Monday, April 28, 2008

Pierre Hermé & Joël Robuchon

Many thanks to my kind friends! It's greatly appreciated :D
This is the post that I've been dying to blog about - no procrastinating at all. Being the slow poke I am, I completely missed Pierre Herme when he came. (Though it was not as if I was really willing to splurge - feeling a bit stingy nowadays). So I thought my chance to sink my teeth in such high-class macaroons was gone.
Lucky I'm so fortunate to have a 'second chance' with not only one, but TWO of the world's best macaroon specialists. When I gleefully whipped out my box of Pierre Hermé, and (ziploc of) Joël Robuchon, I had to explain to my clueless mum what the names actually were. Simply put it, it's the Gucci and Prada of macaroons.
Sadly, when I was trying to get good shots of them, it was scorchingly hot and my dining table's located right next to the balcony. To my horror, after a few shots on the ixus, the macaroon filling developed a slight sheen and I rushed them into the fridge to recuperate from their heat stroke. Though some would say that I've already killed the texture of the macaroons by giving them less than favourable conditions, they still tasted marvellous to me. I personally prefer Joël Robuchon's macaroons for their delicate, light and thin shells, but I've yet to try Pierre Hermé's signature Ispahan Rose. Perhaps I'll be a convert once I try that. I suppose that the different flavours I tried don't make it a good comparison -but I much prefered the dainty sizes and crusts of JR macaroons. JR rose was exploding with rose flavour and scent - completely unlike the ones I've tried. I liked PH's Raspberry Chocolate, though some people might find it too tart, I thought that the sourness of the raspberry contrasted very well with the rich chocolate. There was also Truffle but to my utmost dissppointment, I could hardly taste or smell any truffle, and I even had to call my friend to confirm which one was truffle. Joël Robuchon's Rose Macaroon is my fave - if I ever went to Japan, I'll be sure to bring home a huge box of nothing but rose macaroons! Lucky they don't have him in Taka cos I'll be sure to burn a hole in my pocket. To think that the doughnut craze here was mad - can you ever imagine how it'll be like if ether JR or PH came and set up a stall? The que would rival the annual NDP's one!
An article on Joël Robuchon in Tokyo's Takashimaya: http://tokyoq.com/weekly_updates/tqoole/salon.html

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Seah Street Deli

Ok I shall faster write this post so that I can do my next post which is super exciting!!!! Pardon the anyhow write disjointed sentences...
For some reason, American Diner Theme is quite popular - Billy Bombers always comes to mind first cos they're really starting chains everywhere (I'm quite ok with the food there and I like their special red potato salad). Then there's Hog's Breath Cafe at Holland V (haven't visited the others though).

I keep comparing Seah Street Deli to Billy Bombers - Just that it's a posher version. I always associated Raffles Hotel with terrifying sky high pocket burning prices but to my pleasant suprise, the prices at Seah Street Deli are not as exorbitant as you would expect. Its a very informal deli, and it reminds me exactly of Billy Bombers, probably cos I hardly go to these American Theme restaurants. This is the Baked Potato Skins (It's about $8 or $9, cant really remember) which were nothing to rave about - quite tasteless actually. It comes with cheddar cheese and bacon bits, and of course, doused in sour cream. I thought it was pretty bland, and it probably is cos I don't really like my food too salty.
Lamb Shank ($18.90++) Very tender, flavourful melt in your mouth meat and very worth it considering that Secret Recipe's very scrawny lamb shank is alr around $16, this one is sturdier (must be a larger sheep) and the 'Buffet Monster' said it was very filling. This is something that Ah Pok and I shared - one's called the Monte Carlo, and the other one's the Bookmaker (both $16.50++ each) but I can't remember which one's which. Just that the one on top (with the pink sauce in the cupcake foil) tastes yummier! It's french toast with lots of shaved turkey ham and bacon. The pink sauce is a creamy, sweet sauce which doesn't taste like any other sauce I've eaten but it goes really well with the saltiness of the turkey bacon. Both sandwiches come with a side of either coleslaw, potato salad or fries. This is the not so nice sandwich - it's quite ok just that compared to the french toast one, it's much harder and drier, and doesn't have the yummy pink sauce. It's pretty salty cos it's really packed with lots of turkey ham.
This is the Elvis Burger, which I didn't try so I can't say much...
I quite liked the place cos it's casual and the service was quick and efficient, and they kept filling up our water glasses.
Seah Street Deli
Raffles Hotel
1 Beach Road
Tel: 6337 1886
Opening Hours:
Sunday to Thursday - 11:00 am to 10:00 pm
Friday, Saturday and eve of public holidays - 11:00 am to 11:00 pm

Ah Wok with Ah Pok & Friends @ St James

This is the resident photowhore Ah Pok, who is always trying to get into my photos (when shes around). See how she's happily and shamelessly posing with the empty claypot? of course, the other friends didn't want to be taken photo of...
While walking around Vivo one day, I recieved this flyer which said St James had a new restaurant (it's not so new now cos this happened some time back). It was advertising the Korean BBQ, and being the night birds that most students are, we decided to try it cos we were running out of supper places to try.

Like all other supper places, there's a premium for such late night food - but then the food tastes good and it's a restaurant with very importantly, AIRCON. It's getting so hot and June isn't even here yet.
This is my fave dish - Pumpkin Porridge with Century Egg. I think it's about $8? it comes in a claypot so it stays warm longer. The 5 other ppl I went with think it's too bland, but I think it's just right. Maybe cos my family's cooking is bland. It's a very huge portion - 2 people can eat one bowl, and there's delicious youtiao too. But I think that porridge is v nice to eat when you're nice and cool at night - super sleep inducing.
This is my Sliced Fish Hor Fun. It comes wrapped in a banana leaf. For $12++ bucks, there's a sufficient amount of fish for 2 people (which is fresh) and noodles for 1. I suppose it's their way for trying to justify the price cos in normal tzechar stalls it's $12 for a big plate of san lau hor fun. Nevertheless, there's the nice oily wok taste and crunchy beansprouts. Tzechar food at restaurant price in restaurant atmosphere at odd hours - I think it's quite justifies the price.

Hot Plate egg tofu ($10++). I think it's not bad price for hot plate tofu since it's a supper restaurant - and it's a good amount and tastes great.The tofu is just cooked to a wobbly goodness and it's full of healthy vegetables, minced meat and of course, omelette at the bottom.
Pig Trotters - I don't really like eating this dish cos it's full of fat (which I don't like the taste of) but I ate a bit of the meat and I like the sauce - it's slightly vinegary and yet a bit sweet and the cashewnuts give it a nice crunch. This is the Tau Suan with Coconut Ice Cream - $4.50. It may seem like a very queer combination to mix the hot tau suan with cold ice cream - but it's actually quite good cos you can faster faster eat it and not have to wait so long for it to cool down:D The tau suan is done the way i like it - slightly more soupy than pasty, and with a clear fluid (I really don't like the cloudy kind).

There's also a Korean BBQ (which was what I initially wanted to try ) but it closes at 12midnight cos you'll be bbq-ing till 3! haha actually no, it's a joke the staff told us. They're full of knowledgeable staff and so you're sure to get good recommendations and your water filled quick.
Slight digression: My parent's friends are so appalled/intrigued by St Jame's Gay Night on Sunday. It's quite funny looking at their reactions! Go and try it on your parent's friends! Very fun to watch their reactions!!

Ah Wok
St Jame's Powerstation (opp Vivo)
Tel: 6376 8085
Operating Hours:
Mon-Tue: 6pm - 1am
Wed-Thu: 6pm - 4am
Fri-Sat-Sun: 6pm - 6am

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Breeko Breakfast - Holland Village

This is my really unhealthy Breeko Breakfast I had a while back (when I was free-er). It was a tough choice between Coffee Bean (which lost cos they just increased their prices) and Provence (no seats, and we didn't want to wait) so we went to Breeko (which wasn't on top of our list cos of the slow service - they're understaffed I think? or maybe they just make everything fresh! :P)

Anyway, their breakfast menu is quite extensive, all the way from healthy yoghurt to those 'light' options with low carb, to my quite huge breakfast to an even huger one with pancakes.

I think my breakfast cost $7.50 (or something like that). I got creamy scrambled eggs (its better than the Coffeebean one cos it's creamier and slightly wetter), a sunny side up, 2 chicken chipotle sausages, bacon, a muffin, baked beans and a tomato. This is some 'Peter Pan' (cake) breakfast - a bit similar to Mac's Hotcakes, just with sausages and a sunny side up egg. The pancakes, suprisingly, were quite good! I really don't know how people make pancakes cook so even! Like when I ever make them they're a bit browner in the middle and at very pale at the sides - not a nice homogenous brown like the outside kind! T-T
Pseudo-sausage egg mc muffin (minus the Mc, of course) and yoghurt. I dunno how much this costs though.

Breeko
Holland Village
Opposite Gelare

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Long House - Deep Fried Chempadak

I went to Long House in the not so recent past and realised how unelightened I am. For my whole 21 years out of which nearly all are spent in Singapore I have never tried deep fried chempadak even though I eat goreng pisang (fried bananas). It's not very suprising - cos I only tried the usual 'breakfast' half boiled eggs with soya sauce and pepper in JC (culture shock maybe cos my sec sch was too atas to serve that kind of breakfast esp if you think about all the E.coli).
But this is a more devastating blow to me because I really like jackfruit and chempadak - I never knew that something yummier than the whole fruit or ice cream or jackfruit juice existed till now!
Just think of lovely ripe chempadak full of the wonderfully aromatic deep fried to a warm golden glob wrapped up in a delicate light batter. The batter is very light and crispy - not like those which overwhelm the fruit -and the chempadak is smooth and creamy, very sweet and warm.

It's so yummy that after buying one piece, (and 2 goreng pisangs), I went back to get 3 more and then another 2! It's about 60 to 80 cents a piece, depending on the size.

Haiz I want to find a good deep fried chempadak place near my house - Long House is so far away.
Anyway, I also tried some other foods at Long House - The duck rice, black chicken herbal soup, and the hokkien mee. I really don't like the hokkien mee it's the very gooey dry oily kind and it has the thin beehoon noodle instead of the fat beehoon noodle which I like. The chicken rice was not bad but I won't be going back anytime soon - furthemore, the parking's terrible and it's quite far from my house. I'm such a lard at travelling...

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Harry's Bar - $12.90 Set Lunch

Harry's Bar offers a simple 3 course set lunch for $12.90 nett. It's actually not bad considering that it's restaurant service. The set lunch includes a soup or salad, main and either dessert or a soft drink.
The salad comes with sauce on the side (it's thousand island), a variety of leaves (not just iceberg lettuce but all the rocket, baby spinach etc etc) there's also a few pieces of strawberries, olives and feta cheese. Quite impressive considering that this is a cheap set lunch.For the mains that day, there was a choice of salmon, tenderloin, pasta or sandwich.
I tried the Panfried Salmon with mashed potato. It was quite dry, but then the portion was big and it was lightly marinaded and well presented. For $12.90, I'm not expecting much.
This is the beef sandwich - toasted bread and fries. The portion is quite good considering the price.

Tenderloin - this one looks the best but do keep in mind that meat cuts aren't the best ones around, but it's still edible.
A simple scoop of vanilla ice cream, but nonetheless, they took pains to dress it up and it ends this meal on a sweet note!

It's a pretty nice place if you want to get a nice sit down meal and a conducive place to chat.
I think most Harry's Bars offer this set luch but I'm not too sure, the one that I tried was in Novena Square.

Gurkha Palace Restaurant

Any place with such a unique name deserves special mention on my blog:D Thanks to my hungry friends who like exploring new areas...

Ghurka Palace Restaurant serves Nepalese and Northern Indian food. I've never tried Nepalese food before so we ended up trying 3 Nepalese dishes between the 4 of us.

Best of all, it's CHEAP! Quite cheap for restaurant standard and great food. The naan - butter or plain - costs only $1.50! I might not be very enlightened in this area but $1.50 for naan in a restaurant is pretty cheap - I've only very recently found out that I've been getting ripped off for naans and curries at all those Indian restaurants.

The saddest thing is that I don't have the receipt (and it's cos someone LOST it! D:<) so I have no idea what the dishes are called cos they're all called some exotic thing! Rarh! But, I will try in my best ability to describe the delicious Nepalese dishes (even though my food vocab is rather limited).

Top left: Nepalese chicken curry (unknown name) which tastes like butter chicken - it's tangy, slightly creamy and bursting with flavour. For about $7.50, it's a good sized portion and the chicken morsels are tender and juicy. There's also ample gravy to mop up with the naans.

Top Middle: Nepalese Vegetable Curry (about $6)
Its peas, carrots and cauliflower simmered in a thick curry sauce, which is also slightly creamy and a bit spicy. All the dishes smell very good cos of the Indian spices.

Top Left: Nepalese Spicy Mutton (can't remember the price)
Aromatic pieces of lamb cooked in a spicy oily sauce. I found it too spicy but then again, my chilli tolerance is quite low.

This is my very unique and cool ice cream - recommended by the waiter it's some home made ice cream (not sure if its Indian or Nepalese) but when I asked him if it was like Kulfi, he was like "no no no no no no no not like kulfi!". He was quite appalled that I thought it was like Kulfi, and this made me want to try it even more - sadly, the only "Indian" type of ice cream I know is kulfi.

It's a very creamy milk ice cream topped with this thick milky (a bit like condensed milk but thicker and I think there's some finely ground nuts or something inside cos it's as a coarse texture) layer and chopped almonds. It's $3.50 for a good sized portion (can share with 2 people).

The saddest thing is that the service isn't up to standard, but for the price, it's really good. I have have no inkling why the Chinese woman boss refused to give us the NETS discount - there's a 15% off if you pay by NETS (there's a huge sign outside) but then even after we specifically told the waiter that we wanted to pay by nets, the boss still credit-carded it. After that, she refused to void it and insisted that we paid by credit card @~%$>&*!!! If you don't wanna give the discount, then don't give lor!!!! Why bother even advertising just hide the sign somewhere we'll be none the wiser... This really makes me feel like hiding the restaurant name, address and tel phone number somewhere but the food's really good! :(


Ghurka Palace Restaurant
51 Chander Road
Tel: 6292 4316

Monday, April 14, 2008

Kyomomoyama

Look at the lovely glistening roe, uni (sea urchin), shredded crab and succulent scallops!
Ah Im backlogging madly and I have no time to blog (until I got inspiration by the news that my 'food mecca' blog has linked me! Go figure...) so I have decided to once again start blogging more regularly and stop being procrastinat-ish and lazy.

This is the Seafood Don (or Chirashi Don or something like that I really can't remember the name it's $25++). I was a bit weary about the freshness so I went to the extent of asking the waitress to help me check if the uni (sea urchin) was fresh. I had a really bad experience with bitter uni (stale and diarrhoea-like uni in a restaurant I shall not mention but it was much cheaper than this...).

The uni was sweet, wobbly and delicious, and melted into a sweet puddle of very expensive liquid uni coating on my tongue!
And the scallops were sweet (it's so wonderful how seafood tastes sweet) and smooth. I think the best way to eat scallops is raw - no steamed-with-garlic nonsense (but I don't mind grilled with gooey cheese yums! For the not so fresh ones of course!)

The uni and scallops were so wonderful that I can't even remember how the crab and roe tastes like - but roe isn't one of my most fave things...

This is what my brother ate - some beef udon thing but of course, I'll strongly recommend the seafood don:D



The interior is very woody - I don't know what kind of wood but it smells like Ikea to me (makes it more Jap if you think of those Ryokans and wooden stuff...). The staff are friendly, helpful and knowledgable. If you make a booking, you'll probably get to have the brilliant river view, but since we walked in that day, we got the next to the entrance shopping mall view.

I'm finding more and more places more expensive than Akashi! Shrinking wallet!




Kyomomoyama

6 Eu Tong Sen Street

#03-87/100/101/110

The Central @ Clarke Quay

Tel: 6534 8001

Monday, April 7, 2008

East Ocean Teochew Restaurant - Shaw Centre

There's this Teochew restaurant that my family used to go to very often but we stopped going for about a year. We went back recently and so I got to take photos of some of the chinese food that I like (which isn't many). Actually, this isn't very Chinese, but it's one of my more fave dishes here. It's lobster noodles with butter sauce ($12.80++). The noodles are a bit like the wanton noodles, but who would have thought that wanton noodles went so well with butter sauce and lobster. The butter sauce is fragrant and super rich, and it coats the egg noodles and goes really well with the sweet lobster. Super artery clogging and yummy!My favouritest Teochew dish ever, braised goose and tofu. It's softer than duck, deboned for your convenience and doused in lots of marinade. No wonder why the farmer killed the golden goose - they taste so good.Bamboo clams ($8 per piece) steamed with chilli and garlic. They're lightly marinaded and the clams are tender, sweet and juicy. Best of all they're very easy to eat cos there's so much meat in one.This is boxthorn (some type of vegetable which looks a bit like spinach) with three kinds of egg. Hmm I'm getting tired so I shall just be lazy and post photos. "Fried mee pok" which is called something like Fried Teochew Flat noodles with prawn and vegetables or something in the menu.

This place has pretty good dimsum for lunch, but do make a reservation if you don't want to que. They unfortunately, charge for water and tea, but I don't know how much cos I've never paid the bill.

East Ocean Teochew Restaurant
1 Scotts Road
#02-18 Shaw Centre
Tel: 6235-9088