Are you a fan of Tian Tian Chicken Rice, Haron Satay, Roxy Laksa, Casuarina Prata? Do you always dread having to queue for all these famous hawker stalls? Now, you can enjoy all these dishes at your comfort at The Fullerton Hotel!

From 26 March to 6 April, 10 Hawker Masters will be showcasing their winning, lip-smacking dishes at Town Restaurant’s dinner buffet spread, The Fullerton Hotel. These hawkers are selected as the best hawkers in Singapore. Singapore Hawker Masters is the annual hunt for excellent hawkers is organised by The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao and started in 2010. Each year, six categories of hawker food are identified and the search begins for the master in each one. After public voting to shortlist three finalists in the categories each year, a panel of judges picks the winning stall after tasting sessions.

These 10 hawkers include Casuarina Curry Restaurant (Roti Prata), Haji Maksah Barkat Chahya Food (Nasi Lemak), Haron Satay (Satay), Nusa & Tara (Lontong), Original Serangoon Fried Hokkien Mee (Hokkien Mee), Rojak & Mee Siam (Indian Rojak), Roxy Laksa (Laksa), Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice (Chicken rice), Whitley Road Prawn Noodles (Prawn noodles), and Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh (Pork ribs soup).

1. Casuarina Curry Restaurant

Unlike the original Indian version characterized by a chewy texture, 28 year-old Casuarina Curry Restaurant’s roti prata has secret ingredients added to ensure that every piece is crispy and fluffy right through the inside layers. The accompany fish, chicken and mutton curries just have the right taste and thickness.

2. Haron Satay

With over 30 years of experience, Haron has earn the reputation for grilling the best Malay-style satay. There is precision in the marinade, which consists of cumin, ginger, lemongrasss, turmeric and other spices, which adds flavour to the meat while complementing the peanut sauce.

3. Roxy Laksa

Roxy Laksa started in 1952 by the current and 3rd generation owner, Mr Lim’s grandfather, who peddled the noodles from a pushcart parked next to where Roxy Square is now. What I love about this stall is the yummy gravy made from freshly pressed coconut milk. Unfortunately, it was a tad too watery on that day.

4. Nusa & Tara

Handmade rice cakes that requires 3 hours is the reason why the longtong at 18-year-old Nusa & Tara stall sells out by about 11am on weekdays and 10am on weekends. Madam Mariani inherited the family recipe from her mother-in-law and although it has been modified to cater to the health conscious, the taste has not been compromised.

5. Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice

Tian Tian’s fragrant and flavourful rice is so good that celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain thinks it can be eaten on its own. Not only does the rice stand out, their signature chilli sauce and tender chicken is the essence of the dish which keeps the queue long every day.

6. Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh

Ya Hua’s teochew founder, Madam Gwee Peck Hwa reveals that her bak kut teh was unrivaled in taste, because she uses only the best and freshest ingredients. The timing is also a key to the consistent taste.

7. Rojak & Mee Siam

Started by their father who began business more than a quarter of century ago, the two brothers now take over the stall and they start their day at 3am, to make most of the 20 plus food items themselves. They never save on the gravy ingredients regardless of cost, hence the quality is ensure and customers return for their rojak.

8. Whitley Road Big Prawn Noodles

This stall has a loyal following for their a winning recipe that the owner perfected 36 years ago. Apart from the fresh prawns, they also have good broth that is brewed from pork bones for 2 hours every morning.

9. Haji Maksah Berkat Chahya Food

White fluffy fragrant rice, crispy fried ikan bilis and chicken wing, signature spicy sambal… this is the power nasi lemak!

10. Original Serangoon Fried Hokkien Mee

The broth takes 4 hours to cook and this makes the fried hokkien mee special. But there are 3 other secrets to this old school hokkien mee flavour: no charcoal fire, no clams in stock and chilli sambal over cut red chillies.

Besides these hawker food, you can also enjoy fresh seafood and lovely local dessert prepared by the hotel. How can I not have a bowl of chendol which complemented so well with the hawker food!

The Singapore Hawker Masters at The Fullerton Hotel dinner buffet is available from 26 March to 6 April 2013 from 6.30pm to 10.30pm. Price: $52 per adult; $26 per child (aged 6-12 years old).

Town Restaurant
The Fullerton Hotel, Lobby
1 Fullerton Square
Tel: +65 68778128

I may not have eaten many good Japanese restaurants to say this, but I really love Fat Cow. I have been here many times but each time I resisted blogging about it. You know lah, some favourite places are meant to be kept as a secret. But well, this place is not that secret after all because it is a hot favourite among many bloggers. So when the boy got his bonus, I suggested going to Fat Cow for dinner to give me a treat! *ok I know I am thick skin*

Fat Cow takes a contemporary approach to the Japanese “Wabi-Sabi” design concept, which is the art of finding beauty in things modest, simple and humble. From a ceiling of latticework (an ornamental criss-crossed framework), to the walls which are embedded with hand-made ceramic tiles and custom-made menus imprinted on wood, the interior design embodies the abstract idea of aesthetic asymmetry and simplicity. Just like its interior, the beef adopts a basic and minimalistic Japanese cooking technique that bring out the best of the meat’s natural flavours.

To some, “Fat” may have less favourable connotations. But in Fat Cow, “Fat” stands for luxury and indulgence. Fat Cow’s Japanese-inspired meat atelier promises a bespoke dining experience that is carried through from the luxurious meat-service to a vintage wine list and signature cocktail collection.

We each ordered a Kikaku set ($98++ per person) which is a tasting of their most popular dishes. Dinner started with a refreshing salad of momotaro tomato, burrata mozzarella, mizuna, drizzled with ginger vinaigrette. Kegani Koroke is crispy and creamy crab cake that is lighter and creamier.

We didn’t like the Braised kurobuta Pork Belly & Umeboshi Dip because it was a tad too tough and dry that night. However, my favourite was Snapper sashimi with black truffle and shio konbu. It was beautifully presented, the thinly sliced fresh sashimi was complemented with my favourite black truffle, excellent burst of flavours.

Fat Cow source for highest-grade beef imported directly from respectable producers in Japan, America and Australia. You can select your preferred weight, choice and cuts of beef. There are Japanese Beef Grade A3 (good marbling with a subtle sweetness, suitable for char grilling), the richer Japanese Beef Grade A5 (higher percentage of marbling, luxurious on the palate) to the Australian Beef Grade MS 8+ from either Stockyard Ranch (photo above) or Blackmore Ranch (similar marbling to A3 grade with a meatier texture).

After selecting the mains, there are four preparation methods which diners can choose from, such as Shabu Shabu, Sukiyaki, Charcoal-grill and Teppan.

Not in the Kikaku set, we ordered a bowl of Ox Tendon & Foie Gras ($24). The ox tendon is braised in the sweet waygu sauce for 2 days which leaves a super tender texture. Paired with the lovely pan seared foie gras, the entire dish is very rich and intense. Highly recommended!

For the set meal, we had the charcoal grilled zabuton cut of American wagyu beef. The zabuton which means “cushion” in Japanese comes from the short rib. Only with the extensive fine strands of intramuscular fat in the Wagyu beef can this cut be served as a steak. The zabuton is tender and amazingly rich cut, but I find it abit too chewy for my liking.

Honeycomb ice cream with Warabi Mochi brings a lovely ending to the meal. Especially the Warabi Mochi with black malt syrup, it is hand made in the kitchen from arrowroot flour, and seasoned with green tea and roasted soy bean flour. And it is very smooth and soft, love it!

Fat Cow never disappoints. But eating dinner here is bad for the pocket. I still prefer their lunch sets which is available from Monday to Friday, 12pm to 3pm and range from $42++ to $60++. Each set lunch comes with miso soup, seasonal salad, home-made dessert, and chawanmushi made from organic New Zealand eggs. I shall bring the boy for their Wagyu Donburi lunch set next time!

Fat Cow
Address: 1 Orchard Boulevard
#01-01 Camden Medical Center
Tel: +65 6735 0308
Opening hours: 11am to 11pm, closed on Sunday

Happy Tuesday! Time passes really fast and we are now in April. I am so looking forward to my Chiang Mai trip in 2 weeks’ time and my Europe trip next month.

I had an exciting Monday with good and bad news. Good news include receiving an opportunity call and a confirmation for a super good giveaway for the blog (which will happen this week!). I have also received a wedding invite from a close colleague and a friend just told me she bought a property. I am truly happy for all my friends!

As for the bad news, not exactly bad lah, and that is the boyf finally went to see a specialist yesterday regarding his continuous nose bleed condition. He used to have nose bleed once a month but lately, he sometimes suffers the condition twice a day! It just got me very worried and finally he decided to seek help after dilly dally for many months. The doctor did an endoscopy, saw a wound and a swell in the nose. Then he did a biopsy to check if the swell is cancerous. Results will be out next week and I really hope he is gonna be alright!

On a lighter note, I signed up for Hot Yoga classes in Clarke Quay over the weekend. The gym which I frequent is having an overcrowding issue which makes me very pissed off. I wanted to do BodyCombat class last Saturday and reached the gym 20 mins earlier for registration. Guess what, when I entered the gym, the queue for registration was super long and by the time it reached my turn, there were no more slots. So I went to take a shower, came out and waited for 15 mins to use a hairdryer. This is it. Immediately I called up the Hot Yoga centre which I have been wanting to try, went for their trial the following day and signed up for classes there. Love Hot Yoga very much because it feels good to see my sweat dripping onto the yoga mat and I felt very refreshed after the class!

Ok enough of my ramblings. I hope all of you had a good Easter break. I spent my Good Friday preparing lunch for the family. After my Malaysia Food Trail last month, I fell in love with the Red Glutinous Rice Wine at Restoran Lima Ratus and decided to cook Chicken in Red Glutinous Rice Wine (Hong Zao Ji) at home! Adapted the recipe from noobcook, I bought my red glutinous wine lees and red glutinous rice wine from NTUC supermarket. I know they are probably not as good as the ones from Malaysia, but I think this is good enough for me.

Some people are better in baking while some are better in cooking. I think I am more talented when it comes to cooking than baking. Probably because I am not exactly a fan of desserts, so when it comes to baking, I am not as excited. But when I want to cook a meal, I will spend my time researching for the dish, and sort of have the “sense” to it. It is hard to explain the “sense”, but I will kind of know when to put what seasonings and how much to put. If you get what I mean?

So for this Chicken in Red Glutinous Rice Wine, I first marinade my chicken with red glutinous wine lees and Red Glutinous Rice Wine for about an hour. Then I stir fry and simmer it for a while. The result? Nice thick aroma from the red glutinous rice wine and the family loves it! And of course, this is a popular confinement dish and it is very nourishing for ladies. I think I can be a confinement lady already, since I love to cook confinement dishes such as pig trotter with vinegar and Hong Zao Ji!

Chicken in Red Glutinous Rice Wine

Ingredients (serves 2-4)
- 500g medium to chicken thigh, chopped in pieces
- 3 slices ginger
- 2 tbsp sesame oil

Marinade
- 2 tbsp red glutinous wine lees
- 1 tbsp red glutinous wine
- 3 slices ginger
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp light soy sauce

Seasoning
- 200ml red glutinuous wine (红槽酒)
- 1 tbsp red glutinous wine lees (红槽)
- some sugar

Garnishing (optional)
- 2 tbsp Hua Diao Jiu
- coriander

Method:
1. In a bowl, marinade chicken with the marinade ingredients for 1 hour.
2. In a wok, pour in sesame oil. Then add ginger and stir fry till fragrant.
3. Add chicken pieces. Stir fry until the chicken is cooked on the surface.
4. Add in the seasonings and mix until the chicken is evenly coated.
5. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. If you can, flip the chicken pieces halfway through the cooking time for more even cooking.
6. If you prefer a richer wine aroma, drizzle Hua Diao Jiu onto the dish upon serving. Garnish with coriander. Enjoy with warm white rice.

Indonesia has one of the most unique cuisines in the world. They use a lot of spices to add zest to the dishes. Chilli and pepper are very common but this leads to many misconception that Indonesian food are always spicy. On the contrary, the most widely used spices such as coriander, cumin, and ginger are all relatively mild spices. In addition, most Indonesian food is prepared with contrasting flavors, such as a spicy sweet or hot sauce served over a bed of plain white rice, a popular meal throughout the country.

Fans of Indonesian cuisine will be delighted to know that Seribu Sari is serving up an Indonesian food promotion from the province of North Sulawesi and Java from 21 March to 21 April 2013. You get a contrast in flavours at Seribu Sari. North Sulawesi uses pices and hot chili peppers generously while Javanese cuisine tastes rather sweet compared to other Indonesian cuisines, because generous amount of palm sugar and sweet soy sauce are used.

The semi buffet features soups, salads, desserts on buffet counter and a list of tantalizing main hot dishes (menu on rotational basis) served at the table with a glass of calamansi drink each. I had a selection of Tahu Isi (stuffed tofu with chicken), Kapiratu (stuffed spring rolls with minced beef and pickle), Selada Ayam Sambal Matah (balinese chicken salad) and Udang Serabut (fried prawn glass noodle).

Tahu isi is a well-loved Indonesian tofu dish that is filled with chicken. It has a crunchy batter and tender-crisp filling and is eaten with fresh hot chili sauce. I enjoyed Seribu Sari’s Asinan Buah which has assorted tropical fruits such as pineapple, apple, young papaya etc soaked in chilli and vinegar. It has a refreshing sour-salty-spicy taste.

There are two soups served daily such as Rawon Daging (Beef soup with cluwek fruit and young papaya) and Soto Ayam (Javanese chicken soup with glass noddle and peanut). These Indonesian soups are traditionally served with an array of garnishes – blanched bean sprouts, wedges of hard-cooked egg, cucumber are some of the customary additions. You can add in as many of the garnishes as you like.

Daging Bumbu Ruja (beef stew with turmeric coconut milk) is similar to beef rendang. The melt-in-the-mouth beef chunks is slow-cooked in rich coconut cream and freshly ground Asian spices until it is tender, moist and bursting with a complex blend of mouthwatering flavours. It is quite spicy for me, but I like how each piece of meat well coated with the spices, it pairs well with Nasi Kuning (yellow rice).

In Indonesia, catfish is usually served grilled in street stalls. Similarly for Seribu Sari, their catfish is rolled beautifully into a oval shape ball and grilled over the skewers using sweet soy sauce. The firm and tender catfish has plenty of flavour and is worth a try.

Other dishes I had included Udang Pedas Madu (honey stir-fried prawn), Ikan Sambal Matah (fried fish with shallot and lemongrass), Ayam Cabe Hijau (Green Chilli Fried Chicken) and Tumis Tauge Ikan Asin (stir fried bean sprout with salted fish).

Indonesia sure has a comprehensive list for delicious desserts. They use lots of coconut milk and if you have a sweet tooth or loves coconut, you will fall in love with their desserts.

My favourite at Seribu Sari is Pulut Inti which is steamed glutinous rice served with grated coconut cook with palm sugar wrapped in banana leaf. Love it for its generous heaping of fresh grated coconut as the rice is just a complement. Getuk ubi (minced sweet potato with shredded young coconut) will taste better if more orange sugar is added into the sweet potato. It is too bland and dry for my liking. And of course, there is also Pisang goring kacang (fried banana and crushed peanut).

The buffet promotion runs until 21st April, and is priced at $33++ per person. It is available for lunch (11.30am to 2.15pm) and dinner (6.30pm to 10pm).

Seribu Sari Indonesian Dining
Address: 9 Bras Basah Road, Rendezvous Grand Hotel, #03-03 Rendezvous Gallery
Tel: +65 6335 1871

Many of us have this misconception that healthy food means tasteless food. Well, it is not exactly true if you know how to do it right. A while ago, I was supposed to meet dear Michelle for some Thai lunch, but on the very day, I happened to hear about Onaka and its Healthy Conscious Eating concept and decided to try it.

Onaka is an acronym for Optimum Nutrition And Kitchen Arts. Interestingly, it also means “stomach” in Japanese. By incorporating “East-meets-West Healing Kitchen”, they aim to promote the concept of “Food is a better Medicine” by providing nutritionally balanced and delicious wholesome food in the world that has gone artificial and highly processed.

In this restaurant, they only use wholesome and selective organic ingredients without artificial addictives, chemicals, coloruings, flavourings, MSG, preservatives and trans-fats. About 50% of the menu is vegetarian with special focus on Low Glycemic and Gluten free options. They only use whole grains and adopt a “No White Bread, No White Rice and No White Sugar” policy.

When I read about the terms in the menu like “organic”, “whole grains”, “gluten free” etc, it kinda frightens me still because I don’t know how flavourful my food will turn out. Futhermore, extra virgin oil, coconut oil, grape-seed oil, rice bran oil, peanut oil, palm oil and butter are used in moderation. Unhealthy trans-fats are avoided. But when Chilli Crab Cake ($24) came, my worries dissipated and was pleasantly surprised.

These pretty crab cakes are wrapped around the lemongrass skewers and grilled to a lovely brown shade. Homemade chilli crab sauce do not taste very similar to the usual ones as they are sweeter which some crab meat. Organic rice cubes are served as a side and it is just like the Ketupat we had with the satay. Except that organic rice is used here, hence it is rougher.

Healthier cooking methods such as baking, boiling, dehydrating, grilling, sauteing, stir-frying, steaming, steam-frying and sous vide are designed to enhance flavours. No deep fried food are served.

Modernist Chicken Curry ($25) uses sous vide corn-fed, free range, antibiotic and hormone free yellow chicken that is cooked in south east asian curry and paired with airy sweet potato and almonds okra. The sous vide chicken retains the original flavour of the meat while the curry is very tasty. Having an airy sweet potato feels weird initially but it complemented well with the chicken and curry.

By the way, NO pork and lard is served in this restaurant.

Unrefined organic sugar, unrefined brown sugar and palm sugar are used for cooking. Xylitol and agave nectar are occasionally used for desserts and special diets.

The joy of eating does not rely solely on food. It is the company, the sharing of food and the camaraderie that matters the most. Michelle and I shared Banana Pastillas ($10) which is cinnamon roasted bananas wrapped in phyllo pastry and served with berries, maple syrup, walnuts, banana and cardamon ice cream.

The curry sauce is addicitive so I ordered a bowl of Organic brown rice ($3) to share. It comes with lemongrass, kaffir lime and sesame. I ended the meal with a super healthy cup of Organic ABC ($7) which has apple, beet, carrot and calamansi in it. It is rich in antioxidant and an excellet stress buster.

It was quite an enjoyable meal at Onaka and I would love to go back to try more dishes. If you are here, try practising the art of conscious eating:

- Be aware of every bit and sip. Savour small bites and chew well.
– Appreciate the sensory delights of eating.
– Food is a gift from the universe. We shall eat with gratitude so as to be worthy of receiving it.
– Eat in balance and moderation and avoid over eating and wastage.
– Eat a plant-based diet for our health and for the planet.

Onaka
Address: PSA Building, 460 Alexandra Road #01-32
Tel: 6270 2012
Opening hours: Monday – Friday 11am – 11pm; Saturday – Sunday 10am – 10pm

The SAVOUR concept is a first of its kind in Singapore, with a philosophy to unite the finest food and drink with a plethora of expert master classes, live demonstrations, fun workshops and culinary shopping, in an event that is accessible to all.

After SAVOUR’s inaugural year in 2012, SAVOUR 2013, Singapore’s largest gourmet food festival, will showcase over 30 world-renowned chefs and top local talent, more than 60 award-winning dishes, a two-storey Gourmet Market and an amazing array of 300 complimentary master classes, workshops and demonstrations – all in one accessibly-priced ticket. And NESPRESSO as Presenting Partner and Official Coffee, there will be interesting coffee making masterclasses for you to attend!

Young chef Julien Royer is one of the local chef who will be present at SAVOUR 2013. A native of Cantal in Auvergne, France, Julien’s pedigree comes from his training under the best names and restaurants in the business – Michel Bras, Bernard Andrieux, Jean Georges Vongerichten and Antonin Bonnet.

He is inspired by the Artisanal Cuisine Movement, built around a passion to showcase the freshest ingredients through simple but beautiful dishes that reflect both culinary traditions and his own creativity.

At SAVOUR 2013, Chef Julien will be presenting 3 dishes. One of them is Wild Caught Langoustine & Avocado Canneloni served with light crustacean jelly, ikura and Oscietra Caviar. The horseradish gives a good crunch.

And there is Chef Julien’s signature 55′ Smoked Organic Egg. The organic egg was cooked gently for 55 minutes to maintain its creamy translucence, and it was accompanied with the salty crunch of smoked rattes, winter mushrooms and chorizo iberico. My third time having this and this never fails me. Still very silky and runny.

The dessert was Choconuts 4th, with tanariva, gianduja and carambar. Chocolate lovers will enjoy the mix of white, milk and dark chocolate.

If you are having your meal in Jaan, you probably have to pay a higher price for a set meal to enjoy all these. But at SAVOUR 2013, you can have all the highlights created by Chef Julien at a very affordable price. Other local chefs attending SAVOUR 2013 includes Chef Kyung Soo Moon from Mikuni, Chef Lino Sauro from Gattopardo, Chef Sam Leong from Forest.

Overseas celebrity chefs attending SAVOUR 2013 include Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur in France (1 Michelin star, S.Pellegrino World’s 24th Best Restaurant 2012), Margot Janse of Le Quartier Francais in South Africa (S.Pellegrino World’s 57th Best Restaurant 2012) as well as Claude Bosi of Hibiscus in the UK (2 Michelin stars, S.Pellegrino World’s 94th Best Restaurant 2012).

You will be able to try over 60 signature dishes from ome of the world’s best chefs, all priced between $6 to $18 SAVOUR dollars. Savour Dollars are the official currency at SAVOUR 2013 and can be used to purchase food and drink consumed on the premise. All workshops, master classes and product tastings are complimentary.

Ticket Prices

SAVOUR PREMIER PASS
Lunch Session: SG$55 comes with $20 worth of Savour Dollars
Dinner Session: SG$65 comes with $30 worth of Savour Dollars

SAVOUR PASS
Daily: SG$35 comes with $20 worth of Savour Dollars

Tickets can be purchased via SISTIC online bookings, SISTIC counters and phone bookings. For more information, please visit www.savour.sg for more information.

A million thanks to Nespresso and Savour, I am giving away 3 pairs of SAVOUR Premium Dinner Passes to three lucky winners!

The normal SAVOUR pass only gives you access to Gourmet Market ONLY and attend complimentary workshops and demonstrations at all Event Arenas within the Gourmet Market ONLY. However, the SAVOUR Premium Pass (Usual price: $65 each) gives you access to BOTH Gourmet Village and Gourmet Market, Celebrity Chef Master Classes at Gourmet Auditorium and complimentary workshops and demonstrations at ALL Event Arenas.

Each SAVOUR premium pass for this giveaway comes with $30 worth of SAVOUR dollars. There are over 60 signature dishes borne from the creative minds of some of the world’s best chefs, all priced between $6 to $18. So you can use the SAVOUR dollars to try the dishes! Note that all the passes are ONLY for 11 April 2013 (Thursday) dinner.

So come join this exclusive giveaway now! All you need to do is:

Step 1: LIKE Miss Tam Chiak Facebook Page
Step 2: SHARE this blogpost on Facebook OR retweet the post
Step 3: Leave a comment below and name a chef that will be present at SAVOUR 2013!

Deadline: 8 April 2013 (Monday), 23:59

Following the success of Majestic Restaurant and Jing, Majestic Bay is the newest venture for Chef Yong Bing Ngen. Located in Gardens by the Bay, the design of the restaurant seeks to make the most of the impressive waterfront view of the Marina Bay, taking on nautical references in its design. Opening a seafood restaurant has always been a wish for Chef Yong and Majestic Bay is his first. Evident from the “live” water tanks that flank the entrance, Majestic Bay is all about fresh seafood.

I didn’t like the usual seared bun (sheng jian bao) which has a big piece of minced meat wrapped in the bun because it has too much meat. Hence I welcome the change created by Majestic Bay – Seared Chili Crab Meat Bun ($4.50 for 3). Especially when I don’t want to get my hands dirtied, eating this version is good enough. It has a generous portion of shredded crabmeat and not too spicy.

when Majestic Restaurant first opened many years back, I remembered I had a bowl of Lobster Noodles which was very memorable. Similarly at Majestic Bay, be sure to try the Braised Baby Abalone Mee Sua ($24 for 2-4 pax, $36 for 5-8 pax). The baby abalone is soft and mee sua is so soft and it absorbs the rich broth.

Inspired by Chef Yong’s love for coffee, he crafted Majestic Bay Signature “Kopi” sauce live crab (market price). Cooked with a special sauce made from a blend of 3 different varieties of coffee beans, this signature creation took chef over 3 months to “brew”. When it arrived at our table, we can immediately smell the coffee aroma. When it was lighted up, the rice wine, coffee liqueur and coffee beans gave a sexy caramel robust. Using Sri Lanka crabs, each big piece of crab meat is well coated with a coffee fragrance. If you like coffee, I am quite sure you will like this.

For lighter bites, the dim sum menu is offered at lunchtime. Created by Guangzhou-born Chef Li Shou Tao who has been making dim sum for over 2 decades features 24 traditional items, such as Steamed Fresh Prawn Dumpling ($4.80 for 4 pcs), Steamed Siew Mai Dumpling ($4.50 for 4 pieces) and Steamed Scallop Rice Rolls ($5.00 for 2 rolls).

My lunch ended with Sweet’s Temptation ($20 for 4 pax) which has Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Yam Paste Stuffing, Shredded Coconut; Glutinous Rice Dumpling with Fresh Cream Stuffing; Steamed Custard Bun, Salted Egg Yolk; Bay’s Chinese Pancake, Red Bean Paste. My favourite is definitely the Steamed Custard Bun. Once you peel it open, the sweet custard oozes out.

Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, #01-10
Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay
Tel: +6604 6604
Opening hours: 11.30am – 2.30pm; 5.45pm – 9.30pm daily

There is nothing quite like a delicious meal that brings families and friends together. Especially the moment you see families and friends enjoying the food prepared with love and joy, it is probably one of the best motivations.

Creating these moments and cooking up a storm at home for your loved ones is actually more simple, effortless and enjoyable than most people would think. Just yesterday, I went for Knorr Blogger Cookout with local award-winning celebrity chef – Chef Daniel Koh – and learnt his family recipes-inspired dishes, Stir Fried Tom Yam Chicken.

Stir Fried Tom Yam Chicken

INGREDIENTS: (For 2-4 pax)
1 chicken breast
1 cube Knorr Tom Yam Stock
250ml water
1 tbsp Knorr Hao Chi
1/2 lime slice
1/3 tsp lime zest
1 stick lemon grass, cut into small pieces
1 lime leave julienne
1 tbsp chopping onion
2 garlic, sliced
1 chilli padi, diced
1 stalk basil
1 tbsp coconut milk

METHOD:
1. Dissolve 1 Knorr Tom Yam cube in 250ml of water.
2. Slice chicken breast and season with Knorr Hao Chi.
3. Heat pan with oil and fry chicken for 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4. Fry onion, garlic, lemongrass, lime leave till fragrant and add Knorr Tom Yam stock.
5. Bring to boil and add the rest of the ingredients, including the chicken breast.
6. Simmer until sauce becomes almost dry and lace with coconut milk. Serve

Chef Daniel took about 15 mins to prepare and another 15 minutes to cook. It is quite simple especially for busy working adults who have no time for cooking!

After Chef Daniel is done with the cooking, we also experiment with your own family recipe under the guidance of Chef Daniel. And being a Hainanese, I initially wanted to cook Chicken Rice, but the process is too long. So in the end, I whipped up Hainanese Pork Chop with the help of the boyf!

Hainanese Pork Chop

Ingredients:

PORK CHOPS (for 4-6 pax)
- 500g boneless pork chops (or 4 pieces of pork loin)
- 5 pieces of bread, baked for 5 mins and blended to breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- Cooking oil

MARINADE
- 3 tbsps light soya sauce
- some pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornflour

GRAVY
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large tomato, cut into sections
- 100g green peas
- 1 onion, cut into thin slices
- some fresh pineapple cubes
- 5 tbs of tomato ketchup
- 1 tbs of oyster sauce
- 1 tbs of sugar
- 1 Knorr Chicken cube, mixed with 250ml of water
- a pinch of salt (optional)
- corn flour solution

Method:

FOR PORK CHOPS
1. Tenderise the meat by pounding it using a meat mallet or the back of a chopper.
2. Marinate the pork slices for at least 30 minutes or even overnight for more flavour.
3. Before frying, pour the beaten eggs onto a plate or into a shallow bowl. Dip both sides of each pork slice in the beaten egg.
4. Coat each side with breadcrumbs, patting to get an even layer. Gently shake off the excess breadcrumbs.
5. Heat your wok or pan with oil over medium-low heat. Fry each breaded pork slice until golden brown and crisp.

FOR GRAVY
1. Heat oil and fry the onion.
2. Add the tomato, peas and pineapple cubes.
3. Add the sauces, sugar and water and bring to a boil.
4. Allow to boil until the peas are cooked through.
5. Add in corn flour solution. Stir into mixture to thicken the gravy.
6. Drizzle onto the pork chop. Serve.

Here is our Hainanese Pork Chop after 45 minutes! Everyone loves it!

Here are the dishes prepared by my friends! Derrick & Vicki cooked Golden Sands French Beans, Philip & Serene did Babi Pongteh, Jacob & Chloe did 40 cloves of garlic roast chicken! For their recipes, you can visit their blogs to check it out!

JOIN THE KNORR COOKOUT COMPETITION TO GET THE KITCHEN OF YOUR DREAM

Well, if you have a family recipe to share, join the Knorr Cookout Competition to get the kitchen of your dream! What you have to do is to form a team of TWO with any one of your family member and cook up your family favourite dish using KNORR® products (within $30). The dish will be judged on taste, presentation, creativity, teamwork, hygiene and background story.

1st Prize : $8,000 worth of cash and voucher to revamp your kitchen
2nd Prize : $5,000 worth of cash and voucher to revamp your kitchen
3rd Prize : $3,000 worth of cash and voucher to revamp your kitchen
Consolation Prizes x 2 : $1,000 Vouchers

Please provide details of participants: Names, Dates of Birth, NRIC Numbers, Contact Email/s & Number/s and Relationship; Name and Photo of Dish; Cost Breakdown of Dish (no more than $30); Recipe; KNORR® Product/s Used & in no more than 100 words, share the story behind your family favourite dish. Email the details to knorr@vmsd.com.sg

Closing date: 12th May 2013

Advertorial

When I was still schooling, the thing we would always do is to sit in a café, open up my ten-year-series and started working on my homework. But after I graduated, I no longer have to bring assessment books to cafes. Instead, I would bring my iPad or favourite story book.

Cafes not only serve great food but they are the perfect place to read. It allows me to read a long novel while having a cup of coffee leisurely. Especially during weekends, I would usually spend one of my afternoons hiding in a café and start reading.

How we read books has been changing over the years since the advent of the computer and other gadgets. Now, I don’t bring thick paperback books with me because they are simply too heavy. When I download ebooks on my iPad, everything becomes more convenient.

If you are holding on to your favourite story books, it is time to change to ebooks! Firstly it saves paper (trees!). It is also weightless and you can carry 1000 ebooks with a reader, iPad, desktop, phone etc. Most ebook readers have bookmarks which you can set to return to your last read page easily and they are available immediately after you buy it!

And now with Booktique, the new ebook store by StarHub, reading ebook has become a social affair!

The first book I bought from Booktique is “EAT MY GLOBE” by Simon Majumdar. The book is about this author who just turned forty and realized there had to be more to life than his stable but uninspiring desk job.

As he wondered how to escape his career, he rediscovered a list of goals he had scrawled out years before, the last of which said: Go everywhere, eat everything. With that, he had found his mission — a yearlong search for the delicious, and curious, and the curiously delicious, which he names Eat My Globe and memorably chronicles in these pages.

It is especially entertaining to read about the author’s food adventures especially when he orders cod sperm in Tokyo, crunches crickets in Manila, and is disgusted by cane rat in China.

I brought my iPad to the café near my house, and spent the rest of my afternoon eating croissants, drinking soya milk while reading the ebook. It is so convenient because you can read your books anywhere, everywhere on multiple devices.

The good thing about Booktique is, you can highlight the quotes you like, write some notes and share it with your friends!

Here is something which I really like from the book: “Food was not just fuel to feed the plump bodies of the Majumdar clan. It was the very essence of who we were and indeed are, and that passion has remained the focus of our every waking moment and every conversation.”

Booktique has a large catalogue ranging from international bestsellers to local literature. There are over 400,000 titles from major and independent publishers with a wealth of genres such as fiction, bios, cookbooks, business guides etc.

Logging on or signing up for Booktique is really easy. If you have a Hub iD or Gee! iD, you can log on to Booktique.sg and start on your Booktique journey. Fret not if you do not have a Hub iD/ Gee! iD. Just click on “Register for an iD” and follow the steps to sign up for an iD.

This is how my page on Booktique looks like. It is just like Facebook where it will document your activities. You can synchronise your library and bookmarks across devices. You can also “socialise” with the rest of the like-minded readers, form discussion groups and share your notes, highlights, bookmarks and more.

Everything in Booktique is very organised. Purchases are categorised and populated into your library and popular titles are highlighted to you frequently.

After you are done with the book selection, you will be directed to the payment page. If you are a StarHub Mobile customer, you can use your mobile bill to make the payment. If not, don’t worry, you can just pay using credit cards. After which, you can download the Booktique Reader app on your phone, or tablet to start reading immediately!

Here’s something for you! For a limited time only, readers of Miss Tam Chiak will get a FREE* book from Booktique!

All you have to do is to sms in “TAMCHIAK <space> Book number <space> Name <space> Email” to 9024 5851.

Log in to Booktique, to enter the coupon code you received to have the book added to your library!

Refer to the image above to select your Free books and their corresponding book number. The promotion will end by 24 April. *WHILE STOCK LASTS!

Hello world! It has been a tiring week, I fell sick since Sunday with a bad headache, sore throat, running nose etc and after sleeping for almost 15 hours (including nap) for the past 2 days, I finally got better to blog something.

Coffee lovers have definitely heard about Chye Seng Huat Hardware. This cafe is the latest hype in town and we decided to check it out one Sunday afternoon. The exterior is really old school and rustic, which totally reminds me of the old school provision shops.

The guys from Papa Palheta and Loysel’s Toy are really smart to have taken over this place. The flagship store features a roastery, an island coffee bar, a coffee school and a private coffee tasting room. When you enter into the cafe, coffee bean smell lingers around the cafe. The interior of the cafe was warm and dimly lit, perfect to lounge around with a good friend over a nice cup of hot coffee.

I ordered a cup of Espresso with Milk ($5.50). The barista who made the coffee will determine the quality of the coffee I had that day. The coffee I had that day is good, strong and fragrant. It enters the throat with a punch and a slight bitterness. They also have ice coffee that is served in a medicine bottle.

We came for late lunch at about 1pm on a lovely Sunday. As you can see, the cafe is so crowded that I have to practically squeeze my way through to look for seats. And when we finally found two seats along the bar counter, we have to spent another 15 mins queuing to order the food. And after placing our orders, we have to wait another 45 mins for our food to arrive!

To fill our tummy, I ordered a Old Fashioned Banana Cake ($4.50) first. This is a gigantic piece and we love because it is so moist!

Chye Seng Huat Hardware do not have a wide array of brunch dishes to select, I had the Scrambled Eggs with bacon ($11) which was a very classic brunch item. Eggs were moist and bacon was crunchy. Nothing much to shout about though.

We also ordered the Seared Dory Fillet ($15) drizzled with lemon butter sauce and served with some baby potatoes & mixed greens. Dory is firm and well cooked. But we find their sauce a bit too salty for us that day.

It is definitely not advisable to drop by on a weekend. It is way too crowded and you probably can’t really sit down enjoy your coffee or brunch. I won’t come back for their food, but I don’t mind dropping by for some coffee and cakes on a quiet weekday afternoon.

Chye Seng Huat Hardware
Address: 150 Tyrwhitt Road
Tel: 6396 0609
Opening hours: Tues to Fri 9am to 7pm; Sat to Sun 9am to 10pm.

Fans of Sambal Fish will have to try Lai Huat Seafood Restaurant. It first opened in Lavender in 1990 before moving to Tyrwhitt Road and now, Horne Road. Despite being in a obscure location, people will travel all the way here to tr their seafood specialties.

Most of the regulars who frequent here will definitely order 3 dishes: Sambal Pomfret, Black Pepper Crayfish and Fish Maw Soup (which they called it Special Delicacy now).

A chef definitely needs to have good skills to fry a fish well. If overdone, it will be too dry. That is why, the second generation owner insists on cooking this Sambal Belachan Pomfret ($28 to $42) himself instead of asking his assistants to do it.

The end result? The fish is deep fried to a crisp, giving it a crispy and dry on the outside, but very tender fish meat on the inside. Topping it with home made dry sambal, it is spicy and fragrant enough and best to eat with a bowl of rice.

Then comes the Pepper Crayfish ($18 to $36) where the crayfish is first fried and then stir fried with pepper and salt. The meat is firm and sweet, something worth recommending.

Special Delicacy ($15, $20, $30) has fish maw, scallops, mushrooms, minced crab meat, cauliflower, and the boss is very generous with the ingredients.

Crispy Tofu ($8, $12, $16) is made in house and paired with a sweet Thai sauce whioch has a mild spicy kick.

Very enjoyable zi char dinner here. I will definitely come back for more. If you are wondering, 223 Rangoon Road has the same restaurant name, it is owned by the brother.

Lai Huat Seafood Restaurant (来发海鲜菜馆)
Address: 72 Horne Road
Tel: 6299 3024

Singapore’s largest gourmet food festival SAVOUR 2013 returns in greater glory this year with all-new line of talented chef and award winning restuarants. Taking place across four days from 11 to 14 April 2013 at the F1 Pit Building and Paddock grounds, this event is set to unite the best in food and drink with a wide range of unique activities that is accessible to all.

As we walked along the Gourmet Village, we met 25 world-renowned chefs and enjoyed some of their signature dishes. It is recommended to try some of the dishes from restaurants overseas because it will be difficult for you to eat it again in Singapore (unless you travel all the way to their country). But we cannot resist GUNTHER’S Cold Angel Hair Pasta with Oscietra Caviar (18 Savour Dollars) so that is our first on the list!

And how we can miss Bo Innovation! Best known for his signature style of X-treme Chinese cuisine, Chef Alvin Leung showcases Asian inspired cuisine such as the Molecular Xiao Long Bao (6 Savour Dollars) and Bo Chicken Rice (10 Savour Dollars). Seriously, the xiao long bao looked nothing like the usual xiao long bao (read: molecular). I thought it was a egg yolk and we can smell the strong sesame oil flavour. Once you pop the whole thing in your mouth, it pops like an egg yolk, but the “soup” tasted like xiao long bao. Very unique! As for the Bo Chicken Rice, we have rice soaked in yellow chicken stock and abalone jelly.

We also tried The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais, South Africa. Voted at #57 in the World’s 100th Best Restaurants, Chef Margot Janse draws inspiration from native African produce and flavours, and brings them to life using French technique. Biltong Cured 1824 Beef Fillet (16 Savour Dollars) was served with warm corn and maize salad, chakala ketchup and bone marrow dressing. Biltong is South African dried meat. Typically, the meat is sliced and then dipped into undiluted vinegar. It causes the meat to have a shiny appearance and a slightly sourish taste.

TV Host, Author & Celebrated Chef, Jason Atherton from Pollen Street Social has some interesting dishes. One of which is the Fresh Crab Meat mixed with lemon mayonnaise, avocado puree, sweet corn mousse and wild dill. Can’t really taste the avocado because the sweet corn mousse overpowered it. Well, it has an unique acquired taste.

This is also the first year Stellar at 1-Altitude will be participating in this annual festival. Thanks to Stellar, I had the chance to try their food! I had their signature sushi selection which is a combination of Spicy Tuna Maki, Swordfish Miso Maki and Lobster Sakura Ebi Maki, all delicately presented.

They also have an open grill for live cooking of premium meat cuts such as Australian Lamb Rack, Smoked Short Rib of Beef and a Kobe C Rib of Beef. For those who want it all, there is an option to opt for the Meat Lovers Platter! I must say the grilled meats are really very yummy, well marinated and very flavourful! Each piece is very tender!

Last night, Nespresso also launches an Ode to Italy. Inspired by the remarkable, yet diverse, coffee cultures of Italy, Nespresso has chosen to celebrate two unique Italian cities and their cultures of coffee. Trieste and Napoli, the unique and contrasting Limited Edition coffees, will be available for a limited time only from 12 April 2013 at $11.50 per sleeve.

We love the SAVOUR Gourmet Market which is a 2-storey space that houses a plethora of food and drink exhibitors plus hundreds of complementary workshops, tastings and produce demonstrations conducted by renowned experts and brands. Thanks to Nespresso and SAVOUR 2013, I was able to conduct a giveaway to three lucky winners to attend this event. It is an eye-opener for me and I hope my lucky winners enjoyed themselves too!

In addition, FIJI Water, the official water at Savour 2013, will be launching the inaugural The Great FIJI Water Race at Savour 2013! Taking place on Saturday, 13 April 2013 from 12noon to 4pm, the race is open to all attendees of Savour. Participants will complete 5 tasks and/or 3 bonus tasks to earn points to stand a chance to win the grand prize of $1000 cash and a year’s supply of FIJI Water. Instant mini-prizes (limited to first 100 contest participants) such as delicious cupcakes from Head Over Heels and cooking demonstration vouchers from Tools of the Trade are also up for grabs. For more information, click here.

For more information, please visit www.savour.sg for more information.

Happy Saturday! I am so happy that weekend is finally here. It has been a busy week for the F&B scene. We welcome the opening of Tim Ho Wan on Wednesday and yesterday, Savour 2013 officially opendd. I have not try the Tim Ho Wan outlet in Singapore. I shall wait for it to settle down for a while before I join in the queue! I had the dimsum in the original Mongkok outlet a few years back and really love it. I hope Tim Ho Wan Singapore is as good as the one in Hong Kong!

I am not a Peranakan so I won’t dare to name this is Nonya Chap chye. But as a Hainanese, surprisingly we eat chap chye during CNY and my aunt cook it really well. So when I was given the task to prepare lunch for the family, I wanted something quick and healthy, so I thought of Chap Chye!

I didn’t really like fermented beans all along. But the aunt has been telling me that the essence of this dish is the bean paste. So I just bought the cheapest bottle found in supermarket. After I reached home, then I ponder, why didn’t I get the most fine one. So I had to ground the bean paste. And adding the fermented bean paste really brings out the umami flavour in the chap chye. If you have more time, you can simmer for a longer time to bring out the sweetness of the vegetables more.

Enjoy cooking!

Ingredients: (for 4-6 pax)
1 head round cabbage (wong bok), cut into large pieces
6 dried black fungus, soaked for 15 mins
2 long sticks of dried beancurd, soaked for 15 mins and cut pieces
8 shitakke mushrooms, soaked for 15 mins and cut into halves
15g dried lily bulbs, soaked for 15 mins
2 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked for 15 mins
1 bundle glass noodles, soaked till soft
1 tbsp of fermented beans
2 tbsp oyster sauce
250ml chicken stock or water
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp of oil

Method:
1. Ground the fermented beans using mortar and pestle. Alternatively, you can buy the fine/grounded fermented bean paste.
2. Heat oil in wok, add in garlic and fry till fragrant.
3. Add in dried shrimps and fry till fragrant.
4. Add in all the other ingredients (except glass noodles), mix well and bring to boil.
5. Cover wok and let it simmer for 15mins.
6. Add in glass noodles and let it absorb the sauce. Serve.

World Gourmet Summit (WGS) is back again! This annual epicurean festival showcases the intricate craftsmanship of prestigious chefs, specially crafted for the discerning individual who appreciates great wines and fine cuisines.

As one of the partner restuarants, Li Bai @ Sheraton Towers has come up with two WGS Special Set Menus and is available for lunch and dinner from 17 to 26 April 2013.

Named after the famous Tang Dynasty Poet and set amidst superb décor, Li Bai is renowned for its Cantonese cuisine served in the tradition of China’s grand emperors. With grand table settings of jade, silver and fine china yet retaining an inviting atmosphere, Li Bai’s executive chef Chung Yiu Ming draws inspiration from the poet’s classical poems to present diners with exquisite, authentic Chinese cuisine.

WGS SPECIAL SET MENU B ($168.00++ Per Person)
17 to 26 April
Available for lunch and dinner

Thanks to Li Bai, I had a preview of their WGS Special Set Menu. I really enjoyed the Fresh Lobster Combination (龙虾拼盘) because the lobster’s flesh is so sweet. It is paired with sliced marinated duck with rose leaves which gives a hint of fragrance to the tender duck meat; and scallops with caviar which is a good example of east meets west.

Most of us really know bird’s nest as a sweet dessert, but chef created the savoury version – Braised Stuffed Bird’s Nest (竹笙乾贝燕窝球). The tasty, gooey soup is enriched with conpoy and bamboo piths, while the nest is done just right so that you get some firm, stringy bits with an overall light, frothy texture.

The red garoupa is always a favourite among Chinese because it offers more bite. Deep-fried Fillet of Red Garoupa Roll topped with Crabmeat Sauce (蟹汁红斑卷) does with minimal seasoning so as to let the freshness comes through. My only gripe is the lacklustre crabmeat sauce.

Crispy Shredded Filo dough Rolled with Mini Abalone (鲍鱼炸天使麵) is a luxury-version of that zi char favourite. The noodles are fried till crispy, then the gravy is poured over. Mini abalone cap it off.

Double-boiled Fresh Milk with Egg White and Hasma in Young Coconut (椰皇燉雪蛤鲜奶) is extremely smooth, and I love how it melts in your mouth, smoothes along your throat, into the stomach and warms up the body gradually. The soft, puffy hasma are basically tasteless on their own, but add texture and a touch of luxury and is good for the complexion, lungs and kidneys.

Chef Chung’s keen emphasis on using only quality ingredients and enhancing the natural flavours of every ingredient ensure that diners enjoy nothing short of a gourmet experience at Li Bai.

Note: Citibank Cardmembers receive 15% off with every WGS set menu.

Li Bai
Address: Sheraton Towers Singapore, 39 Scotts Road
Tel: + 65 6839 5623

There is a changing appetite for healthy food in Singapore and with the recent surge of new health-focused start-ups such as Salad bars, Organic restaurants and low-calorie smoothie counters.

Peach Blossoms Chinese Executive Chef Chan Shun Wong is joining in the healthy food wagon by presenting the Organic Goodness food promotion from now till 30 April 2013 to satisfy the palates of health-conscious diners.

A burgeoning dietary trend in Hong Kong, organic dishes have already established a strong presence in Chef Chan’s hometown, and he is eager to develop this culinary transformation in Singapore.

While organic food is more prevalent in Western cuisine, Chef Chan is set to change this with his latest menus – two special set menus and an extensive à la carte menu using naturally-grown and chemical-free produces.

These organic goodness are created to provide healthier gastronomic options without compromising on their flavours.

Begin your health journey with a cup of Malva Nut Juice Drink with Organic Honey and Lime which has a balance of sweet and sour taste and perfect for palate cleansing.

Appetizers started on a good note with Baked Organic Pumpkin with Cheese served in Organic Kiwi ($12++ per piece). hef Chan created this flavoursome dish by adding the baked pumpkin into the half-emptied kiwi. Topped with a small piece of cheese, the stuffed kiwi is then baked for half an hour, adding a golden finish to this delicate dish. The delicious pumpkin mash is baked till soft with the cheese forming brown charred spots. Spooning it together with some kiwi meat gives a hint of sourness. Both pumpkin and kiwi contains rich source of vitamin C, which strengthens the body’s immunity.

I enjoyed the Braised Prawn Soup with Organic Pumpkin, Organic Bean Curd & Crab Meat (available in the 7 course set menu at $88++ per person, minimum order of 2 person). Not exactly a soup base I would say, but more like prawn bisque. It had that fresh sea taste and if you think it is not enough, there is a one big fat prawn on the soup.

Steamed Organic Egg with Braised Dried Scallop ($10++ per person, also available in the 6 course set menu at $56++ per person, minimum order of 2 person) is a healthier and luxurious version. Using organic ingredients such as milk and egg, chicken stock is added into the mixture to enhance its flavour before bringing it to steam for eight minutes. The dried scallop is braised separately and it is added onto the dish before serving. The silky and comforting smooth steamed egg acts as a bed for the conpoy. I would prefer a normal scallop than conpoy because it is too rich in taste.

Main course was Poached Silver Cod with Homemade Organic Tomato Sauce ($18++ per person, also available in the 6 course set menu at $56++ per person, minimum order of 2 person). ). Steamed to perfection, the cod is drizzled with Chef Chan’s self-made tomato sauce which is made from tomato puree, vinegar and sugar. The cod is cooked just enough not to be raw but remains smooth and delicate. It takes on the sweetness of the tomato sauce it is served in, with fried ginger strips to perk up the flavours.

Anything poached has got itself a bad reputation for being bland. But I enjoyed my Poached Organic Ginko Nuts, Organic Mushrooms & Organic Spinach ($20++ for 2-3 pax, also available in the 7 course set menu at $88++ per person, minimum order of 2 person) where you can truly taste the goodness from the vegetables.

Not forgetting the Fried Organic Multi-grain Rice with Shredded Duck ($8++ per person) which is sprinkled with some crispy rice.

And the creamy Chilled Organic Avocado Puree served with Chocolate Ice Cream ($14++ per person, also available in the 7 course set menu at $88++ per person, minimum order of 2 person) which has a velvety texture we love.

Set Menus
Six-course Set Menu at $56++ per person (Minimum 2 persons)
Seven-course Set Menu at $88++ per person (Minimum 2 persons)

À La Carte Menu
12 dishes starting from $8++ per serving.

PEACH BLOSSOMS
Address: Marina Mandarin Level 5
For reservations, call 6845 1118 or email peachblossoms.marina@meritushotels.com

Hello world! It has been a really busy and short week. Trying to finish my work, as well as preparing for my Chiang Mai trip this Thursday! I was supposed to do a giveaway today but my broandband crashed last night so I have no internet access (except for the iPhone) and doing a big blog post is not feasible.

So some readers dropped me an email asking how do I choose a bento box? I am not exactly an expert here but here are some points I consider.

- First: think of what ingredients will be used first. If you are packing this for your kid, you probably have to think of the calories and nutritional value of whatever ingredients you are going to put into the box.

- Second: Find a box which is able to fit the ingredients. Make sure the box is tightly sealed, because you don’t want some teriyaki sauce to drip onto the textbooks. And make sure it sits upright in the school bag, do not turn the bento to its side.

- Third: Choose a design you / your kid love!

If you are packing some fried items…
Make sure your fried items has cooled down before packing it into your bento. This will help prevent the warmth turning into condensation turning into moisture turning into a soggy meal.

I haven’t been doing bento for some time and today, I am going to share with a cute Kitty bento which I made. It is a super simple bento and I am using the kitty cutter which I bought last year. Basically this cutter can be used for bread or rice or ham or cheese. I think I have made a bread kitty before using the same cutter.

Anyway, I was crazy over teriyaki chicken for a moment and wanted to have this with a plate of Japanese rice. Hence this idea came. It makes my lunch more appetizing and of course, I can’t to eat them initially. You must be wondering why do I have tomatoes in most of the bentos? That is because I have the habit of eating tomatoes everyday. Small ones or big ones doesn’t matter, I need to eat tomatoes for at least one of the meals!

MY BENTO! CUTE ANOT! HAHA! I wanted to do cupid lah, but didn’t succeed, so I have two hearts and a bow at the bottom.

The sweet-tempered Sundanese people developed a taste for the raw sweetness of naturally occuring foods that they satisfied with luscious salads grown on the luxuriant land. One day, the people decided to enhance the taste of the fish by adding the ingredients of the salad they loved. And so, they pounded, mashed and ground the leaves, roots, stems and fruits into a thick, rich paste, which they spread generously over the sizzling fish and meats.

A tantalising aroma soon filled the air. Mouths watering, the people of Sundanese bit into of the fish and wonderment lit their eyes and set their tongues a-tingling as they savoured the delectable paste and tasted the sweet juices of the succulent flesh inside. And this is the essence of sundanese food.

At the House of Sundanese food (now called Lee’s Kitchen), they have perfected this traditional sundanese cooking style. If you have been to House of Sundanese Food in Suntec City, you probably can remember some of the savoury dishes that is cooked with sweet sauce. Unfortunately, the mall is undergoing renovation and they have relocated to their new location – Katong Shopping Centre.

With the change in location, the owner of House of Sundanese food thought it was a good idea to re-brand the restaurant and introduced more Chinese food. Hence, they have changed the name to Lee’s Kitchen. Personally, I thought it was a bad move since “House of Sundanese Food” has already built a good reputation. Well never mind about that, what is more important is the food.

In Indonesia, satay is available everywhere from travelling street vendors to upper-class restaurants. The more popular one is Satay Madura where the meat is marinated in sweet soy sauce, palm sugar, shallots, shrimp paste etc. Lee’s Kitchen serves Chicken Satay ($7.20/6pcs) and Mutton Satay ($9/6pcs) whereby hearty chunks of meat grilled over charcoal. The aroma is so addictive. If there is one dish you MUST TRY in this restaurant, it has got to be the satay.

Food portion here may look small but I think a combination of a few dishes is adequate for a good dinner. Ayam Bumbu Rujak ($4.90) has a quarter chicken in a smooth, rich flowing sauce of harmoniously blended spices and chillies. There is a hint of lemongrass in the gravy and the chicken is tender and juicy.

Satay Tauhu ($5.20) has a combination of tauhu, tempeh and lentils covered with satay sauce. Nothing spectacular about its satay sauce, but I thought the additiona of lentils is quite unique. Charocoal Grilled Sotong ($3.80) had marinated squid cooked over fire with bango sauce. It has a lovely sweetness and the sotong is very Q.

Another specialty here is their Beef Rendang ($7.20) with chunks of beef marinated and slow cooked in a myraid of spices. The meat is extremely tender with an aromatic rendang gravy that is moderately spiced. Taupok Goreng ($6/5pcs) are huge Taupok balls stuffed with waterchestnuts, mushrooms and small prawns. Personally I find it too oily for my liking.

While many restaurants would serve Sambal Kang Kong, Lee’s Kitchen serves Kang Kung ($6.50) with salted soya beans instead. The morning glory is stir-fried with bean paste, and the vegetables retain the natural crunch and texture. If you still prefer the typical sambal kang kong, not a problem as you can always add in the sambal belachan.

My aunty and I loved its Sambal egg plant ($5.80). Though it is just a normal fried egg plant, but the sweet mildly spicy sauce just make it perfect, especially for someone like me who doesn’t like eggplant.

If all is not enough, how about having Lee’s Charcoal Fish ($28.20). The fried fish was quite crispy on the outside and soft and moist inside and is enough to share among 2-3 people. Indonesian sweet sauce, kicap manis, is brushed over the dish, giving it a tangy sweetness.

And here’s a cup of Avocado for dessert which helps to neutralize the array of diverse flavours throughout the course of the meal. White rice ($1.50) here is served in rattan baskets. Ok I know there are too many dishes, but here’s my top 3 list: Satay, Beef Rendang, Kang Kung.

Lee’s Kitchen (formerly House Of Sundanese Food)
Address: Katong Shopping Centre, 865 Mountbatten Road, #01-41
Tel: 6334 1012

Thanks to Lee’s Kitchen, I am giving away 3 dining vouchers to THREE LUCKY READERS! Each voucher worth $15, with NO minimum spending. If you would like to visit Lee’s Kitchen, all you have to do is answer a simple question:

Q: Name a dish you would like to try in Lee’s Kitchen.

A random generator will be used, everyone has an equal chance of winning. Closing date: 19 April 2013, Friday 23:59. Good Luck.

Hello everyone! It is my last day in Chiang Mai and I am going to board the plane soon and come back to my chicken rice in a few hours’ time. I am feeling very insecure for not blogging for so many days (usually you will get to read a new post everyday), so I thought I will give up some sleep and do a simple blog post.

A day before my trip, I met up with my friends for lunch at Uma Uma Ramen. Jackson happened to post a picture of Uma Uma’s Char Siew Don on Instagram and I fell in love just by looking at the photo. So lunch location was confirmed immediately.

Uma Uma Ramen’s name stems from “Wu Maru”, a Ramen shop established in 1953 by the father of Uma Uma Ramen’s current President, Masahiko Teshima. Upon taking over the business in 1994, “Wu Maru” was renamed “Uma Uma Ramen”; a play on the original name of the restaurant as well as a pun on the Japanese word for “tasty”.

I have zero expectation when I reached Uma Uma Ramen. Neither do I know that this famous Fukuoka ramen chain is brought to Singapore by Iggy’s. All I knew was, they have Cha Siew Don and I want to try it.

But well, being a fickle minded lady, after looking at the menu, the restaurant seems to be more famous for their ramen, hence I ordered a bowl of Uma Uma Ramen ($14) instead. They have a lunch ramen set special (only for weekdays) which allows you to choose ONE topping, ONE side dish and ONE non-alcoholic drink for an additional $4. So I added a tamago to my ramen and ordered a plate of Gyoza.

The right noodles are a necessary element of a perfect bowl of ramen. As per Japanese tradition, the basic thinner, clear souped ramen is paired with thicker, curly noodles. The thicker soup base is better suited to the thinner noodles. If you like your noodles thin, non-curly and springy, you will like Uma Uma Ramen which serves Hakata-style ramen.

Of course, the usual ramen we had in Singapore is much thicker, so it may not suit many tastebuds, but the ramen I had that day, still retains a good bite. The egg is runny and the stock may be a tad too oily for my liking but it is truly flavourful. The ramen is served with charsiu, spring onions, black fungus in spicy miso.

Frankly, I kinda regret for not ordering their Chasiu Rice ($5) but the kind friends offered me some of it and I totally fell in love with it. Lovely torched flavor, nicely fat-lined. Portion was adequate for me, and I will go back to eat a bowl of Chasiu Rice all by myself.

Uma Uma Ramen
Address: #01-41/42/43 Forum the Shopping Mall, 583 Orchard Rd
Tel: 6235 0855
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:30-9:30pm; Sun 11:30am-9pm

Advertorial

For some reason girls can’t resist things that are cute and little. Especially when it comes to burgers, we like our little buns small and cute so that we don’t feel so guilty eating too much meat. For ladies who love burger, I have a good news for you: Wendy’s created the SON of Beef Baconator!

Beef Baconator has always been the star in Wendy’s. But in case the Beef Baconator has just too much meat for some, Wendy’s has launched the Son Of Beef Baconator from now till 8 May 2013.

It’s pretty much the same ingredients but instead of two quarter-pounders, the Son of Beef Baconator offers two 2.25-ounce patties on one bun. Basically, if you’re having a craving for meat and bacon, but don’t want the big daddy, the Son of Beef Baconator is here for you in your time of need.

At Wendy’s, they don’t cut corners. That is why their patties are SQUARE! Their hamburgers are made hot and juicy, and served on quality buns from select bakeries. The Son of Beef Baconator comes with same ingredients as the Beef Baconator. Hence it will continue to satisfy the craving for the burger and will let the younger crowd and ladies enjoy the burger comfortably. Especially for ladies, they don’t feel guilty eating too much meat.

Son of Beef Baconator continues to serve the same features flavor for those customers that craving for beef bacon. For customers whose appetites crave something bigger and stronger, the original Beef Baconator continues to serve up the same fearless flavour.

What the original Beef Baconator has?
6 strips of beef bacon piled high atop two ¼ lb. patties of 100% premium beef. Layered with 2 slices of cheddar cheese, mayo and ketchup on butter-toasted buns.

What the NEW son of Beef Baconator has?
4 strips of beef bacon piled atop two 2.25 ounce patties of 100% premium beef. Layered with 2 slices of cheddar cheese, mayo and ketchup on butter-toasted buns.

What I like about it?

1. I have eaten turkey bacon in burgers but it is my first time eating beef bacon (Wendy’s is a halal certified restaurant). The bacon is less sweet but still retains its moisture.
2. The beef patty is thin and juicy. Not as thick as the Beef Baconator hence I feel less guilty eating it.
3. ITS SIZE! That’s the most important factor in the Son of Beef Baconator! The usual Wendy’s burger are much bigger in size and most of the time, I can’t finish one. But with this Son of Beef Baconator, I can enjoy the burger all by myself.

SON OF BEEF BACONATOR Special : 1 Son of Beef Baconator, 1 Chilli Cheese Fries, 1 Soft Drink = ONLY $7.95 (U.P. $10.75, valid til 8 May 2013)

Love bacon? Check out Wendy’s facebook page for the latest bacon news.

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Contest

• Snap a picture outside Wendy’s restaurant and tell us why you deserve to win.
• Upload the picture on your facebook wall and email us a screenshot of your posted picture
• Title – “Son of Beef Baconator” Contest and email to SOBB@wendys.com.sg with your name, contact and NRIC number
• Contest ends 30 April 2013

Prizes:
Grand Prize: $200 Wendy’s vouchers + T-shirt
Consolation prizes: 25 pairs x combo voucher + T-shirt

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Wendy’s outlets: Century Square, Holland Villlage, Jurong East MRT Station, Jurong Point,
Yishun 10, NEX shopping mall, Lau Pa Sat, Kopitiam City (Near Buangkok MRT), Liat Towers (Near Wheelock Place), Vhotel (Near Lavendar MRT)

I love making friends. Even at work, I believe that colleagues can be friends (unless you are on the competitive side). I used to work in a tuition centre and my employer then became my best friend. Then I worked in a music college where my 60-year-old ang moh boss became my friend cum advisor in life. So when I want to plan a farewell lunch for colleague-turn-friend, the feeling is horrible.

Who would bother to treat someone else to a good meal if that person doesn’t mean anything right? This colleague-turn-friend has been one of the nicest person on Earth. We kinda been through thick and thin (for work) and working late nights with him has been so enjoyable. Especially when we were given lemons, we cursed and sweared like there is no tomorrow and created a joke out of it in the end. It always felt better talking to him, so on his last day, I treated him to lunch at Bistro du Vin at Zion Road.

Bistro du vin is a casual French eatery under the Les Amis Group which offers a menu of robust and rustic French classic:French onion soup, baked Burgundian escargots, Coq au Vin and many more. The free flow of bread is a nice touch, especially when the bread is warm and crispy good. I think I kinda ate too much bread that I was too full before my main course came.

Anyway, ordered a Baked Burgundian escargots ($15 for 6 pcs) for sharing. It is baked with garlic herb butter and satisfying.

I ordered a Beef Cheek braised in red wine ($33) as my main. The meat was tenderly soft and braised with carrot, mushroom, peral onion, bacon and mashed potato which gives it a natural sweetness. The braised meat really melts in your mouth and the gravy was rice and the red wine lifted up the flavours. You can top up additional $3 for truffle mash, believe me, go for it!

They have 3 course set lunch menu at $26++ which I think is very worth it. The colleague has Foie gras ravioli with shaved mushrooms and port wine sauce. Portion looks small, but by the end he finished the meal, he was quite full already. It looked flat but tasted really fantastic. We even used the bread to dip into the sauce!

Oven-baked spring chicken was tender and served with mushroom and bacon which was well cooked. Sorry this didn’t leave an impression on me, perhaps because my Beef Cheek was much better.

Dessert was Pink Tiramisu which has a unique twist to the usual ones. Pink lady finger biscuits was drenched with some Mascarpone ice cream and it looked as if we were having Sundae!

I had the Souffle au Grand Marnier with vanilla ice cream ($12, 20 mins waiting time). Don’t worry, THIS IS IN THE MENU. Souffle is any chefs biggest nightmares as if it does not reach the table fast enough, it would deflate. I don’t know why my souffle came in a lop-sided manner but it is still fluffy on the outside and moist on the inside. It has a mild aftertaste of rum, and I finished it within a few minutes!

Service was great, ambience was great, I will definitely come back for a meal again! Hopefully the next time, it’s for a happy occasion!

Bistro du Vin (Zion Road)
56 Zion Road
Tel: 68366313