liu Sha Bao macaron (my favourite); Raspberry tart, sable breton, meringue with lime zest; and Espresso bon bon.

Chef Jason has managed to get a rare quality and range of greens like ginger, tomatoes, onion and beetroot to create a truly beautiful and delicious Gastro-Botanica cuisine, achieving a delicate balance between the main ‘protein’ element and the garnishing on the plate. Flavours are animated with subtle and precise layering to build up ‘momentum’. The extraordinary food of CORNER HOUSE is also complemented by a wine list of more than 600 labels, including, for the first time in Singapore, Pontcin by Chateau Grillet.

Congratulations to CORNER HOUSE for receiving Singapore Tatler’s Best New Restaurants 2015 Awards. You guys truly deserve it!

CORNER HOUSE
Address: 1 Cluny Road, Nassim Gate, Singapore Botanic Gardens, E J H Corner House, Singapore 259569
Tel: +65 6469 1000
Website: www.cornerhouse.com.sg
Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday 12 pm – 3pm, 6.30 pm – 11 pm; Sunday 11.30 am – 3 pm, 6.30 pm – 11 pm. Closed on Mondays

Schools in Singapore are getting more interesting. I just went back to NTU a while ago and this university where I spent my 4 years in, have transformed into a food paradise with so many food offerings all around. Plus they are going to build a retail mall within a school! How cool is that! It’s still in the far west of Singapore but studying is not a boring affair anymore. Besides NTU, School Of The Arts Singapore has also transformed into another cool hangout place. Given its strategic location, you can find unique bakery like K-Ki and I’m KIM Korean BBQ!

We celebrated Michelle’s birthday at I’m KIM Korean BBQ on a Friday night and the entire restaurant is full house. Quite understandable because their buffet price is VERY CHEAP! It’s quite easy to spot the restaurant because their signboard is loud and bright, with a cute caricature who looks like a Korean actor. As we enter, there is a fridge full of soju and beer. If you are wondering, Kim is the Korean partner of owners Sulim and Christopher Chew, who are also involved in the 77th Street fashion retail brand with their sister Elim Chew.

The buffet bar is split into four sections, starting with side dishes of cooked food to the meat section. We had quite a few delicious chicken wings before attacking the thick slabs of pork, beef and chicken. They are marinated with rich sauces and if you BBQ well, you will get tender and juicy meat. The Spicy Pork Collar and Signature Volcano Chicken are great! There is some heat when eating the volcano chicken so prepare your drink if you are not a chilli lover.

There meats can be accompanied with various sauces. They also have a range of cooked food like kimchi fried rice, japchae, ginseng chicken soup and others finger snacks like fried nugget, wedges etc. There is free flow of drinks. Alcoholic beverages and canned drinks are not included in the buffet price. I think I have had better meats elsewhere but for the price we are paying, this is very reasonable.

Be prepared to come out of the restaurant with smoky hair and shirt because there are no smoke chimneys to absorb smoke. But I don’t think people really mind as evident from the crowd. So please call to make reservations.

BUFFET LUNCH:
Mon to Fri: $14++ (adult); $9++ (kid)
Sat, Sun & PH: $24++ (adult); $18++ (kid)

BUFFET DINNER:
Mon to Fri: $22++ (adult); $18++ (kid)
Fri-Sun, Eves & PH: $24++ (adult); $18++ (kid)

I’m KIM Korean BBQ
Address: School Of The Arts Singapore, 1 Zubir Said Drive #01-04/07 Singapore 227968 (Dhoby Ghaut)
Tel: 6238 7218

Usher in bountiful spring with imperial indulgences at Yan Ting, the Cantonese restaurant at The St Regis Singapore, with jubilant celebrations, traditional Lunar New Year goodies and extraoridinary gastronomic experiences at the address of culinary refinement.

The masterchefs of Yan Ting bring exquisite yet hearty oriental delicacies to discerning fastronomes. Indulge family, friends and business associates in 8 decadent festive dine-in set menus, ideal for intimate pairs or for hosting reunion meals in larger groups, as well as an exclusive ala carte menu featuring time-honoured classics and delectable additions.

A signature of Yan Ting restaurant, the Prosperity ‘Yu Sheng’ with Norwegian Salmon is a classic of the freshest ingredients. Containing snow pear and a zest of passion fruit juice in the plum sauce dressing, it is a very refreshing appetizer.

Pique the appetite with savoury insulgences of a new combination – Fortune Barbeque Platter from the exclusive ala carte menu, featuring crispy suckling pig, roasted duck, barbequed pork and marinated jelly fish. The meats are cooked to perfection, an ideal appetizer for sharing.

I like the newly introduced crispy prosperty roll with scallops, banana and salted egg, a flavoursome six-colour roll including crunchy water chestnut, prawn and vegetables paste, black moss as well as banana, for a ting of sweet surprise. The beautifully presented and crusty combination deep-fried into a savoury-sweet burst of flavours will be a delight for adults and the young ones alike.

For me, the must-have timeless classic is the Chinese New Year Pun Choy. St Regis’s Pun Choy is a lavish dish of thirteen divine treasures including succulent premium abalones, dried oysters and sea cucumbers. Seafood ehtusiasts will rejoice with dishes like sauteed prawns and scallops in black bean sauce.

A bowl of carbo before dessert – Wok-fried glutinous rice with wind dried sausages. As I get older, I kinda know how to better appreciate lap cheong. It provides more bite and texture to the seasoned rice.

Last but not least, a cup of smooth and creamy avocado sago cream served with ice cream and crispy glutinous rice cake to end the night. Lunar New Year menus are available from 1 February to 5 March 2015, from $108++ per pax (minimum 2 guests).

Yan Ting Restaurant
Address: 29 Tanglin Rd, The St. Regis Singapore Level 1U
Tel: 6506 6887
Website: http://www.yantingrestaurant.com/cny2015
For takeaways: http://upg.starwoodpromos.com/?u=34F248377C14192

Prosperity is in the air and their bellies as Goodwood Park Hotel introduces its selection of Lunar New Year delights and delectable dine-in menus.

New and noteworthy Prosperity Specials include Joy of Abundance – a salt-crusted delight consisting of the rarely-seen eel maw; Braised Pork Belly in Tianjin Cabbage Roll with Sea Treasures; Kanpachi with Tuna ‘Yu Sheng’ and Durian ‘Nian Gao’ Roll. These are available at Min Jiang and Min Jiang at One-North from 5 February to 5 March 2015.

The talented pastry team has crafted exquisite new Lunar New Year Goodies such as Golden Prosperity Pumpkin cake and Blessings of Fortune cake that will be available at the Deli from 29 January to 5 March 2015.

Only for dine-in at Min Jiang, Kanpachi and Tuna ‘Yu Sheng’ (黄尾鱼金枪鱼捞生, $138) is a glorious platter of pristine goodness to mark the start of a happy occasion. Created by Master Chef Chan Hwan Kee (曾繁基) of Min Jiang, it features a lofty stack of mesclun greens, strips of radish, carrot, red ginger, jellyfish and fried silver cod fish, pine nuts, topped with sweet potato and yam crisps, and finished off with ground peanuts, sesame seeds as well as ‘pok choy’ (crispy golden ‘pillows’) tossed in a balanced plum-wasabi-lime juice sauce. The wasabi sauce provides a Japanese take to a Chinese yusheng. The ultra-fresh seafood stars of kanpachi and tuna complete this celebration must-have.

Joy of Abundance 好运鲤鱼过丰年 ($298 for 6 pax) is an impressive centrepiece for the table. This dish is adorned with two beautiful koi swimming in a sea of wealth that encases sumptuous sea treasures within. Break open the salt crust to ‘release’ the good fortune and feast on scrumptious eel maw stuffed with dace fish paste, Australian 10-head abalones, dried oysters, dried scallops, flower mushrooms and ‘fa cai’ (black moss). It is available for dine-in and takeaway at Min Jiang.

If you prefer something healthier, head to Min Jiang at One-North for Assorted Fruits and Vegetables ‘Lo Hei’ (鸿运水果蔬菜捞起 – $80 small / $130 large) by Master Chef Goh Chee Kong (吴志光). Artfully arranged delicate plum slices are topped with pomelo-mango bits, and enhanced with an assortment of dragon fruit, mango, rock melon and cucumber. Crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, toasted pine nuts as well as yam, sweet potato and seaweed crisps add fragrance and provide a crunchy textural contrast. A dressing made of mustard, sesame sauce and fruit juice provides an appetising finish.

Chef’s Braised Pork Belly in Tianjin Cabbage Roll with Sea Treasures (金鲍白菜卷海味锅, $248 for 6 pax) boasts melt-in-the-mouth pork belly which has been seasoned with garlic, ginger and spring onions, then tenderly slow-cooked for 5 hours. Sichuan pickled cabbage and fresh chillies are added to the dish, which is then further steamed for two hours to achieve a perfect blend of salty and tangy flavours. For the final flourish, the pork is snugly wrapped in Tianjin cabbage, steamed for ten minutes, then served with sea cucumber, Australian 10-head abalones, dried oysters, dried scallops, flower mushrooms and ‘fa cai’ (black moss) on a bed of Tianjin cabbage. It is available for dine-in and takeaway at Min Jiang at One-North.

Fans of the thorny fruit can rejoice with the hotel’s new creation of Durian ‘Nian Gao’ Roll (榴梿年糕卷 | $28/2 rolls for takeaway, $18/6 slices for dine-in). Luscious D24 durian paste embraced by layers of divine ‘gula Melaka’-infused ‘nian gao’ and sprinkled with coconut flakes. It is available for dine-in and takeaway from 5 February to 5 March 2015 at Min Jiang and Min Jiang at One-North.

Available for takeaway from 29 January to 5 March 2015 at the Deli, Blessings of Fortune (金玉满堂, $88/kg) is a gorgeous creation impeccably handmade by Pastry Chef Joe Tan and his talented team. This stunning showpiece is a sturdy dark chocolate fudge cake adorned with crimson and gold icing, milk chocolate gold coins, dark chocolate ingots and golden rice crispies. Golden Prosperity Pumpkin (发财金瓜, $88/kg) is absolutely adorable and sure to bring smiles around the table is this gleaming rotund pumpkin cashew nut cake that is suitably dense and coated with gold icing.

Prosperity Specials, a selection of ‘Yu Sheng’ and dine-in à la carte and set menus will be available at Min Jiang (Goodwood Park Hotel) and Min Jiang at One-North (No. 5 Rochester Park) from 5 February to 5
March 2015 for lunch and dinner.

Guests can call Min Jiang at (65) 6730 1704, Min Jiang at One-North at (65) 6774 0122, and the Deli at (65) 6730 1786 to place takeaway orders or reservations. Alternatively, guests may also visit festivepromotions.goodwoodparkhotel.com for online takeaway orders. Advance order of three working days is required for takeaways and the last order date is 2 March 2015 at 12 noon.

I used to be a big fan of Qiu Lian Home Made noodles which began in 1988 by Madam Ong Qiu Lian who inherited the family recipe from her grandmother. Almost every Sunday, I would patronise their Bishan branch (which was the best in my opinion) with my family. Every bowl of their noodles is homemade-style and unpretentious.

After the Bishan outlet was closed, I no longer visit other branches anymore. Instead, I have been going to these ban mian specialist stalls around Singapore to satisfy my Ban Mian craving. One of them is Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle. I will always head there for lunch before shopping.

Located at the food court of City Plaza, this stall serves excellent bowl of ban mian. There are 8 different kind of noodles for you to choose from, from ban mian to you mian, mee sua, bean flour noodle etc. And there are so many permutations, you can either pair it with prawns, fish, kidney, clams etc. I always take a long time to look through the menu, but always ended up with the same order – Abalone Clam Hand Made Noodle ($4). Come on Maureen, you can do better next time. Haha! I always wanted to go for prawns but am too lazy to remove the shells, so clams is a better choice for me.

So what I like about Poon Nah’s is the chewy and soft noodles, plus the clear soup is tasty and that I can finish the whole bowl of it. With the use of wolfberry leaves in their dishes, the combination is mouthwatering! Their chilli sauce totally lifted the entire flavours with a punch. I basically dipped everything into the chilli.

They also sell deep fried items like luncheon meat ($3) and beancurd skin ($1) to pair with the noodles. But I would skip this because I think $3 for luncheon meat is way too expensive, and the items are too oily for my liking. However, I would always order a popiah ($1.50) to share and ended my lunch with a bowl of chendol. Go for the desserts, it’s great!

Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle
Address: #05-02, City Plaza, 810 Geylang Road
Tel: 6842 4524
Opening Hours: Mon to Sun 11am to 8pm, closed on alt Saturdays

Spicy Thai-Thai Cafe was founded by homegrown businessman, Ron Poh five years ago. It started with the passion of seeking real authentic Thai food. Ron was an engineer by training and owns another business in the Telecommunications Engineering industry. However, he has an unexplainable affinity with anything Thai, from culture to food.

If you are one avid fan of Thai food, you’ll be happy that someone is doing it the real authentic way right here in the heart of Singapore; from using charcoal for soup and steamed dishes to maintain heat consistency and quality, importing tea leaves from Thailand for the signature Thai Iced Tea, different own-made dressings for different dishes, to desserts made from scratch… this is exactly the authenticity Ron wants to bring across as the brand personality and offerings of Spicy Thai-Thai Cafe.

There are LOTS of dishes in the menu. We started with Prawn Cakes ($2/pc) and Fish Cakes ($2/pc), served with sweet chilli sauce. I like the prawn cakes with is chockful of prawn paste deep fried to perfection. Deep Fried Kang Kong with Special Thai Sauce ($10) is a special creation with crispy batter coating around the crunch vegetables. Eating alone is quite plain, but the special thai sauce makes it better.

If omelette is your thing, then the Dill Pattie (Cha Om) Omelette ($8) is a good choice. For healthier option, try their Water Fry Egg with Thai Style Crispy Sun Dried Fish ($12). Yes they “fry” it with water and don’t be deceived by its plain look, it is packed with a spicy, tangy kick.

I once at BBQ Pork Neck with glutinous rice and very spicy chilli sauce in Bangkok. Till today, it was still very memorable. And Spicy Thai-Thai Cafe’s version of BBQ Pork Neck ($10) reminds me of the similar dish I had in Bangkok. Cooked over charcoal of the right temperature until smoky, the pork neck has just the right amount of a nice balance of lean meat and tender juicy fat. It can be served with steamed rice or sticky rice but many also love it on its own. MUST TRY! Equally grilled to perfection is BBQ Chicken Wing ($6 for 4pc/ $9 for 6pc) which is sweet, smoky and slightly charred.

If you are a fish lover, Spicy Thai – Thai Cafe cooks fish in Thai style. Thai Walking Cat Fish with Spicy Lemon Soup ($28) gives you a refreshing take with firm meat drenched in a tangy soup base cooked under constant charcoal heat. Alternatively, Red Emperor Snapper with Chilli Garlic (market price) offers a garlic and chilli combination with hint of lemon zest to boost up the flavours of the fish. Everyone on the table enjoyed it.

Another MUST TRY is their Lala (Clams) Fried Bee Hoon ($18) which is a new addition to the menu. The chef is a deft hand at balancing the flavours of ingredients to achieve that perfect equilibrium between the delicately briny clams and the flavoursome stock to fry this delicious pot of bee hoon, toeing the line between rusticity and refinement with impressive balance. The natural sweetness from the clams and the wok-hei skills from the chef combine to give this Lala Fried Bee Hoon a piquant and smoky flavour.

Ending the dinner with a range of desserts. Spicy Thai offers a good selection of Thai desserts such as the Lemongrass Jelly with Aloe Vera Cubes and Calamansi ($2.50), Tapioca in Coconut Milk ($3.50), Thai Red Ruby ($3.50) and Sticky Glutinous Rice with Mango ($6). The lemongrass jelly and red ruby are perfect to cool off that fiery tongue after all the spicy food.

If you are looking for a classic meal of Thai cuisine that delivers on taste and won’t break the bank, Spicy Thai-Thai Cafe is a good choice. The cafe is decked out in a comfortable non-intimidating Thai decor, with ornate patterns, bouquets of flowers and ceiling fans whirling. Savour authentic Thai cuisine with laid-back atmosphere!

Spicy Thai – Thai Cafe
Address: Blk 115 Aljunied Avenue 2, #01-35
Tel: 6747 8558
Opening hours: 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily

I always have the perception that Peranakan food is expensive, until I came to know about Baba Perakana Truly which sells very cheap nonya cuisine. Located at the basement of Katong Plaza (beside Roxy Square), I wouldn’t have know about this place if not for LeeAnne who introduced me to the stall. Can you believe it, we frequent Katong very often but have never notice its existence.

Don’t expect to be seated in a traditional Peranakan setting restaurant filled with phoenixes and peonies motifs. You are probably just paying more for their ambience and rental space. Here, the tables are arranged neatly along the dimly lit shopping mall corridor, with all the shops just beside you. I turned my head and I could clearly see the receptionist in the music school. I am sure she can see what I am eating as well. Duh.

Serving cheap homestyle Peranakan food, the kitchen is headed by Chef Aloysius Tan, who used to be a chef at Peramakan Restaurant along East Coast Road. We started our dinner with a bowl of Bakwan Kepiting ($5) – a comforting bowl of Peranakan meatball soup made with minced pork and crabmeat served wt fine slices of bamboo shoots and mushroom. The meatballs pack a punch and we love the soup that we finished it.

We thought the portions are going to be small just like other Peranakan restaurants I visited, hence we ordered slightly more. But it turned out to be more than enough for both of us. The chap chye ($4) itself is enough to fill us up. Thankfully, it is not overpowered with taucheo (preserved soy beans). There’s just enough to give this simmer of mushrooms, cabbage, glass noodles and lily bulbs in classic flavour. But we didn’t quite like their ngoh hiang ($8) which are handrolled with minced pork, prawns and water chestnut. It’s kinda dry and loses its inner juices. Wished the fillings were more seasoned which will pair better with the sambal belachan.

Probably one of the most expensive dishes in the menu is Ayam Buah Keluak ($10) seasoned with tamarind juice and kaffir leave. The tanginess from the tamarind juice makes it more appetizing then usual. And we love the nutty flavour of the black nut which goes well with white rice!

I won’t consider this eatery to have the best Peranakan flavours, but it is really very affordable and great for quiet dinners with family.

Baba Peranakan Truly
Address: 1 Brooke Road B1-K3/K4, Katong Plaza
Opening hours: 9am-9pm, closed on Mondays