I am really not that particular about food. Especially when I have meals with my family, I enjoy the company for than food. But just last week, when I was having dinner with my aunt in a food court, we ordered 2 plates of ayam panggang. There were already a stack of grilled chicken placed at a corner, and what the staff did upon receiving an order was to heat it up and serve.

When it was served, the two plates of ayam panggang didn’t smell good at all. To me, I am still able to swallow the chicken, just that the soup was too oily and a little too sourish for my liking. But my poor aunty wanted to vomit after a mouthful. So in the end, we decided to buy other food to fill our tummy.

We were sitting close to the ayam panggang stall and they saw that we put our ayam panggang aside and went to order other dishes. Well the staff can choose to ignore, but she came over and politely asked if there was anything wrong. We gave her the feedback and she requested one of our plates so that she could try it with her boss. She came back and still politely said that there was nothing wrong with the chicken, they grilled it fresh daily and perhaps we were not used to the spices used. Also, she returned us our money even though I strongly rejected it.

From this instances, there were lots of learning points that I took away. Well I wouldn’t reveal where did I had this ayam panggang, but it is obvious that the chicken drumsticks were not grilled upon order, and it was merely heated up and drizzled with a weird tasting sweet sauce. I was more surprised at the action of this particular staff. She did the absolute right thing and did the service recovery very well. She could have just stare at us and cursing us for wasting our food. But she didn’t and showed her concern instead. Just when I have experienced many lousy experiences in restaurants, this lady has given me hope for our service industry.

Anyway, I met Michelle for lunch the other day at Yummy Viet in Chinatown. I bought the Entertainer app, and it is offering a COMPLIMENTARY Main Menu item when a main menu item of equal or greater value is purchased. So I took the chance to try this Vietnamese restaurant.

These BBQ Sugar Cane Shrimp Rolls ($5.90 for 2 pcs) are a classic Vietnamese appetizer. A garlicky shrimp paste is wrapped around a stick of sugarcane, briefly steamed to set the paste and shape, and then grilled to finish.

An interesting dish in the menu is Grilled Pork Baguette ($5.90). Made with baguettes still warm from the oven, it is filled with slightly sweet cubes of BBQ pork slices, peanut sauce, peanut, pickle veggies, cucumber and coriander.

We ordered two mains – Slice Beef Noodles ($9.50) and BBQ Pork Chop Fried Rice ($8.90). The beef noodles is a lean yet satisfying soup. Even though I still prefer Mrs Pho in terms of the flavours, this light brown broth is non-greasy and packed with a beefy goodness. The BBQ pork was a little too oily and chewy.

Yummy Viet
Address: 28th Smith Street, Singapore 058942
Tel: 6222 5191
Website: http://www.yummyviet.com.sg/

“Coffee No-where? Why would this cafe give themselves such a name!” That was my thought on my way to Coffee:Nowhere at West Coast Plaza. But I was wrong, it was pronounced as “coffee now here” lah!

In Dec 2013, The first Coffee:Nowhere outlet was opened in Johor Bahru in 2013, through a joint venture as a flagship concept café serving not just specialty coffee and food but also sells coffee beans, apparatus and gears, as well as provide barista training. The brand is in a phase of fierce expansion. Within six months, the coffee chain expanded to Singapore and Indonesia.

Coffee:Nowhere roasts its own coffee at its roaster in Johor Bahru, allowing it to better control cost and quality. It uses 100 percent specialty grade Arabica beans, following a standard methodology and recipes to ensure consistency and freshness of its brews.

I had very good cup of Cappuccino ($5.80). Using a blend of three different beans including Brazil Yellow Bourboum, Ethiopia Sidamo and Guatemala, my coffee has a hint of walnut flavour with rich and creamy body. It has berry like acidity and a bitter sweet cocoa finish.

Like a spring roll, the Mexican Roll ($8.80) is wrapped with minced chicken, lettuce, cheese and BBQ sauce. I find the roll too thick which makes it very hard for one full bite. Perhaps changing the skin to enchiladas can work better.

This Pizza Nowhere ($19.80) was a delight. It’s crispy thin pizza skin with melted cheddar and mozzarella cheese blend, topped with slices of smoked duck and pieces of lychee. Quite an interesting combination, the savoury meat was balanced with sweet lychee.

The Egg Benedict ($16.80) can be better. The egg was overcooked and the hollandaise sauce was tasteless. The toasted brioche seems too huge for such a small egg. The bacon was good though, I have had bacon from other places that were too tough. Love the eggy sauce from the Chilli Crab Spaghetti ($14.80) though. It is slightly spicy.

I am very happy with the Burger Nowhere ($14.80). It is a substantial burger with juicy beef patty, sliced tomato, cheese, lettuce, caramelised onion, fried egg, served with french fries and salad. That is a lot of burger for the price and all of it is good. I applaud the smart move to balance out the flavours – the patty remains juicy, the vegetables add a nice crunch to the burger and the fried egg completes everything.

Besides espresso, the cafe also does brewed coffee using 4 different brewing methods: syphon, aeropress, pour over, french press. Using cherry red Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, each brewing method brings out a unique character of the coffee.

The syphon brings out a cleaner taste so the berry flavours from the yirgacheffe seems more obvious to me. I prefer the pour over method which has a more balanced taste profile with a bitter sweet chocolaty aroma.

The cafe is pretty huge and have many different corners for you to enjoy the coffee while read a book. It’s NOT nowhere, it’s now here.

Coffee:Nowhere Singapore
Address: West Coast Plaza, 154 West Coast Road, #B1-06/07 Singapore 127371
Opening Hours: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Website: http://coffeenowhere.com

How many of you remember the demolished Hin Hollywood canteen? I am sure the name brings lots of memories for many of you as it existed for 5 decades. But it was closed in 2011 as the entire area was redeveloped. At the canteen, there was a Zheng Guang wanton mee stall that many foodies love. Now, it has shifted to Haig Road Food Centre.

Why the name Zheng Guang (正光)? Because the owner is truthful about the food he prepares – no shortcut method, no missing ingredients in his wanton. That’s why, his wanton mee has won the hearts of many foodies over the last 50 years. Even though age is catching up and preparations is tedious, some special ingredients were not removed.

One of them is definitely the lard. It is rendered from pig fat by frying, before it is mixed into peanut oil. The oil is then made fragrant by stir frying scalloon and garlic in it. Then he tossed the noodles with the sauce, to give it the maximum pleasure.

Cooking the noodles is not an easy task too. The owner has to make sure the water is boiling before putting in the noodles. He cooks it swiftly in the boiling water, so that the noodles do not stick together and yet well cooked inside out. The noodles are cooked til al dante and has a perfect QQ texture which absorbs the sauce really well. They added fried plaice into their wanton to enhance the flavours.

It’s a shame that alot of places have to be killed to give way for development. I welcome the country’s progression, but it is just a pity that the hawkers who has been working at such a nostalgic place for so many years have to relocate. But I am glad that Zheng Guang is still doing it. Watch the video filmed by Channel 8, you will understand why Hollywood Canteen means so much to many people. You can also see some photos of Hin Hollywood Canteen by photographer David Teo.

Zheng Guang Wanton Noodles
Address: Haig Road Market & Cooked Food Centre #01-67

Tanuki Raw is known for its insane Happy Hour where freshly shucked oysters go for $2. Well, it is set to seal its position as the most value-for-money food spot in Orchard Road with a new lunch menu that features six Japanese rice bowls, ranging from $12 to $17.80. The prices might be competitive but there’s no compromise on quality and generosity. Diners can expect premium ingredients such as ikura (salmon roe) and Black Angus beef short rib, and sauces that are made fresh on-site.

Before our rice bowls arrived, we ordered a few small bites to share. The Ocean Rockerfeller ($12) offers salmon, scallop and spicy lobster seasoned in lemon juice and triple sec served on scallop shells with torched mozzarella. Didn’t like the Trickster cheesesteak ($12), featuring the yakiniku beef, onion and mushroom with melted cheddar cheese in a kong bak pau. The cheddar was too heavy on the palette, hence I didn’t quite taste the yakiniku beef. However, the Chicken of the Sea ($9) has a great contrast in textures – from crispy salmon skin, to tender aburi salmon in yuzu sauce, covered with chicken floss.

Leading the menu is one of Singapore’s most affordable chirashi dons. For $17.80, Tanuki’s Chirashi Don includes hot favorites like salmon and tuna, seasonal items such as striped jack, and premium ingredients like ikura and scallop. The Bara Chirashi Don, $17.80 features the same amount of fresh fish, only in this rice bowl, the fish is cubed and seasoned with Tanuki’s secret umami sauce. The fiance loves this as the sashimi cubes are fresh and it is easy to eat. The Salmon Don ($12) shows off Singaporeans’ favorite fish in different ways – salmon sashimi, lightly seared aburi, cubed salmon tossed with spicy mayonnaise and ikura arranged beautifully on top of fluffy Japanese sushi rice.

For those who prefer red meat, the Truffle Yakiniku Don ($14.80) is a prime example of how luxury is never a costly affair at Tanuki Raw. The Black Angus beef short rib is slow-cooked in a water bath to ensure the meat is incredibly tender and juicy. Truffle soy sauce and a delicate onsen tamago with a rich, runny yolk complete this decadent dish. Break the runny yolk onto the seared beef and mix with truffle oil, every mouth will send you to beef heaven. Definitely my favourite dish for lunch!

On top of these hearty bowls, the lunch menu has two more options for chicken lovers – the Yakitori Don, $12, with pan-seared chicken in teriyaki sauce, and the comforting Tanuki Curry Don, $12.80, with deep-fried chicken cutlet, rough cut onions and an apple curry sauce.

The new lunch menu at Tanuki Raw is available daily from 11.30am to 3pm.

Tanuki Raw
Address: 181 Orchard Road, #02-03 Orchard Central S(238896)
Tel: 6636 5949
Website: www.tanukibar.com

Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore has appointed Marco De Vincentis as chef de cuisine of Waterfall Ristorante Italiano. In his new role, Chef Marco is responsible for transforming the former Waterfall Café into a Southern Italian trattoria featuring handmade pasta and fresh seafood.

Born in Naples, the largest city in southern Italy, Chef Marco spent his childhood immersed in rich culinary heritage. His birth city is traditionally regarded as the home of pizza. Growing up with his grandfather, who is a chef, and being exposed to various culinary influences as a result of Naples’ history, it was natural for Chef Marco to apply for the Culinary and Pastry Arts School.

During his apprenticeship, he gained kitchen experience in prestigious restaurants, including Vincent’s Restaurant in California, La Locanda della Tamerice in Italy and Le Doyen in Belgium. After graduating with the highest honours, Chef Marco relocated to Milan and trained under Chef Sergio Mei, who was presiding over Milan’s only Michelin-starred restaurant. Subsequently, Chef Marco embarked on his journey to Asia when he joined modern Italian restaurant La Cucina at Al Faisaliah Hotel, Saudi Arabia.

Joining Waterfall Ristorante Italiano as its new chef de cuisine, Chef Marco will conceptualise its menu every season, source for gourmet merchandising and provide leadership to the restaurant’s culinary operations team. He hopes to introduce a diverse menu that retains the tradition of authentic and classic Southern Italian favourites for all diners.

Most people will recognize pasta and pizza – two of the most popular dishes that form part of the Italian cuisine. However, Italian cuisine has a lot more to offer than just these two well known dishes. Most importantly, Italian cuisine also has a rich and tempting history – just like the different dishes that form part of its offerings.

Chef Marco is quite a stickler about classic Southern Italian dishes, which forms the foundation of Waterfall Ristorante Italiano. His pastas taste the way they are supposed to taste, the sauces not too complicated or heavily applied, and the seafood is of excellent quality.

Among the appetisers, Insalata Di Mare All’Amalfitana ($23) appeals. It is a popular and always fresh signature seafood salad. Originated from Amalfi , a beautiful coast just a little South of Naples, fresh catch is common. Using fresh seafood tossed in lemon dressing, Waterfall’s version provides some clues as to just how serious they are about offering a quality submarine experience.

In the Southern part of Italy, eggplants grow beautifully and thus appear in a variety of traditional dishes, like this Parmigiana Di Melanzane ($20). In a melt with Parmigiano and tomatoes, the carefully-sourced eggplants lends significant flavor and is a much-loved dish by many.

Within the eclectic, colonial interiors lies a treasure trove of fresh seasonal produce. Linguine Allo Scoglio ($28) is authentic Southern Italian seafood pasta with prawn, scallop, mussel, clam and cherry tomatoes. The sauce is made with fresh tomato sauce, which makes all the difference. It tastes fresh and light rather than ketchupy, and allows the fresh seafood to shine.

Color is splashed around with retina-filling gusto in Chef Marco’s kitchen. Inspired by the classic Parmigiana starter, Doppio Ravioli Alla Parmigiana ($26) comes in duo – one wrapped with eggplant, the other in sun-dried tomato. The shiny green pockets made a visual impact and is cooked with mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and basil butter sauce. Scamorza cheese is added for extra kick of smoky flavour.

Chef’s Lasagna Croccante Ragu’ Bianco E Porcini ($24) is a great twist on the classic made with a delicious slow cooked ragu. He created this crispy lasagna recipe in memory of his childhood cravings for the crispy edges of his mother’s lasagna. This delicious lasagna dish is a passionate variation of an Italian ever-green… and white… and red!

The most memorable dish was Chef Marco’s Stufato di Pesce ($68). Inspired by a recipe from chef’s grandma, this traditional and comforting seafood stew kept the family warm at the dinner table on mild winter evenings along the coast of Naples. It’s a robust dish packed with mussels, squid and fish chunks in a tomato-based broth. The devilishly red stock draws extra flavour from the array of crustaceans and is suitable for minimum two persons.

Fans of beef will not want to miss this most popular beef recipe – Tagliata Di Manzo Rucola E Grana in Italy. To make this Italian dish, you need some really good and tender beef. Choose from 3 different cuts – Striploin Black Angus 120 days grain fed ($38), Tenderloin Hunter Valley grain fed ($41) or Wagyu Rib Eye 5+($56).

Marinated with capsicum, we had the Wagyu Rib Eye that was beautifully seared for maximum flavor and left pink in the middle (medium rare). Resting on a bed of fresh rocket leaves, covered by paper-thin shavings of pale yellow parmesan cheese, drizzled with balsamic vinegar, every piece is a slice of joy. Pair it with a glass of good red wine and perfection has been achieved.

With room for just one dessert, my dining companion and I decided to share Torta Caprese ($16), a traditional flour and gluten free chocolate cake originated from Capri in the 1920s. There are several tales about the invention of this cake, but all tales have something in common: it was created by mistake, since flour was forgotten or probably being replaced by cocoa powder. Nevertheless, it was a delicious mistake as the cake has a thin hard shell covering a moist interior. Almond flavor is a perfect marriage with the chocolate – it’s dense, decadent and delicious.

The new Waterfall Ristorante Italiano is an improvement in many ways, and Chef Marco’s cooking is deeply appealing – both for the flavours and the experience of eating it. For instant online reservations, please click here to make reservations.

Waterfall Ristorante Italiano
Address: Shangri-La Hotel, Garden Wing Level One
Tel: 6213 4138
Opening Hours: 6.30am to 10.30pm daily

I was at Sims Vista Food Centre for Hollywood Duck Rice, when we came across black ku kueh (instead of ang ku kueh), so we decided to give it a try. It has passed lunch time, the owners were preparing ingredients for tomorrow, and they have kindly allow us to take some photos. The stall sells a range of handmade Teochew kuehs like mushroom soon kuehs, rice kuehs, gu-cai kuehs, crystal dumplings, savoury style black sesame rice kuehs.

Their soon kueh is one of the best I ever had. Made of rice flour skin wrapped with shredded turnips, mushroom and dried shrimps, the skin is translucent and soft, with a slight chewy texture. It has a strong hei bi (dried shrimp) and garlic flavour, which makes it really tasty. Add some chilli sauce and it gives you the kick. I like how generous they are with the fillings and their skin is very good! I should try their ku chye (chives) kueh and ping png kueh (glutinous rice) next time.

Blk 49, Sims Place, 01-23
Tel: 97686979/96677569
Opening hours: 6am to 4.30p, closed on Mondays.

Dim Sum is in every Chinese’s cultural DNA, and this age-old tradition of sharing these mouthwatering bite-sized morsels are as alive and popular in Singapore as it is in Hong Kong. From 9 to 22 March, Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant is gearing up to provide diners with a scrumptious ensemble of dim sum creations, masterfully handcrafted by guest chefs Chow Shing Yip and Liu Wai Hung from JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong.

With over 30 years of culinary experience, these maestros are presenting a balance between authentic Cantonese flavours, coupled with fresh and premium ingredients. Freshly made, served hot and superbly executed, we started our dim sum tasting with steamed scallop with fungus & vegetable dumpling, and steamed wild mushroom & celery dumpling. Both dumpling features soft and translucent skin, are al dente at first bite and sublimely tender on the inside.

One of the main draw is probably its juicy Steamed Crab Roe with Minced Pork & Superior Soup Bun, which is slightly bigger other chain Chinese restaurants’ version. The xiao long bao is traditionally stuffed with succulent meat and more than a spoonful of light soup. The crab roe wasn’t very obvious, I would prefer it to be more flavourful. You got to be really careful while savouring it because the soup may end up on your dress.

My favourite is the Baked BBQ Pork & Egg White Puff that sent me to seventh heaven with succulent chunks of sweet and savoury BBQ Char Siew, enrobed in a soft, golden bun that is baked to perfection.

The taro in the Golden Abalone & Taro Puff is cooked sufficiently to maintain a smooth texture while the outer layer is crispy and crunchy. The dough of the Crispy Sesame Sticky Rice Flour Ball is fried perfectly until golden brown so it is both crisp and chewy from the glutinous rice flour. Each items is from $3++ onwards.

It’s a great option to enjoy a casual luncheon at Wan Hao with your family or friends. While everything from the Hong Kong Dim Sum promotion is nice, nothing is very exciting. Perhaps it’s just me but I expected more since it’s guest chefs from Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Dim Sum Feast at Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant
When? 9 to 22 March 2015 | 11.00am – 3.00pm
For dining reservations or enquiries, please contact us at 6831 4605 or visit singaporemarriott.com/dining

I love to eat waffles and pancakes, but I never like doing it. I used to tell my mother that I want to grow up working in a bakery, making waffles everyday. But when I try making pancakes at home, I gave up the idea.

This is not the first time I make pancake at home. But I lost the previous recipes and pictures, and I very much wanted to keep a pancake recipe in the blog, so I did it again last week. It’s wasn’t a planned pancake breakfast, I woke up one day, opened Instagram and saw my foodie friends having pancakes. So I decided to do a quick one at home.

Honestly, it wasn’t that quick when I have to take pictures while mixing the batter. And the pan frying part is really a pain in the a**. While controlling the fire, I have to pour the batter and holding my camera on the other hand. Man, I can barely coordinate my movements and my first few pancakes were burnt. It got better after a few tries but the shape wasn’t round. At the end of cooking all the pancakes, I was sweating and my camera smells of pancake. I guess it’s a happy problem. haha!

Fluffy Pancakes

2015-03-17 10:55:40

Yields 10

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

10 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

10 min

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup milk
2. 2 tablespoons white vinegar
3. 1 cup all-purpose flour
4. 2 tablespoons white sugar
5. 1 teaspoon baking powder
6. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
8. 1 egg
9. 2 tablespoons butter, melted
10. cooking spray

Instructions

1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Whisk egg and butter into the milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side. Serve

Notes

1. You can pair it with banana, strawberries, blueberries or cream.

Adapted from All Recipes

Adapted from All Recipes

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

You can use buttermilk to replace milk and butter. I wanted to use the leftover buttermilk I had from baking muffins, but I realised it expired. You can also add blueberries into the pancake. I love it especially when the blueberries “burst” and it gives a nice flavour. Sometimes, I add bananas and whipped cream. Enjoy your breakfast!

If you are seeking a quiet and comfortable meal in Golden Mile Complex, check out Suki Thai – Steamboat & Thai Cuisine. Opened just a few months ago, the eatery serves a range of Thai dishes, steamboat and mookata.

The menu is grouped according to different categories – meat, seafood, vegetables, dumplings, dumplings, premiums, snacks, combo. Most meat are priced at $4.50, while the more expensive premium items such as wagyu beef and kurobuta pork are priced at $22. Vegetables are priced at $2.50 and up.

We ordered these green noodles called ‘Jade Noodles’. You may find it familiar because it is the same noodles as what MK Hot Pot is selling. The noodles are topped with garlic and it tastes really good just by eating it alone.

Other than a la carte orders, there are also sets such as seafood combo ($40), which comes packed with prawns, fish, clams, pork, chicken, pork belly and a basket of vegetables. The vegetable combo costs $14.50, while the meat combo costs $24.50.

You may also want to leave room for the restaurant’s ready-cooked dishes, which is a range of traditional Thai dishes specially cooked by the lady boss who is a Thai. We ordered a plate of mango salad to try, I was daring enough to request them to prepare it the traditional Thai way. Man, it was really spicy. Just a mouthful and I found myself perspiring.

They offer two soup bases in a pot – the usual chicken soup and tom yam soup. I like the tom yam soup very much. It is light with a hint of the sour-spicy flavour. When seafood is added into the soup, it tastes so good that I just forgot about the chicken broth and kept going for the tom yam.

What started off as a steamboat place has also added mookata into the menu due to customers’ demand. It’s a good move, I feel. Especially if you have a big group, you can do mookata and steamboat together. What’s better is the air conditioning, which makes your meal enjoyable. Honestly, if you ask me which one do I prefer, I still like the steamboat more.

Another draw is the do-it-yourself dipping sauce where diners are given a tray of condiments, from sesame and chilli sauces to freshly chopped garlic and pickled chillies. All of that is worked into the spicy, aromatic sauce. Whether it is mookata or steamboat, I swab everything with it. Oh yeah, I need a bowl of rice please!

Suki Thai – Steamboat & Thai Cuisine
Address: 5001 Beach Road, Golden Mile Complex #02-45/46/47/48
Tel: 6291 3313
Opening hours: 12pm – 11pm

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Feeling cheesy? You’ve come to the right place! If you’re into cooking with cheese, then Perfect Italiano is a good option. 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.

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 using Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus, Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Cheese and Perfect Italiano Parmesan Cheese. These recipes are so simple and easy to prepare.

The easiest and quickest brunch is omelette. I only take 10 minutes to get it ready. When the omelette begins to cook and firm up, but still has a little raw egg on top, sprinkle over Perfect Italiano mozzarella and parmesan cheese. It melts beautifully and the mozzarella gives it a stretchy bite.

Mixed Cheesy Omelette

2015-03-18 23:58:22

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Ingredients

1. 25g Perfect Italiano Mozzarella Grated cheese
2. 25g Perfect Italiano Parmesan Grated cheese
3. 10g butter
4. 2 eggs beaten
5. 1 tbsp diced green and red bell peppers
6. 1 tbsp sliced shitake mushrooms
7. 1 tbsp sliced ham

Instructions

1. In a hot non-stick pan, melt Anchor butter and sauté peppers, mushrooms and ham for 2 minutes.
2. Pour in beaten eggs and spread evenly.
3. When the sides start to cook, sprinkle Perfect Italiano Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
4. Fold it over in half and remove from pan when golden brown.
5. Sprinkle more Perfect Italiano Parmesan cheese on top then serve.

Adapted from Perfect Italiano

Adapted from Perfect Italiano

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

Melted cheese has given us many beloved dishes. One of them is pizza. The creation of Pizza Plus is the answer to all pizza lovers. It is a special blend of mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan cheeses for pizza, it makes our lives so much easier. I don’t have to buy the three cheeses separately. To challenge myself further, I decided to make own my pizza dough. However, if you are rushing for time, head to the supermarket to get ready made ones.

Pizza Dough

2015-03-19 00:00:22

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Ingredients

1. 400g plain flour
2. 2 tsp dried yeast
3. 2 tsp salt
4. 1 cup warm water
5. 3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Place flour, yeast and salt in a bowl and mix.
2. Gradually add the water and olive oil then knead by hand for 7-10 minutes until the dough is smooth.
3. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap. Set aside in a warm place to rise for an hour until it doubles in volume.
4. Knead dough gently for a few minutes to remove some air.
5. Divide dough in two and roll out pizza bases. Sprinkle a little flour on the bench before rolling to prevent dough from sticking.

Adapted from Perfect Italiano

Adapted from Perfect Italiano

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

MTC Cheesy Pizza

2015-03-19 00:02:41

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Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup Italian tomato cooking sauce
2. 250g pack Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus
3. 1 red onion, sliced
4. 1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
5. 3/4 cup ham, sliced into cubes
6. ¼ cup pineapple cubes
7. ¼ cup pitted black olives
8. 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
9. 50g rocket leaves
10. 1 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Divide dough into two and roll each piece into a 20cm round, place onto a baking paper lined tray.
2. Spread each pizza base with tomato sauce and 1/2 cup Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus. Top with the ingredients and remaining Perfect Italiano Pizza.
3. Bake pizzas for 30 minutes at 200°C, until cheese is melted and base is crisp.
4. To serve, toss rocket with vinegar and arrange over warm pizzas, before cutting into wedges.

Adapted from Perfect Italiano

Adapted from Perfect Italiano

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

Pizza Plus gives the authentic pizza stretch, without making the dough oily. Look at my pizza, the cheese blister perfectly and my dough is in a beautiful brown. You can customize your own pizza and add in your favourite ingredients!

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

There are always new malls opening in Singapore but most of the malls look similar because they carry the same brands. However in Paya Lebar Square, there is a modern Peranakan restaurant called O’nya Sayang. Founded and helmed by Executive Chef Zan Ho, a third generation Peranakan Chef, he grew up in the kitchen and learnt how to cook traditional Peranakan cuisine from his mother, who opened Dulukala Peranakan Restaurant in Beauty World during the 90s.

In 2011, Zan opened the first O’nya Sayang at Tampines Mall. This outlet in Paya Lebar square is the second branch after the Tampines Mall outlet. His aim was to provide affordable Peranakan food to more Singaporeans, especially to the younger generation who are gradually losing awareness of this rich culture.

Good Peranakan cuisine boils down to the skillful use of spices and exotic ingredients. At O’nya Sayang, each dish is prepared with their very own recipes that were passed down from generation to generation.

Ask any food lover for Peranakan food and they would surely tell you their favourites. I didn’t expect my favourite dish would be Babi Pongteh ($13.90) because the lighter colour looks too unassuming. But the fermented bean paste was specially imported from Malacca. EThe flavours are subtle and the pork belly melted in my mouth. Bakwan Kepiting Soup ($12.90) was also well executed. The soup is robust and the meatballs are firm yet moist.

Its Assam Fish ($16.90) was slightly expensive in my opinion. Two pieces of fish is nestled in a sea of reddish gravy with brinjal. The fish was a little too fishy but the assam sauce had enough kick, but still able to eat it without perspiring. I love the Chap Chye ($10.90) which was again cooked using fermented bean paste imported from Malacca. It has a hint of sweetness and the vegetables are stewed till very soft.

O’nya Sayang offers quite a few Peranakan set meals. One of them is the Lor Bak Noodles Set ($12.90) that comes with a plate of noodle, achar, lor bak and otah. It probably works for office ladies who don’t wish for a heavy lunch. The noodles are soaked in a pool of savoury braising, which I wasn’t quite impressed. But the fiance loved it and even though commented that the noodles retained its texture even though it has been left aside for some time to take photos. The otah had some small bones at one part, so you got to take note while eating it.

Another set was Ayam Keluak Fried Rice Set ($14.90) which I am sure would blow the mind of a modernist. The rice was stir fried with the ayam buah keluak sauce, and served with a bowl of ayam buah keluak, achar and sambal belachan. Being a traditionalist, I didn’t quite like the fried rice as I thought it lacked the fragrance from the keluak. However, I enjoyed the ayam buah keluak totally.

Cooking buah keluak is a tedious and time-consuming process which begins at least 3 days before the day of cooking. The nuts have to be soaked, scrubbed and dried to get rid of any traces of cyanide. Besides the nutty flavour from the keluak, I noticed the mild sweetness from the sauce. Zan said the he added minced meat together with minced prawns to make the dish more wholesome, and of course that’s where the sweetness came from. Oh yes, please have it with the sambal belachan, it is so fragrant with a mild spicy kick!

Ending my lunch with Chendol ($4.90) and Sago Gula Melaka Ice Cream ($5.90). Using Thai coconut ice cream, it is so creamy and pairs well with the chendol strip and gula melaka. Zan gets his gula melaka from Indonesia so it is richer and less sweet.

I think I am still a traditionalist as I still prefer the classic Peranakan dishes rather than the set meals. Classics like chap chye and babi pongteh won my heart, as well as the chendol. But I appreciate Zan’s effort in trying to keep the prices low and coming up with innovative set meals so as to introduce Peranakan cuisine to younger crowd.

O’nya Sayang
Address: 60 Paya Lebar Road, #B1-30/31, Paya Lebar Square, Singapore 409051
Website: http://www.onyasayang.com/
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm daily

Because all my friends have been raving about Mad About Sucre, I paid a visit last Saturday. Opened by by siblings Eric and Lena Chan, Eric does marketing while Lena takes care of the kitchen. Graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, Lena used to work in Sugarplum Cake Shop – a stunning wedding cake shop in Paris. Don’t play play ok!

Using French techniques in her cakes, Lena does not use any flavouring or stabilisers in her products. All her sweets is made from organic flour, raw sugar and natural colouring from fruit puree. This is great news for me because I get nauseous when artificial flavourings are added. That’s why I don’t usually eat cakes in restaurants.

Nevertheless, I got to try a few other sweet treats. From the lightest in flavours, the Moulin Rouge ($10.80) features lightly charred caramel mousse, walnut parfait, short sweet bread, and almond crunch. I thought charred caramel would taste too sweet or too bitter. But none of that happened. The mousse was light, moderately sweet and when you bite the almond crunch with charred caramel, it is a perfect marriage.

Next, I picked the Passionne ($10.80) – a light cheese cake with hints of passionfruit and coco nip crunch. The mild acidity of passionfruit makes this cheese cake easy to eat. They have a range of house-blended teas to pair with the sweets. For Passionne, we paired it with a mango tea. I am a fan of coconut mousse and lemon curd. However, I went late in the afternoon and their Coco Citron was sold out.

For something rich, San Domingue ($12.80) is the right choice. First, put the rum jewel box into your mouth. When it starts to melt, put a slice of cake into you mouth. Let the chocolate and rum party together. With a caramelised plantain in the middle, the mousse is made from 70% single origin chocolate from Saint Dominique. It has a very pronounced cocoa flavor and a long finish. This is paired with lotus tea.

I am impressed. Mad About Sucre has definitely brought a fresh air to the patisserie scene. Each slice of cake is artistically crafted in small batches that are made the old-fashioned way, from scratch and by hand. The wedding cakes done by Lena are very elegant and romantic. Love it!

Mad About Sucre
Address: 27 Teo Hong Road, Singapore 088334
Tel: +65 6221 3969
Opening Hours: Tue-Sat 1230pm – 1030pm; Sun 1230pm – 5pm (Closed on Mon)

My aunt (gu ma) is a great cook. She does Hakka abacus seeds (suan pan zi) very well and every Chinese New Year, I will always load my bowl full of her signature dish and eat my heart out. This year, I made a small request to ask her to teach me how to cook. A week ago, she was having a dumpling party at home with her friends and asked me along. One of her table tennis friends is from Hainan Island and makes dumplings. So we gathered at my aunt’s house to make dumplings!

It’s awesome to make your own dumplings at home. You can add in your favourite fillings and it definitely taste better than the ready made ones. You can make a lot at one go, store it in the freezer and when you are hungry, just take it out to eat. You can make dumplings that are filled with everything from traditional pork and cabbage to things like shrimp and diced mushrooms. If the dough making is too tedious, just grab the original wrappers from supermarket. In this recipe, we make pumpkin and sweet potato dumplings, which is very healthy!

Pumpkin Dumplings

2015-03-24 14:14:21

Yields 60

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Dough

1. 3 cups top flour
2. 100g of pumpkin / sweet potato puree (steamed)
3. 3/4 cup cold water
4. 1/4 teaspoon salt
5. 2 eggs

Filling

1. 1 cup ground pork belly
2. 1 cup finely shredded cabbage
3. 50g Chinese chives, chopped finely
4. 50g prawns, minced
5. 2 cloves garlic, minced

Seasoning

1. 1 tbsp olive oil
2. 2 tbsp sesame oil
3. 1 tbsp light soy sauce
4. Some salt
5. Some pepper

For the dipping sauce

1. 1/4 cup black vinegar
2. 1 tablespoon ginger, shredded

Instructions

1. Stir the salt into the flour. Blend steamed pumpkin with water. Combine flour, pumpkin and eggs together. Knead to form a smooth dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
2. To prepare the fillings, add all seasonings to the ingredients, stirring in only one direction.
3. To make the dumpling dough, dust worktop with flour, divide dough into small pieces, use rolling pin to roll dough into round and thin. Roll each piece out into a circle about 3-inches in diameter.
4. Place a small spoonful (about 1 mountain teaspoon) of filings into the middle of dumpling skin, fold it accordingly.
5. Fold the dough over the filling into a half moon shape and pinch the edges to seal. Continue with the remainder of the dumplings.
6. To cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add half the dumplings, giving them a gentle stir so they don’t stick together. Bring the water to a boil. Drain and remove.
7. To pan-fry, add little cooking oil in a non-stick frying pan, fry dumplings over medium heat. Once dumplings bottom turned golden brown, remove and serve with dipping sauce.

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

I also tried my hands on making the dumplings. Because it is just for home consumption, pleating doesn’t really have to be professional. It just takes a few tries to get it right. Be patient, you need to spend a few hours making the dumplings. This is a great time to catch up on your favorite TV show or do it with your friends.

Everyone had fun!

Located within a heritage three-storey shophouse opposite Bugis Junction, Joo is the latest trendsetting addition to a vibrant F&B scene. What’s in the name? ‘Joo’ is ‘alcohol’ in Korean – and Joo, the bar and restaurant takes it seriously, with a funky drinks menu complemented by quality food. It is the first in Singapore to proudly brew its signature drink – the makgeolli – as well as serve it on tap.

Makgeolli is the oldest alcoholic beverage native to Korea. The first mention of the drink was in the founding story of Goguryeo Kingdom during the reign of King Dongmyeong (B.C.37 – B.C. 19). Unlike other traditional clear liquors like soju, makgeolli is not distilled after fermentation, resulting in its beautiful milky off-white colour and unique opaque appearance. Apart from its low alcohol content, makgeolli also contains amino acids, lactobacilli and vitamins B1, B2 and C. The Koreans believe that the combination of these nutrients helps to aid digestion, lower cholesterol and even slow down one’s ageing process.

I first had my makgeolli in a popular restaurant in Korea. It has a rich nutty flavour and a fragrant aroma that I cannot forget till today. At Joo, the owners are steadfast about making only preservative-free makgeolli with organic rice and purified water. The fermentation and filtering process takes two to three weeks, rendering a milky white, subtly sweet and delicately fizzy beverage. Joo’s version wasn’t as rich as the one I had in Korea, but it certainly is one of the better makgeolli locally.

Makgeolli has since gained popularity among young drinkers who enjoy it in hip makgeolli bars. For makgeolli newbies, an ideal choice would be Joo’s Makgeolli sampler ($35 for 5) that showcases the home brew and four in-house creations. Selections will vary but options could include makgeolli blended with ingredients such as black raspberry, yucha, mango and strawberry. The sampler will give guests a sense of different flavour profiles that makgeolli offers. I like the yucha one, it makes me feel like I am having yuzu sorbet.

A range of soju (distilled Korean rice wine) is also available ($20 per bottle), along with makgeolli cocktails such as Busan Breeze ($20) and Hong Dae Tripping ($24). The former is made with Joo Brew, Tanqueray No. 10, Peach Tree and Blue Curacao; while the latter is made with Joo Brew, Grey Goose, Apricot Brandy, Cherry Blossom, Lemon and Rosemary.

Typically food that goes well with alcohol, anju is essential to kick start the evening. Recommended items at Joo include Tofu chips with guacamole and kimchi salsa ($14) – a house made platter of ‘hexagon’ chips served with an enticing avocado and cucumber-based duo of dips; and Baby eel paper ($14) which is an addictive deep-fried snack served with a sprinkling of chilli salt and lime zest.

The menu at Joo promises unique options and presentation styles, as well as suggested alcohol pairings. Chef puts emphasis on homemade ingredients and customers can be assured of authentic flavours.

Hearty dishes to tuck into include Kimchi chicken potpie (S$14) – cracking the golden pastry dome unearths a rosy kimchi béchamel gravy studded with chicken tenderloin pieces as well as celery, carrot, mushrooms, onion and corn. It is interesting to turn western potpie into Korean style. The crust is buttery and flaky, but the kimchi béchamel lacks a punch. It is brighter in colours but If you were to close your eyes and taste it, it’s just like any other pot pie.

On the other hand, Warm Kimchi With Tofu And Spam ($14) fare better. The stir-fried pork belly with kimchi is flavourful and spicy enough. You sandwich the kimchi with spam and tofu, the combination works perfectly well. The smooth tofu balances the spiciness from the kimchi, while the spam (though not my favourite) enhance the flavour.

Only the best Hungarian Mangalitsa pork is used for Joo’s porcine selections, of which recommended items are: Slow roasted mangalitsa belly ($32) – approximately 200g of meat is brined with salt, pepper, soju and makgeolli before it is steam-roasted for 2 hours and 45 minutes, then served with a scrumptious side of shredded chives seasoned with chilli flakes and soy sauce.

If the belly is too fatty for you, go for the more traditional version – Joo Bossam ($28). The meat is boiled with doenjang (fermented bean paste) and served with yucha-vinegar pickled cabbage and spicy radish salad. The acidity of the cabbage helps to cut the heaviness of the pork. Other options include Hand-chopped Korean minced rib steak ($20) – tender US prime meat is lightly marinated with garlic, soy, honey and yucha, hand-shaped, flame-grilled, then served with chopped nuts.

The Seafood Gochujang Risotto ($24) entices with lashings of fresh shrimp, black mussels, clams and squid sautéed with hot pepper paste, then added to Korean rice that is prepared the traditional way – by gradually adding stock, and finishing with cream as well as parmesan cheese.

We end the meal with Yucha sojurita ($28, for 2-4pax) which is a big glass of frozen soju-yucha-Cointreau-lemon juice mix with an added slug of an overturned 330ml bottle of Hite beer. Other creative drinks include Grape Soju Mojito, Yucha Makgeolli Slush and a selection of makgeolli cocktails.

As you can see, the interior has rich hues of black and copper, complemented by dark Korean pinewood furniture specially imported from Korea. On the 2nd floor, a wall with hand-painted tongue-in-cheek illustrations of Korean drinking etiquette educates and amuses at the same time.

JOO
Address: 5, Tan Quee Lan Street, Singapore 188094
Tel: (65) 8138 1628
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joobarsg
Opening hours: 5.30pm to 12am daily

SAVOUR, Singapore’s Premier Gourmet Festival, returns to the F1 Pit Building for a 4th year of celebrating the delicious. In line with Singapore’s 50th birthday celebrations, SAVOUR 2015 incorporates a strong Singapore presence, paying equal homage to local talent as it does visiting overseas chefs and presenters. Held over 4 days from 26th to 29th March, SAVOUR 2015 attendees will enjoy access to a much wider range of unique culinary activities compared to 2014, making SAVOUR 2015 the most exciting and widely anticipated edition to date.

Among the Singaporean chefs making their presence felt at SAVOUR 2015 are Bjorn Shen, Douglas Tay, Huang Ming Tan, Han Liguang, Malcolm Lee, Sufian Jain and Anthony Yeoh. Also flying the Singapore flag are well-known local personalities such as Andre Chiang, Ryan Clift, Emmanuel Stroobant and Beppe De Vito. Debuting restaurants at SAVOUR 2015 include UNA @ Rochester, Ku De Ta and Il Cielo.

Famous Slow Cooked Octopus Salad
Claudio Sandri, Spathe Public House (Singapore)

Pork Belly Lollipop; Angus Beef in Apple Balsamic Teriyaki; Sous Vide Duck Breast with Spicy Yuzu Miso
Frederic Faucheux, Ku De Ta (Singapore)

Seafood Paella, Suckling Pig, Churros with Chocolate & Pedro Ximenez
Jean-Philippe Patruno, UNA @ Rochester (Singapore)

Roasted Hokkaido Scallop with Israeli Cous Cous and curried coconut cream
Douglas Tay, Osia (Singapore)

Kurobuta Pork Belly Confit with sweet potato and black truffle dressing
Riccardo Catarsi, Il Cielo (Singapore)

The local brigade will hold their own against visiting chefs whom include SAVOUR favourite Alvin Leung (Bo Innovation, 3 Michelin Stars), UK starlet Daniel Clifford (Midsummer House, 2 Michein Stars), Danish extraordinaire Henrik Yde (Kiin Kiin, 1 Michelin Star) and World’s 50 Best Academy alumni Luke Burgess of Garagistes in Tasmania.

Trio of Molecular Buns – Char Siew, Xiao long bao, lotus paste
Alvin Leung, Bo Innovation, 3 Michelin Stars (Hong Kong)

Wagyu Beef Tongu with fermented jerusalam artichokes and kunzea glaze
Luke Burgess, Garagistes (Australia)

Pad Thai, prawn noodles with tamarind
Henrik Yde, Kiin Kiin, 1 Michelin Star (Denmark)

A 22,000 sq. foot Gourmet Market, the largest ever built for a consumer event, which will once again feature a wide range of items never before seen in Singapore. Look out for highlights like Japanese White Strawberries, a full range oyster bar featuring over 20 types of oysters from 8 countries, cheese room featuring unique items such as truffle cheese, choice cuts of meat that can be selected and cooked on the spot!

Foodie comrades can expect over 50 Signature dishes by award-winning restaruants at the Gourmet Village, Celebrity Chef Masterclasses at Gourmet Auditorium, Gourmet Market showcasing a plethora of food and drink exhibitors, Hands-on Cooking Studio, and other themed culinary workshops and activities. All workshops, tastings and demonstrations are conducted by renowned experts and are complimentary, on a first-come-first-serve basis.

The expanded Hands-on Cooking Studio has a 80-seater gallery area so everyone can learn from the best as our celebrity chefs show you how to recreate some of their favourite foods in your own kitchen. Special highlight is Pastry Chef Michael Liu’s ECLAIR EPIPHANY that is happening on 28th March (Saturday) from 6 to 7.30pm. It is a hands-on, complimentary baking class for participants of Savour 2015. Seat’s are limited, it will be held at SAVOUR dome.

SAVOUR’s new paperless payment system this year – simply top-up your SAVOUR card at any top-up station convenient located throughout the event venue. Tickets are available at SISTIC from $60, with a credit of $30 Savour Dollars to spend at the event. For more information, please visit www.savour.sg

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Baking is a relaxing hobby, don’t you agree? From the measuring, sifting and mixing, to the scent of freshly baked cakes in my living room, it’s one of my favourite things to do. But I have a very active lifestyle, and am always busy going for meetings or eating out, so I can’t dedicate as much time for baking as I want to. So sometimes, I weave in using Betty Crocker cake mixes and baking becomes so much easier!

Betty Crocker, one of the brands under General Mills, is recognized as the biggest cake mix brands in the world. This is the best choice especially for new bakers. When I started baking, I have zero experience and thought that when I add some flour, eggs and sugar, something delicious will appear in the oven. Of course it is not true, because the proportion of each ingredient matters.

When the girlfriend who just moved into her new house wanted to experiment with the oven, I bought her a few boxes of Betty Crocker cake mix as I thought this is the easiest way to learn. It indeed makes her more confident and changed her perception that baking is not that difficult after all. Betty Crocker bake mixes are ready to use, with minimal ingredients to be added. In this blogpost, I am sharing with you two simple recipes – Carrot Cake, Berry Cookies & Cream Cupcakes.

For this recipe, I used Betty Crocker yellow cake mix, added pecans, shredded carrots and some seasoning, and it is ready to go into the oven. Honestly, the scent is so alluring that all of our wanted to dig in immediately after it came out of the oven. The cake is so soft and moist!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2015-03-27 22:06:10

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Cake

1. 1 box (15 oz) Betty Crocker™ Gluten Free yellow cake mix
2. 2/3 cup water
3. ½ cup butter, softened
4. ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5. ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
6. ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
7. 3 eggs
8. 1 cup finely shredded carrots (2 medium)
9. ¼ cup finely chopped pecans

Frosting

1. 4 oz cream cheese, softened
2. 2 tablespoons butter
3. 2cups powdered sugar, sifted
4. 1 teaspoon milk

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 9-inch square pan with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla paste and eggs on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. With spoon, stir in carrots and pecans. Spread in pan.
3. Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and milk with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time. Spread frosting over cake.

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

If carrot cake is too challenging for you, then this cupcake is sure to make you jump with joy. The cake mix is so versatile that you can practically bake anything with it. If you prefer the classic chocolate cake or cupcake, just pour in the cake mix and combine water, vegetable oil and eggs (measurements are on cake mix box). If you want something more fanciful, you can add in different flavours to pair with the cake mix. In this case, I bought some berry flavored cookies to add into my cupcakes. You can also use mint cookies as well. Results? Very satisfactory! I baked on Saturday and left some cupcakes till Monday, it still taste so moist and soft!

Berry Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

2015-03-27 22:07:28

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Ingredients

1. 1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist chocolate cake mix
2. Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
3. 2 cups of berry-flavored creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (about 2 package of 10)
4. 1 package cream cheese, softened
5. ¼ cup butter, softened
6. 3 cups icing sugar, sifted

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 27 regular-size muffin cups.
2. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs. Coarsely chop cookies. Reserve 1 cup chopped cookies for garnish. Gently stir remaining chopped cookies into batter. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.
4. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with reserved crushed cookies.

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

With Betty Crocker, my baking time is reduced and I can spend more time relaxing and not having to fuss about the proportions and measurements. Especially for the girlfriend who is new to baking and always wanting to try out, she loves Betty Crocker now as it is so easy to use. Everyone can bake yummy bakes!

Say you want to celebrate a birthday or have a family gathering but don’t want to spend a lot of money in a high class Chinese restaurant. Some zi char places offer restaurant standard dishes at wallet friendly prices. I dined recently at Lao Ban Niang Zhu Chao (老板娘煮炒) in Serangoon (along Yio Chu Kang Link, opposite Serangoon stadium) and it looks like a no-frills place for a celebratory dinner or even casual dinner.

Lao ban niang (which means lady boss) Jeanette is definitely not a newcomer in the F&B industry. She has been running a zi char stall with her partner in Woodlands. Decided to start her own zi char stall, she found a space in this coffeeshop in Serangoon. Honestly, I wouldn’t have known about this place if not for my uncle’s tip-off. It was a rather quiet street but it seemed like her food has gained many regulars.

Helming the kitchen is a 23-year-old young chef from Malaysia. Never underestimate his skills as he whipped up some potential dishes for my family. A good place to start would be Special Oyster Sauce Cuttlefish ($18 small, $28 big) which is my favourite of the night. Nope it’s not sotong if you are wondering, that’s the crunchy cuttlefish. Napped in a sauce of light brown hue, the dish is very zi char but well-seasoned. It’s stir-fried with chilli padi and onions, very rewarding.

You probably are very familiar with the Yam Ring which is an ubiquitous dish at any chinese restaurant. I am not a big fan of yam to be honest, and yam ring is definitely not a dish I would order because many places just bought the yam ring from a supplier. But uncle strongly recommended me to Lao Ban Niang’s Yam Ring ($18) as they make their own yam rings. The yam was remarkably ungreasy and the yam well browned and crispy. The stuffing in the ring is crunchy with cashew nut with fresh prawns and mushrooms filling up the middle nicely. I think it is still worth ordering.

It was raining heavily on the day of my visit and Assam Fish Head ($28) seemed to be the perfect choice. Lao Ban Niang goes to fishery port everyday at 1am to buy fresh fishes and is very strict about food quality. Served on the typical silver plate, the red snapper fish they used was absolutely fresh. Using a secret assam paste recipe which they blend themselves, the assam gravy is a perfect balance of spiciness and tanginess. The oil on the surface may turn health freak off, but it is strangely yet pleasantly addictive. It’s not as thick as other assam fish head I have tried, but it means I can probably eat more and won’t feel too heavy on the tummy. Lady’s fingers, eggplants, tomatoes and sweet pineapple chunks add to the allure.

Lao Ban Niang’s Prawn Paste Chicken ($10 / $15 / $20) is better than average. The cooks have a confident hand with the prawn paste, so it has more oomph than most zi char versions. You can finish one without stopping for a sip of water to counteract a salt overload.

A dish like Yuan Yang HK Kai Lan ($12 / $18 / $24) is an excellent dinner topic. We “examined” the plate of vegetables closely and were rather intrigued by the leafy shreds. Cooked in two ways, the leafy part is shredded and deep-fried, atop of their stir-fried stems. Paired with crispy silver fish, I love the contrast in textures.

Ending the night with a plate of Hometown Dried Fried Bee Hoon ($6 / $9 / $13) which is stir-fried with butter, which makes the beehoon yellow. Beansprouts and fishmaw is added which gives it a delightful crunch, but I was expecting it to have more wok hei.

The food is well priced and casual at the same time and if you order the right things, a good time will be had by all. I like how Lao Ban Niang is very passionate about food and she would often create special dishes based on her finds from the fishery ports.

Lao Ban Niang Zhu Chao
Address: Blk 214 Serangoon Ave 4 #01-88 Singapore 550214
Tel: 9133 2083
Opening hours: 11am to 2pm; 5pm to 11pm daily

Syun at Resorts World Sentosa is Chef Hal Yamashita’s first venture outside Japan. Syun is a contemporary Japanese restaurant which presents a seamless union of premium ingredients with everyday ingredients as well as a melding of Japan’s various regional dishes. Hailing from Kobe, Chef Yamashita weaves into Syun’s menu his cooking philosophy of simplicity and a deep-rooted appreciation for quality produce.

An elegant, contemporary “zen-ness” welcomes you as you push open the dark wooden door. Clad in classy natural wood, the 50-seater restaurant felt very cosy and inviting, from its casual dining space, to its sushi bar and two private dining rooms for seven to eight diners each.

One of the chef’s signature dishes is Sea Urchin Rolled by Wagyu Beef ($15). The melt-in-your-mouth Wagyu beef melts in the mouth first before the creamy sea urchin steals the show. It looked pretty and I always like how you could just pop it into your mouth without fear of it coming apart.

During my recent lunch makan with Karen, we both enjoyed our Chirashi Sushi and Unagi and Foie Gras Teriyaki Jyu, served with miso soup, chawanmushi and green salad with yuzu ginger dressing. The Chirashi Sushi ($32) is packed with goodies: salmon, tuna, kajiki, hamachi and drizzled with edible flowers and sesame seeds. The different fish offer varying textures, some firm and springy while others are crunchy. The box is beautifully presented like a garden, neatly arranged with seafood and drizzled with slightly sweet sauce but yet you still can taste the freshness of its ingredients.

Rice topped with meat, poultry or eel is always a good choice of filling lunch. Unagi and Foie Gras Teriyaki Jyu ($37) was delicious as the eel was soft and easy to eat. However, I thought the foie gras can be executed better. It’s pretty soft on the outside and inside. After a few mouthful, it gets quite “jelat”.

For lunch, there is a choice of Sushi Roll Set or Jyu Box Set (like what we had, from $32++). For dinner, a 5-course set menu starts from $78. A 7-course set dinner is also available from $128. Syun also offers a Yamashita-style sukiyaki – where diners dip wagyu beef in sea urchin instead of raw egg.

Syun
Address: Festive Walk, Resorts World Sentosa
Tel: +65 6577 6688
Opening Hours: Lunch 12pm -3pm, Dinner 6pm -11pm (Tues-Sun) Closed Mon

The World Street Food Congress is back again! This 5-day event will be helt at the open field opposite Parco Bugis, from 8th -12th April 2015. Organised by Makansutra, the theme of this year’s congress is “Engage, Empower and Enterprise”. WSFC15 will consist of three main components:
- The WSF Dialogue-Hackathon
– The WSF Jamboree
– The WSF Awards

The Jamboree is open to the public and located in the heart of town for the convenience of locals and tourists. 23 stalls from 12 cities will descend on the open field beside Tan Quee Lan Street along North Bridge Road and host the world‘s best street food party. The top street food vendors and award winning chefs hail from the USA, Bolivia, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Germany, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Singapore. Let me tempt you with some of the interesting stalls:

Bon Chovie (USA)
Established by self-trained chef and music industry veteran Renae Holland, Bon Chovie offers you a unique variety of seafood – her carefully crafted signature fried anchovy dish, which made its first appearance at the famous flea market Smorgasbord in New York. It catapulted to superstardom in 2011.

Pepita’s Kitchen (Philippines)
Founded by Chef Dedet de la Fuente, Pepita’s is a private kitchen and is renowned for its lechon (roast suckling pig) dish, Cebu’s most famous street fare. Pepita’s edge is the wicked twist to the show- she stuffs it with white truffle oil paella before roasting to blow your mind away. She offers this at her home private dining
sessions in Manila. P

Soto Ayam Ambengan Pak Sadi (Indonesia)
Sadi’s Soto Ambengan is Indonesia’s variant of soto, a traditional spiced chicken soup commonly regarded as the perfect form of chicken soto from East Java area, Lamongan. The secret to this dish can also be traced to the use of fresh milk fish, seafood in the stock , and the use of a dangerously addictive and own made “koya” powder added to the stunning spiced broth.

Tuck Nyonya Catering (Malaysia)
Ah Tuck and his Thai wife run a private catering house specialising in Penang Nonya and street food. They operate from their humble home and you can hire their services as a private chef offering all these stunning heritage street dishes most private chefs don’t normally offer, like Black Satay (Or Ba Cha) and Jiu Her Cha, a turnip, seafood and minced meat stew wrapped in lettuce with sambal.

BánhCăn 38 (Vietnam)
Established by former History lecturer who is also a chef, BánhCăn 38 is a restaurant based in Hồ Chí Minh City. They will be offering Banh Xeo (crispy seafood pancake) grilled over an old school charcoal claypot stove. Crisp vegetables accompany it for an added crunch and it comes with 3 different types of sauces: braised fish sauce, anchovy sauce, and fish sauce.

KengEngKee Seafood (Singapore)
Established by Chef Liew Choy in the ‘70s, Keng Eng Kee (KEK) has been enjoying popularity as a cze char stall for more than 20 years. Besides its signature dishes such as the Moonlight Hor Fun and Ming Zhu Roll, KEK is also known for its Chili Crab. They have come up with deep fried soft shell crabs with three different sauces, one of which is the chilli crab sauce.

With prices starting at S$4.50 this year, the public can enjoy a cashless mode of payment via NETS FlashPay (Enjoy a 5% rebate), NETS and/or Credit Card. With the exception of two back-by-popular-demand stalls, all other vendors are new participants. The Jamboree will also boast three Masterclass street-style demonstrations daily while recipes from chefs like William Wongso and Peter Lloyd will be shared alongside live musical performances and delicious food.

JAMBOREE PROGRAM RUNDOWN
8th – 9th April 2015 (Wednesday – Thursday): 5pm- 11pm (Last order at 10:30pm)
10th April 2015 (Friday): 4pm- 11pm (Last order at 10:30pm)
11th – 12th April (Saturday – Sunday): 1pm -11pm (Last order at 10:30pm)
“Dai Pai Dong ”Street style Live demos daily from 6pm – 8pm; Live music available daily from 8pm – 10pm

The 2-day Dialogue-Hackathon (8th – 9th April, 9am- 5pm) comprises two half day open floor, town hall style discussions with the audience and delegates. It will focus on actionable content where delegates can gain deep insights, learn new skills, partner up, discover opportunities and inspire new ideas through panel discussions and presentations by renowned street food advocates, media and street vendors as well as their peers. Expect to hear what plans are afoot for the Bourdain Market, a Singapore style hawker centre in the US captained by foodie traveller Anthony Bourdain. Also, hear what Indonesia is undertaking to preserve and promote their 600 year culinary heritage through a private food company, Bango.

An SG50 culinary campaign, to be launched by Culture, Community and Youth Minister Lawrence Wong will also be launched at the event. Up to 16 categories of WSF Awards will also be awarded to deserving individuals, organisations, and cities that show leadership and skills in this field of world heritage and street food culture.

The World Street Food Congress
Date : 8th – 12th April 2015
Location : Open green field opposite Parco Bugis, at the intersection of Rochor Road and North Bridge Road
Theme : Empowerment, Engagement and Enterprise

I still remember my first pig’s organ soup in the past comes with pig’s blood, which I calls it hard tofu. Unfortunately, pig’s blood is no longer allowed. I usually visit Lao San Kway Chap for my pig’s organ soup cravings. A few weeks ago, my makan buddies and I visited Circuit Road’s Cheng Mun Kee Pig’s Organ Soup. You can see the long queue forming when it’s lunch time.

The soup, brewed from large intestines and kiam chye (salted mustard vegetables), is the Teochew-style clear broth. It lacks the punch of porkiness, no pepper but there’s a gentle tanginess from the kiam chye. I enjoyed the pig liver’s soup better. The soup is actually the same but somehow pig liver makes it more tasty.

A $3.50 portion is packed with lots of ingredients, such as kiam chye, slices of liver, lean pork, stomach, intestines, pork belly and two meat balls. Nothing impressive about the meatballs, but I like their soup, which is more bland than the usual ones. The pig’s stomach here is cut in smaller strips and don’t have the overcooked, rubbery texture like at most other stalls.

I cannot recall when is the last time I had such a delicious plate of braised pork belly. Each piece is fairly thick rectangles and the meat has soaked up the rich dark soya sauce braising liquid very well. I don’t know how much workout do I need to do to get rid of these fatty pork belly, but they were so good that I decided dieting can happen later. The braised tau pok was way too salty and the tau pok wasn’t cook long enough.

Cheng Mun Kee Pig’s Organ Soup
Address: Blk 79A Circuit Road
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 11am – 10pm, closed on Mondays