December is the time when many get too busy with work, along with last minute Christmas shopping and cooking. I make it a point to cook once a week for the family even though work can be hectic.

With the right ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes, it is possible. No excuses, because I had a ‘savior’. The Perfect Italiano Food Fixes in 15-seconds shares a 5-Course menu from appetizers to desserts, featuring the right Perfect Italiano cheese to match each dish. Just in time for the festive season!

There are 15 second videos to teach you how to make festive dishes such as Cheesy Corn Chowder, Chicken Cordon Bleu and Parmesan Pancakes (www.perfectitaliano.com.sg/foodfixesin15). I last experimented with the Cheese Baked Christmas Casserole (Recipe) , which proved to be a success.

I decided to make little cups of Ham and Mushroom Pasta Bake, so each family member can have one portion without filling too full.

Ingredients for Ham and Mushroom Pasta Bake
- Perfect Italiano Perfect Bakes
- Rigatoni / Penna / Fusilli Pasta 400g
- Turkey Ham or Breast (or other types of ham), sliced thinly 200g
- Mushroom, finely sliced 100g
- Sliced Onions 50g
- Sliced Garlic 50g
- Olive Oil 3 tablespoon
- Tomato Pasta Sauce 500ml
- Cooking Cream 150ml
- Chopping Italian Parsley 1 tablespoon

Instructions for Ham and Mushroom Pasta Bake
1. Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente, then strain.
2. In a large pan, sauté onion and garlic with olive oil followed by turkey and mushrooms.
3. Pour in the tomato sauce and cream, then toss with the cooked pasta.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Transfer pasta to a baking dish and top with Perfect Italiano Perfect Bakes.
6. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes or until cheese melts to golden brown.
7. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley.

The Perfect Italiano cheese can transform simple fares into Italian-inspired creations. Thy have a whole range of cheeses from Mozzarella, Parmesan to Pizza Plus. Their newly launched Perfect Bakes is indeed like its name, perfect if you need to bake dishes such as lasagna, macaroni cheese, baked pasta and rice.

You would realize that the Perfect Italiano Perfect Bakes is not too oily, and bakes the dish with beautiful cheesy crust of golden brown with that elasticity. This is created with a blend of three cheeses – full flavoured cheddar blend, with a little Mozzarella for stretch and Parmesan for bite.

Feel free to experiment with this recipe using different types of pasta and meat. You can even customize each serving to the liking of each family member.

* This entry is brought to you by Perfect Italiano. The new Perfect Italiano Perfect Bakes is available in Cold Storage, Giant and selected FairPrice outlets. For more festive recipes and videos, visit the Perfect Italiano website www.perfectitaliano.com.sg/foodfixesin15

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Seems like there are more and more chicken wings specialty shops opening up in Singapore. I am not complaining. From fast food style fried chicken wings, sauced dipped double fried Korean wings, we are starting to see more Buffalo wings shops in Singapore.

The latest to come: Wingstop at Bedok Mall. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Texas, the restaurant chain Wingstop has more than 600 outlets across the United States and Mexico, and makes its first landing at Singapore. Confident of their product, they intend to open up to 20 shops in Singapore.

For those unfamiliar with American-style buffalo wings, they are made up of wingettes and drumlets, usually deep fried un-breaded, coated in sauces such as vinegar based cayennne pepper.

At Wingstop, there are 11 favours to choose from. The first ten comes from the States: Original Hot, Cajun, Atomic, Mild, Teriyaki, Lemon Pepper, Hawaiian, Garlic Parmesan, Hickory Smoked BBQ and Louisiana Rub. An 11th, the Oriental Soy Pepper is specially created for the Singapore market.

The easy choices would be the Classic Wings or Boneless Wings sets ($9.96 for 6 pieces, $11.95 for 8 pieces) where you can mix 2 flavours with 1 regular side dish (go for the signature seasoned fries), drink and dip.

There was a Wingstop Party with “Daniel’s Food Diary & Friends”. Interestingly during the tasting session, everybody had different likes largely because the flavours are indeed quite distinctly different.

Most fancied the Louisiana Rub (I think because Singaporeans generally enjoy hot and spicy, I would rate this a Level 2 on spiciness), a few girls liked the milder Garlic Parmesan, while some appreciated the local flavoured Oriental Soy Pepper. The seasoning does remind me a dish from the zi char stall, like a mix between swiss sauce and gong bao chicken.

My personal favourites are the Teriyaki due to its wetness and sauciness (I like wings when you can lick off sauces off the fingerrs), and Lemon Pepper which has a distinct zest which makes you feel like you are eating a snack.

If you want some kick in your life, or crave to challenge with friends, go straight for the Wingstop Atomic chicken (this would be a Level 4). I stopped at 2 wings san drinks, as I felt my tongue burning up and some tears from the eyes. 2 tips, save them for the last, and eat them fresh out and hot.

As Wingstop’s wings are cooked, sauced and hand-tossed to order, you may need to wait about 10 to 15 minutes for the food to arrive. On my wish list are celery sticks and carrots, and maybe slightly plumper wings. I am greedy.

For those who want to try all flavours, the best thing is to gather a couple of friends. Good wings in life are meant to be be shared.

WingStop Singapore Christmas Giveaway
WingStop Singapore will be giving away $30 vouchers to 3 blessed Daniel’s Food Diary readers.

All you need to do is to
Step 1: LIKES the FaceBook pages of Daniel’s Food Diary
Step 2: Share this post on Facebook
Step 3: Leave a comment below to name your favourite WingStop chicken flavour (Ends 13th Dec 2013)

Wingstop Singapore
Bedok Mall #B1-53 (next to Tim Ho Wan)
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm

* This post is brought to you by Wingstop Singapore

The post Wingstop Singapore – Popular Buffalo Wings Shop Lands at Bedok Mall + Christmas Giveaway appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Buffets, buffets, buffets. We love them. We hate them. They make us fat. They make us satisfied. Looking at the crowds packing buffet restaurants… Yes, they have a place in our hearts, and bellies.

What makes a good international buffet restaurant? The selection of food comes first definitely – the options have to be varied, fresh, delicious and presentable. For some Singaporeans, the availability of crustacean delights like juicy prawns, oysters, and crabs mean Everything to them.

A part that sometimes go unnoticed – the ‘feel’ of the restaurant. Yes, the vibes, ambience, and energy that it gives. Some restaurants are like jostling market places where you just don’t feel like taking part in the hunger games, literally. Some are like mazes, where the only things in clear sight are the fondue and the exit.

A factor that is crucial to many of my Singaporean friends when you hear “Worth it or not?” The value for its money aka how much quality food you can consume to get your hard-earned money’s worth. (With that said, I go for buffet surely ‘lugi’ one.)

These are my personal 5 Best Hotel International Buffets, plus one extra for your consideration. Take your pick. If your favourite is not included, just comment below, but don’t hold it against me.

The Line
Shangri-La Hotel, 22 Orange Grove Road, Tel: +65 6213 4275
Opening Hours: Breakfast 6am-10:30am (Mon-Fri), 6:00am-11:00am (Sat), Lunch 12-2:30pm (Mon-Fri) 12pm-3pm (Sat-Sun), Dinner 6:30-10:30pm Daily

The Line at Shangri-La Hotel is a shoo-in for the Top 5 Buffet restaurants for many. It is the vibes, the dynamism. Walking in, you will be presented with this white stylish clean restaurant, accented with orange lighted panels. There is ‘buffet energy’ in the air that makes you want to take a plate immediately to navigate a few rounds.

16 theatre kitchens prepare your food à la minute. 16. With a few hundred items presented, you may get overwhelmed. When lost, go for the freshly shucked oysters at the seafood station, thick cut sashimi at Japanese station, laksa at the noodle station. Save the best for last with all the cakes at the dessert station – a colourful array of puddings, cakes, cookies, pies, nonya kueh ofevery popular kind. While some of the sections are kind of like food-court quality, the seafood and dessert sections are generally fabulous.

Lunch: $55++ adult, $26++ child (Mon-Sat)
Dinner: $72++ adult, $36++ child (Mon, Wed, Sun), $95++ adult, $36++ child (Tues & Thurs Marine Harvest),
$82++ adult, $36++ child (Fri, Sat)
Sunday Champagne Bunch: $138++ adult, $98++ adult w/o champagne, $26++ child

Melt the World Café
4F Mandarin Oriental Singapore, 5 Raffles Avenue, Marina Square, Singapore 039797 (City Hall MRT) Tel: +65 6885 3500

As the name suggests, Melt the World Café allows you to dine around the world in its multi-cultural culinary feast. A successful buffet restaurant is also about how the space is organized. After the entrance, you would be presented with this huge dessert space almost immediately. A smart tactic I tell you. The other sections further in are neatly organized. Even though the restaurant is almost always crowded, you would not feel the ‘buffet rush’ at Melt as diners seem to take it easy.

Recommended must-tries include Melt’s Royal Tandoori selection with sumptuous marsala prawns, tandoori oven-baked chicken, mutton curry, served with freshly baked chutney and naan. Other international menu highlights include the Carpaccio of Beef Tenderloin Fillet, Thai Green Curry, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and homemade waffles and ice cream. An alfresco barbecue terrace is available dinner from Thursday to Saturday. The juicy wagyu beef burgers, lamb racks and tenderloins are calling out to you.

Breakfast (Mon to Sun) – $46++ (Mon-Sun)
Lunch: $68++ (Mon-Sat)
Dinner: $82++ (Sun-Wed) , $88++ (Thu-Sat)
Sun Brunch: $108++

The Kitchen Table
W Hotel, 21 Ocean Way, Tel: +65 6808 7268
Opening Hours: 6:00am – 11:00pm (Mon-Fri), 6:00am – 12:00am (Sat-Sun)

The Kitchen Table W Hotel’s buffet restaurant serves up “Food from the Heart”, with 6 live cooking stations of international selection, using fresh seasonal ingredients to prepare the menu for the day. Surprisingly, there was a huge proportion of Asian and local cuisines such as Laksa, Hokkien Mee, Tandoori dishes and an assortment of Dim Sum when I visited. My favourite section was the Italian pasta where there are bowls and bowls of pasta of various sorts, seafood and ingredients, 4 types of sauces where you would customise the Italian dish.

There are daily specials which include Singapore Chilli Crab (Sun), Jumbo Prawn Laksa (Mon), Tandoori Lobster Tail (Tues), Hamachi Sashimi with Mint Sauce (Wed), Slow- Cooked Lamb Leg (Thurs). Friday, Saturday and Sunday’s Bubbly Remix… all of the above. While this buffet does not give the impression of wide, massive and huge, it suits those wishing to have a lazy afternoon taking bite sized portions of everything. Shhhh.. Access of the W hotel swimming pool is given if you opt for the Sunday’s Bubbly Remix with champagne. $148++ swimming session, anyone? (Read: The Kitchen Table W Hotel)

Lunch: $65++ (Mon-Sat)
Dinner: $65++ (Mon-Sun)
Sunday Remix Brunch: $108++ w/o champagne, $148++ with champagne

Carousel Buffet Restaurant
Lobby Level, Royal Plaza on Scotts 25 Scotts Road Singapore 228220 (Orchard MRT) Tel: +65 6589 7799
Opening Hours: 12:00pm-2:00pm (Lunch), 3:30pm-5:30pm (High tea), 6:30pm-10:30pm (Dinner)

Carousel at Royal Plaza on Scotts has always been the company function, bring foreign friends, corporate gathering, birthday kind of buffet restaurants. Very popular amongst locals and foreigners, especially since the food is halal. Special mention must be made of the personable service, as most of the staff always are friendly and personable. If you have a friend celebrating a birthday, alert the staff and be prepared to enjoy their birthday song and cheers (Did I give the surprise away?).

The buffet serves a huge variety of sweet treats with not one but three dessert counters. If you can have only one dessert, then the bread & butter pudding please. Carousel’s Japanese food items are quite popular, such as the Hot Pot section with Shabu Shabu, Kimchi Tofu hot pot, or Oden Hot pot and Teppanyaki where the chef will fry Tiger Prawns, Garlic Fried Rice, or Bean Sprout with Spring Onion personalised to your taste. (Read: Carousel Royal Plaza on Scotts)

Lunch: $46++ adult, $28++ child (Mon-Fri), $50++ adult, $32++ child (Sat-Sun)
High Tea: $38++ adult, $24++ child (Mon-Fri), $43++ adult, $28++ child (Sat-Sun)
Dinner: $62++ adult, $37++ child (Mon-Fri), $75++ adult, $42++ child (Sat-Sun)

Plaza Brasserie
7500A Beach Road, PARKROYAL on Beach Road (Bugis MRT), Tel: +65 6505 5710 fb.prsin@parkroyalhotels.com
Opening Hours: 6am – 12am Daily

While PARKROYAL on Beach Road is no 5 star hotel like the rest (and is quite old in hotel age and not often in the radar), its buffet restaurant Plaza Brasserie impresses with its value-for-money and quality food. $38++ for hotel buffet lunch is a hard-to-find in Singapore. Led by Executive Chef Jackson Goh and team, some of the must-have are the Soft-Shell Crab (get the mayonnaise sauce), Laksa, Tempura, Roti Prata (take the durian or chocolate) and Cantonese Roast Meats.

Food wise, there are some hits and misses, but the Chinese/Asian selection and those prepared in the live stations are generally of reasonable quality. They have seasonal buffet themes such as the Seafood or Crab Buffet (just ended) which proves to be a bit hit with Singapore diners. 8 different kinds of crabs in a buffet – where to find? (Read: Plaza Brasserie PARKROYAL on Beach Road)

Lunch: $38++ adult, $23++ child (Mon-Fri)
High Tea: $39++ adult, $24++ child (Sat-Sun)
Dinner: $52++ adult, $31++ child (Mon-Thurs), $55++ adult, $33++ child (Fri-Sun)

10 at Claymore
Pan Pacific Orchard, 10 Claymore Road, Tel: +65 6737 0811
Opening Hours: 6:30am-10:30pm

Special mention. 10 at Claymore at Pan Pacific Orchard (don’t get confused with the Somerset or Marina hotels) may not be the biggest in size, variety and selection, but it offers a one-of-a-kind ‘Plates of Pleasure’ à la carte buffet concept. You can literally eat the buffet without leaving your seat.

Order their specialties presented in smaller petite portions and they will be served to you. New Zealand All-Natural Beef Tenderloin in Burgundy Reduction, Penang Style Rich Aromatic Assam Laksa, and the award-winning Char Kway Teow with Pacific Blue Crab Meat prepared by Chef Andy Oh. (Read: 10 at Claymore Pan Pacific Orchard)

Lunch: $39++ adult (Mon-Sat)
Dinner: $59++ adult (Mon-Thurs), $62++ (Fri-Sun)
Sunday Brunch: $68++ (Sun)

Note: All prices are correct at the time of publishing. Please check with the restaurants for updated price lists. The author is also not responsible for weight gain this holiday season.

Other 5 Best Entries
5 Ways to Avoid Overeating at The Buffet Restaurant
5 Best Singapore’s Old School Cake Shops from the 60s
5 Best Liu Sha Bao aka Golden Custard Buns in Singapore
5 Best Korean Fried Chicken in Singapore
5 Best Hong Kong Cafes

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It felt like a cool breezy afternoon at Boat Quay, and that was when we decided to have the yakiniku outdoors instead of within aircon comfort. Yes, Japanese grill next to the Singapore River is definitely my first. But it felt good, and no sweat.

Arashi Yakiniku Charcoal Grill Restaurant is a new restaurant at Boat Quay, serving wagyu beef, kurobuta pork, chicken and fresh seafood on its menu for a cook-it-yourself experience. Japanese grills are gaining popularity here, though having top-grade wagyu in your selection would almost mean a 3-figure sum aka 2 purple notes gone by the end of the meal.

The offerings at Arashi are priced quite affordably. The set menu for 2 ($68.00) includes appetizers, miso soup, chicken, pork belly and collar, vegetables, rice and dessert.

The Australian wagyu beef set ($138.00 for 2) and A4 grade Japanese wagyu beef ($268.00 for 2) sets can be considered lower in price in the market, partly because the owner revealed he had a “good deal with the supplier”.

Comparing the two, the Japanese wagyu (we had 100 grams of sirloin, ribeye and tenderloin) was expectedly a lot more delicate, with beautiful marbling, smooth texture, juicy flavours and a savoury taste of the beef which would linger.

If you are interested in ordering ala carte, the A4 Japanese wagyu available include sirloin ($88.80), ribeye ($68.80), tenderloin ($68.80), short rib rurubi ($48.80) and chuck roll rosu ($98.80) – all 150 grams per serving.

The Australia cuts (100 grams of sirloin, ribeye and tongue) were invariably slightly tougher, though may please those who prefer a more intense beefy flavour. Arashi provides a specially made shoyu tare. The slices tasted would have more depth of flavoured after being seasoned with the dip before grilling.

Two more tips: You only need to lightly roast the surface of the meats (keep your focus on the grill, don’t get distracted by your phones), otherwise the thin slices will be tough and overcooked (or turn chao-tar!). Next, don’t accumulate many pieces at one go. Be easy and enjoy cooking them slowly.

Oh, and Arashi uses white Binchotan Japanese charcoal, which creates high heat fast, and is chemical free and almost smoke free.

Complete the meal with a refreshing Arashi Kaisen Salad ($15.80) which comes with generous portions of salmon sashimi and prawns, and their signature Garlic Fried Rice ($2.80) which are fried-to-order, and therefore comes fragrant and fresh.

There are many cosy rooms upstairs at this shophouse space if you come with your office colleagues and friends for you to enjoy some privacy. But if you want a totally relaxing experience (and if the weather and temperature permits), experience Arashi Yakiniku just by the Singapore river at Boat Quay.

Arashi Yakiniku Charcoal Grill Restaurant
48 Boat Quay, Singapore 049837 (Raffles Place MRT) Tel: +6535 2841
Opening Hours: 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-11pm (Mon-Sat, Closed Sun)

* This entry is brought by Arashi Yakiniku Charcoal Grill Restaurant

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After taking a whiff at the tea leaves within the grey caddie, I sensed a light floral scent, along with a more distinct fruity aroma. The container is labeled ‘Thé Blue Mountain’. True enough, I felt like I was transported back to Sydney’s Blue Mountains with the fresh air of spring.

It was my first experience of such deeply scented Perfume Tea. The tea is from Betjeman & Barton, a boutique tea shop at Raffles City that originated from Paris. In fact, it was the first English tea house of its kind over at France which was established way back in 1919, when tea was mainly sold at groceries shops.

Betjeman & Barton is now leading brand in Europe, best known for its exquisite high-quality teas with over 200 varieties. The Singapore branch carries about 100 types, and brings in new flavours regularly.

I know ladies would walk into Betjeman & Barton, with the same feeling you may get as you open up a walk-in wardrobe. The tea shop may be small, but there are so many caddies containing tea, each containing an elegant themed design from colours of the rainbow, a British flag, checked designs to tiger prints.

The star of the shop, is of course tea. And you must request to smell some of the perfumed tea, which you would be so tempted to make your purchase after. There are many types of perfumed teas unique to this brand, enhanced by natural products such as flowers, fruits and essential oils.

My favourite as mentioned is Thé Blue Mountain ($13.00 for 50 grams), essentially China tea leaves scattered with cornflower petals, wild strawberries and rhubarb flavourings. You can choose green or black tea leaves, though the green will be most suitable to go with cakes and biscuits.

Betjeman & Barton’s signature tea is Thé Pouchkine ($13.00 for 50 grams), a green citrusy tea which is contained in a cute Russian doll canister.

According to the service staff, Thé Vert Lundi Light ($13.50 for 50 grams) is one of the popular perfumed tea in Singapore. This tea combines green tea and lemongrass from Mexico, which will be specially full-bodied and delightful when drunk with iced.

One of the co-owners of Betjeman & Barton, Ms Katherine Gregory was in town to share how tea-drinking can be such a comfortable and exceptional experience, especially when you find that tea which suits the mood.

Here are also 10 tips from Betjeman & Barton on how you can better appreciate your tea.
1. For teapot, one that is made of terra cotta, cast iron or porcelain will be ideal.
2. Have one tea pot for classic teas, smoked teas and scented teas each to prevent conflict between flavours.
3. It may not be necessary to wash your teapot: rinsing it in clean water and drying after can be sufficient.
4. Use a strainer instead of tea balls and to give the tea leaves more room to swell.
5. It is okay to use tap water unless it is highly chlorinated.
6. If you have to, spring water is better than mineral water for teas.
7. Try not to use water filters as they tend to “flatten” the flavour of the tea.
8. The teapot should be warmed with boiling water before hand so that the tea will release its scent more freely.
9. The time to brew depends on the type of tea: 7 minutes for semi-fermented teas, 4 minutes for whole leaf teas, 3 minutes for chopped leaf tea, and 2 minutes for green tea.
10. Remove the tea and stir before serving.

Betjeman & Barton carries more than a hundred green, black, white, oolong, puerh and rooibos teas, sourced from China, Japan, India and Ceylon, including the superior quality Japon Gyokyro.

They make great gifts for the festive season, with tea that represents originality, elegance and history.

Betjeman & Barton Christmas Giveaway
Betjeman & Barton will be giving away 2 Gold Christmas caddies (each retailing at $45) to 2 blessed Daniel’s Food Diary readers.

All you need to do is to
Step 1: LIKES the FaceBook pages of Daniel’s Food Diary
Step 2: Share this post on Facebook
Step 3: Leave a comment below to name any one type of tea Betjeman & Barton is carrying (Ends 17th Dec 2013)

Betjeman & Barton
#B1-33 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd. Singapore, 179103 (City Hall MRT)
Opening Hours: 10am-10pm Daily
www.betjemanandbarton.com.sg

*This post is brought by to you by Betjeman & Barton. Get a 10% off for products online at www.betjemanandbarton.com.sg when you enter DanielFoodDiary as a coupon code. Valid till 28th Feb 2014.

The post Betjeman & Barton – French Luxury Tea Brand Arrives In Singapore + Christmas Giveaway appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

My colleagues and I would venture all the way north to Marsiling Lane just to have claypot bak kut teh. The stall is hidden in a little coffeeshop, but yet populated by many who travel there just to have this comfort food. Not sure if you have heard about Hong Ji.

Hong Ji Claypot Bak Kut Teh being herbal and flavoursome, is a class of its own, quite unlike the familiar Teochew peppery type, or the dark soya sauced Hokkien version.

Their rendition reminds me of what I had in Kuala Lumpur. It turns out that the owner had bought the recipe from a Malaysian hawker for $10,000, and improved the formula to its current adaptation.

Another reason for going to Hong Ji is that the price is a steal. Where can you find such tasty claypot Bak Kut Teh for $5.00? The other items such as Braised Pig Intestines, Pig’s Tails, and Braised Pork Belly are at $5, while side dishes of peanuts, salted vegetable, beancurd skin and you tiao go for $1. Cheap!

I tried Hong Ji again within a coffeeshop at Ang Mo Kio Ave 4. While it may be slightly inconvenient to go to, it will be great to try if you are in the vicinity.

Hong Ji’s selling point is the aromatic hot piping broth which takes 6 hours to cook, made with herbs such as dang shen, dang gui and dried tangerine peel. Before it is served, you can already smell the fragrance a few metres away. The soup is light and not overly salty or overpowering, and I could easily finish two bowls of this.

The tender pork ribs are also cut into shorter lengths, such that they are easier to eat. Interestingly, the soup also comes with other ingredients such as tau pok, mushroom and lettuce, which gives it a needed variety.

The other must have are the pig’s intestines cooked in this dark gravy sauce that I find irresistible when added to rice, all chewy without the porky smell or slimy greasy residue.

One thing that took me by surprise is that the person manning the stall at Ang Ko Mio looked like a young girl in her twenties, which I learnt is the daughter of the founder. She shared that while many girls to not like to work in a hot and unglamorous environment, she wants more to know about her father’s creation.

I did feel that the taste of the Ang Mo Kio branch is not as intense as the Marsiling’s main outlet, which the owner’s daughter explained that “the people up North prefer their soup saltier”.

Again, for those who always prefer the strong peppery soup, the Hong Ji Claypot Bak Kut Teh may need some getting used to for its herbal and light taaste. Give it a try and tell me what you think, available at Ang Mo Kio, Marsiling, Geylang and Sim Ming Road. Good news for Upper Thomson residents, I hear they will be going there too.

Hong Ji Claypot Bak Kut Teh
Ang Mo Kio Ave 4, St 11, Blk 107 #01-38 Singapore 560107
Opening Hours: 8:00am – 9:45pm

Other Outlets:
Marsiling Lane, Blk 19 #01-329, Singapore 730019
Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 3, Blk 6006, Singapore 569458
Geylang Lor 21A, 205 Sims Ave, Singapore 387506
Sin Ming Road, Blk 22, #01-210, Singapore 570022

* This entry is brought to you by Hong Ji Claypot Bak Kut Teh

The post Hong Ji Claypot Bak Kut Teh – Love For This Herbal Pork Rib Soup appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

For those who has yet to be at Bugis Junction in a while, it has finally undergone a much needed makeover with new lifestyle fashion stores such as aLT, i.t. and Chocooolate. We say Yeah. It was far too dated.

In the middle of the 2nd storey, where BHG used to sell auntie clothing, is a new French-Japanese Café Miam Miam (which means yum yum). For those of you who have been to Tokyo, you would realize that French style food desserts are big there – the fondants, breads, parfaits, bisques and soufflés. Miam Miam seems to hit the right notes with its offering, décor and open-concept feel. (Read: 5 Best Matcha Cafes in Singapore)

But wait a minute. With the offerings of pasta, baked rice, pancake, soufflé, matcha latte, and hand-dripped iced coffee, the new Miam Miam feels suspiciously like Hoshino Coffee. So the comparison is inevitable.

While the lesser portion of the Squid Ink Back Rice & Omu Egg ($16.50) looks nothing like the menu’s photo, this moist flavourful rice which delights on every bite, complimented by fluffy eggs is likely to be the best thing here. Must order (unless you don’t want to appear in front of your date with black teeth.)

The Lobster Bisque Pasta ($18.80) was a recommended dish from the boss. The pasta and the grilled tiger prawn were agreeably cooked, though I felt that the sauce base could have been more ‘bisque’ – richer, more savoury, more of that distinct seafood flavour.

The desserts from Miam Miam score. Get the délicieux Valrhona Chocolate Soufflé ($13.80), lightly baked and almost quite airy, with decadent chocolate sauce within that is not overly intense. If the soufflé had risen about a centimetre taller (and thus airier), it would have been perfect.

Comparatively, the Matcha Pancake while visually delicious, did not overwhelm as it wasn’t as melt-in-your-mouth-fluffy as I would have wished.

As the soufflé and pancakes would require a minimum of 20 minutes to prepare, do manage your expectations in terms of service and waiting time. I hear people waiting too long for it to come, or the desserts coming in between the meals. Miam Miam is new, and would need time to sort out the operations.

The savouries are stronger over at Miam Miam, and I think we will see more of this brand in days to come. We do love more Euro-Japanese cafes.

Miam Miam @ Bugis Junction
#02-14 Bugis Junction (Outside BHG), 200 Victoria Street, Singapore 188021, Tel: +65 6837 0301
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm (Mon-Fri), 11:30am – 10:00pm (Sat-Sun)

Other Japanese Cafe Entries
5 Best Matcha Cafes in Singapore
Nana’s Green Tea Café (Plaza Singapura)
Hoshino Coffee (Plaza Singapura)
St Marc Cafe (Marina Square)
Nana’s Green Tea Café (Plaza Singapura)

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We love Christmas because it is the day to celebrate the birth of Christ. And also the time where you buy gifts for your loved ones, best friends and colleagues.

Though some can get invariably stressed out, especially when you are organizing or part of an office or house parties where everyone must bring a gift for someone. “What should I get for him/her?”, “What if my boss doesn’t like the present?”, “Is this too cheap/expensive”. Seriously, this is not the season to panic but to enjoy.

The most common gift exchange I experienced is the “$20 present” idea, though I have walked away with mugs, photo frames, computer accessories and cutesy stuff that are still somewhere under my bed and possibly turned yellow.

Here are some Christmas Gift Exchanges Ideas that you may want to try:

1. Donate your gifts
Personally, one of my favourites. The company chooses a charity of your choice, and every attendee to buy a gift that suits the recipients. We have done this with a children’s home, and left with boxes full of new stationaries and books. Do check with the charity organisations what gifts are needed. For example, the Boys’ Brigade would require cooking oil, canned food (halal) and beverages.

2. Buy an experience
No physical items, but only experiences allowed such as spa treatment, foot massage, a manicure (yes, guys need them too), brow threading, a lunch, a Zumba class, or bowling game/KTV together – all expenses paid of course.

3. The $2 gift
Price limited to a specific amount, say $2. Additional rules: No purchase from Daiso allowed, and wrapping paper must be made of recycled materials.

4. The “Recycled” gift exchange
The recycled/unwanted gift exchange has only two rules: bring a gift you have received but do not want; and it must not be used. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Trust me, this will be very fun to see what people actually bring (and received). Lots of laughs promised.

5. Only handmade items allowed
Yes, we are taking about homemade cookies & bakes, to drawings & crafts. You may find out how much hidden talents your friends have.

6. The vouchers gift exchange
Specify the price point, do a secret santa (every colleague to draw a specific name), and buy any voucher. At least the recipients can use it to buy things they really want.

7. The food exchange
This is for the foodies. Only non-perishable food allowed. And if you are in an office, the additional game rule is that you can choose to further ‘donate’ your gift to the pantry for everyone to share. Hooray!

8. Specify the gift
Works best for the office. Everyone to specific 3 gifts (within a certain amount) on a card. The card is dropped into a Santa bag to be passed around and drawn. The ‘secret Santa’ would just need to buy one of the three items of the list. The down side: No more surprises.

9. Add a game
Other than the usual ‘boring’ gift exchanges, you can add one of the following games. ‘Stealing’ from other recipients allowed. Every participant has to draw a number, and the Number 1 gets to pick a present from a pile first. However, Number 2 is allowed to pick a gift from the pile, or ‘steal’ it from Number 1. And it continues.

10. Something you need, something to wear, or something you read
Similar to the usual gift exchange, but you can choose one of the above. (Think many of us have forgotten the joys of reading a physical book.)

These are just some fun suggestion for you to spice up the gift exchanges. If you have any more interesting creative ideas, feel free to share in the comment boxes below.

Blessed Christmas everyone!

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It did take me a good 15 minutes to locate Block 263 Serangoon Central Drive. After I found it, I came to realize the corner coffeeshop at the ‘backside’ was actually just about 5-10 minutes’ walk from Serangoon NEX, with a signboard displaying “Wang Jiao”, housing one of the most known claypot stall in this district.

Lau Wang Claypot Delights 老王砂煲小厨 has been serving claypot dishes since 1985, though it was just months back when the young boss took up the entire corner shop at this block. The shop is back-facing, so was quite breezy and with a pleasant environment.

When I saw the menu display, I thought many of these dishes were homely and unassuming. It was like what some grandmothers would have cooked for family dinners such as Claypot Sesame Chicken ($4.50), Frog Leg Herbal Soup ($8), Ginger and Spring Onion Pig Organs ($4.50), Gong Bao Frog Legs ($7), and Spicy Pig Trotters ($4.50).

Yet cheaper than the usual zi char fare, the price point seems attractive.

The Sesame Oil Chicken ($4.50, $6.50 for larger portion) was the highly recommended dish from the auntie Ah Ping who was manning the stall. “Zui hao mai de!” The claypot came piping hot, the salty gooey sauce bubbling as it arrives on the table with a faint fragrance of sesame oil.

I went straight for the sauce to top with the rice, and the chicken thigh meat tender and succulent. Best thing I discovered – no bones. First time I could eat this humble (confinement) dish without dirtying the hands.

Personally, I would recommend the Claypot Spicy Sambal Seafood ($6.50). This is off the regular menu, but Ah Ping told me to order so. You get generous portions of fish slice, sotong, prawns and ladies’ finger (am I one of the rare ones who love ladies’ finger?) drenched in this sauce which reminded me of gong bao and soy sauce chicken sauce.

Even after having a few spoonfuls, I didn’t feel the need to drink plenty of water. But don’t finish the ‘zup’ lah – quite oily.

If ‘zup-zup’ (saucey) is not your kind of thing, try the Claypot Herbal Frog Leg ($8) or Fish Soup ($5) which is refreshing after a few heavy dishes. The soup came with many slices of fish (they are really not stingy about it), felt very light and not overly intense. I did wish it was more ‘bu’ (nutritious) with a stronger herbal taste.

I will say “Yes” to the Sambal Kang Kong ($4.00) as well.

The little Wang Jiao Coffeeshop also contains a Mee Pok Master stall selling Teochew noodles and laksa, and another selling kopi and toast. If you are at NEX and want to experience value-for-money tasty claypot dishes for the family, Lau Wang is just a short walk away.

Lau Wang Claypot Delights 老王砂煲小厨
Blk 263 Serangoon Central Drive, #01-43, Singapore 550263 (10 minute walk from Serangoon MRT), Tel: +65 9001 0814
Facebook: Lau Wang Claypot Delights
Opening Hours: Mee Pok Master 7:30am – 5pm, Claypot Delights 10:30am – 9:30pm

* This post is brought to you by Lau Wang Claypot Delights

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Someone needs to save the food businesses at The Grandstand, many of which are astonishingly unoccupied during the weekdays. Even when I went PasarBella during a Saturday, customers were unexpectedly sparse. Too far away? Not enough key tenants? I hope they are not paying overly high rentals.

A new burger joint opens at The Grandstand. Yes, DIO Burger is just a few shops away from Omakase Burger – which some critics claim to offer the best burger around.

The irony. DIO stands for ‘Do It Ourselves’ which is a blunt contrast with Omakase’s ‘Let the chef decide’. While Omakase’s burger technically isn’t ‘omakase’ in the Japanese sense, neither do we get our hands dirty in DIO.

Most of the time, it is the cooks behind making your burgers. You just decide what goes inside.

Here’s how DIO works: You choose your bun between whole grain, brioche and low carb. Pick a patty, ranging from wagyu, grilled chuck beef, chicken thigh, pork ribs to pacific fish. Add a side, and choose to add your own condiments and sauces from a counter in the middle of the restaurant looking like a salad bar.

Good news for DIO. While there feels to be some uplifting energy absent in the ambience, some of the burgers are actually quite good. Before I continue, their burgers are quite starkly different from Omakase’s, and closer to the West Coast American style. Something like Carl’s Junior?

Our favourite burger was unanimously (and oddly) the burger of the month – The Beef Cheeks burger. It was not the usual boring beef patty burger, but one filled with very juicy tender strips of beef cheek, well maintaining the flavours locked in yet not overpowering the soft patty.

The Pork Ribs Burger ($15.80) comes a close second for me, only because it is not as moist. Still, the ribs marinated in barbeque sauce and oven-baked for 2 hours still made one succulent burger dripping with sauce.

Comparatively, the recommended wagyu burgers came drier than we would have liked. If you need to, order the My Way Burger ($21.80) which comes with melted cheddar cheese, bacon and portobello sandwiched in between. Warning: messiness in eating assured.

The main problem with DIO, I feel, is the ambience which gives a rather casual American, family vibes with B-grade movies (I had Dragonball) screening. The freeflow bar had an interesting mix of condiments, though some items looked sad. The burgers, while a few dollars more pricey than I wished, have loads of potential. Perhaps they should really allow customers to assemble the burgers themselves.

DIO Burger
200 Turf Club Road, The Grandstand, #01-09, Singapore 287994. Tel: +65 6468 9308
Free shuttle services from Newton, Botanical Gardens and Toa Payoh MRT Station on hourly frequency
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm (Mon-Fri), 11:00am – 10:30pm (Sat-Sun)

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[Jakarta, Indonesia] Grand Hyatt Jakarta is considered one of the its city’s best 5 star luxury hotel, located next to a prominent historical landmark – The Selamat Datang Statue which means ‘welcome’. I won’t say much about how comfortable the rooms are, or how enjoyable it was to relax and swim at its 43-metre lagoon-shaped outdoor swimming pool. The hotel’s website will tell you.

Here are 3 interesting things I observed while staying at Grand Hyatt Jakarta.

You can actually spend a few days staying at the Grand Hyatt Jakarta without exactly stepping out. It is directly connected to the popular Plaza Indonesia Shopping Centre through a direct passage way, where shoppers can indulge in luxury brands (Max Mara, Hugo Boss, Bally, Salvatore Ferragamo) to my kind of shops (Fred Perry, Adidas, Muji) to some cosy eateries and cafes (enjoyed Dill Gourmet Café).

If you are spending the weekends over, you may find yourself waking up a 6am! The roads near the Selamat Datang Monument and Hotel Indonesia Roundabout is closed every Sunday, declared Jakarta’s car-free day from 6 to 11am. That means the roundabout just about Grand Hyatt is filled with people in a party mood – cycling, jogging, street performances (I saw policemen forming a band) and street food selling (My tour mate managed to buy a box of the famous Amanda’s brownie from a street stall!) It is quite exciting to see this less-seen aspect of Jakarta.

Security is very tight, even on normal days. While getting in the shopping centre next door is free access, everything guests get in the hotel, they would need to do a security check with scanning. It may seem a little troublesome, but gives you the confidence that safety is assured.

Back to food. Within the hotel itself, there are many dining outlets such as the award winning C’s Steak & Seafood (a friend said “You must try this” though I didn’t have the chance to), club lounge Burgundy, Japanese restaurant Sumire, buffet restaurant Grand Café, a Seafood Terrace by the pool and chill-out Fountain Lounge.

At the Grand Café, the restaurant features a spread of continental, American and Indonesia food, and brunch options during the weekends. Price is between Rp 250.000 to 500.000 ($26-$52) per person, albeit expensive.

The buffet changes their items regularly. Generally, I think the restaurant is stronger in their Indonesian style dishes compared to the Western food. Though some of the street food lacks that oomph, more quality ingredients are used with an aesthetic appeal. Try the curry noodles, bakso soup and spring rolls.

Grand Hyatt Jakarta, Grand Café
Jalan M. H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30, Jakarta 10350, Indonesia, Tel: +62 21 2992 1234 Fax: +62 21 2992 1345
Email: jakarta.grand@hyatt.com

*This entry is brought to you by Jakarta Tourism Office. Thank you Russell Cheong of Winsemius Consulting for organising this trip.

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When I find it hard to choose a starter, I would get a platter – take a little bit of this and that. It makes it easier, to try everything with less than half the guilt. Plus it is good for sharing.

Platters Bistro & Wine Bar is special in two ways. They have introduced an interesting ‘dining on platters’ concept where foods are served on wooden boards.

Every four mouths, Platters would get a new chef to design 6 platters, which means you would get something entirely new 3 times a year. If you happen to like something, sorry, it won’t be there a few months later. On the flipside, if you don’t fancy the food, give it a chance, return and you get something different.

The very idea already sounds fresh novel, yet gimmicky and risky.

Chef Jeremy Nguee from Preparazzi is the guest collaborator for this season till February 2014, a young Mod Sing chef who is known to infuse local influences into Western dishes. I like. We should have more of these.

There are 2 main platters to choose from: The Thunder Thighs & Crackpot Rice aka The Siao Seafood Starter ($38 & $68, and yah, that entire thing is the name of the dish); The Maniac Meat Main Course aka Never Die Before ($48, $88). (Aiyah, but sorry Jeremy, think your dishes need a more memorable name.)

Frog legs, soft shell crabs and crab roe rice goes into the first platter, while grilled angus sirloin, truffle roast spring chicken and foie gras terrine to the second.

Personally I enjoyed both platters on the whole, though there were parts on each that lingered more on the taste buds.

The orangey Crab Roe Rice, all creamy and luxurious at the same time, was full flavoured and well deserved to be served on its own.

On the other side, the Truffle Roast Spring Chicken is easily the best roast chicken I had the entire of this year, superb when creamed with Buah Keluak Butter. So juicy, so succulent, so fragrant, so crisp the skin, but so small as well! Not enough. More please.

I have spoken to other friends who dined at Platters (including the previous guest chefs) and we all had roughly the same conclusion – the savouries were better than the sweets. I wonder if it is because there is a limitation of creativity for desserts to be served on a wooden board.

Platters Bistro & Wine Bar
42 Club Street, Singapore 046920 Tel: +65 6223 8048
Opening Hours: 12-3pm, 5pm-12am (Mon-Sat) Closed Sun
www.platters.com.sg

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[Hong Kong] Huh? Ho Hung Kee’s shop space at Causeway Bay has been replaced by Chee Kei. It is when we realised Causeway Bay had a mini-facelift forced by the horrible increasing rental – lifestyle brand Goods of Desire G.O.D and 60-year old Lei Yuen Congee and Noodles are both not spared. Sad.

The one-star Michelin restaurant Ho Hung Kee 何洪记 has moved to nearby shopping mall Hysan Place when investors proposed an impossibly good price to buy over the shop.

I need to explain a little about Ho Hung Kee’s history to tell you what the big deal about this humble shop is.

It was founded by Ho Wing Fong and his wife in 1946, and he is the disciple of wanton master Mak Woon Chi. Yes, the same guy whose children and relatives gave rise to all the different Mak’s in Hong Kong. Ho’s son is fairing pretty well by opening up a few branches of Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop 正斗粥麵專家.

Yes, Ho Hung Kee is the first wonton-noodles restaurant to be awarded that one Michelin star, and for 2 years in 2012 and 2013. In fact, in similar fate with Tim Ho Wan who was also ‘forced’ to move.

Gone is the crowded locals and tourists jam-packed shop, but one which is moderately busy, with an entire different décor – clean, contemporary with Tiffany-blue coloured seats and gold accent. So much more atas already.

The prices are also more atas. The House Specialty Wanton Noodles in Soup cost HK$38 for a small bowl, and HK$54 for a large bowl, from the usual HK$33. While their prized smooth congee would be HK$55 a bowl for a selection of two ingredients (sliced fish, sliced beef, meatballs, pork liver, salted lean pork, pork intestines, egg and preserved egg).

Both their noodles and congee are exceptional, in my opinion, easily Top 5 in Hong Kong.

Ho Hung Kee’s Spicy Shredded Pork Noodles (HK$69) are worth a try, though a tad pricey for the size of a small bowl, boasting thin springy noodles, tender pork, and soup that does not scream of too much MSG.

The Stir-Fried Rice Noodles With Beef ($98) is another of their signature dish, evenly cooked with wok-hei, suggesting that something skilled is behind the wok. Though the noodles can be slightly oily for my liking.

The new shop’s environment is definitely more tourist-friendly and comfortable, with wider selection in its menu including dim sum and desserts. Somehow, perhaps psychologically, I feel that food quality may have notched down a little. It remains a question whether they can reclaim their star back.

Ho Hung Kee Congee and Noodle Shop 何洪记
1204-1205 Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay (Causeway Bay MTR, near Times Square, take elevator or lift up to Level 12)
Opening Hours: 11:30am – 11pm

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The post Ho Hung Kee 何洪记 – Michelin Starred Wonton Noodle Shop Moves To Hysan Place appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

I have been asked by the Smart Local folks to contribute to a list of signature dishes at restaurants all across Singapore. Requirement is mid-end to fine dining. This is a tough one.

2013 has been an amazing year in terms of food. As a food blogger, I feel the need to at least try some of the most recognised and awarded restaurants in Singapore. That brought me to Iggy’s, Waku Ghin, Jaan, Brasserie Les Saveurs, Guther’s, Tippling Club and Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck.

Not trying to show off because all of which comes with a big price tag, lots of savings needed and a hole in the wallet, and it takes time and finding the right occasion. (Those left on my wish-list for 2014 include Andre, Shinji, Burnt Ends, Osteria Mozza and L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon.)

These signature dishes have become my personal favourites for 2013 for a reason, they create that ‘WOW’ sensation after you take your first bite, releasing a bolt of happiness within the body, and makes you stand amazed at the crafts of the people in the kitchen.

Some come from fine end dining restaurants, while some staying unassuming and humble.

Waku Ghin’s Marinated Botan Shrimp with Sea Urchin and Oscietra Caviar
Waku Ghin can be considered Chef Tetsuya’s dream ‘playground’, a 10,000 square feet expensive space, meant to serve maximum of 25 customers at one time. Its signature dish, the Marinated Botan Shrimp with Sea Urchin and Oscietra Caviar, is mind-blowing delicious. Every spoonful of the uni just melts in your mouth sensationally, and you feel transported to a gastronomic dreamland. (Read: Waku Ghin, Marina Bay Sands)

Tsukada Nojo’s Bijin Nabe
Tsukada Nojo is best known for their Bijin Nabe ($25 for 1 pax) – a “Beauty Pot” of collagen-rich organic chicken broth, and ingredients of prawns, fresh organic vegetables mushroom and chicken meatballs. The Jidori chicken is a valuable ‘brand chicken’ in Japan, raised organically with stringent quality standards. The soup which melts from an initial lump of white smooth silky pudding, tastes nutritious, rich and extremely flavourful. (Read: Tsukada Nojo, Chinatown Point)

Summer Palace’s Drunken Dong Po Pork
Summer Palace’s new “Imperial Tales” menu features a feast inspired by stories from the palace from the different Chinese dynasties. My favourite was the first dish, a ‘Drunken Dong Po Pork’. While deep fried golden brown pork topped with gold foils look nothing like the familiar ‘Dong Po Rou’ – usually dark, oily and very fatty. Executive Chinese Chef Liu Ching Hai basically took the pork belly and deep fried it. The results are crispy cubes with the inside half-meaty, and half-tender-fatty. (Read: Summer Palace, Regent Hotel)

L’Atelier Tiramisu’s Lychee Tiramisu
L’Atelier Tiramisu at Clarke Quay Central offers just a four flavours of tiramisu – classic, lychee, dark cherry, pandan and matcha. A slice is at $6.80 while and entire cake is $48. I am not that a fan of tiramisu. But one spoonful, one spoonful of that very moist cake sponge, creamy mascarpone and a slight explosion of Liberty’s expresso and liqueur with Marsala wine got me almost in cloud nine. (Read: L’Atelier Tiramisu, Clarke Quay Central)

Candlenut’s Chap Chye
My grandmother used to cook traditional nonya dishes, some taking days to prepare when I would help pound chilli in the kitchen. Candlenut’s simple dish of Chap Chye ($12) gave me a quick flashback of those sweet nostalgic memories. The braised crunchy cabbage comes with mushroom, sweet dried bean curd and pork belly, and it is the prawn stock gravy that shows that the simplest things can be hardest to recreate.

I know this list looks skewed to the Asian palate. While I did have some memorable European and Western dishes in Singapore, I think my taste buds are ‘spoilt’ by some astonishing restaurants overseas, so most experiences locally just pale in comparison.

What is your personal signature dish of 2013?

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At the end of the meal at Bochinche, I still do not have a clear inkling of what Argentinian food is. The ‘trusty’ Wikipedia says Argentine cuisine may be “described as a cultural blending of Indigenous, Mediterranean influences such as those created by Italian and Spanish populations”.

Bochinche, Spanish word for ‘ruckus’, is a modern Argentinian cuisine restaurant offering small plates at Martin Road. The concept is a joint collaboration with Argentinian chef Diego Jacquet who was based in London, and Spa Espirit’s Cynthia Chua.

I have reservations calling this a ‘hipster restaurant’. There is a group of Singaporeans who would flock to the newest and trendiest F&B, so called off the beaten track, but heavily publicized already.

Oh, the irony. The restaurant would be the talk-of-the-moment “You mean you haven’t tried XXX? Yes, I went before it opened”, and then then slowly fall off from social-media grace. Unless the food quality is there.

Stripping off the initial hype, I think Bochinche happens to one that serves honest good food.

The restaurant started with focusing on small plates for sharing, and is moving to wallet-friendly weekday lunches and weekend brunch. It is a necessary step to take to stay in the game (nearby Bomba and KHA are calling it a day.)

The lunch sets of 2-course ($28++) or 3-course ($35++) meals offers from the menu of starters, mains and dessert which changes weekly. Almost nothing stays the same, good for diners who love that variety and get them coming back.

Appetizers were forgettable. Both my mains, a Pappardelle with ossobuco ragout and walnuts and Mushroom risotto with crispy cauliflower and truffle oil, while visually not pleasing, taste fantastic.

The risotto remains as one of the best I had – creamy, every bite flavourful, yet without the heaviness that you would usually associate with this dish. (I hear this dish would keep coming back due to its popularity) We easily swept clean the Pappardelle dish as well.

Chef Jacquet’s new lunch dishes are cooked lighter and individually portioned compared to the dinner selections, so that you don’t fall into a food coma that easily post-lunch.

The PR Janet said that Bochinche’s Mango Panna Cotta is “the best thing on earth”. I am sure she is exaggerating. But wobbly smooth and sweet that makes a great match with the chocolate granite on side, it is probably one of the best desserts in Bochinche, along with the Baked Raspberry Tart & Dulce de Leche Crème Fraiche which I preferred better.

Bochinche
22 Martin Road, #02-01, Singapore 239058 (no train stations or bus stops near here), Tel: +65 6235 4990
Opening Hours: Lunch12pm – 3pm (Tue – Fri, last order 2:15pm)
Brunch 11am – 3.30pm (Sat-Sun Last order 3pm)
Dinner 5:30pm – 10.30pm (Tue – Thu, Sun, Last order 10pm; Bar closes at 12mn) , 5:30 pm – 10.30pm (Fri – Sat, Last order 10pm; Bar closes at 1am)

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The Tiong Bahru boy in me feels a little sad when another old kopitiam or provision give way to a hipster café and restaurant. Do we really need another new shop? Yakitori restaurant Bincho, like nearby Two Face, is one which manages to retain the old, while injecting fresh vibes into the same place.

Bincho at Hua Bee is yet another brilliant brain child of restaurateur Loh Lik Peng, known for his design-oriented restaurants Cocotte, Majestic Restaurant, Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant, Pollen, Keong Saik Snacks and Esquina – all under Unlisted Collection.

Day time, Hua Bee is a kopitiam with auntie cooking bak chor mee and a grouchy uncle collecting money. Being around for more than 70 years, it is also known to be the filming set of Eric Khoo’s Mee Pok Man.

Night time, Bincho takes over, all bronzy-gold and à la mode with Chef Asai Masashi presenting omakase sets.

The ‘entrance’ is at the back of the restaurant, near the carpark, under the aircon vent, near the rubbish bins.

Sit by the counter for all the action. Pick between the Sakura ($50) or Bincho set ($80), with mostly yakitori items from chicken wings, soft bone, breast and thigh.

Add $8 for free flow green tea and salad, essentially cabbage, carrot sticks with miso dip.

Some of the pieces of the 11-item set were delightfully delicious – the assorted appetizer, chicken thigh, chawanmushi with a meat ball hidden within, and soft bone karaage stands out. The vibes makes the meal quite an experience to remember.

The Mini Oyako Don, tasted quite authentically Japanese, hitting the right notes with juicy meat and fresh moist rice.

However, this meal at Bincho suffered a chicken-overdose, with more than half the selection chicken. The more expensive set would have offered the thigh, wing, liver, heart, tare, breast, neck, tail, soup, and some more, quite an overkill I thought. Some seafood would have better balanced the experience.

Perhaps because I was the only customer in the restaurant (and it was Saturday night!), the serving rhythm could have been much better planned. Some of the items arrived too quick in succession, making me feel compelled to finish the items to move on to the next.

Isn’t omakase about timing and precision as well?

Bincho’s yakitori meal was overall satisfying, matched with a stylistic enclave for a wind-down time with drinks concocted by Stefan Ravalli of The Library. It was one wonderful been-there-done-that experience, actually. And I wonder if I will return soon again, at least not in a few months.

Bincho at Hua Bee
78 Moh Guan Terrace #01-19 (near Flock Café) Tel:+65 6438 4567
Opening hours: 6pm to 12am (Tues – Fri); 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 12am (Sat-Sun)

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The post Bincho at Hua Bee – Meepok by Day, Yakitori by Night appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

This can be a case of a great idea executed at the wrong time, at a wrong place.

Japanese BBQ restaurant Smoke House has a self-service BBQ concept with meats bought from a mini-supermarket. This replaces Cz’Zar at the corner unit at Great World City, both owned by the same people behind Ichiban Boshi and Kuriya. While the two restaurants are known for their Japanese cuisine, Smoke House seems more likely to fall flat.

The idea of Smoke House is novel on paper: Pick your meats, drinks and dessert from a supermarket section; pay a cover charge of $10 ($8 for lunch) for free flow of salad, soups and rice; and have a DIY BBQ at the table.

Sounds like great fun. The self service probably helps the restaurant in terms of cutting man-power in light of labour shortage. Practically, I cannot imagine this taking off yet, admist the confusion.

I have been there three times, and the first two occasions the restaurant was shut down “due to technical error”. (I wished there was a facebook page at least for them to update.)

The display meat on the shelves, while cheaper in price than in most restaurants, did not look all too fresh. Neither did it whet appetite as most cuts looked paler in colour, left in the freezer for possibly a long time, in pre-packed plastic boxes like sushi. You can imagine about the cakes.

I settled for more value-for-money plate with 6 types of meat (Japan Wagyu Karubi, Australian Short Ribs, US Kurobuta Powl Jowl, Chicken Wings and ‘Today’s Beef) at $48, along with some corn, capsicum and onions.

While the $10 cover charge allowed access to the salad bar, the variety and colours of the selection made Sakura feel like a Michelin star restaurant. The garlic rice, cooked in mass quantity, was dry and unappealing.

The best things at Smoke House were the two sauces available – BBQ and shio dips created by the chefs at Kuriya, which helped save some of the less appetising and tougher meats. The wagyu, fortunately, was still smooth and fatty.

Even though I ordered only one tray, there was some difficulty in trying to create space on the table.

Service was competent and friendly though. You know they are trying hard to introduce and get customers in. There were some considerate touches like a washing sink, disposable apron and Febreze to mask the odour on clothes.

Sorry to good fellows from the Smoke House and Ichiban Boshi, my gut feel tells me this concept, while unusual and cut loads of labour cost, is not going to last. May be it won’t be before long I see Smoke House turn into another buffet restaurant.

Smoke House Charcoal BBQ
#01-37 Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade, Singapore 237994. Tel:+65 62352185.
Opening Hours: Lunch 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm Daily (Last orders 2:30pm and 9:45pm)

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The post Smoke House – BBQ Your Meats From The Supermarket appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

The Tippling Club which had been around Dempsey Hill for 5 years, first caught my attention when it was ranked on The Miele Guide Asia’s Top 20, right behind Les Amis and Restaurant Andre in 2013. That put it on my ‘want-to-try’ list.

Chef-Owner Ryan Clift has moved the Tippling Club to a more accessible Tanjong Pagar Road, across 3 shophouses on 34, 36, and 38 (near the Korean BBQ shops).

The new space is inviting, you walk straight into the floor bar for an after-work cocktail called “Low Profile Fashion Choices” – so me.

Though the main feature is when you turn right into a dining room built around an open kitchen, where you can feel the adrenalin behind the kitchen, while still enjoying the creations in a part-casual, part-intimate setting.

Tippling Club’s main highlight (other than the charismatic chef) is the food, serving tasting menus such as the Classic Menu (six courses for S$160++) or Gourmand Menu (12 courses for S$265++). Two or three course lunch sets will also be available at the new Tanjong Pagar location.

For those unfamiliar with Chef Ryan Clift’s food, it has been described as “modern gastronomy”, “ever-evolving”, “cutting-edge” and “avant-garde”. If I may, in simpler terms – playful and unexpected. But do not ever use the word “molecular” on him, he hates that word.

Case in point. A Curry Espuma encapsulated in a small bottle, inspired by local Hainanese chicken curry; its signature amuse bouche are a pair of black charred bell peppers dipped in soy; a beef tendon looking like keropok cracker; tomato water placed in test tubes drank by straw, and cheese cakes looking like pills placed in prescription bottles. (I left some of the pictures out because you should experience it yourself rather than give the fun away.)

Some would say it is pretentious; some would cheer with ecstasy. One man meat’s is another’s poison.

I thoroughly enjoyed some of the creations, namely the Omelette with Smoked Eel and Caviar which has a blend of the various ingredients, Razor Clams with purple garlic and parsley root; the Venison with an Onion Nettle which some of us call “the best onion ring in the world”.

Good news bad news. We loved some parts of the menu that we craved for more, but it didn’t feel enough. The Tippling Club is some parts dramatic, some parts exceptional.

Tippling Club
38 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088461, Tel: +65 6473 2217
Opening Hours: Lunch 12-3pm (Mon-Fri), Dinner 6pm-11pm (Mon-Sat), Bar 12pm-12am (Mon-Sat), Closed Sun

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The post Tippling Club – New Location at Tanjong Pagar, Still Playful & Unexpected appeared first on DanielFoodDiary.com.

Are you finding yourself paying more and more for meals? We all have to agree that dining out in Singapore can be quite costly at times (like $30-$50 per meal?). But if you are resourceful enough to do some homework, you will find yourself getting valuable dining deals. I recently paid less than $10 to have pasta at a decent café!

All thanks to The Entertainer Singapore app, which allows you to get One-For-One Meals! You may find 2014 surrounded with sumptuous meals, and still at affordable prices with huge savings made.

Here are 5 Good Reasons To Get The Entertainer App.

One for One Deal
This is real. One for One. You can get one complimentary Main Course when a main course of equal or greater value is purchased.

I was at Croute by Hummerstons at Valley Point which is a bakery café serving homemade breads, cakes, all day breakfast and mains. We had a Chicken with Mushroom Risotto Stack ($16) and Penne Pesto Cream ($13). Guess how much we paid at the end? Yes, $16 in total for a risotto and pasta, which works out to be $8 each! Feels good to flash out a red note, and still get change back.

Up To $150,000 Worth of Great Savings
With three vouchers per merchant, that means you can share the vouchers with your family and friends. That means if 6 people goes down, effectively 3 dines for free. Either that, you can choose to visit that same outlet many times.

Priced at $95 (there is a discount for the mobile app version at $67), it contains over 660 vouchers to the best restaurants, casual dining, upmarket bars, spas, hotel accommodation, and attractions totalling $150,000 in savings.

It Is Not Just About The Mains
The Entertainer Singapore app is not only applicable fine dining restaurants, modern contemporary restaurants, casual family eateries, and cafes, you can use them at kiosks as well – to get your ice cream, cupcakes, bubble tea and donuts.

Yes, one for one bubble tea. Share the happiness with a friend. Some brands you may find familiar – Ben & Jerry’s, Cupcakes with Love, Berrylite, Dunkin Donuts, Ireland’s Potato, Kisses Bakery, Maggie Moo’s, The Yougurt Place, ShareTea and WooBbee are all on the app.

Search Favourite Restaurants by Location (Or Name)
So you are in town with a date/friend. Not sure where to eat, and nobody can make that decision. (That happens all the time, yah?) Just whip out your phone and The Entertainer can show all the discounted dining places by location, ordered by distance.

My friend and I was at Somerset Orchard, quickly searched for all the great places we could enjoy One-For-One, and found many choices such as Oriole Café & Bar, KPO Café Bar, Bedrock Bar & Grill, Malones Singapore, Balaclava, Marmalade Pantry, Wan Hao, Marriott Café, Delicious at Scotts, Il Cielo… all within walking distance. Sweet.

One Room Night Free for Hotel Stays
Planning a trip to Thailand, Maldives, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Bali Indonesia, Mumbai India, or Vietnam? Before you book a hotel, my tip for you is to check The Entertainer App first because you may just find yourself saving 50% of the cost.

There are many reputable hotel brands such as Banyan Tree, Centara Grand, Conrad, Dusit, Grant Hyatt, Grand Millennium, Impiana, InterContinental, LUX*, Movenpick, Novotel, Renaissance, Sofitel, Swiss-Belhotel, The Langha, Vivanta, and many more that provide One Complimentary Night stay when a night of equal or greater value is purchased.

The Entertainer voucher book is available at Kinokuniya . Priced at $95, it will contain over 660 vouchers to the best restaurants, casual dining, upmarket bars, spas, hotel accommodation, and attractions totalling $150,000 in savings.

Otherwise, you can download the app of a discount rated at $67. You should download the app now (there are always some free trial deals there) – available across all app stores from iTunes, Blackberry to Google Play. More details at The Entertainer Singapore

Other Related Entries
The Entertainer – Finally, An App Which Provides Huge Cost Savings For Food & Dining

*This entry is brought to you by The Entertainer

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[Hong Kong] Before I fly away from Hong Kong airport, I would get a cup of “I love Tsui Wah” milk tea, or pre-packed bottles so that the taste of Hong Kong will still linger after I reach home. (Read: 5 Best Hong Kong Cafes)

Tsui Wah Restaurant 翠華餐廳 had its beginnings as a ‘bing sut’, a predecessor of tea cafes way back in 1967 at Mong Kok. Already a listed company, they are the pricier Hong Kong cafes around.

I have not met any Singaporean friend who doesn’t really like Tsui Wah, with its branch at Central Wellington Road becoming our default meeting/gathering place, especially if we need late night suppers in this city that doesn’t really sleep.

Know not what to order? Get one of their “Top 10” food listed in their menu which includes Crispy Pork Chop Bun (HK$35), King Prawns in XO Sauce with Tossed Noodles (HK$51) and Swiss-style Chicken Wings (HK$51).

If not, here are 5 recommended signature dishes from Tsui Wah. All my personal favourites that become default orders everytime I go back. Disclaimer: The food at Tsui Wah is not fantastic fantastic (I am certain some individual cha chaan teng would serve better dishes), but it is pretty reliable and tourist-friendly.

Crispy Pork Chop Bun (HK$35)
The winning part of this bun to me is the Portuguese style bread, slightly toasted crispy on the outside, yet still remember quite soft in the inside (some versions I had were slightly dry though). The pork chop could be a thicker slab, but still remains tender tasty. Beware, the French fries on the side are extremely addictive with ketchup.

Malaysian Beef Brisket Curry with Rice (HK$60)
This looks like a pretty ugly dish, but do not judge a dish by its look! The curry is made from a secret recipe handed down by a Malaysian chef, quite unlike the usual Singapore style curries that are coconuty and thin. The stewed beef brisket almost melts in the mouth, and I couldn’t stop pouring the thick gravy over my rice. Nom nom nom.

Milk Tea (HK$18) with Crispy Bun and Condensed Milk (HK$17)
Tsui Wah’s milk tea is love. Made with premium Ceylon tea leaves, and Holland’s Black & White evaporated milk, it is silky and not overly bitter or sweet. I will have the iced version without fail, matched with simple crispy bun drizzled with sweet condensed milk. You can buy bottles of the milk tea back (I seen SQ girls buying by the dozens), but be careful as mine spilled in my bag!

Jumbo Frankfurter Hot Dog (HK$29)
Strange that I am loving so many carb dishes, but what is there not to love with a delicious (and unhealthy) 11 inch jumbo hot dog bun with scrambled eggs, onions and traditional sauce. Juicy and moist, please share this big one with your friends.

King Prawns in XO Sauce with Tossed Noodles (HK$51)
The egg noodles are chewy and thin, though can be slightly dry for some. The king prawns were succulently fresh with a bite, extremely pleasurable to be chewing on them.

Another two of other favourite dishes are the Swiss Sauce Chicken Wings (HK$55), worth licking your fingers for the dark sweet soya sauce, and Fish Balls and Fish Cakes in Fish Soup (HK$30), with the balls freshly made daily with over 10 types of fresh fish and yellow eels.

Which is your must-order dish from Tsui Wah?

Tsui Wah Restaurant 翠華餐廳
Various locations, including 15-19 Wellington Street, GF-2F, Central, Hong Kong Island (Central MTR)
77-81 Parkes Street, Jordon, Kowloon
Opening Hours: 24 hours Daily for certain locations

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